Navaratri, The Nine Days of Mother Divine

Oct 4 - 12th, 2005

The Nine Days of the Divine Mother are one of the most important holidays in the Hindu Calendar. It falls twice a year....in the spring (Vasant) and in the fall (Sharad). In the fall this holiday culminates with Vijaya Dashami, Victory Day, on Oct 12th for this year, 2005.

The nine lunar days awaken human awareness to the eternal continuum of all universal energies (Shakti), which is the nature of the Divine Mother. This infinite expansion of Shiva and Shakti is the cause of creation and permeates every fiber of the relative world.

The first eight lunar days are dedicated to the eight relative aspects of life (the 8 Prakritis), i.e., the five senses, mind, ego and intellect, and on each day the corresponding value of the Divine Mother becomes more lively and accessible. The ninth lunar day brings to light the transcendental value, which underlies and connects all the eight values and which is the ground on which all the eight arise.

On these days specific impulses of Shakti are most lively. These impulses are those which bestow wealth, prosperity, health, longevity, knowledge, intelligence, enlightenment and help fulfill other desires. Also lively during these ‘Nine Days of the Divine Mother’ are those impulses of Shakti which are responsible for helping to remove all kinds of obstacles from the path of success and for helping to remove all kinds of fear, illness and other negativity.

Vijaya Dashami Day to bring victory

and success to one’s undertakings

‘Victory Day’ brings the nine days of the Divine Mother to a glorious conclusion. When the nine values of life — the five senses, mind, ego, intellect, and the transcendental value — have been enlivened during these nine days, then on ‘Victory Day’, the tenth lunar day (Dashami), the wholeness of life becomes apparent. This wholeness of Shiva and Shakti is the state of complete enlightenment.

KASHMIRI NAVRATRA CELEBRATIONS

There are 22 places all around India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari which are considered most scared to Goddess Durga.  Kashmiri’s are traditionally Shakti worshippers and worship Durga in Khir Bhavani as Maharagnya,  in Hariparbhat as Sharika or Cakresvari, in Krew shrine as Jawala, and in a special temple in Srinagar as Kali, Tripura etc.

During the nine Navratras Kashmiri’s recite the Bhavani Sahasranam instead of Durga Saptashudi.  Bhavani Sahasranam (1000 names of Goddess Durga) is of Kashmiri Origin and is not known outside the valley of Kashmir. The traditional Lalita Sahasranam of South India, which has about 100 names common, has the closest resemblance to Bhawani Sahasranam. It is traditional in India to visit the houses of friends, partake of prasad, and give gifts to girls and married women.

Enjoy these nine days and the impulses of Shiva and Shakti which make up this wonderful PLAY of creation.

God/dess bless...George