Navratri Day 5: Skandamata, the Only Goddess Who Is Shown Holding a Child

By Richa Pathak, Astrologer & Vastu Expert, Jyotish Dham, Chandivali, Powai, Mumbai

Thursday, 15 October 2026 · Shukla Panchami, Ashwin

Among the nine forms of Durga, only one is painted with a baby on her lap. The fifth day of Navratri is, quietly, a festival of parenthood.

Look at the picture again

Across the nine forms of the Goddess, we meet a mountain’s daughter, an ascetic, a warrior with a bell, a creator of the universe, a slayer of demons and a dark-skinned protector. Almost all of them are shown alone, serene, powerful and self-contained. There is one exception. On the fifth day we worship Skandamata, the Goddess shown seated on a lotus with a small child on her lap.

The child is Skanda, also known as Kartikeya, Murugan, Subrahmanya or Kumara. Skandamata means the mother of Skanda. She has four arms: two hold lotuses, one holds the child, and one is raised in blessing. She rides a lion, but unlike the other forms she sits on a lotus, which is why she is also called Padmasana Devi. The lion is present, but he is calm. In this image, the fiercest being in the room is there only to protect the child.

There is a profound message in this image. The Goddess, who can destroy armies, spends one full day of Navratri simply as a mother. Motherhood is not shown as a lesser role that she has to leave behind in order to be divine. It is shown as divine.

The story of Skanda

The story of Skanda’s birth is dramatic. A demon named Tarakasura had received a boon that he could be killed only by a son of Shiva. At that moment Shiva was lost in deep meditation after the death of Sati, and he had no desire to marry again. The gods were helpless. Their hope rested on Parvati, who undertook the penance we spoke about on Day 2, until Shiva finally agreed to marry her.

When their son was born, the tradition says his birth was extraordinary. He was nurtured by the six Krittikas (the six stars of the Pleiades), which is why he is called Kartikeya, and in some accounts he developed six faces to be fed by all six of them at once, which gave him the name Shanmukha. Eventually he became the commander of the gods’ army (Devasenapati) and defeated Tarakasura.

Skandamata, therefore, is not just the mother of a child. She is the mother of the one who saved the world. The tradition points out that the child on her lap grew into a warrior precisely because he was raised in a mother’s lap first.

What the panchang says today

• Weekday. Thursday belongs to Jupiter (Guru), the planet of wisdom, teaching and, importantly, children.
• Tithi. Panchami, the fifth tithi, is presided over by the Nagas (serpent deities) and belongs to the Purna group (5th, 10th and 15th), which traditionally signals completeness and fullness.
• Planet. In Jyotish tradition Skandamata is linked with Mercury.

This is the second time in this Navratri that Jupiter’s day has met a theme of children. On Vasu Baras (earlier this season) it was the prayer for children’s welfare. Today it is the Goddess herself as a mother. Jupiter is the putra karaka, the natural significator of children, so the day is naturally suited to prayers about parenting and the next generation.

The Mars connection most people miss

In South Indian astrological tradition, Kartikeya (Murugan) is the deity worshipped for the planet Mars. This makes today very interesting. On Day 2 we saw Brahmacharini, the disciplined side of Mars. Today we meet the mother of the deity of Mars.

I find this a useful way of thinking about the energy of Mars in a child. Every parent knows a child who is full of restless energy, who argues, runs, climbs and tests every limit. In astrological language, this is often a strong Mars. The traditional wisdom of Skandamata is that such energy is not to be crushed but held and guided, as a mother holds Skanda, until it finds its purpose.

The 5th house and children in a Kundli

When families come to me with questions about children, I examine the following:

• The 5th house, which is the primary house of children, creativity and education.
• The 5th lord and where it is placed.
• Jupiter, the natural significator, by sign and house. In a woman’s chart it also has importance for the husband, and in both charts for children.
• The 9th house, since the 9th is the 5th from the 5th and indicates the next generation.
• The Moon, because the Moon shows the mother and nurturing instinct.
• The running dasha. Timing matters enormously.
• The Navamsa chart (D9) and the Saptamsa chart (D7), which are the divisional charts relating to marriage and children.

A very important caution. Fertility is a medical, emotional and personal matter, and no astrologer should ever make confident predictions or frighten a couple. I offer astrology as a form of reflection and support, not as a substitute for medical advice. If a couple is struggling to conceive, the first step is a conversation with a doctor. Astrology can walk alongside that, with remedies that bring peace of mind, but it should never replace it.

