XING Gujarat

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  • Michael Rajiv Shah
    Michael Rajiv Shah    Premium Member   Group moderator
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    NAVRATRI - The Power of Devi Shakti
    Talks By Gurudev on Navratri

    a)'Nava' means 'nine' and 'Ratri' is made up of 'Ra' which also means
    'night' and 'Tri' meaning the 'the three aspects of our life, Body, Mind and
    Soul. So 'Navaratri' means 'giving rest to all the three aspects of our life,
    for nine days'.

    The first three days of Navaratri, are 'Tamasic' days, followed by three
    'Rajasic' days and ending with three 'Sattvic' days. At night all the artis
    are performed for the Devi - the enjoyer of everything. So there is classical
    dance, music and various musical instruments being played.
    Each day has special implications, yagnas, poojas and homas are
    performed.
    Among the things offered to the fire are hundreds of different herbs,
    fruits, garments, and mantras, all creating a gloriously divine
    atmosphere to drown in? Our ancestors felt the inadequacy of words and so they
    expressed themselves with symbols ... for instance, we offer flowers and fruit
    to God. The 'flower' is a symbol of what we are - so full, attractive and so
    light - so beautiful. Fruits are symbols of completeness. In the life cycle of
    a plant, fruits signify
    completeness.
    Also the fruit is the ultimate result. That is how we feel when we
    offer the symbolic fruit to God with all the gratitude for contentment
    in life.

    We also light lamps. Indian tradition involves tall brass lamps with a swan
    carved at the top. This is a very beautiful symbol. It means
    that with the light of knowledge, one attains 'Viveka' a characteristic of the
    swan. In Sanskrit, it is called 'Neerakshiraviveka' meaning a
    swan can differentiate between milk and water even though both may be
    mixed. Similarly, in the context of Navaratri, there is a symbolism
    behind the 'bull' being destroyed by the 'Devi'. What do we call
    someone who is very dull, thick skinned and insensitive? A buffalo!
    Only the Mother Divine can destroy this buffalo with the collective
    energy of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh! Just as a baby takes nine months
    to be born, the Devi took nine days to rest and what was born on the
    tenth day was pure love and devotion, with which the Devi conquered the
    buffalo of inertia and dullness! Devi Ma is not somebody holding a big
    'trishool' in one hand.

    She is a form of energy, a manifestation of the Divine itself.
    Therefore, sometimes, the forms taken by this Divine may be that of
    Ganesha, Chandi (Devi), Vishnu, Shiva..... and the manifestation, in
    this creation, happens in a mother's womb.... in silence, secretly. So
    during these nine days of Navaratri when the Master goes into silence,
    the energy is in the process of getting more and more refined,
    well-tuned, to welcome the Mother Divine. This is called 'Aradhana'.
    Now these yagnas are not for the sages who perform them, but for the
    entire Universe for all the misery, sorrow, and pain in the world. The
    blessings of the yagnas and poojas teach the whole of humanity and a lot of
    good comes out of these - peace, strength, prosperity, success and
    faith - which by itself, is the best blessing. Gurudev says that the
    ninth day is a day for honoring everything that we have, no matter how
    seemingly insignificant, and the tenth day is 'Vijaya Dashmi' the
    'victory day'. It is only after we have honored something that we can
    gain victory over it. This day is celebrated as the victory of the Devi
    over the evil forces - which is also just 'Maya'.

    b)The Nine Nights of Navaratri
    ------------------------------
    -----------
    Navaratri means nine nights and the new night.
    Creation happens in darkness,in the womb of the mother and underneath the
    soil.Nine months in the womb are like nine long nights where the spirit takes
    human form

    Night provides rejuvenation and rest.People come home from work at night and
    celebrate,rejoice,and pray.At night,the entire creation goes to sleep,including
    the Ashram night watchman

    These nine nights of Navaratri are precious; they are enriched with subtle
    energy.Sixty-four impulses of the Divine Mother govern the subtle creation and
    are responsible for restoring all earthly and spiritual benefits.These impulses
    are contained within one's awakened consciousness.The nine nights of Navaratri
    are celebrated to rekindle those divine impulses and to renew the inner depth
    of our lives.

    Cleanse your body and cleanse your soul.

    Cleanse your body with water;

    Cleanse your soul with Knowledge, pranayam,Sudarshan Kriya, and meditation.

    c)Navratri

    As we take nine months in our mother's womb, before we are born, we take these
    nine days to go back to our source. These nine days are to be spent in
    meditation, satsangs, silence and knowledge. During this period, the first
    three days are of the Kaali,the Adhishthata (the Authority) of Tamo Guna, the
    next three days are of Mahalakshmi, the Adhishthata of RajoGuna and the last
    three days are of Saraswati, the Adhishthata of Sata Guna.

