Introduction: Day 4 of Navratri, The Goddess Who Created the Universe With Her Smile
The fourth day of Navratri, known as Chaturthi, is dedicated to Maa Kushmanda, one of the most extraordinary and cosmically significant forms of Goddess Durga. Her name alone carries the weight of creation itself. It was Maa Kushmanda who, with a single divine smile, brought the entire universe into existence from the void of absolute darkness. On Day 4 of Navratri, we honour this cosmic creator, the mother of all light, the source of all energy and the goddess who reminds us that within every human being lies the same creative power that gave birth to the cosmos.
At raj.guru, the official platform of Guru Ji Dr. Raj, PhD in Astrology, multiple National Award winner and one of the most famous astrologers in Singapore, we view Navratri Day 4 as the energetic midpoint of the first half of the festival. The first three days were about preparation, discipline and awakening courage. Day 4 is about expansion. It is about stepping into the fullness of who you are and allowing the creative energy of the universe to flow through you without restriction.
Guru Ji Dr. Raj, with over 31 years of experience in Vedic astrology, palmistry, numerology and spiritual healing, has guided thousands of devotees across Singapore, India, the UK, USA and UAE through the transformative power of each Navratri goddess. On Day 4, he teaches that Maa Kushmanda does not ask for grand rituals. She asks for a joyful heart. Because joy, in its purest form, is the most divine offering any human being can make.
Who Is Maa Kushmanda
The name Kushmanda is derived from three Sanskrit words. Ku means little, Ushma means warmth or energy, and Anda means cosmic egg. Together, Kushmanda means the one who created the little cosmic egg, referring to the divine act of creating the entire universe from nothingness through the power of her inner light and her divine smile.
According to ancient Vedic scriptures, before the creation of the universe, there was only darkness everywhere. There was no light, no life, no matter and no time. It was Maa Kushmanda who chose to smile in that darkness and from that single smile radiated the first burst of light and energy that expanded into the entire cosmos. She is therefore considered the Adishakti, the original and primal energy, the first cause of all creation.
Maa Kushmanda is depicted with eight arms, earning her the title Ashtabhuja Devi. She rides a magnificent lion and her complexion shines like the sun, radiating golden warmth and cosmic energy. In her eight hands she holds a kamandal (water pot), a bow, an arrow, a lotus flower, a pot of amrit (divine nectar), a chakra (discus), a gada (mace) and a japamala (rosary). She is also said to reside within the core of the sun itself, governing its radiance and sustaining all life in the solar system through her divine light.
Spiritual Significance of Maa Kushmanda on Navratri Day 4
Maa Kushmanda governs the Anahata Chakra, the Heart Chakra, the energy centre of love, compassion, joy, gratitude and creative expression. When the Heart Chakra is open and vibrant, a person radiates warmth, attracts loving relationships, experiences genuine contentment and moves through life with a lightness and grace that draws others toward them naturally.
Worshipping Maa Kushmanda on Navratri Day 4 is believed to open and heal the Heart Chakra, remove grief, sorrow and emotional pain stored in the heart, awaken creative potential and artistic gifts, attract abundance, joy and positive energy into the home, improve physical health particularly related to the heart and immune system, bring clarity of purpose and a renewed sense of direction in life and bless devotees with radiant health, warmth and an uplifted spirit.
At raj.guru, Guru Ji Dr. Raj teaches that Maa Kushmanda is the goddess of pure, unconditional joy. Her worship is not about asking for things. It is about aligning your vibration with the creative frequency of the universe itself. When you are genuinely joyful, you become a magnet for everything good. That is the deepest teaching of Day 4 of Navratri.
Navratri Day 4 Colour: Orange
The colour associated with Day 4 of Navratri is Orange, one of the most vibrant, warm and energising colours in the spectrum. Orange represents creativity, enthusiasm, vitality and the warmth of the sun, all qualities that directly reflect the nature and energy of Maa Kushmanda herself.
Orange is also the colour of the rising sun, and since Maa Kushmanda is said to reside within the sun and govern its radiance, wearing orange on Day 4 creates a powerful symbolic and energetic alignment with the goddess. It is a colour that stimulates optimism, opens the heart, promotes social warmth and activates the creative energy centres in the body.
