DURGA POOJA

To-day is Kalash Sthapan, the first day of Durga Pooja festival. We perform the festival in different manners. Some establish earthen statues, someone kalash (a metallic or earthen jar wrapped with new red or yellow cloth filled with water, small sticks of mango having green leaves, coins etc.), some worship permanent statues and some recite Durga-Saptashati before the photo of Mata Durga. Some keep fasting in the day and take pure rice, pulse and vegetables at night. Some spend the ten days on fruits only. In village Bhalni Jaybhadra Baba spends ten days on only one lota (metallic round pot of different volumes) bhang (a kind of village drink made by mixing powder of bhang plant and sugar with water which is narcotic). In most of the places, we perform group pooja. In villages, pooja is celebrated with great devotion. Dance and music are essential. In some places filmy dancers and musicians perform.
The description of Bhagvati Durga is in the book Durga-Saptashatee. Due to seven hundred shlokas it is sapta (seven) shatee (shat-hundred in Sanskrit). There are three characters in Durga Sptashati. They are Maha Kali, Maha Lakshami and Maha Saraswati. The goddess of first character is Maha Kali. In the first character, two giants Madhu and Kaitabh take birth from the ear-dirt of Lord Vishnu. God Brahma (the god of creation) lives on the navel- lotus of Vishnu. Vishnu was in deep sleep on Sheshnag bed. Madhu and Kaitav saw Brahma and became ready to kill him. Brahma saw the giants and became afraid because Vishnu was sleeping. Brahma started to pray goddess of sleep who had captured Lord Vishnu. This very goddess is the root of creation, protection (taming) and destruction of the world. She is the energy of Lord by which He runs the universe. Being pleased with the prayer she appeared before Brahma. Brahma begged to awake The Lord. Bhagvati drew her forces from Bhagvan’s organs. Bhagvan awoke. He saw frightened Brahma and proud two thunderous giants. He understood the situation. Wrestling started between Bhagvan and the two giants. The wrestling continued till five thousand years. Bhagvati hypnotized the giants. They told Bhagvan that they were pleased with him and he could demand what he wanted. Bhagvan asked them to be killed by him. Now they were bound to their words. Finding themselves trapped in their words, they thought a rescue solution. Seeing only water all around, they told Bhagvan to kill on dry land. Bhagvan took them on his thighs and cut their heads by his Sudarshan Chakra.
The second character’s goddess is Maha Lakshami. In ancient time, there became a very big battle between gods and giants. The giant’s leader was Mahishasur and god’s leader was Indra. In the battle, gods were defeated. Mahishasur sat on Indra’s chair. Defeated gods went to Bhagvan Shankar and Vishnu, in the leadership of god Brahma. They told them the whole story of the strength of Mahishasur and their defeat in detail. They said, “Mahishasur has snatched the power of all gods and has turned them out from the heaven. They all are moving on the earth like men. We have come to you to make way to kill him. Bhagvan Vishnu and Shiva became very angry. A light came out of Vishnu’s mouth. In the same way, lights came out of all gods’ bodies and became one. The collected energy seemed like the burning mountain. It took the shape of a woman who lighted the whole universe by her rays.
The different organs of the woman were made by the energies of different gods- [Mouth from Shankar, hairs in the head from Yamraj, hands from Vishnu, breasts from Moon, waist from Indra, thighs from Varun, buttock from Earth, feet from Brahma, fingers of feet from Sun, hands’ fingers from Vasu, nose from kuber, teeth from Prajapati, three eyes from Agni (god of fire), eye brows from Sandhya and ears from the energy of Wayu (god of wind)]. Thus the graceful Devi appeared by the rays of all gods.
