Navaratri 2023

Nine Nights

In Hinduism, the Supreme Reality is a formless, immutable, eternal, unborn entity or spirit known as Brahman. It remains consistent for all living creatures and underlies both the manifest and unmanifest states of Being. Integrated and changeless, it lacks distinctions or qualifications, making it beyond human comprehension. Pure Consciousness, it can only be known through direct experience. The embodied soul, referred to as jivatma, is a projection of the Absolute Brahman. It undergoes numerous births and experiences the dramas of its lives until it reaches a point of satiation with the external world and desires to return to its original status. This, according to Hinduism, is the purpose of life - to return to the source from which we have come. Hinduism provides various methods to achieve this experience, known as “yogas,” helping individuals transcend the levels of the mind and experience the Absolute.

Hinduism represents a way of life. Our ancient sages ensured that rituals and festivals maintain this tradition, ensuring that the purpose of human life is never forgotten. Whether consciously or unconsciously, these rituals nurture the single aspiration that our culture has held within itself from eternity. Even if our conscious minds forget the purpose for which we are born, that purpose remains imprinted on our subconscious level. Therefore, the Hindu calendar is adorned with numerous festivals, all designed to reconnect us with our roots. This goal is deeply embedded in our genes and passed down from generation to generation. All our scriptures, epics, ceremonies, and festivals are infused with this spiritual goal, their esoteric significance hidden from the common eye.

Indian thought is renowned for its symbolism. From ancient times, the pictorial representation of God embraced both male and female forms. The universal form of the motionless Absolute became associated with the male, while the manifested energy of Nature became associated with the female. To the undiscerning eye, Brahman and Nature appear as disparate entities, yet this is merely an illusion. Fundamentally, they are one, akin to gold and the ornaments crafted from it - inherently connected. The Absolute and Nature are not distinct; they are "two-in-one." Hinduism has consistently recognized and accepted these two principles, identifying them in various forms such as Shiva/Shakti or Purusha/Prakriti.

Just as a tree resides within a seed, this universe of names and forms lies enfolded within the Shakti of Brahman. She is the Divine Mother, the womb of all creatures. As Nature, this Shakti manifests in diverse forms, leading us to personify the Divine Mother in the guise of various goddesses. She encompasses all forms of existing knowledge - past, present, and future. Yet, she is also “maya,” the illusory power that ensnares us within her web of beauty, convincing us that the world we see is real. The “jivatma” or embodied soul becomes entranced by her beauty, forgetting the purpose for its incarnation in a human body. Viewed through the lens of eternity, the drama of our lives, played out on the stage of space and time, resembles a show of light and shadow, akin to a TV program. It's a creation of the mind, fleeting and vanishing into the space from which it emerged. Hinduism terms this phenomenon the maya-shakti of the goddess, the force behind this phenomenal world rooted in ignorance of Reality’s true nature.

This worldview, as elucidated by our ancient rishis, finds corroboration in Quantum Physics. Quantum physicists have discovered that every entity in the cosmos is connected through an underlying energy field known as “The Field,” akin to what our rishis termed Prakriti. The tiniest matter isn't solid as perceived but energy in motion. This pulsating energy field constitutes the core of our existence. Our eyes deceive us, shaping a reality that doesn't match our perception. We are captivated by this world created by the enchantress, forgetting the purpose of our human birth. To remind us of this purpose and reconnect us with this universal energy source, Hindu culture dedicates two festivals each year in remembrance of this energy.

One such festival is Navaratri, the nine nights of worship dedicated to the Goddess in her myriad forms. Occurring in the first nine days of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Ashwin (September/October), this year’s Navaratri commences on Sunday, October 15th, and concludes on Tuesday, October 24th, with the 10th day, Vijayadasami, marking victory. Devi Purana narrates how Durga vanquished the buffalo demon, Mahishasura, on this victorious day, symbolizing the triumph over ignorance.

Navaratri, also called Durga Puja, exemplifies Hinduism's reverence for the feminine and its continuous effort to empower women. Durga, the virgin goddess, stands independently, unaided by any male deity. She epitomizes dynamic feminine power at its zenith. During these nine days and nights, she is worshipped in her nine diverse forms, each representing a different aspect of the Goddess’s power.

The nine days of Navaratri serve as a period for reflection, self-improvement, and the acquisition of positive qualities while shedding negative traits. These days can be categorized into three parts: the first three days for the worship of Mahakaali, the subsequent three for Maha Lakshmi, and the final three for Maha Saraswati. Some individuals also worship the Navadurgas or the nine aspects of Durga, dedicating each day to a specific form.

The worship of the three goddesses represents distinct phases. The initial three days are dedicated to Kali, the unconquerable form embodying Time (Kaala) - relentless, all-consuming, and indomitable. Time, represented by Kaali, is the ultimate force. Everything succumbs to Time, and the fear of death stems from this aspect. Kali's frightening form is designed to intimidate those who refuse to acknowledge life's dual nature - birth and death.

Kali, often depicted as pitch black with disheveled hair cascading behind her, wears a girdle of severed arms and a necklace of freshly severed heads. Her cavernous mouth drips blood from her lolling tongue. Long sharp fangs and claw-like hands with hooked nails characterize her appearance. Kali embodies one of Nature's many facets, birthing all beings, nurturing them, and ultimately assimilating them back into herself. Kali cannot tolerate deceit and falsehood; her wrath is swift and severe. Therefore, the first three nights are devoted to her worship, seeking her assistance in eliminating negative traits, even if it entails some discomfort.

The following three days are dedicated to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, beauty, and auspiciousness. Lavish with her gifts of good fortune and positive mental traits, she is invited to sow the seeds of love, generosity, consideration, and compassion in the garden of the mind, now cleared of negativity by Kali.

The concluding three days are devoted to Saraswati, the goddess of learning, arts, science, and wisdom. Seated on her graceful swan, she floats through space, seeking opportunities to bless us. During these days, we implore her to enter our hearts and fulfill the ultimate goal of human life - union with the Absolute. In the purified garden of our minds, cleared by the forceful Kali and sown with positive traits by gracious Lakshmi, we invite Saraswati. She alone can bestow the bliss of union with the Absolute, allowing the pure lotus of enlightenment to bloom.

This esoteric meaning underpins the festival of Navaratri, celebrated throughout India. Occurring twice a year, in spring and autumn, Navaratri ensures that the profound purpose of human birth - liberation from maya’s coils and entry into the blissful realm of the Absolute - is never forgotten. These coming days and nights provide an opportunity to beseech the Goddess in her diverse forms, urging her to dispel the darkness of accumulated ignorance within us. Let us implore her to illuminate the path with the radiant lamp of knowledge, a lamp that only she can light for us.

Aum Shakti Aum