I take the occasion to greet the valued readers on the concluding day of Shardeya Navaratra, dedicated to Mother Goddess Durga, the epitome of Shakti. It can be debated whether such a form of God has any existence, someone who could be appeased to one’s asking to seek thy boons. But no matter what prompts a person to gather up all his/her functional coordinates — put in all acts of body, mind, emotions and intellect together — the optimum best in a being comes out. The fruits of such an endeavour would need no elaboration. If somehow such a habit is inculcated, life may turn rewarding and fulfilling. In this respect, this annual festivity and the symbolism of Durga hold great relevance.
As we all know, the devout invokes his/her faith and submits that fully in the service of the so-called seat of Shakti (power) during Navaratra. In apparent terms, the mission is to seek the divine blessing of Mother Goddess and get empowered enough to strike the future in all strength — make the most out of the opportunities if any available, and take on the challenges in stride — so as to enjoy a successful life ahead. In practical terms, the process calls for getting ready physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually by subjecting oneself to austere measures. The worshipper then centres the attention on the assumed seat of power, which implies trying to transgress the limitations of mind and logic, which otherwise narrows down one’s vision. With such an expanded vision, it becomes possible to explore with an open mind the opportunities available, the logistics involved, as also difficulties on the way. One could thus plan and articulate one’s action intelligently and strike it with focused attention. Also, one could visualise the challenges thrown by internal and external factors in the right perspective qualifying one to deal with them intelligently. The fruits of such an integrated approach has to bring in due rewards. If one could train one’s mind in this spirit during the nine days of prayer, and employs them sincerely in our day-to-day conduct, ground will be laid down for a life in all pleasure despite all the oddities and hazards coming our way.
The question is: Why should we invoke Shakti and that too at a particular point of time during the year and in a motherly formIJ It is pertinent to note that the word Shakti in the Indian framework is different in its import from ‘energy’ as visualised in a scientific arena. For, Shakti is identified and sourced with the creative matrix, which has two-fold aspects — the residual potency to create with its inbuilt kinetic power to translate that into fruits. It is this very Shakti inherent in nature that has manifested into the dynamic living world with all its enormity and diversity, and drives it through and nourishes life with its self-sustained resources. It, therefore, becomes incumbent upon us to be conversant with the dynamics of nature and, accordingly, be well-tuned to it so as to be at our best.
In the above context, look at the timing of this festivity. It is an occasion when the dynamics of nature-driven energies undergoes a periodic change, calling for a fresh realignment with nature. Be it known that the Sun, the prime-mover among the energy providers in the nature, during its annular cycle moves to its farthest end from this part of the globe. For, the Sun through its southerly course reaches the western horizon at this point of time against the fact that we are placed towards the eastern horizon in the northern hemisphere. Naturally, being short of sufficient solar intensity, it is time to work upon our inbuilt resources and get empowered to take on the callings of seasonal change as also the fresh productivity cycle that follows, in all strength.
Further to bring the dynamics of nature to human comprehension, our learned masters felt the necessity of presenting the knowledge in human perspective. It is in this context that Shakti in all its creative variations has been identified with motherly forms — Durga with physical prowess, lakshmi with productive aspirations, and Saraswati with intelligence, vital to attend to all aspects of life in holistic terms. Remember, it is only a selfless mother who invokes all the three aspects of Shakti, gathers up the seeds from her male counterpart, nurtures it, and then take all the pains to breed and bring up the child. It is for these reasons that Navaratra has been accorded so much of importance in Indian tradition.
The writer is an astrologer, vastu consultant and spiritual counsellor. Write to him at G-5, Basement, Jungpura Extension, New Delhi 14 Tel: 9818037273/ 24310031
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