Navaratri Special Edition
Divya Jyothi
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Prabhuji Speaks Navaratri Upasana and Upavasas Student: Guruji, What is Navaratri Upasana and Upavasa? Guruji: Upasana – Upa-asana. Upa means upa-adhi. Something that uplifts you. Asana means posture. Upasana means the posture that uplifts you. What is the posture that can uplift you? The posture that can uplift you is, what can take you closer to God or Consciousness. We have a posture now. Posture means mental posture, I am not saying physical posture. What is the posture you have? I am husband of so and so; I am wife of so and so, that is your posture. That is your mental posture. But do you have the posture of ‘I am the son of the Divine Mother.’ Do you have that posture? Does it cross your mind that ‘I am a child of the divine Mother’? And when that strikes you that is called Upasana. Then all other relationships become secondary. The primary relationship is ‘The universal Mother is my Mother. I am the son of the universal Mother’. That is the posture and that is the Upasana. And then whatever you do is out of that upasana. Understand? Upasana is not meditating and doing puja. Upasana means upa – asana. Mental posture. What is the mental attitude with which you do puja? That is called Upasana. Puja is an act. Upasana is a state of the mind. You understand? Only thing that can uplift you is your relationship to the Universal Mother, which is called Upasana. Clear? Any questions? Student: While fasting how can one be in a higher state? Guruji: Upavasa is different. When you are writing a good program, you will forget your lunch, dinner right? Either out of joy or fear that boss will kick you. So when you are involved in some activity your mind will not be focusing on the food. ‘Upavasa’ means Upa-vasa, when your mind is uplifted and you are staying with the higher level Consciousness, then lower things will drop. By dropping the lower things automatically higher things will come. Student: So by doing fasting nothing will come? Guruji: By doing fasting, you might get a good physical health. Ok? Your body will get cleaned. But if you do Upavasa your mind is focused on the higher-level Consciousness, naturally your attention to the food will decrease. That is called Upavasa. So it is the other way. Because you are so focused, so engrossed in the higher Consciousness, the lower activities drop. But for practice (teaching purpose) we say, do Upavasa.
Divya Jyothi
Mahalaya Amavasya The Greatest Dissolution
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Jagat Prasutika Jaganmata in Confinement
Mahalaya Amavasya carries the message of new birth. It shows the way to transcend ourselves through Yagna - especially pitr yagna (representing other four yagnas) to reduce the vasanas in the mind and transcend the mind through meditation (laya). Maha - means great, laya - means sublimation, suppression. Amavasya is the time when moon does not reflect sun light. Moon is the representation for mind. Sun represents the Self - Atman. During the state of meditation, mind becomes thoughtless, silent. This is called laya of the mind. All the tendencies of the mind become dormant. We experience the bliss of the self. Mahalaya Amavasya is the great dissolution of new moon day. Mahalaya Amavasya and Dasara (Navaratri) in spiritual terms is as follows: The day before Navaratri starts, it is the day when the Universal Mother gives new birth to the human beings who seek her. It is the day when our entire ego, ignorance gets dissolved and new birth happens. It is the new moon day, the day when the darkness vanishes. Darkness means the ignorance or the absence of Jnana. The dissolution of ego and ignorance – the ajnana, is the new birth for a seeker. This dissolution of ego and ignorance is Mahalaya and the new birth is Jnana Wisdom.
Jaganmata manifests as Jagat Prasutika on Mahalaya Amavasya day. With a smile on her face the Universal Mother fondles a cute baby on her lap as if she is telling her devotee, “I am the mother of the whole creation and you are my child. You will always be taken care as this baby on my lap, if you seek me”. You must have heard the Kannada/Sanskrit word ‘prasava’, which has come from the ‘Prasavitha/ Prasava’ means to give birth, ‘Prasava vedana’ means the birth pain, the labour pains. Prasutika comes from the word Prasavitha. Prasavitha means giving birth. Whom did the Jaganmata give birth? She gave birth to this whole world. Jagat Prasutika, one who has given birth to this Universe, we praise you. Jaganmata appears in the form of Sadguru and gives birth to the spiritually evolved child. Nine days of Navaratri from tomorrow represent nine months that is a symbolic representation of new birth in spirituality. New birth from the womb of Sadguru.
Divya Jyothi
Shailaputri
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Jagat Prasutika
Navadurga as Shailaputri
Durga Shakti as Hamsa Vahini
Three different types of Shaktis come from Brahma they are called Brahmi Vaishnavi and Kumari. From these three Shaktis, different Shaktis manifest and they are called Navadurga, nine different forms of Durga and in Navaratri, each day different name is given to Durga Shakti. These forms of Shakti represent the powers of Consciousness. The Navaratri Pooja is first three days for Durga, next three days for Lakshmi and last three days for Saraswati. Each day is dedicated to one power of Consciousness called Nava Durga. Navaratri varies from region to region. Navadurga is worshiped, Astamatrika is worshiped, saptamatrika is worshiped, Dashamahavidya is worshiped. First day of Navaratri Navadurga takes the form of Shailaputri. Shailaputri represents the rebirth of Consciousness in various forms. Nava means new, it is rejuvenating. Every year on the first day of Navaratri there is a fresh Universal Energy that flows into the creation. The cosmic energy, a fresh wave of energy influences the earth. This is the time when we can receive the maximum amount of spiritual energy and prepare ourselves for spiritual rejuvenation. So, Navaratri is the time for Self Realization. Shailaputri the daughter of the mountain is the positive strength that destroys the negativity in us. Mountain means immovable. Shailaputri destroyers the immovable ego and ignorance in us and makes way for the fresh cosmic energy to flow in us.
Brahmi - The Durga Shakti manifests as Brahmi, the creative energy of Brahma Deva. Seated on Hamsa vaahana she blesses her devotees and the seekers of the Truth. In Navaratri in some parts, Durga Shakti is worshiped as Saptamatrikas. Durga Shakti as Saptamatrika takes the form of Brahmi/Hamsa Vahini on the first day of Navaratri. As the creative energy of Brahma, Brahmi Shakti is the force of Consciousness behind this creation. The Consciousness behind this, they called as ‘shaktha'. The power of Consciousness is called 'Shakti' and the Consciousness itself is called 'shaktha'. This is also called as Shiva and Shakti, the Consciousness and energy. The Consciousness and energy together is responsible for this creation. So the entire Universe is nothing but dance of the Consciousness in the form of energy. As Hamsa Vahini, Brahmi is Saraswati the one who gives the essential knowledge of our own Self. ‘Sara’ means essential and ‘Swa’ means Self. Brahmi as Saraswati bestows the knowledge of wisdom to the seeker. Goddess Saraswati is the source of all knowledge. As the consort of Brahma, Brahmi is knowledge of herself, knowledge of intelligence, crafts, arts, etc. Hamsa or swan has an ability to separate milk from water that represents the power of discrimination. Viveka and vairagya – discrimination and dispassion.
Divya Jyothi
Brahmacharini Navadurga as Brahmacharini
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sleep for many days. When mind is focused on higher reality, lower urges of body and mind drop. This is called Brahmacharya.
On the contrary, if somebody is celibate, it does not naturally mean that mind goes to higher reality. It is like saying if somebody does not sleep for three days and does not take food for three days, he will do research !!. Some of the so-called spiritual pursuits are of this nature. Need to be careful about real meaning of Brahmacharya. Now if someone is not able to control his or her senses what is the solution? Physical dimension of sensual pleasure is very negligible. Psychological dimension - mind dimension is the real problem in human beings. By spending mind on spiritual pursuit, meditation, mind calms down. Gradually there is a dropping of desires of body and mind since the mind experiences deep bliss of the self. This is a natural way.
Second day of Navaratri Durga Shakti manifests as Brahmacharini. Brahmacharini represents the power of Consciousness to contemplate and meditate on the highest truth. In this form, the Durga Shakti as Parvati was a great Sati and her unmarried form is worshipped as Brahmacharini. Brahmacharini is depicted as walking on the bare feet. She has two hands and carries Jap Mala in the right hand and Kamandal in the left hand. Brahmacharini did severe penance to get Lord Shiva as her husband. She performed hard austerity and was called Brahmacharini. She helps devotees to control their senses and attain salvation. Brahmacharini represents the ‘Karma yoga’. Let us contemplate on the deeper meaning of Brahmacharini. There is word in Sanskrit called Brahmacharya. Brahmacharya is wrongly translated as celibacy. Brahmacharya means Brahmani Charitam Manasam. Brahman is supreme reality. When the mind is engaged in higher pursuit, lower pursuit will drop. For example, scientist in research may forget food and
We need to understand the difference between - suppression, sublimation and transcendence. Suppression of senses is dangerous. You might have seen criminals committing violence, soldiers committing violence, even crimes in monasteries. These are due to suppression of senses. Sublimation of senses happens when the mind is engaged in higher pursuit - for example research, spirituality, meditation. Transcendence of senses happens when enlightenment takes place. I do not advice suppression. I advise sublimation and transcendence of senses for you. This is the real meaning of Brahmacharini. Nava Durga in the form of Brahmacharini helps her devotees/seekers to transcend the senses and attain Mukthi – Jeevan Mukthi.
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Vrishabha Vaahini Durga Shakti as Vrishabha Vaahini
Second day of Navaratri, Durga Shakti takes the form of Maheshwari. Adi Shakti, the concert of Maheshwara, sitting on Vrishabha vaahana, wearing Crest -Moon, beholding Trishula and blesses her devotees. Maheshwari, the chethana shakti of Maheshwara. Maha means the great and Ishvari means one who protects the whole Universe.
