Agomoni Sarvajanin Durga Puja
Bristol
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु
मातृरूपेण संस्थिता
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै
नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः
Maatr-Ruupenna Samsthitaa
Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai
Namas-Tasyai Namo Namah
Puja Nirghanto (Schedule) Tentative:
Maha Shasthi: Friday – 28th Sep 2025
Maha Saptami: Saturday, 29th Sep 2025
Maha Ashtami: Sunday, 30th Sep 2025
Maha Navami: Monday, 1st Oct 2025
Dashami: Tuesday, 2nd Oct 2025
Venue:
Winterbourne Community Centre
Watleys End Rd.
Bristol – BS36 1QG
The Countdown Begins
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Durga Mantra
OM AIM HRIM KLIM CHAMUNDA YAI VICHE NAMAH
OM = representing four dimensions/aspects/states of consciousness of mind which are Waker, Dreamer, Deep Sleeper and Turiya
AIM = Maha Saraswati – Creation, the energy of desire
HRIM = Maha Lakshmi – Preservation
KLIM = Maha Kali – Destruction of evil
CHAMUNDA = Tantric Mother – Slayer of Anger
YAI = Grantor of boons
VICHE = Consciousness
NAMAH = Humble salutation
Why Durga Puja?
Maa Durga is the intercessor, well-wisher, supporter, the power that transports us into this world and the power that makes us return home. When walking along the spiritual path we do not walk alone, the forces of the Divine Mother always walk besides us.
Life itself is a struggle against opposing forces. The fight between good and evil is an eternal one, both on a cosmic as well as on an individual level. Individually, it is about the battle that goes on in the human mind between the higher and the lower self.
Maa Durga is known as Anand Lahiri and Soundarya Lahiri. She is Swarup Shakti (YogaMaya) of Bhagavan (God).
Divine YogaMaya Power is the cause of the creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe.
Durga is the embodied YogaMaya of the Divine Power of the Lord.
Shakti (Energy) and Shiva (Energetic) are One.
The material energy from which this world is made is governed by the YogaMaya Shakti.
Mahishasura pleased Lord Brahma and asked for the boon of immortality but Lord Brahma refused because all must die one day. Mahishasura thought for a while and asked for a boon that only women should be able to kill him and Lord Brahma granted the boon.
Mahishasura started tourtureing innocent people and started doing all activities which are against the law of nature. The Deva’s were worried and then they went to the Trimurthi (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva).
The combined power of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva created Maa Durga as a Sprit Form and Immerged from Maa Ganga. Maa Durga got her physical from by all the Gods. The Lord of the Himalayas gave her a lion and she on her lion reached Mahishasura’s palace. Mahishasura took different forms and attacked Maa Durga. During each attack, Maa Durga destroyed his form and Mahishasura created a new form. The battle lasted 9 days. On the 10th day, Durga slayed Mahishasura when he was transforming into a buffalo.
The victory of the 10th day is called and celebrated as Durga Puja.
Kundalini
Divine Mother is known as Kundalini Shakti, the supreme creative power within us. Through our spiritual practice and the worship of the Divine Mother she awakens gradually and moves up our subtle energy bodies and awakens constantly higher levels of consciousness, union, bliss till we realise fully our eternal loving realationship with God.
Maa Durga
In the aspect of Lakshmi, the wife of Narayana, she is the auspicious, bestower of boons and beauty.
In the aspect of Saraswati, she is the giver of wisdom and art.
As Tripurasundari, she is the most beautiful of all the three worlds.
She is also Kali (the Black), the destroyer whose wrath ignites a terrible storm.
She is Mahishasuramardini, the destroyer of evil.
She is Chandika the terrible one who lets loose the typhoon and floods.
Navaratri, the nine nights dedicated to the Divine Mother highlights the importance of the Divine Mother, the Supreme Shakti, on our path home to the Lord's abode. We all are an eternal part of Sriman Narayana. The first part of that name is "Sri". which refers again to the Mother because she is the mediator. Her Motherly love leads us to the feet of the Lord.
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु विष्णुमायेति शब्दिता । नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः
Yaa Devii Sarva-Bhuutessu Vissnnumaayeti Shabditaa.
Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namo Namah
To that Devine Goddess Who in all beings is called Vishnu Maya. Salutations to Her, Salutations to Her, Salutations to Her, Salutations again and again.
