Forwarding from Sri Bhattathiry.

[Guest guest]

Forwarding from Sri

Bhattathiry.

-------

 

hi

 

Fri, 03 Oct 2003 20:47:19 +0530

 

M P Bhattathiry <mpmahesh (AT) asianetindia (DOT) com>

 

harsha (AT) cox (DOT) net

Navaratri

Festival

Navaratri or the nine sacred nights dedicated to the Mother

Goddess are celebrated in the month of October-November.

Navaratri includes the Sarasvati Puja and the Durga Puja

festivals. "Nava" means nine and "ratri" means night. So

Navaratri literally means nine nights. It is during these

nine nights of festivities that the goddess is worshiped in

Her different forms of Durga, Lakshmi and then Sarasvati.

Durga is worshiped during the first three nights of the

festival because of her destructive aspect. She destroys

the anarthas or unwanted barriers that hold us back from

our true spiritual potential. She reduces the evil

tendencies in the mind, which is the meaning of durgati

harini. Thus, she is worshiped to relieve us of our

destructive desires of desire, lust, passion, greed, anger,

etc. Without removing these obstacles, the spiritual

unfoldment cannot take place.

The next step is to apply the positive process of adding

the qualities we need. So Lakshmi is worshiped over the

next three nights. She gives one, the wealth of good

qualities, such as love, goodness, compassion, forgiveness,

cooperation, nonviolence, devotion, purity, and the like.

Virtue is the true wealth, which is given by Lakshmi. This

is not merely the wealth of riches and possessions, but the

real wealth that can propel us toward the spiritual goal.

These positive uplifting qualities replace the bad ones

that were removed by Durga.

At this point the seeker can become fit for the

philosophical study and contemplation that is required.

Then Sarasvati, the goddess of knowledge, is worshiped the

remaining three nights. Sarasvati gives one the

intelligence, knowledge and wisdom by which spiritual

realization is possible. She represents the highest

knowledge of the Self. By invoking her blessings, she plays

her well-tuned veena of knowledge and insight, which can

then tune our mind and intellect for working in harmony

with the world and the purpose of our existence. Then our

spiritual practice, study, and meditation become effective

for producing the victory of rising above the influence of

our mind and senses. Then we can perceive our real identity

of being spiritual entities and parts of the spiritual

dimension, free from illusion.

After having removed our impurities, gained the proper

virtues, and then acquired the knowledge of the Self, then

the last day is called Vijayadasami, or the day of victory

over our minds and the lower dimension after having

worshiped the goddess in her three forms. The celebrations

of Navaratri are held at night because it represents our

overcoming the ignorance of the mode of darkness, the night

of tamoguna.

The ninth day is also the day of Ayudha Puja. The Ayudha

Puja is worship of whatever instruments one may use in

one's livelihood. On the proceeding evening, it is

traditional to place these instruments on an altar to the

Divine. If one can make a conscious effort to see the

Divine in the tools and objects one uses each day, it will

help one to see one's work as an offering to God. It will

also help one to maintain constant remembrance of the

Divine. Children traditionally place their study books and

writing implements on the altar. Throughout the ninth day,

an effort is made to see one's work or studies as imbued

with the Divine presence. According to legend, Pandav went

to dwell in the forest. On the way he hid his weapons in

the hole of a "shami" tree. After one year he returned from

the forest and on Dussehra day he took again his weapons

and worshipped the shami tree and the weapons. Hence the

custom of worshipping weapons on this feast started.

The tenth day is called Vijaya Dashami. This is the day on

which the combined powers of the three Goddesses of Durga

or Maha-Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Sarasvati put an end to

the evil forces represented by the buffalo-headed demon

Mahishasura. The battle lasted 9 days and 9 nights.

Finally, on the tenth day, Goddess Kali killed

Mahishaasura. Vijayadasami means the 10th day of victory.

Incidentally Vijayadashami is also the day Lord Rama won

his battle with Devil forces of demon Lord Ravana.

Vijayadasami is an auspicious occasion for children to

commence their education in classical dance and music, to

start new ventures and to pay homage to their teachers.

So the Vedic festivals are performed in these phases of

first preparation, then purification, realization, and then

celebration. It represents one's progress toward the real

goal of life. First the mind must be purified of all

unwanted thoughts and habits. Then it must become focused

on one's concentration of the Supreme. As the knowledge of

our spirituality of the Self and our connection with the

Supreme Being becomes revealed, then there is realization.

When such realization has been reached and the ego

destroyed, then there is celebration. Living life on the

basis of spiritual realization means that life is a

constant joy and celebration.

In Tamil Nadu, the first three days are dedicated to the

worship of Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth and prosperity, the

next three days to Saraswati, Goddess of learning and arts

and the last three days to Shakti (Durga). In Tamil Nadu,

Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, families arrange dolls

(Bommai Kolu) on artificially constructed steps and prepare

an elaborate spread of lamps and flowers. Women

traditionally exchange gifts of coconuts, clothes and

sweets. Scenes culled from various stories in the epics and

puranas are displayed. Traditionally women and children,

and now men too visit their friends and acquaintances

during these 10 days. They sing songs, tell stories that

the dolls might depict and eat a dish made out of chickpeas

(chundal). The whole set up is put up on the very first day

of Navaratri. After the Saraswati pooja on the ninth day,

the whole set up is taken down on Vijayadashmi.

In Kerala, in regard with the nine-day festival of the

Goddess of knowledge and music, a musical concert is held

every evening for nine days at the Navarathri Mandapam of

the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum. The concerts

would recital nine ragas representing the various forms

that was adopted by the Aadisakthi. Another significance of

Navarathri to Kerala is 'Vidhyarambham'- The day of

introducing children to the world of knowledge. Hundreds of

thousands of children start their education on this day.

Tunchan parambu and Chotanikkara temple are the major

venues of Vidhyarambham in Kerala.

Navaratri and Vijayadasami are celebrated with sweets and

snack items; one of each are made on each of the ten days.

One snack food, chundal, is made on all of the ten days.