Chaitra Navratri: Siddhidatri

Siddhidatri

On the ninth and last day of Chaita Navratri, Shakti is worshipped in the form of Siddhidatri (Siddhi=perfection, Datri=giver). In iconography, She is depicted with four arms and holds a lotus, conch, gada (mace), and chakra, and She sits on top of a lotus flower. She governs the planetary body Ketu, which is the southern lunar node.

This form of Shakti is worshiped by not only humans but also the other Gods. Her worship by Shiva is mentioned in Scripture, as related by Baba Rampuri:

When the Universal Mother was gripped with the idea of projecting Creation, She, first of all, created Lord Shiva who prayed to Her to endow him with perfections.  For this purpose, the Universal Mother (Durgaa) produced Goddess Siddhidaatri from Her own person.  As the behest of the Universal Mother, Goddess Siddidaatri bestowed eighteen kinds of rare perfections and powers and potentialities (Siddhis) on Lord Shiva.  By virtue of these siddhis, Lord Shiva happened to develop a divine splendor.

Having acquired the siddhis from Goddess Siddhidaatri, Lord Shiva created Lord Vishnu who in turn created Lord Brahma who was entrusted with the task of the Creation whereas Lord Vishnu got the task of Protection and Lord Shiva that of Destruction.

Lord Brahma felt a great difficulty in his task of the Creation in the absence of man and woman.  Thereupon he remembered Mother Siddhidaatri.  When she appeared before him, Lord Brahma said to her, “Oh Great Mother!  I cannot carry on with the task of the Creation in the absence of man and woman.  You kindly solve this problem of mine through your supernatural attainments (siddhis).”

Having heard Lord Brahma, Mother Siddidaatri converted half the person of Lord Shiva into a woman.  Thus Lord Shiva became half-male and half-female and came to be known as Ardhanaarishwara.  Thus the problem of Lord Brahma was resolved and the task of the Creation went on smoothly.

Her mantra is:

Sidhha Gandharvay khshadher Surair Marair Api

Sevya Mana Sada Bhooyat Siddhida Siddhidayini

Which in English means:

Goddess Siddhidatri who is worshipped by Siddha, Gandharva, Yaksh, Gods, Demons etc., holds Conch, Chakra, Gada and Lotus in her hands, giver of all siddhis and victory all over, be propitious to me.

For purposes of pronunciation, I have included a link to the spoken mantra (The mantra itself lasts for the first minute of this video, after which a speaker gives a lecture in Hindi).

Resources:

http://experiencehinduism.com/festivals/navratri-ninth-day-nine-form-durga-siddhidatri

http://www.drikpanchang.com/hindu-goddesses/parvati/durga/navdurga-siddhidatri.html

http://www.astrosage.com/festival/navratri/devi-siddhidatri.asp

http://hinduism.about.com/od/godsgoddesses/ss/navadurga_10.htm

http://vedicgoddess.weebly.com/3/post/2012/09/-siddhidatri-devi-9th-aspect-of-durga-in-navaratri.html

http://rampuri.com/navdurga-navratri/

Chaitra Navratri: Mahagauri

Mahagauri

On the eighth day of Chaitra Navratri, Shakti is worshipped in the form of Mahagauri (Mahagauri=extremely white). She has four arms. In Her upper right hand She holds a trishul (trident) and in Her lower left hand She carries a Damaru (small, two-headed drum). Her upper left hand is in the Varada Mudra position, and Her lower right hand forms the Abhaya Mudra. She rides atop a white bull and rules the planetary body Rahu (In Vedic astrology, Rahu is the northern node of the Moon). The following origin of this form in mythology is related by Yogi Ananda Saraswathi:

She observed severe penance as Goddess Parvati to get earn Lord Siva as her husband. Once, Lord Shiva was rude to her by pointing out her dark complexion. She started observing hard penance. This went on for over a thousand years. During this period her body got covered with soil. It became darker than ever. Then one day when Lord Shiva came looking for Mother. He was pleased with her penance. Thereafter he took Maa to the Ganges and bathed her lovingly. Mother regained her beauty with pure complexion and earned the name Maha Gauri.

