Mother of Lord Skanda (Kartikeya)

Maa Skandamata

Maa Skandamata is the fifth of the nine forms of Durga (Navdurga), worshipped on day 5 of Navratri, the Shukla Panchami tithi. The Devi Kavach names her fifth in its list of the nine forms.

Maa Skandamata Mahatmya

When Parvati became the mother of Lord Skanda, also known as Kartikeya, she came to be called Skandamata. Worshipping her is believed to bring the merit of worshipping Kartikeya as well, a quality unique to this form.

She rides a lion and holds the infant Skanda in her lap. Of her four hands, the upper two carry lotuses. She is seated on a lotus, hence the name Padmasana, and her complexion is described as shubhra, a radiant white.

Worship of Maa Skandamata is believed to bless the devotee with knowledge, the wellbeing of children and liberation, and to ease troubles linked to Mercury (Budha). Her customary bhog is banana.

Maa Skandamata: Mantra, Prayer and Stuti

Mantra

ॐ देवी स्कन्दमात्रे नमः॥

oṃ devī skandamātre namaḥ||

Prarthana (Dhyana)

सिंहासनगता नित्यं पद्माञ्चित करद्वया।शुभदास्तु सदा देवी स्कन्दमाता यशस्विनी॥

siṃhāsanagatā nityaṃ padmāñcita karadvayā|śubhadāstu sadā devī skandamātā yaśasvinī||

Stuti

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

yā devī sarvabhūteṣu mām̐ skandamātā 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 Skandamata

About Maa Skandamata

On day 5 of Navratri, after the morning bath, meditate on Maa Skandamata before the kalash with the prayer above, chant her mantra and offer the bhog. In the Durga Saptashati's seven-day reading order, the fifth day of Navratri covers chapter 9, chapter 10.