Navratri 2021: Why is a lion the vehicle of Goddess Durga, read to know the secret

This year, the Navratri festival begins on the 7th of October. It is a nine-day festival during which the goddess Durga is worshipped in nine different forms. On these days, many Hindus also fast in order to appease Maa Durga and obtain her blessings. One of the most revered Hindu deities is Durga, the goddess of power. She is revered as a representation of power, protection, bravery, and even destruction. Maa Durga is almost always depicted on the back of a lion.

Bring these things home in Navratri, to experience the grace of Maa Lakshmi and to live a prosperous life

Maa Durga's 'vahana,' or vehicle, is the lion. The animal also symbolises Maa Durga's strength.

Nevertheless, do you know how the tiger came to be Durga's mount?

Almost all Hindu gods have a vehicle, according to mythology. Nandi, Lord Shiva's bull, and Mushak, Lord Ganesha's mouse, are both Lord Ganesha's modes of transportation.
Goddess Durga is worshiped on Navratri. In the Puranas, the description of different vehicles of the nine Durgas, the mother of Navratri, is found. Just as Shailputri Mata is riding on a Taurus, so Kaalratri Mata is on a donkey. Similarly, the vehicle of each goddess is different, but the main vehicle of the mother is the lion and the lion.

Know on which animal Maa will come in Navratri and on which she will depart

Come let's know 2 special things in this regard

1. Goddess Durga is riding on a lion and mother Parvati is on a lion (tiger). The name of Parvati's son Kartikeya is also Skanda, that is why she is called the mother of Skanda, she is shown riding on a lion. Katyayani Devi is also shown riding on a lion. Goddess Kushmanda is riding on a lion (tiger). Mother Chandraghanta is also riding on a lion (tiger). Those who are worshiped on Pratipada and Ashtami, Shailputri, and Mahagauri ride on Vrishabha. Mata Kalratri is riding a donkey and Siddhidatri is seated on a lotus.
2. According to a legend, Goddess Parvati did penance for thousands of years to get Shiva as her husband. Due to penance, the goddess became dark. One day after the marriage of Lord Shiva, when Shiva was sitting with Parvati, then Lord Shiva jokingly said to Parvati and called Kali. Goddess Parvati was stunned by this word of Shiva and left Kailash and got absorbed in penance again. Meanwhile, a hungry lion reached there with a desire to eat the goddess. But seeing the goddess absorbed in penance, he sat silently.

Navratri 2021: What to do and what not to do in Navratri to impress Goddess Durga

The lion started thinking that when the goddess got up from penance and she should make them his food. In the meantime, many years passed but the lion remained in its place. Meanwhile, on completion of Goddess Parvati's penance, Lord Shiva appeared and gave Parvati the boon of being Gauvarna i.e. fair. After this Goddess Parvati took a bath in the Ganges and a dark goddess appeared from her body which was called Kaushiki and due to her becoming proud, Goddess Parvati came to be called Gauri. Goddess Parvati made the lion her vehicle which was sitting to eat her. The reason for this was that the lion had meditated on the goddess for years while waiting to eat her. The goddess accepted it as the penance of the lion and took it in her service. Therefore, the vehicle of Goddess Parvati is considered to be a lion/lion.

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