NAVRATRI

Navratri is considered as an important sacred festival in the Hindu religion. Navratri worships Goddess Durga and her various forms which are the epitomes of power and have the ability to bring in anything desired. Not to forget it were these 9 Goddesses (NavDurga) who were able to conquer the most dangerous demon who could not be defeated by any of the other superpowers. Hence, you could have understood the importance and significance of these 9 days which are the most powerful of all.

Importance of Navratri

Navratri in India is a big religious festivity for nine propitious days. The celebration goes on for these favorable days with different rituals and customs in distinct parts. These nine days have a great significance in Hindu culture and religion. The worshipers adore their mother in beautiful incarnations with incompatible celebrations for nine consecutive days of Navratri. Here is the importance of Navratri Celebration:

– Goddess Shakti exists in numerous ferocious as well as innocent manifestations; hence the celebration of each day of Navratri is dedicated to each Goddess embodiment for nine sacred days.
– Navratri is revered to show utter devotion and respect to Goddess and thus recognized with full devotion, zeal, and enthusiasm all over the country.
– It is believed that Mother Durga defeated the demon- Mahishasura on this festivity, therefore the solemnization begins with lightening the houses, temples and other divine places to spread happiness and gaiety all the corners.
– In North India, the nine-day festival Chaitra Navratri is observed to celebrate the victory of Rama over Ravana. During the festival, people dress up in traditional clothing, observe fasts, and offer prayers.
– Being one of the celebrated and distinguished religious occurrences for the Hindu community, this festival has become the most reverenced holy occasion.
– The occasion exhibits the victory of good over evil, thence the sacred glee starts with fasting, decorations, bhajans. People also invite small girls for the bhog and Prasad followed by placing goddesses’ images during the last days.
– In Hindu narrations, Chaitra Navratri is also termed as Vasant/ Basant Navratri since this divine revelry marks the beginning of Vasant Ritu or Spring Season in Indian culture.

Significance of Navratri

The saints have given more significance. Understanding it scientifically; night is peaceful and quiet, tantra-mantra and other supernatural things are in a strong position. It is easy to concentrate at the night. Chanting Mantra in a peaceful environment yields auspicious results. Many obstacles of nature are removed. This time may be used for gaining mental power and Yogic powers.

Scientifically, performing things during the day increases the chances of problems in concentrating; just the way radio signals face problems during day time but improve in the night. The sound of the bells and conch kills Germs up-to far-away places. This period is used for Siddhi for fulfilling wishes.

We worship the divine power to bestow upon all of us enough potent powers to maintain our physical and mental balance. Then they keep Shradha to remember our ancestors. So we can remember the beautiful memory those we have spent with our grandfather, grandmother & others. When we think about those happy moments, our Satwa goes up, so our energy level goes up.

The 10 evils of Life

9 days of worship to the Mother Goddess Durga, the source of energy helps us get rid of 10 evils of our own life. There are no rakhyas like Mahisasura. The real rakhyasas are our ego, sorrow, greed, jealousy etc which should be killed by ourselves. The 10 days (including Vijaya Dasami) refers to 10 evils.

1) Kama (Lust): Better known to be a sensuous appetite regarded as sinful.
2) Krodh (Anger): Anger or Krodh is a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure and hostility.
3) Lobh (Greed): Greed is an intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power and food.
4) Moh (Attachment): affection, fondness, or sympathy for someone or something is Moh or Attachment.
5) Ahankar (Ego): Ahankar (Ego) is a person’s sense of self-esteem or self-importance.
6) Darr (Fear): Fear or Darr is a mixed feeling of dread and reverence caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm.
7) Irsha (Jealousy): Irsha, also called as- Jealousy the state or feeling of being jealous.
8) Jadta (Inertia): Inertia- Jadta is a tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged.
9) Nafrat (feel): Nafrat-hate is a feel intense dislike, criticize and abuse.
10) Paschataap (Guilty): Guilty is culpable or responsible for specified wrongdoing.

It is believed that if someone worships the Goddess Durga with all her/his hearts, then the mother destroys these ten evils and succors peace to the worshiper. Therefore, in order to please the Mother Shakti to get her immense blessings on the special nine days of Navratri, one should observe fasts for nine divine days. Each day we take commitment to destroy one evil from our selves. On the tenth day, we celebrate Vijaya Dasami, i.e. win over all these negativity.

Significance of Each Day of Navratri

Navratri Day 1

Navratri 1st Day is associated to Shailaputri (literally “Daughter of Mountain”), an incarnation of Parvati. It is in this form that the Goddess is worshiped as the consort of Shiva. She is depicted as riding the bull, Nandi, with a trishula in her right hand and lotus in her left. Shailaputri is considered to be the direct incarnation of Mahakali. She is the provider of all good fortunes.

Navratri Day 2

Navratri 2nd Day is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Brahmacharini, another incarnation of maa Parvati when she penance to achieve her goal to have Shiva as her husband. Goddess Brahmacharini is also known as Tapascharini, Aparna and Uma. The deity of the Goddess holds a mala in her right hand and kamandal in her left. She is always represented barefooted.

