Shailaputri - Day 1 of Navaratri

BY Indu Arora2 min read • October 10, 2026

Navaratri is a sacred observance honoring Devi, the Goddess, also known as Durga or Shakti. Shakti is the divine feminine power associated with creation and transformation.

Nava means nine and Ratri means the night that nurtures, nourishes, and protects. Four times in a year, there are nine days and nine nights that are considered to be filled with nine forms of divine feminine energy—each of them symbolizing a form of Durga. For students and practitioners of yoga and Ayurveda, these nine nights can be an invitation to slow down, simplify, and approach your practice with greater attention.

Day 1 of Navaratri - Ma Shailaputri: Goddess of Steadfast Strength. 

Ma means mother, Shaila (from shila) means a huge mountain (here symbolizing the Himalayas), Putri means daughter.

Ma Shailaputri is the daughter of the great Himalayas. She has made up her mind to rise from the great earth below to the heavens above. She is invincible and immovable like the great Himalayas itself.

She holds a trident on the right hand, which symbolizes the victory over three kinds of sufferings :

🙏🏽 Caused by our own karma (adhi devika)

🙏🏽 Caused by other beings (adhi bhautika)

🙏🏽 Caused by our own ignorance (adyatmika)

Takeaway: Once we become grounded and determined with 100% conviction of what we deserve, we are ready to break through the earth upon which we stand but we remain still like Ma Shailaputri. Ma Shailaputri motivates us to be stirred and yet maintain still. When you invoke Ma Shailaputri within, no one can take your kindness as your weakness and your silence as your ignorance.

Three Ways to Invoke Ma ShailaPutri:

• During the practice of asanas to instill groundbreaking stillness
• Practice sankalpa for indomitable will in moments of confusion or instability
• When you experience fear, invoke her for unshakable courage

Mudra: It is said that one of the ways to appease the Devi is by the practice of Mudras and invoking her with Mudras.Here in the image, I am invoking Shakti through Yoni Mudra. Read more on Mudras in my book Mudra The Sacred Secret.

Further Readings and Practices

• Read about Yoni Mudra Demystified here
• Practice Kundalini Pranayama Meditation with me
• Listen to Gayatri Mantra during Asanas

May the Shakti be with you as she is already within you, as she is already you.