9 nights of Navaratri

Today is the 4th night.  Here's what we have done for the past few nights.

1st night (Pratipada) - Shri Ganesha is worshipped and it is observed as a day of silence.

2nd night (Dwittiya) - Devi Sooktam is recited and Goddess Mahakali is worshipped.

3rd night (Tritiya) - The Kavach of the Devi is recited today.

4th night (Chathurthi) - The Kavach of the Devi is recited.

Now, for the next few nights this is what is going to happen.

5th night (Panchami) - The love of Shri Jagadambe is expressed by reciting the hymns of Argala.  On this day we pray for the complete balance and sustenance of our self-realisation.

6th night (Shashti) - We worship the Shakti.

7th night (Saptami) - Verses from Durga Saptashati is read.

8th night (Ashtami) - Shri Mahalakshmi is worshipped on this day.  

9th night (Navami) - The asura is killed on this day.

10th night (Vijaya Dashami) - Today is the day of Victory.  We also celebrate the Dassera Festival, when Shri Rama destroyed the demon, Ravana.

Here are some excepts from Shri Mataji speech from Navaratri 1980:

"... you have already heard about the importance of today in the life of the Goddess. And that today Ravana was killed and that's how there were celebrations. As you know very well that all the satanic forces which one had to face one at the time are all back on the stage and they are to be defeated. The greatest problem of modern times is that these satanic forces have taken a very subtle form and they enter into your psyches and into your egos. And you are the Saints, you are the Bhaktas, you are the devotees of the Goddess. It's a very delicate situation. When the confusion is there, when the saints are attacked, the aggressor can be removed, but the saint becomes mixed up or confused with negative forces, which is very difficult to make him see the light. And you have seen this situation very well. And the subtler you grow, the subtler they became. And they start giving you ideas which are so negative, but you cannot see them. So the problem today is very delicate. There are no absolute saints and there are no absolute bad people.

Such a mixture, a confusion. That is what Kali Yuga is. Is modern times. Only way to get rid of them is to surrender. That is the only way. There is no other way around. Because when you surrender, the spirits, the negativities, the satanic forces just disappear. Because they are defective. They have no business to be there. They have no interest in a person who is surrendered to God. They cannot surrender. If they surrender they'll also become saints. All the time to think, "What are my catches? What are my negativities?" Is not going to help you. Just surrender all these ideas that are coming to you and you'll find that all absurd ideas will run away. This is the easiest way to get rid of your problems. Is just to surrender. After all, all these horrible people, all the horrible deities, enemies, who came forward to fight the Goddess, are there as long as you nurture them. As soon as you surrender yourself, they will find you of no use for themselves and they go to other half-baked people. The growth will only come, when the surrender is complete. One has to know that the powers are tremendous. You cannot conceive it as it is said by Markandeya. You cannot conceive it; it is beyond your conception. Outwardly you cannot understand, you just cannot understand. Under such circumstances the best thing is to surrender yourself. Now surrendering, what do you surrender? What do you surrender is your ego and your super-ego and it is completely cleansed and drenched in the blessing. Because you cannot give anything. You have to receive the blessings. And to receive the blessings you have to just surrender. It is so simple. The easiest way. To solve all your problems is to surrender...."

"...Just say, "I surrender". For realized souls it should be their mantra. And you will be amazed how all your problems will vanish. Because not only that the powers are tremendous, but as you are realized souls all the Divine Forces, all the Divine Deities, all the Eternal Beings; Chiranjivas, all the angels and the ganas, all of them are looking after you. But they know one thing, those who are surrendered and those who are not surrendered. You just surrender the problem, and you will be surprised that the answer will come in such a miraculous way. Just surrender. Do not take any responsibility upon yourself. Just surrender. Because how far you can go into the solution? Up to your rationality. Beyond that you have your Spirit, and the Spirit is connected to the Divine. So best is to surrender and the whole thing will show such light and such beauty and such meaning. In the modern times now the work is not the same way as it was when it is described. In the Raudrarupa or that the Chandrarupa you see there, was there at the back. It's a mind work, it's a Mother, it's a simple thing. Loving, compassionate, for your protection. This rupa is there, but you do not see it. You are completely protected. Be sure of it...."

...And all your powers after Realization of giving Kundalini awakening, or of curing people, or of talking about Sahaja Yoga, or spreading it. Any, any kind of thing that you want is all granted - is all thrown into you. And as you know there are many saints, who have said, "Why these Sahaja Yogis should be granted this great boon?" So one can say it's a whim. All right. There is one more thing. I was happy to learn that the great poet of this country, Blake, had prophesied about me. And it is so beautifully done, that He said that England is going to be the Jerusalem. This is going to be the pilgrimage. The venue has shifted. And then he has very beautifully; have you got the thing to read? Oh, haven't brought it. But what reading, that He has said that first the furnace will be burning in Surrey Hills, where I came first, and then He has mentioned Lambeth Vale, where we have got our Ashram. Where the foundations will be laid, we have laid the foundations. And that Jerusalem is going to be in England, not in India. And you are the people responsible for this Jerusalem. Today is the day for which in India everybody is doing Puja. And all the Sahaja Yogis today, in every center there is a Puja today. And they are all thinking of you people. So you have to receive the supreme bliss today, the supreme bliss. Only by surrender. Today the vibrations are tremendous. Keep all your doubts and all your nonsensical things outside. Just receive it and get it. These things are going to help you, nothing else. Because you don't have to give me anything, but receive it yourself. Receive it as much as you can."

H.H.Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, Navaratri Puja, Hampstead, London, October 1980

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