Durga means “the inaccessible or “the invincible.” Wikipedia says, “An embodiment of creative feminine force (Shakti), Durga exists in a state of svātantrya (independence from the universe and anything/anybody else, i.e., self-sufficiency) and fierce compassion.” The word Shakti means divine feminine force, and Durga is the warrior aspect of the Divine Mother.

As a goddess, Durga’s feminine power contains the energies of the gods. Each of her weapons was gifted to her by various gods: Rudra’s trident, Vishnu’s discus, Indra’s thunderbolt, Brahma’s kamandalu, Kuber’s Ratnahar, etc.

Durga represents the Divine Mother. She is the energy aspect of the Lord. Without Durga, Shiva has no expression and without Shiva, Durga has no existence. Shiva is the soul of Durga; Durga is identical with Shiva. Lord Shiva is only the silent witness. He is motionless, absolutely changeless. He is not affected by the cosmic play. It is Durga who does everything.

Shakti is the omnipotent power of the Lord, or the Cosmic Energy. She keeps up the play of the Lord through the three attributes of Nature, namely, Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas. Knowledge, peace, lust, anger, greed, egoism and pride, are all Her forms.

It is said that the worship of Devi, the universal Mother, leads to the attainment of knowledge of the Self. The story in the Kena Upanishad known as the “Yaksha Prasna”, supports this view. It tells how Uma, the Divine Mother, taught the Truth to the gods. Goddess Shakti thus sheds wisdom on Her devotees.

Devi worship is, therefore, the singing of God’s glory, of God’s greatness and supremacy. It is the adoration of the Almighty. My doubts about The Devi being a vicious demoness have been put to rest after a research on the subject.  The Devi is the conscious power of God. The words Devi and Shakti have been given by the Rishis so that laymen like me can better understand the greatness of God..

The very purpose of our existence is to recognise our eternal identity with the supreme Spirit. We need to grow into the image of the Divine. For going ahead on our spiritual path, we need to get rid of all the countless impurities, and the demoniacal elements that are within us.For this, we need immense power and strength, which can manifest in us through sincere prayer to the Devi.

In India, Goddess Durga is venerated for 9 days twice a year, once during the onset of the summer and again on the onset of winter. These festivals are called Chaitra Navratra and Sharad Navratra.These nine days are divided into three parts, when one of the three aspects of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati are prayed to.In the first three days, the Devi is invoked as Durga, or the powerful force, Shakti to destroy all our evils and negativities. This is a process of destroying all our impurities, vices, and  defects. She fights and destroys the baser animal qualities in the spiritual aspirant. She also protects our spiritual practice from its many dangers and pitfalls.

During the next three days, after demolishing our negativities, we need to acquire spiritual knowledge or spiritual wealth and for this we need to pray to Goddess Lakshmi. The aspirant develops satvic, pure and divine qualities.

Once the sadhak becomes fit for receiving the knowledge, he starts praying to Goddess Saraswati. She is the epitome of purity and is depicted as dressed in pristine white.

Vijaya Dashami marks the victory of the soul which emerges triumphantly from the darkness of ignorance into the light of knowledge. This is symbolic of the liberation of the soul.

Let us pray to the almighty Goddess this Durga Puja to help us to remove all obstacles on the path of spirituality and lead us to liberation. However, tremendous effort is needed on our part to rise above our past karmas and if we are sincere, we shall reach our destination under the guidance of our Sadguru.r

Glory to the Divine Mother! May She take us, step by step to the top of the spiritual ladder and unite us with the Lord!

The 32 names of Durga explain in what different ways she removes our difficulties and recitation of this prayer is intended to remove our fears.

