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Asura. Devi fought with Bhandasura and his forces for nine days and nine nights and completed the
destruction of all Asuras on the evening of the tenth day, known as the Vijaya Dasami or the day of
victory. All the ten days are sacred to Devi.
The Hindus of Bengal worship Goddess Durga on the three days preceding the Vijaya
Dasami and perform the immersion ceremony on the Vijaya Dasami day. Durga is also worshipped
in March-April during the Vasanta Puja.
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LORD SIVA AND HIS WORSHIP
The Mother of Durga, wife of the king of Himalayas, longs to see her daughter Durga.
Durga is permitted by Lord Siva to visit Her beloved mother only for three days in the year. The
festival of Durga Puja is to celebrate this brief visit and it ends with the Vijaya Dasami day when the
Goddess Durga leaves for Kailas.
Sri Rama worshipped Durga at the time of the fight with Ravana, to invoke Her aid in the
war during the days preceding the Vijaya Dasami day. He fought and won through Her grace.
In Bengal, Durga Puja is a great festival. All who live away from home return home during
the Puja days. Mothers meet their distant sons and daughters, wives their husbands.
The potter shows his skill in making the images, the painter in drawing pictures, the
songster in playing on his instrument and the priest in reciting the sacred books. The Bengalis save
money all the year round only to spend it all during the Puja days. Cloth is distributed.
The Hindu woman of Bengal welcomes the Goddess with a mother s love, and sends away
the image on the last day with every ceremony associated with a daughter s departure for her
husband s home and with motherly tears in her eyes.
May you all worship Goddess Durga with intense faith and devotion and attain eternal bliss
and immortality through Her Grace! Glory to the Divine Mother Durga and Her consort Lord Siva,
the joint parents of the universe.
Vasanta Navaratri
Devi is worshipped during the Vasanta Navaratri. This occurs during the spring. The
worship of Devi is ordained by Her own command. You will find this in the following episode from
the Devi Bhagavata.
In days long gone by, Dhruvasindhu, a noble and virtuous king of solar dynasty, ruled over
the Kosala country. He had two wives, Manorama and Lilavati. Manorama was the senior queen.
Both of them gave birth to beautiful sons. Manorama s son was named Sudarsana and Lilavati s
son, Satrujit.
King Dhruvasindhu was killed by a lion when he went out for hunting. Preparations were
made to crown the crown-prince Sudarsana. But king Yudhajit of Ujjain, the father of queen
Lilavati and king Virasena of Kalinga, the father of queen Manorama were each desirous of
securing the Kosala throne to their respective grandsons. They fought with each Other. King
Virasena was killed in the battle. Manorama fled to the forest with prince Sudarsana and a eunuch.
They took refuge in the Ashrama of Rishi Bharadvaja.
King Yudhajit crowned his grandson, Satrujit, at Ayodhya, the capital of Kosala. He went
out to search Manorama and her son in order to put them out of the way, but could not find them.
After some time, he came to know that they were in the Ashrama of Rishi Bharadvaja.
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FESTIVALS
He at once started with a big army to the Ashrama. Yudhajit arrogantly demanded of Rishi
Bharadvaja the surrender of Manorama and her son. The Rishi said that he would not give up those
who had sought protection under him. Yudhajit became very furious. He wanted to attack the Rishi.
But his minister told him about the truth of the Rishi s statement. Yudhajit returned to his capital.
Fortune began to smile on prince Sudarsana. The son of a hermit called the eunuch by his
Sanskrit name Kleeba . The prince caught the first syllable Klee and began to pronounce it as
Kleem . This syllable is a powerful, sacred Mantra. It is the Bija Akshara of Parasakti. The prince
obtained peace of mind and the grace of the Divine Mother, by the repeated utterings of this
syllable. Devi appeared to him, blessed him and gave him divine weapons, and an inexhaustible
arrow-case.
The emissaries of the king of Banares passed through the Ashrama of the Rishi, and saw the
noble prince Sudarsana and recommended him to princess Sasikala, the daughter of the king of
Banares.
A Svayamvara was arranged. Sasikala chose Sudarsana. Yudhajit also was there. Sasikala
was wedded to Sudarsana. Yudhajit began to fight with the king of Banares. Devi helped Sudarsana
and his father-in-law. Yudhajit mocked at the Devi. Devi reduced Yudhajit and his army to ashes.
Sudarsana and his wife and his father-in-law praised the Devi. She was highly pleased and
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