Second Day of Bada Dashain Today

Today is the second day of Navaratri or the nine nights of the Dashain festival. On this day, Hindus in Nepal worship Brahmacharini Devi.

There is a religious belief that invoking Brahmacharini Devi through proper worship can grant one the knowledge of Brahmanhood—understanding the ultimate reality and attaining spiritual enlightenment.

Brahmacharini is the second form of Goddess Navadurga and she is constantly striving to make living beings in the world attain liberation.

Religious texts such as Markandeya Purana mention: "Brahma Charayitun Seelam Yasya: Sa Brahmacharini" i.e., Brahmacharini is the nature of attaining Satchidananda Brahmaswarup – the ultimate reality. Therefore, those who want to know the Brahman or the Supreme God must especially worship Brahmacharini Devi.    

During Navratri, devotees worship and gather at Shaktipeeth (sacred shrine or temple dedicated to Shakti, the divine feminine power), all over the country.  

There is a religious belief that if one properly worships the goddess during Navratri, they will be blessed with power, wealth, and knowledge.

Devotees perform special worship of Goddess Navadurga every year from Ashwin Shukla Pratipada to Navami -- the first to the ninth day of the bright half of the lunar phase in the month of Ashwin  (mid-September to mid-October).

The prasad  (a sacred offering) worshipped during these nine days and nights is distributed from Vijayadashami, the main day of the Dashain festival, until Kojagrat Purnima (the full moon night). -- (With inputs from RSS)