Lord Ram

Yesterday was "Shri Ram Navami." I was unable to write about him due to my unavailability. Thus, I got late. Anyway, this is all about The Great Seventh incarnation of Bhagwan Narayan (Vishnu). Let's say Him : Happy Birthday to you.

Lord Ram is known as the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Ram, the perfect avatar of the Supreme Protector Vishnu, has always been popular among the Hindu deities. Ram is the symbol of courtesy and virtue, a man of values and morals. Ramchandra is Maryada Purushottama, which means the perfect man. Lord Ram is considered to have taken birth on the earth to destroy the evil forces of the age.

Lord Ram, in the words of Swami Vivekananda, is "the embodiment of truth, of morality, the ideal son, the ideal husband, and above all, the ideal king". Ram is widely accepted to be an actual historical figure - a "tribal hero of ancient India" - whose deeds form the great Hindu epic of Ramyana or The Romance of Ram, written by the ancient Sanskrit poet Valmiki. According to the Hindus belief, Ram lived in the Treta Yug. Although historians are of the conviction that Ram was not particularly deified until the 11th century AD. Tulsidas' wonderful version of the Sanskrit epic "Ramyana" into "Ramcharitmanas" greatly enhanced the popularity of Ram as a Hindu god and gave rise to various devotional groups.

Virtues of Ram

Shri Ram was a paragon of virtues. Ram was not only kind and affectionate but generous and considerate of feelings for all around him. Lord Ram had a marvelous physique and captivating manners. Shri Ram had a magnanimous personality. He was extremely noble, generous, chivalrous and fearless. He was very simple and absolutely free from flamboyance.

Lord Ram is considered as a son unequalled in the world, and resembled Dasaratha in each and every aspect of good qualities. He never spoke a lie throughout his life. He always offered respect to the scholars and the elders, people loved him and he adored the people. His body was transcendental and outstanding. He was eloquent, attractive and adjustable to circumstances. He knew the heart of each and every human being on the earth (being omniscient). He had all the conceivable qualities of a king's son and was dear to the people as their own hearts.

Lord Ram was endowed with incredible transcendental qualities. The earth personified adored him, who was possessor of such virtues, who was indomitable, who was brave, and who was the unequalled Lord of all. To put succinctly, Sri Ram's life was a life of holy compliance, of stainless purity, of matchless simplicity, praiseworthy contentment, commendable self-sacrifice and remarkable renunciation.

The ninth - Mother Siddhidatri

Today is the last and ninth day of Navratri and this is all about ninth Mother Siddhidatri.

The last among the nine forms of mother Durga is Siddhidatri. She is capable of giving all sorts of occult powers. According to Markandeya Purana there are eight types of these powers - Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakamya, Isitwa and Vasitwa. And according to Brahmavaivarta Purana, Sri Krsna Janma Khanda, the number is eighteen as given under-

The mother Siddhidatri is competent enough to give all Siddhis to the strivers and her devotees. According to Devi Purana the Lord Siva acquired these powers only by the grace of this goddess alone. Only due to her grace the Lord Siva became Ardhanariswara. The mother Siddhidatri is four-armed. Her vehicle is lion. She is seated on a lotus flower. She holds a Cakra in her right lower hand and a mace in the upper. In the left lower hand there is a conch and in her upper left hand a lotus flower. On the ninth day of Navaratra Puja she is worshipped. This day in a prescribed manner and with his full faith the Sadhaka acquires all Siddhis. There remains nothing unattainable in the universe. He develops competency to conquer the whole universe.

It is the duty of every person to always try to propitiate mother Siddhidatri and earn her favor. By her grace only a devotee crosses the ocean of miseries and remaining quite untainted, enjoying all worldly pleasure attains Moksa in the end.

Among nine Durgas Siddhidatri is the last. After having worshipped the eight Durgas in an appropriate manner on the ninth day devotees undertake her worship. After the completion of Siddhidatri's worship the devotees and strivers get their desires mundane or otherworldly fulfilled. But the main thing is this that there remains no such desire in a favorite devotee of Siddhidatri which he may want to fulfill. Such a devotee transcends all material desires and necessities. Spiritually he moves in the divine abode of the Devi and always drinks the nectar of her favor. He becomes completely devoid of lust and enjoyment. The absolute nearness of the goddess becomes the only aim of his actions. After acquiring this position there remains nothing for him to require.

