Navaratri Prayers & Maa Durga

The Bhagwad Gita says,learn the Truth byapproaching a guru. Inquirefrom him with reverence and
render service unto him. Suchan enlightened teacher canimpart knowledge unto youbecause he has seen the
Truth.Blessed are those whofind a living guru. For otherlesser mortals, GuruBrihaspati, Jupiter, issparkling with wisdom in thePisces area of the sky, urgingus to seek the inner truth. TheSun is transiting through
Pisces. Here it is imaginative,visionary, broad-minded andinclusive. It is gettingconnected to Jupiter – a guru
guiding us through theillusions of maya and searchfor the final Truth. The Sunand Jupiter conjunction willtake place on April 12.Together they channelise theintuitive guidance that canopen the gateway of jnana. Itis a time when the prayer,‘God, grant me the serenity toaccept the things I cannotchange, courage to change
the things I can, and wisdomto know the difference,’ seemsmost apt. Each year, the Sunin conjunction with the Moonsymbolises the end of thezodiac and the year. The sameMoon, as it moves forwarrings the most auspiciousPadwa in the form of GudiPadwa. This, we all know, is anew beginning. Each ending
brings a new beginning andthus begins the Samvatsar,the traditional Indian Newyear, celebrated with theNavratri, a prayer to all formsof Shakti, Maa.Sri Aurobindo’s prayer toMaa goes like this: ‘AumAnandmayi Chaitanyamayi
Satyamayi Parmey’ – Om –She, the Delight/ She, theConsciousness/ She, theTruth/ She, the Supreme. This
year, the lunar tithis ofAmavasya and Padwa,representing the end of theold year and new beginnings,respectively, were on theVernal Equinox. Again, apowerful combination, offocussing on the purificationof mind through meditationand merging seamlessly incelebrating the new start.Living through the mazeof Maa’s lila, we often find
ourselves straying becauseof her maya, even though wemay have the most sattvic ofintentions. It is this realitywhich we need to grasp andattempt to surrender to Herduring Navratri. It is thissurrender to nature in theinfinity of the mystic Pisces,in the presence of the Sundenoting Shiv and Moondenoting Maa that one findsthe energy and resources tomove to the New Year. Wemove ahead with fresh vigourby seeking blessings in theNavratri through prayers.This is the special nature ofthis month and the nine days.Every 12 years, Jupitercomes to Pisces andenhances its auspiciousness,when the Sun and the Moontraverse through this zodiacspace. Presently, the Sun hasalready joined Guru in Pisces.This Gudi Padwa, theblessings of Guru on theVernal equinox, additionallyincreased the spiritualsignificance of the day.If you have a guru, spendtime with her. If you don’thave one, spend time withyourself, meditating on Shiv.As Adi Shankara guides,‘Chidanandroopa ShivohamShivoham’. Even in themundane, material worldwisdom, correct decisions,and a sense of joy will prevail,provided you pause andlisten. Wishes you all a veryHappy Navratri. May thisfestival of spirituality bripeace in your life and MaaDurga bless us allBidanasi, Bandha Chhak,Cuttack

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