From Parvati to Chandraghanta: The Divine Transformation

Ma Parvati began her married life on the peaceful peaks of Kailash. Her days were filled with immense joy as she cared for the eternal Yogi, Lord Shiva. 

But trouble was on the way. Tarakasura, a demon who feared the union of Shiva and Shakti (Ma Parvati), wanted to disrupt their harmony. He sent Jatukasura, a bat demon with a massive army, to Kailash Parvat.

Jatukasura and his bats filled the sky, and Kailash was gripped with darkness. The demon armies started destroying Ma Parvati’s newly decorated home. She was new to the ways of demons and sought Nandi’s help, who was Lord Shiva’s loyal companion. But he was nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, Lord Shiva’s Ganas, who were repeatedly defeated by Jatukasura, also turned to Devi Parvati for protection.

The Rise of Devi Chandraghanta

At this point, she realised that she must act and approached Lord Shiva for guidance. Deep in his penance, he remained unmoved; however, he empowered her from within. Ma Parvati resolved to face Jatukasura on her own.

She stepped out of her cave and saw the sky darkened by Jatukasura’s bat army. Ma Parvati prayed to Chandra Dev (the Moon God) to illuminate her path; she placed a crescent moon on her forehead as a guiding light. A pack of Himalayan wolves rushed to help her. 

Ma Parvati soon realised that Jatukasura drew his power from the bats. To weaken him, she brought forth an enormous bell (ghanta). The bell’s deafening sound echoed across Kailash. The bats scattered, and the sky cleared. Meanwhile, when the wolves attacked Jatukasura, Maa Parvati struck him with her mighty bell, killing him with a single blow.

In this victorious form, adorned with the crescent moon on her forehead and the bell in her hand, Ma Parvati was glorified as Mata Chandraghanta by Lord Brahma.

Later, Lord Shiva told Devi Parvati that her fight as Chandraghanta was not just to protect Kailash but also to help her discover her own inner strength.

In the same way, challenges in our lives help us realise inner strength and grow. Ma Chandraghanta’s story reminds us that we often underestimate our inner power and discover it only when faced by a challenging situation.