Navratri is a 9-day festival dedicated to Goddess Durga at the end of September. Below is information about this Goddess.
"Goddess Durga symbolizes the divine energies known as divine shakti (feminine power/energy) which is used to overcome the negative forces of evil. She protects and protects her followers. Goddess Durga is believed to be the union of three goddesses: Lakshmi, Kali and Saraswati.
It is also believed that Goddess Durga was created by Lord Vishnu as a warrior goddess to protect humans from the demon Mahishasur who was rampaging the earth at that time. Her divine shakti energy combines the energies of all the gods as she received a gift (weapon or emblem/mudra) from each of the ten gods.
Goddess Durga represents the Divine Powers that uphold moral order and justice in creation. In Sanskrit, the word durga means a fortress, or a highly protected, impregnable place. Durga, also called the Divine Shakti, protects humanity from evil and misfortunes, miseries, by destroying the forces of evil (negative energies and vices - arrogance, envy, prejudice, hatred, anger, greed and selfishness).
Goddess Durga is depicted as a warrior woman with ten hands carrying different weapons and showing different mudras (hand gestures) that symbolize her teachings:
1) Chakra symbolizes dharma (responsibility/righteousness)
2) The snail symbolizes happiness, and the performance of missions/duties with elevated emotions, not dissatisfaction
3) The sword symbolizes the renunciation of vices - the ability to recognize vices in oneself and overcome them.
4) The bow and arrow symbolize the strength of character - the ability not to lose one's values in the face of difficulties.
5) Lotus symbolizes non-attachment to circumstances. Just as the lotus grows in the mud and shares its smile and beauty with the world, so we must be able to bloom even when there is mud around.
6) Kuoka symbolizes dedication and surrender - doing everything in life with love and trusting that everything happens according to God's will.
7) The trident symbolizes courage. We must be brave to face our dark parts and life's challenges
8) The mudra in the lower right hand symbolizes forgiveness and blessing. We must forgive ourselves and others for wrongs we have done or someone else has done to us
9) Durga Maa rides on the back of a lion or a tiger. The tiger symbolizes power without limits. She uses this power to protect values and destroy evil. Leo sometimes represents an uncontrollable animal beginning (and the vicious tendencies that come with it), and her sitting on a lion reminds us that we have the power to integrate our animal side and not be controlled by it.
10) The red color symbolizes that Durga destroys evil and protects mankind from pain and suffering
This month we pray to Maa Durga, the Mother of the Universe, asking her to use her destructive powers to help us overcome our vices so that we can be purified and receive her divine Shakti energy."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy4gtPmgiFA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GSJsdFj-KQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP0p5uMyTdM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKtAzk9H9ww
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u8re1rZt9Q
9/25/2019