NAVRATRA SPECIAL 7 : Overcoming Raktabeej called karmas

After the slaying of Chand-Mund, Shumbh Nishumbh sent an extremely cunning demon named Raktbeej. This demon had the unique capability to regenerate as a completely new self from any of his blood droplets which would fall on the earth.

He is a personification of the cause and effect of our karmic cycle. We release our Karmas through two ways, one is Sadhna and the other is peacefully suffering in pain and learning the lesson. But each time a person suffers he envies every person who is a medium for his suffering, thereby creating new karmas. The one who seeks the guidance of the Goddess gets himself freed from the Karmik cycle.

So as Raktbeej headed towards the Goddess, she began radiating the divine powers of the holy trinity, their incarnations and the angels. As the Goddess slaughtered him, he multiplied manifolds. In order to avoid the blood drops from falling on the ground, the Goddess she started drinking the demon's blood. Eventually he was completely drained and terminated.

Shumbh-Nishumbh were shocked to hear this and wondered how could Raktbeej be defeated. Soon, Nishumbh headed with his army to fight with the Goddess. He too met the same fate as Raktbeej. Lastly, Shumbh came for the war who also challenged her to fight alone. He tried hard to deceive the Goddess but all in vain as she caught hold of him and eliminated him. Soon, the universe became peaceful.

NAVRATRA SPECIAL 6 : The unmatchable prowess of Devi Ma

The minutest of negative emotions have a butterfly effect says Baba ji. A folly made by Narad Ji caused Goddess Sita to be a hostage to Raavan and Kumbhakaran .

Shumbh and Nishumbh were demonic brothers who overpowered the angels and captured the holy trinity of Brahma Vishnu and Mahesh, which led to disturbance in the universe. Therefore, all the angels collectively invoked Goddess Amba who appeared before them to free themselves of the formidable torment of the deadly demons. So, the Goddess took it upon herself to liberate the divinity from the shackles of these devils.

The Goddess chose to tackle the demons in a unique manner. The valiant Devi made the audacious move of approaching the demons in their den.

The devils saw the Goddess and were awestruck by her resplendent beauty. Suddenly, world beaters Shumbh and Nishumbh wondered that they may have conquered the world, they still had to get such a beautiful woman in their grasp.This feeling of discontentment and dissatisfaction experienced by the devils is a personification of the vice of greed inherent in humans.

Baba ji says that one must be satisfied with whatever all one has got, rather than lamenting over what is not his.

Back to the story, Shumbh Nishumbh sent their wedding proposal to the Goddess. She refused, saying she would marry only the one who could defeat her in a duel. This left the two devils infuriated. Shumbh Nishumbh then sent Dhumralochan with his army to politely ask her to accept their marriage proposal, otherwise they would have to drag her with her hair and forcefully presented at the feet of Shumbh & Nishumbh. So despite this warning when the Devi refused to change her stand, the army of devils jumped to attack and overpower the Devi. The Goddess roared her war cry aloud (hummmm) and with the mere cry, destroyed Dhumralochan and his army which proved no match for the powerful Devi.

Next, Shumbh-Nishumbh choose to send another of their formidable demon duos of Chand and Mund to capture the Goddess for them. And when they confronted Devi, they too met the same fate as Dhoomralochan and his army. From the body of the Devi originated another Goddess -- Ma Kali who sliced the heads of Chand and Mund. Eventually, Goddess Kali presented the sliced heads of Chand and Mund to her progenitor - Amba Devi after which the latter christened the former as 'Chamundeshwari'.

