॥ Om Devi Kalaratryai Namah ॥
॥ Ekaveni Japakarnapura Nagna Kharasthita।
Lamboshthi Karnikakarni Tailabhyakta Sharirini॥
Vamapadollasalloha Latakantakabhushana।
Vardhana Murdhadhwaja Krishna Kalaratrirbhayankari ॥
The seventh day of Shardiya Navratri is dedicated to the worship of the seventh form of Goddess Durga, Goddess Kalratri. According to belief, the body of Goddess Kalratri is depicted as pitch-black, like darkness. Her hair appears disheveled, and she wears a skull garland around her neck, which shines like lightning. She has three eyes that are round like the universe, and light continuously radiates from them. She exhales flames of fire through her nose. Although her appearance is fierce, she always grants auspicious boons to her devotees, which is why she is believed to be Shubhkari. With her blessings, devotees are freed from any kind of fear. According to beliefs, Kalratri is a very powerful Goddess who blesses her devotees with a fearless life. Her devotees are free from the fear of fire, water, animals, enemies, night, etc.
Goddess Kalratri is widely regarded as one of the many destructive forms of the Mother Goddess — Kali, Mahakali, Bhadrakali, Bhairavi, Mrityu, Rudrani, Chamunda, Chandi, and Durga.
Once, there were two demons named Shumbha and Nishumbha, who invaded Devaloka and defeated the demigods. Indra, the ruler of the gods, along with the demigods, went to the Himalayas to seek Lord Shiva’s help in retrieving their abode. Together, they prayed to Goddess Parvati (Durga). Parvati heard their prayer while she was bathing, so she created another goddess, Chandi (Ambika), to assist the gods by vanquishing the demons. Chanda and Munda were two demon generals sent by Shumbha and Nishumbha. When they came to battle her, Goddess Chandi created a dark goddess, Kali (in some accounts, called Kalratri). Kali/Kalratri killed them, thereby acquiring the name Chamunda.
Thereupon, a demon named Raktabija arrived. Raktabija had the boon that if any drop of his blood fell onto the ground, a clone of him would be created. When Kalratri attacked him, his spilt blood gave rise to several clones of him. As such, it became impossible to defeat him. So, while battling, Kalratri, furious at this, drank his blood to prevent it from falling down, eventually killing Raktabija and helping Goddess Chandi kill his commanders, Shumbha and Nishumbha.
Another legend says that Goddess Chamunda (Kali) was the creator of Devi Kalratri. Riding a powerful donkey, Kalratri chased the demons Chanda and Munda and brought them to Kali after catching and incarcerating them. Then these demons were killed by Goddess Chamunda.
Yet another legend recounts that there was a demon named Durgasur who tried to attack Kailash, the abode of Parvati (Durga), in the absence of Shiva. Parvati came to know about this and created Kalratri, instructing her to warn Durgasur against an attack. Durgasur’s guards, however, tried to capture Kalratri when she turned up as a messenger. Kalratri then assumed a gigantic form and delivered the warning to him. Subsequently, when Durgasur came to invade Kailash, Parvati battled him and killed him, gaining the name Durga. Here, Kalratri serves as an agent who conveys the message and warning from Parvati to Durgasur.
Blue, red, and white colours should be worn on this day.
