Maa Brahmacharini

Maa Brahmacharini is the second of the nine forms of Durga (Navdurga), worshipped on day 2 of Navratri, the Shukla Dwitiya tithi. The Devi Kavach names her second in its list of the nine forms.

Maa Brahmacharini Mahatmya

Brahmacharini is the Goddess's unmarried, ascetic form. She undertook severe penance to win Lord Shiva as her husband, and that austerity gave her this name. It is said she spent a thousand years living on fruits and flowers and another hundred on leafy greens alone, sleeping on the bare ground.

She is shown walking barefoot, a japa mala in her right hand and a kamandal in her left. Her prayer says the same, 'dadhānā kara padmābhyām akṣamālā kamaṇḍalū', bearing the rosary and water-pot in her lotus hands.

Worship of Maa Brahmacharini is believed to bless the devotee with the strength of penance and self-restraint, and to ease troubles linked to Mars (Mangal). Her customary bhog is sugar or sugar candy.

Maa Brahmacharini: Mantra, Prayer and Stuti

Mantra

ॐ देवी ब्रह्मचारिण्यै नमः॥

oṃ devī brahmacāriṇyai namaḥ||

Prarthana (Dhyana)

दधाना कर पद्माभ्यामक्षमाला कमण्डलू।देवी प्रसीदतु मयि ब्रह्मचारिण्यनुत्तमा॥

dadhānā kara padmābhyāmakṣamālā kamaṇḍalū|devī prasīdatu mayi brahmacāriṇyanuttamā||

Stuti

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु माँ ब्रह्मचारिणी रूपेण संस्थिता।नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥

yā devī sarvabhūteṣu mām̐ brahmacāriṇī rūpeṇa saṃsthitā|namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namaḥ||

Navdurga in the Devi Kavach (verses 3-5) →

प्रथमं शैलपुत्री च द्वितीयं ब्रह्मचारिणी।तृतीयं चन्द्रघण्टेति कूष्माण्डेति चतुर्थकम्॥पञ्चमं स्कन्दमातेति षष्ठं कात्यायनीति च।सप्तमं कालरात्रीति महागौरीति चाष्टमम्॥नवमं सिद्धिदात्री च नवदुर्गाः प्रकीर्तिताः।

prathamaṃ śailaputrī ca dvitīyaṃ brahmacāriṇī|tṛtīyaṃ candraghaṇṭeti kūṣmāṇḍeti caturthakam||pañcamaṃ skandamāteti ṣaṣṭhaṃ kātyāyanīti ca|saptamaṃ kālarātrīti mahāgaurīti cāṣṭamam||navamaṃ siddhidātrī ca navadurgāḥ prakīrtitāḥ|

Readings Related to Maa Brahmacharini

About Maa Brahmacharini

On day 2 of Navratri, after the morning bath, meditate on Maa Brahmacharini before the kalash with the prayer above, chant her mantra and offer the bhog. In the Durga Saptashati's seven-day reading order, the second day of Navratri covers chapter 2, chapter 3.