The Holy Name of Eightth Durga - Maha Gouri

"Maha Gauri" is the eight incarnation of Goddess Durga. She is as white as a conch, moon and Jasmine. She is of eight years old. Her clothes and ornaments are white and clean. She has three eyes. She rides on bull. She has four hands. The above left hand is in "Fearless - Mudra" and lower left hand holds "Trishul." The above right hand has tambourine and lower right hand is in blessing style. She is calm and peaceful and exists in peaceful style. It is said that when the body of Gauri became dirty due to dust and earth while observing penance, Shiva makes it clean with the waters of Gangas. Then her body became bright like lightening. Therefore, she is known as "Maha Gauri".

The worship of Mahagauri is recommended for the eighth day of Navaratra Puja. Her power is unfailing and instantly fruitful. All sins of devotees are washed away with the result of her worship. Even accumulated sins get destroyed and in future no sins or sufferings come to him. He gets purified in all respects and becomes fit for inexhaustible virtues.

The Seventh Name - Kaalratri

The seventh aspect of Maa Durga is Kalratri Devi. Her complexion is as dark as the night. Her cascading hair are loose and she is seen wearing a garland that radiates light as bright as lightning. She is fearsome with her menacing three eyes radiating fire. She is mounted on an ass. She has four hands, of which, the top right hand is in a gesture of rendering boon to all. The other hand on her right is rendering fearlessness. The top left hand is holding an iron dagger and the other hand is holding a sickle. Although she has a menacing appearance, she always delivers favorable results. So she is also called “Shubhankari”. Devi Kalratri destroys the evil. By the Goddess's grace, the devotees overcome their fear of fire, water, animals and foes.

Mother Durga's sixth form - Devi Katyayani

The sixth form of mother Durga is known as Katyayani. The legend about her name runs as follows-

There was a great sage named Kata. His son was Katya. In his lineage Katyayana became a sage of worldwide repute. He practiced austere penance for several years in order to get the mother goddess propitiated. He cherished a keen desire in his heart to have the goddess in the form of his daughter. The mother was pleased to accede to his request.

After sometime when high-handedness of Mahisasura, the demon, crossed every limit, the trinity of Gods-Brahma, Visnu and Siva, got infuriated and they created a goddess by apportioning some part of their splendor, in order to destroy the demon. The sage Katyayana had the first privilege to worship her, so she was called Katyayani.

Another story tells that she did take birth as his daughter. She was born on the 14^th dark of the month Asvina. Accepted the worship of Katyayana for three days-e.g. on 7^th, 8^th and 9^th of the bright fortnight in the same month and killed the demon on Vijayadasami.

She is ever unfailing in granting the wishes of the devotees. The Braja damsels worshipped this very goddess with a desire to have Sri Krsna as their husband. She is an established presiding deity of Braja area. Her form is extremely divine and radiant. Her complexion is golden bright and radiant. She has to use arms. Her right upper hand is in a pose of allaying all fears and the lower one is in a pose of granting boon. In her left upper hand she holds a sword and a lotus flower adorns her lower left hand. Her vehicle is lion.

On sixth day of Navaratra it is her Katyayani form that is worshipped. That day the mind of the striver stays in Ajna Cakra. In the Yogic discipline Ajna Cakra is of greatest importance. His mind staying in Ajna Cakra the striver makes a complete surrender and offers himself to the goddess and then such a devotee very easily gets the direct vision of the mother Katyayani. All the four objects-Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksa are in easy reach of a Sadhaka who worships mother Katyayani with devotion and faith. Even though living on a mundane plane the devotee is equipped with an unearthly splendor and influence. He becomes immune from all diseases, sorrows and fears etc. There is no better and easier way than the worship of mother Katyayani for the destruction of sins accumulated in the previous lives. Her worshipper always remains in close company and becomes fit for the supreme abode.