| Brahmacharini | |
|---|---|
Goddess of devotion and penance | |
 Brahmacharini | |
| Affiliation | Avatar ofDurga andParvati |
| Planet | Ketu |
| Mantra | oṁ devī brahmacāriṇyai namaḥ |
| Symbols | kamandalu, lotus,rudraksha,japamala |
| Texts | Devi Bhagavata Purana,Devi Gita |
| Consort | Shiva |
Brahmacharini (Sanskrit: ब्रह्मचारिणी,romanized:Brahmacāriṇī) is a form of the Hindu goddessMahadevi, venerated asParvati, in the form of a female ascetic.[1] She is the second of theNavadurga, and is worshipped on the second day ofNavaratri.[2]
In her iconography, Brahmacharini is depicted wearing white clothes, holding ajapamala in her right hand and akamandalu in her left.[3]
The wordbrahmacharini stems from two Sanskrit roots:
The wordbrahmacharini in Vedic texts means a woman who pursues sacred religious knowledge.[7]
According to various versions of the legend, the maiden Parvati once resolved to marry the deity Shiva. Although her parents attempted to dissuade her, she remained steadfast in her determination and undertook a penance that is said to have lasted 5,000 years.[8]
At this time, the gods were troubled by the asuraTarakasura, who had received a boon fromBrahma granting him invulnerability except at the hands of a son of Shiva. In order to induce Shiva to marry and father a child, the gods enlistedKamadeva, the god of love and desire. Kamadeva shot an arrow of desire at the meditating Shiva. Enraged, Shiva opened his third eye and reduced Kamadeva to ashes.[9]
Despite this, Parvati did not waver in her resolve. She adopted the ascetic way of life characteristic of Shiva, dwelling in the mountains, practicing austerities,yoga, and asceticism, and subsisting solely onbael leaves and river water. In this form, she came to be revered as Brahmacharini. Her perseverance eventually drew Shiva’s attention. Disguised, he approached Parvati and attempted to dissuade her by listing his own flaws and peculiarities. Parvati, however, remained undeterred.[9]
During this time, the asura namedPrakandasura attacked Parvati with his army of a million asuras. Parvati was at the last stage of her tapas, and was unable to defend herself. Seeing Parvati helpless, the goddessesLakshmi andSaraswati intervened, but were outnumbered by the asuras. After many days of fighting, the kamandalu beside Parvati fell, and all the asuras were washed away in the resulting flood. Upon opening her eyes, Parvati emitted flames that consumed Prakandasura himself.
The severity of Parvati’s penance impressed the entire universe, though Shiva remained reserved. Eventually, Shiva approached her again in the guise of abrahmachari. He tested her through a series of riddles, all of which she answered correctly. Acknowledging her resolve, he manifested in his true form, and consented to marry her.[8][9]