In this form Mahagauri represents purity and austerity. She scours and scrubs the filth from the souls of Her devotees and purifies their hearts. Both married and unmarried women especially worship Her on this day, as She is said to guide unmarried women in finding a good husband and She blesses married women with peaceful and harmonious marital lives.

Kumari Puja during Ashtami Puja celebrations also occurs on the eighth day of Chaitra Navratri, as related by this passage from astrosage.com:

On the sacred occasion of Ashtami Pooja, Kanya Poojan (feeding of little girls) are also done to please Goddesses of Navdurga (nine forms of Durga). Nine little girls are invited at home of worshippers and are fed varieties of delicious sweet dishes. Devotees pay the best homage to nine little girls considering them nine forms of Navdurga. This ritual accomplishes their Pooja and gives blessings of Nav Durga.

Her mantra is:

Shwete Vrishe Maha Rudha Shwetambardhara Shuchih

Maha Gauri Subham Dadhyanmahadev Pramodada

Which means in English:

Goddess Mahagauri who rides on white bull, wear pure white clothes, giver of happiness, be propitious to me.

For purposes of pronunciation, I have included a link to the spoken mantra (The mantra itself lasts for the first 35 seconds of this video, after which a speaker gives a lecture in Hindi).

Resources:

http://www.astrosage.com/festival/navratri/devi-maha-gauri.asp

http://vedicgoddess.weebly.com/3/post/2012/09/gauri-the-8th-aspect-of-durga-maa-navaratri.html

http://rampuri.com/navdurga-navratri/

Chaitra Navratri: Kalaratri

Kalaratri

On the seventh day of Chaitra Navratri, Shakti is worshipped in the form of Kalaratri (Kala=time, black in reference to the primal darkness before the Creation, Ratri=night). Kalaratri is a form of Kali. She is dark in complexion and rides atop a donkey. She is depicted with four arms, Her right hands positioned in Abhaya and Varada mudras and Her left hands holding a sickle and a thorn-like iron weapon. In mythology, She slayed the dreadful demon Raktabeej, as Miss Saxena relates:

In this form Goddess Kalratri killed Raktabeej. Raktabeej was a demon who could multiply from every drop of his blood which fell on the ground. The Goddess Kaalratri killed him by licking the blood before it could reach the ground and hence conquered him.

Kalaratri’s form is dreadful and repulsive in appearance (She is the most misunderstood of the Hindu Goddesses by many Westerners!), but She is very protective of Her devotees and protects them against the evil spiritual influences of demons and dark forces. While She has a ferocious side, She also has a very maternal side. She also aids Her devotees to rid their lives of tamasic qualities, effectively destroying ignorance. She governs the planet Saturn and is associated with the Sahasrara (thousand, infinite) chakra, which is located on the crown of the head. It is the chakra of Pure Light and of Supreme Consciousness. Awakening the Sahasrara chakra leads to ultimate spiritual enlightenment.

Her mantra is:

Ekveni Japakarnapura Nagna Kharastitha

Lamboshthi Karnikakarni Tailabhyakta Sharirani

Vaampadolla Salloh Lata Kanthak Bhushna

Vardhan Murdha Dhvaja Krishna Kalratri Bhayankari

Which means in English:

She is naked, rides on an donkey, has a long tongue, lustrous body, wears ornaments on her legs like lightning, is black in color, has unlocked hair, big eyes and ears and is very dangerous looking. Meditating on this form of Kalratri removes all obstacles as well as removes all magical effects created by others.

For purposes of pronunciation, I have included a link to the spoken mantra (The mantra itself lasts for the first minute of this video, after which a speaker gives a lecture in Hindi).

Resources:

http://www.drikpanchang.com/hindu-goddesses/parvati/durga/navdurga-kalaratri.html

http://rampuri.com/navdurga-navratri/

http://www.chakras.net/energy-centers/sahasrara

http://mantrashlokas-madhuri.blogspot.com/2011/06/maa-kalaratri-worship-of-fiercest-forms.html

http://experiencehinduism.com/festivals/navratri-seventh-day-seven-form-durga-kalaratri

http://vedicgoddess.weebly.com/3/post/2012/08/kalaratri-by-yogi-ananda-saraswati.html

http://www.astrosage.com/festival/navratri/devi-kalaratri.asp

Chaitra Navratri: Katyayani

Katyayani

On the sixth day of Chaitra Navratri, Shakti is worshipped in the form of Katyayani. The story behind her name’s origin is related by Mr. Subhamoy Das in the following passage:

The legend behind her name goes thus: Once upon a time, there was a great sage called Kata, who had a son named Katya. Kata was very famous and renowned in the lineage of saints. He underwent long austerities and penance in order to receive the grace of the Mother Goddess. He wished to have a daughter in the form of a goddess. According to his wish and desire the Mother Goddess granted his request. Katyayani was born to Kata as an avatar of Durga.

