The ninth and final of the Navdurga aspects of Mahadevi is Devi Siddhidhatri. She is the moola roopa or primordial form of Goddess Parvati. Her name is a combination of the word Siddhi which means ‘perfection’ or ‘supernatural powers’ (referring to the highest meditative powers), and dhatri meaning ‘bestower’ or ‘awarder’. Thus, Siddhidhatri is the goddess who bestows the highest powers of perfection or meditative powers to her devotees.
The legend of Siddhidhatri Devi begins when there was nothing in existence but a formless void filled with darkness. A ray of pure, divine light then spread to each corner of the void, illuminating the universe into existence. This divine light then took the form of Siddhidhatri Devi who is Mahashakti herself. The goddess then created the Trimurti— Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, and enlightened them about their roles in the universe: Brahma as the creator, Vishnu as the preserver, and Shiva as the destroyer.
Siddhidhatri also bestowed upon the Trimurti, their respective wives; Brahma with Saraswati, Vishnu with Lakshmi, and Shiva with Parvati, with each wife representing a physical manifestation of her husband’s powers and abilities. Devi Siddhidhatri then bestowed upon the Trimurti eight of their divine supernatural powers, namely Anima (the ability to reduce one’s body to the size of a crumb), Mahima (the ability to expand one’s physical form to an infinite extent), Garima (the ability to weigh an infinite amount), Laghima (the ability to become weightless), Prapti (omnipresence), Prakambya (the ability to achieve whatever one desires), Ishitva (possessing absolute lordship) and Vashitva (the ability to subjugate all).
Devi Siddhidhatri then created man and woman, and from them arose Devas and Devis, Daityas, Danavas, Asuras, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Apsaras, Bhuta-pretas, all heavenly beings, mythical creatures, plants, and all aquatic, terrestrial and aerial creatures. The goddess then created a world and all of its different habitats for all of its varied occupants.
Devi Siddhidhatri is depicted as four armed, and she holds a conch shell, a mace, a discus, and a lotus. She is also shown to be seated on a lotus.
Read more Amar Chitra Katha stories about Ramayana
