Navratri: Nine nights of rejuvenation, celebration & Bliss
The word 'Navratri' literary means nine nights in Sanskrit. "Nava" has two meanings; one is 'nine' and the other is 'new'. "Ratri" means night - which gives solace and rest. Night brings rejuvenation. It gives relief at the three levels of our existence - physical, subtle and causal. This is a period for self-referral and transformation; getting back to the source. During this time nature sheds the old and life rejuvenates and emerges back afresh in the spirit.
Like a baby is in the mother's womb for nine months before it is born, similarly during these nine days and nights, the seeker through fasting, prayer, silence and meditation gets back to its true source; which is love, joy and peace. While fasting detoxifies the body, silence purifies the speech and brings rest to the chattering mind. Meditation takes one deep into one's own being.
During these nine nights of Navratri, our mind should be in the Divine consciousness. We should ask our self these questions, "How was I born? What is my source?" Then we become creative and victorious. When negative forces haunt us, we are disturbed and we grumble. Craving, aversion, uncertainty and fear are the negative forces. To get relief from all this, we need to go to the source of energy within us.
During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Devi Shaktii.e. female divinity are worshipped. On the first three days of Navratri we honour Durga, the embodiment of valour and self-confidence. The next three days are committed to Lakshmi, the embodiment of wealth and the last three days are dedicated to Saraswati, the embodiment of knowledge.
There are many stories on how the Divine Mother manifested herself to restore peace and order by slaying the asuras (demons) - Madhu and Kaitabha, Mahishasura and Shumbha and Nishumbha and many other demons. These demons are symbolic of the negative forces that can take over anyone at anytime. Madhu is craving and Kaitabameans aversion. Raktabijasur means deeply ingrained negativities and obsessions. Mahishasur means dullness. It is symbolic of heaviness and inertia. The Divine Shakti brings energy, and inertia is lifted. Doubt of the Self is 'Shumbh'. Nishumbh is doubt of everything. Navratri is the celebration of the spirit or prana which alone can destroy these asuras.
Though
our
life
is
governed
by
the
three
gunas,
we
seldom
recognize
and
reflect
on
them.
During
the
first
three
days
of
Navratri,
our
consciousness
sails
through
tamo
guna
(it
leads
to
depression,
fear
and
emotional
instability),
the
next
three
days
through
rajo
guna(this
leads
to
anxiety
and
feverishness)
and
then
blossoms
in
the
sattva
guna
of
the
last
three
days
(it
gives
us
clarity
and
focus
and
we
become
peaceful
and
dynamic).
These
three
primordial
gunas
are
considered
as
the
feminine
force
of
our
magnificient
universe.
By worshipping the Mother Divine during Navratri, we harmonise the three gunas and elevate sattva in the atmosphere. Whenever sattva dominates in life, victory follows. On the tenth day we celebrate Vijayadashami - the day of victory. This is the day of culmination in the awakening of our Divine consciousness. It means, simply feel blessed and more honoured for everything that we have received.
Many yagnas are conducted during these nine auspicious days. Although we may not necessarily understand the meaning of all the yagnas and ceremonies which are performed, we should simply sit with our hearts and minds open and feel the vibrations it creates. The chantings with all the rituals and customs bring about purification and upliftment of the consciousness. The entire creation becomes alive and we recognize life in everything just as children see life in everything. The Mother Divine or the pure consciousness itself pervades all the forms. Recognizing the one divinity in every form and every name is the celebration of Navratri.
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