1. Shailaputri

Dhyana Mantra

वन्दे वाञ्छितलाभाय चन्द्रार्धकृतशेखराम्। वृषारूढां शूलधरां शैलपुत्रीं यशस्विनीम्॥

Salutations to Shailaputri, who grants the seeker's desired boon, who wears the crescent moon as a crest, who rides the bull and holds the trident.

Mother Durga is known in her first form as 'Shailaputri'. Because she was born as a daughter in the house of Himavan, the king of mountains, she received the name 'Shailaputri'. Seated on a bull, this Mother shines with a trident in her right hand and a lotus flower in her left. She is the first of the nine Durgas.

In her previous birth she was born as the daughter of Prajapati Daksha. At that time her name was 'Sati'. She was married to Lord Shankara. Once Prajapati Daksha performed a very great yajna. In it he invited all the gods to receive their own share of the sacrifice. But he did not invite Shankara to this yajna. When Sati heard that her father was performing an extremely grand yajna, her heart grew restless to go there. She told Shankara of this wish. After thinking over everything, he said — "For some reason Prajapati Daksha is displeased with us. He has invited all the gods to his yajna and has dedicated their shares to them, but he has deliberately not called us. He has not even sent word. In such a situation your going there would not be advisable in any way." Sati was not persuaded by Shankara's counsel. Her eagerness to see her father's yajna, to go there and meet her mother and sisters, could not be lessened in any way. Seeing her intense insistence, Lord Shankara gave her permission to go.

Reaching her father's house, Sati saw that no one spoke to her with respect and affection. Everyone had turned their faces away. Only her mother embraced her with love. Her sisters' words were full of sarcasm and mockery. The behaviour of her relatives caused her heart much pain. She also saw that everywhere there was contempt toward Lord Shankara. Daksha even spoke some insulting words about him. Seeing all this, Sati's heart burned with resentment, shame and anger. She thought, "By disregarding Lord Shankara's words and coming here, I have made a great mistake."

She could not bear this insult to her husband, Lord Shankara. There and then she burnt that body of hers to ashes with the fire of yoga (yogagni). Hearing this terrible and sorrowful event, which fell like a thunderbolt, Shankara became furious and, sending his ganas, had Daksha's yajna completely destroyed.

Having burnt her body by yogagni, Sati was born in her next birth as the daughter of Shailaraja Himalaya. This time she became famous by the name 'Shailaputri'. Parvati and Haimavati are also her names. According to a story in the Upanishads, it was she who, in her Haimavati form, destroyed the pride of the gods.

'Shailaputri' Devi was also married to Shankara. As in her previous birth, in this birth too she became Shiva's better half. The importance and the powers of Shailaputri, the first of the nine Durgas, are infinite. On the first day of Navaratri worship it is she who is worshipped and meditated upon. In the worship of this first day the yogi establishes his mind in the 'Muladhara' chakra. It is from here that his yogic practice begins.