Guest guest Report post Posted August 10, 2005 Dear Vandita Ma, Certain points are to be noted first before I dilate on Mangala Gowri Vratha... If the mangala gowri vratha is done, firstly it should be done for 5 days continuously, secondly one should call atleast 10 suvaasinis(10 mutthaiydhulu/sumangalis) and give what is known as "Sanagala vayanam". In some places like srikakulam first year they give for 10 next year for 15 the next for 20 etc. Thirdly it should be done continuously for 5 years in the same place. Postponement to the third year (which is allowed as per shastraic dictums) from the year of marriage is also allowed. 'Mangala' means auspiciousness and as many would have guessed it is done for mangalam...rather Thaali-mangalam. (Rajarajeshwari Devi) There is a word in Lalitha sahasranama which is called "Thaatanka ugaleebhutha tapanoddupa mangala". This refers to Sree Rajarajeshwaree devi's Maangalyabalam. Some people opine that even though Rajarajeshwari Devi has no husband as such, her idol is given a Sumangalyam. Because she is the very embodiment of auspiciousness. Others opine that since she is the consort of Kameshwara Her thaali is of supreme importance. Thaali bhagyam is also called Amba Rajarjeshwaree's "TAATANKA MAHIMAA" I.E, THE GREATNESS OF HER THAALI. (M.S.Subbulakshmi old and new) Now taatanka has dual meaning:ear ornament and also thaali(mangalya sutra) of which the later is more convincing.The ear ornament "Kammal" is derived from the word "Kamala"(lotus) and my mother who looks facially like M.S. subbulakshmi used to wear almost eaxctly a look alike diamond Kammal with a ruby inset, it was her family heirloom.It has One ruby/emerald with six diamonds surrounding it,like a lotus with a "karnikaa(pericap of the lotus) in the centre and the petals around it...a high quality diamond which my mother bought in those days from Chennai when she visited from her native village down south is called "Nalla utaani Kamalam" even some Chennai jewellers these days too, use these words. Thaali is derived from the word Thaala(palm). The word taatanka thus has two meanings...thaali and kammal...lotus and palm! I can keep reeling so much of information on every small aspect of our rituals but that would be deviating from the main topic MANGALA GOWRI VRATHAM. This vratha has so much significance attached because it saves this thaali bhagyam by attaching the auspiciousness of the "NITHYAKALYAANI", MY DEAR DEAR DEAR MOTHER RAJARAJESHWAREE DEVI WHO IS ETERNALLY AUSPICIOUSNESS...(Can any mother match her beauty,her glory,grace and compassion?...i bow before HER humbly here.) Gowri itself means mangalam in ancient sanskrit and why is she worshipped instead of say lakshmi? This is because she is aadhi and is closely related to Rajarajeshwari as Her amsa. And Rajarajeshwari devi is the moolakutamma.Goddess Gowri and Goddess Rajarajeshwari devi are Goddesses bestowing Marital bliss and harmony. If a woman is facing problems in her married life or wants her husband's longevity and prosperity to increase,Mangala Gowri vratha is to be done. There is even a Mangala Gowri Shrine in Gaya.This is a shrine dedicated to Shakti or the mother Goddess in the predominantly Vaishnavite pilgrimage center of Gaya. Mangalagowri is worshipped as the Goddess of benevolence. This temple constitutes an Upa-Shakti Pitha - where it is believed that a part of the body of Shakti fell - according to mythology. It is a well visited temple where Shakti is worshipped in the form of a breast symbol, a symbol of nourishment. All unmarried girls and married sumangalIs take oil bath in the morning, make the mantapa ready with Rangoli. (Havyaka Brahmin woman of Karnataka) Married women, normally wear 9 yards silk saree in the sampradhaya/ traditional style. Then They keep the silver managala gowri vigraha, with mud idols on the rice spread on a plantain leaf or on a silver plate. They keep Deepasthambha which is lighted with ghee. They perform " Avaahana". This Sthambha is supposed to have "Ashta Moorthy". Chandra is also one of them. He is a good friend of Shiva. The Jyothirmaya is