DURGA PUJA AND DASSAIN

Durga Puja

Vedas and Upanishads are grounded on the belief that Shiva is the Absolute Being and Shakti is the cosmic energy of Shiva.  With Shakti, the phenomenal world emerges from Shiva and dissolves back into Shiva. 

Shiva is impersonal inactive pure consciousness while Shakti is active power of pure consciousness.  The essential nature of Shiva and Shakti is formless.  In form, Shiva and Shakti are Mahadev and Parvati. 

The absolute primeval form of Shakti is Adi-Shakti.

Adi-Shakti first born in form as Goddess Sati, the daughter of Daktsa Prajapati, who is responsible to worldly norms, traditions, codes of conduct, and morality. 

Goddess Sati marries to Mahadev, but ends her life to destroy Daktsa Prajapati’s ego and attain higher perfection.

Goddess Sati is worshiped in her ten manifestations revered as Das Maha Vidya,  the ten wisdom Goddesses.

The ten wisdom Goddesses are:

1...Goddess Kali

Goddess Kali represents time.  She embodies both, the creative and destructive nature. 

Goddess Kali reflects attitude, intention, and emotion of the person who approaches her. 

If Goddess Kali is approached with love, she assumes the form of Goddess Laxmi.  If she is approached for knowledge and wisdom, she assumes the form of Goddess Saraswati. 

But Goddess Kali is approached with evil intension; she assumes the wrathful form and destroys the persons itself having evil intent.

2...Goddess Tara

Goddess Tara embodies protective qualities, loving kindness and compassion. 

Goddess Tara ferries her devotees cross Samsara -the ocean of physical and psychological world and guides us along the creative path like a guiding star of our aspiration. 

She removes ignorance that ties us to Samsara and obstacles that make us suffer.

Goddess Tara is savioress who saves us from Urga -radical dangers and unforeseen miseries, and hence she is revered as Ugra-Tara. 

In her manifestation as Nila Saraswati, she imparts Jnana -knowledge. 

Goddess Tara is Ek-Jata, the one who unites the beings with absolute. 

3...Goddess Tripur Sundari

Goddess Tripur Sundari, also known as Sodasi, embodies pure perception, compassion and knowledge.  She symbolizes the three-fold process of creation, sustenance and destruction which involves body, mind and consciousness.

Goddess Tripur Sundari shares her attributes with Goddess Saraswati. 

She represents Swaha –the life beyond all fallacies, thoughts and descriptions.

4...Goddess Bhuvaneswari

Goddess Bhuvaneswari is the Cosmic Mother of all existence and she resides in the heart of Shiva. 

In the vast expanse of space, Goddess Bhuvaneswari creates the myriad of primordial worlds, sustains them and nourishes them. 

Goddess Bhuvaneswari resides in our heart and constantly reminds us not to fall into illusions but see across and beyond to oneness among all beings. 

She bestows her divine blessing for equanimity and assists in connecting our heart and mind with the world of divinity.

5...Goddess Bhairavi

Goddess Bhairavi personifies fire that burns imperfections. 

She removes impediments to victory and successes. 

Goddess Bhairavi, in the form of Goddess Kali, destroys the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha -the embodiment of Ego and attachment.

Goddess Bhairavi is Chamundeshwari who kills the demons Chanda and Munda -the embodiment of psychic energies of aversion, lustfulness and unclear vision.

Goddess Bhairavi is the Goddess Kalratri, the fiercest wrathful form of Goddess Durga.  

6...Goddess Chinnamasta

Goddess Chinnamasta signifies that consciousness alone is absolute and all else is impermanent. 

Goddess Chinnamasta is the embodiment of rare courage needed to make highest sacrifice.

Goddess Chinnamasta, in a single frame, makes a stunning presentation of varying and conflicting aspects of life and death; the joy of transcending the body and not the pain of losing it; and the joy of giving up the ego to attain wisdom and freedom.  

She symbolizes self-control and the spirit of self-sacrifice, and the courage to face death without fear.  

7...Goddess Dhumavati

Goddess Dhumavati personifies extreme poverty, troubles and tribulations one may encounter in life.  

Goddess Dhumavati reminds us for being aware of potential extremes and signifies the importance of awareness and being mindful of negative forces. 

