Day1 - Navaratri morning, I woke up to the chirping birds warming their feathers in the mild sunlit branches that are still wet with yesterday’s rain. I think we all share a divine connection with the Sun. His warmth and light fills everything with life. My mother, just like me, loves to be with the morning Sun. The two of us have admired how the Surya Rashmi gently melts the mist and dew, how the earth becomes warm and how little sprouts put out their heads from the soil and smile back at the Sun.
But today we had a busy start as it was the first day of Sharan-navaratri. The nine mystical days in Autumn, when it is neither too hot or too cold, when trees shed their leaves and many creatures prepare for the winter hibernation. when the earth turns golden preparing for the upcoming winter and looking forward to the long awaited spring. It is the time called “swastha”, as if nature is rooted in her “self”.
Even my mother looked as if she was rooted in herself, in her little home, beginning her day with a plan in a mode of execution.
She walked to the altar and started decorating a small idol of Lalitha devi, actually she is not much into keeping many idols of deities, she usually lights a kamakshi lamp and feels all the deities to be in the flame of the lamp. It is me who brought Lalitha devi home. It is a long story, I will keep it for another day. Within a few moments she also started decorating the idol of lord Krishna.
Human mind is often compared to a monkey which just wouldn't sit still.
I was the same. I couldn't help thinking why she would prepare the idol of Krishna alongside the idol of Lalita during Navratri? We set up the altar decorating both the idols. I was a bit confused, but did not ask anything. I let the stream of thoughts enter and exit trying not to get affected.
As the day rolled forth and the time for chanting arrived we sat down to chant the Lalita Sahasranamam, a hymn containing 181 verses where the thousand names of the divine mother were stated. We started chanting and I noticed amma would stop at certain parts or stress on certain names like vaishnavi vishnu rupini or goptri govindarupini. When she paused at these names, it occurred to me like a bolt that she was explaining the oneness of Vishnu and Lalita.
Sahajata - simple truths reflected in everyday life and in common places has been the theme of my learning for years now. This too came in this manner. The inherent power in simple ways of imparting knowledge is that it is very powerful.
I felt an innate peace looking at both of them and yet not seeing the two. :)
Later in the cold “sharad” night sitting next to my fairy light decorations amma showed me the following verse from Padmapurana
अहं च ललितादेवी पुंरूपा कृष्णविग्रहा ४५।
आवयोरंतरं नास्ति सत्यंसत्यं हि नारद ।
ahaṃ ca lalitādevī puṃrūpā kṛṣṇavigrahā 45|
āvayoraṃtaraṃ nāsti satyaṃsatyaṃ hi nārada |
It says, I am “lalitha” and I am “Krishna” in the male form. There is no difference between the two of us Narada!
The little Narada in me also said “Satyam Satyam” :)