A note on Naga Panchami

Panchami is the tithi of the Nagas, which is why the same tithi each fortnight carries a tradition of serpent worship, with the major festival Naga Panchami in the month of Shravan. In Jyotish, serpents are associated with Rahu and Ketu, the shadow planets. Some families whose charts show strong Rahu-Ketu influences on the 5th house offer milk at a Naga shrine on Panchami days.

I make this point with care. Not every Rahu-Ketu influence is a problem, and I do not want anyone to leave this article convinced that they have a “serpent curse.” What tradition says is that Panchami is a day to honour the quiet, natural forces we do not fully control, and to approach them with respect rather than fear.

The throat chakra and the voice of a parent

Skandamata is traditionally linked with the Vishuddha chakra, the throat centre, associated with speech and truthful expression. This is a beautiful pairing for a Goddess who is a mother. A parent’s most powerful tool is not money or rules but their voice: what they say to a child, how they say it and what they leave unsaid. A parent’s casual remark, “you never listen” or “you are just like your father,” can echo for decades.

Today is a good day to consider the sentences we repeat to the young people in our lives, and to replace one discouraging sentence with an encouraging one.

Vastu for children’s rooms and study spaces

Vastu Shastra has clear, practical guidance for children.

• Bedroom. The West or North-West is generally suited for children’s rooms. The child’s head should rest toward the South or East while sleeping.
• Study desk. Place it so that the child faces East or North while studying. The North-East is a very favourable zone for learning.
• Avoid a desk under a heavy beam or with the back to the door.
• Keep electronics out of the sleeping area as far as possible, particularly televisions facing the bed.
• Keep the room tidy and well lit. A tidy room is a tidy mind.
• Hang an image of a mother and child, or a lotus, in the North-East or East of the home, as a gentle symbol of nurturing.
• Create a small reading corner with good light, a mat and a few books, even in a shared room.

Vastu Tip: In many Mumbai flats, children share rooms or study at the dining table. Do not worry about perfection. Set aside one fixed spot where the child always studies, facing East or North, and keep that spot clear and well lit. Consistency matters more than size.

How to worship Skandamata today

Skandamata is traditionally offered bananas. She is worshipped for the welfare of children, for motherly love and for wisdom.

1. Bathe, sit facing East or North and light a lamp.
2. Offer flowers, preferably white or yellow.
3. Chant Om Devi Skandamatayai Namah 108 times.
4. The traditional meditation verse is Simhasanagata nityam padmashritakara dvaya, shubhadastu sada devi skandamata yashasvini.
5. Offer bananas and share them with the children in your life, whether your own, a nephew, a student or a neighbour’s child.
6. Pray by name for every child you are responsible for.

If you are not a parent, the same day works beautifully for your own mother, for your teachers or for the younger person you mentor. Skandamata honours every act of nurturing.

Questions I am asked on Day 5

We are trying for a child. Will this worship help? It can give peace of mind and a sense of support. Please combine it with proper medical guidance. I never promise outcomes, and no astrologer should.

My teenager is angry and rebellious. What does astrology say? Often a strong Mars or a restless Moon is involved. Patience, structure and genuine listening make the biggest difference. A chart reading can help parents understand the child’s temperament.

I am a single parent. Is this day for me? Absolutely. The Goddess is a mother, and her role is not defined by anyone’s family structure.

What if I have no children and never will? Then honour the children and young people around you. Nurturing takes many forms, and the Goddess accepts all of them.

A closing thought

The fifth day of Navratri is a reminder that the greatest power in the universe is shown, in this tradition, not as a warrior but as a mother holding a child. If you take one thing from today, let it be an act of patient nurturing: a long listening, a kind word, an hour of undivided attention. Skandamata would count that as worship.

If you would like help understanding the 5th house, Jupiter and children in your Kundli, or want to choose a better Vastu arrangement for your child’s room, you are welcome to consult me at Jyotish Dham.

Richa Pathak is a Mumbai-based astrologer and Vastu expert, founder of Jyotish Dham, Chandivali, Powai, with 25+ years of experience and 1,00,000+ clients worldwide. Consultations are available online and in person at https://www.jyotishdham.com/