With the power of discriminating awareness, Goddess Dhumavati directs us to look beyond all desires and develop a sense of detachment.

Goddess Dhumavati guides us along the spiritual path and rescues from extreme ill fates.

8...Goddess Bagalamukhi

Goddess Bagalamukhi is the manifestation of divine speech. 

Goddess Bagalamukhi symbolizes the removal of impurities associated with speech and the tongue involved in telling lies or concealing the truth.  

She signifies failure hidden in success, death hidden in life, joy hidden in sorrow, and vice versa.  She is the secret presence of the opposites.

9...Goddess Mantangi

Goddess Mantangi is the embodiment of thought, talent and skills. 

Goddess Mantangi signifies the importance of inner purity over external cleanliness.  

Goddess Mantangi enables her devotees to discern purity and impurity; auspicious and inauspicious; and puritanical notion and unrestrained indulgence with sense objects. 

She instills faith that all existence is pervaded by the Supreme Being. 

10…Goddess Kamala

Goddess Kamala is the embodiment of prosperity and good luck.

Goddess Kamala shares her attributes with Goddess Laxmi.  

The benevolence Goddess Kamala is the removal of poverty, both material and spiritual.  She grants divine support for success on worldly activities and aspirations.  

Goddess Kamala tells us that the pursuit of material wealth and success should be for seeking divinity within us. 

Eons later Adi Shakti born as Goddess Parvati, the daughter of Himalaya. 

Goddess Parvati marries with Mahadev, and becomes eternal consort. 

Goddess Durga is the divine form of Goddess Parvati. 

In Goddess Durga all Goddesses of Hinduism are converged.

In Navaratri Durga Puja the nine manifestations of Goddess Durga are worshipped in the following sequential order. 

1…Shailputri Durga

Shailputri Durga is the embodiment of primeval purity.  She is inner consciousness, who is unborn and resides deep in our inner consciousness. 

Human consciousness is characterized by constantly outward flowing energy.  With deep dedication and concentration on Shailputri Durga, the out flowing energy turns inward in search of perfection and eventually gets stilled. 

By taking refuge is in Shailputri Durga, the devotees are able awaken her and with her begins the spiritual journey and progress through successive steps in pursuit of eternal peace and happiness. 

2…Brahmacharini Durga

Brahmacharini Durga is the embodiment of purity of mind. 

Brahmacharini Durga bestows self-confidence and resolute determination.  She is the giver of spiritual wisdom for moving into the boundless space of pure awareness.  She personifies love and loyalty, and provides knowledge and wisdom. 

With the blessing of Brahmacharini Durga our mind becomes pure and remains unshaken, and do not deviate from ethical conduct and duty even in the most critical periods of physical and mental pressures. 

With the purity of mind devoid of Ego, we are able accept things or situations as they are with humility. 

3…Chandraghanta Durga

Chandraghanta Durga is the embodiment of inner vibration of the accumulated energies.  She signifies the inner call for pure consciousness, the pure state of mind, peace, serenity and humility.

Chandraghanta Durga provides justice, protects from evil forces, removes obstacles on the spiritual path, and enables to cultivate courage and fearlessness. 

By contemplating on the divinity of Chandraghanta Durga, we are able to purify our body, speech, mind and action, and liberate from worldly sorrows. 

4…Kushmanda Durga

Kushmanda Durga is the core of our inner consciousness, referred as Surya Loka.  She is our deepest inner consciousness.  She embodies Sankalpa, the mental projection, and the underlying energy, and the phenomenon that continue without end.

Kushmanda Durga liberates from sorrows and bestows with long life, good health, name and fame, and strength. 

5…Skandamata Durga

Skandamata Durga is the embodiment of energy that accelerates the single-pointed yearning for liberation.  It is in this manifestation Parvati gives birth to Skanda or Kartikeya, who destroys the formidable demon Tarakasura -the impeder of liberation.

With the blessing of Skandamata Durga, our mind becomes pure, bereft of thought waves.  At the purest state of mind, the devotees of Skandamata Durga are liberated from illusion. 

6…Katyayani Durga

Katyayani Durga is the embodiment of faith and confidence. 

Katyayani Durga confers blessing for being confident in our own ‘self’ and decisive in our actions.  Being confident and decisive, we get rid of fear and doubt, the root causes of defeat and failure. 

