Significance of Ashadha Gupt Navaratri
On July 05, 2024
According to the Devi Bhagavatam, Ashadha Gupt Navaratri is among the four Navratris which are celebrated yearly. It is a festival of the nine celestial nights dedicated to the worship of the Divine feminine energy. Although the customs and rituals may vary from region to region, they share the common thread of love and devotion to the Divine Mother.
Importance of Ashadha Gupt Navratri
Ashadha Navratri, celebrated in June-July, and Magha Navratri, which occurs in January-February, are both Gupt Navratris. The Ashadha Navratri celebrates the Divine feminine power of Mata Durga. 'Gupt' means hidden or mysterious and secretive. It is a lesser-known Navratri and has yet to be celebrated on a large scale. It is of particular importance to Tantriks and Sadhakas.
Ashadha Gupt Navarati is mainly observed by Sadhakas, who engage in secret Tantrik rituals, which are foremost in Shaktism. They observe this festival with extraordinary austerities that require the Sadhakas to spend time in solitude to look inward and connect with the Divine energy.
Ashadha Gupt Navratri: Connecting with the Divine Feminine Energy
The period of Ashadha Gupt Navratri is highly mystical and believed to be potent. It focuses on personal spiritual practices and a deeper connection with the Divine. Individuals can delve deep into their spirituality and cultivate a strong inner connection. This Navratri gives a chance to honour and connect with the Divine feminine aspect of creation.
The nine days and nights of Ashadha Gupt Navratri are considered highly respected, powerful, and beneficial for worshipping the Divine Feminine. It is an ideal period to remove negativity and obtain Siddhis (Powers) and blessings of the Goddess. Devotees worship Goddess Durga, and perform the Nav Durga Sadhana, which can bestow manifold blessings.
The significance of Ashadha Gupt Navrati lies in its ability to purify and rejuvenate the mind, body, and soul. This festival provides a conducive environment for devotees to engage in intense spiritual practices, connect with the Divine, and seek inner transformation.
Worship of Nav Durga
Ashadha Gupt Navratri is a festival where people worship the Nav Durga (Nine Forms of Goddess Durga). Goddess Durga is a powerful form of Shakti and represents the Divine feminine energy that can protect against evil and grant the fulfilment of desires. Devotees chant mantras to invoke Goddess Durga and seek her Divine blessings.
The mighty Goddess is also called Adi Parashakti, Sherowali, Shakti, Yogmaya, Ambe, Bhavani, and Parvati. Adi Parashakti is a fearless Warrior Goddess and the most potent force for destroying evil. She is an Omnipotent Divine Force who emerged to wipe out negativity, evil, and demonic forces and bring peace, balance, and order to the world. She is invincible and has infinite power beyond reach.
Goddess Durga is the Supreme Divine Almighty, and offering worship to her nine forms during this nine-day festival can invoke her blessings for removing Graha Doshas (Planetary Afflictions), removing obstacles and experiencing spiritual purity.
According to the Vedic Durga Suktam, the mighty Goddess is a Vedic deity of spiritual consciousness who emerged from Agni (Fire) as a combined force of protection or protective energy. One can attain spiritual awareness and purity from within by worshipping the Goddess. She is symbolised as a deity of Cosmic intelligence that includes inner guidance, knowledge, and Divine light, which clears the mind from darkness, ignorance, and illusion.
Offering prayers and Pooja with sincerity and dedication can invoke her Divine favours, as her Divine power transcends on this day. Her miraculous healing is evident during this period, as her benevolence and protection encompass your devotion and love for the Divine Mother. Mata Durga's powerful blessings can help attain peace, happiness, good fortune, success in pursuit of education, career or business, and prosperity.
Reading of Sacred Texts
The sacred texts include the Devi Bhagavatam, Srimad Bhagavatam and the Durga Saptashati, which is also known as Devi Mahatmyam and Chandi Path. It is derived from the Markandeya Purana and comprises 700 chapters (Shaptashata) that describe the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura.
Goddess Durga emerged from the unified energy forces of the Trimurti—Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. They created an intense light power force, and from this, Shakti-Punj, or unprecedented light force, manifested in the birth of Adi Parashakti Durga.
Each of the Gods gifted her with unique and precious weaponry, with which the Goddess set out for a war against the demon Mahishasura. The fierce battle lasted for ten days, and on the tenth day, she beheaded him with her trident, restoring peace and order to the Devas and human beings who were harassed and tortured by the demon.
Chanting this sacred text during the Ashadha Gupt Navratri can bring numerous blessings and benefits. It can help manifest Devi's presence at the place of recitation. It can offer protection against all evil forces, enemies, and negativity. It can remove all troubles, prevent calamities, alleviate poverty, safeguard from malefic influences of planets, protect from evil spirits, and bestow wealth, children, and foodgrains.
Ashadha Gupt Navaratri: Worship of Dasa Mahavidya
Ashadha Gupt Navratri celebrates the tradition of offering worship to the ten Divine manifestations of Goddess Shakti called the Dasa Mahavidyas (Ten Wisdom Goddesses). According to the Bhagavatam, the ten Maha Vidyas originate from the aggressive and subtle forms of Goddess Mahakali. They can resolve all the worshiper's problems in different ways.
This festival is an ideal time to worship the Dasa Mahavidyas, the ten manifestations of Adi Shakti or Mother Goddess Parvati. They are the Ten Great Wisdom Goddesses. They are very prominent in Shaktism and are worshipped for numerous powers, Siddhis and other blessings. They are helpful and significant in Tantra Sadhana.
The Dasa Maha Vidyas are mentioned in the Devi Purana or Srimad Bhagavatam and include the Goddesses Kali, Tara, Tripura Sundari, Bhuvaneshwari, Chinnamasta, Bhairavi, Dhumavati, Baglamukhi, Matangi, and Kamala.
Ashadha Gupt Navratri: Worship of Goddess Varahi Devi
This festival is also dedicated to the worship of Goddess Varahi Devi (One of the Sapta Matrikas- Seven Mothers of the Devi Mahatmyam). Hence, it is also called Varahi Navratri. Varahi Devi is the Commander-In-Chief of Supreme Goddess Lalita Devi’s army. She is the boar-faced incarnation of the Goddess, also called Panchami.
Goddess Varahi emerged from the five flowery arrows of the Supreme Goddess Lalita Devi. Meditation upon the Goddess can remove enemies' hindrances and give physical and mental strength to face all kinds of difficulties. During this Navratri, her energy is believed to be very effective and potent.
Goddess Varahi assisted Kaushikidurga during her battle with the demons Shumbh and Nishumbh. She represents Chaitanya Tattva and is the activator of our physical senses. She is called Dandini and shapes all thoughts and directs them towards successful action. She blesses her devotees with victory over enemies, progress, success, good health, spiritual growth and material prosperity.
Powers of Gupt Navratri
Gupt Navratri is mainly observed by those primarily concerned with Sadhanas and Tantric rituals and worship. Seekers for blessings and power worship all nine forms of Goddess Durga. Goddess Durga is revered as Shakti, and performing Pooja to her can grant relief from all kinds of problems and blesses with victory over adversaries.
The rituals and Poojas are known only to a few Sadhakas, hence, the festival is called Gupt Navratri. Offering prayers and Poojas through Sadhanas and Tantric rituals can help connect with the Goddess's intense and feminine Divine energy and invoke her special blessings and fulfilment of desires.
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