Crest-Moon represents the mind of the human beings, which is under the control of the Universal Mother. In ignorance, the mind is full of materialistic desires and noise. When one seeks the Mother, she destroys the ignorance. Crest-Moon represents the spiritual evolution of the seeker. The word crescent means ‘to grow’, thus meaning, ‘increasing’, and so was originally applied to the form of the waxing moon (lunar crescents). Trishula represent various trinities — creation, maintenance and destruction; past, present and future; the rajo, tamo and sattva guna. When looked upon as a weapon of the Divine Mother, the trishula is said to destroy the demons/demonic nature in us.
We come across many stories in Devi Mahatme. The
stories give us the clarity to recognize the negative tendencies in us. Let us contemplate spiritually on the first story. First three days is prayer to Durga. The first story is about Mahishasura. He was called ‘Mahisha’ that means a buffalo headed monster. He was troubling all the beings on earth, land and water. Durga, the Shakti took the form of Mahishasura mardhini and killed him. If you look at that story, it looks very strange, there is a buffalo headed monster and Devi comes and kills that buffalo headed demon. Now what is the spiritual significance of the story? What is that buffalo head? It is nothing but our ego, ‘I am the Body, I am the mind, and I am the intellect’. Buffalo headed means somebody who cannot understand. The Ego cannot understand anything, it says, ‘I went, I did, I said, I made, I only did all those things, I understood etc. Our ego, very stubborn, whatever we do, we keep saying ‘I me mine, I me mine, everything is I–me- mine’. It is buffalo headed and the Durga destroys that.
So, my dear friends, how does your intellect work, how does your heart work, how does your breathing happen? Are you doing those things? Then how can you say, ‘I, I and I’? Who is that I? Who did all these things? You forget all the time that it is the Shakti who does all this operating through your body. It is like electricity, when the electricity flows, the tube light works, the fans rotates, the motor works. But, the tube light can never understand that it is the electricity that is responsible for its working nor does the fan understand that it is working due to electricity. They say, ‘I am moving, I am giving light’. This is what ego is, everything happening in your body-mind complex the ego says, ‘I am doing, I am doing’, what did you do? When you eat a banana, the banana goes inside the body and becomes blood and muscle, are you doing it? But, you still say, ‘I did it? So that ego is called buffalo headed and the ego always says, ‘I did it’ and that is Mahishasura. What is buffalo head about, whatever you say nothing goes inside the head. So about the buffalo, it is said, if someone comes and hits the buffalo it thinks, ‘Oh oh! Someone is hitting someone somewhere’. The next
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time you hit buffalo, it thinks, ‘someone is hitting someone somewhere nearby’. The third time you hit, it thinks, ‘Oh oh! Someone is hitting on my back’. Fourth time you hit, it realizes ‘Oh oh! Somebody is hitting me!’ then it starts running, it takes a long time to understand. This is called buffalo head. There are lot of troubles we go through in life, and most of the times we say, ‘this trouble is because of this person, because of that person’. We start ascribing every trouble to outside. Somewhere someone is hitting. The kicks are there all time; it can come in the form of husband, wife, in-laws, boss, stock market etc. Then it takes some time to realize that there is something inside me that needs to be corrected. Have you ever seen a person who says, ‘I am suffering because of my own ignorance’, if yes, that man is great, at least he knows the problem. This is called buffalo headed monster, do not think it is sitting somewhere; it is the ignorance of human beings at the universal level, it is not only you, everyone has this buffalo head.
That destruction of ignorance of human beings is called Mahishasuramardini. It is happening at the universal level, gradually human beings will evolve, what happens at the universal level will happen at the individual level also, the same happens in your life also, you have to come out of ignorance gradually, buffalo head, for that you need a prayer to the Mother Shakti. And Mahishasura has very great companions, kama (desire), krodha (anger), moha (possessiveness), lobha (greed), mada (pride), matsyara (jealousy) - these are the six companions of Mahishasura. So the prayer is ‘Please destroy this monster called Mahishasura in the form of ego in me.’ This is the three day prayer for Durga. ‘’Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu Shakti Rupena Samshtitam; Namastasmy Namon Namaha’’
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Chandraghanta Navadurga as Chandraghanta
Chandraghanta means one who is wearing the moon as her jewel. The mind which is disturbing becomes ornament; gradually the Consciousness is able to use the moon as ornament rather than an obstacle. Today is the third day of Navratri. Durga Shakti manifests as Chandraghanta. Chandraghanta means the Divine Mother wearing the half-moon in a bell shape. She is suvarna means golden complexion, with ten hands and rides a tiger. Her weapons are in her eight hands and in the remaining two, one hand she has a bell and the other is abhaya hasta - blessing the devotees. During the battle between the Gods and demons, the horrible sound of the Divine Mothers’ bell or ghanta sent thousands of demons to the abode of death. Chandraghanta is the representation of Supreme bliss and knowledge. By her blessings, all the sins, sufferings, bad energies etc. are eliminated from her devotees' life. By riding a tiger She inspires Her devotees to be fearless. Let us go deeper to understand the meaning of Chandragantha. Chandra represents mind. The key to Peace is that the mind has to become silent. Now the problem is, throughout the day, your mind keeps jumping. Not only your mind is jumping, you can make others minds also jump. So, that process of making the mind silent is called meditation or Dhyana. When your mind is silent, you will not disturb others. When the mind becomes silent, it becomes an ornament and not an obstacle.
Divya Jyothi
Ghanta Nada represents Nadbrahma. The universal primordial sound Omkara rings and reverberates throughout the Universe continuously. In ancient India, seers and/or rishis were named after their realization. It was Sage Mandukya’s realization that just as the frog croaks, incessantly, irrespective of the presence or absence of listeners, similarly the universal primordial sound Omkara rings and reverberates throughout the Universe continuously. This Primordial sound Omkara is Nadabrahma. Nada is the sound vibration in manifestation. We can feel the Nada in four stages. The first one is what we speak and listen in the materialistic world. The second one is subtle than the first one, which cannot be heard by sense, but one can perceive through Dhyana. The third one is more subtler and one see through higher consciousness when all the senses can contemplate on the sound. The fourth one is the subtlest Para shabda, the primordial; the source of all sound can be felt through oneness with the sound. This oneness is Samadhi or Turiya and the sound felt, heard is Nadabrahma – Omkara. Ghanta nada is called Nadabrahma, because the sound of the bell washes out thousands of demons that are accumulated from birth after birth in the form of thoughts and the desires – samskaras and vasanas. Riding on the tiger represents the courageous one. One who has assimilated all the three states of Consciousness in the Super Conscious state is the Courageous One. All knowledge obtained by the mind acquired from external world during waking state is needed for survival. Dream state is characterized by knowledge when mind is not in contact with external world. Deep sleep is a state of unawareness of both the internal and external world. Waking, dreaming and deep sleep are normal states of consciousness. These are called jagrat, swapn and sushupti respectively. All these states arise and merge back into super conscious awareness called Turiya. Super consciousness is not a different state at all, but the background for all these states. The relationship between super conscious state and the other three states is like the relationship between ocean and the
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waves or sky and the clouds. Waves rise and fall in the ocean but ocean is ever unchanging. Waves have the same quality as that of the ocean. Similarly, clouds appear and disappear in the sky. But sky itself never undergoes changes. Turiyatita is a state in which one transcends the state of turiya. In Turiyatita state, the state of waking, dreaming, dreamless sleep and even turiya is realized as nothing but the expressions of pure consciousness. This is a state of non-duality. One who has this realization experiences supreme bliss. He sees every manifest and unmanifest thing in the universe as glory of his own Self. Path of Self Realization is path of joy. As one starts exploring his inner consciousness, he gets filled with wonder. As the intuition develops, leading him closer and closer to the nature of Self he starts acquiring the latent power, loosening up the bondages caused by Maya. As he starts coming out of the bondages, he gets filled with bliss. Bliss is the Natural state which has to be realized; recognised. He is Veera - the courageous one. By worshipping Goddess Chandraghanta one gets rid of all the worldly sorrows and attains supreme spiritual bliss.
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MayuraVaahani Durga Shakti as Mayura Vaahani Durga Shakti takes the form of Koumari, the Divine Mother sitting on a Peacock, beholding Shakthi Ayudha, in the form of the Power of Kumaraswamy Koumari to protect the world with her grace. Shakthi Ayudha is the power of the Divine Mother. She presented the Shakthi Ayudha to Kumara Swamy as an embodiment of her Shakthi. Shakthi Ayudha represents discrimination and spiritual insight. Its blade is wide, long and sharp implying that our knowledge must be broad, deep and penetrating. The shakthi power of the weapon, the eminent, intricate power of righteousness over the wrong doing, conquers confusion within the realms below. Peacock, the vehicle of Koumari represents the vehicle of thousands of eyes. The sharpness, Viveka required in conquering the forces of darkness – negative qualities in us. The awakening and arising of Kundalini uncoiling itself, along the central channel and reaching the thousand petalled lotus is the union of Shiva and Shakthi The eternal Bliss. The Divine Mother manifests as Koumari to awaken the kundalini Shakthi in sadhaka – the seeker. Today let us contemplate on the second story of Devi Mahatme. There were two demons called Shumbha and Nishumbha who were troubling all the people. They had a boon from Brahmaji that only a female can kill them and they were very sure that no female can kill them. So Devi took the form of Kathyayini and went for a war. Kathyayini means ‘Karth-yayini’, the power of Consciousness responsible for action. So, she went for the war. They got attracted by Kathyayini. They asked her to marry them. She told them that she would marry them if they defeat her in the fight. They thought a lady can no way defeat them and they started fighting. She killed both the demons. Shumbha and Nishumbha in Sanskrit means, pride, extreme pride (madha). You think your intelligence is sharp because of education and training, this is the pride and extreme pride. Your intelligence is sharp because of your inner Self. Intelligence is tuned to the outer world. So, Kathyayini destroyed this pride.
