\|/ Happy Navaratri \|/

 

 In the Puranas and Agamas, endless aspects of Devi Durga  are mentioned. She symbolises Creation, Preservation and Destruction of the three worlds and is usually depicted as having 8 arms which symbolise the extent of her protective powers from different directions, she is the personification of all male energy obtained from the Tridevas as well as the female force or Shakti that is the creative, dynamic and active energy of all existence. She has infinite power to protect from destructive forces.

Known as Mahishasurmardini, she is  the combined creative energies of Consciousness. She is responsible for the entire Srushti or Cosmic creation.

It is believed, Goddess MahaKali, MahaLakshmi, MahaSaraswati, came together and  fought the evil asuras who were planning to take up the whole universe. This battle went on for nine days and on the nineth day the good was finally able to defeat the bad force. The asuras were killed. Lord Shiva had given the Asuras, boon that only women could kill them and no man will be able to touch them. The Devas were not able to kill these Asuras because of this boon. Then the Devas went and requested lord Vishnu. Durga incarnated as the united power of all divine beings, who offered her the required physical attributes and weapons to kill the demon "Mahishasur".  she faught with the Asura & killed him after a battle that lasted nine long days. Since those days these nine days are celebrated to worship this strength. The goddess is requested to come to earth and remove all the evil from here.

The word "Durga" in Sanskrit means a fort, or a place which is difficult to over run. She is  "Durgatinashini," the one who eliminates sufferings. She protects her devotees from the evils of the world and at the same time removes their miseries.

There are many forms of Durga: Kali, Bhagvati, Bhavani, Ambika, Lalita, Gauri, Kandalini, Java, Rajeswari, etc. Her nine forms are Shailputri, Brhmacharini, Chandraghant, Kusumanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Maha Gauri and Siddhidatri.

Durga's Many Arms

Durga is depicted as having eight or ten hands. These represent eight quadrants or ten directions  suggesting, she protects the devotees from all directions.

Durga's Three Eyes

Like Shiva, Mother Durga is also referred to as "Triyambake" meaning the three eyed Goddess. The left eye represents desire (the moon), the right eye represents action (the sun), and the central eye knowledge (fire).

Durga's Vehicle - the Lion

The lion represents power, will and determination. Mother Durga riding the lion symbolises her mastery over all these qualities. This suggests to the devotee that one has to possess all these qualities to get over the demon of ego.

Durga's Many Weapons

         The conch shell in Durga's hand symbolizes the 'Pranava' or the mystic word 'Om', which indicates her holding on to God in the form of sound.        

Four Devi Navratra Festivals:
Sharad Navratri is one of the major festival celebrated in month of Ashwin. All four Navratras, Ashwin Navratri, Vasant Navratra, Ashad Navratri and Magh Navratra are dedicated to the Mother Goddess Shakti. During every Navratri festival, one thing is similar that Goddess Durga (Navdurga) is worshipped for nine days in her nine forms or manifestations, each day a new avatar.During Navaratri every year, we meditate upon Devi Durga & invoke her power to destroy all evil tendencies in the mind, that may have the qualities of Tamas or inertia, ignorance & darkness so to lead us towards enlightenment.  Three important aspects of life ' the power of courage, wealth and knowledge ' are asked from the Mother Goddess.

People in western India, especially in Gujarat, spend the nine nights of Navratri in song, dance and merriment. Garba is a graceful form of dance, wherein women dressed in exquisitely embroidered choli, ghagra and bandhani dupattas, dance gracefully in circles around a pot containing a lamp, called "Garba" or "Garbha" means "womb", and in this context the lamp in the pot, symbolically represent life within a womb.
The word Garbo or Garaba has originated from Sanskrit word "Garbhdeep"- an earthen pot with circular holes is popularly known as Garbo. The earthen pot is symbol of human body and the lighten lamp inside signifies the divine soul.
Besides the Garba is the "Dandia" dance, in which men and women participate in pairs with small, decorated bamboo sticks called dandias in their hands. At the end of these dandias are tied tiny bells called ghungroos that make a jingling sound when the sticks hit one another. The dance has a complex rhythm. The dancers begin with a slow tempo, and go into frenzied movements, in such a manner that each person in a circle not only performs a solo dance with his own sticks, but also strikes his partners dandies in

