NAVRATRI CELEBRATIONS

The festival of Navratri is dedicated to the divine manifestations of
Goddess Durga. Beginning with the new moon in the month of Ashwin,
the festival consists of fasts and worship of the nine aspects of
Goddess Durga. Known by more than a thousand epithets, Durga is
sometimes worshipped as Mahakali for annihilating the demons, Madhu
and Kaitabha, sometimes she is propitiated as Chamunda for killing
the demons Chunda and Munda and at times as Nanda for predicting the
death of Kansa at the hands of Krishna. Whatever the epithet maybe,
we venerate Durga for being the Goddess of power and wisdom.

The festival of Navratri culminates in Mahanavami. On this day Kanya
Puja is performed. Nine young girls representing the nine forms of
Goddess Durga are worshipped. Their feet are washed as a mark of
respect for the Goddess and then they are offered new clothes as
gifts by the worshipper. This ritual is performed in most parts of
the country.

Another important ritual of this festival is Shastra
Ayudhi Puja wherein the most important article of the household is
worshipped. In earlier days, the soldiers used to worship their
weapons on this day. This pooja is performed on the Dussehra day. On
this day, the Goddess of Learning, music and arts is invoked.To Know
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--- In achintya@y..., "blessnetindia" wrote:

> Goddess Durga. Known by more than a thousand epithets, Durga is
> sometimes worshipped as Mahakali for annihilating the demons, Madhu
> and Kaitabha, sometimes she is propitiated as Chamunda for killing
> the demons Chunda and Munda and at times as Nanda for predicting
the

Madhu and Kaitabha were actually slain by Lord MahaaVishnu, as
recorded in the Mahaabhaarata. Where is your evidence that this act
was performed by Durga?

> death of Kansa at the hands of Krishna. Whatever the epithet maybe,
> we venerate Durga for being the Goddess of power and wisdom.

If some Hindus wish to glorify another deity, Vaishnavas will not
have any problem offering respect to any devata (demigod/deigoddess).
However, such glorification should be in keeping with shaastric
descriptions of the actual position of those devatas. Durga is the
personified external potency (maayaa) of Lord Vishnu, and any
glorification of her should bear this in mind. Of her it is stated in
Shriimad Bhaagavatam:

vilajjamaanayaa yasya sthaatumiikShaapathe.muyaa |
vimohitaa vikatthante mamaahamiti durdhiyaH || bhaa 2.5.14 ||

vilajjamaanayaa - by one who is ashamed; yasya - whose; sthaatum - to
stay; iikShaa-pathe - in front; amuyaa - by the bewildering energy;
vimohitaaH - those who are bewildered; vikatthante - talk nonsense;
mama- it is mine; aham - I am everything; iti - thus vituperating;
durdhiyaH - thus ill conceived.

The illusory energy of the Lord cannot take precedence, being ashamed
of her position, but those who are bewildered by her always talk
nonsense, being absorbed in thoughts of "It is I" and "It is mine"
(bhaagavata puraaNa 2.5.14).

The context is clearly Durga, the goddess of the material
manifestation.


yours,

- K