VASANTA NAVARATRI

THE DIVINE MOTHER or Devi is worshipped during the Vasanta Navaratri. This occurs
during the spring. She is worshipped by Her own command. You will find this in the following
episode in the Devi Bhagavata.
In days long gone by, King Dhruvasindu was killed by a lion when he went out hunting.
Preparations were made to crown the prince Sudarsana. But, King Yudhajit of Ujjain, the father of
Queen Lilavati, and King Virasena of Kalinga, the father of Queen Manorama, were each desirous
of securing the Kosala throne for their respective grandsons. They fought with each other. King
Virasena was killed in the battle. Manorama fled to the forest with Prince Sudarsana and a eunuch.
They took refuge in the hermitage of Rishi Bharadwaja.
The victor, King Yudhajit, thereupon crowned his grandson, Satrujit, at Ayodhya, the
capital of Kosala. He then went out in search of Manorama and her son. The Rishi said that he
would not give up those who had sought protection under him. Yudhajit became furious. He wanted
to attack the Rishi. But, his minister told him about the truth of the Rishi’s statement. Yudhajit
returned to his capital.
Fortune smiled on Prince Sudarsana. A hermit’s son came one day and called the eunuch by
his Sanskrit name Kleeba. The prince caught the first syllable Kli and began to pronounce it as
Kleem. This syllable happened to be a powerful, sacred Mantra. It is the Bija Akshara (root syllable)
of the Divine Mother. The Prince obtained peace of mind and the Grace of the Divine Mother by the
repeated utterance of this syllable. Devi appeared to him, blessed him and granted him divine
weapons and an inexhaustible quiver.
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TELUGU NEW YEAR’S DAY
The emissaries of the king of Benares passed through the Ashram of the Rishi and, when
they saw the noble prince Sudarsana, they recommended him to Princess Sashikala, the daughter of
the king of Benares.
The ceremony at which the princess was to choose her spouse was arranged. Sashikala at
once chose Sudarsana. They were duly wedded. King Yudhajit, who had been present at the
function, began to fight with the king of Benares. Devi helped Sudarsana and his father-in-law.
Yudhajit mocked Her, upon which Devi promptly reduced Yudhajit and his army to ashes.
Thus Sudarsana, with his wife and his father-in-law, praised Devi. She was highly pleased
and ordered them to perform Her worship with havan and other means during the Vasanta
Navaratri. Then She disappeared.
Prince Sudarsana and Sashikala returned to the Ashram of Rishi Bharadwaja. The great
Rishi blessed them and crowned Sudarsana as the king of Kosala. Sudarsana and Sashikala and the
king of Benares implicitly carried out the commands of the Divine Mother and performed worship
in a splendid manner during the Vasanta Navaratri.
Sudarsana’s descendants, namely, Sri Rama and Lakshmana, also performed worship of
Devi during the Vasanta Navaratri and were blessed with Her assistance in the recovery of Sita.
It is the devout Hindu’s duty to perform the worship of Devi for both material and spiritual
welfare during the Vasanta Navaratri and follow the noble example set by Sudarsana and Sri Rama.
He cannot achieve anything without the Divine Mother’s blessings. So, sing Her praise and repeat
Her Mantra and Name. Meditate on Her form. Do worship. Pray and obtain Her eternal Grace and
blessings. May the Divine Mother bless you with all divine wealth!