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Kushmanda Navadurga as Kushmanda Kushmanda means in the darkness of the night there is the birth of the egg of the universe, and this represents the big bang. Durga Shakti manifests as Kushmanda on the fourth day of Navaratri. In Sanskrit kushmanda means 'ku' 'ushma' and 'anda'. 'Ku' means little, 'ushma' means warmth and 'anda' is means egg. She creates the whole universe as a little cosmic egg. She is with eight-arm holding Kamandalu, Gada (bludgeon), Dhanush (arc), Chakra, lotus-flower and other edges. Her eighth arm with a Japmala (rosary). She resides on Saurmandal (solar system). Like Sun, Kushmanda illuminates and removes darkness. Kushmanda signifies the beginning of what we see, beginning of the manifest world, beginning of the beginning. What was there in the beginning of beginning? There was nothing, the plants, animals, stars, galaxies nothing. What was there before beginning? Was there something or nothing was there? The exploration of the beginning of the beginning is Kushmanda. There was something in the beginning of beginning but it is not something that we are seeing now or we know today. It is that supreme reality ‘Tat’. It was in the beginning of the beginning; middle and will be there even after the end. It is ever there. From which the new creation of the Universe starts repeatedly. In scientist language, it is ‘Big Bang’ theory. Before the Big Bang day, there was nothing, at the time Big Bang happened and all the matter and energy collapsed into microscopic dot, smaller than the tip of the needle. Smaller than the smallest that exploded into all that is there, the galaxies; stars; solar system; the living and non-living came from one small pinball of light, and that moment of explosion is Big Bang to scientist; that pinball is Bindu to yogis and that Bindu is Kushmanda – concentrated energy point from which the whole Universe was exploded/ created. Fourth day of Navaratri is to remember that beginning of the beginning; that Supreme reality; the cause of all causes; manifestation of the Universe from the Unmanifest Supreme reality – kushmanda.
Divya Jyothi
GarudaVaahani Durga Shakti as Vaishnavi – Garuda Vaahini
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darshana - vision while the sadaka - seeker moves upwards in his spiritual journey. When the seeker starts moving upwards from muladhara chakra to sahasrara after the awakening of the Kundalini shakti, he starts visualizing auspicious forms of the Universal Mother in each chakra. Shankha The shankha (conch-shell) is considered sacred and auspicious. The conch and the bell produce blissful sounds. A great yogi is said to subliminally hear the shankhanaada - sound of perfect blowing of Conch, within him during the higher stages of trance in Sadhana. When the conch is blown with controlled breath, the primordial sound of "Om" emanates from it. This eternal sound is said to be the origin of all Vedas. All knowledge enshrined in the Vedas is an elaboration of the omnipresent sublime sound of ‘Om’. It was this sound that was chanted by the Lord before manifesting the cosmos. It represents the creation and the Truth behind it. It represents Dharma or righteousness that is one of the four noble goals of human life - Dharma; Artha; Kama; Moksha. It represents the victory over the evil. Spiritually saying, it represents the victory over the ego and ignorance.
The Universal Mother as the Power of Sri Mahavishnu, sitting on the Garuda, beholding Shankha - Conch, Chakra - Disc, and Gadaa, blesses her devotees. Sudarshana Chakra is weapon in hand of Shri Vaishnavi. Shri Vaishnavi carries conch, disc Sudarshana, Gada. Each symbolises one aspect of creation. For example, conch signifies primordial sound Omkar, maze symbolises law of karma and lotus symbolises enlightenment. Sudarshana symbolises the universal intelligence Mahat tatwa. You may know stories from Purana where Shri Vaishnavi kills demons with Sudarshana. Demons represent ignorance. Su+darshana means clear seeing. A purified intellect is able to see demon called ignorance and kills it. At universal level, Shri Vaishnavi kills ignorance using universal intelligence to help the humanity evolve. Garuda Garuda is strong and is said to be the worst enemy of the snake. The Universal Mother is the Kundalini Shakti in all human beings. When the Kundalini Shakti awakens and starts moving, the Garuda acts as the vehicle for the Universal Mother. Sudarshana bestows Su -auspicious;
Gadaa Gadaa is the weapon used to destroy the evil - the demonic nature in the seeker.
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Skanda Mata
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ing, this Vel Ayudha hurls into the astral plane, piercing discordant sounds, colors and shapes, removing the mind's darkness.
Navadurga as Skanda Mata Skanda Mata is the Queen of Queens. That is power in the scepter. Standing behind the temporal majesty, She advises and authorizes. Her weapon empowering the ruler, justice prevails; wisdom enriches the minds of human beings.
Six faced Lord Skanda is the Adhidevata for six chakras in the body. Karthika devatas are the bright stars representing the wisdom. The weapon represents the Spinal cord. Six faces of Lord Skanda energize the Six Chakras.
On the fifth day of Navaratri Durga Shakti manifests as Skanda Mata. Skanda is the Mother of Subramanya. He is the chief commander of the army of the divine gods, the divine qualities, that is why he is called Subramanya. He is the commander, the Senadhipati of the six chankras in us, Muladhara, Swadhistana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddi , Ajna, Sahasrara and that is why he is called the Skanda and he has the weapon the Vel. This weapon represents the spinal cord.
Vel Ayudha - The Universal Mother presented the Vel Ayudha to Kumara Swamy as an embodiment of her Shakti or power wielded by Lord Karttikeya, or Skanda, embodies discrimination and spiritual insight. Its blade is wide, long and keen, just as our knowledge must be broad, deep and penetrating.
The shakti power of the weapon, the eminent, intricate power of righteousness over wrongdoing, conquers confusion within the realms below. The holy Ayudha, that when thrown always hits its mark and of itself returns to Karttikeya's mighty hand, rewards us when righteousness prevails and becomes the kundalini serpent's unleashed power thwarting our every effort with punishing remorse when we transgress dharma's law. Thus, the holy vel Ayudha is our release from ignorance into knowledge, our release from vanity into modesty, our release from sinfulness into purity through tapas. When we perform penance and beseech Skanda Mata’s bless-
The birth of the Lord Skanda heralds the upward movement of Kundalini energy in Sadhak. Tarakasura – undefeatable demon is the ego that has survived millions of life times. The marriage of Shiva and Shakti in Sahasrar heralds the march of Divine Army lead by Lord Skanda. Lord Skanda is the Senadhipathi – Commander in Chief of armies of Devas. Devas represent light. Devas are the forces of light of consciousness. All positive qualities or Divine qualities
Kundalini : Kundalini is the supreme spiritual power residing in the lowest of the six psychic centres in an individual (muladhara) as a coiled serpent gone to sleep. As long as this energy is asleep, the individual is outward oriented; he involves in the world and lives an ordinary life. The grace of Sadguru is the only way to wake up this energy. When an individual is graced with Shakti-path deeksha from his Sadguru, the Kundalini gets awakened and suddenly the individual becomes inward-oriented and intensifies his spiritual practices. When the Kundalini is awake, the energy moves upwards , breaking through the three phenomenal knots of life named Brahma granti, Vishnu granti and Rudra granti burning up the six lotus chakras and reaches the thousand-petalled lotus on top of the head Sahasrara where Shiva-Pure Consciousness resides. The Kundalini shakti moves upwards and unites with Shiva and this Union is the purpose of what is known as Kundalini –yoga. Kundalini shakti is ever present in the form of '' hissing'' sound. When we close both our ears we hear this sound from inside. Zzzzz The central ascending 'Channel' known as Sushumna
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occurs inside the most minute channel enclosed within another channel, which runs inside and along the backbone called Meru-danda and reaches up to the subtle opening on top of the head (brahma-randhra). To the left of sushumna but outside the meru-danda is another channel called ida, originating from the same source as the Sushumna, but ending in the left nostril; and to its right, also outside the meru-danda, is the channel known as Pingala, originating as ida does but ending in the right nostril. Sushumna represents the principle of Fire, ida (masculine) represents the solar principle, and Pingala (feminine) represents the lunar principle. The three channels are united in their origin in the basal centre (muladhara) and hence they are called Yuktatriveni, (three streams united). The streams are subtle and representatives of the river Ganga-ida, the river Yamuna-pingala, and the hidden river SarasvatiSushumana. The central channel being blocked is responsible for the separation of Shakti and Shiva (pure consciousness). The awakening and arising of Kundalini uncoiling itself, along the central channel and reaching the thousand petalled lotus is the union of Shiva and Shakti - The eternal Bliss.
The Divine Mother manifests as Skanda Mata to awaken the kundalini Shakti in sadaka - seeker.
