Lord Rama destroyed Ravana on the 10th day of Navratri, which is also called Vijaydashami or Dusshera. For this Lord Rama, worshipped the 9 different forms or manifestations of Goddess Durga for 9 consecutive days and nights. These Nine nights where ignorance and fears are annihilated and true power and divine qualities of your true self is realized are called Navratri.
This Dusshera let’s pledge to burn the Ravana within to invoke the warrior qualities of Lord Rama. We have come in this World to know and connect with our pure and divine qualities. Only after we realize our divine qualities, can our true life purpose or the intention of our birth represented by Lord Rama shine forth.
Lessons of Navrarti are the lessons of life which connect us to our divine qualities.
Lessons of Navrartri:
Each form of Navdurga or manifestation of Divine Mother Shakti teaches a unique life lesson and by praying to each form, we invoke those divine qualities in us.
Day 1 of Navratri: Mata Shailaputri is the first form of Navdurga that is worshipped. She symbolizes the quality of firmness, of being grounded, focussed and ready to face challenges.
Day 2 of Navratri: Mata Brahmacharini, the second avatar of Navdurga symbolizes the perseverance and penance of Goddess Parvati to attain Lord Shiva. One has to attain mastery over mind, body and senses to find your true life purpose.
Day 3 of Navratri: Mata Chandraghanta is the third avatar of Navdurga and She symbolizes eternal strength and fearlessness and establishes justice and discipline in the world. She rides a lion and is always ready for war. One has to be ready to act as if in a battlefield without fear of past and future and totally immersed in the present like a perfect warrior.
Day 4 of Navratri: Mata Kushmanda is the fourth avatar of Navdurga, and She is considered to be the Creator and source of all that is manifest. One has to elevate oneself and see every creation as manifestation of Mother Divine. This fills one up with compassion and oneness with all that is around us.
Day 5 of Navratri: Mata Skandmata is the fifth aspect of Navdurga and is the Mother of powerful deity Kartikey who destroys an evil giant Tarakasur. She represents the energy that brings practical wisdom and knowledge together for righteous action. One has to bring awareness to all actions and use wisdom and intelligence to bring about any change.
Day 6 of Navratri: Mata Katyayani Durga is the sixth avatar of NavDurga and represents the creative force of nature. She is the force behind the intelligence that controls Life and death. She also represents the restoring force sometimes destructive that comes forth to restore balance and Dharma amidst negativity. One has to see beyond illusions and perceptions to gain true insight into the Truth and tap into the source of Intelligence.
Day 7 of Navratri: Mata Kalratri is the seventh avatar of Navdurga and Her appearance itself evokes fear. Kaal Ratri means the One who is “Death of Kaal”. Kaal means time and death. Kaalratri destroys ignorance and devotee merges into supreme consciousness. One has to gain dispassion and complete destruction of all definitions of what we know to experience our expanded consciousness not limited by mental thoughts.
Day 8 of Navratri: Mata MahaGauri is the eighth avatar of NavDurga. She is the most beautiful and serene form of Maa Durga and her beauty glows like sparkling white crystal. She is Goddess of eternal peace, compassion and kindness. One has to ultimately liberate oneself from the clutches of materialistic world and become pure and white, serene and peaceful. One has to become content in one’s Being.
Day 9 of Navratri: Mata Siddhidatri is the ninth avatar of Maa Durga. With her Grace, a devotee is blessed with supernatural Siddhis and becomes one with the Universe. All his desires are manifested and whatever he says becomes the truth.
Day 10 Vijayadashmi
The Ravana within us is our scattered consciousness lying in the manipura which is the Navel centre. This is represented by the ten heads of Ravana. Our pursuit towards victory over the Ravana within us, would be to align our awareness to our divine qualities and not be scattered in unproductive thoughts and constant chattering of the Mind. This distracts us from our true life purpose. To bring ourselves to the Now moment by invoking the energies and worshipping the 9 forms of Navdurga during Navratri will surely destroy the Ravana within. This will be the true celebration of Dusherra.
Watch this video to know the True Story of Navratri:
