Navratri

                Navratri and Dussehra –
        Victory of true self over our ego

The beginning of Navratri leads to the festive cheer and mood. It marks the beginning of auspicious nine days of worship to Maa. She is worshipped  with lots of enthusiasm  and fervour in different forms by the devotees. As a kid we were told the stories of Goddess slaying demons like Shumbh, Nishubh and Mahisasura. But rarely were we told its significance to our own lives. Navratri means ‘nine nights', when we worship the three forms of Goddess, Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. Symbolically, Maa Durga destroys the Mahisasura in us, the tame guna .Tamo means buffalo, the representation of laziness, darkness and inertia. Worshipping this form of goddess dispels us from darkness and leads us to our true potential. Maa Lakshmi, is symbolic of wealth, the rich spiritual wealth. Maa Saraswati symbolises Knowledge, the knowledge of true self. It is together with the knowledge of self and spiritual wealth can we realise our true potential and embark upon the spiritual sojourn.
The tenth day from the onset of Navratri is celebrated as Dussehra, the triumph of good over evil, a festival which marks the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana, the ten-headed demon. Symbolically it means that virtues displayed by Lord Rama, adherence to dharma irrespective of circumstances can leads to the victory of true self over our false ego.
Happy Vijayadashmi!