Chandraghanta is the third of the nine forms of Durga and is worshipped on the third day of Navaratri. She is Parvati in a fierce ten-armed form, with a half-moon shaped like a bell (ghanta) on her head. In her, strength and peace sit together: she is fierce toward evil and gentle toward her devotees.
Chandraghanta dhyana sloka and meaning
पिंडजप्रवरारूढा चंडकोपास्त्रकैर्युता । प्रसादं तनुते मह्यं चंद्रघंटेति विश्रुता ॥
piṇḍajapravarārūḍhā caṇḍakopāstrakairyutā | prasādaṃ tanute mahyaṃ candraghaṇṭeti viśrutā ||
Meaning: She who rides the finest of tigers, who bears fierce weapons, and who is famed as Chandraghanta, grants me her grace.
Watch the story
A narrated retelling from our YouTube channel, in the regional language of this site.
What the name Chandraghanta means
"Chandra" means moon and "ghanta" means bell. On her head the Mother wears a half-moon shaped like a bell, so she is called Chandraghanta. Devotees also connect the name to the sound of a bell, which, as the story below shows, was her weapon against the demon Jatukasura.
The story of Chandraghanta
Shiva's wedding procession
After Parvati's long tapas, Shiva agreed to marry her. On the wedding day, Shiva came just as he is. Snakes hung around his neck as garlands. His body was covered in sacred ash. He rode Nandi, and behind him came a wedding procession of bhutaganas (his ghostly attendants) and yogis.
Parvati's mother, Menadevi, saw the procession and fainted from fear.
Parvati takes a fierce form
Parvati understood her mother's distress. To match Shiva's fierce appearance, she took on a fierce form of her own: ten arms, many kinds of weapons, and on her head a moon shaped like a bell. This is the Chandraghanta form.
Standing before Shiva in this form, she asked him to take a gentle, pleasing form instead. Shiva agreed and appeared as a handsome bridegroom. The wedding of Shiva and Parvati then took place with great splendour.
There is something touching in this. Parvati did not ask Shiva to change by pleading as a frightened bride. She met him as an equal, fierce form to fierce form, and only then asked for gentleness, for her mother's sake.
The battle with Jatukasura
After the wedding, the demon Tarakasura wanted to trouble Shiva and Parvati. He sent another demon, Jatukasura, who took the form of a bat. Jatukasura surrounded Kailasa with an army of bats.
At that time Shiva was deep in meditation. So Parvati once more took the Chandraghanta form and stood up to fight. With the ringing of her bell she scattered the bats, and then she killed Jatukasura.
Lord Brahma then praised her by the name Chandraghanta Devi.
Her form and what it means
Chandraghanta has ten arms holding many weapons, and she rides a tiger, as her dhyana sloka says. In many pictures her mount is shown as a lion. Her body is often described as shining like gold, and the bell-shaped moon on her forehead is the mark that makes her easy to recognise.
The bell matters in this story. A bell is rung in every puja to clear the space before worship. In the same way, devotees believe the sound of Chandraghanta's bell drives away fear and negative forces.
How to worship Chandraghanta on Day 3
The third day of Navaratri, Ashvayuja (Ashvin) Shukla Tritiya, belongs to Chandraghanta.
- Flowers: Orange flowers are offered to her.
- Naivedya: A popular custom is to offer payasam and other sweets.
- Bell: Many devotees ring the puja bell with special care on this day, remembering her story.
- Mantra: Devotees chant her mantra 108 times:
ॐ ऐं ह्रीं क्लीं चंद्रघंटायै नमः
oṃ aiṃ hrīṃ klīṃ candraghaṇṭāyai namaḥ
Blessings of worshipping Chandraghanta
Tradition holds that worshipping Chandraghanta gives the strength to face challenges with courage. Negative forces are kept away, the mind becomes steady, and willpower grows. Devotees who feel anxious or afraid often turn to this form, since she is the Mother who met terror with her own fearlessness.