 

Durga Puja: In Eastern India mainly in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa, Assam, last 4 days of are celebrated as Durga Puja. It is the biggest festival of the year here. Gigantic clay idols of Goddess Durga depicting slaying of buffalo demon Mahishasura are brought home for four days and worshipped. After four days of festivities, when Durga's entry into homes is celebrated as a daughter's return to her maiden home, Durga is given a fitting farewell with the call to come again the following year.Durga Puja which mainly starts on Durga Saptami. Shandhi Puja, Shidhor Khela, Kanya Pooja and Mahanavami puja are the main rituals during Navratri.

   

 Vijayadashmi or Dashera

Dashera, as the name suggests occurs on the "tenth" day following the Navratri. It is a festival to celebrate the triumph of good over evil, and marks the defeat and death of the demon king Ravana by Lord Ram in the epic Ramayana. Huge effigies of Ravana are burnt amongst the burning of fire crackers.

It is believed that Lord Ram had to pray to the nine different aspects of Devi to be able to kill Ravana. He then accumulated enough power to kill Ravana on the tenth day, which was called Vijayadashmi or Dashera. Since then, the tradition of praying to Devi for nine days has continued. The nine days therefore are celebrated in honour of victory of good over evil.
Vijaya Dashami is also called as Aparajita Dashami and on this day Aparajita puja and Shami Puja are performed.

The Devi Mahaatmya is a 700 verse poem and a part of the Markandeya Puraana.  It is auspicious to read the Devi Mahatmya Katha on or before Dassera, but the same can also be read any time.

The best technique for the achievement of  'Moksha' is worship. Moksha consists of the march of the human soul to its freedom. Freedom from what? It is freedom from desires that goad a man from birth to death and the dissatisfaction that results despite their fulfillment. The object of any form of worship is the attainment of Divine Grace. The Devi Mahatmya is a  brilliant poem in Sanskrit,   that describes the three stages of transformation of the obstacles that a human soul encounters in the journey towards freedom. What are these obstacles?

Desire and anger.
Restlessness of the mind.
1. Ignorance.

The narration starts with the story of king Suratha. He is dejected because he has been defeated by his enemies. He lands up in the hermitage of Sage Medha. There he meets a merchant called Samadhi. Samadhi had not only lost his wealth but his own family, as the latter  has turned him out.

Both Samadhi and king Suratha are confounded at the fact that their mind keeps reverting to the very family and circumstances that have been the cause of so much sorrow in their lives.

They both request Rishi Medha to throw light on this mysterious aspect of the mind.The Sage replies that this sorrow that they were experiencing was due to the veiling power of the Divine Mother which is called 'Maya'. This delusion emanates from the Lord Himself. It is through this power that the Lord creates, preserves and dissolves back everything into its Pure State.

It is depicted in the Devi Mahatmya that  Ma Durga, Ma Kali, MahaLaxmi and MahaSaraswati are not different. They are three separate aspects of the same 'Shakti' energy.

MADHU AND KAITABHA

Once Lord Vishnu withdrew His power of Maya and went into a Yoga Nidra (sleep). The whole Universe at that time was dissolved in the causal waters. Brahma, the creative power of the Lord had also gone to sleep. The earth  had been broken up and was floating around in the causal waters, These pieces of dirt lodged  themselves in the ears of the Lord. He  swept these out with His fingers. That dirt, because of the Lord's touch sprang into life and became enormous demons 'Asuras'. They were called Madhu and Kaitabh. They attacked Brahma. The latter invoked the Divine Mother to wake Vishnu. The Lord took the Asuras and placed them on His thighs and cut their heads off.

The Lord then created the earth with the fat (Medas) of the demons. That is the reason for the earth being called 'Medini' It is believed that the earth is situated in the thighs in the Cosmic Body of the Lord. It is interesting to note that the earth was created again from the fat of the same demons, Madhu and Kaitabh. 

