Navratri Durga Puja 2026

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता।

नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥

Yā Devī sarvabhūteṣu śakti-rūpeṇa saṃsthitā,

namas tasyai namas tasyai namas tasyai namo namaḥ.

Navratri Day 6 – Friday, 16 October 2026

Invoking Katyayani Devi

The ladies may wear Green today

Katyayani Ma

On the sixth day of the Moon, Shashthi, we invoke and worship Katyayani Mata, the 6th manifestation of Durga. Katyayani Mata rules Jupiter.

It was the great Rishi and Grammarian, Katyayana, without whose commentary, the Vedas become obscure, who uses the power of his Sacred Speech to invoke Adi Shakti, Herself.

Katyayani Ma is born as his daughter to save Speech by slaying the Great Buffalo Demon, Mahishasura, who oppresses the sacrifice. The very repository of mantras, which we may intuit as the unfolding lotus, Katyayani Mata blesses Her devotees with her two mudra hand gestures of abhaya, “no fear”, and varada, “the giving of boons.”

She may be invoked and worshipped with this stuti:

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु कात्यायनीरूपेण संस्थिता।

नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥

Yā Devī sarvabhūteṣu Kātyāyanī-rūpeṇa saṃsthitā,

namas tasyai namas tasyai namas tasyai namo namaḥ.

चन्द्रहासोज्ज्वलकरा शार्दूलवरवाहना।

कात्यायनी शुभं दद्यादेवी दानवघातिनी॥

candrahāsojjvalakarā śārdūlavaravāhanā,

kātyāyanī śubhaṃ dadyād devī dānavaghātinī.

ओं ह्रीं कात्यायन्यै स्वाहा

oṃ hrīṃ kātyāyanyai svāhā (108 recitations)

Further to our observances and honoring of Sacred Speech, we invoke Speech, Herself, as Saraswati, known also as Vak (Vagdevi). For as Speech She is the Creatrix of the World. Thus the Saraswati Avahan signals the beginning of Durga Puja.