Chaitra Navaratri Blessings

The Spring Festival of Nine Nights of Mother Divine

Blessings of Navaratri, the “Nine Nights of Mother Divine” in the ancient Vedic tradition. Navaratri is celebrated five times a year, but the two festivals occurring in the autumn and spring are the most important. The current one is known as Chaitra or Vasant Navaratri. It always begins at the Vedic Lunar New Year in the Chaitra month, which occurs in the springtime in March or April. This year it falls on April 1 in North and South America, and April 2 everywhere else.

Navaratri commemorates the parabolic battle of good versus evil which is epitomized by Durga’s epic war against the demon Mahishasura, which culminated in Her victory on the tenth day at the end of Navaratri (Vijaya Dasami). This allegorical legend is memorialized in a Vedic scripture called the Devi Mahatmya, also known as Durga Saptashati or Shri Chandi. During the nine days and nights, excerpts from this text are often read aloud and discussed in homes, temples, and ashrams.

Navaratri has profound esoteric meaning and spiritual significance for devotees who fast, pray, meditate, chant, bathe in holy rivers, and participate in other kinds of specific rituals during this time. During the nine nights, Devi Durga is worshiped in all her various forms and is said to walk among us administering boons and blessings, which include helping us to release our own inner demons.

One of the multitude of ways to worship is to focus on and propitiate three aspects of the goddess for three days and nights each:

1. The first three are devoted to Durga Devi, the personification of power and purification.

2. The second three are devoted to Lakshmi Devi, the essence of compassion and beauty.

3. The last three are devoted to Saraswati Devi, the embodiment of wisdom and grace.

I bow to Divine Mother Durga who is the consort of Lord Shiva, and who exists in all beings in the form of intelligence, mercy, and beauty. Oh Divine Mother Durga, please cleanse the impurities of my mind and let me always tread this path of life under your watchful eyes. From the unreal, lead me to the real; from darkness, lead me to the Light; and from death, lead me to immortality. Protect and grant me good fortune in Your name. Om Dum Durgaya Namah!

Blessings of Navaratri to all, with love and light,

Juliana