VASANTA
NAVARATRI |
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Dedicated to :
The divine mother - Devi |
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Occurs :
During Spring |
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Religion :
Hindu |
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Region of
Worship :
For both material and spiritual
welfare. |
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THE DIVINE MOTHER or Devi is
worshipped during the Vasanta Navaratri. This occurs during the spring. She is
worshipped by Her own command. You will find this in the following episode in
the Devi Bhagavata. |
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In days long gone by, King Dhruvasindu was
killed by a lion when he went out hunting. Preparations were made to crown the
prince Sudarsana. But, King Yudhajit of Ujjain, the father of Queen Lilavati,
and King Virasena of Kalinga, the father of Queen Monorama, were each desirous
of securing the Kosala throne for their respective grandsons. They fought with
each other. King Virasena was killed in the battle. Manorama fled to the forest
with Prince Sudarsana and a eunuch. They took refuge in the hermitage of Rishi
Bharadwaja. |
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The victor, King Yudhajit, thereupon crowned
his grandson, Satrujit, at Ayodhya, the capital of Kosala. He then went out in
search of Manorama and her son. The Rishi said that he would not give up those
who had sought protection under him. Yudhajit became furious. He wanted to
attack the Rishi. But, his minister told him about the truth of the Rishi's
statement. Yudhajit returned to his capital.
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Fortune smiled on Prince Sudarsana. A hermit's
son came one day and called the eunuch by his Sanskrit name Kleeba. The prince
caught the first Syllable Kli and began to pronounce it as Kleem. This syllable
happened to be a powerful, sacred Mantra. It is the Bija Akshara (root
syllable) of the Divine Mother. The prince obtained peace of mind and the Grace
of the Divine Mother by the repeated utterance of this syllable. Devi appeared
to him, Messed him and granted him divine weapons and an inexhaustible quiver. |
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The emissaries of the king of Benares passed
through the Ashram of the Rishi and, when they saw the noble prince Sudarsana,
they recommended him to Princess Sashikala, the daughter of the king of
Benares. |
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The ceremony at which the princess was to
choose her spouse was arranged. Sashikala at once chose Sudarsana. They were
duly wedded. King Yudhajit, who had been present at the function, began to
fight with the king of Benares. Devi helped Sudarsana and his father-in-law.
Yudhajit mocked Her, upon which Devi promptly reduced Yudhajit and his army to
ashes. |
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Thus Sudarsana, with Ms wife and his
father-in-law praised Devi She was highly pleased and ordered them to perform
Her worship with havan and other means during the Vasanta Navaratri. Then She
disappeared.
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Prince Sudarsana and Sashikala returned to the
Ashram of Rishi Bharadwaja. The great Rishi blessed them and crowned Sudarsana
as the king of Kosala. Sudarsana and Sashikala and the king of Benares
implicitly carried out the commands of the Divine Mother and performed worship
in a splendid manner during the Vasanta Navaratri.
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Sudarsana's descendants, namely, Sri Rama and
Lakshmana, also performed worship of Devi during the Vasanta Navaratri and were
blessed with Ha assistance in the recovery of Sita.
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It is the devout Hindu's duty to perform the
worship of Devi for both material and spiritual welfare during the Vasanta
Navaratri and follow the noble example set by Sudarsana and Sri Rama. He cannot
achieve anything without the Divine Mother's blessings. So, sing Ha praise and
repeat Her Mantra and Name. Meditate on Her form. Do worship. Pray and obtain
Her eternal Grace and blessings. May the Divine Mother bless you with all
divine wealth!
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