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Varahi Durga Shakti as Varahi According to Devi Mahatme from the Durga Shakti manifests as Varahi from the bodies of the gods on the ďŹ fth day of Navaratri. The scriptures say that Varahi was created from Varaha. She has a boar form, wields a chakra (discus), and ďŹ ghts with a sword The goddess Durga in the form of Varahi leads the eight Matrikas in battle against the demon Raktabeejasura. So let us go through the story of Raktabeejasura and its spiritual signiďŹ cance. After destroying Shumbha and Nishumbha the pride, extreme pride (madha) another demon called Raktabeejasura came. He had a boon from Brahmaji that if one drop of his blood falls on the earth, a million Raktabeejasuras will be born out of that single drop of blood. So, then the lion of Kalika Ma came and suck the entire blood and not a single drop of blood fell on the earth and the demon, Raktabeejasura is killed. What does Raktabeejasura mean? Rakta means blood and beeja means that which is deep inside the blood. So what is deep inside our blood? The desires, constantly they sprout. One desire has the ability to create one million desires. So the Raktabeejasura represents this desire and she kills the Raktabeejasura also. Now, the desires cannot be killed, desires have to be eliminated with right understanding. Symbolically this represents the destruction of the negative qualities in us and also it represents the process of the evolution in Universe. It is not just at the individual level, it is at the Universal level also. At the universal level, there is movement of human beings from the unconsciousness to Consciousness and more and more evolved human beings are born. The Varahi Shakti represents this.
Divya Jyothi
Kathyayini
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something, which is not changing, in the world there is something that is not changing, that is called Kathyayini. The unchanging principle in the changing Phenomena is called Kathyayini. There is very interesting story in Devi Mahatme related to action without thinking and no action. Kathyayini
Durga Shakti manifests as Karthyayini who in turn becomes Sri Chamundeshwari. Kathyayini represents the power of action in the universe, everything in the Universe is moving, earth is moving, more importantly, your head is moving, and constantly thoughts are moving. The power behind this moving or happening is called Kathyayini. Change or moving is eternal. Something happened yesterday, something is happening today and something is going to happen tomorrow. Everything is changing, what was there yesterday it is not there today, what is there today it will not be there tomorrow; moment to moment it is changing. You might have noticed, when you meet your relative you see their daughter or son of young age but when you meet them after one year that child has become big and next year if you go, that same child would have grown up with moustache etc. So many changes happen to the extent that you cannot recognize. The seasons change, the weather pattern is changing, life style is changing. Everything changes; there is nothing in the Universe that is constant. Oh! If everything changes, then why is not everything collapsing? Everything is changing moment to moment. Something must be there which is not changing or else how can it sustain the ever changing? Everything has to collapse. The building is there, the building has foundation. Only if you have the foundation you can build the building, otherwise the building will collapse. To make something, to have something which is changing there should be something which is not changing. What is that which is not changing in the world? That is the power behind any action, Kathyayini. In you, there is
means ‘Karth-yayini’, the power of Consciousness responsible for action. So she went for a war and in that war, two demons called Chanda and Munda attacked her whom she killed and that is why she is called Chamundeshwari. We have the Chamundeshwari temple in Mysore. Now what are Chanda and Munda? Munda means the head without body and Chanda means the body without a head. Now what are the qualities of the body without a head and a head without a body? There are people who keep on doing without thinking. They just go on doing and they are also demonic in nature. They keep on creating mess. They are called Chanda. They do not have head, but they have body. Chanda is someone who does action without thinking. There are some people and whether it is action at office, home or anywhere, they never question 'why'? If they have to do puja in the morning for 15 minutes, they do that puja exactly for 15minutes. They do not think anything further. If something is told to do they do it without any questions asked. They do not think, they just blindly do that. They are called as Chanda. Then we have people who are Munda. They have only head, no body, and no action. They keep on thinking, criticizing, they do not do any action at all. We come across such people in life who just keep on criticizing and finding faults in others. They keep on saying ‘This is not happening, that is not proper, they cannot do that, etc.’. So these are the two kinds of people, Chanda and Munda, both are Asuras, demons. Sometime back, we were trying to teach Sri Lalitha Sahasranama
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at our place. Some of our neighbors came for a couple of days and then they stopped coming. Somebody told them that if you do a mistake while chanting Sri Lalitha Sahasranama, then Lalitha devi will get angry with you and curse you. What all types of ignorance we have! Then somebody came and told that women should not chant Shri Vishnu Sahasranama and women who were chanting Shri Vishnu Sahasranama stopped chanting. So, we will not question why and we just accept somebody's ignorance as it is. This is the state of Chanda and Munda, doing without thinking and thinking but not doing. These are the two categories of ignorance in the world. So Devi Kathyayini after destroying these two types of ignorance is called Sri Chamundeshwari. Only when we pray to this power of Consciousness energy that will give us the right thinking and right action, we can be ready for evolution.
Mahendri Durga Shakti as Mahendri Durga Shakti manifests as Mahendri. Devi beholding the Vajrayudha, sitting on Airavata, as the chethana shakti of Devendra and as the destroyer of demons like Vritrasura, takes care of her devotees. The Universal Mother manifests as Indrani (queen of Indra). Indrani is the goddess of wrath and jealousy. She is one of the seven Matrikas (mother goddesses). She is described as beautiful and having one thousand eyes. She is associated with lions and elephants. It is said that Indrani has similar characteristics of Indra and the same Vahana (vehicle) – white elephant.
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Airavata rising from the ocean during the churning of the ocean (samudra manthan), the elephant becomes associated with Indra and assumes celestial importance early in the tradition. He is mounted upon the white elephant Airavata, who has seven trunks, denoting the six chakras in the body and the seventh one is the Sahasrara. Samudra manthan is the awakening of the Kundalini shakti and moving upwards unleashing the knots of six energy chakras. Airavata is associated with Ganesha who is the deity of Muladhara chakra. Vajrayudha is the weapon made from the backbone of Dadhichi Rishi. Vajrayudha represents the Sushumna Nadi where the six energy chakras move upwards towards Sahasrara. Indrani is the Devata means light, the shining one. This is not physical light, it is the light of the consciousness shining through the sense organs. Indrani means master of Indriyas, the sense organs. When the Devatas are in some trouble, the Universal Mother manifests to support them and to safeguard them. Devatas are the subordinates of lord Indira. Even though they are Devatas, they are not yet liberated, hence get attracted to the sensual pleasures and get into troubles. As jīvas (human beings) need food for survival, Devatas need Amrutha for survival. As human beings are attracted towards the sensual pleasure, Devatas are also attracted. The only difference is they live for a long time, but after their good get exhausted, they have to take birth as human beings. They can never get liberated as Devatas. Vritrasura The Asura who attacked the Devatas is Vritrasura who represents the disturbances in our mind. Vritrasura is the Chitta (Intellect), vrittis are the impressions and vasanas stored in Chitta. The mind filled with desire is full of disturbances due to the stored impressions and vasanas is Vritrasura. Devatas represent our sense organs. The inputs from sense organs are received by the objective mind (manas). When the senses become aware of some object, an impression of the object is created in the objective mind and the associated impressions and vasanas for that particular object arise from the subconscious mind. For example, if the chair is the object here, then Chitta (stores impressions and vasanas) identifies the object as “plastic chair or wooden chair”. Egoistic impressions color the perception with “my chair, nice chair ... etc.” The intellect takes decision based on the inputs from Chitta and directs the organs
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of action. This ego and ignorance is our lower mind. This lower mind is also a asura called Bhandasura – the stubborn nature of the mind which causes the disturbance - Vritrasura. When these sense organs get fed up of the outer world (materialistic), they start moving inwards surrendering completely to the Divine Mother. Indrani manifests to fulfill the wish of the devatas - Mukthi from Vritrasura.
Kalaratri
DurgaShakti manifests as Kalaratri on the seventh day of Navaratri. Kalaratri represents the power of time that cannot be seen. Time is darkness, only the effect of time can be felt. The effect of time can be felt in our birth, growth and death and this power of time is called Kalaratri. Kaal Ratri means one who destroys ignorance and removes darkness. This form primarily depicts that life also has a dark side – the violence of Mother Nature, creating havoc and removing all dirt. Kalaratri is explained in the form of Time. The time has past, present and future and timeless aspect, which is beyond time. These three aspects represent the Saguna, Nirguna and Para Brahma (Transcendental). Saguna rupa is form aspect of God. Nirguna rupa, the formless aspect of God is Kalaratri. Para brahma is beyond all these. What is time? How did this concept of time come? The time comes because you see two different events. For example, you saw sunrise yesterday, sunset yesterday; you see sunrise today, and sunset today. You ob-
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serve two different events and conclude there is a gap between these two events. That is time. The time is the space between the intervals between the observations of two space objects. What about space? Space itself is time as per the relative theory. The space and the time are one. The time and space are very relative, what happens is, you infer about time based on the space that is between two events. In reality, you have not seen the passage of time. You remembered to have seen sunlight yesterday, you are seeing the sunlight today; you are comparing the real event with the memory event and making issues, the time has passed. Yesterday was today for you when you experienced the sunrise; today is today for you when you experienced the sunrise. There is nothing called yesterday or tomorrow, it is only today, the present moment. Real event is what you are seeing now, all others are unreal events. What you experienced yesterday was real yesterday, but that moment was today for you. Everything is required for interaction, but in reality it does not exist. What all is happening is at the present moment, now, now and now. Now is the only reality. The time is unreal. Is space real? The gap between any two objects is space. This again is nothing but the memory. Seeing one object and looking at the other object makes you remember about the memory object, and the gap between the memory object and the real object makes you feel there is space. In reality, there is no time and space but the appearance of time and space as real is due the memories and accepting the time events consequently. Kalaratri represents the power of time that cannot be seen. Kalaratri is the time, the space between the intervals of observations of two space objects that cannot be seen. Kalaratri is the present moment, now, now and now.
