Dear Friends and Path to Anandam supporters
“Happy Navratri/Nav Durga”
“Mother Goddess the symbol of Pure Love, Pure Energy and Divine Light (Jyoti)”
It is the time to honor the Mother Goddess and celebrate Navratri, Nav-Durga (Nine days of Mother Goddess) (March.23.2012- March.31.2012)
The festival is celebrated for nine days all over India and many placed in the world. It is celebrated twice a year during Navratri (Nav-Durga). One is celebrated in March-April (Sri Rama Navratri/Chaitra/autumn), the other one is in September-October (Durga-Navaratri/Ashvina/spring). The dates are determined based on the lunar cycle.
Mother Goddess (Universal Mother) is embodiment of unlimited and vibrant love, compassion, mercy, righteousness, prosperity and knowledge. She is also called Shakti, the Divine Energy. She protects mankind from evil and misery by destroying evil forces (negative energy and vices – Arrogance, jealousy, prejudice, hatred, anger, greed and selfishness).
She is known as Mother Durga and worshipped in different forms. She is the Trinity form of Divine Energy: Shri Maha Saraswati (Goddess of knowledge), Shri Maha Lakshmi (Goddess of prosperity) and Shri Mahakali (Goddess of protection) that provides protection, love, prosperity and knowledge, light within.
Each of these three deities gave rise to three more forms and hence in all, these nine forms together are known as Nav-Durga.
“Nine forms of Goddess”
- Mother Shailputri: The daughter of the King of Mountain Himalaya – Symbol of firmness and strength.
- Mother Brahmacharini: Symbol of love, loyalty, and wisdom.
- Mother Chandraghanta: Provider of Supreme bliss, Self-Knowledge, peace and serenity.
- Mother Kushmanda: Represents the knowledge of cosmic intricacies.
- Mother Skanda: Symbol of forgiveness and light within.
- Mother Katyayani: Symbol of strength, blessings and protection.
- Mother Kalratri: Symbolizes the destruction of darkness and ignorance.
- Mother Gauri: Radiates peace and compassion.
- Mother Siddhidatri: Gives courage to face the world and fulfillsall wishes of her devotees
(both material and spiritual needs).
These popular nine forms of Durga are worshiped over the nine days respectively thoughself-discipline, performing yajna/havan, puja, meditation, donation, fasting etc. On the final day, young girls up to age nine are worshipped as goddesses and given gifts as an offering of gratitude to mother goddess for her blessings. It is believed that at that age the girls have pure energy like mother goddess.
Nav Durga (Navratri) has great spiritual significance. It represents the three stages of an individual’s spiritual journey to reach the highest consciousness: Self-Purification (eradication of the negative tendencies of our minds), Self-Transformation and Self-Realization (everlasting love, peace, happiness) .
Nav-Durga is the special time to worship, sing her glories and pray to her for good health, prosperity, purity of mind (remove our negative behavior, vices), love, peace and bliss, “Sat Chit Ananda.” It is said that since lot of people pray during that time, the collective energy becomes very powerful and prayers are often heard.
Meditation and prayers :–
When we meditate and pray to Universal Mother, we must ask Her to use Her destructive power to destroy all imperfections and faults, and purify us to become a receptacle of her Divine Shakti and Blessings.
“May Mother Goddess shower Her blessings of health, happiness, peace and prosperity upon you and everyone in the universe.”
From,
The Path to Anandam Team