Navratri, through the worship of the nine forms of Durga, paves the way for internal purification.

From childhood, I have witnessed various forms of Shakti worship during Navratri. My father would observe both Navratris—Chaitra and Ashwin (Sharadiya)—by subsisting entirely on fruits and performing continuous worship day and night. For me, in my childhood, the significance of Navratri was about new clothes, sweet food, and a festive atmosphere. But as I matured, I began following in my father’s footsteps by reciting the Durga Path, though even a single day without salt was unbearable for me. My father became a vegetarian when I was 7 years old, but he never forbade us from eating non-vegetarian food. My grandmother used to tell me that my grandfather, who passed away before I was born, would consume fish after performing the recitation during Sharadiya Navratri. In Mithila, fish is a staple in every household. Consuming aquatic creatures was never prohibited. Every auspicious occasion begins and ends with fish.

Anyway, when I was in college, I engaged in a lot of debates. And for any debate, no one was wiser than my father. I started asking him questions like: Why only vegetarianism or fruit-based diet? What are demons? If the goddess slayed demons, why do we worship her? Grandfather ate fish, why don’t you during Navratri? And so on—countless questions would come to mind, and I would ask them. But my father would smile and remain silent, saying he would explain later.

One day, my father began discussing the Devi Mahatmya and whatever he told me, I am trying to share here. The essence of what my father explained was that Suras (gods/goddesses) and Asuras (demons) represent human tendencies. If negative traits or tendencies to mistreat fellow humans become dominant within us, harming humanity, we call them animalistic or demonic tendencies. He said that Navratri paves the path for our internal purification, and all the worship, recitation, or fasting is done with this purpose in mind. Since Shakti is nature itself, and creation arises from Shakti, the worship of Shakti is the path to refining nature and tendencies. Only she who is the creator can destroy destructive tendencies.

When I started analyzing, I also read articles written by some knowledgeable people. I still remember the perspectives my father shared. Durga is Adishakti, the primordial power that has been guiding us humans since the beginning of time. From the beginning to the eternal, this power energizes us and removes our obstacles.

The nine forms of Durga that we see during Navratri begin with the worship of Adishakti, that is, Parvati. Parvati herself is Shailputri and also the primordial power. Mountains are crucial for the protection and purity of our environment. Rivers originate from mountains. Rivers provide us with drinking water and also grains. Without water, grains cannot grow. Her vehicle is the bull, which has been the most important companion for farmers since ancient times. The worship of Shailputri reflects the importance of nature conservation. The second form is Brahmacharini, who grants humans the strength to perform austerity. She inspires a simple life. Brahmacharini Devi’s vehicle is not an animal or chariot but her own two feet. Clearly, the worship of Mother Brahmacharini teaches one the path to enhancing personal capability. The third form is Chandraghanta. The worship of Chandraghanta helps in directing internal power. The moon on her forehead symbolizes a cool mind. Her vehicle is the lion, which represents strength. The fourth power is Kushmanda Devi, who has eight arms. Her worship makes a person energetic. The meaning of eight arms is that human energy quadruples, making the mind so alert that one gains the ability to solve even the biggest problems in various ways. Similarly, the other forms—Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalratri, Mahagauri, and Siddhidatri—help us fight our various flaws and enhance our virtues. These nine forms of Durga are the nine forms of Mother Parvati herself, and when a seeker worships the eight forms diligently, Mother Siddhidatri blesses them in the end. The person becomes free from tamoguna and rajoguna, fully endowed with sattvaguna.

Now, you might be wondering: If it’s about liberation from tamoguna and rajoguna, then why the slaying of demons? Clearly, Mother Durga, in various forms, slayed different demons such as Madhu, Kaitabh, Mahishasura, Shumbh, Nishumbh, Raktabija, Dhumralochana, Chanda, and Munda. These demons symbolize various negative human tendencies. Lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride, selfishness, etc., naturally reside within us, and even if we burn them, we cannot stop them from resurfacing. All these demons represent our tamoguna and rajoguna, whose predominance suppresses our sattvaguna and prevents it from emerging. That is, our animalistic tendencies reveal the demon within us, and by worshiping the nine forms of Mother Durga during Navratri and following the path she shows, we can attain liberation from these animalistic tendencies.