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Kaal Ratri primarily depicts that life also has a dark side – the violence of Mother Nature, creating havoc and removing all dirt. Generalizing about what happened in Uttarakhand, most of the people say, it is because the Mother Earth could not bear the sinful acts committed by the human beings, she got frustrated and wanted to clean up. She pleaded with the Universal Consciousness and the Chetana Shakti of the Universal Consciousness – Ganga cleaned up a portion of Mother Earth. She could have cleaned up the whole Universe by taking it back to her womb, but this incident is to bring awareness in human beings about the sins they are committing or the way nature responds. When we go deeper and contemplate on this tragic incident, the inner Consciousness answers our question, the cause and the effect of this disaster. The answer comes out in the form of Pancha Maha Yagna which is our Nitya Dharma. Are we performing this Pancha Maha Yagna in our day to day life? What is this Pancha Maha Yagna? What has this to do with this disaster? Pancha Maha Yagnas are Deva Yagna; Rishi Yagna; Pitru Yagna; Manushya Yagna; Bhuta Yagna. Deva Yagna – Respecting divine forces of nature. It is service for conservation of environment, worship of Ishtadaivata. In modernization we damage nature which is the main cause of natural calamities. Rishi Yagna – Bringing awareness of our higher responsibility by reading scriptures like Upanishads, Bhagavadgita. Service through learning and teaching the message of Rishis and surrender to Sadguru. Pitru Yagna - Service to elders/senior citizens. Have love and compassion towards elders and senior citizens. NaraNarayana Seva - Manushya Yagna - Service to guests, human beings, service to orphans and physically handicapped. Doing motivational workshops for children. When these are missing in one’s life, when people do not perform these yagnas, there is pain and suffering in their lives. This is the real cause and the effect is the disaster. Uttarkhand disaster is just a part of cleaning up process. Such incidents bring awareness in human beings as to how nature strikes back when it rages up. This is nothing compared to the tsunamis that we see in many parts of the world. Still, if the human beings are not aware of all their sinful actions, which are going beyond the limit of nature control, then the Deluge happens and that is ‘The End’. What does ‘The End’ mean? The end means, it can be the beginning of a new Era or end of an existing Era.
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When speaking about our inner world the ‘End’ can be the end of our ignorance and the beginning of the Jnana. Kaal Ratri is the one who destroys ignorance and removes darkness.
Saraswati Durga Shakti as Saraswati
Durga Shakti manifests as Saraswati on the seventh day of Navaratri. The last three days we do Sharada, Saraswathi Puja. Saraswathi is the Adi Devata for Vidya, Knowledge. Saraswati is the Shakti (creative energy) of Brahma. She is the Devata for wisdom Music art and meditation. Sharada is incarnation of Saraswati. Saraswati is also the river flowing from Kashmir area where Vedic wisdom flourished. Sharada is the form in which Saraswati appeared to Rishis. Saraswati is formless. Sharada is with form (Saguna). Saraswati is worshipped as Sharada during last three days of Navaratri beginning of winter (sharat ritu hence name Sharada). Saraswati is Brahma Vidya. Saraswati is Nirguna Brahman attributeless and the absolute. Saraswati is the river which is not visible but merges with Gangotri and Yamunotri. That river is Saraswati – which is known as Guptagamini – the hidden one. Guptagamini is Nirguna Brahman. She is the Jnana that flows internally. Saraswati represents consciousness and wisdom. She is also regarded as the bestower of her own knowledge. Saraswati literally means as the one 'swa' (own) who gives her own knowledge 'Sara'. Goddess Saraswati dressed in the colour of purity and seated on a white Lotus represents that she is supreme reality and knowledge. The rosary signifies concentration
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and meditation. The Veena in Her hands is the intellect. Saraswati has a vehicle called swan, swan has an ability to separate milk from water that represents the discrimination. Viveka and vairagya – discrimination and dispassion. Sharada – Sharada is Brahma Vidya Rupini. Sharada is Goddess Saraswati herself. Sharada is Saguna Brahman means with attributes. Sharada holds a mala representing meditation with silence; a book that signifies knowledge; veena represents viveka and vairagya, the arohana and avarohana. Sharada represents Sadguru as she is the bestower of the auspicious Knowledge. The peacock represents the Soundarya or the Bliss/Joy of Brahma Vidya. The difference between attributeless and attribute is just how we perceive. There are two types of Vidya, Para Vidya and Apara Vidya. Para Vidya is highest wisdom and Apara Vidya is lower wisdom. What we do for living, whether it is Engineering, Medicine, Science, Arts, Cooking, Cycling etc., they all come under the category of Apara Vidya, the lower knowledge. This lower knowledge is required for our daily living. We then pray her for Para Vidya, the wisdom of the Self, Atma Jnana, knowledge of the Self, which comes through Upanishads, Vedanta, Brahmasutras, Yoga Shastras, and teaching of the Guru. The prayer for Saraswathi is to shows us the path for Para Vidya, grant us the path of Para Vidya. What is this highest wisdom and how to get it? I am not the body, I am not the Mind, I am not the intellect, and I am pure sprit’. This realization is called Self Knowledge ‘Atmajnana’ This is the spiritual knowledge that one has to gain. To understand this truth one has to study Shastras, Vedanta, Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutras. We have to understand ‘What is my reality?’ To understand our true nature, we need to get teachings from a Sadguru, Enlightened master. So, three days we pray Saraswathi to show us the path of Enlightenment. So Navaratri is about is about Path of light, Uttaraadi marga or Path of Darkness, Dakshinaadi marga. Navaratri is about Shreyas and Preyas, it is about Liberation or eternal bondage. Navaratri is about prayer for freedom from all ignorance, our illusions. Navaratri is about prayer for granting us all the divine qualities which is the sadhana Sampatti. And Navaratri is about the prayer for Para Vidya.
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Maha Gowri Maha Gowri represents the auspiciousness, the ability of human beings to evolve.
DurgaShakti manifests as Maha Gowri on the eight day of Navarati. Her power is unfailing and instantly fruitful. All sins of past, present and future get washed away and
devotees get purified in all aspects of life by worshiping Maha Gowri. . Maha Gowri is intelligent, peaceful and calm. Due to her long austerities in the deep forests of the Himalayas, she developed a dark complexion. When Lord Shiva cleaned her with the water of the Ganges, her body regained its beauty and she came to be known as Maha Gauri, which mean extremely white. She wears white clothes, has four arms, and rides on a bull. Her right hand is in the pose of allaying fear and her right lower hand holds a trident. The left upper hand holds a ‘damaru’ (a small rattle drum) and the lower one is in the pose of granting boons to her devotees. Goddess Gowri is one of the manifestations of Goddess Parvati. She is the divine energy, Mother Goddess. She is considered as a perfect wife for her husband, Lord Shiva. She is a clear representation of purity and austerity. She is the Kanya (unmarried girl) who performed severe penance to marry Lord Shiva. Uma is the Supreme Will power of Lord Shiva. It is the Will power of Lord Shiva makes him manifest the entire universe out of his own body of consciousness and take the body of jiva – individual self to explore the Universe. It is She who bestows her grace on highly evolved yogi in the form of intuitive flash that bestows liberation. Due to merger of his selfidentity with absolute identity of Lord Shiva, yogi acquires the supreme Will power and can manifest anything if he desires so. Consciousness is the sole reality of
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Universe. The energy of consciousness Para Shakti in the form Will, Wisdom and Action creates, sustains and dissolves the Universe. Let us contemplate how Ganga flows internally and cleans up the darkness or ignorance in human beings and brings ability in them to evolve. There are four sacred places (Chardham) in Uttarkhand – Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badarinath and Kedaranath. Gangotri is the Ugama Sthana, Yamunotri is the flow and joins Gangotri. There is one more river that is not visible but merges with Gangotri and Yamunotri. That river is Saraswati – which is known as Guptagamini – the hidden one. She is the Jnana that flows internally as Jnana Ganga. Next come Badarinath and Kedaranath. It is said ‘Gurucharano mein Charodhaam’. These four sacred places are at the feet of the Master. How is it possible? What we visit the Chardham in Uttarkand are the physical places we go year after year with never ending process. The whole purpose to go there is to drop Ajnana that is ignorance. Going to Yatra – pilgrimage is the Sadhana done for purification. Ultimately the Guru paduka of the Master that can never said to be physical is Viveka and Vairagya. Viveka and Vairagya are the Padukas of Sadguru. Without Viveka and Vairagya if you keep on going to Yatra, you may feel peaceful for a short while, but again your mind is disturbed. The reason for this is because Viveka and Vairagya are missing. Viveka and Vairagya are the Paduka of the Sadguru and the Feet (Pada) of the Sadguru is prema and Jnana, which is love and Wisdom. The wisdom is complete detachment. Nothing to do with the world, I am free, I am Atma is Mukthi. Prema is, everything in the world has come from me. This is the feet of the Master. The wisdom is the Jnana Ganga that purifies, which is flowing from Shiva’s head. The river Ganga purifies physically, but it is the Jnana Ganga that purifies one from internally. There was meaning in early days for Ganga Snana (bath). What happened was, in these Yatra Sthalas there were many Sadhus and Mahatmas staying there. In earlier days there was no bus, train and airplanes for transportation. It used to take six months, eight months for journey. In between journey, you see many people, you interact with many people and go to Ganga teera and take rest there where you come across many Mahatmas who will give you Jnana Ganga and then you get into Ganga Nadi. Now Jnana Ganga is missing and Ganga Snana has become a dip and come back.
