HINDU TEMPLE OF KENTUCKY
P.O Box 22813, 4213 Accomack Drive,
Louisville, KY 40252
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Significance
What is Navratri ? Well, it is the nine days when we are suppose to thank the female principle of nature and the goddesses connected to them. As the agricultural communities had free time only in the evenings (days being too busy with manual labour in the fields), evenings and nights were chosen as the ideal times to celebrate the festival of the goddesses.
In brief, the nine nights are dedicated to the three main goddesses of Hinduism - Parvati, Lakshmi and Sarasvati.
The first three nights are dedicated to the goddess of action and energy. Her different manifestations viz Kumari, Parvati and Kali are worshipped during these days. They represent the three natures/ classes of womanhood - the virgin young girl, auspicious wife/ mother and the angry old hag ! This is not a criticism of women, just a classification. It helps us recognise the different aspects of our own nature.
Lakshmi is worshipped for the next three days in her various aspects as the goddesses of peace, plenty and bliss. Fulfilment is more important than wealth itself. As the goddess of wealth, she governs not just the bank balance, but also such basic things as family, friends, food etc. (read my article on wealth on my site.)
Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge. Not just the knowledge of how to earn a living, but how to "live" aswell. She is the goddess of the spiritual knowledge and the knowledge that frees us from this bind of Samsara. She is worshipped during the final three days of the Navratri.
The nine nights are there for us to revel in the knowledge of the goddesses that live within us, imbibing us with their spiritual energy and power. Used for the good, they help liberate us from the mire of this world. Use these energies unwisely, and they will snare us in the maya of this world.We should meditate of these aspects of the nine nights, that was the reason they originally came into being.
Ofcourse, much has been "added on" since and the nine nights are now as commercial as any other festival. The Gujaratis enjoy the nine nights by dancing them away to the blare of loud music and scant attention is given to the spiritual aspect of the festival. Even the Durga Puja of the Bengalis has been hijacked by commercialism. If you want more info on Kali or Lakshmi and their various aspects, please read the articles on my site - or indeed follow the links to other sites that have info on Hindu gods.
| This celebration in honour of the goddess, the mother of the world, begins on the first day of Ashvin, and goes on for nine days. The goddess is the personification of Power, or “Shakti”. She is known by many names: “Kali”, “Laxmi”, “Sarasvati”, “Chandi-ka”, “Durga”, “Bhavani”, “Ambika”, “Ashtabhuja” (eight hands). Her main task is to punish the wicked. She is engaged in war, and weapons are in her hands (four, eight, eighteen...) She is sitting on a lion. Her weapons are the “shul” (pike), “chakra” (wheel), “parshu” (axe) and “talvar” (sword). Kali is known as “Mahisha-surmardini”, the slayer of the demon Mahishasur. The fight against the demon begins on the first day until he is defeated on the ninth day |
Rambh
and Karambh
Once upon a time there were two brothers, Rambh and
Karambh. They were
demons who did a lot of penance. But their intention was evil. So Indra, the king of the
gods, stopped their penance. Rambh was standing in the hot sun. Karambh was standing in
water. Indra took the form of a crocodile and killed Karambh. Rambh got angry and was
about to commit suicide. But “agni dev”, the fire god, appeared to him and
offered him a boon. Rambh asked to have a son who should never be defeated by anyone, and
who could take any form he wanted. Agni granted the boon and disappeared.
Mahishasur
Rambh married a woman from the Mahish caste (Mahish means buffalo).
Their son was named Mahishasur. He had the come to you only by a woman’s hand. Here I
am. I have come to kill you. If you want to save your life go immediately to hell.”.
The battle started. Mahishasur became a lion, then an el-ephant, a locust and a buffalo.
The goddess stood on the buffalo’s back, and while Mahishasur was coming out of the
buffalo’s mouth, the goddess chopped his head with her sword. With the death of
Mahishasur all the demons fled to hell.
Shumbha and Nishumbha
According to another story Shumbha and Nishumbha were two demons who
had made penance for 10,000 years, and they pleased Brahmadev. Their boon was that they
would not die by the hand of men. Of women they were not afraid. Shumbha was king and
Nishumbha his prime minister. Chanda and Munda were two generals of the army. One day they
came with their army to Shumbha. With them came Dhumralochan of the colour of smoke and
soot (“Dhumra” = smoke, “lochan” = eye), and Raktabij (seed of blood)
who was a reincarnation of Mahishasur.
Shumbha and Nishumbha became very strong. They defeated Indra, who with
all the other gods escaped from heaven. Bruhaspati, the guru of the gods, suggested that
they have recourse to the goddess. All the gods gathered on the Himalayas and began to
pray, “O goddess, protect us. Save us from the tyranny of the demons.”
| Kalika At that time the goddess had gone to take bath in the Ganges. She heard their prayers. From her body another goddess was created. She was black and horrible to look at. So she was called “Kalika”. She smiled and promised to destroy Shumbha and Nishumbha. When King Shumbha heard about the new goddess, he sent her the demon Sugreev with the invitation to become the queen of King Shumbha. She replied, “1 shall marry the one who defeats me in battle. Tell the king to come here and fight with me.” Hearing this Shumbha got angry and sent his general Dhumralochan to the goddess. But the goddess only saying “hum” burnt him to death. Chamunda |
As they approached, a new goddess was created from the
forehead of Kalika. Of a terrible appearance was she, and she wore a tiger’s skin. In
her hands she held a sword, a noose and a “khatvang” (weapon of Shiva)
(“Khatva” Khat or baj = a bedstead, a part of it, is called Khatvang = like the
foot of the bedstead). The newly created goddess caught Chanda and Munda and kept them
bound before Kalika. Then by Kalika’s command she made their heads fly. Because she
killed Chanda and Munda she is known as “Chamurtda”.
Shumbha sent another hero demon. His name was Raktabij, because
Brahmadev had given him the boon, that when wounded, every drop of his blood falling on
the ground would become a new demon.When Kalika ‘saw the number of demons multiplying
from Raktabij’s blood, she ordered Chamunda to spread her mouth (she had a huge jaw)
and swallow every drop of the demon’s blood. So Chamunda swallowed each and every
drop of blood until Raktabij lost all his blood and died.
Final Battle, Kalika Kills Shumbha
Finally Shumbha and Nishumbha in person reached the battle field. With
their army they surrounded the goddess from all sides. Kalika began to fight bitting on
her lion, and Chamunda was helping her. The demon’s army was very large, and the two
brothers were experienced warriors. So all the gods sent all the power at their command to
help the goddess.
Bramhadev sent his power Branihani by a plane drawn by a swan.
Maheshvari, the power of the great god Shankar came sitting on the bull. The virginal
power of Kartikaya came sitting on the peacock. The Vaishnavi power came sitting on the
eagle. Aindri power came sitting on the elephant Airavat. They all descended on the
demons. They soon killed Nishumbha. Shumbha was furious. He said, “Are you so proud
of your power? Then why are you taking the help of all these gods and goddesses? If you
dare come and fight me single handed.”
Kalika said smiling, “No problem. All these deities are my own
nature. If you wish they can all get again immersed in me.” As she said this all the
powers disappeared in her body, and Kalika was there alone. Then Shumbha lifted her up and
flew into the sky. The goddess fought in the sky. There was a fierce fight. At the end the
goddess whirling Shumbha around hurled him down from the sky. Shumbha was at last dead.
All the demons ran away to hell.