Jagatdhatri or Jagaddhatri (transl. Bearer of the World) is an aspect of the Hindu goddess Parvati, worshipped in the Indian states of West Bengal and Odisha.[1] Her worship and rituals are derived from Tantra, where she is a symbol of Sattva beside Durga and Kali, who are respectively symbols of Rajas and Tamas. It is believed that her worship frees her devotees from ego and all other materialistic desires.
According to the Purans, Jagadhatri is the incarnation of Siddhidhatri. She is also said to be the combined form of Sri Bhuvaneshwari and Durga. In Bengal, her puja is celebrated as the comeback of Devi, specifically in Krishnanagar, Chandannagar[2] and Rishra.
Legends
The legend of the goddess is found in the Kena Upanishad and the Katyayani Tantra. After the goddess Durga killed Mahishasura, the gods of Svarga forgot about her powers. So, in order to test them and teach them a lesson, Parvati appeared before Agni, Vayu, Varuna, and Chandra, who considered themselves invincible and were engulfed by a false sense of pride in themselves, ahamkara, the infallible ego. She asked them to take out and move a tiny blade of grass. Vayu failed to pluck it, and Agni failed to burn it. One by one, every god tried but failed to do the task. In the end, they understood that Devi is the source of all forms of power in the universe, and even theirs belonged to her. The Devas realized their misgivings and the goddess appeared before them as Uma, riding on a lion. The goddess gave the ego of the Devas, the form of an elephant. That is why Goddess Jagaddhatri is depicted sitting on a lion with an elephant under her. The elephant, symbolizing ahamkara, lies under the fierce paws of here vahana, the majestic lion, who symbolises courage, valour and the strength to overcome any challenges, including one's internal struggles with the Shada Ripus (meaning the six enemies).
This is where we find mention of Devi as Jagadhatri for the first time. She is told to be the manifestation of Saguna Bramha and symbol of Sattwa Guna. Even though the world is witnessing destruction and creation every moment but it never gets destroyed totally. The reason is the Maha Shakti who protects and sustains it. She's the eternal, unaffected by the waves of time. Devi Jagadhatri is the manifestation of that Maha Shakti.
"You must believe in the Ishwara rupa. Do you know the meaning of Jagadhatri rupa? She is carrying the world. If she stops then the world will get destroyed" is said by Sri Ramakrishna.
Her dhyana mantra describes her weapons, vahana and her Iconography. She is sitting atop a lion, wearing different jewelry, in her four hands Devi holds bow, arrow, chakra & Samkha. She is reddish like the rising sun and she is wearing a snake garland. Her reddish colour and weapons are the symbols of raja guna but this is not for destruction and going to war. Rather this is to keep the world focused on Ritam & Satyam.
She sustains the universe through her Yoga shakti. Naga/Sarpa is the symbol of Yoga & Upavitam is the symbol of Bramhin. Devi is yogini. She is using the world through her maha yoga shakti. The act of rescuing the world is her Lila.
In her stotram (Jagadhatri Strotram), she has been invoked as Adhara bhutah, Dhritirupah, Dhurandharah, Dhruvapadah, Shaktistah, Shaktirupah, Shaktacharpriyah, Shaktivigrahe.