Each one of the Indian festivals has a reason and significance behind its celebration.
It is not only celebrated for fun and enjoyment. But there is a proper meaning
behind its celebration. Similarly with the festival of Navaratri there is a
significance and meaning attached to it. The festival celebrates the worship
of Three Goddess, Durga (the god of power and strength), Lakshmi (the goddess
of wealth) and Saraswati (the Goddess of knowledge and learning). The festival
leads to spiritual growth of a person.
The beginning of spring and the beginning of autumn are two very important
junctions of climatic and solar influence. These two periods are taken as sacred
opportunities for the worship of the Divine Mother. The dates of the festival
are determined according to the lunar calendar.
Dasahara, meaning ‘ten days’, becomes dasara in popular parlance.
The Navaratri festival or ‘nine day festival’ becomes ‘ten
day festival’ with the addition of the last day, Vijayadashami which is
its culmination. On all these ten days, the various forms of Mother Mahisasura-mardini
(Durga) are worshipped with fervour and devotion.
It gives the person inner strength to fight against all odds of life. The courage
to fight for the weaker section of the society and against all evils of the
society. So the first three days is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Shakti.
The next most important requirement in life is wealth and prosperity and for
that the next three days of the festival is dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi (the
Goddess of wealth and prosperity). Knowledge and learning is another important
aspect of life. And for that, the last three days of the festival is dedicated
to Goddess Saraswati. She is worshipped so that she blesses us with power of
knowledge and helps us to attain spiritual enlightenment.
The nine nights festival of Navratri begins on the first day of Ashwin of the
bright fortnight. The festival comes to an end on the tenth day of Vijay Dashami
or Dussehra, when the idols of the Goddess Shakti are immersed in the river.
Dussehra, is considered as an important festival. Though the festival celebrates
the worship of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati, but all the three Goddess are the incarnations/forms
of the Shakti (the 'Parama-Prakriti' or the Universal Mother Goddess). The festival signifies power, wealth,
prosperity and knowledge.
A deeper meaning of the festival Navaratri suggests the spiritual growth of
a person, where one needs courage to stand up for others and protect the weaker
and be able to fight the evil and their temptations. This is the first requirement
of spiritual growth - to take a firm against the evil and for the good. The
second requirement is to fulfill one's needs, treat the guests and help the
poor. For this one needs money and the next three days of Navratri are dedicated
to the worship of Lakshmi so that she would bless us with the necessary money
to be put to good use. Learning virtues and good qualities and upholding one's
responsibility as a sacred duty is the next requirement to the spiritual growth.
Finally, Goddess Saraswati is worshipped so that she blesses us with power of
knowledge and helps us to attain spiritual enlightenment.
The 9 nights festival of Navratri begins on the first day of Ashwin of the
bright fortnight. The festival comes to an end on the tenth day of Vjay Dashmi
or Dussehra, when the idols of the Goddess Shakti are immersed in the river.
Dussehra, is thus, considered auspicious for beginning mantra incantation and
renouncing the world as 'Sanyasi'. However, Navaratri has a message for people
who lead worldly life too. It teaches us to surmount obstacles with the help
of Durga, thank and pray to Lakshmi for her blessings and gain knowledge with
the blessings of Saraswati. This done, we can find Shakti (power) within ourselves.
We must also understand that Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati are different facets
of a single entity, thus, representing that Mother Goddess bestow us with wealth,
prosperity and knowledge and protect us too.
