Navratri, or the Divine Nine Nights, is a time of deep rest and rejuvenation. Each day is dedicated to one of the nine forms of the Mother Divine. The final day, the 10th day, is called Vijaydashami, the day popularly celebrated as the day of the victory of good over evil but it is really the sattva winning over the other gunas, the one consciousness expressing itself.
Significance of Navratri – the Divine Nine Nights
The word ratri means that which gives you deep rest or relief from three things, the three tapas. Tapas means the three types of fire or the three botherations – the physical, the subtle and the causal. The three types of botherations: Adi Bhautik – the worldly botheration, Adi Daivik – botherations on the level of the cosmic angels or devas, and then botherations of the soul. Navratri gives a deep rest that can relieve you from all these three botherations, so it’s a time of prayer and rejuvenation.
During Navratri, your mind should be immersed in the divine consciousness. It takes nine months for a baby to be born. So these nine days are like coming out of a mother’s womb once again, having a new birth. During these nine days and nights, one should go inwards and remember the source. Ask yourself these questions, “How was I born?”, “What is my source?”. You should dwell on your consciousness and see these nine days as the nine months.
The first three days are dedicated to Tamo Guna or inertia, the second three days to Rajo Guna or restlessness and activity, and the last three days to Sattva Guna or purity and high prana. The three Gunas that we all possess: Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. And victory over all the Gunas, being centered and celebrating life – the final day is called Vijaydashami or the Victory Day.
A Time for Deep Rest: The Journey to the Source
These nine days of celebrations are meant to take one inward and upward – it’s an inward and an upward journey. During these auspicious days, make sure that small things do not distract you from your goal. Our mind is so tricky that it just pulls us away from our goal and gets us stuck in small things. Just someone sneezing next to us or snoring near us is enough to pull us off track. When we become aware of our mind which is getting into the negative cycle, we become clever. It’s then that we can win over the small chattering mind. Therefore, these nine nights are meant for us to rest. Even if any conflicts arise, keep them all aside and go back to your innocence.
This whole cosmos is made up of that one energy called Devi. This whole universe is made up of that vibrating and scintillating consciousness, and all our bodies are like the floating shells in the ocean of consciousness, which is unseen. You can’t see it, but you can feel it. So, during these nine days, you should feel the unknown. It’s a journey towards the unknown.
Deepening your experience of Navratri
In the ten days, we meditate and be with the Self. The best way to celebrate Navratri is to usually fast and pray, and then feast in the end. But I won’t recommend everyone to fast without having any food at all. You can have limited food, have fruits and eat less. Suppose if you are eating one whole meal, you can cut it down to half or quarter. We usually keep snacking all day. This has to be avoided. And don’t overindulge in any other sensory activities, give deep rest to all the five senses.
As soon as we wake up, we turn the radio on or put on iPod; even when we are jogging, we are listening to something; so the mind is constantly bombarded by sounds. These are the days when you don’t bombard your mind-body complex with excess sensory stimuli. There is chanting done at The Art of Living International Center. On the last day when Yagnas are performed (you can watch them online or offline), you can just sit and bathe in the vibrations of the chants. It’s called Mantra Snaana, bathing in the mantras.
NavDurga: Significance of the Nine Forms of Durga
Day 1 – Shailaputri: The first aspect of Durga
Shailaputri is born out of Shaila, which means that which is extraordinary, One who is born out of the peak of an experience is Shailaputri.
Day 2 – Brahmacharini: the second aspect
Brahma means infinity, and Brahmacharini is the one who moves in infinity.
Another meaning is the virgin aspect of Mother Divine- this energy is virgin, it’s like the sun rays, though it is old, yet it is fresh and new. The newness is depicted in the second form of Durga.
Day 3 – Chandraghanta: the third aspect
Chandraghanta means Chandra, the moon or related to the mind, that which charms the mind, that which is the embodiment of beauty. Wherever anything appears beautiful to you, it is because of the Mother Divine’s energy there.
Day 4 Kushmanda: the fourth name
Kushmanda means a ball of energy, of prana. Whenever you experience immense energy or prana, know that this is one aspect of Durga, the Mother Divine.
Day 5 – Skandamata: the fifth aspect
Skandamata is the motherly energy, she is like your own mother. Skandamata – the mother of all the 6 systems, the 6 schools of knowledge – Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Yoga, Vedanta and Uttara Mimamsa; 6 angas or limbs of the Vedas, called the Shadangas. These include: Jyotish or astrology, music and then many other disciplines – the meters, phonetics, 64 different disciplines of art and science, of knowledge. Skandamata is the mother of all this wisdom.
Day 6 – Katyayani: the sixth aspect
Katyayani is that which is born out of the seer or witness aspect of consciousness; that consciousness which has the intuitive ability.
Day 7 – Kaalratri: the seventh aspect
Kaalratri is the deep dark energy, the dark matter, that houses infinite universe, that brings solace to every soul. If you feel happy and comfortable, it is the blessing of the ratri. Kaalratri is that aspect of Mother Divine which is beyond the universe, yet brings solace to every heart and soul.
Day 8 – MahaGauri: the eight aspect
MahaGauri is that which is so beautiful, that gives momentum and ultimate freedom in life. That brings you ultimate liberation.
Day 9 – Siddhidhaatri: the ninth aspect
Siddhidhaatri brings perfection in life and siddhis., Her blessings bring many miracles in life. What we think is impossible, she makes it possible.
And on the last day, the 10th day, Vijaydashami – you end the Navaratri with celebrations, emotionally charged, spiritually charged, and intellectually uplifted.
