Hey Guys!!!!

The 43rd chapter for the story.

I don't own Mahabharat.

Happy Reading!!

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-- flashback –

The kids were sitting under the large Banyan tree along with Lord Shiva, who was all set to narrate them the story of Maha Gauri.

"Should we start?" Mahakal questions.

"Whenever you are ready, Mahadev." Ananya smiles in reply.

"Right, so, Maha Gauri is the eighth avatar of Durga and amongst the Nava Durga's. Goddess Maha Gauri has the power to fulfil all the desires of her devotees. The one who worships the goddess, gets relief from all the sufferings in life." He initiates with his story telling.

"The name Maha Gauri means extremely bright, clean complexioned, with a shine like the moon. (Mahā, महा = great; Gaurī, गौरी = bright, clean). It is also the most beautiful form of Goddess Durga." He explains.

"Is not Devi Chandra ghanta the most beautiful form of Devi Durga?" Karn questions, confused.

"No, Devi Maha Gauri is more beautiful than Chandra Ghanta." Lord Shiva shakes his head in a 'no'.

"Maha Gauri is usually depicted with four hands, the hands holding a trident, fear dispelling gesture, and drum, while the fourth is in a blessing gesture. She rides a white bull, usually shown wearing white clothes." He describes the vibrant form of Devi Maha Gauri.

"Her story entitles the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha, who could only be killed by a virgin, unmarried form of Parvati. Hence, as advised by Brahma, I teased Parvati repeatedly for her skin colour. Parvati was agitated by this teasing, so she performed severe penance to Brahma so as to get a fair complexion." Lord Shiva recounted.

"Brahma explained his inability to grant her a boon and instead requested her to stop her penance and slay the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha. Parvati agreed and went to take a bath in the Ganga river in Himalaya. Parvati entered in the Ganga river and as she took a bath, her dark skin washed off from her person entirely and she came back out as a beautiful golden woman, wearing white garments and apparels, so she gained the epithet "Maha Gauri"." Mahadev tells the kids who are in a state of amazement.

"She then appeared in front of the gods who were praying to her at the Himalayas for the destruction of Shumbha and Nishumbha, and worriedly asked who was being worshipped by them. She then reflected as the black Kaushiki and answered herself saying that the gods were praying to her,after being defeated by the demons Shumbh and Nishumbh." His voice was telling the kids how Lord Shiva was remembering about all this.

"Parvati then turned black out of pity for the gods and was called Kalika. She then transformed into Chandi (Chandra ghanta) and killed demon Dhumralochan. Chanda and Munda were killed by Goddess Chamunda who appeared out from the third eye of Chandi. Chandi then killed Raktabija and his clones, while Chamunda drank their blood." He counted on his fingers. As he talked about different Devi forms.

"Parvati turned into Kaushiki again and killed Shumbh and Nishumbh, after which she transformed back into Maha Gauri. Hence Parvati killed Shumbha and Nishumbha, giving her the titles of Maha Saraswathi or Ambika in the Shiva purana and the Devi Mahatmya (part of the Markandeya Purana) respectively." He declared.

"Mother Gauri is Devi, Shakti or the Mother Goddess, who appears in many forms, such as Durga, Parvati, Kali, and others. She is auspicious, brilliant and protects the good people while punishing those who perform evil deeds. Mother Gauri enlightens the spiritual seeker and removes the fear of rebirth by granting salvation." He finishes. And the kids let a small 'oh' at her powers.

" She absolutely loves, Night blooming jasmine (रात की रानी)" Lord Shiva tells the kids winking at them and the kids grin in understanding.

"Now, repeat after me, Om Devi Mahagauryai Namah (ॐ देवी महागौर्यै नमः॥)"

"Om Devi Mahagauryai Namah (ॐ देवी महागौर्यै नमः॥)" The two kids cheered.

"Now what?" Karn questioned.

"Now, I will tell you about the ninth form of Devi Durga."

"Siddhidhatri?" Ananya questioned.

"Yes, Siddhidhatri." Lord Shiva nods smiling at the kids.

"Siddhidhatri is the ninth form of the Goddess Durga, the meaning of her name is as follows: Siddhi means supernatural power or meditative ability, and Dhatri means giver or awarder. She is worshipped on the ninth day of Navaratri (nine nights of Navadurga); she fulfils all the divine aspirations and completes the mundane." He again initates the story just that this was the second time and for Devi Siddhidhatri in place of Maha Gauri.