MAHISHASURA

Mahishaasura was a buffalo-headed demon . He was granted a boon whereby he would be protected from anyone. Intoxicated by the above gift, he set out to conquer the world. Mahishaasura defeated Indra, the king of the gods. Indra implored  Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh to help him. The Divine Trio amalgamated their shakti (power) and created Durga. Ma Durga fought Mahishaasura for 9 days and beheaded him on the 10th day. The 9 days are those of Navratri and the 10th  victorious day is called Vijaydashami..

A point to note is that as Mahishaasura was attacked, the latter would change its forms to elephant, bull, buffalo, until ultimately it is killed. The buffalo also represents the base animal instinct in a human being. Goddess Durga  is powerful enough to control Evil that comes in disguise. She ends this tyranny and protects Her devotees. 

These transformations of Maahishaasura also denote the fickle mind and different desires that manifest in some manner or another. The Trident that Mother uses to destroy the Impure is a 3 pronged weapon which protects the mental, intellectual and physical aspects of life. Her sword cuts the evil of ignorance. Her bell drives away unholy thoughts and the twang of Her bow instills alertness in Her devotees.

DHOOMRA-LOCHANA AND CHANDA MUNDA

Ma then proceeded to annihilate Dhoomra- Lochana. The latter was a powerful general of the terrible Asura, Sumbha. Mother uttered the sound 'Hum' and the demon turned to ashes by the powerful vibration of the sound.

The form of Ma Kali who emerged from the forehead of the angry face of the Mother killed the Asuras Chanda and Munda. Chanda means a person who is short-tempered and Munda means a shaven-headed man.  Together they imply the anger of  a champion fighter. Because of this victory over Chanda and Munda , Kali Mata is known as Chamunda.

RAKTABEEJA

Hearing the news of the death of Chanda and Munda, the infuriated King Sumbha mobilised the Asuric forces and surrounded the Mother from all sides. Then, from the Great Devas (Spiritual Beings) emerged Powers which entered the Form of the Mother.

From Brahma, emerged the power called Brahmaani.
From Lord Shiva, emerged Maheshwari and Veer Bhadra.
From Lord Shiva's son Kartikeya, emerged the power of Kaumari.
From Lord Vishnu  emerged the power of Vaishnavi, Vaaraahi and Naarasimhi.
1. From Indra emerged the power of Indraani.

Raktabeeja was the son of Krodhaavati, the sister of Sumbha and Nisumbha.  Krodha means anger. Raktabeeja was an Asura who enjoyed a unique blessing. If a drop of blood were to drop from his body and touch the earth, then a demon of his might and form would spring from it. So if he were to get wounded during battle, the drops of blood would give rise to a thousand demons like himself. It is for the above reason that Kali spread her tongue so that she could suck Raktabeeja's blood before it touched the earth. Raktabeeja fell on the ground dead as his body was completely drained of blood.

SUMBHA AND NISUMBHA

Finally Sumbha and Nisumbha were slain by Mother Saraswati. Ma Saraswati stands for knowledge and Wisdom. Knowledge and Wisdom are forever victorious over Ignorance and delusion.

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. After 9 days of struggle, Ma Durga beheaded Mahishaasura on the 10th day. This victorious day is called Vijaydashmi. On this day Shri Ram killed the 10 headed Ravana. This day is known as Dassera.

On the 10th day a Bonfire is lit to burn the Self arrogating Ego. So on this Vijaydashmi day or call it Dassera if you wish let us also sound the bugle of Victory over our struggle with our base nature tendencies .

The Devi Mahatmya matter curtesy http://dalsabzi.tripod.com/Wisdom_Scrip/devi_mahatmya_navratri_katha.htm

Happy Navaratri to everyone.

We'll also celebrate this Navarati by posing various pics, songs, Garabas, stories, stotras known to us, of any language (the language rule is not applicable to this thread)

So let's celebrate a multi-coultured Navaratri  

@subha, sukhi thanks, do add from your side.