Normally, when we say Navratri or Navratra – the reference is always to the festival of the Mother Goddess which falls in the English months of September- October or the Hindu month of Ashwin. Navratri begins from the first day (pratipada) of the bright fortnight of the Ashwin month and is for 9 days. This Navratri is called Maha Navratri. This festival is in honor of Shakti – the Power of the Universe.
The month of Ashwin is the beginning of the autumn season and brings about changes in climate and solar influence. This change in the nature causes considerable changes in our bodies and mind. We worship the Divine Power or Shakti to grant us enough power to maintain our physical and mental balance for the coming days. Also, it is the Divine Power or Shakti that provides the energy for the earth to move around the sun. This result in the changes in the outer nature and changes in season which are essential for maintaining our lives in this world. We offer our gratitude to the Divine Power or Shakti for maintaining the correct balance of the Universe. Hence Shakti is worshiped during the first nine days of Ashwin month.
The changes in the spiritual radiations in the atmosphere are very apparent during this sacred period. During Navaratri, the principle of Goddess Durga Devi is more active in the atmosphere The Navaratri festival or the Festival of Nine Nights is culminated on the tenth day called Vijayadashami or Dussera. On all the ten days, the various forms of the Mother Mahishasuramardini or Durga are worshipped with great devotion and fervor.
On the first day of Navratri, a clay plot (Ghatasthapana) is installed in a sanctified section of one’s home. A lamp is placed in this pot and is kept lit day and night for all 9 nights and 10 days. The pot symbolizes the Universe. The continuously burning light is the brilliant primordial energy – Shakti. We worship Shakti through the medium of this light. By doing so, the spiritual purity and Divine Consciousness in the atmosphere increases and is absorbed by us.
Shakti is the force which empowers creation, sustenance and destruction. Shakti is energy. Shakti is imperishable. Shakti/energy cannot be destroyed. Energy only changes form and is ever present. Navratri is divided into sets of three days to focus and worship different forms and aspects of the Supreme Shakti. On the first three days, the Mother is invoked as the powerful force called Durga. Durga destroys all the impurities in us, our vices and defects. During the next three days, we invoke Mother in the form of Lakshmi, the giver of spiritual wealth. She has the power to bless Her devotees with inexhaustible spiritual wealth. The last three days are spent in worshipping the Mother as Saraswati. She is the Goddess of wisdom and bestows on us knowledge and wisdom. In order to have a successful life, we need to be rid of our vices and defects, be filled with spiritual wealth and wisdom. The blessings of the three forms of Mother are essential for a complete life on earth. On the tenth day of Ashwin is the Dussera festival. This is a celebration of the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana in the battlefields of Lanka. The victory of good over evil is celebrated with great enthusiasm by burning a giant effigy of Ravana. The drama of the Ramayana is portrayed in short through song and dance and then Ravana is burnt. The effigy is stuffed with fireworks and blows up spectacularly before a hugely appreciative audience.
For the followers of Kundalini Maha Yoga, these nine days have great significance. We are worshipers of the Mother as Shakti. She resides in us as Kundalini Shakti and all around us in Her Universal Form. We do anustan of the mantra given to us during these nine days and remain connected to the Guru and Shakti. By doing so, we permit the Power to work within us and bring about an internal transformation within us. Karma of many lifetimes are burnt away during this period of sincere anustan. Let us do our mantra japa and meditation during Navratri sincerely and receive the Divine Grace of Guru and Shakti.
