The most awaited season in India is the Autumn season. Technically, the monsoon season is known for the economic prosperity which it brings to working-class season dependent people. But months of October, September and November are full of so many holidays (due to festivals) that we somehow forget to acknowledge the concept behind these festivals. Let's now focus on Navratri which is celebrated all over India and Nepal.
I will focus on the mythology and interpretation behind Navratri. I will put light on the concept of Navratri in our lives. Then, I will cover the term 'Brahmana' as it gets closely related to holy fests in India.
The short term Navratri festival represents our long-term fight against egos, evils, negativeness in our lives. We continue to fight against many evils which have possessed us in many ways. We continue to face many ups and downs in this course which many range up to several years (up to infinite even).
Even if we manage to somehow win over it, what we gain is a "void" feeling of victory. This feeling can be filled either by boastfulness (a form of evilness) or goodness. The aftermath of Navratri symbolises the worshipping of Laxmi and Saraswati who are meant to spread wealth, prosperity and wisdom, knowledge respectively. If we manage to trace this path successfully in our lives we realise that life is nothing but a cycle of this time period. All three forms of Goddesses - Kali, Laxmi and Saraswati are combined forms of Durga. We need to embody their skills and power in ourselves, every time we face problems and that '9-day' cycle.
But many questions arise:
1. Who is Soul?
I will focus on the mythology and interpretation behind Navratri. I will put light on the concept of Navratri in our lives. Then, I will cover the term 'Brahmana' as it gets closely related to holy fests in India.
STORYTIME:
Let's start with a story written in ancient Indian scriptures which lay the foundation of Navratri.
A long time ago, there were two brothers who were performing die-hard austerities in order to gain special powers. But Indra killed one of them as he became nervous off their hard work. But the other one goes unnoticed and gained a power which made him unkillable by demons, Gods and humans. In due course of time, he fell in love with a female buffalo and copulated her by changing his form. But he went under the fury of female's brother and was killed. Female buffalo, being pregnant, buried herself in his pyre. But her son got delivered before her death and came out in the mixed form of buffalo and human, named Mahishasur. As he notoriously caused havoc almost everywhere, the three supreme Gods- Brahma, Vishnu, Shiv joined to form a newly formed light called Durga which was the combination of powers of all Gods and Goddesses. She eventually waged a war against Mahishasur which continued for 9 days and nights.
A long time ago, there were two brothers who were performing die-hard austerities in order to gain special powers. But Indra killed one of them as he became nervous off their hard work. But the other one goes unnoticed and gained a power which made him unkillable by demons, Gods and humans. In due course of time, he fell in love with a female buffalo and copulated her by changing his form. But he went under the fury of female's brother and was killed. Female buffalo, being pregnant, buried herself in his pyre. But her son got delivered before her death and came out in the mixed form of buffalo and human, named Mahishasur. As he notoriously caused havoc almost everywhere, the three supreme Gods- Brahma, Vishnu, Shiv joined to form a newly formed light called Durga which was the combination of powers of all Gods and Goddesses. She eventually waged a war against Mahishasur which continued for 9 days and nights.
INTERPRETATIONS:
Now comes the interpretations of this 'myth'ology in our lives. At first, it is better to come up with imagery of this story.
The short term Navratri festival represents our long-term fight against egos, evils, negativeness in our lives. We continue to fight against many evils which have possessed us in many ways. We continue to face many ups and downs in this course which many range up to several years (up to infinite even).
Even if we manage to somehow win over it, what we gain is a "void" feeling of victory. This feeling can be filled either by boastfulness (a form of evilness) or goodness. The aftermath of Navratri symbolises the worshipping of Laxmi and Saraswati who are meant to spread wealth, prosperity and wisdom, knowledge respectively. If we manage to trace this path successfully in our lives we realise that life is nothing but a cycle of this time period. All three forms of Goddesses - Kali, Laxmi and Saraswati are combined forms of Durga. We need to embody their skills and power in ourselves, every time we face problems and that '9-day' cycle.
OUTCOME:
But many questions arise:
1. Who is Soul?
Even Vedas say that we transform into a new form which they call as "Brahmana".
2. But who is Brahmana?
3. Is it a specific or abstract class?
4. How can one say that one is Brahmana or not if passes one cycle but not other?
2. But who is Brahmana?
3. Is it a specific or abstract class?
4. How can one say that one is Brahmana or not if passes one cycle but not other?
5. The classification of our society has anything to do with "Brahmana"?
.......................contd.....
.......................contd.....
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