The fifth day of the Navratri honors “ Maa Skandmata”. The word Skand means ‘War God and his son karitekey’ and mata means mother. She rides on a lion and carries a lotus, water material, and a bell. In her lap, Lord Skanda is sitting. She is called maa with the lotus seat as she sits on a lotus. She is a four-armed Devi.

The story behind the maa Skanda Mata is quite interesting. When Sati immolated herself, lord Shiva gets sad and make himself detached from the world. When lord shiva gets detached, devtas were came under the attacked of the asuras. They approached Lord shiva for the help as it was only he and his son can destroy the asuras Tarakasur and Surapdman. But devtas were feared because Lord Shiva may not having any offspring. So they went to Lord Vishnu and he suggested the name of Parvati to them who is an incarnation of Adi shakti and destined to be the wife of Lord Shiva. Parvati penance for years and get Shiva as her husband. When the energy of both lord shiva and Parvati combines they produced seed. The energy of the seed was unbearable for lord Agni and he hands over that to goddess Ganga. Goddess Parvati took the form of the water body and took that seed to Sarvana forest. Later, six-faced Kartikeya is born and taken care by six kritikas (mother).

The devotees who worship her selflessly, get the double benefit as by worshipping Maa Skanda Mata, lord skand is automatically worshipped. She gives power, prosperity, and treasure to the devotees. She also blessed them with intelligence and splendor.

Aarti for Maa Skandmata
jay teree ho skand maata.
paanchavaan naam tumhaara aata.
sabake man kee jaanan haaree.
jag jananee sabakee mahataaree.
teree jot jalaata rahoo main.
haradam tujhe dhyaata rahoo mai.
kaee naamon se tujhe pukaara.
mujhe ek hai tera sahaara.
kahee pahaado par hai dera.
kaee shaharon mein tera basera.
har mandir mein tere najaare.
gun gae tere bhakt pyaare.
bhakti apanee mujhe dila do.
shakti meree bigadee bana do indr aadi devata mil saare.
kare pukaar tumhaare dvaare.
dusht daity jab chadh kar aae.
too hee khanda haath uthae.
daason ko sada bachaane aayee.
bhakt kee aas pujaane aayee.