    And when we move from Tamo through to Satva, the Victory happens; victory over
    our own devilish tendencies, like RaagDvesh (cravings-aversions),
    Raktabijakshur (inherent 'tendencies in our DNA.: which can be changed ,only
    through satsang) and Dhumralochan (the laziness of Mahishasur, the"bull; one
    who's eyes are clouded with small-mindedness)

    Upavaas (what is normally understood as Fasting) actually means 'sitting
    close'; close to the Guru. And when you are close to the Guru, the Self, you
    are in so much bliss, that you forget to eat or drink! You don't feel Hungry or
    thirsty. And now that has become a false notion about' Upavaas'.We relate it to
    fasting. It is good, to fast once in a while, for a day or two. However, it is
    not worth eating fried foods in the name of Upavaas (Saboodana wada, fried
    potato, etc). Eat fruits. The main thing is to listen to the body. Give it a
    break from the daily grind of digesting three meals, etc. When you attend to
    the body and it is rested, the mind also becomes peaceful. You do not have to
    fast to please GOD. Do it to purify your body and mind. Observing silence is
    also good. Everyone need not observe silence, avoid useless talks. Ardha Maun
    (partial-silence) is fine. Keep silence with a smile and Upavaas happens. At
    the end of the nine- day Aradhana, let there be newness in us.

    Nav also means new. These are nine new nights. Krishna used to do a lot of Devi
    Pujas during Navaratri. He said; "I take a dip in my own Prakruti(nature),
    and come out to create new". So, take a dip in your own nature and come out
    fresh and new. The more we go deep within ourselves, the more this Creation
    rejoices in celebration. These Yagnas have all the aspects of life so
    beautifully covered within them. It comprises of dance, music, food,
    celebration and everything. Not a single aspect of life has been left out. So,
    be within yourself during these nine days. Do not let any complaints happen.

    Complaints drag you out; keep you rooted in the mud outside. Drop it all with a
    smile and go within. The diverse aspects of the Holy" Spirit are invoked
    during, these nine days. And like the nine months of formation spent in the
    womb, spend these nine days within and form a new spirit.

    Then all the bad karmas and impressions are washed away. Navaratri purifies the
    individual consciousness and then the universal consciousness, the creation.



    NAVRATRI - The Power of Devi Shakti
    As the nine sacred nights of Navratri arrive, each nook and corner of
    the Ashram reverberates with the glory of its Dweller. And as Gurudev
    goes in silence, the space around echoes the unsung song of Divine Love.

    Navratri is celebrated to honor the creation and rekindle the impulses
    of the Mother Divine contained in our consciousness. There are 64
    impulses that govern the entire creation. Nights signify darkness.
    Creation takes place in darkness, like in the mother's womb. The nine
    month's in the mother's womb are like nine long nights when the spirit
    takes the human form. Night also provides rest and rejuvenation and
    these nine nights represent eternal rest and freedom from bondage of the
    mind. This nine day period also has a great impact on the environment
    and surrounding. During the first three nights the energy is dominated
    by tamas, transforming to rajas during the next three and dominated by
    satva in the last three days.

    The divinity is present in every atom of creation. This dormant divinity
    is enlivened through the process called yagya. The yagyas conducted
    during these nine days cover every aspect of the vast Vedic tradition.
    They are performed for the health, happiness and prosperity of all the
    people in the world, to nullify the negative karmas and create positive
    vibrations and celebration.

    The yagyas begin with Ganesha Homa to clear all obstacles and hurdles.
    Navagraha Homa and Sudarshana Homa are performed before the grand Chandi
    Homa on Ashtami day. The most powerful of all Homas, the Chandi Homa
    covers 700 verses and 13 chapters of the Devi Mahatmaya. Through the
    yagyas the divinity is enlivened in the five elements, and in every
    possible thing in creation. The potency of the mantra is enlivened in
    our consciousness through various herbs, fruit and other substances
    which are all offered in the fire; and that shakti(energy) is
    transferred into the water in the kalash(the pot) which represents the
    Devi(Mother Divine).

    The worshipper is Divine, the worship is Divine and the objects with
    which you worship are also Divine. During arati, all the species are
    represented, because all living beings are expressions of Shakti. Cows,
    elephants, children, couples - in everyone the Devi is recognized and
    invoked. Just as white light contains all the colors, so all the
    different aspects of divinity are of the nature of the self. The yagya
    thus is a prism through which the Self manifests.

    Explaining the underlying meaning, Guruji once said, "During homas,
    Virupaksha is used in addressing the Divine. Virupa means formless and
    Aksha means eyes. So Virupaksha is one who is formless but can see
    everything. Our chetna or atma is like that. We perceive things through
    the senses, but its the consciousness that sees everything".

    Source: http://smitabharatdesai.blogspot.com/2008/10/happy-navratri....
    • 06 Oct 2008, 4:15 pm