Inner Significance Of Navarathri Festival

Inner Significance Of Navarathri Festival
Navarathri means nine nights. Darkness is associated with night. What is this darkness? It is thedarkness of ignorance. The purpose of the Navarathri celebration is to enable man to get rid ofnine types of darkness which have taken hold of him. When a reference is made to Devi, itsignifies the unified form of Dhurga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi. The three together represent
Shakthi. Shakthi is the energy that accounts for all the phenomena of Prakruthi (Nature). Nature
is energy and the controller of that energy is the Lord.
Prakruthi (Nature) is made up of the three qualities, Sathwa, Rajas and Thamas. Saraswathi
represents the Sathya Guna. Lakshmi represents the Rajo Guna and Parvathi represents the
Thamo Guna. As Prakruthi (Nature) is made up of these three qualities (Sathwa, Rajas and
Thamas), to get control over Nature, man has been offering worship to Dhurga, Lakshmi and
Saraswathi. These are not goddesses but deified symbols of the three qualities.
The role of Nature in the creative process
To acquire the grace of the Lord, man has to offer worship at the outset to Prakruthi. On the one
hand you need human effort and on the other you have to acquire the grace of the Divine.
Prakruthi (Nature) and Paramaatma (the Omni-Self) are like the negative and positive poles in
electricity. However powerful the Lord may be (as the positive pole), there can be no creation
without Prakruthi (representing the negative pole). The basis for creation is Prakruthi. For
instance, however good the seeds you may have with you, without planting them in the ground
you cannot reap the fruit. The role of Nature in the creative process is similar.When man forgets God and desires to enjoy the benefits of Nature, he becomes ultimately ademon like Ravana who brought about his own destruction. To secure the grace of the Lord, onehas to have purity of the heart, purity in speech and purity in action. This triple purity isdescribed in Vedantic parlance as Tripurasundari. Lakshmi, who is the embodiment of allprosperity, is represented by the heart. The mouth represents Saraswathi. Kriyaa Shuddhi (Purityin action) is represented by Dhurga. The observance of the Navarathri celebration is to get rid ofthe darkness in which man is enveloped, by cultivating the triple purity of thought, word anddeed.
The human body emerged from Nature. Nature has two forms: Aparaa Prakruthi and Paraa
Prakruthi. Aparaa Prakruthi includes Ashta Aishwaryas (eight forms of wealth), and Kaama,
Krodha, Moha, Lobha, Mada, Maatsarya and the three mental faculties in man: Manas, Chitta
and Ahamkaara. Paraa Prakruthi (the higher Nature) represents the consciousness in man.
Without the Praana (life force) and Chaithanyam (consciousness) man is only a corpse. True
humanness consists in controlling the five elements which make up the Aparaa Prakruthi (lower
Nature) and merge in the higher Nature represented by the life force and Chaithanyam
(consciousness).
Maintain steadiness of mind during worship
The Navarathri has been divided into three parts the first three days being dedicated to the
worship of Dhurga, the next three days to the worship of Lakshmi and the last three days to the
worship of Saraswathi. All Hindu festivals have a sacred purpose. Unfortunately, nowadays the
festivals are observed only with external rituals without understanding their inner meaning. In
the performance of all forms of worship there should be steadiness of mind and body. Only then
concentration can be achieved. Today men are unable to maintain steadiness of body and mind.
(At this stage Swami referred to the advent of Shirdi Sai and described incidents from his early
life. This part of Swami's discourse is published separately in the next chapter. Towards the end
of His discourse, Swami again reverted to an exposition of the inner significance of the Dashara
festival).
The basic significance of Devi Navarathri is the adoration of Prakruthi (Nature). Devi refers to
Bhudevi (Mother Earth). All the vital requirements of man can be found in the earth. Those who
travel to the moon have to carry with them the oxygen, water and food they need from the earth.
None of these can be found on the moon.
Adoration of Nature
Students! The progress of modern technology, by polluting the atmosphere with Carbon dioxide
smoke, is causing a threat to life on earth. This smoke has already created a hole in the ozone
ring above the earth which has been serving as a protecting cover against harmful radiation from
the sun. If the ozone layer is destroyed, the effect of the sun's rays may be disastrous. All nations
are now worried about this threat. All that needs to be done to avert this danger is to reduce the
pollution of the atmosphere caused by automobiles and industrial effluents. The uncontrolled
development of industries has to be checked. Development should be in the common interest, to
promote the welfare of all.
The Navarathri celebration is an occasion for revering Nature and considering how natural
resources can be used properly in the best interests of mankind. Resources like water, air, power
and minerals should be used properly and not misused or wasted. Economy in the use of every
natural resource is vital. Pollution of the air has many evil consequences. The inner significance
of observances like Nagarasankirtan and bhajans is to fill the atmosphere with sacred vibrations
and holy thoughts.
The power of Manthra
Today we know how radio and television broadcasts are transmitted to all parts of the world by
radio waves. Is it unbelievable that Krishna was able similarly to appear in the homes of Gopikas
simultaneously? If a Yantra (machine) could achieve such a result, how much more power
should be attributed to Manthra? The power of the divine name and form is all pervading. The
electromagnetic waves in the atmosphere can preserve sounds and forms for all time.
When Swami was recently in Hyderabad, His activities there were seen on the TV in various
parts of the country. If a mechanical contrivance could achieve this, is it incredible that much
more could be done by the divine power of manthras? What is needed is the power to tune in to
the Spirit just as appropriate tuning is needed to receive a radio or TV broadcast. Regard your
heart as a radio receiver. Your concentration is the tuning device. You will experience the Divine
when you tune your heart properly. This calls for firm, unwavering concentration.
The inauguration of the Navarathri celebrations means that you should use this occasion for
offering worship to Nature and resolving to make sacred use of all natural resources.
Prashanthi Mandir, 27 Sep 1992