Festivals in India are celebrated with a lot of zest and fervour. However, the true significance of these festivals is often relegated to the background. People indulge in mundane celebrations, which involve decorations with lights, lamps etc., dance, drama, music, wearing new clothes, preparing and eating a variety of dishes and so on. But, they fail to understand the spiritual significance of these festivals which often carry important messages of knowledge and a higher life.
Navratri is one of such important festivals, which we celebrate in India during March- April and October every year. During this month, from Shukl a Paksh to Navami, the festival is celebrated with great reverence and devotional fervour. At the beginning of this festival, people install a ‘Kalash’ – a pot and light a lamp which constantly burns for nine days and nights. During these days, people worship virgins, observe strict discipline of purity, stay awake during night, perform fast and worship of Durga, Kali, Saraswati and so on.
There are many mythological stories which bear some metaphorical representation of the festival:
In the last phase of the four epochs, it is said that two demons – Madhu and Kaitabh had imprisoned all the deities. At that time, Sri Narayan was sleeping under the spell of an illusion. Then Brahma through his powers created a virgin known as Adi Kanya who woke up Sri Narayan. Sri Narayan, then, got all the deities released from the grip of these demons.
It is said that the demon ‘Mahishasur’ defeated all the deities of heaven. Then ‘Adi Shakti’ appeared through the powers of trinity – Brahma, Vishnu and Shankar. The Adi Shakti was armoured with all kinds of weapons. She had the third eye and eight hands. She killed Mahishasur and released all the deities.
Again it is said that, in the Sun dynasty, two demons – Shumbh and Nishumbh took birth. Their minister was Rakta Bindu; the name of the Army chief was Dhoomralochan and they had two aids who were Chand and Mund. As they were causing problems in the world, Lord Shiva created ‘Adi Kumari’ and through her Kali appeared. Adi Kumari killed Chand and Mund and Kali kills Dhoomralochan. It is said that Adi Shakti killed Rakta Bindu in such a way that not even a single drop of blood fell on the earth because in case, a drop of blood fell on the earth, another demon would take birth from that.
All these events pertain to the existing situations of the world prevalent at the end of Kaliyuga. In fact, the correct meaning and import of these metaphorical representations is that at the end of Iron Age, all the deity souls are overtaken by the spell of illusion, Maya, or vices such as sex-lust, anger, greed, attachment, ego, sloth, jealousy and slumber. Presently, at the end of Iron Age, the influence of vices has come to the climax. These vices in various forms are projected as demons, such as Madhu, Kaitabh, Shumbh, Nishumbh, Chand and Mund, Dhoomralochan, Rakta Bindu etc.
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