Wearing orange on Navratri Day 4 while offering prayers is believed to attract the goddess’s blessings of joy, health, creativity and abundance. In Indian communities across Singapore, devotees wear bright orange outfits to temples on Day 4, creating a collective atmosphere of warmth, celebration and divine devotion.
Astrological Connection: Maa Kushmanda and the Sun
In Vedic astrology, Maa Kushmanda is associated with the Sun (Surya Graha), the most powerful and central body in the solar system and the karaka (significator) of the soul, self-expression, authority, vitality, fame and government. The Sun governs a person’s inner confidence, their relationship with their father, their ability to lead and their overall physical health and immunity.
When the Sun is weak or afflicted in one’s birth chart, it can lead to lack of confidence, poor health, troubled relationships with authority figures, difficulty achieving recognition and a general sense of purposelessness or low self-worth.
Worshipping Maa Kushmanda on Navratri Day 4 is especially beneficial for individuals with a weak, debilitated or afflicted Sun in their Kundali, those experiencing Surya Mahadasha or Antardasha, people born under Leo (Simha Rashi), the Sun’s own sign, those struggling with lack of confidence, identity confusion or low vitality and anyone seeking greater recognition, authority or success in their career and public life.
Guru Ji Dr. Raj, widely recognised as the best astrologer in Singapore and a Vedic scholar with a PhD in Astrology, recommends offering red flowers, wheat-based items and jaggery to Maa Kushmanda on Day 4 of Navratri while chanting Sun-specific mantras. Combined with sincere devotion to the goddess, this practice is a highly effective remedy for a weak Sun in the horoscope.
Is the Sun weak in your horoscope, affecting your confidence, career or health? Guru Ji Dr. Raj, Singapore’s most famous Vedic astrologer with 31 years of experience, offers personalised Sun Dosha remedies tailored to your birth chart. Book Your Sun Dosha Consultation with Guru Ji Dr. Raj.
Puja Vidhi for Navratri Day 4: Complete Step-by-Step Guide
Early Morning Preparation
Wake up at Brahma Muhurta, take a ritual bath and wear clean orange clothes. Begin your Day 4 puja with a heart full of gratitude and joy. Approach the altar not with the weight of requests but with the lightness of someone who is simply happy to be in the presence of the Divine Mother.
Decorating the Altar
Place the image or idol of Maa Kushmanda on your puja altar. Offer bright orange and yellow flowers, marigolds and sunflowers are particularly beautiful and appropriate for this day. Arrange a yellow or orange cloth beneath the deity to reflect the solar energy of the goddess. Light sandalwood or orange blossom incense to create a warm, uplifting atmosphere.
Maintaining the Akhand Diya
Ensure the Akhand Jyoti from previous days continues to burn without interruption. Light an additional ghee diya on Day 4 as a tribute to the sun’s light that Maa Kushmanda governs. The more light that fills your puja space on this day, the more powerfully the goddess’s solar energy permeates your home.
Offering the Bhog
The traditional bhog for Maa Kushmanda on Day 4 is malpua, a sweet fried pancake made from flour, milk and sugar, traditionally prepared during festivals. Offering malpua to the goddess is believed to please her greatly and bring blessings of joy, abundance and good health. Some traditions also include offering pumpkin (kaddu), as the word Kushmanda itself is linguistically connected to the Sanskrit word for pumpkin, making it a particularly symbolic and auspicious offering on this day.
Chanting the Mantra and Durga Saptashati
Recite the Maa Kushmanda mantra 108 times using a rudraksha or crystal mala. Continue the Durga Saptashati recitation, focusing on passages that describe the goddess in her most radiant and creative form. Allow the words to fill your mind with the image of infinite light expanding outward from a single divine smile.
Performing the Aarti
Conclude the puja with the Maa Durga Aarti, performed with a multi-wicked ghee lamp to honour the solar energy of the goddess. Distribute prasad to all family members and pray for joy, health, vitality and creative abundance in every area of life.
