Goddess Durga takes us towards a greater purpose

Energy is available in our atmosphere at all times. If we take magnetic energy, for example, it requires a generator to express itself. When a copper wire is wound around an armature and the mechanism is rotated, it expresses as magnetic and consequently usable electric energy.

In the ritual of Navratri or an arati, with fire, a mala, water and mantras, as described earlier, we have raised energy. To expresses it we need movement. Let’s look at the dance of Navratri, or Garba. This movement needs to be half-circular, or semi-circular, repeating itself from left to right and right to left, or when it needs to be completely circular to create the spark for energy to express. It is like the earth moving around herself, and then goes around the Sun too — rotation and revolution, like a Garba. The Sun is the generator for the entire process on Earth, and in us. A car, for example, may generate energy in the engine, but to begin, it needs a starter and spark plug. 

In human bodies, this is done by a specific ritual called pradakshina – going around a nucleus of energy. A circumambulation or a charged nucleus. If that is not available then a pradakshina around oneself can also serve the purpose. 

Shloka

…. Pradakshina pade pade

It is said that all blocks, negativities and problems can be removed using pradakshina.

To begin with face east and first go towards the right, a clockwise motion. To have greater contact with the universal program use a clockwise pradakshina. And to have greater contact with the infrastructural or material world, which we say in ancient wisdom is ‘getting caught up’ in the world then the movement needed is anti-clockwise. 

This is what gives us the dance, not only alone, but using the energy or the entire community. People gather in Navratri in the evening around a lamp or light or flame. Or sometimes they keep a flame in a pot with holes, so like the Sun, these rays come out in all directions. They dance around this with each other, to a six-beat rhythm, which also has a reason. They go around themselves, and around in the circle of people. This uplifts energy and like a generator inducing electricity, here we induce praan. 

In Navratri, we worship the souls or entities who were more evolved in mankind, and then up to deities, who are even more evolved and then up to Durga, as a representation of the Supreme. Durga removes all obstacles and helps one go towards the ultimate goal of satisfaction, self-experience or self-communication. We need health, wealth and self-satisfaction. We will need all this in the next festival or level of development to ‘shine’ or glow. We shine by distributing the energy we have gathered, working for Mankind and celebrating the entire existence, in Deepawali. 

On the 10th day, after Navratri, Dushahara is celebrated. It is called Vijaya Dashami in Sanskrit or the celebration of victory. Whose victory are we talking about? It is the victory of energy over materialism. We are all on the material planet earth and dominated by the material. To release energy, or convert material into energy is a difficult job. But this is our main interest in activities, to make this conversion possible. Since it comes on the 10th day it is called Dashami. It is also called Dushahara. What is Dushahara? Why 10 days?

It is important to understand that we have ten senses, five external and five internal. The dnyanendriya, are knowledge-based special senses namely eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin.  They are the initiators or inspiring the Karmendriya.  Karmendriya are the ones that perform the active action namely, hands, feet, tongue, excretion and micturition. 

The Shrimad Bhagawad Geeta says

Indriyaartheshu Vairagyam

We need to get detached from the senses or indriya. We don’t need to reject them, but definitely we should ensure that they are not so important that they overpower our activities. These indriyas sometimes take actions decided by themselves and not given by the Big Self, who is the owner-entity within. Defeat or Hara is the defeat of these senses. Energy becomes more powerful than material. The larger purposes overpower the small activities of these senses or diversions from the main purpose. This energy becomes Durga. 

Gold, as we have mentioned before, is like the essence of the earth element. The eyes want to see it, the hands want to possess it and the feet are ready to work as much as required to acquire it. This gold, so desirable, we distribute in Dushahara, to indicate that we want, and have achieved, power over the senses. When we want to donate anything, we are prohibited by the senses. The herb or tree called Kanchana used in Navratri also contains gold in mineral form. This herb is used to remove physical and psychological knots in the body. The concoction from leaves of the Shami tree is used for bathing, which gives a golden glow to the body. These things are included in the ritual.

So we do important things during Dushahara — start a business, buy a house, start a relationship etc. because we want to do all these things of course, but for a purpose and not with a sense of possession. This psychology is developed during Dushahara and makes all new beginnings auspicious. You can buy things for yourself, even jewellery, but also give away some gold. 

We encourage young people to offer gold to the elders because for them it is difficult to control the senses. We celebrate the rise and victory of Durga with entertainment and dance. Durga begins our season of celebrations.

The author is founder of Atmasantulana Village, a world-renowned holistic healing centre. ayurveda@dnaindia.net