32 names of Durga

Durga Durgati shamani Durga padvinivarini
> Durgmacchedini Durga sadhini Durga nashini

1 The Reliever of Difficulties
2 Who Brings Difficulties to Peace
3 Who Dispels Difficult Enemies
4 Who Cuts through Difficulties
5 Who Does Spiritual Practices to Relieve Difficulties
6 Who Destroys Difficulties

> Durgatod dharini Durga nihantri Durgamapaha
> Durgamajnanada Durga daityaloka davanala

7 Who Takes the Whip to Difficulties
8 Who Sends Difficulties to Run
9 Who Measures Difficulties
10 Who Makes Difficulties Lose Consciousness
11 Who Destroys the World of Difficult Thoughts

> Durgama Durgamaloka Durgamatmasvarupini
> Durgamargaprada Durgamavidya Durgamashrita

12 Mother Who Relieves Difficulties
13 Who Perceives Difficulties
14 Whose Inner Nature Is the Soul of Difficulties
15 Who Seeks Out Difficulties
16 Who Understands Difficulties
17 Who Extracts From Difficulties

> Durgamajyana samsthana Durgamadhyana bhasini
> Durga moha Durgamaga Durgamartha swarupini

18 The Continued Existence of Difficulties
19 Who Remains in Meditation Even When in Difficulty
20 Who Deludes Difficulties
21 Who Resolves Difficulties
22 Who Is the Inner Nature of the Object of Difficulties

> Durgam asura samhantri Durgam ayudha dharini
> Durgamangi Durgamata Durgamya Durgameshwari

23 The Destroyer of the Ego of Difficulties
24 Who Bears the Weapon Against Difficulties
25 The Refinery of Difficulties
26 Who Transcends Difficulties
27 Accessible With Difficulty
28 The Goddess Who Relieves Difficulties

> Durgabhima Durgabhama Durgabha Durgadharini
> Namavalimimam yastu Durgaya mama manavah

29 The Terror of Difficulties
30 The Lady of Difficulties
31 Who Enlightens Difficulties
32 Who Chops Off Difficulties

> Pathet Sarva bhayan mukto bhavisyati na Samshayah

Whoever recites The Garland of the Thirty-Two Names of the
Reliever of Difficulties will surely be freed of every type of fear.

Mahatma Gandhi is the most famous person of this century. Gandhiji had so many facets: the traditionalist, the religious innovator, the leader of Indian national liberation, the social reformer, the visionary, the revolutionary, the international human being and then, toward the end of his life, the secularist. Many Indians have recognised and understood only a few of these aspects: the traditional religious Gandhi and Gandhi as leader of the freedom movement. Once freedom was achieved, however, his leadership of the freedom movement was a thing of the past and therefore his role as social reformer would surely have become ever more important, had he not been assassinated.

Gandhiji was a courageous seeker of the truth. It is clear that he was above religion since during the riots he felt that if the rioters turned atheist, atleast they would not fight in the name of religion. He changed the saying, “God is Truth” to “Truth is God”. He advocated developing a casteless society. His “satyagrah” or non-violent struggle became very popular and is being followed even today.

From the human relations point of view, Gandhiji wanted to promote the power of decision-making among the people. He helped in developing self-help groups who spun khadi. He even expressed his wish to be reborn as an untouchable so that he could experience their plight and endeavour to free himself and his brethren from that condition. His beliefs were that in a free India, the poor must enjoy the same power as the rich. He predicted that there would be a bloody revolution unless the rich shared riches and power with the poor.

Gandhiji is being taken as an example in corporate circles of an exemplary leader and a master strategist. His leadership style is being termed ‘follower-centric’. In the book, Count your Chickens before they Hatch, Arindam Chaudhuri has written extensively about Gandhiji’s leadership styles.

Gandhiji has left a legacy of ahimsa i.e. non-violence, self-dependence and righteousness for us to follow. It is our duty to look around us and see that no violence is being propagated in society, apart from being non-violent ourselves. We have to see that children are not ill-treated by relatives, neighbours and teachers, women are not tortured by their in-laws and husbands  as well as other external factors in society and men are not at the receiving end of unfair employers. Gandhiji taught self-dependence by teaching people to spin the ‘charkha’ and wear the ethnical garb and even encourage others to wear it, so that our national small industries can prosper instead of businesses of foreign countries. Treading the right path is also one of the things the Mahatma taught us. He spoke the truth and wanted that all human beings should live amicably in an atmosphere of goodwill.

