Navratri festival teaches the traditional way of life

Worshiping the Goddess during Navratri is not only about devotion, physical purification and celebration but also about removing negative thoughts and incorporating positivity in oneself.

In India, Navratri festival is in full swing, it is a time of joy, energy, worship, celebration and positivity. Worshiping the Goddess and fasting during these nine days not only gives physical strength but also leads people towards spiritual path.

Sanatan Dharma does not differentiate between men and women and gives importance to the divinity of Shakti and its presence. Navratri is celebrated to commemorate the victory of good over evil. Before conquering Lanka, Shri Ram also worshiped Shakti. During Navratri, Mother Durga is worshiped in the form of Kali, Lakshmi and Saraswati. The worship of Shakti not only has religious significance but is also important from the point of view of seasons and agriculture. Navratri fast observed with purity also has social and cultural importance. This festival is celebrated not only in North India but in every corner of the country.

Hinduism understands the importance of divine power and its presence. Navratri celebrates the victory of good over evil. The festival of Navratri is celebrated before summer and winter. Shri Ram also performed Durga Puja before leaving for Lanka and returned victorious. Navratri refers to nine days, each of which has its own significance. Here Goddess Durga is worshiped in the form of Kali, Lakshmi and Saraswati.

Whenever the vengeful, demonic and cruel people become powerful and start troubling the sattvik, religious humans, the Goddess incarnates for the restoration of dharma. This is the fast of this deity. It is believed that during Navratri the Devi element is thousands of times more active than usual. To derive the most spiritual benefit from this principle, one should chant “Shri Durga Devyaya Namah” as much as possible during the Navratri period.

For the first three days, Goddess Durga is worshiped as Maa Kali, who destroys all our impurities. For the next three days, she is worshiped as Goddess Lakshmi, who bestows abundant wealth. During the last three days, she is worshiped as Mata Saraswati, who blesses people with knowledge and wisdom. The festival of Navratri commemorates the victory of Maa Durga over a powerful demon Mahishasura. The demon Mahishasura was no ordinary demon, as he was blessed by Lord Shiva after deep penance. The blessings of Lord Shiva granted him immortality and saved him from death. As a result of receiving this boon, he started the dance of destruction by killing innocent people on earth. Mother Durga was born to destroy this evil demon.

All over India, Navratri festival is celebrated with enthusiasm and excitement. The goddess is usually worshiped as Maa Kali in the East, and various pandals are erected. In Western India this festival is celebrated with Garba and Dandiya. In Maharashtra a cultural tradition called “Ghatasthapana” is practiced by women who perform rituals and follow cultural traditions.

Navratri is the celebration of the divine feminine energy or Shakti, known as Goddess Durga. It honors her as the supreme goddess who is a symbol of power and protection. This festival celebrates the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura, who represents evil and ignorance. According to Hindu mythology, Durga fought Mahishasura for nine days and nights and finally defeated him on the tenth day, which is celebrated as Vijayadashami or Dussehra.

During Navratri, nine different forms or manifestations of Goddess Durga are worshiped over nine days. These forms are known as Navadurga and represent different aspects of her divine power. Each day is dedicated to a specific form of the goddess, allowing devotees to invoke her different attributes. Navratri generally falls around the change of seasons, marking the transition from monsoon to autumn. In some areas of India, it is associated with the harvest season and is seen as a time to celebrate agricultural bounty.

Devotees observe fast during Navratri and engage in purification practices. Fasting is seen as a means to purify the body and mind and achieve spiritual purity. Navratri is not only a religious festival but also an important cultural and social event in India. It includes dance performances, music, community celebrations and lively processions like Garba and Dandiya Raas in Gujarat. Devotees use this period to intensify their spiritual practices, deepen their devotion and contemplate their inner battle against negative qualities, seeking the power and guidance of Goddess Durga.

Mata Durga is the manifestation of Adi Para Shakti, the primordial universal mother and the most powerful force in the universe. Most of the time the power of Durga extends to all the Shakti Devis and Shastra Devas. Mother Durga is the incarnation of supreme power and is so dangerous that she merges into a complete deity and most of the time remains present in the form of benevolent Mother Parvati.

The external power Maya which is of the nature of shadow power is worshiped by all people in the form of Durga, who is the creator, preserver and destroyer of this earthly world. Here, Goddess Durga is addressed as the external power of God, who is the vital cause of the creation, maintenance and destruction of the material universe. Lord Mahavishnu being spiritual has nothing to do with this material matter. Therefore, he gives birth to Shambhu and his wife, who work for him.

Goddess worship in Navratri is a tradition that dates back millennia, an ancient wisdom that has endured generations, and a way of life that has guided countless souls on their spiritual journeys. This tradition not only leads people towards spirituality but also inspires them to adopt a special lifestyle. The lifestyle of people during Navratri should be such which is the essence of customs, dietary patterns, religious and social rituals, holy places or even their thought process.

Navratri celebrations fill people with energy and positivity and strengthen their belief in good over evil. Sanatan Dharma is not a sect or sect based on authoritarianism, where the orders of an individual or an organization are considered sacred. To attain spiritual liberation one needs Shakti, which is considered an essential part of Sanatana culture. To achieve holistic development, the Sanatana tradition emphasizes the assimilation of values ​​and the inclusion of the energies of both Shiva and Shakti. Women are respected and worshiped in India.

Efforts will have to be made to ensure that culture is not left behind in the race of progress and modernity. Equality is necessary in education, equal participation in economic and political fields, awareness efforts, technical knowledge, equal opportunities in jobs. There should be equal participation in family decisions. The environment of a society free from evils should be such that a woman feels safe anywhere and at any time. Strict action is necessary against those who have evil vision. We believe that “power lies in devotion.” Purifying the body by fasting before the arrival of new food is medicinal science. Internal purity is essential for the body. By increasing internal cleanliness, development of body’s immunity gives us the power to fight many diseases, due to which self-power develops. It is this power that gives us the strength to fight internal and external enemies. People power is the real power in democracy. Shri Ram had won over Ravana by taking the forest dweller community along with him. We also have to awaken the sleeping power of the backward society.

The destructive elements that break the society will have to be defeated. The slogan of Bharat Mata ke Jai will have to be raised everywhere by awakening the feeling of unity and solidarity. Only harmonious, aware and active social power will become the base power of the country. This principle of victory of religion over unrighteousness, truth over falsehood and humanity’s monstrosity is the basic element of our culture. The mantra uttered as “Satyamev Jayate” is our inspiration. With the pride and self-respect of our culture, we should engage in the welfare of the world by awakening the power of India, this is the message of Vijayadashami.

– Pragya Pandey