The nine forms of Goddess Durga (Navadurgās) are revealed in the protective hymn Devi Kavacam, included during recitation of the Devī Māhātmya:

oṃ prathamaṃ śaila-putrī ca dvitīyaṃ brahmacāriṇī |
tṛīyaṃ candra-ghaṇṭeti kūṣmaṇḍeti caturthakam || 3 ||

pañcamaṃ skanda-māteti ṣaṣṭaṃ kātyāyanīti ca |
saptamaṃ kāla-rātrīti mahā-gaurīti cāṣṭamam || 4 ||

navamaṃ siddhi-dātri ca nava-durgāḥ prakīrtitāḥ |
uktānyetāni nāmāni brahmaṇaiva mahātmanā || 5 ||

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"The first is Śailaputrī, the second is Brahmacāriṇī,

the third isChandraghaṇṭa, Kuṣmaṇḍā is the fourth.

The fifth is Skandamāta, the sixth is Kātyāyanī,

the seventh is Kālarātrī, and Mahāgaurī is the eighth.

The ninth is Siddhidātrī. The Nine Durgās are thusrevealed.

The noble Brahma has spoken Their names."

In this sādhana guide we provide a brief description of each Navadurgā that can be worshiped on each day of Navarātri, Their simple japa mantras that can be recited 108X, and pranāma verses to salute them after the japa is complete.

 

Each of the Navadurgās are connected to a chakra, an element, and a planet. When viewed through the lens of Tantra and Yoga, the sequence of the nine goddesses over the nine nights charts the awakening of consciousness, progressing sequentially from raw earthly existence up to absolute spiritual liberation.

 

For those who wish to read the Devī Māhātmya during this time, we have shared the method of dividing the chapters over nine days.

 

Also included are the colors that can be worn on each day based upon on the weekday when Navrātri begins, with the remaining eight days following a fixed cycle of colors.

 

For those fasting for Navarātri or Durgā Pūjā, the fast can ended any time after sunrise on Vijaya
Daśamī, Tuesday, October 20th.

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