Table of Contents
Brief Introduction to Devi Shailaputri
People celebrate the first day of Navaratri in the honour of Devi Shailaputri.
She is the first among the Navadurgas. Her name comes from a combination of 2 Sanskrit terms: Shaila means (stone), indicating the great Himalayan Mountains and Putri stands for Daughter. Hence, people recognize her as the Daughter of the Himalayan Mountains.
The colour Yellow symbolizes her. People on the first day of Navaratri worship her wearing Yellow clothes. Devotees consider her to be a direct expansion of Devi Sati.
Description of Devi Shailaputri
Her one hand bears a lotus flower and the other holds a trident. Her crown adorns the half moon. Many see Shailaputri Devi as the feminine representation of Lord Shiva.
Lord Shiva too bears a half moon on his matted hair with a trident in his hands. Moreover, Devi Shailaputri has the same vehicle as Lord Shiva, the Great bull. The eternal couple resides in Kailash. Just like the Various forms of Lord Shiva, Devi too has multiple forms.
Devi Shailaputri: Devi Sati Performs Penance to Seek a Boon
Experts quote many references from the Shiva Maha Purana and Devi Bhagwat Purana that reveal the stories of Mother Shailaputri.
In Her earlier birth, Devi Shailaputri became the daughter of Daksha, the foremost among the Prajapatis, the son of Sri Brahma. She dedicated her time in devotion towards Lord Shiva. As a result, she managed to seek a boon from the Great Lord.
She said: “Oh Lord, if my penance, vows and austerities satisfy, please bless me such that I be your wife.” Following this boon, the universe recognized Her as the eternal consort of Lord Shiva, Devi Sati.
Devi Shailaputri: Massive Yajna at Daksha’s place
Once Daksha invited all the Devatas and Devis for the massive Yajna held at his abode. However, he consciously did not invite his son-in-law Shiva and daughter Sati.
People knew Lord Shiva as a recluse, a married mendicant who lived a life of utter abandon at the Himalayas. Hence Daksha did not hold Shiva in high esteem and found ways to demean Him all the time.
Yet, Lord Shiva never took those insults personally, since He is situated above the modes of material nature.
Daksha felt that Lord Shiva dressed Himself most disgustingly. Animal skin wrapping his thighs, his chest smeared with ash and a necklace of skulls around His neck. Daksha experienced utter detest towards Lord Shiva, for these reasons.
A highly opinionated Daksha did not consider such attire and renounced behaviour as symptoms of celestial beings. So, he avoided Lord Shiva as much as possible.
Sati Devi attends the Yajna
Now, Daksha invited all the Devatas and Sages. Meanwhile, Sati made enormous attempts to persuade her husband to attend the Yajna.
Lord Shiva did not relent. As a consequence, she went alone to attend the Yajna and she learnt about her father’s opinions about Her eternal consort. She could no longer bear the sins committed by Her father Daksha, at the feet of Lord Shiva.
She could not compromise with the self-esteem of her husband.
Sati Ends Her Body
Devi Sati felt deep pain at the thought that she got her body due to Daksha Prajapati. Now, she felt impure body wise. She did not find her body fit to be offered in service to the great Lord Mahadeva, especially when her own father held grudges towards Him.
Hence she decided to end her life that housed itself in a defiled body.
In the great Yajna sacrifice, in the presence of all Devis, Devatas, Gandharvas and Sages, Devi Sati jumped into the flames of the Havana Kund of the Yajna Sacrifice. Her body disintegrated.
Devi Shailaputri: Sati Reappears purified as Parvati
In her next birth, she appeared as Devi Parvati, the daughter of the Great Himalayas.
In this birth, Himalaya Raj became her father who was so loving to Lord Shiva, that he became the very abode of Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati.
Parvati Devi attained perfect satisfaction in this birth.
The Symbolic Representation of Devi Shailaputri Devi
Parvati Devi represents the presiding deity of the Muladhara Chakra or the Root Chakra.
