Navaratri or the festival of nine days is celebrated four times a year as per the Hindu Calendar. Most of us are aware of the Navaratri of Rama Navami and the Navaratri of the Goddess Durga. We are not generally aware of the other two Navratris. The four Navratris are: 1. Chaitra or Basant Navaratri 2. Ashadh or Varsha Ritu Navaratri 3. Aswin or Sharadiya Navaratri 4. Magh or Sishir Navaratri
The two main Navratris which are popular and well known are called Pratyaksha Navaratri or Prakat Navaratri. These are open and celebrated by all. These fall in the Hindu months of Chaitra and Ashwin. The other two Navaratri which fall in Magh and Ashadh are called the Gupta or Secret Navaratri. They are not widely known and hence not popular festivals. They are celebrated by only those who know about them and their spiritual importance. The four Navaratri which come after every three months are a reminder to us to be connected with the Divine Energy at all times and to renew and replenish our body, mind and souls with higher ideals and spiritual fervour.
Worship during the Gupta Navaratri is very powerful. The peculiar combination of the planetary forces brings about spiritual vibrations and a specific atmosphere which are conducive to sadhana and tapas. Japa, meditation and pooja done at this time gives excellent results. The Gupta Navaratri of Ashadh or Varsha Ritu Navaratri is from June 20 to June 28 2012. Rituals and worship in Gupt Navratri differ from region to region in India. Ashadh Navratri is religiously celebrated in all parts of India but in different ways.
As it is Gupt Navaratri means ‘unheard of’ or ‘secret’ Navaratri, there are no grand celebrations in this Navratri like other two Navratri. Ashadh Navratri is basically an occasion to delight Goddess Durga with Tantra-mantra and with offering other invocations. Like the popular Navratri or Durga Pooja which falls in Ashwin Month (Octover/November), Gupt Navratri of Ashadh month is also dedicated to nine forms of Devi Shakti. The mode and rituals of worship are different from the Durga Pooja.
During the Gupta Navaratri of Ashadh, Sri Krishna, Sri Balaram and Devi Subhadra come together stay together as in the form of Sri Jagannath and his companions. Sri Krishna is Sri Maha Vishnu Himself and Sri Balaram is AdiShesh Nag on whom the Lord rests and sleeps in Yog Nidra. AdiShesh Nag also balances the earth on His head. Devi Subhadra is Shakti Herself. When both brothers and sister come together, it is a celebration of love, peace and balance. There is no lust or anger or other vice in their relationship. They celebrate their love together and in all temples of India, processions of Sri Krishna, Sri Balaram and Devi Subhadra are taken out - the Rath Yatra. Devotees throng in thousands and celebrate the divine love of the brothers and sister. We learn to respect Mother Earth and the power which upholds Her – the AdiSheshNag and the power of Sri Narayan which nurtures the Earth and its beings and Shakti who is cause of all creation.
We have another very important lesson to learn from the reunion of Sri Krishna, Sri Balaram and Devi Subhadra. As the earth is flooded with the energies of Sri Narayan and Shakti and we worship the divine brothers and sister, we are filled with the same peace, love and compassion as they have. We let go our anger, hatred, jealousy, attachment, vengefulness and ego and spend the Navaratri in peace and worship. When the Navaratri ends, Guru Purnima comes in a few days. The tapas of Navaratri prepares us to receive the grace of the Guru during the Guru Purnima. The Guru is compassionate and pours grace on all. But it is up to the disciples to prepare themselves to receive the grace and this Navaratri which comes before Guru Purnima prepares us to receive the love, grace and wisdom of the Guru in full.
