On the evening of 16 February 2024, something extraordinary happened during my japa of Maa Kalaratri. It was the seventh day of Magh Gupt Navratri, and I was sitting before the image of Maa as depicted in the NavDurga book published by Gita Press, Gorakhpur. As I gazed at Her fierce eyes and continued repeating Her name, I felt as though Her image had come alive. Her eyes seemed to look directly at me, and Her face appeared to radiate a divine glow.
Usually, I perform my japa with the lights switched off, but that evening, I had forgotten to turn them off. In the middle of my japa, something changed. Maa’s large, fierce eyes seemed to draw me towards them with an irresistible magnetic force. My attention became completely absorbed in Her gaze. For those moments, nothing else seemed to exist. I could neither see nor feel anything beyond Maa’s magnificent eyes. It was as though the entire universe had disappeared, leaving only the Divine Mother and Her devotee in a silent communion.
Perhaps this is the mysterious beauty of devotion: when the heart is filled with love, even an image can become a doorway to the Divine. The picture before me seemed to transcend its printed form, and I experienced a profound sense of Maa’s presence. As the saying goes, “The eyes are the window to the soul.” That evening, I felt as though Maa’s eyes were opening a window into a world beyond ordinary perception.
Until then, I had completed only one forty-day sadhana of Maa Kalaratri. I had also worshipped Her with complete devotion during the four Navratris observed throughout the year. I did not worship Her every day, yet I had always felt that She was kind and benevolent towards me, blessing me with spiritual experiences that were unique and deeply moving. I could not explain why such experiences came my way, but my heart received them with gratitude. To me, they were precious reminders of the mysterious bond that can exist between a devotee and the Mother Divine.
Maa Kalaratri is like a flash of lightning in the darkest night.
Imagine a moonless night when thick, dark clouds cover the sky. The darkness is so complete that one cannot see even a few steps ahead. There seems to be no direction, no path and no indication of what lies beyond. Suddenly, a flash of lightning illuminates the sky. For a brief moment, everything becomes visible. The road, the trees, the distant landscape—all emerge from the darkness, and one can see where to go.
To me, Maa Kalaratri’s energy is like that lightning: fierce, sudden and illuminating. There are times in our lives when sorrow, confusion and despair surround us like dark clouds. We may feel lost, unable to decide which path to take or how to overcome our difficulties. Our minds become clouded with fear, and hope seems to disappear. Yet, when we turn towards Maa with a sincere heart, we find the courage to face our circumstances and the strength to seek a way forward. In my faith, She is the Mother who hears the prayers of Her children and illuminates their path when everything seems dark.
As Helen Keller beautifully said, “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” Maa Kalaratri reminds me that darkness need not be the end of our journey. Sometimes, the light we need appears when we surrender our fears, pray with sincerity and gather the courage to take the next step.
There is another beautiful aspect of Maa Kalaratri’s appearance that has always touched my heart. She is depicted with uncombed, dishevelled hair. Her attire is simple, and She wears very little jewellery. Unlike the other forms of the Goddess, whose beauty may be enhanced by elaborate ornaments and magnificent garments, Maa Kalaratri appears unconcerned with outward appearance. Her attention seems to be fixed on something far more important: protecting Her children and removing their suffering.
I often wonder whether Her simple appearance conveys a profound message. A mother rushing to rescue her child does not stop to arrange her hair, choose beautiful clothes or adorn herself with jewellery. She simply runs towards the child who needs her. Nothing is more urgent than the child's safety, and nothing is more important than answering the child's call.
That is how I imagine Maa Kalaratri. She is so eager to relieve the pain of Her devotees that She gives no importance to Her own adornment. Her love is not dressed in splendour; it expresses itself through action. Her dishevelled hair and simple appearance seem to proclaim that when a child is suffering, the mother's only concern is to reach that child as quickly as possible.
Even Her weapons seem to reflect this urgency. She is not depicted holding a multitude of weapons. Instead, She carries a vajra and a khadga—a thunderbolt and a sword—with which She destroys obstacles and protects Her devotees from forces that threaten them. I imagine Her as a mother who has hastily picked up whatever is necessary to defend Her children. She does not need an elaborate display of power. Her strength lies in Her divine resolve to protect.
And then there is Her mount—a simple donkey, without the elegance and magnificence associated with many divine mounts. Yet, to me, this simplicity makes Her even more endearing. Maa does not need a majestic vehicle to demonstrate Her greatness. She comes in whatever form She chooses, without concern for appearances or worldly grandeur. Her purpose is not to impress the world but to reach those who call upon Her.
Perhaps this is one of the most beautiful lessons Maa Kalaratri offers us: true greatness does not lie in appearance, but in the willingness to serve, protect and relieve suffering. The Divine Mother does not need to display Her magnificence to prove Her love. She demonstrates it by standing beside Her children when they are frightened, lost or helpless.
Whenever I think of Maa Kalaratri, I remember those fierce, magnetic eyes that held my attention that February evening. I remember how Her face seemed to glow and how, for a few moments, everything else faded away. I cannot explain the experience in ordinary words, but it remains etched in my memory as a moment of deep devotion.
For me, Maa Kalaratri is not merely the Goddess who destroys darkness; She is also the Mother who enters the darkness of our lives with the speed and brilliance of lightning. She comes when we are afraid, when we cannot see the road ahead, and when we have lost the confidence to move forward. Her fierce appearance conceals a compassionate heart, and Her terrifying form reminds us that the power which destroys evil can also shelter a frightened child.
When we call upon Her with love and surrender, we open our hearts to Her strength, courage and Grace. After all, She is Maa Kalaratri—the Mother who rides through the darkness, carrying the light of divine protection.
Jai Maa Kalaratri! Jai Maa Durga!
Pic : Maa Kalaratri's image as depicted in the pictorial book NavDurga.
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