Katyayani rides atop a majestic lion and is (typically) depicted with four arms. In Her left hands She holds a sword and a lotus flower (symbolising blooming above the murk to achieve enlightenment); Her right hands are positioned in Abhaya( indicates for the devotee not to fear and is a symbol of protection) and Varada (symbolises the giving of blessings) mudras. In the Vamana Purana, She is depicted in Her fiercest form during the battle with the demon Mahishasura, whom She slays.

Katyayani rules over the planet Jupiter. Her chakra is the most important of all chakras: the Ajna (command, knowledge, wisdom) chakra, or Third Eye. This is where the bridge between our human potential crosses into Divine Consciousness. Hindus also believe that spiritual energy from the outside world enters the conscious via this gateway chakra, and so they take great care in protecting this chakra through religious markings (made with holy ash, vermillion, etc.) on the third eye.

She is commonly worshipped by unmarried women looking for a husband, and if a lady’s marriage is experiencing any delays Katyayani is often worshipped in order to remove the obstacles that are preventing the marriage from taking place.

Her mantra is:

Chandrahaasojjval Karaa Shaardoolvarvaahanaa

Katyayani Shubham Dadyaad Devi Daanavghatini

Which in English means:

Devi Katyayani, who holds Chandrahaas Sword and other weapons in her ten hands, rides on Lion, and destroying demons, be propitious to me. 

(Note: She is most commonly depicted with four hands, but some Images do depict Her with eight, ten, and even eighteen hands!)

For purposes of pronunciation, I have included a link to the spoken mantra (The mantra itself lasts for the first 35 seconds of this video, after which a speaker gives a lecture in Hindi).

Resources:

http://www.drikpanchang.com/hindu-goddesses/parvati/durga/navdurga-katyayani.html

http://hinduism.about.com/od/godsgoddesses/ss/navadurga_7.htm

http://www.ganeshaspeaks.com/blog_MAA_KATYAYANI_6TH_DAY_OF_NAVARATRI.action

http://vedicgoddess.weebly.com/3/post/2012/09/september-07th-2012.html

http://www.chakras.net/energy-centers/agya

http://rampuri.com/navdurga-navratri/

http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/%C4%81j%C3%B1%C4%81/index.html

http://www.astrosage.com/festival/navratri/devi-katyayini.asp

Chaitra Navratri: Kushmanda

Kushmanda

On the fourth day of Chaitra Navratri, Shakti is worshipped in the form of Kushmanda (Ku=little, ushma=warmth, anda=egg). Symbolically, Her name means “that is from whose fraction of warmth the universe has been emanated,” designating Her as the comic egg which created the Universe and hence a Creator Goddess. Parvati takes on the form of Kushmanda after She started living inside the core of the Sun to liberate energy to the rest of the Universe. As a solar Goddess, Her governing planetary body is the Sun. This goes back to Her role as a Creator, for in the beginning the Universe was nothing more but a void of darkness until Her light spread in all directions. Her mount is a lion and She is depicted with eight arms in iconography. She holds a kamandal (an oblong water pot carried by ascetics), dhanush (bow), arrow, and lotus flower (symbolising blooming above the murk to achieve enlightenment) in Her right hands, and in Her left hands She carries a kalasha (a metal pot with a large base and small mouth), Japa mala beads (prayer beads), gada (a blunt mace/club), and a chakra (a disc-like weapon). Kushmanda bestows brightness, clarity, and peace upon Her worshippers.

