naivedya that is fruits and food. One keeps awake the whole night. Her mantra ‘Shri Kaatyaayani Durgaayai Namah'. By worshipping her the four aspirations of life Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha are satisfied. Problems in marriages are removed. Girls get husband according to their liking. 

Kaalaraatri  
It means the night of time or end of time. Time annihilates everything. She is the annihilator of time. The devotees who are afraid of time because it is the cause of their destruction are freed from that fear by her. She is worshipped on the seventh day with bael leaves and offered flowers and scents. Her mantra ‘Shri Kaalaraatri Durgaayai Namah'. By worshipping her enemies or enmities are destroyed and sins get appeased. All forms of fear are removed. 

Mahaagauri  
Because of intense worship of Lord Shiva one whose complexion became white, glowing and one who became the wife of Shiva is known as Mahaagauri. She is worshipped on the eighth day with flowers and scents. The day is spent in fasting, prayer and meditation. Her mantra ‘Shri Mahaagauri Durgaayai Namah'. By worshipping her we get increased strength. Name, fame and money is gained. 

Siddhidaatri  
Lord Shiva also worshipped Shakti and His half body became that of a female. She is the Goddess of all forms of psychic powers. She is worshipped on the ninth day with flowers and scents. Thereafter, havan or vedic fire ritual is done. Pray for forgiveness. Her mantra ‘Shri Siddhidaatri Durgaayai Namah'. By worshipping her one finds satisfaction in the fulfillment of all desires connected with this world and the other world. 

Parvati  
Parvati is another form in which the Divine Mother is worshipped. Parvati means the daughter of king of Parvatas, Himavan. She is the Shakti of Lord Shiva. She is the matrix of the universe. She is the revealer of Brahman. 

The glorious story of Parvati is related in detail in the Skanda Purana. Sati, the daughter of Daksha Prajapati, the son of Brahma, was wedded to Lord Shiva. Daksha did not like his son-in-law on account of His queer form, strange manners and peculiar habits. Daksha performed a sacrifice. He did not invite his daughter and son-in-law. Sati felt insulted and went to Her father and questioned him. He gave Her a displeasing reply. Sati got enraged at this. She did not want any more to be called his daughter. She preferred to offer Her body to fire and destroy herself. She created fire through Her yogic power and destroyed Herself in that Yogagni. 

Asura Taraka had a boon from Brahma that he should die only at the hands of the son of Shiva and Parvati. Therefore the Devas requested Himavan to have Sati as his daughter. Himavan agreed. Sati was born as Parvati, the daughter of Himavan. She served Lord Shiva during His penance and worshipped Him. Lord Shiva married Parvati. 

The Markandeya Purana contains seven hundred verses which are known as the Sapta-sati or the Chandi or the Devi-Mahatmya. It is one of the most famous religious texts of the Hindus. It ranks almost equal with the Bhagavad Gita. It describes in an allegorical form