The fourth day of Navratri is dedicated to the fourth (chaturtha), Navdurga, Goddess Kushmanda, who is known to have created the universe with Her smile.

Goddess Kushmanda is depicted with eight hands holding a kamandalu (water pitcher), a bow, an arrow, a lotus flower, a trident, a jar of nectar, a mace and a discus and She rides a lion.

The name Kushmanda is a combination of three words – ‘Ku,’ means little, ‘ushma,’ means warmth or energy and ‘anda,’ means egg. It means the one who created this universe as a ‘little cosmic egg.’

Goddess Kushmanda denotes dharma (duty) and justice. She holds a rosary in one hand, blessing Her devotees with ashtasiddhis (the eight supernatural powers as elaborated in ancient yoga), and navniddhis (nine different types of wealth).

Goddess Kushmanda – The Goddess of the Anahata (Heart) Chakra.

The heart chakra is the energy center where we store all the emotions of sadness, grief, greed, jealousy, rejection etc. Unless we are out from the clutches of such emotions we can not heal fully.

It is important to understand the meaning of healing in this context. “Healing,” is a state where we are in complete acceptance of life, with complete surrender and love.

Healing does not mean “to cure.” Healing is what brings us to the realization that nothing is wrong in life, and that everything and everyone is just playing its role.

That is why, unless we heal the heart, we can’t be healed. Goddess Kushmanda, helps us to heal by requiring us to go into the darkness within and heal. The heart chakra gets open only with the emotion of love and forgiveness. Love is the only emotions which makes us a divine being. It is a feeling which connects us with others and gets us out from our own created boundaries. The manifestation which is only out of love can never be detrimental for the world.

WHAT IS ANAHATA CHAKRA?

The Anahata Chakra is situated in the centre of the chest, close to the heart – its colour is light blue, the colour of the sky but many associate this chakra with the colour green. The corresponding element is Air, representing freedom and expansion.

In Sanskrit, Anahata means “unstruck,” or “unbeaten.” This signifies an impartial and infinite love allowing a deeper understanding of self and others. It is located in the region of the heart, in the center of the chest.

The Anahata Chakra is the seat of the Divine Self (Atma). In the symbolic picture of Anahata Chakra, there is a lotus flower with twelve petals. These represent the Divine qualities of the heart, such as bliss, peace, harmony, love, understanding, empathy, clarity, purity, unity, compassion, kindness and forgiveness. However, the Heart Centre is also the centre of emotions and feelings. In its symbolic image are two star-shaped, superimposed triangles. The tip of one triangle points upwards while the other points downwards. When the energy of the Anahata Chakra flows up towards spiritual consciousness, our feelings are expressed as Bhakti, pure, Divine love and devotion. However, if our consciousness sinks down to the spheres of worldly passion, our emotions become confused and unbalanced. It is then that desire, jealousy, sadness and despair overwhelm us.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HEART CHAKRA

It is said that subtle (emotional) energies flow through our veins. Therefore, if you allow hurt and bitterness to overpower you, these negative emotional energies circulate through your body and as a result, can damage the entire body and spirit. But if you can forgive and let go, allowing all things loving to be recorded in every breath and every cell, then you will live with a happy heart.

We all live in the biological consequences of our biological choices – therefore, we essentially choose to grow a bitter heart or a loving heart.

We are in a culture that has not yet healed the ‘wounded child,’ within, so painful memories and negative attitudes still haunt us, which creates a dysfunctional self-image and keeps us living in the past. All this emotional debris needs to be filtered from the heart and eliminated through the root chakra. Literally, we need to let go of all that is holding us back.

It is in Anahata chakra that Kundalini Shakti appears for the first time as a beautiful goddess. She sits in lotus posture within the triangle. The triangle pointing upwards, shows the potential of Shakti to move upward and carry the aspirant into the higher planes of existence. Dressed in a sari, Kundalini Shakti is serene and centered within Herself. She is the virgin mother and is synonymous with Shakti, selfless spiritual devotion. No longer is She personified as a destructive serpentine force, as is typified by the first chakra. Kundalini Shakti now becomes a goddess and one may communicate with Her, the upward-moving energy.

