Dasarā

Dēvi Navarātri first of all means, adoring Nature.

Nature is the embodiment of Dēvi, Mother Earth! (BhuDēvi) 

All the materials that man needs are present in the Earth itself. 

Leaving the Earth, scientists are going to the Sky and the Moon.

Even though he goes to the Moon, he carries oxygen which is present on this Earth.

He carries the water which is present on this Earth.

He carries the food which is grown on this Earth.

On that Moon, he does not find his needs: air, water, food.

He carries everything from Nature.

Therefore, all the energies man needs are present on Earth itself.

Students! Since it is up there (in the horizon) we are desiring for it, 

but there is nothing up there; it's Ether, Ether, Ether.

Going even beyond that, there is ozone. 

This ozone covers the sun. 

Because - if this ozone does not exist, the rays from the sun come directly to the Earth; there would have been no water on the Earth, and (it) would evaporate. Floods would come! 

Because this Ozone is wrapped around very densely, sunlight does not come directly to the Earth; (it is) intercepted by the ozone and only a portion of it reaches the Earth.

But today’s man, discovered many modern (instruments of) powers, having succumbed to frivolous and mundane worldly pleasures. 

Having invented all the necessary vehicles, 

Due to the development of science,

Developing all these industries, 

Due to which the smoke has increased, 

All this smoke goes and destroys the Ozone, and now there is a hole in the ozone.

Therefore, the Sun’s rays are passing through that hole.

Therefore, in the process of fixing it, America, Russia, Japan, Germany and other countries have currently been fighting that every country should unite.

What is the reason (what can be done) to fix it ? Nothing at all.

Reducing the smoke would suffice.

Smoking does not mean cigarettes and bidis.

Smoke that comes from cars, buses, and industries, all these must be completely reduced.

Unless we reduce this, the country will not be uplifted.

If this continues like this for a few days, even drinking water will not be found.

On one side due to smoking the ozone is getting damaged.

On the other hand, the government says industries should be developed

This is just going opposite one another.

Therefore, protect that which is available now.

All the development in science is individual centric.

It is taking a narrow approach.

But devoid of broad heartedness.

Only when broad feelings are developed, Lōkaḥ samāsataḥ sukhinō bhavantu,

All will be happy.

Therefore what do these nine nights (Navarātris) mean ? 

It is the process of worshipping Nature, systematically understanding all the potentialities in Nature, and fostering them.

Nature’s energies (resources) should not be misused.

What are those energies?

There is light, we are misusing this light,

thereby causing much harm to the country, 

Use the light only to the extent it is necessary. 

Using the light as we like, thus we are wasting a lot of energy.

Water. Use it as per your need.

But by excessive wastage of water, 

We are becoming the ones who waste two of the five elements (Pan̄ca Bhūta).

You had food, you need to wash your hands. 

Take water in a tumbler and wash it. 

But you open the tap and it releases a gush of water.

Something which can be done using a tumbler of water, people are spending a large vessel of water.

So it is as if we have wasted the Ganges.

Air, every man needs air,

but if there is excessive air, even man cannot withstand it. 

Therefore, even this air we are polluting - i.e making it impure. 

How ? We should leave good sounds into the air.

Only then that air spreads everywhere, and it becomes one with the air we inhale as life breath (Prāṇa vāyu). 

Because of mixing all bad sounds into the air,

and since that air is now filled with bad sounds,

and since we inhale that same air, we also get those bad feelings. 

As is the feeling, that you become (Yad bhāvaṁ ṭāḍ bhavati)

One small example, we have set up a fire,

What kind of fire have we set up? A dirty fire.

We are burning all dirty things. 

Therefore, the air coming out is also dirty.

As is the fire, so is the smoke.

As is the smoke, so is the cloud.

As is the cloud, so is the rain,

As is the rain, so is the crop,

As is the crop, so is the food,

As is the food, so is the intellect (Bud'dhi).

Therefore, all our thoughts depend on our food, 

And all this food depends on the pouring rain.

And all this rain depends on the type of clouds, 

All these clouds depend on the type of air.

Therefore, what is the inner meaning of asking you to conduct processional singing of devotional hymns (Nagar Saṅkīrtana) and devotional singing (Bhajan)?

Because, if we contemplate on the Lord's name, that environment and that vibration nicely becomes pure.

The significance of Devi Navarathri is to worship nature, which is the embodiment of Mother Earth. Earth provides all the energies a man would require.

Ozone prevents the direct sun rays from entering the Earth. But today’s man, having succumbed to frivolous and mundane worldly pleasures, has discovered a variety of vehicles and developed industries according to his whim and fancy. These industries and vehicles released smoke that destroyed the ozone and created a hole in it, allowing the direct sun rays. The solution is to reduce the smoke that is being released. 

The government must safeguard what is already there. The development of science is self-centred, takes a narrow-approach. Only when there are broad feelings, all can be happy.

Hence, the Navarātri is the process of worshiping Nature, systematically understanding all the potentialities in Nature, and fostering them. Nature’s energies (resources) should not be misused.

What are those energies? 

Light - We are causing much harm to the country by misusing the light. Light should be used only to the extent necessary. 

Water -  Use water as much as necessary. Using beyond necessity will result in wastage of two of the five elements of nature. To wash hands after eating, simply use a tumbler, instead of opening the tap with a gush of water. 

Air - Everyone needs air, but cannot withstand excessive air. Only good sounds should be released into the air which spreads everywhere, and becomes one with the air we inhale. But polluting the air by releasing bad sounds results in bad feelings upon inhalation. 

 It is said, ‘As one thinks, so one becomes’.

For example, upon burning dirty things, the air that is released from the fire is dirty too.

As is the fire, so is the smoke.

As is the smoke, so is the cloud.

As is the cloud, so is the rain,

As is the rain, so is the crop,

As is the crop, so is the food,

As is the food, so is the intellect.

Therefore, all our thoughts depend on our food. Food depends on the pouring rain. This rain depends on the type of clouds. Clouds depend on the type of air.

Therefore, the inner meaning of processional singing of devotional hymns and bhajan is to make the environment and the vibration pure.