Vasanta Navaratri

[Ms Tercy Lonan]

Vasanta Navaratri

Devi is worshipped during the Vasanta Navaratri. This occurs during the spring. The
worship of Devi is ordained by Her own command. You will find this in the following episode from
the Devi Bhagavata.
In days long gone by, Dhruvasindhu, a noble and virtuous king of solar dynasty, ruled over
the Kosala country. He had two wives, Manorama and Lilavati. Manorama was the senior queen.
Both of them gave birth to beautiful sons. Manorama’s son was named Sudarsana and Lilavati’s
son, Satrujit.
King Dhruvasindhu was killed by a lion when he went out for hunting. Preparations were
made to crown the crown-prince Sudarsana. But king Yudhajit of Ujjain, the father of queen
Lilavati and king Virasena of Kalinga, the father of queen Manorama were each desirous of
securing the Kosala throne to their respective grandsons. They fought with each Other. King
Virasena was killed in the battle. Manorama fled to the forest with prince Sudarsana and a eunuch.
They took refuge in the Ashrama of Rishi Bharadvaja.
King Yudhajit crowned his grandson, Satrujit, at Ayodhya, the capital of Kosala. He went
out to search Manorama and her son in order to put them out of the way, but could not find them.
After some time, he came to know that they were in the Ashrama of Rishi Bharadvaja.

He at once started with a big army to the Ashrama. Yudhajit arrogantly demanded of Rishi
Bharadvaja the surrender of Manorama and her son. The Rishi said that he would not give up those
who had sought protection under him. Yudhajit became very furious. He wanted to attack the Rishi.
But his minister told him about the truth of the Rishi’s statement. Yudhajit returned to his capital.
Fortune began to smile on prince Sudarsana. The son of a hermit called the eunuch by his
Sanskrit name ‘Kleeba’. The prince caught the first syllable ‘Klee’ and began to pronounce it as
‘Kleem’. This syllable is a powerful, sacred Mantra. It is the Bija Akshara of Parasakti. The prince
obtained peace of mind and the grace of the Divine Mother, by the repeated utterings of this
syllable. Devi appeared to him, blessed him and gave him divine weapons, and an inexhaustible
arrow-case.
The emissaries of the king of Banares passed through the Ashrama of the Rishi, and saw the
noble prince Sudarsana and recommended him to princess Sasikala, the daughter of the king of
Banares.
A Svayamvara was arranged. Sasikala chose Sudarsana. Yudhajit also was there. Sasikala
was wedded to Sudarsana. Yudhajit began to fight with the king of Banares. Devi helped Sudarsana
and his father-in-law. Yudhajit mocked at the Devi. Devi reduced Yudhajit and his army to ashes.
Sudarsana and his wife and his father-in-law praised the Devi. She was highly pleased and
ordered them to perform Her worship with Homa and other means in all the four Navaratris of the
months—Ashadha, Asvina, Magha and Chaitra, beginning with the Sukla Prathama. Then She
disappeared.
Thereupon, prince Sudarsana and princess Sasikala came back to the Ashrama of Rishi
Bharadvaja. The great Rishi blessed them and crowned Sudarsana as the king of Kosala. Sudarsana
and Sasikala and the king of Banares implicitly carried out the commands of the Divine Mother and
performed worship in a splendid manner during each of these Navaratri days.
Sudarsana’s descendants, Sri Rama and Lakshmana, also performed worship of Devi
during the Vasanta Navaratri and were blessed with Her assistance in the recovery of Sita.
It is your duty also to perform the worship of Devi for your material and spiritual welfare
during the Vasanta Navaratri and follow the noble example set by Sudarsana and Sri Rama. You
cannot achieve anything without Mother’s blessings. Sing the prayers of the Divine Mother. Repeat
Her Mantra and Name. Meditate on Her form. Do Puja. Pray and obtain Her eternal grace and
blessings.