Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Navaratri Day 3 – October 12, 2018 – Mysore
Compiled by Archana Penukonda
Salutations to the Mother who wears the moon as an ornament on her head, who drives away our sins and who has her residence on the banks of Kampa river, who is known through the entirety of the Vedas and has an eternal, unchanging form. Salutations to the Mother who is the form of Lord Paramashiva and who has hands that destroy our sins.
We are offering salutations to the Mother who is the form of the five elements of Nature.
“Om pancabhuteśyai namaḥ” says Lalita Sahasra Namam. Mother Goddess is the Lord of the five elements. She has them under her control. She becomes the five elements and runs this entire creation that consists of moving and the immovable. As the form of earth, she is the basis for all seeds and is feeding all beings in this creation. In the form of water, she is the foundation for all life. She is protecting the greenery and the forests. In the form of Mother Nature, she is instructing us to protect the greenery and forests. But man is destroying Nature and sometimes becoming the target of Mother’s fury. We are destroying forests to make way for big bungalows and mansions. What is the use of that? Whether you live on five acres or one acre or half an acre or one apartment, you eventually only need three feet of space on earth, or otherwise you get cremated. Why is man so greedy for big mansions, I do not understand. Where will the animals of the forests go when you destroy their habitat? They come into the cities. We see on TV that elephants and tigers are on rampage in farms and cities. Why would they not be? We see bears entering homes. Where else will they go? The reason is that forests have traditionally been their home for a long time. These poor animals come in search of forest cover. Mother protects the forests and its animals. But she is not protecting the animals that have taken over cities. They have to be punished, their sins are such. That is why we should protect the forests and save the trees as much as possible. In addition to the Mother protecting them, we have a duty to protect the trees too. In the form of fire, the Mother supports the growth of Nature with sun rays. She is also increasing our physical strength with the sun rays. In the form of air, she gives accomplishments to Yogis as well as timely rains. In the sky, she maintains the correct movements of the sun and the moon. Like this, the mother protects the world and rectifies and removes the difficulties to Nature.
Therefore, we should worship the Mother today with the five oblations consisting of sandalwood paste, flowers, incense, light and food offering. We should worship the Mother internally (mentally) and externally (physically). Some worship the mother only externally and have some other thoughts running inside. That is wrong. Our feelings inside and our actions outside should be the same. Our mind internally and our sense organs externally should be immersed in the worship of the Mother. That is when the Mother removes our dualities of likes and dislikes and the delusions of ego and attachment. “Om durgāyai namaḥ” says the Lalita Sahasra Nama. Mother Durga Parameshwari appeared as a 13-year-old girl and blessed Maharishi Daumya who was the Guru to the Pandavas. She also slayed the demon Durgamasura. The Markandeya Purana and Paancharaatra Lakshmi Tantras extol the greatness of the Durga Devi in great detail. The Gautama Sutras also say that if Durga Devi is worshiped, all difficulties are removed.
Mother Durga Devi offered protection by instructing us to remember her in the face of difficulties and sorrows. Therefore, we should understand that if we worship Durga Devi when faced with grief or difficulties, our sorrows vanish, and we gain victory and happiness. Today the Universal Mother’s incarnation of Durgi Lakshmi is known as Maha Lakhsmi. As Lakshmi Devi, the Mother is bestowing auspiciousness and wealth in accordance with each one’s karma.
We are worshiping the mother as:
namastestu mahāmaye
śrī pīṭhe sura pūjite
śankha cakra gadā haste
mahā lakshmī namostute
The Universal Mother is blessing us as Sri Mahalakshmi in Karaveerapura. She slayed a demon called Mahalasa. Mylaratantra says Sri Mahalakshmi Devi resides in the Sahyadri mountains in the west. The Shiva Purana says that she is always with Lord Shiva as his yogic energy. It also says that the Mother is worshiped as Shyama and Sarva Manohari. The Saptashati describes in detail how Sri Mahalakshmi Devi slayed demon Mahishasura. A devotee by name Subahu worshiped the Mother with the names Sadashiva and Durga. Per his prayers, the Mother resided as Durga in the city of Kasi. Mother Durga is always appearing as a 9-year-old girl. She receives worship as Nava durga during Navaratri. Today, she is worshiped as Chandraghanta Devi. This is how we should worship the Mother here during these days.
srgghhantā śara khadga padma chasakān śūlam dhanuḥ kundikām
hastaiḥ sannadadhīm gadhānca mrgarāḍhyānām, samīko mukhyām
mūrdhālānkṛta khandikāvṛti lasat khandendu rekhadbhutām
lakshmīmujvala rupiṅīm trinayanām tām chandraghantām bhaje
(written as heard on livestream)
The Mother has rosary, bell, bow, sword, lotus, quiver, trident, arrow, water pitcher, maces in her hands. Mounted on her vehicle, the lion, the Mother is ready for war. I worship Chandraghanta Devi who is the form of Mother Lakshmi, who has three eyes and is an epitome of beauty. Worshiping Chandraghanta Devi gives us great enthusiasm and exhilaration. We will attain bliss. Simply with the sound of her bell, the Mother slays the enemies. It is this Chandraghanta Devi who is praised as Lakshmi Devi in Tripura Rahasyam. I bless that with the Mother’s grace, your sorrows and difficulties vanish, and you be happy with prosperity and abundance. śri lalitāmbikāyai namaḥ. śri lalitāmbikāyai namaḥ
Bhajan: dēvi vāṇi dēvi lakṣmi dēvi durgē (#358 on Bhajanmala app)
Now, today’s new song: tripurā maheśvari mām pāhi
O Tripura Devi, please protect me. O Mother who is beyond the Trigunas (the three attributes of Sattva, rajas and Tamas), please protect me. O Mother who is the form of the three bodies – gross, subtle and causal, the three worlds – Bhu, Bhuvar, Suvar and the Trinity – Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara, please protect me. You preside over the three states of waking, deep sleep and dream. There is no one greater than you. O Mother who is beyond the triad of the knower, knowledge and the known, please protect me. Your greatness cannot be measured. You are the refuge for the weak. O Mother, protect me. Your form is the Omkara that combines the A, U and M sounds. You give all happiness and comforts to all beings. O form of Sachcidandana, O Mother, please protect me over and over again. Such a beautiful song today.
Another new song today: randi randi poovulu tendi, tripura devi ni kolavandi