She is associated with the Anahata Chakra (anahata=unstruck, unhurt in Sanskrit, implying that beneath all the pain in our heart, universal love and compassion is our core nature that is still intact even though we may believe it is damaged), which is the seat of love located in the heart. Love does not only refer to the popular sense of the word, however, but also to the deep, compassionate, Divine love. In a beautiful description of the Anahata chakra, a writer on chakras.net writes:

The Anāhata Chakra is our inner temple in which the divine Ātmā, “the flame of life”, resides. Self-Realisation, also known as God-Realisation, involves the recognition of our own Self, the Ātmā. To show that something belongs to us or concerns us we spontaneously point to the centre of the chest, the site of the Anāhata Chakra. No-one points to the head, the stomach or any other part of the body. This shows clearly that we spontaneously identify ourselves with the Ātmā within the heart centre. In the Chandogya Upanishad it is written:

“In the centre of the body there is a little shrine surrounded by a wall with eleven doors. Hidden within the shrine a Lotus blossoms, and within this there is a tiny, little room.”

What does this tiny room in the heart of the Lotus mean? It is the Ātmā, our true Self. The Ātmā is a part of God. It is pure, unchanging, Infinite Consciousness. It is Eternal, Unborn and Immortal, and exists in every living being. Just as the whole tree is already contained and present within a seed, the essence of the entire cosmos exists in the centre of the Heart Chakra.

Her mantra is:

Sura Sampurna Kalasham Rudhira Plutmev Cha

Dadhana Hastpad Mabhyam Kushmanda Shubh Dastu Me

Which means in English:

May the Goddess Kushmanda who holds two pitchers full of madira and blood in her lotus hands, be propitious to me. (I believe the word ‘madira’ is in reference to amrita, the nectar of immortality. Corrections for the meaning of this mantra, as well as further explanations regarding its meaning, are very welcome!)

For purposes of pronunciation, I have included a link to the spoken mantra (The mantra itself lasts for the first 35 seconds of this video, after which a speaker gives a lecture in Hindi).

Resources:

http://www.astrosage.com/festival/navratri/devi-kushmanda.asp

http://hinduism.about.com/od/godsgoddesses/ss/navadurga_5.htm

http://www.drikpanchang.com/hindu-goddesses/parvati/durga/navdurga-kushmanda.html

http://www.chakras.net/energy-centers/anahat

http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/898?page=5

http://www.ekunji.com/learn/navratri-puja-vidhi-nav-durga-puja

Chaitra Navratri: Chandraghanta

Chandraghanta

On the third day of Navratri, Shakti is worshipped in the form of Chandraghanta (Chandra=Moon, ghanta=bell), who is the married form of the Goddess Parvati (after marrying Shiva, Parvati started adorning Her head with a half moon in the shape of a bell, hence the origin of Her name). As Yogi Ananda Saraswathi writes:

In meditation, as soon as the sadhak (someone who follows a way of life in order to achieve Nirvana) invokes her, her bell immediately become active and starts ringing to protect the devotee under her shelter. The crescent moon is symbolic of feminine energy. It is also associated with clairvoyance and knowing without thinking. The crescent also represents illumination,new beginnings and making dreams a reality. It is connected to rebirths and how our true essence really is immortal. That is why she is called ‘Chandraghanta’. Her ornaments are rich and signify material comfort.

Chandraghanta’s mount is a tigress and is depicted with ten arms. She holds a trishul (trident), gada (a blunt mace/club), sword, and kamandal (an oblong water pot carried by ascetics) in her four left hands and keeps the fifth left hand in the Varada Mudra positition (symbolises the giving of blessings). In Her right hands She carries the lotus flower (symbolising blooming above the murk to achieve enlightenment), dhanush (bow), arrow, and Japa mala (prayer beads) while keeping Her fifth hand in the Abhaya Mudra position (indicates for the devotee to not fear and a symbol of protection). She governs the planet Venus.

Chandraghanta is associated with the chakra Manipura (Mani=pearl, jewel, pura=place, city), which is the first chakra that has emerged into the conscious (Muladhara chakra is located in the unconscious and Swadhistana chakra is in the subconscious) and is located at the solar plexus. Chandraghanta is worshipped for peace, tranquility, and prosperity in life. She is the Goddess of bravery and possesses great power which aids Her in battles against demons and forces of darkness. As written by Miss Sanchitta Chowdhury:

Goddess Chandraghanta is the representation of Supreme bliss and knowledge. It is said that by Her blessings, all the sins, sufferings, bad energies etc are eliminated from Her devotees’ life. By riding a tiger She inspires Her devotees to be fearless. By worshipping Goddess Chandraghanta one gets rid of all the worldly sorrows and attains supreme spiritual bliss.

