Durga Puja-The Manifestation Of Durga

By Staff

Wednesday, August 23, 2017, 11:35

Mother Durga is worshipped and celebrated on Durga Puja. Apart from the festivities, understanding the essence of the manifestation of Durga will render a sense of fulfillment having captured the significance of Durga Puja (Read detailed account)

Durga Puja

The actual truth behind the celebration of Durga Puja is to gain knowledge of the self or the underlying essence of the manifested world. The manifestation of Durga, the expression of the Paramatma (Consciousness, Siva, Ultimate truth, the Self) with reference to the emergence of Durga to slay Mahishasura (Read detailed story), simply is about destroying the evil tendencies in one to realise one's true essence or the self. Let us look into the symbolism in the manifestation of Durga.

Manifestation of Durga

Durga is hailed as Mahamaya, Maha meaning Great and Maya meaning illusion. However to consider the Mother Divine to be an illusion is but a fallacy in one's understanding.

Maya constitutes the cosmic manifestation, the universe or all that is created. The creative energy of Consciousness (Siva) or the supreme truth is hailed as Shakti (Power) or Durga. Owing to its creative aspect, a feminine attribute is extended to it and hence the power or energy is worshipped in a female form, a Mother who is responsible for all creation.

Maya is the active side of reality, though it has an appearance of falsehood owing to its fleeting appearance. It creates forms in consciousness, emerging from consciousness, bearing its same essence not apart from consciousness. It disperses a variety of forms, and illusion arises owing only to one's objectification with the body mind complex and separate existence. Illusion emerges when one's attention is shifted from the essence of forms, the consciousness to the diverse forms, oblivious of the truth of universal oneness owing to the same essence underlying the multifarious forms. Hence the presence of illusion is in one's vision and not in the forms themselves.

The creative energy or Maya is implicit in consciousness or pure intelligence. Swami Sivananda says “Durga represents the Divine Mother. She is the energy aspect of the Lord. Without Durga, Shiva has no expression and without Shiva, Durga has no existence. Shiva is the soul of Durga; Durga is identical with Shiva. Lord Shiva is only the silent witness. He is motionless, absolutely changeless. He is not affected by the cosmic play. It is Durga who does everything"

Hence Mother Durga is acclaimed as Mahamaya.

Significance

Shakti or Durga, the power of the Lord, is verily the form of the ultimate truth which one is seeking. The worship of Durga (Durga Puja) ushers in the truth of living in the present moment for truth is but Herself (Manifestation of Durga) right in front of one in myraid forms. All one has to do is to be watchful and not be carried away by the forms but have the vision fixed in the essence. The worship of Durga (Dura Puja) is but a practical approach to the truth, beginning from forms as one associates oneself with a form, and extending to the transcendental truth of formlessness or the essence.

Hence let us humble down before the Mother, understanding the truth behind Her manifestation (Manifestation of Durga) to attain the bliss of the self while we celebrate Durga Puja.