Navratri has special significance in Hindu religion and during this period different forms of Goddess Durga are worshiped for 9 days. Let us tell you that the festival of Navratri comes four times a year. Of these, the festival of Navratri is celebrated twice with great pomp and during this time a different glow is seen in the houses and temples. There are two Gupta Navratri which are celebrated in the months of Magh and Ashadha.
Why celebrate Gupta Navratri?
Gupta Navratri is quite different from other Navratri. In this Navratri, sadhana is done to attain secret knowledge. In this Navratri, Tantra Sadhana is performed which is secret and hence it is called Gupta Navratri. Gupt Navratri is usually for Tantrik and Sadhaks. Aghor Tantrik worships during Gupta Navratri to prove the Mahavidyas. Therefore it is completely different from other Navratri. Householders do not celebrate Gupta Navratri.
Different rituals
Unlike the manifest Navratri, in Gupta Navratri, wheatgrass is not sown nor Ghat is established. For the householders, fasting, worship, chanting, and recitation of Devi are important during Gupt Navratri. It is necessary to maintain pure conduct and a pure diet for the entire nine days of this Navratri. The fasting person should worship the Goddess daily and recite Durga Saptashati, Durga Chalisa, Devi Mahapuran, etc. Let us tell you that worshiping Gupt Navratri makes life stress-free.
Specially for Tantra sadhana
In this Navratri, things like Tantra Sadhana, witchcraft, vashikaran, etc. have special importance. For nine days of Gupt Navratri, devotees perform rigorous devotion and penance of Goddess Durga. Tantra Siddhis are performed especially on the night of Nisha Puja. Mother Goddess becomes pleased with this devotion and bestows rare and incomparable powers on her devotees. All these works are done secretly, hence it is called Gupta Navratri. During this time of puja, devotees perform rigorous devotion and worship of Maa Durga and on the night of Nisha puja, the ritual of Tantra Siddhi is also performed. It is not organized like any festival. Different from the manifest Navratri, during this puja, special worship and sadhana are done and the tantra mantra is done for the fulfillment of special wishes.
10 Mahavidyas are worshiped
In Gupt Navratri, in the month of Ashadha itself, nine forms of Maa Durga are worshiped and along with this, 10 types of Mahavidyas are also worshipped. Let us know about these Mahavidyas.
- Maa Kali
- Mother star
- Mother Tripura Sundari
- Mother Bhuvaneshwari
- Mother cinnamate
- Maa Tripura Bhairavi
- Mother Dhumavati
- Maa Baglamukhi
- Maa Matangi
- Mother Kamala
Why is it different from the second Navratri?
- Vasant or Shardiya Navratri is called Pratyaksha Navratri and the rest is called Gupt Navratri.
- Navdurga is worshiped in Pratyaksha Navratri but ten Mahavidyas are worshiped in Gupt Navratri.
- In Pratyaksha Navratri, satvik sadhana, dance, and celebration are celebrated whereas in Gupta Navratri, tantric sadhana and strict fasting are important.
- Pratyaksha Navratri is celebrated for the fulfillment of worldly desires whereas Gupt Navratri is celebrated for the fulfillment of spiritual desires, accomplishment, and salvation.
- It is also said that Pratyaksha Navratri is of Vaishnavas and Gupta Navratri is of Shaivas and Shaktas.
- The main goddess of Pratyaksha Navratri is Maa Parvati while the main goddess of Gupta Navratri is Maa Kali.