We, as Sadhaks and those on the path of knowledge, should make a pledge on the 141st birth annivesary of this great Father of the Nation that we will follow his principles and try to make a better life for ourselves and for others in society. We are fortunate to have had such a great soul among us who taught us how to live a better life and was instrumental in achieving freedom for the country. Let us Follow the Leader of the Nation.

Seema Mishra

This Janamasthami I am not only thinking about Lord Krishna,  but the colour blue seems to dominate my thoughts.

The colour blue calms the mind. It is believed to keep bad spirits away.  I find from the internet that Blue is a colour that is said to represent peace and calm. Individuals exerting a blue aura are able to make others around them feel calm and safe. In that sense,  the colour blue is also a healing colour. It has the power to bring peace to a situation overrun with conflict.

Some say that Lord Krishna is blue because God has made so many things in nature blue, such as the sky and all water bodies.  Lord Krishna is brave, manly, determined, deals with difficult situations, is of stable mind and character. He spent his life protecting humanity and destroying evil. That is one of the reasons that Krishna is a ‘blue’ person. Water is transparent, so is God. The depth of the blue sea cannot be measured, so it is with the Lord.

Wikipedia says that rabbinic sages felt that blue is the colour of God’s glory. Staring at this colour aids in meditation. It is said that the blue colour represents the vishuddhi throat chakra. The one who is blue in colour is said to have won over death.

Blue is the colour of the infinite. It is the colour of brahman, it is the all pervading reality.

The Blue Pearl [is] the subtlest covering of the individual soul….

When we see this tiny blue light in meditation,
we should understand that we are seeing the form of the inner Self.
To experience this is the goal of human life.

[The Blue Pearl] is tiny, but it contains all the different planes of existence.

- Swami Muktananda

In his book Does Death Really Exist? Muktananda says,

The blue dot, which we call the Blue Pearl, dwells in the sahasrara, the spiritual center in the crown of the head. It is the body of the Self. All consciousness is contained in it. All of the dynamism of the breathing process comes from the Blue Pearl. When that light enters the body, the rhythm of breathing begins. When it departs from the body, consciousness departs from the bloodstream, the nerves and the lungs, leaving everything limp and lifeless. “Death” is simply the name we give to the departure of the Blue Pearl from the body.

• In Christianity, it is said that THE BLUE RAY - One of the three flames that reside within the secret chamber of the heart as part of the Three-fold Flame, which is central to God’s divine spark and workings with us.  The Blue Ray protects from false illusions and ego and cuts away all that is unreal.
• Also known as Master of Healing or Medicine Buddha, The Blue Buddha is the buddha of healing.

O Krishna, now I realise why you are the Blue God. You made yourself blue to make us realise that actually you are not a human body. You are the absolute reality. You are prana or life itself. There is no birth or death for you. We celebrate your birth to celebrate the prana in us. To realise that we are a part of you. Why is it that there is no Death Day for you, though there is a Birth Day? Now I understand that there is no physical birth or death for you. When we realise ourselves in you, that is the real birth of Lord Krishna.

Hail, for the Lord is born!!!

Seema

This Independence Day, I am thinking what independence actually means to spiritual seekers like us.  India became independent from British Rule 63 years ago. But did we actually become independent? We remain dependent on our habits, on our beliefs, on people, on crutches for our sadhana, then how can we become independent or liberated?

When  we move away from caste and creed, when we move away from religion and its bindings and dip deep into the ocean of bliss, through prayer and meditation, according to me, then only do we become spiritually independent.

At the same time, we must think about our personal independence. To me, that means giving more time to myself, to come out of the shackles of the various roles we play in society, that is father, mother, sister, brother, daughter or son. Let us think that we are children of God and we have to realise this God and know that this is not our home and we are just playing around in this world. ‘All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players’, very truly said by Shakespeare.

We are sleeping in deep slumber now. Unless we wake up and realise that time is fleeting and get ahead with the spiritual pratices being advised to us, we shall remain shackled in the fetters and the darkness of  subjection and be prone to vices.

We carry the baggage of our ego all our lives. If we once learn how to drop this baggage, we will be so light and free.  Once we have freedom from worldly desire, that can also be said to be the real freedom and independence. Vedanta speaks of discrimination or vivek. Once we learn the art of discrimination, we will be able to make decisions objectively and not subjectively. So we will have the freedom to take the correct decision and live our lives wisely.