"My one side of body is that of Goddess Siddhidatri. Therefore, I am also known by the name of Ardhanarishwar. I attained all the siddhis by worshiping this Goddess, Siddhidhatri." Mahadev tells the kids.

"You worshipped her?" Ananya asked surprised.

"Yes, I did," Lord Shiva nodded proud of the fact.

"Before or after marriage?" Karn asks.

"Before our Marriage." Lord Shiva smiles.

"In this form Durga is seated on a lotus and is four-armed. She holds a lotus, mace, Chakra and shankha. In this form Durga removes ignorance and she provides the knowledge to realize that or Brahman. " He describes her.

"She is surrounded by Siddhas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Devas (Gods) and Asura (Demons) worship her. The Siddhi that she provides is the realization that only she exists. She is the mistress of all achievements and perfections." He explains about her etymology.

"Now, let's get on with the story. Around the time when the universe was just a massive void completely full of darkness, there were no indications of the world anywhere. But then a ray of divine light, which is ever existing, spread everywhere, illuminating each and every nook of the void. This sea of light was formless." Mahakal narrated, his voice was such that the kids felt everything happen behind their own eyes.

"Suddenly, it started taking a definite size, and finally looked like a Divine Lady, who was none other than Goddess Maha Shakti herself. The Supreme Goddess came forth and gave birth to the Trinity of Gods, Brahma, Vishnu and me."

"She gave birth to you?" Ananya asks freaked out.

"Not in that sense, she mainly was responsible for me getting a definite form." Lord shiva shakes his head.

"She advised the three Lords to contemplate to understand their roles of performing their duties for the world. Acting on the words of Goddess Maha Shakti, we Tridev sat by the bank of an ocean and performed penances for many years. We pleased Goddess appeared before us in the form of Siddhidhatri." Lord Shiva says dramatically making the kids eager to know what happened next in the story.

"She bestowed upon us, she created Her 2 clone and Vishnu, Brahma's wives in the forms of Saraswathi, Lakshmi and goddess Adi Para Sakti born as sati and reborn as Parvati. Goddess Siddhidhatri entrusted Brahma to take up the role as the creator of worlds, Vishnu with the role of preserving the creation and its creatures, and Me with the role of destroying the worlds when it is time." He recites, his eyes had this far away look, as if he was remembering the fateful day.

"She tells us that their powers are in the forms of their respective wives, who will help them perform their tasks. The Goddess assured them that she will also provide to them, divine miraculous powers, which will also help them carry out their duties." He stopped for a second before continuing.

"Saying this, she bestowed to us the eight supernatural powers, in which they were named Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakambya, Ishitva and Vashitva. Anima means reducing one's body to the size of a crumb, Mahima means expanding one's body to an infinitely large size, Garima means becoming infinitely heavy, Laghima means becoming weightless, Prapti means having omnipresence, Prakambya means achieving whatever one desires, Ishitva means possessing absolute lordship, and Vashitva means having the power to subjugate all." He explains to the kids, about the eight powers.

"Apart from the eight supreme siddhis that goddess Siddhidatri had granted Tridev, she granted to us, nine treasures and ten other kinds of supernatural powers or potentialities." He declares.

"The two parts, man and woman, created Gods, demons, monsters, heavenly beings, ogres, trees, damsels, snakes, cows, buffalos, predators, prey, aquatic animals, Aruna and Garuda and many more species of the world were born and thus originated from them. The creation of the entire world was now fully complete, full of innumerable stars, galaxies as well as constellations. The solar system was complete with the nine planets." Lord Shankar re- counted on how the life started to form.

"On Earth, firm landmass was created, surrounded by such vast oceans, lakes, streams, rivers and other bodies of water. All types of flora and fauna had originated and were given their proper habitations." Lord Mahakal continues further, with his relating's.

"The 14 worlds were created and constructed altogether, giving the above-mentioned creatures places of residences to stay in, as to which they all called home." He finished up, smoothly.

"Also, she is offered Champa flowers the most." He pitches in.

"The chant is, ॐ देवी सिद्धिदात्र्यै नमः॥ Om Devi Siddhidatryai Namah॥" Mahadev informs the kids.

"ॐ देवी सिद्धिदात्र्यै नमः॥ Om Devi Siddhidatryai Namah॥" The kids repeat after him, bowing their head and folding their hands.

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How was the update?

We finished up with Navratri's guys!!

Next chapter will again be a flashback. But the last one for a while. 

Do Vote and comment.

Thanks for reading!

(1660 words.)

--Sxxxxx