She is no longer coiled around the lingam, but sits independently in a yogic posture. She embodies anahata nada, the cosmic sound, which is present everywhere and is known as white noise. This sound begins in the heart as AUM, the seed of all sounds.

PRAYER OFFERINGS

Offering prayers to Goddess Kushmanda will aid you to come back to your unstuck state – your unconditional state of holding space for yourself, without putting yourself out too much. It is about being unconditional with yourself first, before being unconditional with anyone else.

Start your prayers by offering obeisance to Lord Ganesha first, then by offering red flowers to Goddess Kushmanda, 7 ghee lamps, sweetmeats and 3 different types of fruits.

Ganesha Dhyanam

Vakratunda Mahakaya,

Suryakoti Samaprabha,

Nirvighnam Kurume Deva,

Sarva Kareshyu Sarvada.

Om shantih, shantih, shantihi.

Prarthana (Prayer)

Surasampurna Kalasham Rudhiraplutameva Cha।

Dadhana Hastapadmabhyam Kushmanda Shubhadastu Me॥

Stuti (Salutations)

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Maa Kushmanda Rupena Samsthita।

Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah॥

Dhyanam (Meditation)

Vande Vanchhita Kamarthe Chandrardhakritashekharam।

Simharudha Ashtabhuja Kushmanda Yashasvinim॥

Bhaswara Bhanu Nibham Anahata Sthitam Chaturtha Durga Trinetram।

Kamandalu, Chapa, Bana, Padma, Sudhakalasha, Chakra, Gada, Japawatidharam॥

Patambara Paridhanam Kamaniyam Mriduhasya Nanalankara Bhushitam।

Manjira, Hara, Keyura, Kinkini, Ratnakundala, Manditam॥

Praphulla Vadanamcharu Chibukam Kanta Kapolam Tugam Kucham।

Komalangi Smeramukhi Shrikanti Nimnabhi Nitambanim॥

Stotra (Hymns)

Durgatinashini Tvamhi Daridradi Vinashanim।

Jayamda Dhanada Kushmande Pranamamyaham॥

Jagatamata Jagatakatri Jagadadhara Rupanim।

Charachareshwari Kushmande Pranamamyaham॥

Trailokyasundari Tvamhi Duhkha Shoka Nivarinim।

Paramanandamayi, Kushmande Pranamamyaham॥

Kavacha (Armour)

Hamsarai Mein Shira Patu Kushmande Bhavanashinim।

Hasalakarim Netrecha, Hasaraushcha Lalatakam॥

Kaumari Patu Sarvagatre, Varahi Uttare Tatha,

Purve Patu Vaishnavi Indrani Dakshine Mama।

Digvidikshu Sarvatreva Kum Bijam Sarvadavatu॥

Japa Mantra

Om Devi Kushmandayai Namah॥ 108x

Kshamapana Strotam

(Seeking Forgiveness Mantra)

Aparadha Sahasrani Kriyanthae Harni Sam Maya

Dasoaya Mithi Maam Mathwa Kshamaswa Parameshwari.

Aavajanam Na Janami Na Janami Visar Janam

Poojam Chaiva Na Janami Kshamya Tham Parameshwari.

Manthra Heenam Kriya Heenam Bhakthi Heenam Sureshwari

Yath Poojitham Maya Devi Paripoornam Thadas Thuthe.

Aaparadha Satham Kruthwa Jagadam Bethi Choucharath

Yaam Gathim Samvap Nothe Nathaam Brahma Daya Suraa.

Saparadhosmi Saranam Prathas Thvam Jagadambike

Idhanee Manu Kamap Yoham Yadechchasi Thada Kuru.

Agnana Smruther Branthya an Yoonam Adhi Kam Krutham.

Thath Sarva Ksham Yadham Devi Praseedha Parameshwari.

Kameshwari Jaganmathah: Sachidananda Vigrahe

Griha Narchamee Mam Preethya Praseeda Parameshwari.

Guhyadhi Guhya Gopthri Thwam Grihaana Asmad Krutham Japam

Sidhir Bhavathu Mey Devi Thwat Prasadath Sureshwari

May you live in the power of your love. May the blessings of the Devi take you where your heart beats in bliss.

Jai Maa!

SUJATA NANDY WORLD GURUKUL

www.sujatanandy.com

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