Sri Ramana Maharshi has said that liberation or freedom is our very nature. Because it is our nature, we desire liberation strongly. Once we stop thinking that we are bound, that very moment we become free and liberated.

If we continue our spiritual practices sincerely, we will experience freedom from fear, anger, hate, jealousy and all other negativities. Once we realise that all these negativities have gone from us, we will be very happy. That will be the day we have really become free, become  truly independent.

Independence Day teaches us to look within ourselves to see whether we have actually achieved freedom internally. A country of people becomes independent of another country ruling it through persistent effort. In the same way, I feel spiritual aspirants can be achieve internal freedom by winning over their negativities.

I pray to the Almighty Lord on this 63rd anniversary of India’s independence to bless all mankind so that they may have the strength to break free of the shackles of their mind. Ultimately, it is the mind which binds us. If we are able to control our mind and lift it above all pettiness, we will achieve independence of the mind and this will help us to move towards our goal,  liberation or oneness with God.

Seema Mishra

When the feeling of doership vanishes, ego fleds.  Ego is synonymous with ahankar.  Shankacharya says, “So long as there is any connection of oneself with the wicked Ahamkara (ego-sense), there cannot be any talk, even in the least, of liberation which is unique.” We always feel that either we are the doer or the receiver i.e. karta or bhokta.   But through meditation, self-study and sitting in the company of the learned, we realize that we are but agents of the greater self. When we do not see the world through the ‘I’ and all beings become just manifestations of the divine self, the ego vanishes and realization sets in.

Attachment is one of the reasons for ego. I and mine are the most dangerous things and should be shunned like poison. Even a spiritually advanced man such as Raja Bharat got attached to a deer and had to be born as a deer and could continue his spiritual practices only after this life as a deer was over and he got human life again. Because we identify with our bodies, we run after sense pleasures and  are forever gratifying our mind and body. We want to keep our body and the things possessed by it secure and we care a hoot about others. The ego makes us totally selfish.

The saints keep advising us to kill the mind, which is the source of the ego. But the mind refuses to get killed. It stops us from meditating and always pushes us towards sloth and comfort. Its tamasic nature does not allow us to move to towards satogun. This ego keeps us in a false world of our own, which encourages us to enjoy life. But as soon as misfortune strikes, our façade is broken and we realize how vulnerable we are! Then we realize that this ego has literally taken us on a ride and we are ultimately the losers.

The key to annihilating the ego is to control the mind. That is the most difficult thing for man. Once the mind is controlled, we move away from the senses and get established in the real self. We do not hanker after food and other bodily pleasures. As long as there is ignorance, ego will remain. The day wisdom dawns, ego cannot stay in one’s mind.

The ego diverts us from our own self. Once we start observing our ego, we realize how foolishly we behave. Then we start cautioning our mind and ego and teach them to practice restraint while dealing with others. Once you start observing your thoughts and actions, you start thinking positively and weed out negativities. This makes you more creative and you start moving towards perfection.

Eckhart Tolle speaks of the woman who blamed her nurse for stealing her ring and fires her in the book,’The Good Earth’. Later, she realizes that she actually has not lost much since she was already sick and dying and would not be needing her possessions much longer. This thought made her start giving away her other possessions. One version also says that she called the nurse and apologized to her and gave her some gifts as well. In this case, the woman shed off her ego when she realized that it made no difference to her real self whether she had ornaments or not. It was only the mind which wanted her to adorn her body with ornaments due to her ego. After her death, the ring was found in her medicine cabinet.

The ego always tries to find proof of its own superiority. But once you realize who the real ‘I’ is, you are not limited to your individual body and mind but become a part of the whole universe and you find the ‘I’ encompassing all humanity and all beings and you can, at the same time, find the entire universe merged within your self.

“In the stillness of the night, the Goddess whispers. In the brightness of the day, dear God roars. Life pulses, mind imagines, emotions wave, thoughts wander. What are all these but the endless movements of One Taste, forever at play with its own gestures, whispering quietly to all who would listen: is this not you yourself? When the thunder roars, do you not hear your Self? When the lightning cracks, do you not see your Self? When clouds float quietly across the sky, is this not your very own limitless Being, waving back at you?” - Ken Wilber.

