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Navaratri - Page 2

© Kalyani Subramanyan

such devious demon. Along with his equally mighty brother Nisambhu, he was driving the gods crazy. Even Lord Vishnu could not help the beleaguered gods.

They solicited the advice of sage Medha, who told them that only Devi Mahamaya (Goddess Durga) could rescue them from the asuras. The gods combined their spiritual strength and gave birth to the mighty "dasabhuja" (ten-headed) Goddess Durga.

Thus the goddess Durga was created by the three gods - Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara (Shiva) - for destroying the demons. As the legend goes, Durga went to their kingdom in the form of a beautiful woman. Blinded by her beauty, the demon kings propose to her. She agrees on condition that they would have to defeat her in war.

The brothers, unaware of her identity, agree instantly. The war begins. The demons send their most powerful representative, Mahishasura in the form of a buffalo, to fight Durga. The buffalo represents the lower animal instincts in man in an aggressive form. The goddess represents the higher, nobler tendencies, also in an aggressive form - the form of Durga, she vanquishes all the demons in the end, including Raktabeeja, their commander-in-chief. in-chief. Mahishasura (Mahisha = Bull; asura = demon, our indisciplined self).. The Bull is characterized by great inertia and also great rage -our own ego. The slaying of this demon by Mahishasuramardhini (another name for Durga) symbolizes the taming of this ego-bull and putting it to productive use in the service of God. See how the same Bull under the total control of its master Shiva becomes Nandi whom we worship - Nandi always faces the Lord and is eternally in the service of the L ord. The Durga Shakthi, if invoked through prayer, will help us to yoke our ego and plow the spiritual field for us.

Dassera is a ten-day festival and each of the first nine nights (navaratri) is dedicated to a different aspect of the goddess Durga.

1st day : Shaiputri: Navi-Ratri commences with the first night devoted to a puja for Shaiputri, the daughter of Himavan. Her two hands, display a trident and a lotus. She is mounted upon a bull (also Lord Shiva's vehicle)

2nd day : Bramacharini : One hand holds a 'Kumbha' or water pot and the other a rosary. She personifies love and loyalty.

3rd day : Chadraghanta: Worshipped on the third night this Durga-Shakti is astride a tiger, displays a golden hue to her skin, possesses ten hands and three eyes. Eight of her hands display weapons while the remaining two are respectively in the mudras or gestures of boon- giving and stopping harm.

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