Goddess Brahmacharini is believed to bestow her devotees with wisdom and knowledge. Her puja gives good fortune and removes all the obstacles from our life. Worship Maa Brahmacharini on the second day of Navratri and clear the hurdles to your progress.

Navratri Day 3

Navratri 3rd Day commemorates the worship of Chandraghanta – the married form of Maa Parvati. Chandraghanta Devi is called the Goddess of spiritual and internal power. People who have unnecessary enemies and severe obstacles in life should worship the Goddess to set themselves free. She always keeps her devotees away from all obstacles and provides happiness in life.

Navratri Day 4

Goddess Kushmanda is worshiped on Navratri 4th Day (Chaturthi Tithi). Believed to be the creative power of the universe, Kushmanda associated with the endowment of vegetation on earth. She is depicted as having eight arms and sits on a Tiger. Kushmanda Mata puja brings you good health, bestow wealth and strength. The devotees are blessed with extreme energy and power by worshiping Maa Kushmanda on Navratri.

Navratri Day 5

Goddess Skandamata is worshiped on Navratri 5th Day. She is the mother of Skanda (or Kartikeya). She symbolizes the transforming strength of a mother when her child is confronted with danger. She is depicted riding a ferocious lion, having four arms and holding her baby. Goddess Skandamata brings happiness, peace, and prosperity into the house.

Navratri Day 6

Navratri 6th Day is dedicated to Goddess Katyayana. She is an incarnation of maa Parvati and is shown to exhibit courage to kill MAHISHASURA. Known as the warrior goddess, she is considered one of the most violent forms of Goddess aadya shakti. In this avatar, Katyayani rides a lion and has four hands. Girls are facing issues for fixing a marriage; can pray Maa Katyayani to obtain a happy and smooth marriage life. She ensures harmony and peace in married life.

Navratri Day 7

Navratri 7th Day (Maha Saptami) is dedicated to the worship of Maa Kalaratri – the most ferocious form of Goddess Durga. It is believed that Parvati removed her fair skin to kill the demons Sumbha and Nisumbha. She is known for destroying ignorance and removing darkness from the universe.

Navratri Day 8

Navratri 8th Day is dedicated to the worship of Maa Mahagauri. She symbolizes intelligence and peace. Mahagauri is also known as Shwetambardhara. It is believed that she is the most beautiful and glows very brightly. That’s the reason her name is Gauri. Maa Mahagauri purifies the souls of her devotees and removes all their sins. She has a calming effect on the lives of her devotees and she also helps them improve their knowledge.

Navratri Day 9

Navratri 9th Day(Maha Navami) is dedicated to Siddhidatri Devi. Sitting on a lotus, she is believed to possess and bestows all type of Siddhis. Here she has four hands. She is also known as Mahalakshmi Devi. Siddhidatri Devi is depicted to be wearing red colored saree and riding over the lion. She holds a lotus in the lower left hand, a shankha in her upper left hand, chakra in her upper right hand and a bulgeon in the lower right hand. She sits on a Lotus flower. Maa Siddhidatri is immediately pleased with her devotees and achieves religion, meaning, work and salvation in her world.

The scientific significance of Navratri Celebration

Those who think that the rituals, puja vidhi and sanskaram’s are all waste of time and money, then I must say that you are wrong! It’s just that with time, the real value and procedures of these very precious practices are lost. Some of them have been completely transformed according to the comfort level of people and some have been manipulated. Now, see what the plus points of fasting are.

1. This procedure brings in the positive attitude of controlling your 9 desires.
2. Fasting was a major part of many great people who have done years of severe penance and attained miracles. It has the ability to invoke eternal happiness and bliss.
3. It is advised that you should involve in certain meditation during fasting. It will enable detoxing whilst also working on the mental and spiritual levels.
4. The current food habits create hypertension and cardiovascular problems. Fasting helps the body desalt and dilute the body.
5. This procedure of staying without or with light food also eliminates gas, lightens the body, improves mental clarity, provides a clean tongue and fresh breath, and preserves overall health.
6. Scientifically, fasting is an effective way to kindle the digestive fire and burn away accumulated toxins from the body and mind.
7. It also acts as a mental peace booster by enabling us to stay away from the regularly overburdened body and cravings.
8. Therapists claim that it has the capacity to instill virtues like self-discipline and calmness.
9. Fasting facilitates spiritual purification leading to a stronger willpower.
10. Spiritually it is also believed that: Lust, Anger, Greed, Attachment, Ego, Fear, Jealousy, Inertia, Hate and Guilty.
11. The period of Navratri always falls on the time of season change and this is the time when our body has low immunity and is most susceptible to fall sick. Hence, fasting will keep away the negative energies to be absorbed.

The time during which Navratri prevails is said to be the period when Mother Nature undergoes a huge change climatically. The change brings in a lot of unwanted diseases and sufferings. Human beings get affected a lot by this change.

Sourced from: Importance and Significance of Navratri (rgyan.com)