YUGADI NAVDURGA AND SYNERGY TO WIN CORONA
(युगादि नवदुर्गा पर संमलित शक्ति से कोरोना पर विजय)
The word Ugadi (युगादि) is derived from the two words ‘Yuga’ and ‘Adi’. Yuga (in sansakriti) means the period or era and Aadi(in sansakriti) means the beginning. Uga उग also means commencement of germination. So this is the day when creation had started in the universe. Ugadi is assumed as the day, the Creator (Lord Brahma ब्रम्ह प्रजापति) had commenced the creation. To commemorate the commencement of Creation, this day is celebrated as Ugadi.
Sun and Earth’s Orbit: The sun, the source of light and life to every living being is a unifying force. Because the plane of the ecliptic (the plane of the Sun’s apparent path on the sky) is titled with respect to the celestial equator (the plane perpendicular to the earth’s spin axis), the respective hemispheres receive more direct or less direct sunlight at different times in the earth’s orbit around the Sun.
There is the role Earth’s orbit plays in the seasons, which we referred to above. The four seasons are determined by the fact that the Earth is tilted 23.5° on its vertical axis, which is referred to as “axial tilt.”
Thus astronomically, earth undergoes two major sun operations in a year. Seasons are dependent on the direction of the relative movement of the sun. Two times, the two seasons summer and winter combine.
The first union of two seasons comes in March end to mid April (CHAITRA SHUKLA PRATIPADA TO NAVAMI as per Hindu calendar) These nine days/nights are called NAVRATRI. the sun appears to move northward, the sun rays are more intense and the environment is more of a dry kind. This signifies the coming of summers.
Astronomical status on Yugadi
Moon’s position: The Moon’s orbit lasts 27.5 days, but because the Earth keeps moving, it takes the Moon two extra days, 29.5, to come back to the same place in our sky. This is called lunar month or Chandramas चन्द्र–मास. As per Chandramas the lunar month is denoted by the star on the full moon day. For example when the full moon day is in the star constellation of Chitraचित्रा that month is referred to as Chaitra Masa चैत्र–मास whose beginning day is celebrated as Ugadi. On Yugadi, day moon enters on Mesha Rasiमेष-राशि (Aries), the first sign of the zodiac.
Sun’s position: On “Yugadi” day Sun sets his journey towards East and prepare for entering Mesha Rasiमेष-राशि (Aries). Astrologically Mesha Raasi (Aries) is the sign of exaltation for Sun. During this month after sunset on the horizon, we can visualise the constellation “Simha” सिंह-राशि (Leo) and later Kanya कन्या-राशि (Virgo) hence we have the image of “Durga Maa दुर्गा माँ“ as a “Woman sitting on Lion”. So, there is a festival called “Vasanth Nava Durga” celebrated during the first 9 days of chaithra maas shukla pax.
The lion is a symbol of uncontrolled animalistic tendencies such as anger, arrogance, selfishness, greed, jealousy, desire to harm others etc. The image of Durga on lion reminds us to have a control on these tendencies and protect your mind from vitiating from these evil tendencies.
Because of the begining of the change of season, during these periods human body becomes more prone to diseases as it is less resistant, both physically and mentally to the attack of outside environment, micro organism, bacteria and viruses. Remedial measures to combat the possible disease is the deep significance in celebrating the NAVRATRI. Our body acts as a fortress for us; and body’s immune system is the army that defends our body-systems from the outside environment and foreign bodies such as micro organism, bacteria and viruses. The Sanskrit word Durga (दुर्ग) means fort or a place that is protected and thus difficult to reach. It is derived from the roots ‘dur (दुर्)‘ (difficult) and ‘gam (गम)‘ (pass, go through). According to Ayurveda, fasting enegises the digestive fire. An increase in the digestive fire burns the toxins in the body. When the toxins are flushed out of the body, it loses dullness and lethargy. It helps in de-stressing and building up immunity. All the cells of the body are rejuvenated. Fasting, therefore, is an effective therapy to cleanse our body.
NavDurga signifies that we should renew our body system (DURGA) by detoxifying through keeping fast, purifying the environment by HAVAN or YAGYA. Also we need to get rid of all the negative feelings and emotions. Our nervous system needs to be strengthened by performing a specific meditation (SADHANA) and prayer each night of NAVRATRI in the manner specified for that (NAV DURGA) day in order to rejuvenate our mind and nerves in order to make our body capable to fight disease and get success in life. Thus, there are three rituals that are followed during Nav-Durga days in order to stregthen our own two fortress (Durga दुर्ग) body and mind:
- Fasting
- Yagya
- Prayer and Celebration
When the body is cleansed, the mind becomes calmer and more peaceful and alert because of the deep connection between the body and mind. When you are fasting, you are detoxified, and your prayer becomes authentic and deep. Yagya and Havan purifies the environment from bacterias and viruses that may cause diseases. Prayer and celebrations fill us with the positive energythat strengthen our nervous system.
There is also a health message involved in keeping fast and eating specific items these days. For example, Neem नीम is good for diabetes, skin diseases and acts as a blood purifier. Even today usage of neem leaves is prevalent in rural areas whenever anyone is infected with small pox/chicken pox. Jaggery helps in increasing the hemoglobin content of blood that helps in iron deficiency, Tamarind helps in removing excess of kapha कफ (steady and slow), vata वात (light and quick) , and pitta पित्त (intese) , raw Mango works in throat related problems and enhances the appetite, Chillies removes kapha and vata, pepper helps in cold and works in throat related problems.
SYNERGY: Synergy is a state in which two or more agents, entities, factors, or substances work together in a particularly fruitful way that produces an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects.
Durga and Synergy: The Synergistic effect has been explained in interesting way through indian mythology. Supreme Energy that is being recognized as the Super power or Supreme God/ Goddess. Adishakti (आदि शक्ति) is the name given as per Indian mythology. Adishakti created three types of forces in the form of Trinity of great Gods. The Trinity of great Gods Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu are the forms of universal forces: Nuclear forces, Gravitational forces, and Electro-magnetic forces respectively.
Other gods (Devas) are divine powers within this material universe or nature. They represent spirits behind specific posts in the affairs of running the world of nature; such as Agni Dev (the god of fire), Vayu Dev (the god of the wind), Varuṇa Dev (the god of the ocean), Indra Dev (the king of the celestial gods), etc.
A great light issued from Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma and other gods, from their joint energies, emerged a unique radiance that took female form, Devi Durga. Other gods also contributed in the formation of Durga. Shiva gave her his trident, Vishnu his discus, Varuna a conch, Agni a spear, Indra a thunderbolt, Surya bestowed his own rays on all the pores of her skin and Kala (time) gave her a sword and shield. Thus, Devi Durga came on the earth with synergy of all the great powers.
Armed by the gods, the Devi challenged the buffalo-demon, Mahishasura, and a fierce war ensued. She struck off his head with her sword and the asura army perished. So, she is called Mahishasuramardini.
RAKTABEEJ AND CORONA: The demon Raktabeeja was a bigger challenge because from every drop of his blood that fell on the ground there arose a thousand others like him. Durga, therefore, took the blood in her mouth before it touched the ground and killed the demon. Synergy plays its role here. We all should pray for blessings of Durga who is the incarnation of synergy. Our joint effort will defeat Corona. Here inaction become more significant than action. We human-beings may be the carrier of the coronavirus. So, we must lie low. To stay alive, we have to stay home and take all necessary precautions. The enemy, we are facing, is invisible. Our life is very fragile – a microscopic virus can kill us. We must learn how to be strengthened with synergy without much to do in order to defeat corona-virus.
Bhagwati Prasad Gupta 