Navaratri as a Personal Sadhana

Salutations to the Divine Mother, Durga, who exists in all beings in the form of intelligence, mercy, beauty, who is the consort of Lord Shiva, who creates, sustains and destroys the universe.

Background on Navaratri

Navaratri means literally Nine Nights, and is celebrated four times a year. They are the Ashada Navaratri, the Sharada Navaratri, the Maha Navaratri and the Vasantha Navaratri. The beginning of summer and the beginning of winter are two important junctions of climatic and solar influence, and these periods find India celebrating the two prevalent Navaratris. They are indicated by the Chaitra Navaratri in Chaitra (March-April) and the Sharada Navaratri in Aswayuja (September-October).

Durga is the great Goddess who is the creator, sustainer and destroyer of the worlds. She famously dispatches demons that threaten the balance of life itself in the known universe. The Devi Mahatmya (also known as the Durga Saptashadi or Chandi Path) is the primary text for the stories of Durga. These 700 verses are embedded in the Markandeya Purana, and are chanted or sung throughout India during Navaratri. The text itself is divided into three main sections, each section being a major story that describes the victory of one of Durga's forms: MahaKali, MahaLaksmi, and MahaSaraswati. And so, when honoring Durga during Navaratri, the first three days are devoted to the worship of Kali and the breeding of courage and valor in the world; the next three are for worship of Lakshmi for universal prosperity and sustenance; and the last three are for worship of Saraswati for growth of learning.

Remember that Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati are not different entities, but different facets of the singular Divinity.

Typically, people who observe Navaratri will read the entire Chandi Path each day of the nine days. Many people will fast on fruit and milk during the nine days, or at least for one day for each of the three parts of Navaratri.

Daily recitation of the Lalita Sahasranama (the names of the Divine Mother in the form of Lalitadevi) is done by many people.

Navami, the 9th day, can include worship of all things associated with learning and language--books, typewriters, and even computers.

The ninth day is also the day of the Ayudha Puja. The Ayudha Puja is worship of whatever implements the aspirant uses in his livelihood. On the preceding evening, it is traditional to place these implements on an altar to the Divine. If the aspirant can make a conscious effort to see the divine in the tools and objects he uses each day, it will help him to see his work as an offering to God. It will also help him to maintain constant remembrance of the divine. (In India, it is customary to prostrate before the tools before starting work each day; this is an expression of gratitude to God for helping one to fulfill one's duties.)

Householders should invoke Durga's help to surmount obstacles, pray to Lakshmi to bestow peace and prosperity, and contemplate upon Saraswati in order to gain knowledge. These three ingredients are just as necessary for a full and complete worldly life. In reality, when we pray like this, we are but invoking the Shakti that is within ourselves.

Spiritual Tasks For Observing Navaratri as a Personal Sadhana

Let us examine in detail the spiritual significance of Navaratri. The central purpose of existence is to recognize one's eternal identity with the supreme Spirit. It is to grow into the image of the Divine. The supreme One embodies the highest perfection. It is spotless purity. To recognize your identity with That, to attain union with That, is verily to grow into the very likeness of the Divine.

The aspirant, therefore, as his initial step, has to get rid of all the countless impurities, and the demoniacal elements that have come to cling to him in his embodied state. Then he has to acquire lofty virtues and auspicious, divine qualities. Thus purified, knowledge flashes upon him like the brilliant rays of the sun upon the crystal waters of a perfectly calm lake.

This process demands a resolute will, determined effort, and struggle. In other words, strength and infinite power are the prime necessities. Thus it is the Divine Mother who has to operate through the aspirant.

Days One Through Three: Destruction of Impurities

Let us now consider how, on the first three days, the Mother is adored as supreme power and force, as Kali the Dark One. The spiritual aspirant prays to Mother Durga to destroy all his impurities, his vices, his defects. She is to fight with and annihilate the baser animal qualities in the spiritual aspirant--the lower, diabolical nature in him. Also, She is the power that protects his spiritual practice from its many dangers and pitfalls. Thus the first three days, which mark the first stage or the destruction of impurity and determined effort and struggle to root out the evil tendencies in the aspirant's mind, are set apart for the worship of the destructive aspect of the Mother.

Days Four Through Six: Acquisition of Divine Qualities

Once the spiritual aspirant has accomplished his task on the negative side (breaking down the impure propensities and old vicious habits), the next step is to build up a sublime spiritual personality, to acquire positive qualities in place of the eliminated demoniacal qualities. The divine qualities that Lord Krishna enumerates in the Gita have to be acquired. He has to earn immense spiritual wealth to be able to pay the price for the rare gem of divine wisdom. If this development of the opposite qualities is not undertaken in earnest, the old demoniacal nature will raise its head again and again.

Hence, this stage is as important in the aspirant's career as the previous one. The essential difference is: the former is a ruthless, determined annihilation of the egoistic lower self; the latter is an orderly, steady, calm and serene effort to develop purity. This pleasanter side of the aspirant's Sadhana is depicted by the worship of Mother Lakshmi. She bestows on Her devotees the inexhaustible divine wealth or Devi Sampath. Lakshmi is the wealth-giving aspect of the Divine. She is purity itself. Thus the worship of Goddess Lakshmi is performed during the second set of three days.

Days Seven Through Nine: Attainment of Wisdom

Once the spiritual aspirant succeeds in routing out the evil propensities, and develops Sattvic or pure, divine qualities, he becomes competent to attain wisdom. He is now ready to receive the light of supreme wisdom. At this stage comes the devout worship of Mother Saraswati, who is divine knowledge personified, the embodiment of knowledge of the Absolute. The sound of Her celestial veena awakens the notes of the sublime utterances of the Truth, and the sacred monosyllable, "Om." She bestows the knowledge of the supreme, mystic sound and then gives full knowledge of the Self as represented by Her pure, dazzling snow-white apparel. Therefore, propitiating Saraswati, the giver of knowledge, is the third stage.

Day Ten: Celebration

The tenth day, Vijaya Dasami, marks the triumphant ovation of the soul at having attained liberation while living in this world, through the descent of knowledge by the Grace of Goddess Saraswati. The soul rests in its own Supreme Self. This day celebrates the victory, the achievement of the goal. The banner of victory flies aloft.

This arrangement also has a special significance in the aspirant's spiritual evolution. It marks the indispensable stages of evolution through which everyone has to pass.

Victory, victory be yours!

Glory to the Divine Mother!

About the Author: Margaret Mahan has been a student of Jyotisha for the past 13 years, and of related subjects, including Ayurveda, since 1988. She has been trained in Parasari and Tajika Varshaphal Jyotisha by the renowned Hart de Fouw, and in the special techniques of Prasna and Astakavarga found in Kerala, India, by the wonderful Mr. G. Ramesh Nayak.

Margaret co-founded Sushakti with Dr. Robert Svoboda in order to promote the growth of Ayurveda in the West. Dr. Svoboda was a long time coach in Ayurveda and also in medical astrology, and Tantra Shastra.

Margaret has been a purebred cattle rancher, organic food producer, community activist and college executive, among other things. She holds graduate degrees in public policy and public administration, and diplomas in community development and adult education.

She continues to study and practice Jyotisha, Sanskrit and Ayurveda from her home in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Margaret Mahan's email address is mjm108@uniserve.com.

From the April/May 2006 issue of Michael Laughrin's North American Jyotish Newsletter. Click to subscribe to this free Jyotish newsletter.