Jai Mata Ji! Happy Navratri!

[Fireside_Hindu]

So I have unintentionally been reciting (or failing to recite) the Lolita Sahasranama almost every day with week.

I have one friend at the temple who is very kind and accepting of me and doesn't seem to care or mind that not only am I new to Hinduism but she seems to understand how important it is for me to feel included even if I don't know much of any of the sanskrit. She has, without fail, tossed me a copy of the Lolita Sahasranama every morning that we have gone to temple together without asking whether I could read it. We recite it along with the priest -at least that's the idea.

I can read some of the Devanagari and the script was transliterated into roman letters but even then, it's spoken so quickly that I can barely keep up. I decided though, that if my friend was welcoming me into the fold to easily I needed to make an effort. So I've stumbled around and looked silly when I mess up all the words, but I've been trying to do it anyway. I'm glad. It makes me want to keep learning once I leave so the next time I visit I won't be so in the dark.

:camp:

 

[Aupmanyav]

It is only because of her smile that existence burst into creation.

Nice, DeviChaaya.

So I have unintentionally been reciting (or failing to recite) the Lolita Sahasranama almost every day with week.

Divide the number of names by the number of days and recite only that many. Why rush?

 

[Yogi1054]

Happy Navratri

Have just come back from the temple after paying my respects - Maa looks beautiful!

 

[Maya3]

Beautiful!

Maya

 

[DeviChaaya]

Today is the 5th day of Navratri and today we worship Skanda Mata. Skandamata's name is fairly self explanatory. She is the mother of Skanda also known as Murugan and Kartikkeya. Without Skandamata the leader of the Deva's military would never have manifested. We offer our obeisances at Skandamata's feet; through her Skanda helps us in the battle against our ego.

 

[Vinayaka]

Today is the 5th day of Navratri and today we worship Skanda Mata. Skandamata's name is fairly self explanatory. She is the mother of Skanda also known as Murugan and Kartikkeya. Without Skandamata the leader of the Deva's military would never have manifested. We offer our obeisances at Skandamata's feet; through her Skanda helps us in the battle against our ego.

Thanks for the running commentary of the Navaratri festival, Devi. I'm sure it varies some from place to place, but people sure get a more specific idea this way.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Durga idols must have come to 'pandals' today. Need to check the neighborhood 'pandal'.

 

[DeviChaaya]

Yesterday we honoured Katyayani Ma, who took birth as the sage Kata's daughter, thereby becoming the goddess Katyayani.

Today we honour Kaalratri, another name for our beloved Kali Ma. She is the destroyer of darkness. May we all bow to Her that the darkness of our ego is destroyed!

Jai Mata Di!

 

[Aupmanyav]

My son will sing today in the neighborhood pandal celebrations. We will have a few Bengali girls swooning.

 

[Maya3]

My son will sing today in the neighborhood pandal celebrations. We will have a few Bengali girls swooning.

Maya

 

[DeviChaaya]

Today is the 8th Day of Navratri. The NavDurga we worship today is nome other than Maha Gauri otherwise known as Uma and Parvati.

There are many legends relating to how Parvati gained the epithet of Gauri. One of my favorites is part of the love play between Shiva and Parvati. Shiva Teasingly Called Parvati shyaam and kali. Parvati took offense to this and went to bathe to wash Her dark complexion away. The darkness became Kali Ma and Parvati was thence known as Gauri, which means the golden one, the radiant one or the shining one.

Shiva learnt that day that even gentle teasing can go too far! I think it's a wonderful story.

 

[Jainarayan]

Is is tomorrow already down there!? For these past 7 nights all I've done is light my deepa, light incense, put some water and/or fruit, a flower or 3 when I picked them. I said my prayers, slokas and mantras, and spent a few extra minutes at my shrine, reflecting. I didn't put any pressure on myself, and oddly, that made it feel all the more uplifting.

 

[Vinayaka]

Is is tomorrow already down there!?

Not just tomorrow, but almost noon tomorrow.

 

[Jainarayan]

Well, at least that makes it closer to the weekend.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I didn't put any pressure on myself, and oddly, that made it feel all the more uplifting.

When one is not bound, one feels happier. One of the advantages of Hinduism. Otherwise - "oh, I have to do 108 repetitions of the mantra, I am getting late, let me rush through it".

 

[DeviChaaya]

Yeap! And we're also in a similar timezone to India so our celebrations tend to be on the same days as those in India

 

[Aupmanyav]

The Hindu Calendar playing tricks with us again. Navami (9th day) begins today in the evening of Ashtami (8th day), and Dashami (10th day) tomorrow. So immersions of Durga idols and burning the Ravana effigy will be tomorrow. One day less than full 10 days (the superstitious term it as a little inauspicious). But we take all this in stride. It is nothing new.

 

[Vinayaka]

One day less than full 10 days (the superstitious term it as a little inauspicious). But we take all this in stride. It is nothing new.

I've seen this reasonably often. (Skanda Shasthi being 5 days, etc.) All because the timings are by a minute (maybe even second) to minute, not just ten days. We never use 12 midnight as a starting or ending point. The entire calendar is like that. Rahu times, high points, etc. Same thing for anything physical, like full moon, equnox, and all. They are actually very precise moments.

 

[Jainarayan]

When one is not bound, one feels happier. One of the advantages of Hinduism. Otherwise - "oh, I have to do 108 repetitions of the mantra, I am getting late, let me rush through it".

"And we have a winnnnerrrr!!! Johnny, tell our contestant what he has won!" :slap:

'Tis true... since I've thrown off the "must-do" and "must-not-do" shackles I look forward to my little puja (and it is little) and sadhana. It only consists of ringing the bell, lighting the lamp and incense, waving them, putting water (fruit and/or flower if I have them), reciting some prayers and mantras. I prefer to do it from start to finish, which probably takes all of 5 - 10 minutes (mostly because my Sanskrit sucks and I have to keep repeating a word or 3, or I stumble on them ).

I am also no longer skittish or embarrassed to approach my altar even if I am not prepared to do a puja, as I was previously. Now I have no problem going up to it to give a simple nod and namaskar, even if I've just climbed out of bed, on my way to find the kitchen (I know it's in the house somewhere).

So the point is that, whether one is Vaishnava, Shaiva, Shakta, Smarta, or something in between or amalgam thereof, I think B.G. 9.26 applies for any devotee of any god(dess): "If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it".

 

[Jainarayan]

Yeap! And we're also in a similar timezone to India so our celebrations tend to be on the same days as those in India

That's cheating. You're supposed to agonize over your time zone and whether the local temple calendar is correct or you should go by IST, and on what day(s) you should observe a festival.