Goddess Durga's 9 Aspects
- Shailaputri
- Brahmacharini
- Chandraghanta
- Kushmanda
- Skandamata
- Katyayini
- Kaalratri
- Mahagauri
- Siddhidatri
Pratipada, also known as the first day, is associated with the form Shailaputri ("Daughter of Mountain"), an incarnation of Parvati.It is in this form that Durga is worshipped as the daughter of Himavan (the Guardian God of Himalaya). She is depicted as riding the bull, Nandi, with a Trishula in her right hand and lotus flower in her left. Shailaputri is considered to be the direct incarnation of Mahakali. The colour of the day is yellow, which depicts action and vigor.She is also considered to be a reincarnation of Sati (Shiva's first wife, who then reincarnates as Parvati) and is also known as Hemavati.
On Dwitiya (second day), Goddess Brahmacharini ("Unmarried One"), another incarnation of Parvati, is worshipped. In this form, Parvati became Yogini, her unmarried self. Brahmacharini is worshipped for emancipation or moksha and endowment of peace and prosperity. Depicted as walking bare feet and holding a japamala (rosary) and a kamandala (pot) in her hands, she symbolizes bliss and calm. Green is the colour code of this day. The orange colour which depicts tranquility is sometimes used so that strong energy flows everywhere.
Tritiya (third day) commemorates the worship of Chandraghanta – the name derived from the fact that after marrying Shiva, Parvati adorned her forehead with the ardhachandra (half-moon). She is the embodiment of beauty and is also symbolic of bravery. Grey is the colour of the third day, which is a vivacious colour and can cheer up everyone's mood.
Goddess Kushmanda is worshipped on Chaturthi (fourth day). Believed to be the creative power of the universe, Kushmanda is associated with the endowment of vegetation on earth, and hence, the colour of the day is orange. She is depicted as having eight arms and sits on a tiger.
Skandamata, the goddess worshipped on Panchami (fifth day), is the mother of Skanda (or Kartikeya). The white colour is symbolic of the transforming strength of a mother when her child is confronted with danger. She is depicted riding a ferocious lion, having four arms, and holding her baby.
Born to sage Katyayna, she is an incarnation of Durga which killed the buffalo-demon, Mahisa and is shown to exhibit courage which is symbolized by the colour red. Known as the warrior goddess, she is considered one of the most violent forms of Devi. In this avatar, Katyayani rides a lion and has four hands. She is celebrated on Shashti (sixth day).
Considered the most ferocious form of Durga, Kalaratri is revered on Saptami. It is believed that Parvati removed her pale skin to kill the asuras Shumbha and Nishumbha. The colour of the day is royal blue. The goddess is depicted in a red-coloured attire or tiger skin with enraged and fiery eyes and dark skin. The red colour is believed to represent prayer and assurance of the goddess's protection to the devotees from harm.
Mahagauri symbolizes intelligence and peace. It is believed when Kaalaratri took a bath in the Ganga river, she gained a warmer complexion. The colour associated with this day is pink which depicts optimism. She is celebrated on Ashtami (eighth day). In eastern India, Maha Astami is observed on this day and starting with pushpanjali, kumari puja etc. It is a very important tithi and considered as the birthday of Mahishasura mardini rupa of Chandi.
On the Navami (ninth day), people pray to Siddhidhatri ("Giver of Perfection"). Sitting on a lotus, she is believed to possess and bestows all types of Siddhis. She mainly bestows nine types of siddhis- "Anima (the ability to reduce one's body to the size of an atom)" , "Mahima(the ability to expand one's body to an infinitely large size)", "Garima (the ability to become heavy or dense.)", "Laghima (the ability to become weightless or lighter than air.)", "Prapti (the ability to realize whatever one desires)", "Prakamya (the ability to access any place in the world)", "Isitva (the ability to control all material elements or natural forces)" and "vasitva ( the ability to force influence upon anyone)". Here she has four hands. Also known as Mahalakshmi. The purple colour of the day portrays an admiration towards nature's beauty. Siddhidatri is Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva. Siddhidhatri is also seen as the Ardhanarishvara form of Shiva and Shakti. It is believed that one side of Lord Shiva's body is that of Goddess Siddhidatri. Therefore, Shiva is also known by the name of Ardhanarishwara. According to Vedic scriptures, Lord Shiva attained all the siddhis by worshipping this Goddess.
In most parts of India, tools and weapons are worshiped in a ritual called Ayudha Puja.
Dussehra, in Hinduism, is the triumph of Rama (an avatar of Vaishnavism) over the 10-headed demon king Ravana, who abducted Rama’s wife, Sita. The festival’s name is derived from the Sanskrit words dasha (“ten”) and hara (“defeat”). Symbolizing the victory of good over evil. Dussehra coincides with the culmination of the nine-day Navratri festival and with the tenth day of the Durga Puja festival.
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