Navratra Sadhana: A Key to Awaken the Inner Powers
The human mind has enormous powers. But these powers lay dormant. Navrata Sadhana is a credible key to awaken those powers. The major reason for the dormancy of our inner possibilities is erratic thoughts. Our mind produces directionless thoughts. These directionless horses of thoughts on the chariot of the mind do not take us anywhere. So the simple secret to achieving success in life is by having a focused mind capable of producing pointed thoughts. Navratra Sadhana is one of the surest ways to awaken those powers.
This year the winter Navratras are beginning on 17 October 2020 and concluding on 25th October 2020. Navratra is a biannual event. These are nine days of high spiritual currents. Any form of Sadhana performed during these days is ten times stronger than on other days. This period is called as Parvakaal or festival occasion. The spiritual practices undertaken during this period cleanse our impurities and awaken our dormant powers. But there are certain rules.
Purushcharan
We call the Navratra Sadhana as Purushcharan. A Purushcharan is a disciplined penance for nine days. Discipline and vow differentiate a Purushcharan from the other routine Sadhanas. In this Sadhana we take a vow on the first Navratra to practice a particular form of prayer or worship or meditation consecutively for the nine days. So this is a kind of holy contract that you enter with the Almighty. The course of Sadhana is determined by the vow you have taken on the first day. The condition is every day you will have to devote fixed time for your Sadhana with no aberration. For instance, you take a vow that you will meditate two hours twice a day for nine consecutive days. So according to the rules of Purushcharan, you will be duty-bound to observe the time limit on the subsequent days. A reduction in time limit means the violation of Sadhana. Enhancement is allowed but once so done the reduction on the subsequent days is prohibited. This rule of the fixed time period is for the meditators.
For devotees, the rule of a fixed number of recitations applies. For them the time period is irrelevant. A devotee of Lord Krishna, for instance, can take a vow that for nine days of Navratra she or he will recite Mahamantra two thousand times every day. This he can do twice a day or in other arrangements. But arrangement once made on the first day needs to be followed on the ensuing days. So according to the rule of a fixed number of recitations, any recitation less than the two thousand times would break the Sadhana. Enhancement is allowed but on the condition that no subsequent reductions.
So before determining the time or number of recitations, one needs to make a careful assessment of his health condition, resolve and the time available. It is always better, to begin with, a less strenuous routine. As time progresses and the practice increases, the potential of our body and mind also enhances. That’s what we are attempting here. So the rules of the game are different here. Otherwise, there can be no rules for chanting the holy names or doing meditation either hooked by the time or with the chronology.
Shakti Sadhana
Navratras are especially known for the Shakti Sadhana. The human brain has two parts: The left brain and the right brain. These are masculine and feminine energies present in every human being. When these energies awaken in harmony with each other, some exceptional changes are seen in life. Shakti Sadhana during Navratra is the quickest way to awaken these dormant powers. A Shakti Purushcharan is thus very fruitful. Here too the same rules of consecutive nine-day worship and fixed recitations apply. One can do the complete reading of Durga Sapsati for nine consecutive days. Since it is not possible to finish it in one go, so we can do the same in two instalments on each day. The Purushcharan can also be done with powerful Navaran Mantra (Aum Aieng Hleem Kleem Chamundaye Vichaiye). But before beginning the recitation some ritualistic aspect is to be taken care of which is easy to learn. This involves the establishment of asana or the canvas on which you are sitting through a mantra, the establishment of water pot or Kumbh, the disha bundh or assigning the protective cover in all directions around the place one is sitting. These are simple mantras which you can learn from any priest. These two Shakti Sadhanas don’t require Guru Initiation. The other form of Shakti Sadhana needs the mantra or hymns transmitted by an able guru; hence, can’t be revealed here.
But what is fast is also furious. If you go by bicycle, the journey will be slow but safe. Ferrari will be fast but also furious. So is the case with Shakti Sadhana. It requires strict discipline. Any deviation or lapse during the Sadhana call can play havoc on your subtle energy field. The discipline involves following abstinences: The celibacy, at least three days fasting, truthfulness and non-violence. The fasting helps in celibacy, which not only means biological restraint but mental purity in the best manner. If, however, fasting is not possible because of health reasons, even then it’s okay.
Activation of Energy
Living with the austere routine for nine days when spiritual currents are high enables our mind to get rid of previous habits of distraction and weakness. The mind is like a stone on the well and Sadhana is like a rope which will create a straddle on that stone or a new impression in the mind. Because of this new training, our mind gains in strength and focus. When these two virtues are inculcated in the mind, then success is just another name for the deferred destiny and lingering failure.
Every human being has an enormous reservoir of extraordinary power. In ancient Indian texts, we have called this as the Kundalini Shakti as a metaphor for dormancy as is symbolic in a coiled snake. Navratra Sadhana is one of the surest ways to activate this energy. There are two Navratras every year. Investing 18 days on ourselves in 365 days is not a poor bargain even from the material logic. The spiritual evolutions will be an additional benefit.
Namaskar ,
I am told that navaksri mantra requires initiation from some guru .
It is critical to recieve if one wants to do japa and anushatnik recitation of Durga saptashati .
Could you pls elaborate more on that
Naresh sir,
Initiation means transference. So if one is blessed to have a guru actually capable of transfering energy along with the Navarana Mantra, then always the better.
But if such guru is rare to find and still harder to identify, then the Sapsati and Navarana Mantras can also be done without initiation. Concieve Lord Shiva as your Guru in that case. Keep going. One day the Guru will find you.
Thanking You
I am a follower of Neem Karoli baba.Please help me sir, I want his Darshan any which way possible. Please show me some light.