Navarathri (Dusseraha ) Festival -Relevance and Importance

Once I asked My gurudev about a haunting doubt that was pestering me for quite sometime. " What is the most impotrtant factor or rather the most powerful faculty one need to posess to lead a successful life in this material world?" Gurudev replied that many factors contribute to the success of the life of an individual like , The blessings from the preceptors, Almighty , rigteousness, humility , service to human kind and so on ans so forth But the most important among all is Atma bala or the spiritual strength and will one posess. In short he was hinting the importance of acquring atma bala by worship, chanting Tapa or Dhyana (meditation)in realizing the ultimate truth and thereby imbibing the qualities of God in ones own life . The ultimate of which is also the salvation since the minutest layer that differenciate the Poorna (and the nirguna ( complete and free of good or bad qualities )) and the self vanishes and one joins the ultimate. Hence the prayer , Japa and meditation to strengthen the mind to make it fit to raise above the material considerations are the best karmas of life. Navarathri or Dusserah is a festival intended for 9 days ( Nights - Since rathri means Nights ) of worship of the universal Mother representing the universal energy and seat of creation towards the above purpose. As the concept of mother is the most sublime and pure in any culture philosophy or religion(??) it helps us to attain the end easily . Worship godess Durga in the form of 9 incarnations or rather manifestations as explained in Devimahathmyam or Durga sapthasathi as it is known in some part of India is to attain more atma bala and thereby the salvation through the loving blessings of Mother godess. The festival is also being celeberated as the festival of education or festival of Saraswathi ( the godess of education , knowledhe and wisdom) in Kerala. Whatever may be one's wish that should ultimately lead to enligtenment , compassion for the fellow beings , service to the needy and finally to the path of salvation. Free site For manthras chantings and Bhajans