Navrarti begin Tonight!

Navratri:  31 March - 08 April 2014 Navratri, the festival of nine nights is dedicated to Goddess Durga and her nine forms. According to the Hindu calendar, Navratri begins from the first day of the bright fortnight of Ashwin which usually coincides with the end of the rainy season.  The nine days have great religious significance as Goddess Durga, the divine mother, had destroyed the evil force (in the form of the demon Mahisashura) during this period. Navratri's each night is dedicated to one form of Goddess Durga. That is every ratri of the Navratri corresponds to worship of different forms of Maa Durga. This embraces - Maa Shailputri, who was the daughter of Parvatraj Himalaya (King of the Mountain), wife of Lord Shiva and mother of Ganesha and Kartikeya; Maa Brahmachaarini-, who gives the message of pure love to the world; Maa Chandraghanta, who establishes Justice and wears crescent moon on Her head; Maa Kushmaanda, who provides the basic necessities to the world; Skand Maa, who gives the gift of differentiation of right from wrong to the world; Maa Kaatyayini, who persistently battles against the evil and deceitful entities; Maa Kaalratri, who killed Raktabeej ( a demon who produce a demon from every drop of blood that fell from his body. Goddess eventually licked the blood before it could reach the ground and hence conquered him); Maa Chaamunda, who killed two demons—Chanda and Munda and restored tranquility; Maa MahaGauri who also liberate the world of evil forces; Mata Sidhidaarti, who is a treasure house of Mystic Powers (Yantra Tantra) and Knowledge (Gyaan). Some may also say that the nine days are divided and devoted to the Trinity of God worshipped in a female form in which for three days Maa Durga (Goddess of valor) is worshipped, for three days Maa Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth) and three days for Maa Saraswati (Goddess of Knowledge and Art). On the fifth day, that is, Lalita Panchami books are gathered, lamp is lighted to invoke Saraswati. The eighth and ninth day, Yagna (sacrifice offered to the fire) is performed to honour heavenly Goddess and bid her farewell. Jai Maa!

Appeal To The Mother’s Kind Heart

Some years ago, it came to me in meditation that what the world needs today is more consciousness of the mother aspect of God, to balance the overly masculine, intellectual approach to life that is so dominant nowadays.

With all our great mental insights, we fail to realise that this world is not real. In our essence, we are a part of the Infinite, and it is God who is playing our particular role in life. God is uniquely present in each of us. He has His own song to sing through everyone. The whole purpose of this great drama is to realise that you are God.

Now, the saints tell us that the easiest way to know God is by venerating Him as Divine Mother.

Paramhansa Yogananda said that the Mother is closer than the Father, and that we can appeal to her heart as a child appeals to its earthly mother.


What part does the Divine Mother play in our worship? She gives us a form toward which we can direct our love. It's helpful to think of God as something outside and separate from ourselves. Divine love is without limit or form, but human love wants to take the Infinite and condense it into one person. This tendency is good, in the sense that it gives us a focus for our love, without which it would be vague. Having a concrete image of God is like having stepping stones that bring us to the point where suddenly we see that it's all One.

To feel devotion for the Divine Mother, in the beginning we often need to think in terms of a human form. When i came to Paramhansa Yogananda, i was tired of being intellectual, and i wanted to develop devotion. I began praying to Divine Mother, and i would visualise the face of my godmother. That may seem ridiculous, but she had a loving nature that reminded me of the innocence and sweetness that i was trying to develop. In this way, i gradually tuned in to the consciousness of the Mother, so that when i think of Her now, i don't think of any form.

The trouble with worshiping God only as Father is that He tends to present the image of a judge – somewhat stern and aloof. But Divine Mother is filled with compassion. The Mother will always forgive you, even if you've done wrong.

We need the limited to remind us of the Infinite. But even if God should come to you as Divine Mother, friend, or a beloved, always remember to see Infinite Consciousness behind those eyes i'll never forget a time when i was sitting at Yogananda's feet while he was editing a manuscript. I was thinking how fortunate it was that i had found him, and when he finished his editing, he asked me to help him stand. He looked into my eyes with so much joy and love, and said, "Just a bulge of the ocean!" It was as if the Infinite was looking at me through those eyes.

I was loving the form, but it was the ocean that produced that form. It's the ocean that sustains all our forms. Ultimately, love for the Divine Mother is only love of your own true Self. You need to bring it back to that reality, not in self-love, but in knowing that God is everywhere, and that you, too, are everywhere.

This  Talk by: Swami Kriyananda was First Published on www.speakingtree.in

Navratri Begin tomorrow - Read relevant other posts here - http://www.aseemseth.blogspot.in/search/label/NavRatris

Khushwant Singh on Death

Celebrating Death Is Sign Of Maturity 

The one principle that should be at the core of any religious belief is ahimsa or non-violence — not to hurt any life, human or otherwise. Killing is not right. Killing animals to eat them is not a civilised thing to do, but carnivores exist in nature and in many places, humans have to subsist on non-vegetarian food for reasons beyond their control. But wherever possible, vegetarianism must be practised.

Hurting people physically or mentally, whether by word or action is wrong. Ahimsa is more important than prayer and kirtan. Ahimsa should be the central principle of your faith. But you have to raise your voice against injustice. Then, if you hurt someone who has hurt other people, it is justified. But the death penalty is barbaric — it is murder by the state.

Once, as editor of The Illustrated Weekly of India, I wrote an editorial on the issue of hunting and killing animals for sport. Then I sent individual letters to chief ministers of states asking them to ban shikar. Some of them responded by banning shikar. As one who has faith in ahimsa, I feel good about this.


So, life should be lived with compassion and nonviolence. I think a lot about life and the way we live it; I also think about death and how we deal with it. The basic point is, we don’t know where we come from; we also don’t know where we go after death. In between, we might know a little about life. People talk a lot about body and soul — I’ve never seen a soul, nor do I know anyone who has seen one. So for me, death is a full stop.


I don’t subscribe to the theory of rebirth endorsed by Hinduism and Buddhism nor do I believe in the Judeo-Christian belief in a Heaven and Hell. Ghalib said: “We know the truth about paradise but to beguile your mind is not a bad idea”.


There is nothing unique about death. Death comes to all who are born. So we don’t need to pull a long face when death comes. Of course, it is human nature to grieve for someone you’ve lost. But that’s no reason to create a big fuss, wailing and screaming. Nor is there any need to have elaborate rituals and kirtans.


Death is in the order of nature; when your time comes, die with dignity. I’m a member of the ‘Die with Dignity’ society formed by Minoo Masani 20 years ago. I can’t say I don’t fear death — but I’m more concerned about whether it is going to be a long drawn out painful process rather than worry about what happens later.


Iqbal wrote: “If you ask me about the sign of faith/ When death comes to him,/ he should have a smile on his face.” I’m all for the ancient tradition of celebrating death. When people over 70 years die, their death should be marked with celebrations that include band music, dancing and feasting. It is a sign of maturity and acceptance of the inevitable.


I’ve discarded all religions but I feel closest to Jainism. Every person has the right to end his life — after having fulfilled his worldly duties. Acharya Vinoba Bhave and Jain munis have done this.
I wish to be buried with just a tree planted over my grave — no tombstone, nothing. If you live close to the sea, go for burial at sea. It saves wood.

- Khushwant Singh | From ‘An Agnostic’s View Of Life And Death’-Nov 26, 2004