Navratri 2021: Know more about the fourth day of Navrathri with us

Maa Kushmanda, also known as the ‘Smiling Goddess’, is worshipped on the fourth day of Navratri. It is a day of passion, anger, and auspiciousness.

Maa Kushmanda is a manifestation of Maa Durga and is also regarded as the creator of the entire universe. Her name reflects this as well. The first word in her name is ‘Ku,’ which means ‘little’. Next is ‘Ushma’, which means ‘energy or warmth’, and the third word is ‘Anda’, meaning ‘egg’. Therefore, her name implies that she created this ‘little cosmic egg’ we call the universe.

History and Origin

The story of Maa Kushamanda begins when there was no one or nothing. There was no sign of life anywhere in the universe, and darkness reigned everywhere. All of a sudden, a ray of divine light appeared and slowly illuminated everything. Initially, this divine light had no shape or form. However, soon it began taking a clear shape, and finally it emerged as a Lady. This divine being, this first being of the Universe, was Maa Kushmanda.
Maa Kushmanda is said to have created the Universe with her silent smile. Her smile filled the darkness as she created this ‘little cosmic egg.’ Maa Kushmanda replaced that darkness with light, giving this universe new life. Her next creations include the Sun, the planets, the stars, and the galaxies that make up our night sky. It is believed that she sat in the centre of the Sun, where she became the source of all energy in our Universe. She provides life to all living beings through the sun’s rays, which is why she is also called Shakti.

Read also: Navratri 2021: Day 3 – Worshipping Maa Chandraghanta

Maa Kushmanda then created three divine goddesses, who were also the first beings of the Universe. The central eye on her forehead was used to create a terrifying form – ‘Mahalakshmi’. She created a second form from her left eye and named it ‘Mahakali’. Then she used her right eye to create ‘Mahasaraswati’, a smiling, gracious form.
Mahakali’s body later gave birth to a male and a female. Shiva was the male and Saraswati was the female.

Mahalakshmi also gave birth to a male – Bramha – and a female – Lakshmi. Then Maa Kushmanda glanced at Mahasaraswati, who gave birth to both a male and a female. He was called Vishnu and she was called Shakti. Maa Kushmanda then offered Sarwaswati to Bramha, Lakshmi to Vishnu, and Shakti to Shiva as companions.
Later, Maa Kushmanda absorbed the three divine goddesses within herself and then entered Shakti as an object of divine, powerful, and endless energy.

Maa Kushmanda rides a tiger and has eight arms. Each of these arms holds a specific object or weapon. Usually, she is shown holding a bow and arrow, a lotus, a mace, a pot of nectar, a rosary, a disc and a Kamandalu (Watering Pot).