Her mantra is:

Pindaj Pravara Rudha Chand Kopastra Keyurta

Prasadam Tanute Maham Chandra Ghanteti Vishruta

Which in English means:

O Goddess Chandraghanta, who rides on Tiger, angry on enemies, holds many weapons in ten hands, be propitious to me.

For purposes of pronunciation, I have included a link to the spoken mantra (The mantra itself lasts for the first 35 seconds of this video, after which a speaker gives a lecture in Hindi).

Resources:

http://hinduism.about.com/od/godsgoddesses/ss/navadurga_4.htm

http://experiencehinduism.com/festivals/navratri-third-day-third-form-durga-chandraghanta

http://www.boldsky.com/yoga-spirituality/faith-mysticism/2013/story-of-devi-chandraghanta-navratri-035643.html

http://www.astrosage.com/festival/navratri/devi-chandraghanta.asp

http://rampuri.com/navdurga-navratri/

http://www.chakras.net/energy-centers/manipura

http://vedicgoddess.weebly.com/3/post/2012/08/chandraghanta-devi.html

http://www.drikpanchang.com/hindu-goddesses/parvati/durga/navdurga-chandraghanta.html

Chaitra Navratri: Brahmacharini

Brahmacharini

On the second day of Chaitra Navratri, Sri Durga is worshipped in the form of Brahmacharini (Brahma=penance, charini=performer). She does not ride upon a mount but rather walks upon bare feet, carrying a Japa Mala (Hindu prayer beads) in one hand and a kamandal (an oblong pot used for storing drinking water that is carried by ascetics as a symbol of a simple life) in the other. She governs the planet Mars. Brahmacharini is a Goddess of simplicity and appreciates simple devotions. During her puja (ritual) on the second day of Chaitra Navratri, She is offered flowers, rice, and sandalwood.

Brahmacharini is the personification of love and loyalty, bestowing great emotional strength upon Her devotees. Her blessings help the devotee to rid herself of selfishness, ego, greed, and laziness, and promotes self-discipline and ethical conduct. She inspires us toward a spirit of perserverance and commitment to the spiritual life unswayed by external circumstances. Like Shailputri, She is also a form of Parvati. Her association with penance becomes apparent when Parvati’s many penances in order to acquire Shiva as Her husband are kept in mind. As narrated by Mr. Kumar:

She showed a keen interest in Shiva from the outset, repeating his name to herself and taking delight in hearing about his appearance and deeds. While she is a child a sage comes to her house and after examining the marks on her body predicts that she will marry a naked yogi. When it becomes clear that she is destined to marry Shiva, her parents are usually described as feeling honored. Parvati too is delighted…Steadfast in her devotion, Parvati persists in her quest to win Shiva as her husband by setting out to perform austerities. One of the most effective ways to achieve what a person wants in traditional Hinduism is to perform tapas, “ascetic austerities.” If one is persistent and heroic enough, one will generate so much heat that the gods will be forced to grant the ascetic his or her wish in order to save themselves and the world from being scorched. Parvati’s method of winning Shiva is thus a common approach to fulfilling one’s desires. It is also appropriate, however, in terms of demonstrating to Shiva that she can compete with him in his own realm, that she has the inner resources, control, and fortitude to cut herself off from the world and completely master her physical needs. By performing tapas, Parvati abandons the world of the householder and enters the realm of the world renouncer, namely Shiva’s world. Most versions of the myth describe her as outdoing all the great sages in her austerities. She performs all the traditional mortifications, such as sitting in the midst of four fires in the middle of summer, remaining exposed to the elements during the rainy season and during the winter, living on leaves or air only, standing on one leg for years, and so on. Eventually she accumulates so much heat that the gods are made uncomfortable and persuade Shiva to grant Parvati’s wish, so that she will cease her efforts. The marriage is duly arranged and elaborately undertaken.

Brahmachandri is also associated with the Swadhistana (Sva=Self, Adhisthana=seat, residence) chakra. This chakra is about three centimeters above the Muladhara chakra between the coccyx and sacrum. It is said that in previous eras the Kundalini Shakti resided in this chakra which is the sear of the subconscious, but during our Kali Yuga age of spiritual ignorance it moved further downward into the unconscious Muladhara chakra.