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Gangotri , Yamunotri, Badarinath and Kedaranath are the Chardhams (four sacred places). Ganga ugama is Gangotri; Yamuna ugama is Yamunotri; Badari is for Narayana and Kedar is for Shiva. Ganga and Yamuna represent the energy channels in spinal cord of human beings. This is called Ida and Pingala and the central channel called Sushumna is Saraswathi that is not visible and is called as Guptagamini. Gangotri and Yamunotri represent the energy systems in the human body according to the individual level. The mind is of double nature, outgoing nature and inward moving nature. They represent Ida and Pingala Nadi. Sushumna is the central Nadi that takes you to the higher Consciousness. Higher Consciousness is what we call as the Abode of Narayana, which is actually Badari. The mind that loses all its outgoing nature because of detachment (Vairagya) is Kedara. Mind that is detached is Kedaranath and that has to be moved inwards towards Narayana is Badari. Narayana means Naranam Aayanaha – Narayana. Nara means human being who has identified with body and mind. His suffering is due to his identification with body and mind. Aayanam means resting place. Resting place for such a soul – detached soul is called Narayana and that is nothing but your Consciousness; Atma; Sakshi; that is Badarinarayana. Kedara is Vairagya; Narayana is Mukthi dhama; Gangotri and Yamunotri is outgoing and inward flowing minds. So, the Paduka of Sadguru gives Viveka and Vairagya (Gangotri); the feet of Sadguru gives Prema and Jnana (Yamunotri); the words of Sadguru makes us move inward which is Spiritual evolution (Badari); the inner journey gives us the knowledge of wisdom, the Knowledge imparted by Sadguru which is not visible is Atmajnana (Saraswathi); this is the complete detachment from the Universe and merge in the Universal Consciousness which is nothing but the Manolaya that is Kedara. This Manolaya is the end; the deluge of the mind. This is the state of mind and way of living all the
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time. This is the power or Shakti of Maha Gowri on the eight day of Navarati. Her power is unfailing and instantly fruitful. All sins of past, present and future get washed away and devotees get purified in all aspects of life.
Maa Durga Durga Shakti as Maa Durga
Durga Shakti manifests as Maa Durga on the eight day of Navaratri. Durga is durgathi nashini, destroys the ignorance so she is called Durga. So the prayer is for Durga for destruction of the negative qualities in us. If you are leading a spiritual life, Durga prayer is to destroy your ignorance (Ajnana) and get liberated. For outer life Durga gives victory over the enemies. That is why Durgashtami means celebration of the victory, whereas inner life, Durga is the destruction of negative qualities called Adhishatwarga – kama, krodha, madha, matsara, moha, lobha. Durga is ‘durgama’ which means very difficult to cross,
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very very difficult. The illusion of Maya is very difficult to cross it is impossible. The prayer for Durga is ‘Durgati naashini’, the destroyer of Durgati. What is Durgati? We think what is unreal to be real and what is real we forget. Unreal is the world and real is the Self. The Self is forgotten and only the world becomes real. That is called real durgati. The prayer for Durga is to free us from this Durgati which is the eternal cycle of birth and death. The prayer for Durga to destroy Tamo guna that is the ignorance. The power of Durga will invoke to destroy the ignorance in us because of which we forget our own divine nature in us. The prayer is, ‘Please free us from our ignorance, destroy as a destroyer, the kaama, krodha, mada, moha, lobha and maatsarya, the six enemies, the six children of ignorance which are making me suffer and more than making me suffer, they are making others suffer because of me’. The prayer is for freedom from all these six enemies. When you start, ok, you want to go on the path of Enlightenment, then all the disturbance of the mind has to go. The disturbance of the mind is caused by Kama, Krodha, Madha, Matsara, Moha, Lobha. The six enemies, adhishatwarga. And who else better than, who else other than Durga can destroy these six enemies? Because enemies are born out of what you call as Tamo guna, so the prayer for Durgaashtami or prayer for Durga is for Shakti, the power to destroy the six enemies of human beings. It is called adhishatwarga. In India, people are called as Mahavira only when they conquer the six inner enemies. Surprisingly anywhere else in the world, Mahavira is one who has conquered the kingdom. One who has won the wars. What we realized in India is, to win a war outside maybe easier, but war inside is much tougher. The inner war is much tougher. That is why Mahavira is a name given to a person who has won the inner war, battle of Kama, Krodha, Madha, Matsara, Moha, Lobha. Destroy the inner enemies. For destruction of inner enemies, there is Durga. Durga is called Durgatinashini, destroyer of ignorance. There is one more interesting story in Devi Mahatme. The story is about Mahishasura. He was called ‘Mahisha’ which means a buffalo headed monster. He was troubling all the beings on Earth, land and water. Durga, the Shakti took the form of Mahishasura mardhini and killed him. If you look at that story, it
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looks very strange, there is a buffalo headed monster and Devi comes and kills that buffalo heeded demon. Now what is the spiritual significance of the story? What is that buffalo head? It is nothing but our ego, ‘I am the Body, I am the mind, and I am the intellect’. Buffalo headed means somebody who cannot understand. The Ego cannot understand anything, it says, ‘I went, I did, I said, I made, I only did all those things, I understood etc.’. Our ego, very stubborn, whatever you do, you keep saying ‘I me mine, I me mine, everything is I–me- mine’. It is buffalo headed and the Durga destroys that. So, my dear friends, how does your intellect work, how does your heart work, how does your breathing happen? Are you doing those things? Then how can you say, ‘I, I and I’? Who is that I? Who did all these things? You forget all the time that it is the Shakti who does all this operating through your body. It is like electricity, when the electricity flows, the tube light works, the fans rotates, the motor works. But the tube light can never understand that it is the electricity that is responsible for its working nor does the fan understand that it is working due to electricity. They say, ‘I am moving, I am giving light’. This is what ego is, everything happening in your body-mind complex the ego says, ‘I am doing, I am doing’, what did you do my dear? When you eat a banana, the banana goes inside the body and becomes blood and muscle, are you doing it? But you still say, ‘I did it? So that ego is called buffalo headed and the ego always says, ‘I did it’ and that is Mahishasura. What is buffalo head is about, whatever you say nothing goes inside. So about the buffalo, it is said, someone comes and hits the buffalo and the buffalo thinks, ‘Oh oh! Someone is hitting someone somewhere, ok.’ The next time you hit, it thinks, ‘Some one is hitting somewhere nearby’, the third time you hit, it thinks, ‘Oh oh! Some one is on my back’, then fourth time, ‘Oh oh! Somebody is hitting me!’ Then it starts running, it takes a long time to understand. This is called buffalo head, have you come across buffalo headed people? There are lot of troubles of we go through in life, and most of the times we say, ‘This trouble is because of this person, because of that person this trouble is there’. We start ascribing every trouble to outside. Somewhere some one is hitting. The kicks are there all time, it can come in the form of husband, wife, in-laws, boss, stock market etc. Somewhere someone is hitting, ok. It is not me, somebody is hitting. Then it takes some time to realize that there is something inside me that needs to be corrected.
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By the time fourth hit has happened, you will realize that outside is not relevant, something I have improve within me, that is called buffalo headed. And most of the people you come across, you see them saying, ‘I am suffering because of this person’. You please find out some person, who says, ‘I am suffering because of my own ignorance’, that man is great, at least he knows the problem. This is called buffalo headed monster, don’t think it is sitting somewhere; it is the ignorance of human beings at the universal level, it is not only you, everyone has this buffalo head. Universe is gradually moving from unconsciousness to Consciousness. If you look at the animal instincts will be preserved in the first level of human beings, the nature has to gradually come out of that. That destruction of ignorance of human beings is called Mahishasuramardini. It is happening at the universal level, gradually human beings will evolve, what happens at the universal level will happen at the individual level also, the same happens in your life also, you have to come out of ignorance gradually, buffalo head, for that you need a prayer to the Mother Shakti. And Mahishasura has very great companions, kama (desire), krodha (anger), moha (possessiveness), lobha (greed), mada (pride), matsyara (jealousy) - these are the six companions of Mahishasura. So the prayer is ‘Please destroy this monster called Mahishasura in the form of ego in me.’ This is the prayer for Durga.
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Siddhidatri
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or non-doing. Such an attitude will ensure that he is not affected by the result, nor emotionally disturbed. This is called Naishkarmya siddhi.
