Jyotish-Yagya

The first day of Navaratra is devoted to enlivening the sense quality of Sound. The chanting defies adequate description. It’s one of those things that ‘you’ve gotta be there!’

But since you’re not, I’ve been making some recordings. Here is the first one, the Purification Mantra that begins the Devi Puja.

Purification Mantra at the beginning of Devi Puja

Here is the mantra, as well as a translation, both from Jeffrey Armstrong. The mantra is written in paired lines.

The first line is the actual mantra. The second line is the mantra split up into phonetic syllables. Pronounce each syllable.

The Purification Mantra

AUM Shanti Shanti Shantihi
om shan ti shan ti shan ti hi

Translation to English:
Everything that is not pure becomes pure
and all things that are impure, wherever they are,
go away.  May Lakshmi and Vishnu the maintainers
of all bless us and bring us peace.

If you would like to listen to the complete pujas, just let me know an I’ll post the Devi Puja and Shiva Pujas to the website. Devi Puja is about 20 minutes long and Shiva Puja is about 40 minutes long.

Allegory is everywhere when you look for it.

Here is Durga made from three other Divine Ladies. She is riding a Lion.

Durga, Mother Divine

What is a lion? Boldness. Roaring. Charging with immense power and full commitment.

A quote attributed to Goethe says:

“What you can do, or dream you can do, begin it;
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

It is springtime, the beginning of the new growing season. You have Nine Auspicious Days to plant the seeds you wish to tend for the next 6 months. Be bold in your planting!

Oldest form of Durga worship - Kalasha (clay pot) with nine plants and coconut

Note that the Kalasha and Durga/Lion statue are on a dirt foundation. More on that in a few days. Hint-it illustrates the miracle of creation and growth. The Kalasha is a symbol for Mother Earth, who gives us life and breath. The coconut at it’s least is a symbol for sustenance.

Each of the Nine Days is devoted to enlivening a particular quality. First day was hearing. Sounds were amazingly clear to me. During the pujas, sound seemed to swirl around me, caressing the deepest recesses of my being. Second day was touch. It was a kinesthetic day for me. I noticed a lot of energy movement within my body. Third day is sight. Colors were on the menu today. Seeing the vibrant reds, oranges, yellows of the flowers lifted my spirits. We also took a video of our dancing after the pujas. I’ll try to edit it down to a small size and post it.

Tomorrow is the fourth day of Navaratra when the sense of taste is most enlivened.

Ganesha Altar

Ganesha is the Remover of Obstacles to our enlightenment.

Fifth Day is devoted to the enlivened sense of Smell.