Her mantra is:

Dadhana Karpadma abhyamaksh Mala kamandalu

Devi Prasidatu Mayi Brahmacharinya Nuttama

Which means in English:

The one who carries the flower of Lotus, Rudraksha Mala and stoup in one hand. The sublime Goddess Brahmcharini, please bless me.

For purposes of pronunciation, I have included a link to the spoken mantra (The mantra itself lasts for the first 35 seconds of this video, after which a speaker gives a lecture in Hindi).

References:

http://www.drikpanchang.com/hindu-goddesses/parvati/durga/navdurga-brahmacharini.html

http://astrology.astrosage.com/2013/10/2nd-day-of-navratri-goddess-of.html

http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/navratri.htm

http://blog.onlineprasad.com/navratri-puja-mantra-day-2-maa-brahmacharini/

http://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/parvati

http://www.chakras.net/energy-centers/svadhishthana

http://vedicgoddess.weebly.com/3/post/2012/08/august-29th-20121.html

Chaitra Navratri: Shailputri

An Introduction to Chaitra Navratri

For readers who are unfamilar with Hindu culture and celebrations, a very brief introduction to this nine-day festival of the Goddess is an essential foundation upon which to build this series of articles on the different forms of Shakti worshipped during this festival. Navratri is a festival that is celebrated five times a year, but the most important two are the ones in the spring (Chaitra Navratri, Vasanta Navratri) and in the autumn (Sharada Navratri). Chaitra is the first month on the Hindu calendar, and the word Navratri itself literally means “nine nights” in Sanskrit. This year, Chaitra Navratri will be celebrated from March 31-April 7.

There are several legends associated with the celebration of Navratri, but the most famous is the tale of Sri Durga slaying the demon Mahishasura. The battle between the demon and Goddess lasted for nine days, and on the end of the ninth night Sri Durga finally killed him. During Chaitra Navratri, a lamp is kept lighted at all times for the duration of the festival. A ritual called Ghatasthapana (ghata meaning “vessel” and sthapana meaning “to establish) is performed on the first day, in which the kalash (holy water vessel) symbolising Sri Durga is placed in the prayer room. The kalash is covered in cow dung and barley seeds are planted inside of the kalash. The sowing of the barley seeds symbolises growth, prosperity, abundance, and fertility. Fasting is also a common practice during Chaitra Navratri. Meat, alcohol, grains, onion, and garlic are all avoided during this time. Every evening during Navratri, the Durga Suktum is chanted in honour of Shakti. On the eigth and ninth days of Navratri, Yagna is performed in honour of Sri Durga and to bid her farewell. On these last days, Kanya Puja is also performed in which nine young girls representing the nine forms of Shakti are worshipped. Each day has a governing Goddess who is the focus of the daily devotions. The following series discusses these nine Goddesses and their worship during Chaitra Navratri.

Shailputri

Sri Durga is glorified on the first day of Navratri through Her form, Shailputri (Shail=mountain, putri=daughter). She is the Absolute Form of Mother Nature and watches over every living thing and encourages humans to live in harmony with Nature. She is also a form of the Goddess Parvati and Her consort is Shiva. She holds a lotus in Her left hand and a Trishul (trident) in Her right hand. Her mount is Nandi, a bull.

She is associated with the Moon and is also the Goddess of the Muladhara (Mula=root, origin, Adhara=foundation) chakra, which is the root chakra located at the lowest point of the spinal column. The Muladhara chakra is the starting point toward spiritual development, the seat of our dormant wisdom. For this reason, Shailputri is worshipped in order to make full use of our precious human lifetime. This concept is further expounded upon by Yogi Ananda Saraswathi:

Durga’s slaying of the demons as per Purana stories has important lessons for the spiritually minded . Durga is a very important feminine form of divinity, especially for personal transformation from our lower or animal nature to our higher spiritual nature. These are all symbolical. Heaven is our own mind. The demon is our lower nature. And the demon in heaven is our own inability to control our own mind. By slaying them, she has torn down ego. In reality, this is a common challenge for most people, so one can see the relevance of the story and importance of Durga.  As Durga represents transformation through elevation in consciousness, we call on Durga to transform and elevate our minds. Durga as a goddess is a feminine form and therefore the divine mother, but she also has a form that relates to the earth – Shaila Putri. Her birth connections to the mountains are indicative of the sacredness of the mountains and their important connections to the earth. Goddess Shaila Putri is also strongly associated with the waters and air as well, as the waters represent the flow of consciousness, cleansing and purity. 