Navadurga as Siddhidatri To acquire the ninth siddhi we have to pray Durga to destroy our negative qualities. But just removing the negative qualities is not sufficient. We need to pray for the positive, divine qualities. There are two paths, Preyas and Shreyas. So, when we are in the path of Preyas we seek outer wealth and when we are in the path of Shreyas which is for our spiritual upliftment, we seek the highest divine qualities, Shat Sampatti, called the inner wealth. Maha Lakshmi gives outer wealth through different forms like Dhana Lakshmi, Dhanya Lakshmi, Santana Lakshmi and so on. The outer wealth will give us protection but what is more important is the inner wealth, the inner Shakti that is required for us to practice Spiritual practices. The six highest spiritual inner qualities, Shat Sampatti are Shama (Patience), Dama (Control over the senses or mastery the senses), Titeeksha (Ability to withstand pain), Uparati (Turning mind inwards), Shraddha (Faith in teachings of Vedas and Guru), Samdhaana (Contentment and one pointedness of the mind), Mumukshatva (Desire for Mukthi/Liberation). Durga Shakti manifests as Siddhidatri on the ninth day of Navaratri. Siddhidatri represents the powers of the mind, many powers of the mind can be developed, and these are called nine powers of Consciousness that will help you to evolve. The eight Siddhis (Supernatural powers) one can acquire by praying Ma Durga are as follows: Anima: Ability to reduce one's size; Mahima: Ability to increase one's size; Garima: Ability to increase one's weight infinitely; Laghima: Ability to become lighter than the lightest; Prāpti: Ability to Obtain anything; Prākāmya: Ability to acquire anything desired; Isitva: Lordship over creation; Vaśitva: Having control over things. The highest of all the siddhis is the ninth siddhi is Naishkarmya siddhi. Actions in Sakshi Bhava - Witness Consciousness One can be sakshi while doing action or while doing
We pray to Mother Maha Lakshmi to grant us the inner wealth so that we see the path of light, we be in the path of Shreyas, rather than in the path of Preyas. This is the inner journey. Maha Lakshmi also gives the outer qualities that are required for a Sadhaka like Sadguru (An enlightened master), Satsanga (a spiritual support group), Seva (service,) sadhana (spiritual practice), Shastras (teachings) and Sharanagati (surrender). This is the outer support that Maha Lakshmi gives for the Sadhaka who is in the path of Adhyatmika sadhana. So we pray for both inner and outer wealth When one acquires the Spiritual wealth – shat sampatti, he is in the path of acquiring the ninth and the highest siddhi, Naishkarmya siddhi. Let us understand what is Naishkarmya siddhi. In day to day life we do good actions to earn good merits, this is Kamya Karma. - Doing actions without expecting returns is Nishkama
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Karma. - Doing actions in a state of witness consciousness is Sakshi Bhava - Naishkarmya Siddhi.
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Maha Navami Durga Shakti as Maha Navami
With respect to any activity there are 2 possibilities. - Action - Doing - Non Action - Non Doing
Durga Shakti manifests as Maha Navami – Ayuda Devata on the ninth day of Navaratri.
Doing – I plant a seed in fertile land with abundant water. This is action. Non-Doing – Beyond that point it is non-action. Come what may. I will never be able to make the tree grow faster. I can just watch. This is non-action.
We also cel-
Actions in Sakshi Bhava - Witness Consciousness One can be sakshi while doing action or while doing or non-doing. Such an attitude will ensure that he is not affected by the result, nor emotionally disturbed. This is called Naishkarmya siddhi. The cycle of action reaction is difficult to break. Every action leaves psychological imprint called karma phala. This leads to chain of births and deaths. But for a non-doer in witness consciousness state, there is no accumulation of karma phala. There is no birth, no death. He is in state of being. Being is existence itself. For such a yogi, fear of death will disappear. This is the state of abhaya - fearlessness. For him doing is just a happening since he is the witness of action of his body - mind complex. This is Naishkarmya siddhi. It is equivalent to Samadhi in Karmayoga. Siddhidatri represents Naishkarmya siddhi – the powers of the mind.
ebrate Ayudha puja, where we worship the different tools, instruments etc. that we use in our daily life. We worship vehicles, mechanical devices, tools used in farming etc. But we forget one important Ayudha, what is that Ayudha? The sharpest Ayudha that a human being has is the intelligence, without intelligence what can one do with the sword, without intelligence invention of all these vehicles like car, scooter is not possible. Nothing is possible. That is the sharpest weapon. You think your intelligence is sharp because of education and training, no; it is sharp because of your inner Self. Intelligence is tuned to the outer world; intelligence should be tuned to God – inner world. That is the sharpening of Ayudha. Preparing your intelligence for higher reality. That can happen only through study of scriptures what we call as Shastras and Sadguru seva. Don’t think that Sadguru seva means seva to the Master. It is the respect for our spiritual Masters. Many Rishis like, Vedavyasa Maharshi, Adi Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Madvacharya etc., these teachers have given us the wisdom. Studying that wisdom and passing it on to the next generation is nothing but Ayudha puja. Because intelligence is the most
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dangerous and most potent weapon. Nothing can kill more than intelligence can kill and if you are able to do that, then that becomes Maha Navami – victory over the mind. A monster called Mahishasura can be killed through the weapon called ‘Buddhi Shakti’. The intellect is the weapon given to the human beings. Giving respect to that intellect through Shastras and Guru’s teachings, the prayer is done for the destruction of Mahishasura. Only the sharpened intellect alone can destroy the ego. The intellect alone is capable of destroying the ego. Please understand that this is all ‘Adhyatmika Chintana’ contemplating on what is happening inside us is Adi Daivika Puja. So, outside it is Ayudha Pooja, inside it is respecting the highest faculty of human being which is the intellect, purifying the intellect and praying to the intellect in you to kill the demon Mahishasura – the ego.
Vijaya Dashami Navadurga as Vijaya Dashami – Union of Jivatma with Paramatma
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versal Consciousness and this is called Mukti. Navaratri as you know, is celebrated with Rasaleela where people dance and sing. This is the ‘Rasaleela’ that Lord Krishna played with Gopikas. So this is actually celebrated in Gujarat as Garba dance. So we have crossed 3-3-3 Navaratri. We have dropped our negative qualities, positive qualities, dropped down the wisdom, and then Krishna is very close to us. Gopikas represent Jivatma, Sri Krishna represents Paramatma, the meeting of Jivatma and Paramatma is the state of bliss, ecstasy, and that is what is called Rasaleela.
So Navaratri is the celebration of Enlightenment, Navaratri is also the celebration of bliss and ecstasy experienced through Enlightenment. The dance of Jivatma with Paramatma is called Rasaleela. The song of Liberation, the love that Jivatma feels for Lord Krishna is called Rasaleela. Navaratri is about Rasaleela. When you prepare yourself for wisdom and positive qualities, there is a Rasaleela, there is a play of energy, the play of Liberation with the Lord. That is Rasaleela. And what is this Garba dance about?
Rasaleela When we get Shakti from Lakshmi, Durga and Saraswati we can easily destroy the ego, the Ahamkara, and when the ego goes, what remains? Atma and Paramatma. The union of the individual Self with the Universal Self, individual Consciousness merges with uni-
There is a typically a dance. According to my knowledge or understanding, Garba is a dance of womb, what is this dance of womb? Sri Krishna played Rasaleela with Gopikas; Garba dance is a reminder of Rasaleela. Now you have to understand what Rasaleela is, it is said that Gopis prayed to Kathyayini or Gowri. It is said that if you pray to Gowri, girls will get a boy of their choice and they prayed to Gowri, ‘We want to marry a boy like Krishna’ and it is almost impossible. A boy like Krishna is impossible to get, one day Krishna was playing a flute, he was a boy of eight or nine years. All the ani-
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mals and birds and Gopikas got attracted and they started dancing Rasaleela. Gopikas also represent,
‘Gopya’, means ‘secret’, in everyone’s heart there is a secret desire, to experience oneness with the universe, deep inside us there is a desire to experience the dance of the lord that is called Gopika everybody is Gopika in a secret way, so Gopikas danced around Krishna Paramatma who is the supreme lord. Actually the Rasaleela represents the divine union, oneness of Jivatma with Paramatma and that joy is called Rasaleela, so in a sense, the Garba dance is the union of oneness with the lord. Then why is it called Garba dance. Garba means womb, in deep inside the womb the child grows from one cell to two cells to four and then to eight cells and finally grows big. Similarly deep inside us there is a desire to experience the God and like a child slowly the growth happens and one day the growth happens and we experience the divinity and that is why in temple we call Garba gudi, inner sanctorum. Garba means womb Garba also means deep inside, deep inside all of us there is divine, and divine has to grow and celebration of that is called Garba dance. This is my understanding of Garba dance what is your understanding. Navaratri is also a festival of dolls. Why this festival of dolls is there? Is it to encourage some artists? Why do you celebrate the bombe ata – show of dolls. Each year together as a family, together as a society let us meditate on higher spiritual truths. Let us understand the deeper meaning of spirituality because all of us here are body mind complex are dolls. Each of us what we think as body is nothing but doll. Shiva and Shakti operate through this doll to make it alive. Through bomb ata show of dolls let us understand spirituality. My daughters Katyayini and Maitreyi has made a
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beautiful picturization which shows the principles of spirituality through dolls. Through dolls we learn spirituality we remind ourselves that there is something more to learn inside this doll. Coming back to this doll, this doll is very special. Open up something is there, open up something is there and who is this doll? This is all of us. We have five layers of our personality what we call as annamaya kosha the external layer, we have pranamaya kosha the next layer, we have manomaya kosha the next layer, we have vijnanamaya kosha one more layer and anandmaya kosha one more layer. These are the five layers and somebody who has made this doll really knows what it means, that is why he has made this. Deep inside you there is this anandamaya kosha – bliss. Do you know the five layers of yourself? To know these five layers, to go deep inside you is spiritual journey. That is the real yatra. Going deeper and deeper, layer by layer and going beyond the last layer anandamaya kosha, what remains is pure awareness – Shiva. May this Dasara bring peace and prosperity to all of you. There are two journeys we do, one is outer journey and
the other is inner journey. Outer journey is business, life, marriage success; the inner journey is peace, love, compassion and wisdom. Our Mothers, Durga, Adi Parashakti, Saraswathi, Lakshmi, they are very compassionate. Whichever success you want they give, you want money take it; you want wisdom take it; you want love take it, choice is yours. So this festival let us pray for the inner victory, outer victory most of us had, let us go for inner victory. With this I conclude my brief or my long Navaratri celebration. Wish you all very happy Dasara and Navaratri.
