MOTHER SARASWATHI The presiding Deity over Creation and Dissolution

Once you have accomplished your task on the negative side, that of breaking down the
impure propensities and old vicious habits, the next step is to build up a sublime spiritual
personality, to acquire positive qualities in place of the eliminated demoniacal qualities. The divine
qualities that Lord Krishna enumerates in the Gita, have to be acquired. The aspirant must cultivate
and develop all the auspicious qualities. He has to earn immense spiritual wealth to enable him to
pay the price for the rare gem of divine wisdom. If this development of the opposite qualities is not
undertaken in right earnest, the old demoniacal nature will raise its head again and again. Hence,
this stage is as important in an aspirant’s career as the previous one. The essential difference is: the
former is a ruthless, determined annihilation of the filthy egoistic lower self; the latter is an orderly,
steady, calm and serene effort to develop purity. This pleasanter side of the aspirant’s Sadhana is
depicted by the worship of Mother Lakshmi. She bestows on Her devotees the inexhaustible divine
wealth or Deivi Sampath. Lakshmi is the wealth-giving aspect of God. She is purity itself. Thus the
worship of Goddess Lakshmi is performed during the second set of three days.
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DURGA PUJA OR NAVARATRI
Once the aspirant succeeds in routing out the evil propensities, and develops Sattwic or
pure, divine qualities, he becomes competent to attain wisdom. He is now ready to receive the light
of supreme wisdom. He is fit to receive divine knowledge. At this stage comes the devout worship
of Mother Saraswathi, who is divine knowledge personified, the embodiment of knowledge of the
Absolute. The sound of Her celestial veena awakens the notes of the sublime utterances of the
Upanishads which reveal the Truth, and the sacred monosyllable, Om. She bestows the knowledge
of the supreme, mystic sound and then gives full knowledge of the Self as represented by Her pure,
dazzling snow-white apparel. Therefore, to propitiate Saraswathi, the giver of knowledge, is the
third stage.
The tenth day, Vijaya Dasami, marks the triumphant ovation of the soul at having attained
liberation while living in this world, through the descent of knowledge by the Grace of Goddess
Saraswathi. The soul rests in his own Supreme Self or Satchidananda Brahman. This day celebrates
the victory, the achievement of the goal. The banner of victory flies aloft. Lo! I am He! I am He!
This arrangement also has a special significance in the aspirant’s spiritual evolution. It
marks the indispensable stages of evolution through which everyone has to pass. One naturally
leads to the other; to short-circuit this would inevitably result in a miserable failure. Nowadays
many ignorant seekers aim straight at the cultivation of knowledge without the preliminaries of
purification and acquisition of the divine qualities. They then complain that they are not
progressing on the path. How can they? Knowledge will not descend until the impurities have been
washed out, and purity is developed. How can the pure plant grow in impure soil?
Therefore adhere to this arrangement; your efforts will be crowned with sure success. This
is your path. As you destroy one evil quality, develop the virtue opposite to it. By this process you
will soon bring yourself up to that perfection which will culminate in identity with the Self which is
your goal. Then all knowledge will be yours: you will be omniscient, omnipotent and you will feel
your omnipresence. You will see your Self in all. You will have achieved eternal victory over the
wheel of births and deaths, over the demon of worldliness. No more pain, no more misery, no more
birth, no more death! Victory, victory be yours!
Glory to the Divine Mother! Let Her take you, step by step to the top of the spiritual ladder
and unite you with the Lord!
At the Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, the following are the regular features during the
Durga Puja celebrations:
1. A special ritualistic worship of the Mother is conducted daily, which includes the
recitation of the Durga Saptashati.
2. Laksharchana for the Mother in the temple, with recitation of the Sri Lalita Sahasranama,
is also conducted.
3. All are exhorted to do the maximum number of Japa of the Navarna Mantra, Aim hreem
kleem chaamundaayai vichche, or the Mantra of their own tutelary Deity.
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HINDU FASTS & FESTIVALS
4. An elaborately decorated altar is set up for the evening Satsangs, with the picture of
Mother Durga for the first three days, Mother Lakshmi for the next three days, and Mother
Saraswathi for the last three days. Many sacred verses from the scriptures are recited and many
Kirtans are sung. The Durga Saptashati or the Devi Mahatmya is recited and explained in
discourses. The function concludes with the formal floral worship and Arati. Sometimes scenes
from the Devi Mahatmya are also enacted.
5. Earnest spiritual aspirants fast with milk and fruits only on all the nine days, or at least
once in each of the three three-day periods.
6. Besides the books representing Saraswathi, all instruments and implements like
typewriters, printing machinery, etc., are also worshipped on the ninth day.
7. On the Vijaya Dasami day, all aspirants en masse are given initiation into various
Mantras according to their tutelary Deities. Deserving aspirants are initiated into the holy order of
Sannyas. Initiation in the study of the alphabets is given to young children, and to the old children
also! New students commence their lessons in music, etc. During the morning Satsang the books
which were worshipped on the ninth day are again worshipped and a chapter from each of the
principal scriptures like the Gita, Upanishads, Brahma Sutras, Ramayana, and Srimad
Bhagavatam is recited.
8. On the Vijaya Dasami day, there is Kanya Puja also. Nine girls below the age of ten are
worshipped as the embodiment of the Divine Mother. They are fed sumptuously and, amongst other
things, presented with new clothes.
9. On this last day a grand havan is conducted in the temple, with recitation of the Durga
Saptashati and other verses in praise of the Divine Mother.
GAYATRI JAPA