Shailputri’s mantra is:

Vande Vanchhit Laabhaay, Chandrardhkritshekharaam

Vrisharudham Shooldharaam Shailputriim Yashaswinim

Which is translated into English as:

Salute the Mother Goddess who has a half moon on Her forehead, who rides a bull and holds a trident. We chant your name and praiseyou always Maa Shailputri.

For purposes of pronunciation, I have included a link to the spoken mantra (The mantra itself lasts for the first 35 seconds of this video, after which a speaker gives a lecture in Hindi).

Salute the Mother Goddess who has a half moon in her forehead, who rides a bullock and holds a Trishul. We chant your name and praise you always Maa Shailaputri – See more at: http://www.vvrishikulam.com/article-navratri-day-1-%E2%80%93-maa-shailputri-120.aspx#sthash.mzw4X4tT.dpuf

Salute the Mother Goddess who has a half moon in her forehead, who rides a bullock and holds a Trishul. We chant your name and praise you always Maa Shailaputri – See more at: http://www.vvrishikulam.com/article-navratri-day-1-%E2%80%93-maa-shailputri-120.aspx#sthash.mzw4X4tT.dpuf

Resources:

http://blog.onlineprasad.com/ghatasthapana-durga-navratri-2013/

http://www.vatikashaktipeeth.com/festivals/chaitra-navaratri.html

Durga Suktam

http://experiencehinduism.com/festivals/festival-of-india-navratri-2013

http://www.totalbhakti.com/otherpages/chaitra-navratri.php

http://www.chakras.net/energy-centers/muladhara

http://www.ganeshaspeaks.com/blog_MAA_SHAILPUTRI_1ST_DAY_OF_NAVARATRI.action

http://www.drikpanchang.com/hindu-goddesses/parvati/durga/navdurga-shailputri.html

http://www.vvrishikulam.com/article-navratri-day-1-%E2%80%93-maa-shailputri-120.aspx

http://vedicgoddess.weebly.com/3/post/2012/08/shailputri-by-yogi-ananda-saraswathi.html

Murti: The Living Divine Image

In many Pagan faiths, “idols” and images of the Divine are not the Divine themselves, but rather representations of Divinity that the devotee can easily connect to on a physical plane. The same can be said from a Filianic position. We do not worship sculptures and paintings, we worship the higher powers represented by the sculptures and paintings. A concept I learned from Hindu theology years ago was the idea that when you dedicate an image (in Hindu terminology, a murti), the Goddess or God in question enters the murti and becomes a living form of the Deity.

The current state of my personal shrine to Dea is a reflection of the chaos going on in my current life. I can’t remember the last time I cleaned my room, no less my altar. Everything from earrings to mascara is piled up on top of the altar, defiling the sacred space. When I come home from work, I am always exhausted, and even on my days off I languish in depression and an overall feeling of weakness. No wonder I haven’t felt any spiritual inspiration lately.

In the past, I have had some very powerful experiences with a properly maintained shrine. My most intense experience was with a murti of Durga that I had found on the Internet, printed off, and framed on my altar. Several years ago before I ran off to a foreign country to live with my now ex-boyfriend, I had a very strong relationship with Durga. Back then, I always used separate cleaning cloths to dust the murtis on my altar and I always paid them a special attention and reverence while in their presence. In return, I never felt quite alone as I was going about my day even in the outside world away from my home and altar. Durga’s image was especially powerful for me. Every time I walked by Her, I felt this intense spiritual energy. When I touched Her feet, I felt an instant calm, no matter how stressful my day had been.

As I became less and less meticulous regarding the upkeep of my altar due to worrying about preparations for the big trip, I no longer felt that energy from Her. In fact, I no longer felt a spiritual energy from any of the murtis. When I left the country, I took with me a single wall plaque of Kuan Yin, who watched over me for almost my entire stay in my ex’s family’s cramped apartment, until my ex took Her off the wall and placed Her with my other belongings on top of my suitcase when I begged him and his family to let me go back home. Now that I am back home, She still hangs on my wall and is very special for me, even though I don’t pay Her the attention I should.

