October 8, 2010

Discourse of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Day 1 of Navaratri Celebrations – Goddess Gauri – October 8, 2010 – Mysore

Courtesy: Avadhoota Dattapeetham

‘Matru devo bhava’ (Prostrations to Mother Goddess) – Proclaim the Vedas assigning the foremost place to Mother. Even the Shastras have given most important place to Mother Goddess. In the telugu bhajan composed by Swamiji –

‘amba kanna adhikulevaru lokamanduna, arasic£·a ambayokate unnadenduna’,

Swamiji says, “Who is greater than the Mother Goddess in all the worlds? In fact she is only one encompassing everything. Singing thus, one must attempt to understand the phenomenon of Mother Goddess and experience that bliss in the heart. She is omniscient. She exists in all forms”. This has been aptly described in the Saptashati (700 verses in praise of Mother Goddess).

‘yadevi sarvabhotesu cetanetyabhidhiyate namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namonamaha’

meaning several salutations to Mother Goddess who in the form of Chaitanya (energy) resides in all beings. Even if one does not worship Mother Goddess, it is ok, even if one does not attempt to understand the literature on Mother Goddess, it is ok. Chanting the holy names of Mother Goddess itself begets immense merit. This is enough. All the desires will be fulfilled. Just reciting Srimata yields innumerable benefits.

Gauri Devi is a manifestation of Srimata. Let us try to understand the phenomenon of this incarnation. ‘Asta varsa bhavet gaur¢’– means Mother Goddess Gauri is eight years old. She is very simple just like a child. She is having a golden hue.

This bright hue also gives her the name. The tantric texts reveal several stories about Mata Gauri. Only when we combine all of them can we understand her phenomenon.

Parvati was born to the Himalayas. She was very fair in her complexion and so the name Gauri says the Narada pancaratra tantra.

‘Gauri gandharva sevita’ in Lalita Sahasranama (1000 names of Mother Goddess) means the celestials are serving her. Similarly horses by the name Gandharva also serve her. The deities associated with the mantras of horse riding also serve her. She is always being praised by the divine song of celestials. Mother Gauri is also famous as Mangala Gauri – the auspicious one.

Mangala means sacred. Maangalya is the sacred ornament worn in neck, by married women whose husbands are alive. Gauri is ever auspicious (Sarvamangala). Mother Goddess once offered herself to the yogic fire and took rebirth. Then her color became Golden and so the name. Like the Jasmine, like a conch, like the moon she has a blissful composure and hence the name Gauri – says the Gauripurana.

Yet, at another time she incarnated as Kali – Kali means one who is black. Looking at Mother Kali (the embodiment of Kalashakti i.e. time energy) Shiva made fun of her saying O Black Lady! Mother Goddess got annoyed and started
penance to get rid of her black color. She then became Gauri says the Shiva Purana. Why did Shiva behave so rudely? Is there any secret in this? Yes there is. The motive behind Shiva laughing was annihilation of demons. Mother discarded her black body and assumed the form of Kaushiki Mata and destroyed the demons.

When we say Gauri – we notice the qualities of Guru in her. Gauri Mata is form of Guru too. Swamiji sings in the bhajanthat describes Mother Goddess as

Gurugauri gauri gauri gauri gururopini meru cakra sikhara bindu madhya vasini.

Another bhajan in praise of Gauri Mata is also composed by Swamiji –

anadi gauri ananya nari kanyakumari patu mam

Mother Gauri has three forms – Baalika (Child), Kanyaka (teenager / adolescent), praudha (adult). From these three states came three forms of Mother Goddess namely Bala Devi, Nageshwari Devi and Kanyaka Devi.

bala kanya tatha prau·ha tridha gauriti ya mata
tam bala kanyakadevi nagesi ropi¸im sumah

Meaning: Through her Child, Adolescent and Adult (non- widow) state she assumed the forms of Bala, Kanyakadevi and Nageshwari Devi respectively. Prostrations to such Gauri Devi.

One who worships Mangala Devi begets auspiciousness. Women who worship her will not attain widowhood. There is a special Vrata (ritual) to obtain her bountiful blessings which is called Mangalagauri vrata and Svarnagauri vrata. You must all do it. There is no deity as devout to her husband as Gauri Devi. It is therefore customary and compulsory in Indian marriages for the bride to perform Gauri Pooja. It is also customary to worship Gauri Devi a day before the Ganapati festival day.

If all our penance, mantras and practices should beget good results then it is imperative that we worship Gauri Devi. The energy of Gauri Devi is all encompassing in this world. She is the deity of the Srichakra. Let the Mother
Goddess of the first day of Sharannavatri Gauri Devi bestow prosperity and auspiciousness to one and all. Let the desires of the devout be fulfilled. Let the divine grace of Mother be ever shining on everyone.

Blessings!

Jaya Guru Datta!

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