Navarathri Series : DAY 6 — MAA KATYAYANI

The Demon of Accepting Less Than You Deserve: Reclaiming Your Power

Theme: You do not have to abandon yourself to be chosen by someone else.

Maa Katyayani is a fierce form of the Divine Mother, associated with courage, righteous action and the destruction of forces that threaten dharma. Her strength reminds us that there are times when compassion must be accompanied by decisive action.

There are moments in a woman's life when she must stop asking how much more she can tolerate and start asking why she is tolerating it at all.

This is not an invitation to judge another woman's circumstances. Every woman's life is different, and decisions about relationships, families, work and independence can be complicated.

It is, however, an invitation to examine the things we have normalised at the expense of our dignity.

The disrespect we keep excusing.

The unfairness we have learned to accommodate.

The opportunities we do not pursue because someone else might feel threatened by our success.

The relationships in which we repeatedly silence our needs to avoid conflict.

The workplaces where our contributions are overlooked because we have become accustomed to asking for less.

The demon here is not simply another person's behaviour. It is the belief that we must accept less than basic respect, fairness and dignity in order to remain loved, included or secure.

Sometimes, we lower our expectations because we fear being alone. Sometimes, we stay quiet because we fear losing financial security. Sometimes, we remain in familiar circumstances because starting over feels impossibly difficult.

These fears deserve compassion, not shame.

But they also deserve to be questioned.

Maa Katyayani reminds us that strength sometimes requires action. It may mean having an honest conversation, asking for fair compensation, seeking support, establishing a boundary or making a careful plan towards greater independence.

For some women, it may mean leaving an unhealthy situation. For others, it may mean beginning to build the resources, confidence and support needed to make future choices.

There is no single timetable for reclaiming your power.

Leaving a marriage after ten years has made me reflect deeply on the difference between fighting for something and losing yourself while trying to hold on to it.

Marriage is a commitment, and I believe that the years we invest in a relationship deserve to be treated with respect. But I am also learning that commitment should not require a woman to abandon her own dignity or well-being.

Choosing to leave my marriage was not a decision I took lightly. It marked the beginning of a new chapter, one that has required me to confront uncertainty and reconsider what I want my future to look like.

I cannot rewrite the past, and I do not need to turn my story into a judgement of anyone else's.

I can simply acknowledge that choosing to leave was part of choosing a different future for myself.

I am learning that strength is not always about winning an argument, proving a point or convincing others to understand your decisions. Sometimes, it is about making a difficult choice and finding the courage to stand by it.

And sometimes, the bravest step is not an immediate departure or a dramatic declaration. It is quietly gathering the support, resources and confidence needed to make a change safely and thoughtfully.

You do not have to make dramatic decisions to prove that you are strong. Quiet, deliberate steps towards safety, dignity and independence are strength, too.

And remember this: being chosen by someone else is not the highest measure of your worth.

Your value does not decrease because a relationship ends. Your talent does not become less meaningful because someone fails to recognise it. Your dignity is not something another person grants you and can later take away.

You are worthy of respect because you are human.

This Navarathri, let us destroy the belief that we must make ourselves smaller to remain acceptable. Let us elevate self-respect, discernment, independence and the courage to act in alignment with our values.

Your Navarathri reflection: Where have you been accepting less than the respect, fairness or dignity you know you deserve?

A prayer to Maa Katyayani

Maa, grant me the courage to recognise what no longer serves my well-being. Help me act with wisdom, protect my dignity and pursue independence without shame. May I never confuse the fear of losing something with a reason to abandon myself.

Jai Maa Katyayani.

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P.S. These are my personal letters and reflections, written from my own journey and understanding. They are not intended to be deep scriptural interpretations, but rather an invitation to pause, reflect and perhaps look at life a little differently. If these words inspire you to think more deeply, question your own beliefs or see something from a new perspective, then they have served their purpose. ❤️