Maa Kushmanda
- Manyanshi Joshi
- Sep 25
- 4 min read
Day 4 of Navratri is dedicated to Maa Kushmanda, the fourth form of Goddess Durga.
🛕 Deity of the Day: Maa Kushmanda
Name meaning: "Kushmanda" comes from three words—Ku (little), Ushma (warmth or energy), and Anda (cosmic egg)—which signifies the creator of the universe through her divine smile.
Form: She is depicted with eight arms, holding weapons, a rosary, and a jar of nectar (Amrit Kalash).
Vahana: Lion
Color of the Day (2025): Depends on the year’s Navratri calendar. For 2025, Day 4 (Sep 25) falls on a Thursday, which usually corresponds with Yellow.
🙏 Significance
Worshipping Maa Kushmanda is believed to improve health, strength, and positivity.
She is the source of cosmic energy, and it's said she created the universe with her divine smile.
Devotees seek her blessings for good health, wealth, and prosperity.
🌸 Offerings and Bhog
Preferred flowers: Marigold (Genda)
Bhog (Prasad): Malpua, coconut, and sweets made from pumpkin (Kushmanda in Sanskrit is also a word for pumpkin).
🧘♀️ Spiritual Practice
Many devotees chant the Durga Saptashati or recite the mantra:
“ॐ देवी कूष्माण्डायै नमः॥”"Om Devi Kushmandayai Namah"
🛕 Simple Puja Vidhi (Ritual)
Time: Morning or evening Duration: 15–30 mins Items Needed (basic list):
Clean diya (lamp) with ghee or oil
Incense sticks or dhoop
Fresh yellow flowers (e.g., marigold)
Coconut or fruit (banana, apple, etc.)
Sweets or malpua if possible (or any homemade offering)
A small idol or photo of Maa Kushmanda
Kalash (optional, for traditional puja setup)
🌼 Step-by-Step Puja:
Clean the space and yourself. Wear clean, preferably yellow or light-colored clothes.
Place the idol/photo of Maa Kushmanda on a clean cloth or small platform.
Light the diya and incense.
Offer yellow flowers, fruit, and sweets.
Recite this simple mantra:
“ॐ देवी कूष्माण्डायै नमः”(Om Devi Kushmandayai Namah) – Repeat 11 or 21 times.
If you like, read a short Durga Aarti or chant the Navratri Aarti.
Do aarti with the diya and pray sincerely for health, energy, and positivity.
Distribute the prasad and share the blessings with family or neighbors.
🎨 Simple Decoration Ideas for Day 4
Theme Color: Yellow (represents joy and energy)
🌻 Decor Ideas:
Use yellow flowers (marigold, sunflower, or artificial ones if fresh aren’t available).
Spread a yellow or golden cloth on the puja table.
Place small LED lights or tea candles around the idol.
Add a few mango leaves or banana leaves if available (auspicious).
Use a simple rangoli in front of the puja space — even a small yellow dot pattern or flower petals.
🧘♀️ Bonus Tip
End your puja by sitting quietly for a few minutes, focusing on Maa Kushmanda’s radiant energy. She's said to bring light, creation, and vitality into your life.
Here's a brief history and mythology behind Day 4 of Navratri, which honors Maa Kushmanda, the fourth form of Goddess Durga.
🕉️ Who is Maa Kushmanda?
Maa Kushmanda is known as the creator of the universe in Hindu mythology. Her name means:
"Ku" (a little) + "Ushma" (warmth/energy) + "Anda" (cosmic egg)→ “She who created the universe with a little warmth.”
This form of Goddess Durga is associated with the beginning of creation, when nothing existed—not even time or space.
📜 Mythological Background
According to legend, before creation, there was only darkness.
Maa Kushmanda, with her divine smile, produced a tiny cosmic egg—the source of the entire universe.
Her light and energy filled this egg, setting the universe into motion.
It is said she resides inside the core of the Sun, providing light and energy to all living beings.
She is believed to control the balance of the universe, nourishing it with her warmth and grace.
🗡️ Iconography (Appearance)
Maa Kushmanda is depicted with eight arms (hence also called Ashtabhuja Devi).
She holds:
Chakra (discus)
Gada (mace)
Kamandalu (water pot)
Bow and arrow
Lotus
Amrit Kalash (nectar pot)
Jap mala (rosary)
A jar of blood
She rides a lion, symbolizing courage and strength.
🕯️ Spiritual Significance
She represents the Anahata (Heart) Chakra, the fourth of the seven chakras, which governs compassion, healing, and love.
Devotees pray to her for:
Strength and health
Mental clarity and confidence
Spiritual energy
Her worship is considered especially beneficial for those seeking to bring light into dark situations in life.
🛐 Why She’s Worshipped on Day 4 of Navratri
Navratri celebrates nine forms of Durga (Navadurga), each representing a different quality or cosmic function.On Day 4, worshipping Maa Kushmanda:
Honors the creative and sustaining power of the Goddess.
Symbolizes the movement from darkness (confusion, suffering) into light (understanding, positivity).
Here are the main mantras for worshipping Maa Kushmanda on Day 4 of Navratri, along with meanings and how to chant them.
🔱 Main Mantra of Maa Kushmanda
ॐ देवी कूष्माण्डायै नमः॥Om Devi Kushmandayai Namah
Meaning:“I bow to the Goddess Kushmanda, the creator of the universe.”
🔹 Chant 11, 21, or 108 times with devotion.🔹 Ideal time: Early morning or during your puja.
📿 Beej Mantra (Seed Mantra)
ॐ ह्रीं क्लीं कूष्माण्डायै नमः॥Om Hreem Kleem Kushmandayai Namah
Meaning:A powerful mantra invoking the energy of Maa Kushmanda.
Hreem represents divine energy
Kleem symbolizes attraction and love
Together, they amplify the goddess’s creative and protective powers
🙏 Dhyan Mantra (Meditation Verse)
सुरासम्पूर्णकलशं रुधिराप्लुतमेव च।दधाना हस्तपद्माभ्यां कूष्माण्डा शुभदास्तु मे॥
Suraasampurna Kalasham Rudhiraaplutameva ChaDadhana Hastapadmaabhyam Kushmanda Shubhadaastu Me
Meaning:"May Maa Kushmanda, who holds a pot full of divine nectar and blood,and who grants auspiciousness, bless me with prosperity and strength."
🕯️ How to Chant Effectively
Sit facing east or north.
Light a ghee lamp.
Chant slowly and clearly, focusing on her smiling, radiant form.
Use a rosary (mala) if possible for counting.
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