Navratri 6th day

Navratri 6th day is half way point of Navratri,  the goddess worshipped as Katyayani. Seated on her vehicle lion, Katyayani has three eyes and four hands. who represents divine power for sustaining power of love in the flow of life, amidst the storms (or battle in Devi Mahatmya) by surrendering to her creative power.

before we talk of the creative power, here’s a little story, that started a long long time ago, yet is happening right here right now! and you are every character in the story!

 

The Devi Mahatmya is the sacred Hindu scripture of Ma Durga. it details the many battles that the goddess encounters, yet this is happening right now within our own battlefield in the modern day. the battles we face within our own mind or life to overcome the negative and ego that limits us and shackles us further.

So in the story the gods and demons are at war.

Gods known as Deva’s are light, keepers of dharma, inner qualities like humility, patience, fearlessness, compassion, inner steadiness

Demons known as Asuras are your darker side, obsessed with accumulation, inflated ego, our inner asura is our egoic pride, arrogance, loveless lust, selfishness, half-heartedness…

Because the gods, the conscious, aware, light aspect of your character, were being so godlike and a little slow as they are meditating, singing dancing etc, whereas the demons, our contracted, darker, shadow, negative tendencies within our character, have been putting in a whole heap of effort to receive rewards – and rewards they did receive! You see in the Hindu Mythology, whether you are are god or a demon, if you do your tapas (devoted practices) you can ask  Brahma, the creator of the universe to receive a reward, a boon, a greatest desire. And so One demon Mahisasura put in al lot of work and did just that! Ask!

Mahisasura thought that he had tricked Brahma into granting him the boon of near immortality. It was said the only power Brahma couldn’t bestow on a devotee, God or Demon, was immortality, no matter how intensely they practiced. Mahisasura asked to have a power that protect him from being killed by all men and Gods – so he feared nothing and raged his wars and was succeeding staying in heaven.

Exhausted, the Gods gathered in hope of finding a way to stop this demon. He was too powerful to battle. Together, they realised the loop hole, the feminine, a woman could defeat him! They went to the Ma Durga, praising her saying where had she been, she is the power of the universe, we praise you – true flattery does get you everywhere, however  Katyayani emerged. The Gods offered up their weapons to the Goddess and she was ready to take on Mahisasura and his armies.

Mahisasura was immediately struck – not by Katyayani’s fierceness, but by her beauty. You see how easily fooled demons can be. He laid down his weapons and asked the goddess to marry him. But Katyayani said she made a vow that she would only marry a man strong enough to defeat her in battle!

Their battle began. And went on. But neither tired. Finally, on the ninth night, Katyayani beheaded the demon, and peace was restored.

Jai Ma!

So from this story – how much effort do you put into evolving your light and auspiciousness,?
Or do you practice devotedly to cultivating patience and compassion? o
Or do you get caught up in the drama and let that demon like qualities suck you in,  and fool you?
Would you marry the darker side of yourself?
Do you have inner battles with yourself?

The battles we face, are the battles within our own life and mind. Rather than look at the other person look at how you will change and honour your more godly qualities so your creative power shines forth…

Your creative power to move forward in life!

Katyayani Ma is our perception to see through the stories, that we tell ourself or we learn from others – ie do we feed the story of fear, anxiety, anger, or do we tryst the divine plan, the unknown, the wisdom of God / Goddess?

This creative power I talked of before the story, is represented in Ma Lakshmi 4 arms and they each represent  Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha – these are the 4 aspects of a fulfilled life or for householders where they fulfill their purpose.

Dharma = purpose, what born in the world to be, do – listen to the deep longing within – are you living your dream? or do you hate your job, have problems in your relationships?

Artha = prosperity or wealth that is connected to dharma. It is the prosperity that come from fulfilling your dharma. How can living your purpose gift you with more prosperity?

Kama = all forms of love, intimate love, – do you live from love or fear? how can you cultivate more love for yourself?

Moksha = liberation, what does that mean? What does it look like? If on householder path it’s a flow of consciousness that no longer get hooked on the ups and downs of life and beams with the light of consciousness. This is where you let go of the drama and feel free

On this last day of Ma Lakshmi, ponder your own battles and contemplate are you truly living your dharma – your true purpose in life to create the abundance of Shri?