Mahanavami is a sacred festival of worshiping Shakti, honoring mother power and worshiping the divine form of women. On the auspicious occasion of Mahanavami, Kanya Puja and Kanya Bhoj were organized at Parmarth Niketan with reverence and devotion. Parmarth Peethadhishwar Swami Chidanand Saraswati provided food to the girls.
On this occasion, giving the message of bringing the spiritual consciousness of Navratri into the life of the society, Swami Chidanand Saraswati said that Kanya Puja is a very beautiful spiritual tradition of Indian culture. It reminds us that women are not just worthy of respect, but are living expressions of creation, sensitivity, strength, knowledge and compassion. But this worship is complete only when the society, which sees the goddess in the girl at the time of worship, respects the dignity, rights and possibilities of daughters every day of their lives.
He said, “Don’t just educate the girls, also strengthen them; also make them stand on their own feet. Give them education, respect, recognition, security and equal status. Give wings to their dreams, give opportunities to their talent and make their self-confidence so strong that they can take the decisions of their own lives.”
Swami said that if we consider the girl as a goddess, then her education will also have to be given the form of worship; If we see the power of Maa Durga in her, then her self-confidence and self-reliance will also have to be considered as a form of power; And if we pay our respects at his feet, we will also have to resolve to remove discrimination, fear, insecurity and inequality of opportunities from his path.
He said that during Navratri we worship nine forms of Goddess Durga. These forms inspire us with divine qualities like strength, knowledge, patience, compassion, courage, purity and accomplishment. These qualities can be truly respected only when we give them a place in our behavior and social system. Worship of the Goddess does not limit us only to the temple; It also inspires us to make our conduct more sensitive, just and humane in our homes, schools, workplaces and society.
He said that promoting daughters not only means giving them opportunities but also removing the obstacles that stand in the way of their dreams. It is the responsibility of every family and society to listen to their views, give priority to their education, believe in their abilities, encourage them to take decisions and ensure their dignity and safety.
He said that the identity of any daughter should not be limited only to being a daughter, sister, wife or mother. He has his own talent, his own consciousness, his own dreams and his own independent identity. He should get such an environment where he can progress according to his ability, recognize his capabilities and play his full role in building the society.
Throwing light on the spiritual significance of Mahanavami, Swami said that the purpose of Sadhana is not only to complete external rituals, but also to awaken good wisdom, prudence, compassion and self-control within oneself. Worship of Maa Siddhidatri inspires us towards spiritual progress, knowledge and perfection of life. Bringing this divine inspiration into life means that our achievements should not become a reason for ego, our strength should become a medium of service and our knowledge should contribute to the welfare of the society.
When we worship the nine forms of Maa Durga and do Kanya Puja, then ask ourselves – which is the place where our daughters are completely safe, where they have equality, respect and freedom to live fearlessly? Kanya Puja is meaningful only when every daughter gets not only worship but also equal rights, self-reliance and a dignified life. Let us resolve to create a society where women power is not only revered but also respected with equal rights and self-respect.