The festive Navaratri season is marked not just by fasting and prayer, Durga Puja and feasting; it is also an opportunity to connect with the five sacred elements, the panchabhuta --- air, water, fire, earth and ether or space. Celebrations at the Art of Living Centre in Bangalore revolve around a series of homas or sacrificial offerings to agni to nullify all sorrow and pain, to provide solace and bring peace. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, “Homas are powerful ancient fire rituals performed by sages for over 5,000 years – they are also meant to protect the environment, by restoring reverence for Mother Earth.” Scientifically, homas have been proven to purify the atmosphere and have a healing effect on mind and body.
On the first five days of Navaratri known as pratipat, dwithiya, tritiya, chaturthi and panchami,Rudrabhishekam puja is performed. Vedic scriptures uphold this as one of the greatest pujas to get absolved of one’s sins and afflictions, for bringing peace, prosperity and happiness, along with family togetherness.
Shashti, the sixth day, Sri Maha Ganapati homa to Ganesha, Lord of Auspiciousness, is performed to remove obstacles before initiating any new venture. This is followed by Sri Subramanya homa, to overcome fear, remove negative vibrations and welcome positive, healing vibrations. Navagraha homa, to propitiate and nullify the negative impact of the nine planets is also performed. Scientists concur that the direction you choose to face could affect your life on account of the Earth’s magnetic field; so Vaastu Shanti homa minimizes negative impact on the environment.
Saptami, the seventh day begins with Rudra homa, to purify and to remove negative energy. Then Sudarshana homa, offered to Narayana, is for removal of ignorance and the beginning of a new life enriched with knowledge. ‘Su’ means auspicious and ‘darshana’ is dhrishti or right vision.
The highlight of the season is the Shatha Chandi homa performed on ashtami, the eighth day, to remove blocks to growth – both in the internal as well as external worlds, bringing peace, prosperity, success and strength to all life. The 700 verses in praise of Goddess Durga are chanted and 108 herb offerings are made to the sacrificial fire invoking the goddess to bestow her grace. The cleansing power of herbs remove pollutants from the air and transmit energy that is released thus.
The kalasha puja ritual involves filling the pot with water and decorating it with turmeric, vermillion, leaves and flowers. The pot is seen as Devi and so ornaments are placed on it and a braid with flowers at the rear completes the picture. Vedic shlokas are recited in unison by trained students with correct intonation and pitch, for the power lies not so much in the meaning of the words as in the sound they generate for vibrations need to be in tune with cosmic vibrations. Water responds to positive and negative vibrations just as animals and plants do, and by reciting shlokas in praise of Shakti, the water in the kalash acquires intense energy. Once the ritual is over, the energized water is sprinkled on all those assembled as blessing, arising from the Divine Mother’s grace.
The Mother is present as energy in not just the five elements but also in all diverse life forms in Creation. Our consciousness is nothing but Mother Divine as she is imminent in our waking, dreaming and sleeping states.
On Navami, the ninth day, seers and sages of the past, present and future are honoured through Rishi homa, as thanksgiving for all the received wisdom that enrich our lives. All these rituals are merely intended to help us connect to ourselves through the elements and by recognizing the power that resides in each one of us.
Click On The Picture Of Durga To See The Enlarged Image With Full Decoration.
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