Katyayani Durga is worshiped for self confidence and victory. 

7…Kalratri Durga

Kalratri Durga is the wrathful form of Goddess Durga.  She takes this wrathful form to eliminate evils which are otherwise difficult to destroy. 

Kalratri Durga destroys the demon Raktabija, the embodiment of fleeting thoughts and desire that remains dissatisfied even after fulfilling all the desires. 

Kalratri Durga is the embodiment of discerning wisdom.  She enables us to discern between the underlying truth and surface illusion.

With the blessings of Kalratri Durga, we become fit to earn virtues. 

8…Mahagauri Durga

Mahagauri Durga is the embodiment of the perfection, the purity of our inner consciousness and inherently resides in our heart. 

Mahagauri Durga signifies soaking our mind in the eternal light of Supreme Being after crossing over the utter darkness of the deepest level of our unconsciousness where our Ego in all its denominations are considered dead. 

It was in this form Goddess Parvati married Lord Shiva as her eternal consort. 

9…Siddhidhatri Durga

Siddhidhatri Durga is the ultimate form of Durga.  She is the embodiment of success.  She is the purest and absolute knowledge.

Siddhidhatri Durga is the wish fulfilling goddess and giver of all forms of successes.  She is the giver of Siddhi –perfections, and Riddhi –supernatural powers. 

With Siddhis and Riddhis bestowed by Siddhidhatri Durga, her devotees transcend all material desires and propensity.  The absolute nearness of the perfect Supreme Being becomes the only aim of her devotees. At that state, the only intension that remains is to help and free others from illusion and influence of negativities. 

Dassain

Dassain is celebrated on the tenth day of the autumn Navaratri Durga Puja.  It is the auspicious occasion of celebrating victory of good over evils. 

Dassain marks the victory of Goddess Durga, the ultimate divine power over demons, the evils; that manifest in our mind, speech, behavior and action. 

It was on this day Lord Ram; the incarnation of Lord Vishnu had subdued Ravan, the king of evils.

Dassain is the occasion to cherish harmony and happiness.  It provides the basis for embracing righteousness to live a meaningful life.

Dassain is an occasion to receive blessings of Goddess Durga, parents and elders of the family.  It is a festival of family get together and an occasion to rejuvenate hope and aspiration, self-confidence and instill values. 

Dassain begins with Ghata Sthapana which means consecration of Goddess Durga in a sacred sanctum for worshiping her for nine days.

Ghata Sthapana is done by placing a Kalash –a container filled with water, symbolizing Goddess Durga. 

Alongside seeds of coarse grains are sown in a container filled with clean sand.  The pot is kept covered to let the seeds grow into golden colored seedling, called Jamara.

A lamp is lit, which ought to continue burning throughout and the environment is kept clean for welcoming Goddess Durga.

Of the nine days, the seventh, eighth and ninth days are of special significance. 

The seventh day is called the Phul-Pati day.  On this day nine different flowers, shrubs and herbs symbolizing nine different forms of Goddess Durga are placed in a Kalash.  On this day, Goddess Durga is worshiped in her Kalratri form. 

On Phul-Pati day prayers are offered to Goddess Durga to reveal the true nature of ours by transcending the egoistic human nature. 

Phul-Pati day is a day of sacrifice, the day we sacrifice our ego and all its denominations.

The eighth day is called Durga Asthami.  On this day Goddess Durga in the form of Mahagauri is worshiped along with her eight companions called Asta-nayikas. 

The ninth day is called Maha Navami.  On Maha Navami, Goddess Durga is worshiped in the form of Siddhidhatri along with all her manifestations and all other denominations. 

On Maha Navami, Ista Devata –favorite personal deity, and Kul Devata –family deities are also specially worshiped.

On Maha Navami, Durga Puja culminates and Dassain festivities begin. 

Dassain is marked with a special Tika ceremony.  The Tika is of colored rice.  It is believed that each grain of rice carries the blessings of Goddess Durga, parents and elders of the family.   

Parents and elders offer Tika along with Jamara which signifies the symbolic blessing of Goddess Durga for wish fulfilling, good health, and happiness.

Dassain festival formally ends after four days on the ensuing full moon day.   

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