Unfortunately, when I came back home I found my altar was gone. My mom had thrown away all of the religious images, along with Durga, as she claimed they had not stopped me from leaving. Of course, I am sure that with the stubborn attitude I had, even blatant warnings from the Divine would not have deterred me. I was too brainwashed and psychologically reliant on my ex at that time.

A little while back, I printed this same image off again, but never got around the framing it. It just didn’t feel the same as before. Her image still sits in the drawer below my altar I consecrated specifically for religious objects, like incense and tea light candles, but I haven’t felt any motivation to place Her on my altar. I’m sure that with my altar’s current disheveled state, it’s better that way.

Freedom of Speech: Extents and Limitations

A caricature of Kali holding a pack of cigarettes, amongst other objects, graced the pages of the New Zealand Herald—and infuriated many Hindus worldwide. Amongst Her worshipers, Kali is highly revered, and Her image is intended for worship in temples and devotee’s homes, not trivialized in commercial media that removes Her image out of its intended context. Many have spoken up on the issue, demanding that the media show more respect toward people of other cultures and religions. Rajiv Chaturvedi, a member of the Hindu Council of NZ, sums up the issue with the statement: 

The illustration of Goddess Kali published in New Zealand Herald cannot be attributed to ignorance and has nothing to do with the article on dairy owners that it was accompanying. It seems to be a malicious desire to cause mischief by the cartoonist and the editor. They hurriedly removed the caricature from their internet version and this indicates they realized they had been caught, but instead of an apology and owning up, they just hoped no one will notice.

This issue brings to question what should be covered under free speech and what should not. I am still forming my own concept of the nature of freedom of speech, though I have some general beliefs about it. Freedom of speech is an important tenet to democratic political ideology of the post-Enlightenment Western world, and is so important in my native country of the United States that it is featured prominently in first place on the Bill of Rights. It is a catch-phrase in modern day politics and discourse, ranging from the potty-mouthed youngster who asserts “This is America, I can say whatever I want,” to prim statesmen addressing far-reaching legalities of what is covered under freedom of speech and what is not.

Freedom of speech by the modern understanding has been grossly taken out of its original context, which was to protect citizen rights to criticize their government. As summarized by P.A. Madison on the Federalist Blog:

“Freedom of speech and of the press served one purpose in America: To remove the fear of the common law doctrine of seditious libel so citizens could freely speak or publish without license their grievances against public policy or conduct of public officials.”

As I feel P.A. Madison did a fine job of giving an in-depth review of the origin and original meaning of the freedom of speech in American politics, I won’t re-invent the wheel here. For those interested in reading the full article, a link is given below:

Original Meaning: Freedom of Speech or of the Press

I feel that people enjoy making offensive, vulgar, and rude speech and media because it grabs other people’s attention. When celebrities exhibit shocking behaviour, they earn a place on the front cover of tabloid magazines. In the case of the offensive Kali caricature, the New Zealand Herald would not have received nearly as much attention if it had simply posted hum-drum, run-of-the-mill articles and images. The same hate speech vs. free speech issue on a much larger scale came up several years ago when a Danish cartoonist published satirical, anti-Islamic cartoons, earning himself attention on an international scale that he would have otherwise never had.

Freedom of speech is not all bad, though. It can be a wonderful tool toward positive, constructive social change. One can speak out against injustice, seek change in the world around, and still cultivate thame (harmony). I strongly agree that innovative ideas are worth discussing, even if they are unorthodox and on the fringe of current social norms. But with the right to freedom of speech comes the responsibility of speaking ethically. A point can easily be made, even a point others consider to be outrageous, without making personal attacks, disrespecting others, or being generally vulgar and rude.

What are your thoughts on freedom of speech? Should it be limited or unlimited? Feedback on this topic would be much appreciated!

Resources:

Original Meaning: Freedom of Speech or of the Press

http://www.examiner.com/article/offensive-speech-violates-free-speech

http://www.eurasiareview.com/19072013-upset-hindus-ask-nz-herald-for-front-page-apology-for-goddess-kali-caricature/