‘Navratri’
or ‘Nine Nights’ is a time of inward healing,
Sacrificing worldly desires and
strengthening the mind,
It’s remembering the
preparations of a Supreme Being,
Who took on the task in making
earth safe for mankind.
The festival is dedicated to the
nine forms of Durga Devi,
The manifestations she took on to
enhance her power,
And she, with her absolute supply
of creative energy,
Was the Deity who could overcome a
demonic terror.
Mahishasura was the diabolic one
that had to be killed,
And since he had been given a boon
to live
for eternity,
No man could take his life; nor
his blood be ever spilled,
And with his bullish cruelty,
humans were at his mercy.
When the demon saw Durga, her
beauty enchanted him,
Not knowing who she was, he wanted
her as his wife,
She agreed, yet she hoped he’d
fulfill her
only whim,
That if he won her over in a
battle she’d be his for life.
Their struggle raged fierce
through many a long night,
With
her various forms did Durga distract Mahishasura,
On
the ninth night she beheaded him and won the fight,
The
tenth day of ‘triumph over evil’ is called Dusshera.
The
story of Lord Rama is found in the epic Ramayana,
He
prayed to Durga, that on him her might she empower,
He
fought the demon-king, Ravana, who abducted Sita,
And
it was on the tenth day that he emerged as the victor.
Now,
devotees fast and worship for nine days in sanctity,
The
first three nights honour Durga for her spiritual force,
The next three are pleas for boons
in her form of Lakshmi,
Finally Saraswathi is sought as
knowledge is her source.
(The Festival of Lights/Deepavali is celebrated 20 days after Dusshera /Dussehra/Dasara.)
30 Sept 2014