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Dusshera Durga Shakti as Vijaya Dashami is Das – Hara. Vijaya Dashami is a celebration of Victory. For whom is the victory? Victory is for Dharma and Victory for Sathya (Truth). Victory for Dharma is the outer Victory and Victory for Sathya is inner Victory. The means for outer Victory is the power and strength. Knowledge is the ultimate power. Apara vidya lower level knowledge is the means to outer victory where knowledge includes all kinds of knowledge required for success in life -arts, music, sports, politics, economics, medicine. Para Vidya -supreme knowledge is knowledge of Self- it is the supreme power. ‘Balam Balam Brahma Balam Brahma Tejo Balam’ ...means one who is Self Realized becomes one with God (Brahman) and power of God flows through him/her in the form of Love compassion and Wisdom. Such noble soul Mahatma conquers the heart of everybody in the world. Outer victory can only give wealth and power but cannot conquer the heart. Spiritual sadhana -yoga is the way for inner victory. After the nine days of Puja to Mother Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi, the blessing comes on the final tenth day, the child is born. Nine months of being in the womb of the Mother, doing sadhana, then tenth day the child is born. We celebrate the new birth. Dasara means Das-Hara. It means ten is defeated. What is that ten? Ten is the five sense organs, five organs of action that is represented through the ten-headed Ravana. Now we think that Ravana is somewhere in Sri Lanka and he kidnapped Sita, without realizing that Ravana is our own ego that has taken control of the sense organs and organs of action. On the tenth day, in the Ramleela grounds of New Delhi, they burn the effigy of Ravana. Why do they burn the effigy of Ravana? We have to understand who are Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Vibheeshana. The Prakriti, Maya has three qualities, Sattva guna, Rajo guna and Tamo guna. Kumbhakarna represents Tamo guna, Ravana represents Rajo guna and Vibheeshana represents Sattva guna. Tamo guna causes trouble for us, Rajo guna causes activity for us and Sattva guna causes Jnana, wisdom in us. Navaratri is about the destroying the ten headed monster called ‘Ahamkara’, the ten headed monster operates through our ten sense organs, five sense organs and five organs of action and they are always after Sita and Sita is
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nothing but Prakriti. The ego takes control of our ten sense organs. Rama is Atma, the inner self, ego wants to control everything in nature forgetting about Rama who is the Atma, the inner Self in us. Ravana is ten headed who represents the ego in us. We are always seeking to grab, and keep on accumulating everything in nature. In reality, nothing in nature belongs to us. Everything belongs to the Lord. Isavasyam idam Jagat. Once we understand that, the ten-headed monster, Ravana gets killed by Rama we experience the highest possible bliss. Rama is bliss, Ananda, so Vijayadashami is the day we experience the highest possible bliss called Paramananda, Brahmananda, and bliss of Liberation in human life. And that is the attainment, the peak of what is called as human life. This is a brief description of what is Das-Hara about. So, Ravana is destroyed, that is what is called Dasara, Vijaya Dashami, the mastery over senses. And one who has mastered the sense organs is called Indriya gana adhipathi. And such a person is called Ganesha. Gana-Isha, Master of sense organs. That is why Ganesha is the representation of the highest state of Enlightenment. All the sense organs of Ganesha are mastered, enlarged. The ears are enlarged; the eyes are enlarged (enlarged means become subtle). The nose is enlarged. The tongue is enlarged. The eating, the tooth is enlarged. The sense organs are enlarged to represent that the enlightened being has mastery over the sense organs. So Vijayadashami is birth of the enlightened child, Jnani. Bharat - Bha means knowledge, rat means-enjoyment. People of India Bharatiyas excelled in outer knowledge in the form of science, Ayurveda, astronomy, mathematics and others through Vedic knowledge - apara vidya. But for contribution of Bharatiyas world would not have achieved the progress and prosperity what we are not seeing today. But for the contribution of Para vidya - the path of nonviolence (ahimsa), love (prema), shanthi (peace) would have disappeared from face of earth. Glory is to Mother India. Jai Bharat Mata. Vande Mataram.
~ Vijayadashami 2014...
Divya Jyothi
Dusshera Durga Shakti as Vijaya Dashami is Das – Hara. Vijaya Dashami is a celebration of Victory. For whom is the victory? Victory is for Dharma and Victory for Sathya (Truth). Victory for Dharma is the outer Victory and Victory for Sathya is inner Victory.
The means for outer Victory is the power and strength. Knowledge is the ultimate power. Apara vidya lower level knowledge is the means to outer victory where knowledge includes all kinds of knowledge required for success in life -arts, music, sports, politics, economics, medicine. Para Vidya -supreme knowledge is knowledge of Self- it is the supreme power. ‘Balam Balam Brahma Balam Brahma Tejo Balam’ ...means one who is Self Realized becomes one with God (Brahman) and power of God flows through him/her in the form of Love compassion and Wisdom. Such noble soul Mahatma conquers the heart of everybody in the world. Outer victory can only give wealth and power but cannot conquer the heart. Spiritual sadhana -yoga is the way for inner victory. After the nine days of Puja to Mother Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi, the blessing comes on the final tenth day, the child is born. Nine months of being in the womb of the Mother, doing sadhana, then tenth day the child is born. We celebrate the new birth. Dasara means Das-Hara. It means ten is defeated. What is that ten? Ten is the five sense organs, five organs of action that is represented through the ten-headed Ravana. Now we think that Ravana is somewhere in Sri Lanka and he kidnapped Sita, without realizing that
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Ravana is our own ego that has taken control of the sense organs and organs of action. On the tenth day, in the Ramleela grounds of New Delhi, they burn the effigy of Ravana. Why do they burn the effigy of Ravana? We have to understand who are Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Vibheeshana. The Prakriti, Maya has three qualities, Sattva guna, Rajo guna and Tamo guna. Kumbhakarna represents Tamo guna, Ravana represents Rajo guna and Vibheeshana represents Sattva guna. Tamo guna causes trouble for us, Rajo guna causes activity for us and Sattva guna causes Jnana, wisdom in us. Navaratri is about the destroying the ten headed monster called ‘Ahamkara’, the ten headed monster operates through our ten sense organs, five sense organs and five organs of action and they are always after Sita and Sita is nothing but Prakriti. The ego takes control of our ten sense organs. Rama is Atma, the inner self, ego wants to control everything in nature forgetting about Rama who is the Atma, the inner Self in us. Ravana is ten headed who represents the ego in us. We are always seeking to grab, and keep on accumulating everything in nature. In reality, nothing in nature belongs to us. Everything belongs to the Lord. Isavasyam idam Jagat Once we understand that, the ten-headed monster, Ravana gets killed by Rama we experience the highest possible bliss. Rama is bliss, Ananda, so Vijayadashami is the day we experience the highest possible bliss called Paramananda, Brahmananda, and bliss of Liberation in human life. And that is the attainment, the peak of what is called as human life. This is a brief description of what is Das-Hara about. So, Ravana is destroyed, that is what is called Dasara, Vijaya Dashami, the mastery over senses. And one who has mastered the sense organs is called Indriya gana adhipathi. And such a person is called Ganesha. Gana-Isha, Master of sense organs. That is why Ganesha is the representation of the highest state of Enlightenment. All the sense organs of Ganesha are mastered, enlarged. The ears are enlarged; the eyes are enlarged (enlarged means become subtle). The nose is enlarged. The tongue is enlarged. The eating, the tooth is enlarged. The sense organs are enlarged to represent that the enlightened being has mastery over the sense organs. So Vijayadashami is birth of the enlightened child, Jnani.
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Bharat - Bha means knowledge, rat means-enjoyment. People of India -Bharatiyas excelled in outer knowledge in the form of science, Ayurveda, astronomy, mathematics and others through Vedic knowledge - apara vidya. But for contribution of Bharatiyas world would not have achieved the progress and prosperity what we are not seeing today. But for the contribution of Para vidya - the path of non-violence (ahimsa), love (prema), shanthi (peace) would have disappeared from face of earth. Glory is to Mother India. Jai Bharat Mata. Vande Mataram.
- Vijayadashami 2014...
Please find the Navaratri article ‘Awareness is Vijaya Dashami’ by Shri Prabhuji in Bhodivruksh Newspaper (Times of India Group)
http://www.bodhivrukshaepaper.com/Details.aspx?id=1101&boxid=1934731
Komal’s Yoga Self healing & Self Empowering through Yoga practices and Yoga Philosophy!
Many Free yoga workshops and sessions on following are conducted in Adelaide SA (at students houses, temple Community Centre, Yoga Studios, at home and other yoga places) All these happened as sadana and seva in past few months with the grace of Sadguru Prabhuji and the support of my husband Mohan.
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