New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday offered prayers to Maa Skandamata seeking her blessings on the fifth day of Navratri while addressing the Bharatiya Janata Pary workers on the party's 42nd foundation day.
“Today is the fifth day of Navratri. Today we worship Maa Skandamata. We've seen that she sits on a Lotus throne & holds Lotus flowers in both her hands. I pray that her blessings continue to be bestowed upon every citizen & worker of the BJP,”said PM Modi on BJP's 42nd foundation day, according to ANI tweet.
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Goddess Skanda Mata is worshipped on the fifth day of Navratri. Devi Skandmata is avatar of Maa Durga and considered as the epitome of motherly love. Considered as the deity of fire, Devi Skandmata is white and seated on a lotus.
Devotees seek blessings, prosperity and intelligence from Devi Skandmata on this day. Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati's son Kartikeya is known as 'Skand and Mata means mother, which translates to mother of Lord Kartikeya.
The goddess rides a lion and holds a lotus flower, bell and baby Kartikeya in four different hands while one hand remains in Abhaya Mudra through which she blesses her devotees.
On these nine days of Navratri, nine different avatars of Maa Durga is worshipped including Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri, and Siddhidatri.
Story of Skanda Mata
Lord Brahma had blessed demon Tarakasur that he could only be killed by son of Lord Shiva, as per the legend. After the demon started creating problems for people on earth, the gods urged Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati to marry so that their child can kill Tarakasur. Lord Kartikeya son of Shiva and Parvati ultimately brought an end to Tarkasur and peace was restored on earth.