Think about how anything gets done in this world. Imagine different departments of our governments. The world of the Divines is like that. There is a Cosmic Department of Finance, of Creation, and of Destruction. Each of these Forces of Nature are embodied in each  of us. Some of us manifest them more strongly than others. Some of us barely manifest them at all. The point is that there are areas of function that gather around these three purposes.

Durga is worshipped at this time of year to bring her energy to all our endeavors. Wealth and Prosperity is a constant theme here because money really does make the world go around. Want to do some public works, improve a city’s infrastructure, build a bridge? You’ve got to get the money first. Does your country need better defense? How about some jets from Israel, or infantry arms from China? You’ve got to appropriate the funds, first. From Durga, all things can flow.

This is how She looked this morning after our first day puja.

Durga on the first day of Nine Days of Mother Divine

The puja is used to begin the yagya. It attracts Her attention to the individual yajmans (yagya clients). During the puja, the names of each of the yajmans and the pandits are announced. Then the pandits go to their places and begin to chant for the yajmans.

I got set up for the first of the Nine Days by going shopping with my friend, Manju. We went shopping! She is Pandit Dixit’s daughter, an expert adminstrator and Sanskrit scholar. I do not know Sanskrit. I am going on the word of her nephew who was bragging about the perfection of her pronunciation at lunch yesterday. I do know her administrative abilities as Annette and I have worked with her via the internet for the last 10 years.

Here she is with that Mona Lisa smile:

Manju

The second day of the Nine promises to be very busy.

I’ll enjoy the morning puja, the go visit Lucknow for a few hours. My great great great grandfather was stationed there in 1857 with the British Royal Engineers. I wonder how his DNA will color my seeing tomorrow.

I’ll find time to blog about the meaning of each day of the Nine Days of Mother Divine.