The fiercest form, yet Shubhankari, the giver of good

Maa Kalaratri

Maa Kalaratri is the seventh of the nine forms of Durga (Navdurga), worshipped on day 7 of Navratri, the Shukla Saptami tithi. The Devi Kavach names her seventh in its list of the nine forms.

Maa Kalaratri Mahatmya

When the Goddess shed her outer golden skin to slay the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha, she became Kalaratri. It is held to be the fiercest and most terrifying of her forms.

Her complexion is deep black and she rides a donkey. Of her four hands, the right are raised in the gestures of fearlessness and blessing, while the left hold a sword and an iron hook. Fierce as she is, she grants her devotees safety and boons, and so she is also called Shubhankari.

Worship of Maa Kalaratri is believed to bless the devotee with protection from fear and negative forces, and to ease troubles linked to Saturn (Shani). Her customary bhog is jaggery.

Maa Kalaratri: Mantra, Prayer and Stuti

Mantra

ॐ देवी कालरात्र्यै नमः॥

oṃ devī kālarātryai namaḥ||

Prarthana (Dhyana)

एकवेणी जपाकर्णपूरा नग्ना खरास्थिता।लम्बोष्ठी कर्णिकाकर्णी तैलाभ्यक्त शरीरिणी॥वामपादोल्लसल्लोह लताकण्टकभूषणा।वर्धन मूर्धध्वजा कृष्णा कालरात्रिर्भयङ्करी॥

ekaveṇī japākarṇapūrā nagnā kharāsthitā|lamboṣṭhī karṇikākarṇī tailābhyakta śarīriṇī||vāmapādollasalloha latākaṇṭakabhūṣaṇā|vardhana mūrdhadhvajā kṛṣṇā kālarātrirbhayaṅkarī||

Stuti

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

yā devī sarvabhūteṣu mām̐ kālarātri 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 Kalaratri

About Maa Kalaratri

On day 7 of Navratri, after the morning bath, meditate on Maa Kalaratri before the kalash with the prayer above, chant her mantra and offer the bhog. In the Durga Saptashati's seven-day reading order, the seventh day of Navratri covers chapter 12, chapter 13.