Navratri · Day 1
Shailputri
Daughter of the mountains
Maa Shailputri Aarti
शैलपुत्री मां बैल पर सवार। करें देवता जय जयकार। शिव शंकर की प्रिय भवानी। तेरी महिमा किसी ने ना जानी।
पार्वती तू उमा कहलावे। जो तुझे सिमरे सो सुख पावे। ऋद्धि-सिद्धि परवान करे तू। दया करे धनवान करे तू।
सोमवार को शिव संग प्यारी। आरती तेरी जिसने उतारी। उसकी सगरी आस पुजा दो। सगरे दुख तकलीफ मिला दो।
घी का सुंदर दीप जला के। गोला गरी का भोग लगा के। श्रद्धा भाव से मंत्र गाएं। प्रेम सहित फिर शीश झुकाएं।
जय गिरिराज किशोरी अंबे। शिव मुख चंद्र चकोरी अंबे। मनोकामना पूर्ण कर दो। भक्त सदा सुख संपत्ति भर दो।
About the Goddess
The first form of Durga. Shailputri is the daughter of Himalaya, the king of mountains. She rides the bull Nandi and holds a trident and a lotus. Worshipping her on the first day marks the start of the nine nights.
Bhog: Pure ghee
Make this mine
Optional. Your name and gotra fill into the sankalp. Saved on this device only.
Puja samagri (items needed)
- Picture or idol of the Goddess
- Red cloth (chunri) and a clean asan
- Roli / kumkum, akshat (unbroken rice)
- Red flowers (hibiscus is dear to the Goddess), garland
- Incense (agarbatti / dhoop), camphor
- Diya with ghee or oil, cotton wicks
- Water in a kalash / small pot, mango leaves
- Fruits, coconut, and the day's bhog
- Bhog: Pure ghee
Puja vidhi (steps)
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Cleanliness and preparation
Bathe and wear clean clothes. Clean the puja space and spread a red cloth. Sit facing east or north and place the Goddess's picture or idol in front of you.
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Sankalp (resolve)
Hold water, a few grains of rice and a flower in your right palm, recite the sankalp, then release the water. Your gotra and name below are filled from your saved preferences.
मम (your gotra)-गोत्रे उत्पन्नस्य (your name)-नाम्नः ममोपात्त-समस्त-दुरित-क्षयद्वारा श्रीदुर्गा-प्रीत्यर्थं नवरात्र-पूजनमहं करिष्ये॥
mama (your gotra)-gotre utpannasya (your name)-nāmnaḥ mamopātta-samasta-durita-kṣaya-dvārā shrī-durgā-prītyarthaṃ navarātra-pūjanam ahaṃ kariṣye ||
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Ganesh vandana
Begin by bowing to Lord Ganesha to remove obstacles.
वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ। निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा॥
vakratuṇḍa mahākāya sūryakoṭi samaprabha | nirvighnaṃ kuru me deva sarvakāryeṣu sarvadā ||
Meaning: O Lord with the curved trunk and great body, radiant as a million suns, make all my undertakings free of obstacles, always.
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Light the diya and make offerings
Light the diya and incense. Offer roli, akshat, flowers and the garland to the Goddess.
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Ghatasthapana (kalash sthapana)
Only on day 1. Fill a kalash with clean water, place mango leaves in its mouth and a coconut wrapped in red cloth on top. Set it on a bed of soil or sand in which barley seeds are sown. Light the diya. The auspicious time (muhurat) differs every year, so confirm it from your family's panchang or pandit.
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Dhyana mantra
Close your eyes for a moment and recite the dhyana verse for Maa Shailputri.
वन्दे वाञ्छितलाभाय चन्द्रार्धकृतशेखराम्। वृषारूढां शूलधरां शैलपुत्रीं यशस्विनीम्॥
vande vāñchhita-lābhāya chandrārdha-kṛta-shekharām | vṛṣārūḍhāṃ shūladharāṃ shailaputrīṃ yashasvinīm ||
Meaning: I bow to the glorious Shailputri, who wears the half-moon as a crown, rides the bull and holds the trident, for the fulfilment of my wishes.
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Stuti (praise)
Recite the praise of the Goddess.
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥
yā devī sarvabhūteṣu shakti-rūpeṇa saṃsthitā | namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namaḥ ||
Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of Shakti (power): salutations to her, again and again.
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Offer the bhog
Offer Pure ghee as bhog to Maa Shailputri, along with fruit and coconut.
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Aarti
Sing the aarti while waving the lit diya or camphor in a clockwise circle before the Goddess.
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Prayer for forgiveness
Ask forgiveness for any mistake made during the puja.
आवाहनं न जानामि न जानामि विसर्जनम्। पूजां चैव न जानामि क्षमस्व परमेश्वरि॥
āvāhanaṃ na jānāmi na jānāmi visarjanam | pūjāṃ caiva na jānāmi kṣamasva parameshvari ||
Meaning: I do not know how to invoke you, nor how to bid you farewell, nor how to worship you. Forgive me, O Supreme Goddess.
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Distribute the prasad
Share the prasad with family and neighbours, then take it yourself.