NAVRAATRI
by Swami Brahmadeo ( Brahmavairaagy ) of Kashi , India
The global Hindu community is going to celebrate Navratri 2009. The festival begins on 27th March for nine days. During these nine days, Hindus celebrate three days in worship of Ma Kali, three days tribute to Ma Lakshmi and three days towards Ma Saraswati. These Goddesses are manifestations of Gyan Shakti – energy of knowledge, Iccha shakti – energy of will and kriya shakti - energy of action. These three combined together are expressions of Atma Shakti – energy of the soul or self. That Atma shakti is Durga Ma.
All human beings meet three types of obstacles that hinder the realization of divinity in spiritual life. They are gross impurity (mal), destruction (vikshep) and the veil of ignorance (avaran). During the period of Navraatri, we try to remove these obstacles by three means; hearing (shravanam), thinking or churning (mananam) and implementation (ninidhyaasan). So we revere three Goddesses Ma Kali, Ma Lakshmi and Ma Saraswati through three paths or ways; (gyan yog) - way of knowledge, (karma yog) - way of action, (bhakti yog) - way of devotion. Durga Saptsathi explains these three processes of divine consciousness through three stories, madhu kaitabh, mahisasur and shumbh nishumbh.
The greater Hindu Community worships these goddesses during nine days. And in some places they remain awake all night to sing and dance the glory of the Goddess. That is known as jagran (awakening of consciousness).
Nav means nine, Ratri means nights. Night is a symbol of ignorance, delusion, illusion and falsehood. So during this period it is our duty to think about removing the ignorance from our lives and become enlightened and pure human beings. Mostly people keep fast and cleanse the body because this Navraatri comes during spring season when the temperature of the atmosphere is changing and new leaves and flowers appear on trees and plants. At the transition of seasons, with the change of creation many changes occur in the body physiologically, psychologically and physically. Fasting and cleansing are necessary to keep a pure and strong body. So in this regard Navraatri is also helpful.
India, Trinidad, the entire Caribbean and the Caricom Hindu community all enthusiastically celebrate this Navraatri. This period is ideal for pranayama, meditation, concentration and ecstasy to realize the Supreme Being. During this auspicious time, the highest flow of cosmic or divine energy flows onto the earth.
Daily we recite Sri Ramcharitamanas (St. Tulsi Ramayan). The Ramayan is divided into nine parts known as navan parayan because God Sri Ram celebrated the Goddess during his period of exile in forest for 14 years. On the last day of Navraatri we celebrate Ram Navmi the Birthday of Sri Ram because after Navraatri Puja Ramchandji appeared as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu in the lap of Kausalya Mata in Ayodhya. Ayodhya is the birthplace of Sri Ram so a great festival celebrating his birthday takes place in India by all groups of sadhus and sages of Ayodhya India.
Swami Brahmadeoji is a pioneer of Ramayan and a great scholar. He is celebrating the Hindu New Year day on the first day of Navaraatri for the first time in this country. According to Hindu history, creation was materialized by the creator Brahma on this first day of Navraatri. A great king of India Vikram Aditya established his own kingdom on this date. All great heroes and warriors of Hindu history established their own kingdom during the period of Navaraatri. So this great festival is related with the spiritual, social and cultural history and traditional development of our community.
Gen. Secretary of Brahma Vidya Peetham, Sushri Anandaji is organizing all programs of Swamiji in this country and out of this country as in St. Lucia, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Venezuela, Guadeloupe, Barbados etc of the Caribbean region. For further information on these programs please contact the organization at 1 868 687 5774 or send your Emails to santdeo@yahoo.co.in |
