NAVARATRI: THE 9 DIVINE NIGHTS
Nava- that also means 'new'-denotes 'nine' the number to which sages attach special significance. Hence, we have Nava-ratri(9nights),Nava_patrika(9 levels/herbs/plants),Nava-graha(9 planets), and Nava-Durga (9 appelletions).
Here're the 9 maifestations of goddess Durga. Each goddes has a different form and a special sifnificance. Nava Durga, if worshipped with religious fervor, it is believed,lift the divine spirit in us and fill us with renewed happiness.
what's the significance of Navaratri?
During Navaratri, we invoke the energy aspect of god in the form of the universal mother, commenly referred to as "durga", which literally means the remover of miseries of life. She is also referred to as "Devi"(goddess) or "shakti"(energy or power). It is this energy, which helps god to proceed with the work of creation, preservation and destruction. In other words, you can say that God is motionless, absolutely changeless, and the Divine Mother Durga, does everything. Truly speaking, our worship of shakti re-confirms the scientific theory that energy is imperishable. It cannot be created or destroyed. It is always there.
Why worship the mother goddess?
This energy is a form of the divine mother, who is the mother of all, and all of s are her children. "Why mother; why not tather?", you may ask. Let me just say that we believe that God's glory, his cosmic energy, his greatness and supermmacy can best ve depicted as the motherhood aspect of God. Just as a child finds all thers qualities in his or her mother,similarly,all of us look upon God as mother. In fact, Hinduism is the only religion in the world, which gives so much importance to the mother aspect of God because we believe that mother is the creative aspect of the absolute.
why twice a year?
Every year the beginning of wummer and the befinning of winter are two very important junctures of climatic change and solar influence. These two junctions have bewen chosen as the sacred opportunities for the worshop of the divine power because:
(1) we believe that ir is the divine power that provides enery for the earth to move around the sun, causing the changes in the outer nature and that this divine power must be thanked for maintaining the correct balance of the universe.
(2) Due to the changes in the mature, the bodies and minds of people undergo a considerable change, and hence, we worship the dicine power to bestow upon all of us enough potent powers to maintain our physical and mental balance.
Why Nine Nights & Days?
Navaratri is dicided into sets of three days to adore different aspects of the supreme goddess. On the first three days, the mother is invoked as powerful force called Durga in order to destroy all our impurities, vices ands defects. The next three days, the mother is adored as a giver of spiritual wealth, Lakshmi, who is considered to have the power of bestowing on her devotees the inexhaustible wealth. The final set of three daus is spent in worshipping the mother as the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati. In order have all-around success in life, we need the blessings of all three aspects of the divine mother; hence, the worship for the nine nights.
THE NAVA DURGAS
SHAILAPUTRI:
The embodiment of the power of Brahma, Vishnu and shiva, she rides a bull and carries a trident and a lotus in her two hands.
BRAHMACHARINI:
She is the one who practices devout austerity. Filled with bliss and happiness, she is tha way to emancipation-Moksha
CHANDRAGHANTA:
She is the apostle of bravery; she rides a lion, and has ten arms. She drives away all evildoers and demoniac incarnation.
KUSUMANDA:
Seated on a lion, she has a magnanimous presence, and possesses eight arms. Her abode is the solar region.
SKANDAMATA:
She is the Goddess of Fire. She has four arms and three eyes. She rides a lion.
KATYAYANI:
The chosen goddess of vrindavan, she is alluring in her golden form. She has four arms and three eyes, she is seated on a lion.
KAALRATRI:
This four-armed from rides and ass. She dissipates darkness from amidst her devotees, and bestows freedom from fear and adversity.
MAHA GAURI:
She is like an eight-year-old girl. She is intelligent and peaceful, possesses three eyes and four arms, and uses th bull as her vehicle.
SIDDHIDATRI:
The bestower of accomplishemnts, this manifestation is worshipped as one blessed woth glory. Seated on a lotus, she has four arms.
Here're the 9 maifestations of goddess Durga. Each goddes has a different form and a special sifnificance. Nava Durga, if worshipped with religious fervor, it is believed,lift the divine spirit in us and fill us with renewed happiness.
what's the significance of Navaratri?
During Navaratri, we invoke the energy aspect of god in the form of the universal mother, commenly referred to as "durga", which literally means the remover of miseries of life. She is also referred to as "Devi"(goddess) or "shakti"(energy or power). It is this energy, which helps god to proceed with the work of creation, preservation and destruction. In other words, you can say that God is motionless, absolutely changeless, and the Divine Mother Durga, does everything. Truly speaking, our worship of shakti re-confirms the scientific theory that energy is imperishable. It cannot be created or destroyed. It is always there.
Why worship the mother goddess?
This energy is a form of the divine mother, who is the mother of all, and all of s are her children. "Why mother; why not tather?", you may ask. Let me just say that we believe that God's glory, his cosmic energy, his greatness and supermmacy can best ve depicted as the motherhood aspect of God. Just as a child finds all thers qualities in his or her mother,similarly,all of us look upon God as mother. In fact, Hinduism is the only religion in the world, which gives so much importance to the mother aspect of God because we believe that mother is the creative aspect of the absolute.
why twice a year?
Every year the beginning of wummer and the befinning of winter are two very important junctures of climatic change and solar influence. These two junctions have bewen chosen as the sacred opportunities for the worshop of the divine power because:
(1) we believe that ir is the divine power that provides enery for the earth to move around the sun, causing the changes in the outer nature and that this divine power must be thanked for maintaining the correct balance of the universe.
(2) Due to the changes in the mature, the bodies and minds of people undergo a considerable change, and hence, we worship the dicine power to bestow upon all of us enough potent powers to maintain our physical and mental balance.
Why Nine Nights & Days?
Navaratri is dicided into sets of three days to adore different aspects of the supreme goddess. On the first three days, the mother is invoked as powerful force called Durga in order to destroy all our impurities, vices ands defects. The next three days, the mother is adored as a giver of spiritual wealth, Lakshmi, who is considered to have the power of bestowing on her devotees the inexhaustible wealth. The final set of three daus is spent in worshipping the mother as the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati. In order have all-around success in life, we need the blessings of all three aspects of the divine mother; hence, the worship for the nine nights.
THE NAVA DURGAS
SHAILAPUTRI:
The embodiment of the power of Brahma, Vishnu and shiva, she rides a bull and carries a trident and a lotus in her two hands.
BRAHMACHARINI:
She is the one who practices devout austerity. Filled with bliss and happiness, she is tha way to emancipation-Moksha
CHANDRAGHANTA:
She is the apostle of bravery; she rides a lion, and has ten arms. She drives away all evildoers and demoniac incarnation.
KUSUMANDA:
Seated on a lion, she has a magnanimous presence, and possesses eight arms. Her abode is the solar region.
SKANDAMATA:
She is the Goddess of Fire. She has four arms and three eyes. She rides a lion.
KATYAYANI:
The chosen goddess of vrindavan, she is alluring in her golden form. She has four arms and three eyes, she is seated on a lion.
KAALRATRI:
This four-armed from rides and ass. She dissipates darkness from amidst her devotees, and bestows freedom from fear and adversity.
MAHA GAURI:
She is like an eight-year-old girl. She is intelligent and peaceful, possesses three eyes and four arms, and uses th bull as her vehicle.
SIDDHIDATRI:
The bestower of accomplishemnts, this manifestation is worshipped as one blessed woth glory. Seated on a lotus, she has four arms.
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