Speech of HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji – explanation of the Navaratri puja performed by HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Sri Devi Navaratri Festival 2024 – Day 3 – Trutiya – October 5, 2024 – Bhagyanagaram, Hyderabad
The Navāvaraṇa puja changes from day to day, and with each passing year. Within the Guru Nilayam, Navaratri puja begins at 4am itself with the chanting of Mantras. While coming in procession, Pujya Appaji offers Gaupuja, Kumari Puja and then has Darshana of the Devatas in the temple before coming along with the Utsava Murti of Mother Goddess to the Mantapa.
We see Svarṇāmbika Devi who comes in procession with Sri Swamiji. No special worship is offered to Her, but scriptures say that even having Her Darshana is enough.
When Sri Swamiji comes to the Mantapa, after partaking of Panchagavya made from milk, curd, ghee, gomutra and gomayam, HH offers panchagavya teertha to all the Ritviks who offer seva in the Mantapa. This is done to ensure that one becomes purified by partaking of the Panchagavya.
Sri Swamiji then performs Udvāsana to the Devatas worshipped yesterday. After offering dhūpa, dīpa, naivedya and Mangala Hārati, these Devatas are bid farewell. Sri Swamiji then creates and invokes the Devatas to be worshipped for that day. These are the Devatas seen in the Manidvīpa.
The altar which we see dazzling in silver has been carefully designed by Pujya Appaji. The design and planning took one month for HH, so one can imagine the amount of detail it contains. HH then creates the Haridra Sri Chakra from turmeric. Certain puja articles are only seen during specific festivals such as Datta Jayanti and Maha Shivaratri, but the gamut of all Puja articles are seen during Navaratri pujas.
Pancāmrita Abhishekam is then performed to two Sri Chakras. One is the golden or Svarna Sri Chakra and the other one which seems to be silver, contains all the lohas or metals in the prescribed quantity. This is known as the Rajata Sri Chakra. In Sri Chakra Archana, sandalwood paste is applied to the entire Sri Chakra as Devatas are present in every corner.
The Haridra Sri Chakra (made from turmeric) is then placed on the Rajata Sri Chakra. Then, the Vajra Kavaca Panjara is placed over it to indicate that Devi has entered into the Manidvīpa. During Sri Chakra puja performed through the year, the panjara is more simple and is not studded with gems, but during Navaratri, a diamond panjara is used.
We also see a special Sabeeja Sri Chakram – with all the thousands of beejaksharas inscribed in the Ardha Sri Chakra. During the Navāvaraṇa puja, Sri Swamiji offers abhisheka to this Ardha Sri Chakra.
During Navāvaraṇa puja, mantra anuṣṭhānam is most important. Since not all devotees are authorised to chant these mantras, we at least get to witness this worship. On the first day of Navaratri, we see nine Kalashas representing the nine forms of Mother Goddess being placed in three directions around the altar.
In the Navāvaraṇa Archana, each Kalasha is worshipped with navadhānya chūrṇam and turmeric and vermillion. There is a specific yantra and Beejaksharas used to invoke the Devatas in each Kalasha. As this worship is offered, Sri Swamiji offers pradakshinas six or nine times as mantras are chanted. After each āvaraṇa, dry fruit are offered along with dhūpa and dīpa.
During the Navāvaraṇa puja, the panchāyatāna Devatas including Sri Raja Rajeshwari Mata are also worshipped. Since Mother Goddess comes along with all the Devatas who are present in the Maṇidvīpa, annarchana has to be done on a large scale.
During this entire puja, to ensure that everyone remains silent and observes the worship of Mother Goddess, Sri Swamiji instructs all of us to chant the Lalita Sahasranama and write Sri Mata. Sometimes, the mind tends to waver. This is why Sangeeta seva is organized during the puja to reign in the mind.
Even if the Sri Chakra is not present, Sri Swamiji can perform Sri Chakra Archana in air or ether as well. Sri Chakra puja is worshipping Mother Nature.