HINDU FASTS & FESTIVALS : 3-11.

3. Durga Puja or Navaratri-11.

Dussera can also be interpreted as “Dasa-Hara”, which means the cutting of the ten heads of Ravana.

So, let us resolve today to cut the ten heads :

—1. passion, 2. pride, 3. anger, 4. greed, 5. infatuation, 6. lust, 7. hatred, 8. jealousy, 9. selfishness and 10. crookedness—of the demon, Ego, and thus justify the celebration of Dussera.
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Religious observances, traditional worship and observances at times have more than one significance.

Apart from being the adoration of the Divine, they commemorate stirring events in history, they are allegoric when interpreted from the occult standpoint and, lastly, they are deeply significant pointers and revealing guides to the individual on his path to God-realisation.


Outwardly, the nine-day worship of Devi is a celebration of triumph.

This nine days’ celebration is offered to the Mother for Her successful struggle with the formidable demons led by Mahishasura.

But, to the sincere spiritual aspirant, the particular division of the Navaratri into sets of three days to adore different aspects of the Supreme Goddess has a very sublime, yet thoroughly practical truth to reveal.

In its cosmic aspect, it epitomises the stages of the evolution of man into God, from Jivahood (the state of individualisation) to Shivahood (the state of Self-realisation).

In its individual import, it shows the course that his spiritual practice should take.

Swami Sivananda
To be continued  ....