Who is Maa Chandraghanta?
"Chandra" means moon, "Ghanta" means bell. She is the goddess whose forehead bears a half-moon that resembles a bell - and whose fierce roar, amplified by that divine bell, fills the three worlds with both terror for the wicked and peace for the righteous.
पिण्डज प्रवरारूढा चण्डकोपास्त्रकैर्युता।
प्रसादं तनुते मह्यं चन्द्रघण्टेति विश्रुता॥
Piṇḍaja pravarrārūḍhā caṇḍakopāstrakairyutā, Prasādaṃ tanute mahyaṃ Candraghaṇṭeti viśrutā.
"Mounted on the finest of tigers, armed with weapons in her terrible wrath - may the one known as Chandraghanta bestow her grace upon me." This dhyana shloka is recited on the third day of Navratri to invoke her fierce protective energy.
- Devi Mahatmya · Navratri Dhyana Shloka
The Birth of Chandraghanta
Chandraghanta emerges at the moment of Parvati's divine marriage - and her first act as a bride is to prepare for war.
After the Great Tapasya
After Brahmacharini's thousands of years of penance, Shiva accepted Parvati as his divine consort. The gods rejoiced. The wedding procession was arranged - and Shiva arrived in his truest ascetic form: matted hair, ash-smeared body, snakes around his neck, ghosts and ganas in his procession. Parvati's mother Mena fainted at the sight.
Parvati Takes Her Warrior Form
To pacify her family and transform the situation with grace, Parvati manifested as Chandraghanta - radiant, ten-armed, golden-complexioned, her forehead bearing the half-moon bell, mounted on a tiger. This magnificent and awe-inspiring form calmed the chaos of the procession and made even Shiva's ganas appear dignified. The divine wedding could proceed.
The Bell That Destroys Demons
The bell (ghanta) on her forehead is not merely ornamental. When Chandraghanta rings it - either in battle or in temple worship - its sound produces divine vibrations that destroy the negative energies of demons, evil spirits and adharmic forces. It is said that wherever the sound of a temple bell reaches, the goddess's protective presence is felt.
Fierce and Compassionate - Both at Once
Chandraghanta is unique among the Nav Durga forms in that she holds both weapons of war and objects of peace simultaneously.
Destroyer of Evil
She rides into battle on her tiger, ten weapons raised, roaring with divine fury. Her bell-sound terrifies demons. She is invoked by those who seek courage, protection from enemies, and the destruction of fear itself.
Bestower of Peace
Her devotees feel peace simply by meditating on her image. The same bell that terrifies demons brings calm and clarity to the sincere devotee. Her golden glow heals, her crescent moon soothes anxiety and fills the mind with serene light.
"She is terrible to those who harm the innocent, and gentle as moonlight to those who come to her with a pure heart. This is the nature of true Shakti."
- Teaching embodied by Chandraghanta
ॐ चंद्रघंटायै नमः
Om Chandraghaṇṭāyai Namah
Chant 108 times on Day 3 with a rudraksha mala. Her worship is said to grant courage, fearlessness, and freedom from all negative energies. Ringing a temple bell while chanting amplifies her presence.
How to Worship Maa Chandraghanta on Day 3
Day 3's colours honour her warrior nature. Grey represents strength and steadiness - the colour of iron weapons. Green represents the living force of nature she commands. Either is deeply auspicious today.
Milk-based offerings are especially pleasing to Maa Chandraghanta. The traditional bhog on Day 3 is kheer (rice pudding made with milk and sugar). Offering it with devotion is said to bring peace to the home and destroy hidden enemies.
Chandraghanta's very name is built around the sacred bell. Begin her worship by ringing a bell 3 or 11 times - this act mirrors her own divine bell that clears negative energy. The sound purifies the space and announces the goddess's presence.
With a rudraksha mala, chant ॐ चंद्रघंटायै नमः 108 times. This activates the Manipura chakra - the fire of personal power - and is particularly recommended for those seeking courage to face difficult situations.
Day 3 of Navratri aligns with chapters 5–8 of the Devi Mahatmya - describing the great battle of the goddess with the demon armies of Shumbha and Nishumbha. These chapters carry the energy of Chandraghanta's warrior aspect most powerfully.
What Chandraghanta Teaches Us
Grace Under Pressure
When her wedding procession fell into chaos, Parvati did not panic. She transformed - radiant and composed - into Chandraghanta. Her lesson: the highest response to crisis is not fear but a calm display of inner power.
Carry Weapons, Seek Peace
She goes to battle not for glory but for protection. She holds weapons in some hands and a lotus in another. The teaching: be prepared for every conflict, but always carry peace alongside power.
Sound as Spiritual Power
The bell on her forehead is a reminder that sound - mantra, bell, kirtan - is one of the most powerful spiritual tools. Divine sound clears the inner and outer atmosphere, exactly as her ghanta destroys all that is negative.
माँ चंद्रघंटा - वीरांगना, करुणामयी और घंटानाद से दुष्टनाशिनी
नवरात्रि के तृतीय दिन माँ चंद्रघंटा की पूजा की जाती है। इनके मस्तक पर अर्धचन्द्र घंटे के आकार में विराजित है, इसीलिए इन्हें चंद्रघंटा कहा जाता है। ये दस भुजाओं वाली हैं और सिंह (बाघ) पर आरूढ़ हैं। इनका वर्ण स्वर्णिम है और इनके दस हाथों में त्रिशूल, गदा, तलवार, बाण, धनुष, कमल, कमण्डल, जपमाला तथा अन्य अस्त्र-शस्त्र हैं।
जब भगवान शिव विवाह-यात्रा में अपने विचित्र स्वरूप में आए - भूत-प्रेत, नाग-बिच्छू और अघोरियों के साथ - तब माँ पार्वती की माँ मैना भय से मूर्छित हो गईं। तब माँ पार्वती ने चंद्रघंटा का यह तेजस्वी रूप धारण किया जिससे सभी देव-मानव प्रसन्न हो गए और शिव-पार्वती का विवाह संपन्न हुआ।
माँ चंद्रघंटा की घंटे की ध्वनि से समस्त नकारात्मक शक्तियाँ, असुर और भय नष्ट हो जाते हैं। इनकी उपासना से मणिपुर चक्र जागृत होता है जिससे साहस, आत्मबल और निर्भयता प्राप्त होती है।
इस दिन स्लेटी या हरे वस्त्र धारण करें, खीर का भोग लगाएँ और पूजा के आरम्भ में घंटी बजाएँ। ॐ चंद्रघंटायै नमः का 108 बार जप करने से शत्रु नाश, भय-मुक्ति और सुख-समृद्धि की प्राप्ति होती है।