Invoking and Adoring – Sree Saraswati Devi Puja
Shikha Tulshan
Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad)
My prostrations at the Holy Feet of Sree Guru Parampara.
It was indeed a blessed opportunity for all of us to be in the divine shelter of Her Holiness Guru Maa, last month in Aurangabad. Being the festival of Navratri, this time, Maa guided all families present to get prepared for the worship for Devi Maa Saraswati.
-1st day was a detailed explanation of the meaning of every step and the pure attitude that we must maintain in our mind while performing shodashaupachaar puja.
-The stuti of Devi Maa - Sree Sharda Stotram created a detailed inscription in our minds by the divine explanation bestowed by Guru Maa on all of us, the following day.
-With this wealth, we were now looking forward to offer puja at the Holy Feet of the Goddess on the d-day.
The need to prepare our minds prior, to be able to worship Devi Maa Saraswati is important. This is done by worship of Devi Maa Durga, then Devi Maa Lakshmi, and this method has a deep significance. Only when the lower tendencies are destroyed by the sword of Maa Durga, can i adorn and beautify my antahkaran with all the Daivi sampatti of which the bestower is Devi Maa Lakshmi. Then can I qualify to receive the blessings of pure knowledge flowing from Devi Maa Saraswati.
But why should I do puja at all? Is it not enough to just remember Lord in the midst of my mundane activities now and then? Well! Can that really bring me to purify myself? The very word Puja (Pakaro Paap Naashate, Jakaaro Janm Vichhedah) is so powerful, that one can wonder on its impact when we take to its process! Such was the blessed opportunity that we got to perform puja under the Holy auspices of Maaji.
Step by step with the purification of our antahkaran, we were guided to invoke the Goddess within through the methodical 16 step process, prescribed in our Scriptures. Puja gives us a beautiful chance to conceptualize the Unmanifest Brahman as the Form Manifest, and revere and worship physically, subtly and intellectually. It unifies the forces within and brings them all together at the Feet of Lord to adore and revere.
This was followed by blessings by Her Holiness. Maa stressed upon the importance of worship and made us reflect upon what should we strive for? What are the obstacles? What should we actually fear? – Succumbing to our lower tendencies. Puja enforced that subtle power required to think clearly.
The serene, peaceful and the calm feeling is palpable even today!
Koti koti gratitude and hope to get the blessed opportunity of Maa ji’s and Chaitanya ji’s (Manishji) visit soon again.
To that Maa Sarawati, Sree Hansvahini and Sree Guruparampara, I bow down and pray to be worthy to receive the divine blessings.
Pranaam