Sathya Sai Baba:
“Navarathri means nine
nights. Darkness is associated with night. What is this darkness? It is the
darkness of ignorance. The purpose of the Navarathri celebration is to enable
man to get rid of nine types of darkness which have taken hold of him. When a
reference is made to Devi, it signifies the unified form of Durga, Lakshmi and
Saraswathi. The three together represent Shakthi. Shakthi is the energy that
accounts for all the phenomena of Prakruthi (Nature). Nature is energy, and the
controller of that energy is the Lord. Prakruthi (Nature) is made up of the
three qualities, Sathwa, Rajas and Thamas. Saraswathi represents the Sathya
Guna. Lakshmi represents the Rajo Guna and Parvathi represents the Thamo Guna.
As Prakruthi (Nature) is made up of these three qualities (Sathwa, Rajas and
Thamas), to get control over Nature, man has been offering worship to Dhurga,
Lakshmi and Saraswathi. These are not goddesses but deified symbols of the
three qualities.
The role of Nature in
the creative process To acquire the grace of the Lord, man has to offer worship
at the outset to Prakruthi. On the one hand you need human effort and on the
other you have to acquire the grace of the Divine. Prakruthi (Nature) and
Paramaatma (the Omni-Self) are like the negative and positive poles in
electricity. However powerful the Lord may be (as the positive pole), there can
be no creation without Prakruthi (representing the negative pole). The basis
for creation is Prakruthi.
For instance, however
good the seeds you may have with you, without planting them in the ground you
cannot reap the fruit. The role of Nature in the creative process is similar.
When man forgets God and desires to enjoy the benefits of Nature, he becomes
ultimately a demon like Ravana who brought about his own destruction. To secure
the grace of the Lord, one has to have purity of the heart, purity in speech
and purity in action. This triple purity is described in Vedantic parlance as
Tripurasundari. Lakshmi, who is the embodiment of all prosperity, is
represented by the heart. The mouth represents Saraswathi. Kriyaa Shuddhi
(Purity in action) is represented by Dhurga. The observance of the Navarathri
celebration is to get rid of the darkness in which man is enveloped, by
cultivating the triple purity of thought, word and deed.
The human body emerged
from Nature. Nature has two forms: Aparaa Prakruthi and Paraa Prakruthi. Aparaa
Prakruthi includes Ashta Aishwaryas (eight forms of wealth), and Kaama, Krodha,
Moha, Lobha, Mada, Maatsarya and the three mental faculties in man: Manas,
Chitta and Ahamkaara. Paraa Prakruthi (the higher Nature) represents the
consciousness in man. Without the Praana (life force) and Chaithanyam
(consciousness) man is only a corpse. True humanness consists in controlling
the five elements which make up the Aparaa Prakruthi (lower Nature) and merge
in the higher Nature represented by the life force and Chaithanyam
(consciousness). Maintain steadiness of mind during worship.
Navarathri has been
divided into three parts the first three days being dedicated to the worship of
Dhurga, the next three days to the worship of Lakshmi and the last three days
to the worship of Saraswathi. All Hindu festivals have a sacred purpose.
Unfortunately, nowadays the festivals are observed only with external rituals
without understanding their inner meaning. In the performance of all forms of
worship there should be steadiness of mind and body. Only then concentration
can be achieved. Today men are unable to maintain steadiness of body and mind.
The basic significance
of Devi Navarathri is the adoration of Prakruthi (Nature). Devi refers to
Bhudevi (Mother Earth). The Navarathri celebration is an occasion for revering
Nature and considering how natural resources can be used properly in the best
interests of mankind. Resources like water, air, power and minerals should be
used properly and not misused or wasted. Economy in the use of every natural
resource is vital. Pollution of the air has many evil consequences. The inner
significance of observances like Nagarasankirtan and bhajans is to fill the
atmosphere with sacred vibrations and holy thoughts.
The power of Manthra:
Today we know how radio and television broadcasts are transmitted to all parts
of the world by radio waves. Is it unbelievable that Krishna was able similarly
to appear in the homes of Gopikas simultaneously? If a Yantra (machine) could
achieve such a result, how much more power should be attributed to Manthra? What
is needed is the power to tune in to the Spirit just as appropriate tuning is needed
to receive a radio or TV broadcast. Regard your heart as a radio receiver. Your
concentration is the tuning device. You will experience the Divine when you
tune your heart properly. This calls for firm, unwavering concentration. The
inauguration of the Navarathri celebrations means that you should use this
occasion for offering worship to Nature and resolving to make sacred use of all
natural resources.
The mere removal of
hate from the heart will not ensure Ananda. Love too should be cultivated. That
is to say, uproot hate and plant love. If the absence of hate ensures Bhakthi,
hill and anthill, tree and twig, mud and mountain--what do these hate ? They
have no dislikes. But for this reason, do we ascribe Bhakthi to them at all? We
do not, for that would be absurd. The Bhaktha must first be free from hate and
full of Love. Hate breeds fear, hate is the seedbed of anxiety, scandal and
falsehood. It drains your mind of peace. You may have light without oil, fire
without smoke, breeze without a bearer fanning you, a chilliness in the air of
your room in the sizzling heat of summer--but, unless you are at peace with
yourselves and with those around you, your pulse will be quick and your blood
will be racing in rage and rancor. Love alone can alleviate anxiety and allay
fear.”
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