NAVRATRA SPECIAL 5: Empower the Goddess within to end the ego's obstinate reign

Long ago, there existed a devil named Mahishasur. Baba ji tells that devil and angels co-exist in a person in the form of their emotions. If the collective consciousness has anger and hatred pent up in it, then Mahishasur will evolve. On the contrary, if it is devotion and love that occupy greatest share of the mindscape of the majority, then the positivity associated with Goddess Durga subdues the negativity of Mahishasur. After being dethroned from heaven, Indra took the refuge of the divine trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, who invoked the Goddess to end the terror reign of Mahishasur. The Goddess was bestowed with the weapons of all Gods and angels. Upon being empowered in such a manner, she roared such that the sound echoed across the universe. Hearing such an unprecedentedly fierce war cry, a fearful Mahisasur, rushed his army towards the direction of the roar. As the hordes of Mahishasur's personnel took turns to attack the Goddess, she pummeled them with unseemly ease. Thus, the most courageous but evil-natured Mahisasur and his army were destroyed by the Goddess.
Mahishasur is the personification of the vice of 'ego' which is the root cause of all the troubles afflicting us. It is as deceptive as Mahishasur. Just as he deceives the Goddess repeatedly, firstly by bombarding his army of devils at the Goddess, then manifesting himself as buffalo, lion, elephant and again a buffalo before finally being killed by her trishul, the ego in us takes various forms.
The recital of the verses of Durga Saptashati enables a person to free himself from the pain caused by the ego as the goddess resides in each particle and activates herself only when the person so desires.

NAVRATRA SPECIAL 4 : The Slaying of Madhu and Kaitabha

At the end of a Kalpa (era), when Lord Vishnu went into the mystical sleep on the universal ocean, dreadful evils, the notorious Madhu and Kaitabha, spawned from the dirt of Lord Vishnu's ears, and these 2 devils wanted to slay Lord Brahma. The latter, also the creator of the universe, was sitting on the lotus that sprung up from Lord Vishnu's navel. Seeing these two ferocious asuras and Lord Vishnu asleep, Lord Bramha chanted the pious verses with the intent to awaken him.
Vishnu, Lord of the universe, arose from his slumber on a serpent couch and saw the two asuras. Madhu and Kaitabha, who were exceptionally heroic and powerful, with eyes red in anger, desiring to overwhelm Lord Brahma. Lord Vishnu fought with the asuras for thousands of years. Mislead by Mahamaya, the asura yelled at Lord Vishnu, "Ask a boon from us".
"You both be slain by me now" replied Lord Vishnu. He then took the duo on his thighs and sliced their heads with his chakra.

NAVRATRA SPECIAL 3 : Need of Comprehending Saptshati

In ancient times there was an eminent king named Suratha. The wielder of untold power, was however, attacked and dethroned by powerful enemies. Eventually, deprived of his power, the king left alone on horse-back for a dense forest, under the excuse of hunting. Like him, a merchant was sailing in the same boat, as he was cast out by his sons and wife, who had looted all his riches, and deprived him of all his fortune. He also came to the forest devastated. Both sought refuge in the ashram of Medha Maharishi and shared their grief with the Maharishi. Their conundrum was that they were still attached to their treasured possessions -- the family for the merchant, or the political dynasty for the king. Maharishi consoled them by delineating the role of Goddess Kali as Mahamaya who is nothing but cosmic illusion (Maya) affecting all humans. Only that person who worships the Goddess can be free of this worldly illusion of Maya. Thus, the Maharishi advised them to dissolve their problems by reciting the holy chants and attain the wisdom of Devi Mahatm. According to Baba ji, each person in some form is connected to these situations. The more he is immersed in the delusionary pursuits, the more his chances of not being extricated out of it. Thus, anyone who wants his emancipation, must listen to Devi Mahatm and meditate on its essence to kindle his wisdom and liberate himself from the bondages and attachments of this world...

NAVRATRA SPECIAL 2: Add Midas Touch to your Life

Babaji reveals that if a person is inclined towards only worldly pursuits, he witnesses a roller coaster ride in life with an equal measure of rise & fall, whereas a person, who is spiritually inclined, not only flourishes in life but eventually reaches the ultimate destination. So it's your call, what you choose.

Baba Ji adds that the moment one becomes weak, he loses his existence. King Surata and the merchant who took the refuge of Maharishi Medha to restore their lives have been glaring instances in the history which confirm the same. Thus, the world and spirituality must go hand in hand in order to strike the right balance in life. By the grace of Baba Ji Durga Saptshati initially perceived quite challenging, is now easily available to the masses. Now it is our prerogative to do it religiously and make it a way of our life to rejoice every event with Mata Ki Chowki and nourish our souls with the divine chants.