Navratri - Day 3

The Navratri is nine nights of festivals, where Durga Maa has her Puja done. She has 9 forms called the Nav Durga. It is the third night, which is dedicated to the third Nav Durga Mata, Maa Chandraghanta. The first night was dedicated to Maa Shailputri and the second to Maa Brahmacharini.

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Information about Chandraghanta Maa

The third aspect of Goddess Durga is Chandraghanta. On the third day of Navaratra worship her Vigraha (image) is worshipped. This particular aspect of the Goddess gives extreme peace and provides ultimate good. She has a half moon in her forehead in the shape of a bell. This is why she is called Chandraghanta. The hue of her body is golden bright. She has ten arms. In her ten hands, she holds weapons like sword etc., and missiles like arrow etc. Her vehicle is the lion. She is always in a gesture as if prepared for fighting. Her roaring voice is like a tumultuous sound of a bell that always causes the atrocious Danava, Daitya and Raksasas- all to tremble.

In the Durga worship of Navaratra the third day worship is of great importance. This day the mind of the striver enters Manipura Chakra. At this stage by the grace of mother Chandraghanta he becomes capable of seeing unearthly and divine things. He smells the divine fragrance and many types of divine sound become audible to him. On this day and in this stage of discipline the striver is required to be most careful.

By the grace of Mother Chandraghanta all the sins of the striver are burnt up and obstacles removed. Her worship is instantly fruitful. She is always in a gesture as if ready to proceed for the battlefield and thus she removes the difficulties of devotees very promptly. Her vehicle is lion and so her worshipper becomes valorous and fearless like a lion. The sound of her bell always protects her devotees from evil spirits. As soon as the striver invokes her, her bell immediately becomes active and starts ringing to protect the devotee under her shelter.

Even though she keeps her always busy in killing and suppressing the wicked, yet to her devotees and worshippers she looks most serene, gentle and peaceful. A very good quality that is developed in her devotees, who worship her, is the striver cultivates bravery and fearlessness accompanied by serenity and humility. His face, eyes and the entire body get effulgent. His voice becomes divinely sweet. Wherever the devotee worshippers of mother Chandraghanta go, they disperse peace and blessings among the people. From the body of such a striver there always takes place an invisible radiation of divinely lighted atoms. The divine action is beyond the perceiving capacity of physical eyes but the striver himself and his associates go on experiencing this fact every now and then.

By purifying his mind, words, deeds and body through prescribed manner we should worship the mother Chandraghanta and take shelter under her feet. Through worshipping her we can get rid of all worldly sorrows, and attain the supreme goal spontaneously. We should always try to advance on the path of spiritual discipline by contemplating on the sacred image of the mother. Contemplating on her, we can attain the mundane perfection and ultimate good in the other world.

On the third day of Navratri, here is the Adhya Shakti Maa Arti:

Jai Aadya Shakti Ma Arti

Jaya aadya shakti, ma jaya aadya shakti
Akhand brhamand dipavya, panave pragatya ma
Om jayo jayo ma jagdambe

Dwitiya mehsarup shivshakti janu, ma shivshakti janu
Brahma ganapti gaye, brahma ganapti gaye
Hardayi har ma
Om jayo jayo ma jagdambe

Trutiya tran sarup tribhuvan ma betha, ma tribhuvan ma betha
Daya thaki karveli, daya thaki karveli
Utarvenima
Om jayo jayo ma jagdambe

Chouthe chatura malaxmi ma, sachrachal vyapya
Char bhuja cho disha, char bhuja cho disha
Pragtya dakshin ma
Om jayo jayo ma jagdambe

Panchame panchrushi panchami gunpadma, ma panchami gunpadma
Panchtatv tya soshiye, panchtatv tya soshiye
Panchetatvo ma
Om jayo jayo ma jagdambe

Shashthi tu narayani mahishasur maryo, ma mahishasur maryo
Narnari na rupe, narnari na rupe
Vyapaya saghale ma
Om jayo jayo ma jagdambe

Saptami sapt patal sandhya savitri, ma sandhya savitri
Gau ganga gayatri, gau ganga gayatri
Gauri geeta ma
Om jayo jayo ma jagdambe

Ashthmi ashtha bhujao ayi ananda, ma ayi ananda
Sunivar munivar janamya, sunivar munivar janamya
Dev daityoma
Om jayo jayo ma jagdambe

Navmi navkul nag seve navadurga, ma seve navadurga
Navratri na pujan, shivratri na archan
Kidha har brahma
Om jayo jayo ma jagdambe

Dashmi dash avtaar jay vijyalaxmi, ma jay vijyalaxmi
Rame ravan marya, rame ravan marya
Ravan maryo ma
Om jayo jayo ma jagdambe

Ekadashi agiyar tatyanikama, ma tatyanikama
Kaldurga kalika, kaldurga kalika
Shama ne vama
Om jayo jayo ma jagdambe

Barase kala rup bahuchar amba ma, ma bahuchar amba ma
Asur bhairav souie, kal bhairav soiye
Tara chhe tuj ma
Om jayo jayo ma jagdambe

Terase tulja rup tu tarunimata, ma tu tarunimata
Brahma vishnu sadashiv, brahma vishnu sadashiv
Gun tara gata
Om jayo jayo ma jagdambe

Shivbhakti ni aarati je koi gaye, ma je koi gaye
Bhane shivannad swami, bhane shivannad swami
Sukh sampati pashe,
Har kaileshe jashe
Ma amba dukh harashe
Om jayo jayo ma jagdambe

From: http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/jaya-aadya-shakti-ma.html

Here is today's Navdurga picture, it's a nice find from the internet, but too small again:

So on the third day, let us say Durge Mata Ki Jai! Chandraghanta Mata Ki Jai! Nav Durge Mata Ki Jai!

|| Om Durgaye Namah ||

Hope you all have a happy and joyous Navratri and we hope Maa Durga and Maa Vaishno Devi fulfills all your wishes this Navratri and that she keeps you and your family protected!