Form 1 of 9 · Night 1 of Navratri
Shailaputri
The first form of Durga, worshipped on the first night of Navratri: Shailaputri, the daughter of the mountain king Himavat, riding a bull with a trident and a lotus.
- Her name means
- Daughter of the mountain
- Rides the bull Nandi
- Her night
- Night 1
- of Navratri
The story
In her earlier life she was Sati, daughter of Daksha and wife of Shiva. When Daksha held a great sacrifice and insulted Shiva before the gods, Sati gave up her body in the sacrificial fire.
She was born again to Himavat, king of the mountains, and his queen Mena: Shailaputri, the daughter of the mountain, also called Parvati and Hemavati. In time she married Shiva once more.
As the first form of the nine she is the root of all the others, and on the first morning of Navratri the kalash is set up and she is invited into it.
What she gives
Steadiness and a firm beginning: she is the ground the other eight forms stand on.
How she is shown
Two-armed, riding the bull Nandi, a trident in her right hand and a lotus in her left, a crescent moon on her forehead.
Her verse
वन्दे वाञ्छितलाभाय चन्द्रार्धकृतशेखराम्।
वृषारूढां शूलधरां शैलपुत्रीं यशस्विनीम्॥
Vande vanchhitalabhaya chandrardhakritashekharam,
Vrisharudham shuladharam Shailaputrim yashasvinim.
For every wish I bow to the glorious Shailaputri, who wears the half moon in her hair, rides the bull and holds the trident.
हर मनोकामना के लिए मैं यशस्विनी शैलपुत्री को नमन करता हूँ, जो बालों में आधा चाँद धारण करती हैं, बैल पर सवार हैं और त्रिशूल थामे हैं।
Her mantra ॐ देवी शैलपुत्र्यै नमःOm Devi Shailaputryai Namah
Her night
The first night of Navratri
Shailaputri is worshipped on the first night of Navratri, the tithi of Pratipada, in spring (Chaitra) and in autumn (Sharad).
Find this year’s NavratriWhere she is worshipped
In every Durga temple and festival pandal on her night of Navratri. In Varanasi each of the nine forms has a temple of her own, and pilgrims visit one each night.
Questions
Who is Shailaputri?
The first of the Navadurga: Parvati as the daughter of Himavat, king of the mountains, worshipped on the first night of Navratri.
What is done on the first day of Navratri?
Ghatasthapana: a kalash of water is set up with barley sown around it, and the Goddess is invited into it for the nine days.