Devi Navarathri (Dasara) - Significance
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The festival that is held for nine days during the bright fortnight of Aaswayuja Masam starting from the first day (Sukla Paadyami) is known as Devi Navarathri or Durga Navarathri. Literally Navarathri means nine great nights when Goddess Shakthi fought with the demon Mahishaasura. These nine days are very holy and revered days when the Almighty is worshipped in feminine form. During Navarathri festival the Mother Goddess is worshipped mainly in three Divine Energy forms viz…Maha Durga, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswathi. First three days of the festival, Sri Devi is worshipped in the form of Goddess Durga, second three days in the form of Goddess Lakshmi and the last three days in the form of Goddess Saraswathi.
It is said that Goddess Durga manifested in nine different forms known as Nava Durga. They are Shailaputhri; Brahmacharini; Chandraghanta; Kooshmaanda; Skhandhamatha; Kaathyayani; Kaalarathri; MahaGouri; and Siddhidhaathri.
Important days during the nine day festival schedule are...
5th day known as Sri Lalitha Panchami
7th day as Saraswathi Pooja
8th day known as Durgaashtami
9th day known as Maha Navami and
10th day known as Vijaya Dasami
7th day as Saraswathi Pooja
8th day known as Durgaashtami
9th day known as Maha Navami and
10th day known as Vijaya Dasami
Saraswathi Pooja day generally coincides with Moola constellation and Vijaya Dasami coincides with Sravana Star. Different traditions and sampradaya are being followed in worshipping the Goddess during these days. But, there is no uniformity in this regard. During these nine days Goddess is generally worshiped in the form of Bala Tripurasundari; Annapurna; Lalitha Tripurasundari; Gayathri; Saraswathi; Lakshmi; Durga; Mahishaasuramardhini; and Raja Rajeswari. It is said and believed that worshipping Goddess Shakthi during these nine days of Devi Navarathri festival will yield merits equivalent to worshiping Her throughout the year.
The nine day Devi Navarathri festival is concluded on the 10th day that is known as Vijaya Dasami. Vijaya means victory and Dasami is the 10th day in the lunar month. It is celebrated as a mark of victory of Goddess Shakthi over the Demon Mahishaasura. It is considered as the victory of Good over the evil. On the day of Vijaya Dasami, Goddess Shakthi is also worshipped as Aparajitha. Aparajitha means the one who is invincible.
Legend behind the festival
There was a demon by name Mahishaasura who became very powerful with the boons given by Lord Shiva. He was in the form of a Buffalo. Mahisha means the Buffalo and Asura means the Raakshasa or the Demon. The darker side of the boon was that the demon would get killed at the hands of a woman. Ignoring this, the Mahishaasura started troubling all the Deities and captured the Heaven. In order to get rid of the demon, all the Deities including the Trinal Lords, Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara transferred their energies to Goddess Shakthi to fight with him. A powerful battle took place for nine days between the Demon and Goddess Shakthi. Consolidating all the Divine energies, the Universal Mother became very powerful and on the ninth day She defeated Mahishaasura and slained him in her ferocious form of Durga. Thenceforth She came to be known as Mahishaasuramardhini.
There is also a strong belief that in Tretha Yuga Lord Sri Rama had defeated and killed Ravanaasura on the day of Maha Navami and Vijaya Dasami festival is celebrated as a mark of Sri Rama’s victory over Ravana, triumph of righteousness.
The festival of Vijaya Dasami is popularly known as Dasara that is also spelled as Dussera. It is a combination of two words Dasa + Hara. Dasa means ten and Hara means defeated. Dasahara known in common language as Dasara is a festival of worshipping Goddess Durga who has destroyed the evil Mahishaasura considered as a symbol of ten negative passions. Vijaya Dasami is one of the four most auspicious days as per Hindu calendar. Other three are Ugadi, Akshaya Thrutheeya, and Bali Paadyami. It is believed that any venture started on Vijaya Dasami day would bestow successful results. This festival of Devi Navarathri is celebrated with great religious fervor in all the Durga related temples across the country.
