According to Hindu mythologies, the sixteen-year-old goddess Shailputri was extremely handsome and had a white complexion. Because of her extremely white complexion, she was known as the goddess Mahagauri. Goddess Mahagauri is worshipped on the eighth day of Navratri. It is believed that the planet Rahu is governed by Goddess Mahagauri.
The mount of the goddess Mahagauri, as well as the goddess Shailputri, is a bull and is therefore also known as Vrisharudha. The goddess Mahagauri is represented in four hands. She carries Trishul in one right hand and the second right hand in Abhaya Mudra. She adorns Damaru with her left hand and keeps Varada Mudra’s on second left hand. As the name suggests, the goddess Mahagauri is extremely fair. Because of its fair complexion, the goddess Mahagauri is compared to the shell, moon and white flower of Kunda. She only wears white clothes and that is why she is also known as Shwetambardhara.
Parvati Namavali:
om maha-manon-mani-saktyai namah | siva-saktyai | sivan-karyai | iccha-saktikriya-sakti-jnana-sakti svarupinyai | santyatita kalanandayai | siva-mayayai | siva-priyayai | sarvajnayai | sundaryai | saumyayai || 10 ||
sacchidananda-rupinyai | para-paramayyai | balayai | tripurayai | kundalyai | sivayai | rudranyai | vijayayai | sarvayai | sarvanyai || 20 ||
bhuvanesvaryai | kalyanyai | sulinyai | kantayai | maha-tripura-sundaryai | malinyai | maninyai | madanollasa mohinyai | mahesvaryai | matangyai || 30 ||
siva-kamyai | cidatmikayai | kamaksyai | kamalaksyai | minaksyai | sarvasaksinyai | uma-devyai | maha-kalyai | samayai | sarva-jana-priyayai || 40 ||
cit-purayai | cid-ghananandayai | cin-mayyai | cit-svarupinyai | maha-sarasvatyai | durgayai | jvala-durgadi-mohinyai | nakulyai | suddha-vidyayai | saccidanandavigrahayai || 50 ||
suprabhayai | suprabha-jvalayai | indrakshyai | sarva-mohinyai | mahendra-jalamadhya-sthayai | mayayai | maya-vinodinyai | visvesvaryai | vrsarudhayai | vidya-jala-vinodinyai || 60 ||
mantresvaryai | maha-laksmyai | maha-kaliphala-pradayai | catur-vedaviseshajnayai | savitryai | sarva-devatayai | mahendranyai | ganadhyaksayai | maha-bhairava-pujitayai | mahamayayai || 70 ||
maha-ghorayai | maha-devyai | mala-pahayai | mahisasura-sanharyai | candamunda-kulantakayai | cakresvaryai | catur-vedyai | sarvadayai | suranayikyai | satsastra-nipunayai || 80 ||
nityayai | sad-darsana-vicaksanayai | kala-ratryai | kala-titayai | kavirajamanoharayai | sarada-tilakakarayai | dhirayai | dhirajana-priyayai | ugra-bharyai | maha-bharyai || 90 ||
ksipra-maryai | rana-priyayai | anna-purnesvaryai | matre | svarnakara-tatitprabhayai | svara-vyanjana-varnodayayai | gadya-padyadikaranayai | padavakyartha-nilayayai | bindu-nadadikaranayai | moksesa-mahisyai || 100 ||
satyayai | bhukti-mukti-phala-pradayai | vijnana-dayinyai | prajnayai | prajnanaphala-dayinyai | ahankara-kalatitayai | parasaktyai | parat-parayai || 108 ||