HINDU FESTIVALS >> NAVRATRI-NINE NIGHTS

"Worship of the Divine Mother" by Shri Prakash Gossai

Durga Gayatri Mantra
Om Girijaye Vidmahe, Shiva Priyaye Dhimahe
Tanno Durga Prachodayat
We pray to the Divine Mother for victory over obstacles, pains and enemies

A lot of emphasis is placed on Navratri-a nine-night celebration of the worship of the Universal Mother. Navratri is observed twice a year, first in spring in the month of Chaitra (March/April) and fall, in the month of Ashwin (September/October). In the first period (Chaitra), Shri Rama is worshipped at the conclusion of the nine days of worship of the Divine Mother with the celebration of Ramnavmi. On the tenth day of the second period (Ashwin), Mother Durga is worshipped with the celebration of Dusshera or Vijaya Dashmi. Shri Rama worshipped Durga Maa prior to the war with the evil King Ravava. He fought and won through her grace. These nine nights of worship also commemorates victory of knowledge over ignorance and goodness over evil.

Nav means nine and Ratri means night. These nine nights are dedicated to worship of the Divine Mother who is also known as Shakti or Devi, the feminine aspect of God. And not only that but, what is very significant during these nine nights is that the nine nights are further divided into three groups and different forms of the Universal Mother is worshipped. The first three nights are dedicated to the worship of Durga Maa, the Goddess of power and energy, the second three nights to Lakshmi Maa, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity and the last three nights to Saraswati Maa, the Goddess of Wisdom and Knowledge. This arrangement has a special significance in the devotee’s spiritual evolution. It marks the indispensable stages of evolution through which everyone has to pass. One stage naturally leads to the other, and to change this would inevitably result in failure. Divine wisdom cannot be acquired until the impurities have been destroyed and purity is developed.

The worship of the Divine Mother, leads to the attainment of knowledge of the Self. Durga Puja-worship is the greatest Hindu celebration in which God is adored as Mother. Durga represents the Divine Mother. She is also known as the energy aspect of the Lord. The Mother’s Grace is boundless. Her mercy is unlimited, Her knowledge infinite, Her power immeasurable, Her glory ineffable and Her splendor indescribable. Sing Her praise, chant Her name, worship Her with faith and devotion and She will give you material prosperity as well as spiritual freedom. Navratri is the most suitable occasion for doing intense Sadhana-spiritual practices. Durga Maa preserves moral order and righteousness in her devotees and protects mankind from evil forces. These nine days are very sacred to the Divine Mother. Let us, therefore examine in detail the spiritual significance of Navratri.

Om Aim Hreem Kleem Chaamundaayai Vichche
We pray to Durga Maa for protection from all evil forces and grant us our wishes

As mentioned earlier, the significance of this order in which the mother is worshipped is very important. We pay attention to Durga Maa first because the word Durg means a fort and Durga is the force that protects this fort. In high philosophy, the fort that is enveloped in that word Durg is this body, the mind, the thought process and everything that makes up this body is the fort and Durga Maa is the force that is protecting the fort and when a fort is well protected, enemies cannot easily approach. Hence we pray to Durga Maa to protect this body from all enemies. In other words, if we regard this body as that fort and we are conscious of protective nature of Durga Maa, then I’m sure you will agree with me that enemies cannot approach this body. And the enemies we refer to here, is not human enemies, but man becomes victim of the attacks of the Shad-Vikaras, six enemies, which can be more dangerous than any single human being. And these are Kama-lust, Krodha-anger, Lobha-greed, Moha-infatuation, Madha-envy and Matsarya-jealousy. Emphasis is placed on these enemies during Navratri because during these nine nights we must be conscious of these enemies, we must surface our faults and limitations and beg the Divine Mother to provide us with all that is necessary to destroy these enemies.

The first enemy Kama means lust or desire and those of us who have lust must surface this negative quality and beg Durga Maa to destroy it. The second is Krodha, which means anger, some of us may not show our anger but we have anger in our thoughts. Then the third is Lobha-greed, another dangerous enemy. We must pray and pray to Durga Maa for satisfaction and contentment. Moha means ignorance, we must replace this with wisdom and knowledge. The fifth enemy is Madh-infatuation, which is our ego or false pride-abhiman and finally there is Matsarya-jealousy, which is the greatest of all enemies, the most notorious. All of us are victims of these enemies and a person who is able to rise above these enemies is called a gnaani, a saint or a rishi. Let us now consider how, on the first three nights, the Mother is adored as supreme power and force. We meditate and pray to Durga Maa to destroy all our impurities, vices and defects and we make a determined effort to remove the Shad Vikaras-these six enemies from our lives. We pray for the power and control to eliminate these enemies and to remove the evil tendencies from our mind, so that we can enjoy purity of thought, word and deed. Once we succeed in wiping out the evil propensities and develop pure, divine qualities, we are no longer angry, we are not jealous, we are not passionate, our actions become pure, and that is called Kalyaan-prosperity, happiness and love. And in order to maintain and sustain these divine qualities in our lives, we pray to Lakshmi Maa.

LAKSHMI KARO TOO KALYAANAM,
AAROGYAM SUKH SAMPRADA
MAM SHATROO VINAASHAAYA,
DEEP JYOTIR NAMO-ASTUTE

O Lakshmi Maa, You are the source of true happiness,
please help me to maintain and sustain this prosperity that I am enjoying in life and remove all forms of negativities. How compassionate you are O Maa,
I bow to this light, which represents You.

Om Maha Lakshmiye Vidmahe, Vishnupriyaye Dhimahe
Tanno Lakshmi Prachodayat
We pray to Lakshmi Maa for health, happiness and prosperity

A light is very significant, where there is light, darkness disappears and where there is wisdom, negative thoughts and behavior disappear. Mother Lakshmi bestows on her devotees divine wealth or Devi Sampath. She is purity itself. Goddess Lakshmi governs all forms of wealth and success and the paths and means of all forms of prosperity. She embodies infinite wealth, symbolizing that good and noble qualities are the only wealth we can keep. Thus the worship of Goddess Lakshmi is performed during the second set of three days.

Om Saraswatiye Vidmahe, Brahmaputiye Dhimahe
Tanno Saraswati Prachodayat
We pray to Saraswati Maa for memory, wisdom, Knowledge and creativity

Now that all enemies are destroyed and we are enjoying true Kalyaan-divine qualities, we are ready to receive the light of supreme wisdom and divine knowledge. In the final three days we pray to the lotus feet of Saraswati Maa, the source of all knowledge and the fountain of wisdom because we are ready to receive true knowledge. She is the embodiment of knowledge of the Absolute. She is referred to as Sharda Maa, the fountainhead of knowledge who leads her devotees from darkness to light and from ignorance to spiritual upliftment. That is why the order of the worship during Navratri is so significant.

Although, the Divine Mother is worshipped in various forms, she is One. However, she assumes many forms according to the task to be performed. Together the three Goddesses are worshipped as the feminine aspect of God.

These nine days dedicated to the worship of the Divine Mother are for the successful destruction of passion, anger, pride, greed, infatuation, lust, hatred, jealousy and selfishness. The purpose of religious observances and traditional worship has much significance. Apart from being the adoration of the Divine, they are revealing guides to the individual on his or her path to God realization.

MAA KE CHARNO ME JO SAR JHUKAA JAAYENGE
SAARE JAG KEE MAA KHUSHEEYAA WO PAA JAAAYENGE

Whoever with reverence bow to the Lotus Feet of the Universal Mother receives everlasting happiness.

Om Namo Bhagwatee Namaha