Guest guest Posted March 31, 2003 Report Share Posted March 31, 2003 DAL-SABZI for the AATMAN-Shakun Narain NAVRATRAS Navratras will start on the 2nd of April 2003. > > Navratra literally means '9 nights'. These days are astrologically very > powerful > > for Spiritual upliftment. > > > > During these days and nights, prayers are offered to 'Mother' who is the > Manifestation > > of the Absolute Energy that pervades the Universe. > > As 'Durga' sitting on a Lion, She is a Manifestation of 'Shakti' or the > Primordial > > Energy. The Power to breathe, walk, digest etc, comes from Ma Durga. > > As Laxmi She is abundance. Not only material, but of Air, Land, Space etc. > > The fact that you have understood what I have written so far is due to the > Grace > > of Ma Saraswati' > > > > She is the 'OM', from where all sound emanates. 'Ma' is the 'Garbha' > (Womb) > > from where the Universe manifests. > > The word 'Garba' stems from 'Garbha' and symbolizes the 'Dance of > Creation' The > > first 3 days of 'Navratra' are dedicated to 'Ma Kali' to annihilate the > enemies > > within > > The next 3 days are dedicated to 'Ma Laxmi' and the last 3 days are > dedicated > > to Ma Saraswati. > > > > On the 10th day a Bonfire is lit to burn the Self arrogating Ego. > > Whether we pray to Ma or not, she thinks of us all the time. She holds us > in > > our arms when dejected, gives us various gifts from time to time, but > admonishes > > us when we cross our line. > > These nine nights we shall worship the Cosmos and the Cosmic Self as The > Mother > > Goddess! > > > > Allow me to describe Her to you! > > Mother holds various weapons (mace, sword,disc, arrow, trident) and > emblems in > > Her 10 hands. > > Different weapons are required to destroy different enemies and > circumstances. > > If one looks closely, different enemies of the mind require different > approaches > > to weaken them. > > > > Take anger, for instance, observe that whenever one is angry, it is > because a > > certain desire has not been fulfilled. So one of the weapons for anger, is > 'less > > expectations' > > For jealousy, the weapon would be 'raising ones own self esteem and > performance' > > > > Mother has a benign face, a smile and a golden yellow hue. She rides a > lion > > and drives a spear into the chest of a Demon. > > That Demon's name is Mahishaasur. > > > > The Devi Mahaatmya, which consists of 700 verses and is part of the > Markandeya > > Puraana describes the battle between Mother and the demons. > > Mahishaasur changed his form many a time, but Mother ultimately trapped > him under > > Her foot. > > The demon and his various forms represents evil and its various disguises. > Also > > the base instinct in man. > > > > It is believed that Sri Ram prayed to the Mother before embarking for > Lanka to > > fight the demon Raavana. > > The Mother is known as 'Shakti' or the Divine Female Energy. > > Her other popular names include: > > Uma or Light, Kali or Dark, Gauri, the Yellow, Durga, the Invincible, > Bhairavi, > > Jagaddhatri, Amba, Chamundi, Bhadrakali > > Each night of the Navratras is dedicated to one form of Mother. > > 1. Mata Shailputri- Daughter of Parvatraj (King of the Mountain) Himalaya. > She > > married Shankar and gave birth to Ganesh (The Remover of obstacles) and > Kartikeya > > (The God of War). > > 2. Mata Brahmachaarini- She gives the world the message of Pure Love. > > 3. Mata Chandraghanta-She establishes Justice. She wears the crescent moon > on > > Her head. > > 4. Mata Kushmaanda-She provides the 'Everyday Sustenance' to the world. > > 5. SkandMata-She gives the world the gift of Discrimination of right from > wrong. > > 6. Mata Kaatyayini- Constantly fights against Evil and devious entities. > > 7. Mata Kaalraatri-She killed a demon called Raktabeej. (He had the power > to > > produce a demon from every drop of blood, that fell from his body. Mother > eventually > > licked the blood before it could touch the ground, and thus overpowered > him.) > > 8. Mata Chaamunda-She killed the 2 demons, called Chanda and Munda and > re-established > > order. Mata Maha-Gauri who also rid the world of evil forces. > > 9. Mata Sidhidaarti-She is a Treasure house of Yantra Tantra (Mystic > Powers) > > and Gyaan (Knowledge) > > > > Let us worship Mother to help us through the difficult times, the world is > going > > through. > > We must have faith that virtue and goodness will continue to prevail > despite > > the heavy odds. > > A mother has the ability to generate life. > > God's 'desire' to create is represented by a Female Energy. > > Hindus have always believed in worshipping the Male and Female aspect of > God > > together. > > In common parlance, one often hears, that Krishna without Radha is > incomplete. > > Rama and Seeta are also always worshipped together. > > Shiva and Parvati are worshipped in the form which is conceived as 'united > in > > a single body'. > > I have heard that the Female counterpart of God is 'Maya' the Creation. > > The Energy that created the Universe stems from the Female Energy of God. > > And God and His Creation is not separable. > > God is not only His Creation, but lives in every atom of It. > > Mother, is worshipped as the Universal Energy > > Hindus believe that the Mother stands for everything that is everywhere in > the > > Universe. > > Whether we pray to Mother Goddess or not, She thinks of us all the time. > > She holds us in our arms when we feel sad, in the form of our own mother, > or > > friend. > > Mother Laxmi gives us various gifts from time to time. > > As Mother Saraswati, she teaches us all the wonderful things that we need > to > > learn. And as Mother Kali, She teaches us lessons that may be painful, but > are > > ultimately for our own good. > > > > If you would like more information on Mother and Navratri, do click on the > following: > > For information on the mystical No 9, click: > > http://www.dalsabzi.com/Articles/mystical_no_9.htm > > > > For the Navratra Katha, click: > > http://www.dalsabzi.com/Wisdom_Scrip/devi_mahatmya_navratri_katha.htm > > > > For an introduction to Kali Ma, click: > > http://www.dalsabzi.com/Articles/kali_maa.htm > > > > For an introduction to Goddess Laxmi, click: > > > http://www.dalsabzi.com/Language_Festivals/laxmi.htmhttp://www.dalsabzi.com/ > Language_Festivals/laxmi.htm > > It is auspicious to read the Ramayana during the 9 days of Navratri.Would > you > > like to know about Its Symbolic aspect? > > > > http://www.dalsabzi.com/Books/Symbolisms_Ramayana/intro.htm > > > > Sincerely, Shakun > > > > > > > > > > > > For personal messages and inspiring messages to Shakun Narain, email her > at snarain > > > > Dal Sabzi for the Aatman can be read at her web-site > http://www.dalsabzi.com > > > > If you would like to be added, change of address or removed from this > mailing > > list, please go the following web page : > > http://www.dalsabzi.com/mailing_list.htm > > > > Since India has no anti-spamming law, we follow the US Unsolicited > Electronic > > Mail Act of 2000, which states this cannot be considered spam if it > contains > > contact/removal information, which this mail does. > http://spamlaws.com/federal/hr3113a.html. > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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