Mother Goddess (माँ भगवती)

 Mother Goddess (माँ भगवती)

Bharat is celebrating Navratra festival in the Shukla paksha (bright moon) of Ashwin month of Hindu Calendar. People worship nine forms of Mother Durga and specially the Gujaratis play devotional Garaba and Bengalis decorates and worship idols of Maa Durga for all nine nights. The word Garaba derived from Garbha, the antrum, the womb of creation, in which people lit the lamp or place idol of mother goddess and perform Garaba dance around it. Millions of Bharatiya observe fast and pray the mother during this parva. Maa Bhagavati, Bhagvan and Bharat are the inbuilt culture of India. 

Bha means nine, therefore, Indian spirituality revolves around nine manifestations of the mother Goddess. One that possesses Bhaga (feminine) is called Bhagavati. The nine forms of Mother Goddess are known as: Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Mahagauri, and Siddhidatri. There is a practice of worshiping nine angled yantra (figure).  

Bhaga signifies the knowledge of creation, destruction, origin of beings, divine truth and ignorance. He that knows all these six is qualified for the title Bhagvan. 

As per Agamas, the Mother has nine manifestations: Kala (time), Kula (form), Nama (name), Jnana (intelligence), Chitta (mind), Nada (sound), Bindu (sprout), Kala (keynotes, limited action) and Jiva (bondage of matter). The groups include all in the universe/s. Therefore, we all being part of this universe are part of the manifestation of Maa Bhagavati and have strength to acquire the state of Bhagavan.  

Bha means nine, rat means engrossed. Bha refers to light, the Kali, the Supreme who illuminates all things in this universe with its infinite varieties of subjects and objects with her own light. It is manifestation of the Supreme Lord (Shiva, masculine) as universe in his self expansion of Shakti (feminine) aspect. It’s a divine will. Therefore, all on this pious land engrossed in search of this divine knowledge for centuries are called Bharat. The people that worship nine manifestations of Maa Bhagavati are called Bharat.

Bhag is division and Bhagya is fortune. To make out fortune from the divisions needs blessings of the Mother Goddess. There are Bhagvas, either worshipers of the mother goddess or escapers from Samsar/responsibility.

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्ति-रूपेण संस्थिता 

नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः।

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शांति-रूपेण संस्थिता 

नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥

Punamchand 

19 October 2023