Navaratri Celebrations at Penusila Kshetram
September 29, 2006
On Sri Saptami, the auspicious seventh day of Navaratri, special prominence is given to Sri Saraswati Devi, who has graced humanity with music, literature, all the sacred arts, divine philosophy, and the auspicious knowledge of Supreme Truth
From this angle, one can see the many sacred books that have been offered to Mother Saraswati, containing the Vedas, Upanishads, and other topics of divine knowledge
Darshan of our beloved Mother Sri Saraswati Devi – She is the one who grants us purity, wisdom, truthfulness, discrimination, divine intuition, and the highest knowledge of the supreme Brahman
On this auspicious day, the special homa performed was Parijata Sri Saraswati Homa – a total of sixteen people made offerings into the fire: four offered special firewood, four offered sweet pongal, four offered ghee, and four offered lotus flowers
As white is Sri Saraswati Devi’s color, white lotuses encircled by white bangles were offered to Mother – white is the color of absolute purity and it repels all negativity; wearing white clothes or offering white items attracts Mother Saraswati’s energy and grace
This Sri Chakra is normally kept in the temple, but Amma requested that it be brought near the homa kundas – on this day three powerful ceremonies were conducted at once: in one homa kunda the Sri Saraswati Homa was performed, in another kunda Nava Chandi Homa was performed, and in addition Sri Chakra Navavarana Puja was also performed
Lord Siva and Parvati Devi have been carried in a beautiful chariot from the temple to the yagasala, to witness the various sacred ceremonies
After the homa, Amma distributes jnana prasadam to everyone with her own hand – the food carries the energy of Amma’s blessings for jnana, or divine knowledge
In the evening, devotees perform kumkumarchana in the temple while Sri Lalita Sahasranama is chanted – some devotees are offering the kumkum to a granite image of Divine Mother’s lotus feet; Amma has said that whatever is offered to these lotus feet definitely reaches Sri Lalita Parameswari in Manidwipa
Amma offers harati to Sri Saraswati Devi before the evening procession
Divine Mother Saraswati’s vahana, or vehicle, is the swan - it is said that the swan has the ability to separate water from milk and drink only the milk; this represents the process of discrimination in which we must separate what is false from what is true and choose only what is true, correct, and good
Devotees dance and clap their hands as an offering to Mother; all of our thoughts, words, and actions should be like fragrant jasmine, parijata and lotus blossoms offered at the divine lotus feet of Mother Saraswati
All three Mothers have been placed on the swing tonight – Amma has said that Mother Lakshmi grants us whatever wealth we need, Mother Saraswati grants us the discrimination to use that wealth in the proper way, and finally Mother Lalita takes us beyond the ocean of samsara and grants us the supreme liberation
Sri Saptami darshan of our beloved Amma, who is constantly feeding us with the nectarean milk of truth, wisdom, peace, and knowledge
~~~
During the auspicious Navaratri festival,
may the whole world be drenched in the nectarean love of
our beloved Mother Sri Lalitambika Devi
~~~
Om shantih shantih shantihi
May all be in peace
Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu
May all be happy
Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 