देवी परंपरा की शुरुआत कैसे हुई? क्या है इसका हिंदू पंचांग से कनेक्शन – navratri devi puja spiritual awakening vedic tradition ntc vpv
In Indian tradition, Navratri is seen as nine days of religious rituals and worship. Navratri means worship that lasts for nine nights. But if we go beyond this general meaning and try to understand it, there are deeper meanings hidden in it. These nine days are the time when the body is adjusting itself to the weather. The big thing is that this is a time of change not only for humans, but the entire nature is changing. Its effect is clearly visible on trees, plants, animals and birds.
New leaves and buds are growing in the trees. It is time for flowering plants to form seeds. Migratory birds are changing their places and some are cleaning their feathers. This is also the season for snakes to shed their molts. That is, the entire nature in a way not only feels the change, but is also becoming a part of it.
Why does Chaitra Navratri become a festival of spirituality?
We humans are a little rich and aware in terms of thinking and understanding, hence this becomes a time of celebration for us. A spiritual festival, which leads to purifying not only our body but also our mind and soul.
Therefore, Navratri is not just a religious festival, but it is a very old science of balancing these three – power, nature and consciousness. These nine nights are such a part of time in which we feel the natural changes in ourselves and spend this time in spiritual practice and awaken the inner energy through restraint and self-purification. This process became tradition and we have been associated with this change since the Vedic era.
How was Shakti deified?
Now let us come to the tradition of Goddess worship during Navratri. Shakti was first understood as a goddess during the Vedic period. The word ‘Devi’ is found for the first time in Rigveda itself, where ‘Devi Sukta’ has been written with the same name. In Devi Sukta (Rigveda 10.125) it is said on behalf of Devi…
Aham rudrebhirvassubhishcharamyahamadityairut vishwadevai.
Aham Mitravarunobha Bibharmyahmindragni Ahamashvinobha ॥1॥
Meaning: “I roam in the form of Rudras, Vasus, Adityas and Vishvadevas (Gods). It is I who hold Mitra-Varun, Indra-Agni and the two Ashwinikumars and give them strength.
It becomes clear from this aphorism of Rigveda that both Shakti and Devi are not only connected to each other, but are also the same form.
Goddess is not just a statue or picture, but energy
Here the Goddess is not shown in any statue or picture, but is seen as a cosmic energy. This basic philosophy later becomes the basis of Navratri sadhana. Similarly, in the Ratri Sukta of Rig Veda, ‘night time’ has also been considered as the form of Goddess. That is, when the whole world is in a state of sleep in darkness, then the Goddess i.e. Night (Nisha) protects and nourishes everyone. Night has been described as not just darkness, but a power that provides protection and comfort. That is why ‘Night’ has special significance in Navratri. This is the time to move away from the outer world and journey within.
If seen from the perspective of mythological stories, the most clear and popular description of Navratri is found in Markandeya Purana. ‘Durga Saptashati’ is also included in this. In this book, stories of three main forms of Goddess are mentioned.
Killing Mahishasura, which ends arrogance and tyranny.
Madhu-Kaitabha slaughter, which symbolizes the destruction of ignorance and illusion
Shumbha-Nishumbha slaughter, which is the message of victory over greed and lust.
The power of the Goddess is present in every creature
In this way the Goddess is present in the form of Shakti in every living being. This is why nine forms of the Goddess are worshiped for nine days during Navratri, which symbolizes the awakening of nine levels of internal energy along with external worship. The special importance of Navratri fast has also been mentioned in Devi Bhagwat Purana and other texts. Observing Navratri fast every year brings balance and purification in life.
Whereas in Kalika Purana, there is mention of Navratri of Magh and Ashadha month, which are called ‘Gupta Navratri’. These are especially considered for Tantric Sadhana and deep serious worship and are more important for the seekers than for the common people.
Goddess is the original energy of the universe
Actually, the mythological stories of Navratri are not just religious explanations, but also give deep psychological connotations. The war between the goddesses and the demons is a symbol of the internal conflict going on within man. Mahishasura is a symbol of ego, Shumbha-Nishumbha are symbols of greed and lust, while Madhu-Kaitabha are symbols of illusion and ignorance. In this way, Navratri is not a story of external war, but a nine-day process of self-struggle and self-victory.
The Vedic and mythological basis of Navratri makes it clear that the Goddess is the original energy of the universe, the night is the best time for introspection and meditation, and the Goddess-Demon war is actually a struggle against the negative symbols within man. Therefore Navratri is not just a worship or celebration, but an important time for inner change and awakening of consciousness.
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