known as Bheemeshwara and and the Jyothi Swaroopa is Chandra. The whole Sthambha is known as Mahaalinga Swaroopa and thus worshipped with full devotion. In some families, they do idols of shiva, parvathi in clay and tie with 'Arishina Beru'(In tamilnadu Sumangalyam is tied to Gowri devi,denoting marriage). They perform thus vratha puja and make the offerings. Tie to their right hand a thread soaked in Haldi, duly worshipped with 9 knots. (Some vrathamala book says 10 knots) Mruthyuanja namasthubhyam thavame sootra dharanath | Saubhaagyam dhanadhaanyachaprajaavruddhim sadhaakurum|| The above mantra is recited and the sutra is tied Then they sing the Gowri Katha in a melodious way, holding the ladle on the sthambha flame, while preparing "kajal" (eyetex). They perform praarthana with the following shloka. dIpasthambham swaRNamayam dIpa pAthramthu rAjitham| navagramdhi samAyuktham chathush kONayutham shubham || bhImEsha prathi grihNAthi bhImEsho vaidhadhAthi cha| bhImEsha sthArakobhAbhyAm bhImEshAya namo namaH|| They give haldi-kumkum, scent, flowers, eyetex, bangles, kosambari, coconut, betel-leaves, blouse-piece with dakshina to sumangalis. On this day, as a mark of having gained the kingdom, male children break a pot full of money on the threshold of the house. Married women perform this vratha for 9 years. Some of them, afterwards perform udhyaapan. The elders also perform the pooja along with their daughter(s) and/or daughter(s)-in-law. They do not tie the sacred thread. In Tamilnadu, there is sampradaaya to tie the thread every year. In Karnataka it is not so. After nine years of pooja, the managala gowri (silver deepa sthambha) is kept in the "Gowri-petti/petta"('Gowri-box') and worshipped daily with haldi-kumkum and flowers. Thus we observe that the lady of the house performs pUja throughout the year, praying for the welfare being of her husband and children. That is why in the marriage, while the bride is performing gowri pooja, this silver managala gowri is also given to her to perform pUja and have eternal saubhaagya and enjoy dheerga sumagalithwa, health, wealth and a loving and understanding husband. Every Tuesday in shraavana maasam, the married women perform this mangala gowri pooja for 9 years without break. idham phalam mayAdhEva syhApitham purasaththama | thename saphalA vApthirbhave janmani janmani || In Andhra pradesh however,Shree Mangala Gowri Vrata is performed by newly married girls, on the five tuesdays of Shravana maasa, for the first five years after marriage. They give baagina of mangala -dravyaas to their mothers. The pooja place is cleaned and decorated with rangavalli. A wooden plank(manne) is kept on it, with one blouse piece, one mirror and two blouse pieces on either side of mirror for decoration, 16 betel leaves, 32 adika and kobbari gitaku, The Gauri image is made by arishina and kept in a plate, and pooja is performed. Kosambari and thamboolamu are prepared for distribution to all. They prepare kappu for the eyes, by smearing juice of betel leaves on a moguchekai made of iron and heating it over a deepa. This kappu is offered to suvaasinis and also for themselves. By performing this pooja, people aspire for dheergha-saumangalya, children and progress. This Vrata is performed on all Tuesdays of Shravana by telugu women with full decoration Example of a fully decorated Telugu woman www.mypurohit.com has given the whole Mangala gowri vratham in Telugu. This will be especially useful for NRI-Telugu people if they dont have access to the Mangala gowri vratha book or cassttee. The link to the particular page is this. http://mypurohith.com/Telugu/mang_gouri_vrt1.asp A visit to Nanganallur Sarvamangala Rajarajeshwari devi temple in Chennai after finishing the Mangala Gowri vratha is Aanvayathi here in Nanganallur region of Chennai. Hope this helps...Vandita Ma! Shakambhari! Kadambhari! Vimalambhari! Yours yogically, Shreeram Balijepalli vandita kandala <saidaya1980 wrote: Dear Shreeram, I am very happy to read your notes. as today I know some are celebrating "Mangala Gauri Vratam", I would be happy if you could shed some light on