Navratris: The Nine-Day Worship of Durga

[Guest guest]

[A really lovely essay by Swami Sivananda, printed in the India Post a

couple of days ago - DB]

 

In Hindu mythology, Durga is a fierce form of Devi, the Mother

Goddess, the all-powerful almighty goddess. According to a legend the

gods could not defeat the buffalo demon Mahish, who was threatening

the existence of the universe.

 

They begged Shiva for his assistance, and Shiva advised all the gods

to release their shaktis. The shaktis of the gods emerged in female

form. These goddesses fused together in blinding light from which

arose a magnificent goddess with many arms. She was as beautiful as

she was deadly. Durga was born fully-grown and is depicted as

extremely beautiful and full of rage.

 

The gods called this goddess Durga, the invincible one, and they armed

her with all their weapons. Thus armed, Durga rode to the top of a

mountain on a lion. In a bloody battle, she defeated Mahish and his

army of demons and thus saved the Universe from this demon's menace.

 

This festival of Navratris is observed twice a year, once in the month

of Chaitra and then in Aswayuja. It lasts for nine days in honor of

the nine manifestations of Durga. During Navaratri (the word literally

means " nine nights " ) devotees of Durga observe a fast. Brahmins are

fed and prayers are offered for the protection of health and property.

 

The beginning of summer and the beginning of winter are two very

important junctions of climatic and solar influence. These two periods

are taken as sacred opportunities for the worship of the Divine

Mother. They are indicated respectively by the Rama-Navaratri in

Chaitra (April-May) and the Durga Navaratri in Aswayuja

(September-October).

 

The bodies and minds of people undergo a considerable change on

account of the changes in Nature. Sri Rama is worshipped during

Ramnavmi, and Mother Durga during Navaratri. The Durga Puja is

celebrated in various parts of India in different styles. But the one

basic aim of this celebration is to propitiate Shakti, the Goddess in

Her aspect as Power, to bestow upon man all wealth, auspiciousness,

prosperity, knowledge (both sacred and secular), and all other potent

powers.

 

Whatever be the particular or special request that everyone may put

before the Goddess, whatever boon may be asked of Her, the one thing

behind all these is propitiation, worship and linking oneself with

Her. There is no other aim. This is being effected consciously or

unconsciously. Everyone is blessed with Her loving mercy and is

protected by Her.

 

Durga Puja is the greatest Hindu festival in which God is adored as

Mother. Hinduism is the only religion in the world which has

emphasized to such an extent the motherhood of God. One's relationship

with one's mother is the dearest and the sweetest of all human relations.

 

Hence, it is proper to look upon God as mother. Durga represents the

Divine Mother. She is the energy aspect of the Lord. Without Durga,

Shiva has no expression and without Shiva, Durga has no existence.

Shiva is the soul of Durga; Durga is identical with Shiva. Lord Shiva

is only the silent witness. He is motionless, absolutely changeless.

 

He is not affected by the cosmic play. It is Durga who does

everything. Shakti is the omnipotent power of the Lord, or the Cosmic

Energy. The Divine Mother is represented as having ten different

weapons in Her hands. She sits on a lion. She keeps up the play of the

Lord through the three attributes of Nature, namely, Sattwa, Rajas and

Tamas.

 

Knowledge, peace, lust, anger, greed, egoism and pride, are all Her

forms. The worship of Devi, the universal Mother, leads to the

attainment of knowledge of the Self. The story in the Kena Upanishad

known as the " Yaksha Prasna " , supports this view.

 

It tells how Uma, the Divine Mother, taught the Truth to the gods.

Goddess Shakti thus sheds wisdom on Her devotees. Devi worship is,

therefore, worship of God's glory, of God's greatness and supremacy.

 

It is adoration of the Almighty. It is unfortunate that Devi is

ignorantly understood by many as a mere blood-thirsty Hindu Goddess.

No! Devi is not a vicious demoness nor is She the property of the

Hindus alone.

 

Devi does not belong to any religion. Devi is that conscious power of

God. The words Devi, Shakti, etc., and the ideas of different forms

connected with these names are concessions granted by the sages due to

the limitations of the human intellect; they are by no means the

ultimate definitions of Shakti.

 

SOURCE: India Post.com. Navratris - the nine-day worship of Durga

Monday, 03.26.2007, 02:59am (GMT-7)

URL: http://indiapost.com/article/philosophy/180/