Durga fearless and beneficent

Today is the start of Navaratri, a ten day festival celebrating the Grace and Wisdom of the Goddess.

Maha Shakti is the entirety of the life process. Everything we are, see, feel, touch, hear, smell, and accomplish is Her.

During Navaratri, we celebrate and receive the Grace of the Goddess emanating from three of her manifestations: Durga, Lakshmi, and Sarasvati.

During the first three days, we recognize life’s fierce and total compassion embodied in the Goddess Durga. Mother Durga, riding a tiger or a lion and brandishing all of the weapons of the Gods, kills our limiting attachments expressed as jealousy, fear, competitiveness, self-denigration, emotional hunger, and so on.

Once these self-limiting attachments are cleared away, we can recognize the great abundance of life embodied in Shakti’s emanation, Lakshmi. People today commonly think of Sri Lakshmi as the giver of material wealth. However, material wealth is just a gross form of the world’s riches. In truth, Lakshmi is the abundance that expresses itself in every aspect of life and in the grace that sustains life.

Just think, from the most minute and seemingly insignificant event to the grandest gesture to the most painful circumstance, the world expresses the desire to Recognize itself. This is true abundance.

During the next three days, Ma Sarasvati, the Goddess of Wisdom, transmits understanding of our true nature: primordial wisdom, creative power, infinite potential.

The tenth and final day is Vijayadasami, the Great Victory: Self-realization. We celebrate and express our gratitude for this capacity.

Each of the manifestations of the Goddess gives greatly and fearlessly. This is the thread connecting every Divine manifestation.

As we begin to relax, we begin, slowly, to spontaneously and consciously embody this essential nature. We become less fearful and more generous. We stop measuring what we give. And we express, in every moment, the natural devotion of the world toward itself.

Recognizing the fierce compassion in every movement of the world, we no longer feel angry, slighted, left out, victimized, or cheated.

Recognizing the total abundance of this world, we no longer feel malnourished or deprived.

Recognizing the essential nature of this world, we long to fully embody its unstinting generosity and devotion.

When we recognize the compassion, abundance, and true nature of this world, we can give fearlessly. There is nothing to gain or lose.

So, during these ten days, even if you do not celebrate the manifestations of Durga, Lakshmi, and Sarasvati, meditate on their qualities. Try to taste them a little bit. Relax your fears, and discover the natural desire to give.

In Ma’s love,
Shambhavi

Posted by Shambhavi on September 19th, 2009 | Explore More! Tags: Compassion and Generosity