Maa Chandraghanta

Maa Chandraghanta is the third of the nine forms of Durga (Navdurga), worshipped on day 3 of Navratri, the Shukla Tritiya tithi. The Devi Kavach names her third in its list of the nine forms.

Maa Chandraghanta Mahatmya

Chandraghanta is Parvati's married form. After her marriage to Lord Shiva she began to wear the half-moon on her forehead, which looks like a bell (ghanta), and so she is called Chandraghanta.

She rides a tigress, her ten hands armed as if always ready for battle, yet the form is peaceful and protective towards her devotees. The sound of the moon-bell on her forehead is believed to keep every harmful spirit away from them.

Worship of Maa Chandraghanta is believed to bless the devotee with courage, valour and freedom from fear, and to ease troubles linked to Venus (Shukra). Her customary bhog is milk and milk-based dishes.

Maa Chandraghanta: Mantra, Prayer and Stuti

Mantra

ॐ देवी चन्द्रघण्टायै नमः॥

oṃ devī candraghaṇṭāyai namaḥ||

Prarthana (Dhyana)

पिण्डज प्रवरारूढा चण्डकोपास्त्रकैर्युता।प्रसादं तनुते मह्यम् चन्द्रघण्टेति विश्रुता॥

piṇḍaja pravarārūḍhā caṇḍakopāstrakairyutā|prasādaṃ tanute mahyam candraghaṇṭeti viśrutā||

Stuti

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

yā devī sarvabhūteṣu mām̐ candraghaṇṭā 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 Chandraghanta

About Maa Chandraghanta

On day 3 of Navratri, after the morning bath, meditate on Maa Chandraghanta before the kalash with the prayer above, chant her mantra and offer the bhog. In the Durga Saptashati's seven-day reading order, the third day of Navratri covers chapter 4.