Navratri Info

Inspiration may come from Devi. Perspiration must come from you.

-Sri M

Nava Durgas

Nine manifestations of Shakti that are based on the waxing lunar phases.

Here are some general notes on Navratri.

Information on the nine forms of the Goddess

Ritual Worship of the Great Goddess: The Liturgy of the Durga Puja With Interpretations

There are some rules around fasting during Navratri. I assume these rules generally hold for other holidays.Veg Recipes of India has information on the rules with some recipes.

The Jyotishi channel has a video about mantras to chant during Navratri. The video also has good advice on how to prepare for Navratri.

And they have a playlist of Devi mantras for Navratri.

Durga Saptashati

The Durga Saptashati, is also known as Devi Mahatmyam. It is a text that can be read throughout the year, but is often recited during Navratri.

Navratri as a Spiritual Journey

Navratri can be seen as a spiritual journey, with the nine forms of MahaDevi representing the path.

  1. Shailaputri – Gain protection from harm and start the sadhana. Goddess Shakti keeps her devotees away from danger.
  2. Brahmacharini – Set the right path in the search for one's true self. Parvati lived an austere life; hence her name. Due to her austerities and devotion, Shiva made her a part of himself. Shakti puts her devotees on the path of self-realization.
  3. Chandraghanta – Shakti destroys obstacles and enemies; both inside and outside. She is the daughter of the mountain. She marries Lord Shiva. She is both fierce and compassionate. She is typically depicted in a war posture, and riding a tiger. Destroying her enemies awakens her third-eye (which is depicted as a crescent moon).
  4. Kushmanda – One can obtain material wealth and pleasures. She is the mother of material existence. She begins the task of giving birth to the manifest worlds. Ku means microscopic. ushma is warm, and anda is an egg in primordial form. Ushma anda is a warm egg, meaning it's ready to hatch. So joining the words Ku ushma anda, we have the name kUSHmANDA - the primordial particle from which material creation came forth.
  5. Skandamata – Represents mastery of the material plane of existence. In one of her arms, Skandamata is depicted as carrying her son Skanda; hence she is Skanda Mata (Skanda's Mother). Skanda is another name for Lord Kartikeya, the God of war. Skanda is represented as having six faces, which represent the lower six chakras. Those lower six chakras are tied to the material plane. Worshiping Skandamata also confers the blessing of Lord Kartikeya and mastery of the material plane. {{Add info on the lower six chakras}}
  6. Katyayani – Nudges sadhakas forward, moving them beyond the materialistic world (she is the daughter of a sage after all. Sage Katyayana was a devotee of Goddess Shakti. After many years of devotion and austerities she appeared to him to offer him a boon. He asked that she be born as his daughter to destroy the demon Mahishasura. She agrees and is born as Katyayani, which means: the daughter of Katyayana.
  7. Kalaratri – Provides perspective on existence, and wisdom needed to enjoy the siddhis that come next. Kala is time, darkness, emptiness. Kali means emptiness or void. Kalaratri is as black as night, rides a donkey, has a fierce smile; her hair is disheveled. She represents night (to the day), silence (to the music), sleep (to activity), etc. She reminds us of the dark aspects of manifest existence. Kalaratri shows where the "negative" side of material existence is also Devi Shakti. All material existence: rich/poor, health/illness, light/dark, flower/filth, etc are manifest forms of the Divine. This is a theme also presented in the __ hymn in the Devi Mahatmyam. {{add a reference}}. Kalaratri can bring about and can help resolve the long-dark-night-of-the-soul. Devotion to her can remove negative energies of all kinds.
  8. Mahagauri – The ultimate light. Maha means greatest and Gauri is light/white. Mahagauri can only be truly appreciated once one has the perspective of Kalaratri. Otherwise, one can get stuck with the riches and pleasures of existence, which are all fleeting and temporary. With the perspective of Kalaratri, one learns humility; material blessings that have been given can be taken away. It is beyond one's own control. It is only after those experiences that one can truly appreciate the gifts of the Divine and use them well.
  9. Siddhidatri – The siddhis requred for victory. Siddhidatri provides siddhis for devotees.
  10. Mahishasura Mardini – The tenth day (after nine nights of Navratri) represents the victory of light over darkness; energy over inertia. This is celebrated by some as the victory of Devi Mahishasura Mardini's victory over Mahishasura.

Colors

There is a specific color associated with each day. The colors, in no particular order are:

Videos

Here's a playlist of videos on remedying mistakes in Devi worship.

There's a video by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar that explains the Nine Forms of Durga.

And another video that talks about Ma Durga and Raktabeejasura, and the transformation that can happen during Navratri.

Significance & Secrets of Navratri

Significance of Chaitra Navaratri Celebrations - Onset of Indic New Year (Spring time)