Navaratri

‘NAVA’ means ‘nine’ and ‘Ratri’ is made up of ‘Ra’ which also means ‘night’ and ‘Tri’ meaning the ‘the three aspects of our life, Body, Mind and Soul.  So ‘NAVARATRI’ means ‘giving rest to all the three aspects of our life, for nine days’.

 

The first three days of NAVARATRI, are ‘Tamasic’ days, followed by three ‘Rajasic’ days and ending with three ‘Sattvic’ days.  At night, all the artis are performed for the Devi - the enjoyer of everything.  So there is classical dance, music and various musical instruments being played. Each day has special implications, yagnas, poojas and homas are performed.

 

Among the things offered to the fire are hundreds of different herbs, fruits, garments, and mantras, all creating a gloriously divine atmosphere to drown in?  Our ancestors felt the inadequacy of words and so they expressed themselves with symbols … for instance, we offer flowers and fruit to God.  The ‘flower’ is a symbol of what we are - so full, attractive and so light - so beautiful. Fruits are symbols of completeness.  In the life cycle of a plant, fruits signify completeness. Also the fruit is the ultimate result.  That is how we feel when we offer the symbolic fruit to God with all the gratitude for contentment in life.

 

We also light lamps. Indian tradition involves tall brass lamps with a swan carved at the top.  This is a very beautiful symbol. It means that with the light of knowledge, one attains ‘Viveka’ a characteristic of the swan. In Sanskrit, it is called ‘Neerakshiraviveka’ meaning a swan can differentiate between milk and water even though both may be mixed.

 

Similarly, in the context of NAVARATRI, there is a symbolism behind the ‘bull’ being destroyed by the ‘Devi’.  What do we call someone who is very dull, thick skinned and insensitive? A buffalo!  Only the Mother Divine can destroy this buffalo with the collective energy of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh!  Just as a baby takes nine months to be born, the Devi took nine days to rest and what was born on the tenth day was pure love and devotion, with which the Devi conquered the buffalo of inertia and dullness! Devi Ma is not somebody holding a big ‘trishool’ in one hand. She is a form of energy, a manifestation of the Divine itself. Therefore, sometimes, the forms taken by this Divine may be that of Ganesha, Chandi (Devi), Vishnu, Shiva….. and the manifestation, in this creation, happens in a mother’s womb…. in silence, secretly.  So during these nine days of NAVARATRI when the Master goes into silence, the energy is in the process of getting more and more refined, well-tuned, to welcome the Mother Divine. This is called ‘Aradhana’.

 

Ninth day is a day for honoring everything that we have, no matter how seemingly insignificant, and the tenth day is ‘Vijaya Dashmi’ the ‘victory day’.  It is only after we have honored something that we can gain victory over it. This day is celebrated as the victory of the Devi over the evil forces – which is also just ‘Maya’.

 

The festival of NAVRATRI lasts for nine nights. According to the Hindu calendar NAVRATRI celebration begins from the first day of the bright fortnight of Ashwin. This festival is fully dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga Mata and her nine forms. These nine days are celebrated in all over the country with an ardent zeal and enthusiasm. The devotees all over India celebrate the last three days with much solemnity, calm and joy. But on the tenth day, Dussehra or Vijayadashmi is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana.

 

 

The festival of NAVARATRI is devoted to the Shakti or the Eternal Mother. This worship is so old in India even in the Vedic era. This opinion was confirmed in the vedas and puranas. The festivities commence on the first night in the month of Ashwin (October). The vibrant festivities last for ten days, of which nine nights are spent in worship, 'NAVARATRI'.

 

 NAVARATRI are divided & devoted for the worship of Trinity of God in a female form - three days for Durga (Goddess of Energy) three days for Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth) and three days for Sarswati (Goddess of Knowledge). On the fifth day, it is traditional to worship Sarswati Mata to invoke our sprit and knowledge. The eighth and ninth day, it is traditional to perform Yagna (sacrifice offered to the fire) to honor Durga Mata and bid her farewell. The 10th day, on which the goddess kills Mahishasura, is celebrated as Dusshera or Vijayadashami as the victory of good over evil.

  

NAVARATRI is a combination of various themes, with the common theme of the victory of good over evil. Some opines that Vijayadashami or Dusshera is celebrated on the day Lord Rama kills Ravana. According to a Puranic legend, the mighty demon Mahisasur vanquished the gods and their king, Indra. They then approached the Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar, who decided to destroy the megalomaniac demon, so they all combined their energy, and gave rise to Shakti.

  

They all prayed to the divine mother Durga to do the needful. Equipped with lethal weapons, riding a ferocious lion, the Goddess in all her awesome majesty, vanquished the evil one without much ado. The 10th day, on which the goddess kills Mahishasura, is celebrated as Dusshera or Vijayadashami as the victory of good over evil. Dassera (tenth day) is one of the significant Hindu festivals, celebrated with much joy in the entire country.