The tortured gods by Mahishasur became very pleased seeing the Devi. All gods gave their weapons to the Devi. Shankar Shool, Vishnu Chakra, Varun Shankh, Agni shakti, Vaayu Dhanush (bow) and two arrow boxes filled with arrows, thousand eyed king of gods Indra Vajra and a Ghantaa (bell) of the elephant Airaavat, Yamraaj Dand, Varun Pash, Prajaapati Sphatik Maalaa (garland), Brahma Kamandal and all other gods gave weapons and ornaments produced by their originals. Bhagvatee thundered loudly repeatedly. The whole universe began to shake. Gods became pleased and wished the goddess’s victory. Great saints prayed Bhagvati politely with great devotion. Mahishasur heard the thunderous sound and asked angrily what that was happening. Surrounded by giants, he ran towards the great sound and saw Bhagvati who was lighting the whole world by her halo. The earth was being pressed by the weight of her feet. A line was being drawn in the sky by her crown. The seven underground lands were amazed from the sound of her bow. After a while, battle was started between her and the giants. The army chief of Mahishasur,Chikshur started fighting with the goddess. His other famous warriors Chaamar, Udagra, Mahaahanu, Asilomaa (one whose furs are sharp like swords), Bashkal, Pariwarit (parito waryati shatroon), Bidaal etc with their infinite armies started fighting. Mahishaasur himself surrounded by crores thousands chariots’, elephants’ and horses’ armies was standing in the battlefield. The goddess cut all the projected weapons on her like children’s play. There was no sign of exhaustion on her face. Gods and sages prayed and the goddess poured weapons on the giants. Goddess’s lion, waving its hairs of the neck, also started to move in the giant’s army like fire in the forest. By the breathing of the goddess, infinite warriors were produced. They started fighting with the giants and destroyed them. The army chief Chikshur started fighting with the goddess with full zeal but he was killed by the spear. The lion killed Chaamar. Udagra was killed by stone and trees and Karaal by teeth-biting, fist and slaps. Uddhat was killed by club. Devi killed Washkal by Vindipaal and Taamra and Andhak by arrows. The three-eyed goddess killed Ugrasya, Ugraveerya and Mahaahanu by trishool. She cut Bidaal’s head by sword. Durdhar and Durmukh were killed by arrows. Seeing the mass destruction of his armies, Mahishaasur changed himself into a buffalo. He started destroying the goddess’s warriors attacking by horns, tale, hooves and muffle. By his breathing, hundreds of mountains flew in the sky and began to fall. He, in a very angry mood, ran towards her. Seeing this, she became angrier and trapped the giant in a net. Being trapped, he took the form of a lion. When she tried to cut his head, he took the appearance of a man having sword in the hand. Goddess rained arrows and clouded the man having sword and shield. He took the shape of a huge elephant. It started to drag the lion by its trunk and began thunderous sound (bawl). The goddess cut its trunk by her sword while it was dragging the lion. It again took the form of a buffalo and began to terrify the world as before. The World’s Mother began to take the best quality of heavenly drink and making her eyes red, laughed. The giant roared and began to throw huge stones on Bhagvati Maan. Maataa powdered the stones by her arrows and spoke to the giant, “O foolish! Roar repeatedly, while I am drinking. When I will kill you, the gods will roar soon”. Saying thus, she jumped on the giant. Pressing him with her feet, she hit his neck with the spear. Though it was pressed, it began to come out from its mouth in another man’s form. Now, when only half body had come out, Maataa stopped its growth by her effect. Only half growth man started to fight with Bhagvati. Maataa cut its head. The giant’s army fled crying. All gods became cheerful. Gods with divine sages prayed the universe mother. Gods prayed in so many shlokas which is mentioned in fourth chapter of Durgaa Saptashati. Being pleased with the gods, Maan appeared and blessed them to ask anything they liked. Gods begged to reappear whenever they prayed her. Goddess agreed. She blessed to reappear when Shumbh and Nishumbh would terrorize the whole universe. After saying this she disappeared.
This may be symbolic. Goodness when collectively fight always wins the giant evils. The third character will be described latter on.----------contd.