In Durga Puja, over nine days, we make a resolute effort to conquer our nine animalistic or demonic tendencies, using physical and mental purity, austerity, yoga, refined and positive thoughts, and behavior as our weapons. These demonic tendencies corrupt our humanity and hinder our spiritual progress. In this sequence, the first effort is to destroy the demonic tendency of Madhu-Kaitabh. Madhu-Kaitabh symbolizes our sweet and bitter experiences. It represents our attachment to the pleasures of life. We can advance on the spiritual path only when we distance ourselves from Madhu-Kaitabh. Neither should life’s sweetness appeal too much to us, nor should bitterness bother us excessively. The ability to observe and experience life’s truth impartially grants us liberation from the demonic tendency like Madhu-Kaitabh.

The meaning of Dhumralochana is quite clear. When vision is clouded by smoke, nothing is visible. For clear vision and foresight, our sight must be clear. Our decision-making ability is affected by Dhumralochana. Therefore, we can reach the right decision only when we maintain a correct perspective. And for a correct perspective, we must develop the ability to see clearly without any attachment—this should be our goal. Our decision-making capacity is influenced by our clear and precise vision. Thus, our effort should be to not obstruct our vision and not deviate from the path.

The destruction of Chanda-Munda grants us liberation from excessive attachment or detachment in life. We can become equanimous only when there is neither excessive greed or attachment nor complete renunciation. In household life, we can neither remain immersed in greed nor fully detached. Our austerity helps balance attachments in life, leading to the destruction of tendencies like Chanda-Munda.

The biggest obstacle in our spiritual progress comes from the Raktabija tendency. Raktabija symbolizes our gluttony and greed. Destroying all desires that make us rajoguni is the most difficult. It is said that from one drop of Raktabija’s blood, two demons would emerge. That is, one desire gives birth to many desires. Control over desires is the goal of human life. We must destroy the demonic tendency like Raktabija, which fosters material desires within us. Only by destroying the Raktabija tendency can we achieve the meaningfulness of human life.

It is human nature to be biased. Impartiality is not in our nature. Our desires teach us to discriminate among people. Shumbh and Nishumbh symbolize this very tendency. We remain trapped in the cycle of good and bad, and this dilemma attacks our decision-making power. We evaluate and discriminate against people based on color, appearance, caste, religion, region, lifestyle, and eating habits. We are more engaged in dividing than uniting. Rising above high and low, we should view all humans with equanimity, but our perspective gets afflicted by preconceptions and biased attitudes. The slaying of Shumbh-Nishumbh represents victory over these preconceptions and biased behaviors.

The slaying of Mahishasura represents victory over the greatest flaw within us—ego and arrogance. Every human has ego, but when it remains subtle and invisible, it harms no one. However, when ego takes shape, that arrogance becomes the cause of downfall. Arrogance has caused the downfall of even the greatest sages. For gods too, arrogance has led to defeat. Therefore, we all must continuously strive for liberation from arrogant tendencies. Only by slaying the Mahishasura (ego) within us can we advance on the path of life.

In this way, we see that over nine days, through the nine Durgas (powers), we slay the demons/animalistic tendencies/flaws within us. By fasting or consuming sattvic food for nine days, like a seeker performing mantra sadhana, we strive to conquer our inner weaknesses such as lust, anger, attachment, greed, pride, hatred or jealousy, selfishness, and violence. All these qualities are tamasic or rajasic, whose dominance diminishes our inner sattvata. In conclusion, we can say that by worshiping the nine Durgas during Navratri, we pave the way for the diminution of rajoguna and tamoguna within us and the increase of sattvaguna.

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Daya Rupena Samsthita, Namastasyai, Namastasyai, Namastasyai Namo Namah.

Heartfelt wishes for Navratri.

~ Vijuy Ronjan