Navratri Day 1 - Goddess Shaliaputri

Shailaputri literally means “Daughter of the Mountains” and she is a manifestation of Goddess Durga and is worshipped on the first day of Navratri. She is also known as Sati, Bhavani, Parvati, or Hemavati.

Goddess Shailaputri is depicted with two hands and has a crescent moon on her forehead. She holds a trident in her right hand and a lotus flower on the left. She rides on mount Nandi (bull).

She is Devi (divine spirit) of the root chakra, who, upon awakening, begins Her journey upwards. Sitting on Nandi and making her first journey from the Muladhara chakra.

The goal of the seeker is to keep the attention concentrated on the Muladhara chakra on the first day of Navratri so that they can experience the bliss of the upward journey of the energy as the days progress during Navratri.

The Mantra to honor this form of Goddess Durga as Shailaputri is “Aum Hreem Shri Shailaputri Durgaaye Namaha”.

When we reach the peak of any experience or feeling, we experience the emergence of the Divine consciousness, because it always surges from that peak. This is the hidden meaning behind Shailaputri.

The root chakra allows us to understand the knowledge of the third-dimensional realm of existence, and how our programming has kept us from the Light. We need to understand this in order to allow our journey upwards to be child-like and filled with compassion for ourselves and others.

The left brain “tree of knowledge” keeps us trapped in an illusion. The root chakra and the energy of that awakening encourage us to move to the right brain “tree of life.”

May you grow to know the goddess within