Om Devi Shailaputriai Namah॥
॥ Vande Vanchhitalabhaya Chandrardhakritashekharam।
Vrisharudham Shuladharam Shailaputrim Yashasvinim॥
Shailaputri (lit. daughter of the mountains) is a manifestation of the Hindu goddess Durga and is the first of the Navadurga, venerated on the first day of Navaratri. She is also known as Sati, Bhavani, Parvati, or Hemavati. Mother Shailaputri is the absolute form of Mother Nature.
Goddess Shailaputri is depicted with two hands and has a crescent moon on her forehead. She holds a trident in her right hand and a lotus flower in her left. She rides on Mount Nandi (bull).
Shailaputri is an avatar of Goddess Durga, who was born in the house of the King of Mountains, “Parvat Raj Himalaya.” The name “Shailaputri” literally means the daughter (putri) of the mountain (shaila). She is variously known as Sati, Bhavani, Parvati, or Hemavati, the daughter of Himavat, the king of the Himalayas.
The embodiment of the power of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, she rides a bull and carries a trident and a lotus in her two hands. In her previous birth, she was the daughter of Daksha, Sati. Once Daksha had organized a big Yagna and did not invite Shiva. But Sati, being obstinate, went there. Daksha insulted Shiva in the assembly. Sati could not tolerate the insult of her husband and burnt herself in the fire of the Yagna. In her next birth, she became the daughter of Himalaya in the name of Parvati–Hemavati, and got married to Shiva. As per the Upanishads, she had torn the egotism of Indra and other Devas. Being ashamed, they bowed to her and prayed, saying, “In fact, thou art Shakti; we all – Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva – are capable only by receiving Shakti from you.”
In some scriptures like the Shiva Purana and the Devi-Bhagavata Purana, the story of the Mother Goddess is written as follows: Maa Bhagwati, in her earlier birth, was born as a daughter of Daksha Prajapati. Then her name was Sati and she was married to Lord Shiva. But in a sacrificial ceremony organized by her father, Daksha, she burnt her body in yogic fire because she could not bear the insult of her husband, Lord Shiva.
In her next birth, she incarnated as Goddess Parvati, the daughter of Parvat Raj Himalaya, and among the Nava Durgas she has been referred to as Shailaputri, also known as Hemavati. In her Hemavati aspect, she defeated all prominent gods. Like her previous birth, in this life also Maa Shailaputri (Parvati) got married to Lord Shiva.
She is Devi of the root chakra, who, upon awakening, begins her journey upwards. Sitting on Nandi and making her first journey from the Muladhara chakra – as from her father to her husband – the awakening Shakti begins her search for Lord Shiva. Thus, in Navratri pooja, on the first day, Yogis keep their minds concentrated on the Muladhara. This is the starting point of their spiritual discipline. They start their Yogasadhana from here. Shailaputri is the Muladhara Shakti to be realized within the Self and sought for higher depths in yogic meditation. It is the rock of spiritual standing, and the whole world gets strength from the Shailaputri aspect of Purna Prakriti Durga.
Before Mother Goddess was born as the daughter of King Himavan, in her previous birth, she was the daughter of King Daksha. In this form, her name was Sati, who was very much devoted to and in love with Shiva. King Daksha was against Lord Shiva and knew that his daughter had fallen in love with an ascetic. He expressed his disapproval. Sati made every effort to make her father understand, but in vain.
Daksha’s wife, and mother of Sati, Prasuti, got Lord Shiva and Sati married without the consent of King Daksha. He severed all ties and relations with his daughter and son-in-law. After the marriage, Sati happily resided at Kailash with Lord Shiva, and both loved each other unconditionally. Meanwhile, Daksha had one intention – to insult Lord Shiva. For this, he arranged a ritual in which all gods, goddesses, and sages were invited, but not Shiva and Sati.
Even though discouraged by Shiva, who told her not to go to a ceremony where they were not invited, the parental bond made Sati ignore her husband’s wishes. Sati went to the ceremony alone. She was snubbed and insulted by Daksha in front of all the guests. Unable to bear the insult, she immolated herself in the sacrificial fire.
Upon learning of the tragedy, consumed by fiery anger, rage, and endless sorrow, Shiva invoked Veerbhadra and Bhadrakali to put an end to Daksha’s arrogance and to punish the invitees who failed to protect Sati when she was insulted. Bhadrakali brought about great devastation to the Yajna, and Veerbhadra hacked off Daksha’s head and threw it into the sacrificial fire, putting an end to him.
Later, in a subsequent turn of events, Mother Goddess took another birth as the daughter of King Himavan and Queen Menavati. This time, she was named Parvati. She was born to parents who always respected and worshipped Lord Shiva with devotion.
