The festival of Navaraatri is from the 11th to the 20th October this year. This festival is essential for worship and health care. Regarding this festival, in the ambrosial words of Pujya Bapuji’s Satsang, it is mentioned: In the Shrimad Devi Bhaagavatam, Janamejaya asked Bhagavan Veda Vyaasa, “What are men to do in the time of Navaraatra (the festival of nine nights)? How should one take benefit?”
Maharshi Veda Vyaasa said, “Navaraatra occurs twice a year. First, there is the Vasanti Navaraatra (spring), and the second is the Shaaradiya Navaraatra (autumn). The two seasons, autumn and spring, are famous as the teeth of Yama, the God of Death; and these are the two seasons, very hard for people to cross over. Those with poor health reach the abode of death (Yamapuri) during these seasons. Therefore, during these seasons, one should not overeat or sleep during the day but instead should fast, chant, keep vigil a little at night (maximum until 12 a.m.), and cultivate the feelings of devotion so that the divine power of God is awakened and Life Energy is increased.”
During these days of the Yamadanshtraa seasons, living beings should worship Mother Bhagavati amidst the painful upheavals of nature. All these vows, fasts, worships, and readings of shaastras are meant to endow you with spiritual aura and radiance even while you are in the physical body.
Keeping vigil in the night (Jaagaran) has its own impact, but during the night vigil there should be lighting of lamps, discussions and narrations of the scriptures, and observing the vow of silence and continence. One should resort to spiritual thoughts and thoughts of self-restraint. Musical instruments, dance, etc., should be used to arouse the feelings of devotion to God.
Pop music and disco dance stimulate the sex center and make a person lustful, but during Navaraatras, even a lustful person, taking refuge in Mother Ambaa, saves himself from sexual indulgence, thereby preserving his sexual energy during these days. This is why special worship and Darshan of the Mother are prescribed during Navaraatras. The word ‘Maa’ fills the heart with sublime feelings. The sacred word that is endowed with the power of rearing, nourishing, and protecting is ‘Maa’.
People celebrate Navaraatras, but priority should be given to the observance of vrata, males should be able to call a female neighbour ‘sister’ and to look at a female neighbour as a mother. When an image of Jagadambaa (Divine Mother) is placed at the center and Garabaa (devotional song in praise of the divine Mother) is sung, then it is a true Navaraatra. If fashion-obsessed people enter the Navaraatras venues, attracted by others’ beauty, charm, and fashion, like moths attracted to a flame, they do not gain the meritorious benefit of the Navaraatri JaagaraÔ. This benefit is reserved for the daughters, Devis, and brothers and children who come with a pure heart. Fashionable people do disco dancing and those lovers search for a private place for sexual indulgence, whereas we people of Indian culture perform collective kirtan and, in order to connect our hearts with God, we visit temples and saints, read shaastras and worship virgin girls, beholding them as manifestations of the Goddess.
Those who worship the divine mother with self-restraint during Navaraatri to attain liberation are fortunate. Those who indulge in sexual intercourse are stupid. They invite their destruction. They invite dire distress. Sant Tulsidas ji Said,
“The man who does not use his human form to attain Moksha reaps torture in the other world and beats his head in remorse, wrongly attributing the blame to Time, Fate and God. The man who, though equipped with all these resources, fails to cross the ocean of metempsychosis is ungrateful and dull-witted and meets the fate of a self-murderer.” (Shri Raama Charita Manasa, U.K.: 43, 44)
“May the evil minded (who indulge in the acts of self-destruction, even when they have opportunity to attain liberation) become virtuous. May the virtuous attain tranquility. May the tranquil be free from bondage. May the freed make others free.”
Everyone should reap the benefit of this Vedic prayer.
One Must Observe Fasting on the Last 3 Days
If one observes fasting throughout Navaraatri, then well done! If one is unable, or due to some reason cannot fast for all 9 days, then fasting for 6 days is also fine. Otherwise, one must definitely fast on the last 3 days—Saptami, Ashtami and Navami. By doing so, one receives the fruit of observing a fast throughout Navaraatri.