this topic.. regards. Group Owner <para_anuloma wrote: Dear Chitra Ma, You have come to the right place and asked the question. Fisr let me tell you that today morning when i opened my email i was pleasently surprised to see your query for managal chandika stotra. Rajarajeshwari devi whom i pray in Nanganallur is called SARVAMANAGALA and it is the same as MANAGALA CHANDIKA DEVI SWARUPA but in a more powerful way. I will quote a bit of reference here. The mention of managala chandika comes in Devi Bhagavatham in ninth book chapter XLVII 26-37. Mahâdeva said :-- Protect me, Protect me, O Mother! O Devî Mangal Chandîke! Thou, the Destroyer of difficulties! Thou givest joy and good. Thou art clever in giving delight and fortune. Thou the bestower of all bliss and prosperity! Thou, the auspicious, Thou art Mangala Chandîkâ. Thou art Mangalâ, worthy of all good, Thou art the auspicious of all auspicious; Thou bestowest good to the good persons. Thou art worthy to be worshipped on Tuesday (the Mangala day); Thou art the Deity, desired by all. The King Mangala, born of Manu family always worships Thee. Thou, the presiding Devî of Mangala; Thou art the repository of all the good that are in this world. Thou, the Bestower of the auspicious Moksa. Thou, the best of all; Thou, the respository of all good; Thou makest one cross all the Karmas; the people worship Thee on every Tuesday; Thou bestowest abundance of Bliss to all. Thus praising Mangala Chandîkâ with this stotra, and worshipping on every tuesday, S’ambhu departed. The Devî Sarva Mangalâ was first worshipped by Mahâdeva. Next she was worsh ipped by the planet Mars; then by the King Mangala; then on every Tuesday by the ladies of every household. Fifthly she was worshipped by all men, desirous of their welfare. So in every universe Mangal Chandîkâ, first worshipped by Mahâdeva, came to be worshipped by all. Next she came to be worshipped everywhere, by the Devas, Munis, Mânavas, Manus. O Muni! He who hears with undivided attention this stotra of the Devî Mangala Chandîkâ, finds no evils anywhere. Rather all good comes to him. Day after day he gets sons and grandsons and so his prosperity gets increased, yea, verily increased! 38-58. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! Thus I narrated to you the stories of Sasthî and Mangala Chandîkâ, according to the Vedas. Now hear the story of Manasâ that I heard from the mouth of Dharama Deva. The name of magala chandika also occurs while describing the history and glory of Radharani in chapter fifty of the same book. THUS YOU HAVE IT: IT IS THE VERSES 26 TILL 37 OF DEVI BHAGAVATHAM NINTH BOOK,CHAPTER 47 WHICH IS CALLED MANAGALA CHANDIKA STOTRA MANTRA.Certain texts like devi bhagavatham and devi maahatmyam have some slokas as mantras which can be done for specific purposes. Also I would like to mention here that Devi Gita constitutes the last ten chapters of the seventh Skandha of the Devi Bhagavatam. In the puranas, one will find several gitas and many mahatmyas. The differences are that in the mahatmya, the glorification of the deity is by recounting the various deeds of the God and offering praise to the divinity. A gita, on the other hand, is a direct revelation of the truth from the disciple, which often includes the manifestation of the cosmic form. While mahatymas emphasize bhakti, gita stresses a balance of bhakti and jnana. You can buy all the three volumes of Devi Bhagavatham being published by RAMAKRISHNA MUTT,INDIA and see the navami skaandham(ninth book) and in chapter 47 and read verses 26 till 37 in sanskirt if you want to chant MANGALA CHANDIKA STOTRA. Hope this helps. Yours yogically, Shreeram "chitra.R." <ixora_79 wrote: Dear All, I've just joined this group today. At the moment, i am seeking help from anyone who knows the mantra ' Mangala Chandika Stotram for Durga. Thanks. Chit. Start your day with - make it your home page Purity, Powers, Parabrahmam... Click to join Rajarajeshwari_Kalpataru MailStay connected, organized, and protected. Take the tour Purity, Powers, Parabrahmam... 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