Osiya Mata, A Chamunda Devi Form & Connection with Navratri Ashtami

On my recent visit to Osiya mata temple in Osiyan town, Rajasthan, I spoke to one of the pujari there. My main query was about Osiya mata – which devi is she? As I pondered in my earlier blog post, I anticipated her to be either Kali, Chamunda or Sachi mata. This pujari responded with yet another name …

“Mahishasur Mardini”!

Mahishasur Mardini

In Bengal Durga Pujo, Durga Devi in her Mahishasur Mardini form is the highlight of the festival.

Specifically, the Navami tithi is when she is venerated.

Before that, on the Ashtami tithi – right at the end of the tithi, 48 minutes before it will move into Navami tithi – the Chamunda form is said to peak.

There are rituals and sadhana practices done in the final 48 or 24 minutes of the Ashtami tithi – for Chamunda mata. The fury of Chamunda peaks at this time.

This is the final showdown with Mahishasur – even we can read in the Devi Mahatmya.

After her final fury and rage of Chamunda,

Durga devi takes the form of Mahishasur Mardini, and goes into the final fight with Mahishasur and kills him.

Jai Mahishasur Mardini!

Chamunda: Merging of Maa Kali with Durga?

Is Chamunda, the fiercest of Devis, a merging of Maa Kali and Durga?

There definitely seems that the stories of these two fierce devi merge with Chamunda! And another yogi, Sri Guru Rohit Arya also mentioned it in one of his videos as well.

I made a video about this stuff as well, you can listen here: