NAVRATRI
Navaratri (“nine nights”), Nava
means “nine” and Ratri means “night”.
The Lord in the form of the Mother Goddess is worshipped in her various
forms as Durga, Lakshmi- and Saraswati. Hinduism is the only
religion in the world, which gives so much importance to the mother aspect of
God because we believe that the mother is the creative aspect of the absolute.
Durga
is worshipped FIRST THREE DAYS (KRIYA –WORKING, SHAKTI).
On the following three,
Lakshmi, Maha Laxmi is the Goddess
of prosperity. CHIT (THOUGHT) SHAKTI. Then
Saraswati Devi, GYAN (KNOWLEDGE) SHAKTI on the last three nights. Goddess Saraswati is the
Goddess of knowledge. The following tenth day is called Vijayadasami. Vijaya means
“victory”, the victory over our own minds that can come only when we have
worshipped these three: Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.
Durga Devi Havana (sacrifice),
KRIYS MEAN ACTION e.g. growing flowers and trees, rivers flowing, we are
working, doing action. WHEN WE DO SADHANA,
mean concentrate on the ACTION, keep doing the practice, we get
improvement in our own action. E.g. Foot ball game, to play the best game need
lots of practice and we do play against different team to improve our bed
action NEED THE PRACTICE MEAN SADHANA TO PLAY BETTER EACH TIME. Same thing to
appear in GEETA COMPETITION, we do
practice each Sunday, do action and we
also said, PRACTICE MAKES YOU PERFECT.
WE ARE EATING FOOD AND IT DIGEST AND MAKE BLOOD, PLASMA, BONE, AND ENERGY. DO
WE HAVE ANY FACTORY IN WORLD WHO MAKES BLOOD -BONE FROM FOOD? Our worship of Shakti
reconfirms the scientific theory that energy is constant and imperishable. It
is always in one form and it cannot
be created or destroyed.
Goddess
Durga (Shakti) conquered the evil demon, Mahishasura. & Who is MHISASUR?
The buffalo stands for tamoguna, the quality
of laziness, darkness, ignorance, and inertia. We have these qualities too. We
love to sleep. Although we may have a lot of energy and potential inside us, we
prefer to do nothing - just like the buffalo that likes to lie water. IT IS OUR OWN EGO. IT IS WITH IN US. EGO IS BRINGING
(Chand Rakshasas.) ANGER, GREEDINESS, CHEATING, LAYING AND JEALOUSY ETC. We
have to convert our bed qualities with
sadhana. Make us pure enough to receive the divine energy. Thus, the first three days of Navratri are
devoted to destroy the negative tendencies of our minds and hearts.
We
invoke that Divine Power within us to destroy our unlawful or wrong tendencies
Once the negative tendencies have
been destroy, one is ready to begin developing a positive, spiritual
personality. So 4th, 5th, and 6th days are the worship of Maha
Lakshmi, (CHIT –THOUGHT- SANSKARA-SHAKTI)
Lakshmi, For knowledge to dawn within us, we
have to prepare our minds. The mind must be pure, concentrated, and
single-pointed; this purification of the mind is obtained through the worship
of Lakshmi Devi. We frequently pray for material
wealth, SUCCESS, or prosperity in their life. The prosperity Maha Laxmi bestows
is not only for the material prosperity, but it is also for the– calmness,
peace, generosity, compassion, and love. When we think of “Lakshmi”, we think only
counting dollar bills..and gold! Everybody likes Lakshmi Puja (Lakshmi worship)
because they think she represents material wealth.
But what is real wealth? Even if we have
material wealth but no self-discipline or self-control, nor the values of love,
kindness, respect and sincerity, all our material wealth will be lost or
destroyed. The real wealth is the inner wealth of spiritual values that we
practice in our lives, by which our minds become purified. Taittriya Upanishad, They first asked to
have all the noble virtues fully developed in them because in the absence of
right values and good qualities, all our money will be wasted, and there
are countless examples of this in the world around us.
Adi
Shankaracharya himself, in Vivekachudamani, describes that sat sampati, or six forms of
wealth (calmness of mind, self-control, self-withdrawal, forbearance, faith,
and single-pointedness) that are to be cultivated to attain wisdom.