Once realization comes that you are but a part of the whole Consciousness, albeit a small part, but that  when the time comes, you will also merge with the Absolute, there is no chance of the ego remaining with you.

Seema Mishra

This Durga Puja I decided to have a different experience. I wanted to be in Gurumaa Ashram in the presence of a living Durga. Every year, Durga Puja came and I prayed to the Divine Mother by reading the Durga Saptashati. I worshipped her at puja pandals and at an Ashram near home. But this year, Gurumaa has given me a unique opportunity to be in her benign presence and I can feel her blessing pouring forth!

Thank you Gurumaa for this wonderful chance to be with you in the Ashram which is reverberating with immense Shakti. Added to that, the stutis we are singing to the Goddess have made the atmosphere charged with her power!

I pray to Goddess Durga to keep me ever in her shelter and let me not wander into the tamas of ignorance. Let the flame ignited within me burn brightly with the grace of my guru.

O mother, let me be worthy of my Guru and be able to practice as well as spread her glory and teachings.

Ya devi sarvabhooteshu Shakti rupen sansthita

Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah!

Seema Mishra

She sowed the seeds of seva, sadhana and satsang

She poured the water of divine grace

And lo and behold, tiny saplings are showing their pretty heads!

I have the firm belief that these saplings will grow into plants

and plants into trees as the divine farmer keeps nurturing them!

There is a new meaning to my life, a new spring in my step

My goal is clear to me now

There will be obstacles on the path

But now my divine guide with a beacon light walks by my side

So, no fear or doubts in my mind about reaching the destination

I am in the safe hands of the divine boatman who will row me across the ocean of sansara!

With pranams at the lotus feet of the Master

Seema Mishra, Kolkata.

Krishna is the Paar Brahm, he is the chaitanya in us. He is sat-chit-anand. Your very soul is Krishna. You do not need to search him outside of you, in idols in temples where crowds jostle for a glimpse. Wherever you go, whatever you see, is the glory of the Lord. Without the scent, a rose is nothing. So we have to decide whether we want just the idol or the essence of the presence of the consciousness. See the Lord in all the people you meet, treat them as you would Lord Krishna. Since we cannot see him, do not wait to wish the idol a Happy Birthday. Wish all those you meet on the way, for aren’t we all but little Krishnas? Those on the spiritual path are trying to make themselves as pure as the Ulimate Consciousness, so why not see the Lord in all beings? Send the message of your love for Lord Krishna through all living beings on Janmashtami. The perfume of your love will permeate all beings and reach the ultimate being, Lord Krishna the object of your love.

Once you feel the oneness with the Lord through Raj Yoga or meditation, illness, old age and death cannot touch you. When we meditate, there is no difference between us and Him. We are one and the same.

But the question is, how do we attain the Lord? By praying to the idol, there is progress, but it is slow. The first lesson is to shed your ego. We are but a bubble, we have to become the ocean. The second lesson is to shed your attachment. There should be only one desire, to attain God and no other desires should remain. Then we will find that we ourselves have become Krishna. We are also not born, neither do we die. It is only the body that is perishable. Once we realize this, that will be the day we celebrate the birth of Krishna Consciousness within us. That is how we should celebrate Krishna Janmashtami this time.

Lets make a difference in the lives of those who live in darkness. Bring the light of Lord Krishna into the lives of the underprivileged. That is the way we can come closer to God. Bring a smile to the lips of the sad, give food to the hungry, give knowledge to the ignorant. And just spread love, love and love. For the Lord dwells in all and love given to a being is love given to God. Celebrate a different Janmashtami this year, resolve to give birth to love in your heart and help give birth to love in all hearts. Let anger, jealousy and enmity die within you and in others. Give birth to a Krishna in you this Jamashtami!

Jai Gurudev!

Seema Mishra

As spiritual guide to millions across the globe, Gurumaa spreads the message contained in all religions -Hinduism, Sikhism, Christianity, Islam, Zen, Buddhism to Sufism.