Durga worship
Durga is a Sanskrit word meaning invincible. Durga also means a fort. Durge Durgathi Naashini. Goddess Durga is the one who eliminates the sorrow and sufferings of her devotees and destroys not only the external enemies but also the internal enemies (negative passions) and protects them from all the evils. She is the one who bestows auspiciousness and she is auspicious to the auspiciousness. Shakthi Upasana is prevalent in Hindu philosophy since time immemorial. In majority of Hindu families we find Goddess Durga worshiped as their Kula Devatha (family Deity). It is said that Pandavas used to worship the Goddess Hinglaj Matha (a form of Goddess Durga) as their Kula Devatha, a temple of which one can find near Somanath in Gujarat State.
Like Lord Vishnu, Shiva and Ganapathi, Goddess Shakthi also has a sect of followers who are known as Saaktheya. They follow a unique sampradaya in the worship of Goddess Shakthi. There is an exclusive Pouranic script known as Sri Devi Bhagavatham dedicated to Goddess Shakthi scripted by Sage Vedavyasa. Sri Lalitha Sahasranama Sthothram, Sri Devi Sapthasathi and Durga Kavacham are some of the popular and powerful prayers dedicated to Goddess Shakthi. She is known by several other names like Parvathi, Gouri, Chandi, Kali, Amba, Bhavani etc. Sree Sooktham, Durga Sooktham, Saraswathi Sooktham are some of the sacred scripts one can find dedicated to the Divine Mothers, Lakshmi, Durga, and Saraswathi. Several temples across our country are dedicated to the worship of Goddess Shakthi popularly in the form of Durga. Prominent among them are the18 great temples exclusively dedicated to Goddess Shakthi known as Ashtadasa Shakthi Peetas.
Durga worship – Astro remedy
Astrologically Durga worship is given lot of prominence as a remedy for various mundane problems especially related to Rahu. Worshipping Goddess Durga during Rahu Kalam and during Rahu Dasa is a very effective remedy for Rahu Dosha. Chandi Homa, Durga Namaskara, and Swayamvara Parvathi seva are some of the rituals suggested as astrological remedies.
Dasara festival and Shami Tree
Shami is a Sanskrit word which is known as Banni in Kannada, Jammi in Telugu and its Botanical name is Prosopis specigera. This tree is green throughout the year. The leaves of Shami tree resemble that of a Tamarind tree. In Hindu religion lot of prominence is given to Shami tree which is revered as a sacred and divine plant. Its herbs/stems are used while performing Homa. Worshipping Shami tree is also considered as an effective remedy for Saturn’s malefic effect. It is also used in Ayurveda for curing respiratory problems.
It is said and believed that Pandavas during their Agnathavasa (period of exile in disguise) had secreted their weapons on the top of a Shami tree. On the day of Vijaya Dasami, Arjuna had taken out his weapons and fought with Kouravas in Uttara Ghograhana after worshipping Goddess Durga and Shami tree and became victorious. Since then there is a custom to worship Shami tree on the day of Vijaya Dasami or Dasara. As per Bhavishyottara Purana it is said that Lord Sri Venkateshwara (Srinivasa) had worshipped Shami tree as His Kula Devata before proceeding to marry Goddess Padmavathi Devi. This shows the significance of Hindu customs and traditions which are in vogue since time immemorial. On the festival day in the evening people visit Shami tree situated on the outskirts of their town or village and make circumambulations to the Shami tree.
Shami shamayate paapam Shami shatruvinaashini
Arjunasya dhanurdhaari Raamasya priyadarshini
Arjunasya dhanurdhaari Raamasya priyadarshini
Reciting the above sloka, people exchange the leaves of Shami Tree with their friends and relatives as a symbol of goodwill on the day of Vijaya Dasami.
SarvamangalaMaangalye Shive Sarvaartha saadhike
Sharanye Thrayambake Devi Naaraayani Namosthuthe
Sharanye Thrayambake Devi Naaraayani Namosthuthe
Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu
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