Navaratri begins tomorrow, October 14 and continues for nine nights celebrating the feminine nature of the Divine. The following is excerpted from a darshan with Sadhguru on 8 October 2010 (Navaratri) at Isha Yoga Center.
This is the first night of Navaratri. This night and the coming days and nights are dedicated to the feminine nature of the Divine. Durga, Laxmi, and Saraswati are symbols of three dimensions of the feminine. They also represent the three basic qualities of existence – tamas, rajas, and satva.Tamas means inertia. Rajas means activity, passion. Satva, in a way, is the breaking of boundaries, dissolution, melting and merging. Among the three celestial objects with which the very making of our bodies is very deeply connected – the Earth, the Sun, and the Moon – Mother Earth is considered tamas. The Sun is rajas. The Moon is satva. Those who aspire for power, for immortality, for strength, will worship those forms of the feminine which are referred to as tamas, like Kali or Mother Earth. Those who aspire for wealth, for passion, for life and various other gifts that the material world has to offer, naturally aspire towards that form of the feminine which is referred to as Laxmi or the Sun. Those who aspire for knowledge, knowing, and transcending the limitations of the mortal body, will aspire for that aspect of the feminine which is referred to as satva – Saraswati is the representative of that – or the Moon.
Today is the day of Durga or Kali. Tomorrow is the day of Laxmi. The day after is the day of Saraswati. This is arranged in this way because after all, it is from the Earth that we arise. And we could live an active life which is rajas – the second nature of Devi. The third nature of Devi may or may not come your way – if you want to bring her down into you, you will have to strive. Kali is on the ground. Laxmi is sitting on a flower. Saraswati is riding a peacock. So these are three dimensions of the Divine Feminine.
Linga Bhairavi has been consecrated with three basic chakras to represent these three dimensions of tamas, rajas, and satva. Tamas is the nature of the Earth, and she is the one who gives birth. The gestation period that we spend in the womb is tamas; it is a state which is almost like hibernation but we are growing. So tamas is the nature of the Earth and of your birth. The moment you come out, you start activity – rajas begins. And if you are aware enough or fortunate enough, satva will touch you.
To approach these nine days, and every other aspect of life in a celebratory way is most important. If you approach everything in a celebratory way, you learn to be non-serious about life but absolutely involved. The problem with most human beings right now is if they think something is important, they will become dead serious about it. If they think it is not so important, they will become lax about it – they don’t show the necessary involvement. The secret of life is in seeing everything with a non-serious eye but absolutely involved, like a game.
Now you are sitting on the earth; you must just learn to simply be one with her. You are anyway a part of her. Only when she wishes, she throws you out; when she wishes, she sucks you back in. So what was absolute inertia [earth] has become dynamic rajas [a human being] and may transcend, or may again go back to the same thing [inertia or earth]. Durga, Laxmi; Durga, Laxmi; Durga, Laxmi – Saraswati never happened. That means you are in the cycle, in the trap of life and death – transcendence is yet to come.
These two aspects of tamas or inertia and rajas or activity will anyway happen. What is in a state of inertia will get into a state of activity, again fall back and become inertia for a certain period of time, and again get back into activity. This is happening to you as an individual, this is happening to the planet, this is happening to the galaxy, this is happening to the whole cosmos – it goes into a state of inertia and then becomes dynamic and again goes back into a state of inertia. But the important thing is, this one [a human being] has the capability to break the cycle and transcend.
These three dimensions of Devi are enshrined in the form of Linga Bhairavi. On these three days, you must draw upon these three dimensions of existence and sustenance for yourself because you need all these three. The first two are needed for your survival and well-being. The third is an aspiration to go beyond.
Navaratri not only starts off with this fabulous symbolism, it is also true energy-wise. But not just once in a year – every month, the first three days after amavasya1 have these qualities. Amavasya is a state of inertia where the five elements are going through a certain integration within themselves. The next day is in a placid, inertia state; on the following day, energy-wise, it gets active; on the third day, there is room for transcendence. The third day’s moon is held as very important because the possibility of transcendence opens up. What was in a state of inertia and then in a state of activity and entanglement, now opens up a possibility of transcendence. This happens every month, but in this particular month, it is a little more pronounced because this amavasya is more pronounced than the rest of the amavasyas. Of all the twelve or sometimes thirteen amavasyas in a year, this particular one, being close to the equinox, is the strongest one.
On Navaratri, there are certain things happening in the Linga Bhairavi Temple. Enjoy the Navaratri and spend some time with Devi. It is good to make use of the support that nature offers.
Navaratri will be celebrated at the Linga Bhairavi Temple from 15 – 23 October 2012 with Devi processions, cultural program, free prasadam, and elaborate abhishekam. Among the various rituals available to receive Devi’s Grace is a special Vilakku Seva, an offering of 1008 ghee lamps.