That she also has a soothing and enchanting voice was a fact known to all those who saw or attended her spiritual discourses. Few close ones also knew she has penned thousands of poems in English and Indian vernacular languages.

These gifts from this woman master of the twentieth century will now reach many more. Times Music is instrumental in the release of two music albums of Anandmurti Gurumaa - Shoonya which brings on richness of Sufiana in the bhav of bhakti, and Shiv Namonkar  which has chanting of Shiva’s Mantra - Om Namah Shivaya.

While Shoonya is positioned as an offering fit for meditation, easy listening and will appeal to lovers of poetry, Shiv Namonkar salutes both the sagun and nirgun facets of Lord Shiva and greatly emphasizes his benefactor role (Kalyanrupi).

The sound of both albums is designed to suit the contemporary ear. In Shoonya, apart from her own poems, Gurumaa has also sung a Sultan Shah couplet in rubai (adlib - without any rythm) form.

Shiv Namonkar in particular has major fusion experimentation where electronic grooves, percussion, drums, synthesizer keys and flutes have replaced the traditional pakhavaz, tabla and tanpura set-up used for chanting mantras.

These albums will help an individual’s search into divinity and inner awakening.

(Times of India - 23.04.04) 

Seema Mishra

I could feel the Shakti or power in the divine energy during meditation in these 9 days. It was as if the atmosphere was full of power, compared to the other days.  Ma Durga was filling us with Shakti so that we seekers can continue our sadhana in a better way. Om Namah Shivayah chanting instruction by our Pujya Gurumaa has been one blissful experience where one can experience the power within i.e. the Kundalini Shakti. The chanting starts with a crescendo and slowly becomes quieter and quieter, finally fading out and the mind enters into meditation.  It is  an excellent method of pratyahar.

What I understand of this Shakti is the developing of virtuous qualities such as forbearance, patience, love and kindness as well as compassion. The victory of good over evil i.e. Shakti over the opposing forces or rakshasas is the victory of the self over the rakshasas of the mind. The rakshasas tempt us to be angry, not to look upon all beings as the manifestations of the Lord, they take us away from satvic food, make us hate and be jealous.  But if we develop the power within us through meditation, selfless service or seva, by reading the lives of great men and the scriptures (not only reading but understanding their essence), living in the company of holy men and likeminded people and our discussions are spiritual, satvic and of social significance, if our mind and body are both clean through asans, pranayam and meditation, the battle of the senses is won.

The lesson to be learnt is that each one of us has to become a Durga. We have to make the world a better place for all to live in. As Durga vanquishes the demons, Yog Nidra vanquishes the demons of our past karmas. Urja Dhyan and pranayams make us healthy and remove all blockages. Asanas help in removing stiffness and make our bodies healthy. Prayers and chanting invoke divine blessings.

We have received a lot of Shakti from the divine as well as our Guruji who is a part of the divine. We are also a part of the divine but have not discovered ourselves like the enlightened souls. We are on the path and shall definitely reach our goal one day.

Now it is our duty to spread the mission and message of our Guru to every door and every soul, so that they may not waste their time in senseless pleasures and arise and awake to the ultimate reality that I am not the body but the soul. Meditate for tomorrow may not come.

May God give us Shakti so that we may forge ahead in our sadhana, at the same time bringing more troubled souls into our fold, so that we may all be led by our revered Gurumaa from darkness into light. Asato ma sadgamayah, tamaso ma jyotir gamayah, mrityur ma amritam gamya, Om Shanti Shanti Shantihi.

Gurumaa has aptly named her project for uplifting girls and young women from the darkness of illiteracy and poverty into a successful brigade of educated young women, who face life with confidence and help in making society a better place. They in turn will bring more girls a better life and teach them to dream big. This is what SHAKTI is all about. Like Durga Maa, Gurumaa is taking these girls out of the clutches of the rakshasas of poverty and illiteracy and leading them on to victory. Lend a hand here as well to build awareness by donating for the right of a girl child to live life on equal terms. Live Life Queen Size!

Jai Gurudev and Victory to the Brigade of our Durga Maa, Pujya Gurumaa on this Vijay Dashami day.

Seema