The Spiritual Significance of Navaratri

Add as a preferred source on Google

Greetings to all seekers of spiritual truth. This column on spirituality is being launched during the auspicious Navaratri celebrations, 2006. The whole of India is immersed in the devotional fervour of Durga Puja. What better way to begin this series than by dwelling on the spiritual significance of the Navaratri celebrations?

Many such ancient festivals in India are losing their meaning; having been reduced to mere social occasions for family gatherings, feasting and popular entertainment. The Navaratri also has come to be characterised by the 'garba' dance performed by Gujaratis. In fact, some South Indians have a wrong notion that Durga Puja is confined only to Gujarat or Bengal!

While readers may be well-versed with the puranic stories associated with the Navaratri as described in popular scriptures like the Devi Mahatmyam, few are aware of its deeper philosophical and spiritual meaning.

For instance, the demon Mahishasura represents symbolically, the vast dense mass of darkness and ignorance, Tamas, puffed up with egoism and arrogance. Similarly, the other demonic forces described in the text like Chanda, Munda, Shumbha and Nishumbha are symbols of passion, anger, self-conceit and self-deprecation and other such impediments to spiritual growth. The text describes the long drawn and fierce struggle that goes on within every soul between these hostile forces and the divine powers, and the ultimate victory of Knowledge over Ignorance, leading to moksha (liberation).

The Navaratri is not observed merely to celebrate the destruction of mythical demons like Mahisasura by different manifestations of the Devi such as Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati. When it is understood in the above perspective, it stands out as a practical manual describing the various obstacles an aspirant faces in our quest for Supreme Knowledge and how these obstacles can be overcome by invoking the help of the spiritual shakti latent in us. Therefore, the Navaratri celebrations are of great spiritual value, not just an occasion for social gatherings.

Of particular mention is the scripture called Devi Mahatmyam, also known as Durga Saptasati or Chandi Path, a text of great significance for all spiritual aspirants. All spiritual aspirants, irrespective of age, gender or caste, can chant the 700 sacred verses of the Chandi. When chanted with proper pronunciation and one-pointed concentration, or listened to with an intensely prayerful attitude, we can overcome all obstacles and difficulties troubling us in worldly or spiritual affairs. It is particularly auspicious to chant the Durga Saptasati during the Saran-Navaratri, the nine day festival of the autumn season which is now being observed all over India.

The Devi Mahatmyam begins with the story of a King called Suratha and a merchant called Samadhi who seek the guidance of a sage called Medha to put an end to their sufferings. The king is driven out of his kingdom by his cunning ministers who usurp the kingdom and merchant by his own family; out of greed for power and wealth.

The King raises a series of thought provoking questions that are of great relevance to all of us even today: "Why do we suffer? Why are we so attached to wealth, power, family and relationships in spite of repeated experience that reveals to us the futility of trying to seek happiness through them? What is the meaning and goal of human life?"

And it is indeed these profound questions that we wish to dwell upon every week in this series on spirituality. We invite all our readers to join in this churning for knowledge.

About the Authour: Pramod Kumar is an alumnus of IIT-Madras and is a faculty in the department of Cultural Education at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, a deemed university at Coimbatore. He is a recipient of the 'Yuva Shakti Youth Achievers Award' for the year 2005 in recognition of his contribution to promoting awareness of Indian culture and heritage amongst the youth