She married Lord Shiva and became one of the most powerful Devis of the Vedic Pantheon. Widely worshipped in South India in her numerous forms, she attained the position of becoming the Mother of Lord Ganesha and Lord Murugan.
Devi Parvati thus became a symbolic representation of motherhood, affection, love and care.
Potent Mantra of Devi Shailaputri
ॐ देवी शैलपुत्र्यै नमः॥
वंदे वाद्द्रिछतलाभाय चंद्रार्धकृतशेखराम |
वृषारूढां शूलधरां शैलपुत्री यशस्विनीम् ||
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु माँ शैलपुत्री रूपेण संस्थिता।
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः||
Om Devi Shakilaputrayayi Namah ||
Vande Vaanchit Laabhaya Chandraardha Kruta Shekharaam ||
Vrusharuudhaam Shooladharaam Shailaputrim Yashaswinim ||
Ya Devi Sarvabhootheshu Maa Shailaputri Roopena Sansthithaa ||
Namastasyayi Namastasyayi Namastasyayi Namo Namah ||
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Meaning of the Mantra
I worship Goddess Shailaputri who is adorned with the half-moon on her head and whose celestial vehicle is the Great Bull, who carries a trident and is ever illustrious. May this Goddess fulfil all my desires.
You can recite this mantra in the evening and morning puja of the 1st day of Navaratri or even chant it on a 108 bead mala. Use a Kamal Gatha mala for chanting the mantra and wear yellow coloured clothes (which is a symbolic color for Devi Shailaputri), to attract the divine energy.
Now, while chanting it in Aarati, ensure you complete the Aarati with all the necessary paraphernalia and Puja Vidhi. Offer Jasmine flowers to Goddess Shailaputri Devi as it is her favourite flower. As a result Devi shall bless the devotee with happiness, abundance and joy.
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Glories of Devi Shailaputri Temple
Maa Shailaputri blesses all her devotees. She supports them in all stages of life.
Devi, the cherished consort of Lord Shiva blesses all married women with the same boon of having a good husband. She blesses her female devotees with divine husbands and her male devotees with chaste wives.
Devi fills the lives of her devoted couples with care, compassion and love and looks after all their needs.
The roots of the Shailaputri Temple at Varanasi goes so much beyond the historic period that even today nobody knows how it originated.
Nobody knows who established this temple. The common folks say that if Lord Shiva qualifies as the Lord of Varanasi, Devi too ought to reside, otherwise how can Shiva be complete?
Hence, the temple sees a surge of devotees every day and people from neighbouring states flock to seek the Devi’s blessing on the first day of Navaratri.
A Folk Lore of Devi Shailaputri
A folk anecdote suggests that on the birth of Devi Shailaputri, Sage Narada arrived. He informed Shailaraj (Father of Devi, King Himalayas) about the virtues of his new-born daughter.
He said: “Oh Himavan, your daughter is pious and extremely pure. She will develop an innate inclination towards Lord Shiva and get married to Him.”
The prediction came true when Devi turned into a ripe age. Once, Shailaputri Devi went on a Universe tour and at last she halted at Kashi, the residence of Lord Shiva. On the banks of river Varuna, she undertook severe meditation.
Several days passed by and the apprehensive father reached the river bank. Seeing his daughter drowned in meditation, Shailaraj did not interrupt her. Instead he too began meditating.
Today, there stands a potent temple on the very spot which has a lingam that represents Himavan. On the top altar exists a small deity of Devi as well.
Later, Devi Shailaputri descended as Devi Parvati and fulfilled her desire. She then married Lord Shiva.
Darshanam of Devi Shailaputri
People in localities of Varanasi claim that no other temple in India other than this one has Devi Shailaputri’s direct embodiment.
Residents say that Devi personifies in this temple and no other temple can challenge this fact. Even today, many sincere devotees have got live Darshanam of Devi and many have their desires fulfilled.
Many devotees say that if they have Darshanam of this potent deity on the first day of Navratri, all the other forms of Durga Devi, effortlessly manifest in front of them.
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