[Guruvayur/Guruvayoor] Devi Mahatmyam

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Jai Sreekrishna Dear Vinodji I never knew that Navaratri is celebrated four times a year. Thank you for the information. Syamala vinod_ps77 <vinod.ps wrote: !! Sri Rama Jayam !!Navaratri is celebrated four times a year. They are Ashada Navaratri, the Sharada Navaratri, the Maha Navaratri and the Vasantha Navaratri. Of these, the Sharada Navaratri of the month of

Puratashi and the Vasantha Navaratri of the Vasantha kala are very important. If you refer to the agni purana, then it is said that the Puratashi and Panguni (in Tamil months) i.e. Asvin and Chaitra are like the two jaws of Lord Yama. If one wants to escape the mouth of Yama, then one should celebrate Navaratri on these two occasions. A similar analogy is presented in the devi bhagavatam. Devi bhagavatam also talks in detail on how one should observe fasts, and how one should meditate/work on these days. According to legend, Durga sat on the tip of a needle for nine days, doing a severe penance to destroy the evil Asura Mahisha. On the first three days, she meditated as Herself, the next three days as Mahalakshmi and the last three days as Sarasvati. This signifies progression from tamsik, to rajasik to satvik and eventually obtaining liberation. The tenth day during Sharada Navaratri is called 'Vijayadashami' to

signify the victory on the day of dashami. It is, however, a long tradition that one reads the devi-bhagavatam or the devi mahatmyam (Durga saptasati, 700 verses on Durga) during this period. Devi bhagavatam notes that Lord 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 reading of Devi Maahaatmyam during Navaraatri is to be done follows Chapter 1 (Madhu kaitabha samhaara) is to be read for 1st day, ch 2 thru 4 (Mahishhasura samhaara) to be read on 2nd day, ch 5 and 6 (Dhuumralochana vadha) on the 3rd day, ch 7 (Chanda Munda vadha) on 4th day, ch 8(Rakta biija samhaara) on 5th day, ch 9 and 10 (Shumbha Nishumbha vadha) on 6th day, ch 11(Praise of Narayani) on 7th day, ch 12 (Phalastuti) on 8th day, ch 13 (Blessings to Suratha and the Merchant)on 9th day ch 14

(aparaadha KshamaapaNa) on 10th dayHare KrishnaHare Rama

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