Mantra for Maa Kushmanda
Chant this mantra 108 times with complete joy, gratitude and devotion:
“Suraasampoorna Kalasham Rudhiraaplutameva Cha | Dadhana Hastpadmabhyaam Kushmanda Shubhadastu Me ||”
Meaning: I bow to Maa Kushmanda, who holds in her lotus hands a pot filled with divine nectar and the essence of life force. May this radiant goddess bestow auspiciousness, joy and abundance upon me and all those I love.
Also chant the seed mantra “Om Devi Kushmandayai Namah” throughout the day, particularly during moments of creative work, decision-making or whenever you need an uplift of energy and inspiration.
Navratri Day 4 Vrat: What to Eat and What to Avoid
Devotees observing the Navratri fast on Day 4 should continue with the traditional vrat dietary guidelines.
Foods allowed include sabudana khichdi, kuttu flour preparations, fruits, milk, curd, dry fruits, sendha namak (rock salt), makhana, sweet potato and pumpkin-based dishes prepared with sendha namak and vrat-friendly spices.
Foods to avoid include onion, garlic, regular wheat flour, non-vegetarian food, alcohol and table salt.
Guru Ji Dr. Raj recommends consuming pumpkin-based dishes on Day 4 as they carry a direct symbolic and energetic connection to Maa Kushmanda. Including pumpkin in your vrat meal on this day is not only nutritious but also a meaningful devotional act that strengthens your bond with the goddess.
Navratri Day 4 Bhog: Sacred Food Offering
The prescribed bhog for Maa Kushmanda is malpua and pumpkin. Offering freshly prepared malpua to the goddess on Day 4 and distributing it as prasad is believed to bring lasting joy, creative inspiration and physical vitality into the devotee’s life. Offering pumpkin alongside the malpua adds an additional layer of symbolic depth to the bhog, honouring the goddess’s very name and nature. Consuming the prasad with a joyful heart is the most powerful way to receive the goddess’s blessings on this day.
Famous Temples for Maa Kushmanda Worship in India
Kushmanda Devi Temple in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, is one of the most revered temples for Maa Kushmanda and draws large gatherings of devotees on the fourth day of Navratri every year.
Surya Temple in Konark, Odisha, while primarily dedicated to the Sun God, holds deep significance on Navratri Day 4 given Maa Kushmanda’s direct astrological connection to the Sun. Many devotees offer prayers here on this day.
Ambaji Temple in Gujarat, one of the 51 Shakti Peethas, continues to host vibrant Navratri celebrations through Day 4 with Garba and elaborate puja rituals honouring all forms of the goddess.
Vindhyavasini Devi Temple in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, is one of the most powerful Shakti Peethas in North India and sees enormous devotional gatherings throughout all nine days of Navratri.
Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Assam, is one of the most ancient and revered Shakti Peethas in all of India and its Navratri celebrations are among the most powerful and spiritually charged in the country.
For devotees in Singapore, the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple on Serangoon Road and the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple both offer special Navratri puja ceremonies on Day 4, providing a sacred space to connect with the radiant, joyful energy of Maa Kushmanda right here in the Lion City.
Guru Ji Dr. Raj’s Message for Navratri Day 4
Guru Ji Dr. Raj, PhD in Astrology, recipient of the Best Astrologer in Singapore award by Prestige Awards UK, winner of the Best Indian Astrology Guru award by Indian Glory Awards and a globally celebrated Vedic astrologer with over 31 years of experience, shares this message for Navratri Day 4:
“Maa Kushmanda did not create the universe out of obligation. She created it out of joy. That one smile of hers lit up the entire cosmos. Think about what that means. A single moment of pure, genuine, unconditional joy is powerful enough to bring entire worlds into existence. On Day 4 of Navratri, I invite you to stop asking, stop seeking and stop striving for just one moment. Sit with the goddess. Smile. Let that smile come from the deepest, most honest place inside you. That, more than any ritual or offering, is what Maa Kushmanda truly wants from her devotees.”
Discover which planetary combinations in your horoscope are blocking your joy, creativity and success. As Singapore’s most famous Vedic astrologer and a PhD in Astrology, Guru Ji Dr. Raj provides personalised Navratri Kundali readings and Sun-specific remedies that can transform your life this festive season.
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Jai Maa Kushmanda!