Worshipped on the second day of Navratri as the ascetic incarnation of Goddess Durga, Brahmcharini (meaning, a woman who seeks out the divine truths) represents the values of restraint, devotion, wisdom and solitude. She holds a rosary in her right hand and a Kamandala in the left. To fulfil her love for Shiva, she was determined to marry him. She began her penance after being told by Narada (son of Brahma) that she could marry Lord Shiva, her partner from previous birth.

Brahmacharini illustrates the path of firmness one has to walk onto to reach their destination. When Kama (god of love & desire) failed to distract Lord Shiva and persuade him to have a child which would fulfil the destiny of killing Tarkasura, Parvati embarked on her journey to become the divine mate to Lord Shiva by pursuing extreme restraints from all desires of the material world. She penanced for thousands of years until she evoked several gods and goddesses to observe her rigid devotion towards her path, eventually letting Lord Shiva come to her and accepting her as his wife after she answered to all his riddles.

This incarnation of Goddess Durga is an example of where consistency and restraining from habits that don’t contribute to our best interests can take us. From her, we learn to not get distracted from failure and remain present within our own energy and engage in practising activities which thus then lead to the ultimate aim of our lives.