These virtues are important because our goal is victory over the mind. The
victory such that we do not get disturbed by every change that takes place in
our lives. This victory comes only when the mind is prepared, and this mental
preparation is the symbolism of the Lakshmi Puja.
During the last three days, “GYAN SHAKTI” Goddess Saraswati is worshipped
as of true wisdom and understanding.
Once the devotee has been purified by
Ma Durga and once he has had the
spiritual wealth of inner peace, calmness, compassion, and love bestowed upon
him by Maha Laxmi, then he is ready to receive the true light of understanding.
This wisdom cannot come unless the devotee has passed through the first two
stages.
Just as one would not pour divine nectar into an unclean, broken, and
impure cup, one can similarly not expect to have divine wisdom granted unless
the vessel has been purified and made divine.
Frequently on the spiritual path, seekers wish to attain divine
knowledge without first purifying themselves and attaining positive qualities. Victory over the mind can be gained only
through knowledge, through understanding; and it is Goddess Saraswati who
represents this highest knowledge of the Self. Although there are many kinds of
knowledge of Science, Engineering.. etc.. but the real, knowledge is in
the spiritual knowledge. Lord Krishna himself says in the Bhagavad Gita: “The
knowledge of the Self is the knowledge”; and He adds, “It is my vibhuti, my
glory.” In other words, we may have knowledge of many other subjects and
sciences but if we do not know OUR OWN SELF, then that is the greatest loss. Therefore, the supreme knowledge is
the knowledge of the Self that is represented by Goddess Saraswati.
Ayudha Puja, the ninth day of Dasara, is celebrated with the
worship of implements used in daily life such as computers, books, vehicles, or
kitchen tools. The effort to see the divine in the tools and objects one uses
in daily life is central to this celebration, so it includes all tools that
help one earn one's livelihood. Knowledge workers go for books, pen, or
computers, farmers go for the plough and other agricultural tools, machinery
for industrialists, and cars/buses/trucks for the transportation workers all are decorated with flowers and worshipped
on this day invoking God's blessing for success in coming years. It is believed
that any new venture such as starting of business or purchasing of new
household items on this day is bound to bring success and prosperity.
Thus, at Navaratri, Goddess Durga is invoked first to remove impurities from the mind. The Goddess Lakshmi is invoked to cultivate the noble values and qualities. Finally, Saraswati is invoked for gaining the highest knowledge of the Self. This is the significance of the three sets of three nights when all these three are gained subjectively, and then there will be Vijayadasami, the day of true victory!
At Navaratri time, the Rasa dance of Sri Krishna and the Gopis is also performed. As the mind becomes purer, calmer quieter, and more cheerful and greater understanding is gained, do we not feel happier? Similarly, the Rasa dance is the dance of joy and realization. However, now a day, the theme of the Rasa seems to have been lost in our society. The true meaning and purpose of the ritual is often forgotten, as more importance is given to other types of dancing.
Navaratri festival celebrated at Nighttime generally, the time when we go to sleep, so the spiritual message is, “You have lived long enough in the sleepy ignorance of Tamo-guna. It is time to wake up now. Please wake up!” For a puja, unfortunately, we are never willing to stay up late and so we ask, “What time will it end?” For a party, we never ask this question. If the party ends at 1.00 A.M., we say “What! The party is finished?! What kind of a party is that?!” Yet we find it difficult to stay awake for a puja!
The Importance of NAVRATRI Ritual :
It is true, philosophy or spiritual truth must be demonstrated visually in some ritualistic form. In this way, when children are first introduced to it, they enjoy a dance or a festival, and then later begin to question, “What is this dance? Why are we doing this Puja? What is the meaning of Navaratri?” So the purpose of the concretized ritual is fulfilled when these questions begin to arise in the children’s minds. We did not ask any question because of intellectual inertia or inaction. Inertia is of different kinds. Physical inertia, which is temporary. There are also emotional, physical, or mental inertness that some people remain in, but the intellectual inertia is the worst kind because under its influence, we do not want to think at all. It is said that people can live without air for two minutes, without water for a few days, without food for a month or so, and without thinking for generations! Some people just do not want to think. This is our inner Mahisha (the lazy buffalo), and our spiritual Mahisha is that we do not want to wake up from this sleep of ignorance.
As we can see, the theme of the entire Vedas is reflected in the Navaratri festival: Purify the mind and remove all negativities; cultivate positive virtues; gain spiritual knowledge and transcend limitations. This is the real victory - the dance of joy to signify our spiritual awakening. The true light of Divine Wisdom can only be bestowed once the seeker has annihilated his negative tendencies and begun to develop a positive, spiritual attitude. Therefore, Navaratri should be a time of not only celebrating Goddess Durga’s triumph over the evil demon, but rather it should also be a time of praying to Goddess Durga to remove the evil from within us. We must pray to her to annihilate our inner enemies – our ego, our greed, our anger – just as she vanquished the evil demon. These traits inside us are just as powerful, just as dangerous, and just as deadly as any of the Rakshasas.
Thus, at Navaratri, Goddess Durga is invoked first to remove impurities from the mind. The Goddess Lakshmi is invoked to cultivate the noble values and qualities. Finally, Saraswati is invoked for gaining the highest knowledge of the Self. This is the significance of the three sets of three nights when all these three are gained subjectively, and then there will be Vijayadasami, the day of true victory!
At Navaratri time, the Rasa dance of Sri Krishna and the Gopis is also performed. As the mind becomes purer, calmer quieter, and more cheerful and greater understanding is gained, do we not feel happier? Similarly, the Rasa dance is the dance of joy and realization. However, now a day, the theme of the Rasa seems to have been lost in our society. The true meaning and purpose of the ritual is often forgotten, as more importance is given to other types of dancing.
Navaratri festival celebrated at Nighttime generally, the time when we go to sleep, so the spiritual message is, “You have lived long enough in the sleepy ignorance of Tamo-guna. It is time to wake up now. Please wake up!” For a puja, unfortunately, we are never willing to stay up late and so we ask, “What time will it end?” For a party, we never ask this question. If the party ends at 1.00 A.M., we say “What! The party is finished?! What kind of a party is that?!” Yet we find it difficult to stay awake for a puja!
The Importance of NAVRATRI Ritual :
It is true, philosophy or spiritual truth must be demonstrated visually in some ritualistic form. In this way, when children are first introduced to it, they enjoy a dance or a festival, and then later begin to question, “What is this dance? Why are we doing this Puja? What is the meaning of Navaratri?” So the purpose of the concretized ritual is fulfilled when these questions begin to arise in the children’s minds. We did not ask any question because of intellectual inertia or inaction. Inertia is of different kinds. Physical inertia, which is temporary. There are also emotional, physical, or mental inertness that some people remain in, but the intellectual inertia is the worst kind because under its influence, we do not want to think at all. It is said that people can live without air for two minutes, without water for a few days, without food for a month or so, and without thinking for generations! Some people just do not want to think. This is our inner Mahisha (the lazy buffalo), and our spiritual Mahisha is that we do not want to wake up from this sleep of ignorance.
As we can see, the theme of the entire Vedas is reflected in the Navaratri festival: Purify the mind and remove all negativities; cultivate positive virtues; gain spiritual knowledge and transcend limitations. This is the real victory - the dance of joy to signify our spiritual awakening. The true light of Divine Wisdom can only be bestowed once the seeker has annihilated his negative tendencies and begun to develop a positive, spiritual attitude. Therefore, Navaratri should be a time of not only celebrating Goddess Durga’s triumph over the evil demon, but rather it should also be a time of praying to Goddess Durga to remove the evil from within us. We must pray to her to annihilate our inner enemies – our ego, our greed, our anger – just as she vanquished the evil demon. These traits inside us are just as powerful, just as dangerous, and just as deadly as any of the Rakshasas.
In Kerala, three days: Ashtami, Navami, and
Vijaya Dashami of Sharada Navaratri are celebrated as Sarasvati Puja in which
books are worshipped. The books are placed for Puja on the Ashtami day in their
own houses, traditional nursery schools, or in temples. On Vijaya Dashami day,
the books are ceremoniously taken out for reading and writing after worshipping
Sarasvati. Vijaya Dashami day is considered auspicious for initiating the
children into writing and reading, which is called Vidyarambham. Tens of
thousands of children are initiated into the world of letters on this day in
Kerala.
In Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh, people celebrate Bathukamma festival over a period of nine days. It is a kind of Navratri celebration. In North India, as the culmination of the Ramlila which is enacted ceremoniously during Dussehra, the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna, and Meghanada are burnt to celebrate the victory of good (Rama) over evil forces on the 'Vijaya Dashami' day.
In Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh, people celebrate Bathukamma festival over a period of nine days. It is a kind of Navratri celebration. In North India, as the culmination of the Ramlila which is enacted ceremoniously during Dussehra, the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna, and Meghanada are burnt to celebrate the victory of good (Rama) over evil forces on the 'Vijaya Dashami' day.
Devi bhagavatam notes that
Rama meditated and fasted for nine days
after Sita was kidnapped by Ravana. There are numerous such incidents on
how people's wishes were granted.
The Bhagavata Purana mentions 25. However, the ten most prominent incarnations of Lord Vishnu are referred to as `Dashavatara'. `Dasha' refers to the number `ten' and `Avataras' implies the `descent ‘the Lord who is in the Vaikunta Paramapadam chooses to come down to the Earth. The ten avataras are: Matsya, Kurma, Varaaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, Krishna, Balarama (an alternative list includes Buddha in place of Balarama) and Kalki. The first four of the ten avataras appeared in the Satya Yuga (the first of the four Yugas or ages that comprise one Mahayuga). The next three avataras appeared in the Treta Yuga, the eighth incarnation and ninth (Balarama) in the Dwapara Yuga (Buddha, considered the ninth avatara, appeared in the Kali Yuga). The tenth is expected to appear at the end of the Kali Yuga. Usually in the Kolupadi in almost all housed Dolls, symbolizing the Dasavatharam will be placed. For creativity, Decoration aspects and tradional background will be depicted in the Dolls arranged in order on the planks induces one to look with admiration. Kaleidoscopic Dolls set in order depicting the Puranic stories and modern life
The Bhagavata Purana mentions 25. However, the ten most prominent incarnations of Lord Vishnu are referred to as `Dashavatara'. `Dasha' refers to the number `ten' and `Avataras' implies the `descent ‘the Lord who is in the Vaikunta Paramapadam chooses to come down to the Earth. The ten avataras are: Matsya, Kurma, Varaaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, Krishna, Balarama (an alternative list includes Buddha in place of Balarama) and Kalki. The first four of the ten avataras appeared in the Satya Yuga (the first of the four Yugas or ages that comprise one Mahayuga). The next three avataras appeared in the Treta Yuga, the eighth incarnation and ninth (Balarama) in the Dwapara Yuga (Buddha, considered the ninth avatara, appeared in the Kali Yuga). The tenth is expected to appear at the end of the Kali Yuga. Usually in the Kolupadi in almost all housed Dolls, symbolizing the Dasavatharam will be placed. For creativity, Decoration aspects and tradional background will be depicted in the Dolls arranged in order on the planks induces one to look with admiration. Kaleidoscopic Dolls set in order depicting the Puranic stories and modern life
- Festivals help exercise self
control!
- Festivals not only help to
increase devotion, but also bond the society!
- Shrīrām and Goddess Sree
Durgā fought evil during Navarātri
- Dassera: A triumph of good over
evil
- Worshipping the three forms of
Goddess for spiritual benefits!
- Durgā - the Nations
strength and wealth!
- Nature of celebrating Navarātri today
only spreads Demoniac traits!
- Malpractices which have killed
the devotional elements of Navarātri
- Garbi and Garbā - to appease the
Goddess!
- Women in Gujarat were taught the
Divine 'Lasya' !
- Dandiya symbolizes the war
against our own defects!
- The Piety of Navarātri has
been replaced by obscenity
- Today's Garbā -
a story of lust, unwed mothers and abortions!
- It is criminal to celebrate
ostentatiously when the Nation is in a crisis!
- Step forward to stop
malpractices!
