Om Sri Ganeshaya Namah!
Om Sri Durgayai Namah!
Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

VIJAYADASAMI: The Great Goal And Its Attainment
by Sri Swami Chidananda

TODAY is the glorious day of the celebration of the Mother's Victory. It is a day of Vijaya, when all the gods rejoice and all mankind is in an exuberance of joy; for they have received the Supreme Assurance that so long as they turn to the Mother in their extremity and distress, there will be no lack of support and of strength. For, Mother is the champion of those in distress and those who seek refuge at Her divine feet. She is Strength Infinite, Maha-Shakti; and as such we have but to turn to Her and no more will weakness persist in us. The supreme victory over all the forces of darkness, ignorance and nescience is achieved and we shall be partakers together with the Mother of joy of Vijaya. Vijaya-Dasami is a supreme day of confidence, strength and courage for all seekers.

On this day all aspirants and those in quest of God have the greatest strength and courage for by the annihilation of all the forces that stand in the way of the fullest manifestation of divinity, Mother has thrown open the gateway as it were to the abode of Para Brahman. The worship of the Mother upon this supreme day is the worship of Maha-Maya in Her purest and absolute Vidya aspect. Till now, during the Navaratra, we worshipped the Mother in Her different aspects as She is manifest in this phenomenal world of human affairs. But when we come to Vijaya, we transcend the Mother in all Her external and Vidya-Avidya aspects and we gaze into Her face as the Pure Vidya-Maya, the Para-Shakti, to gaze at Whom is verily to gaze into the Infinite and the unfathomable depth of Para Brahman Himself.

For, we started at the very commencement of this worship by declaring that Mother is none else than the Para Brahman. The Supreme Being is Itself the Mother. Therefore, in Her Pure aspect as Vidya-Maya, She is Para Brahman Itself; and it is in Her radiant and all-glorious form of the Vidya, the radiance of Atma-Jnana, that we offer our salutations and adorations to the Mother upon this Supreme and blessed day of Vijaya Dasami.

On this day there no longer exists any element of the lower nature. There is no Asuric Sampat at all. There is no trace of demoniacal nature. All that is darkness has been completely annihilated. It has vanished. There reigns Mother and Mother alone in all Her supremacy. She is once again that mass of infinite consciousness. To invoke Her in this radiant, all vigorous aspect is to plunge ourselves in the supreme worship of the Transcendent Being. Thus, now, we start our worship and adoration of the Supreme Being, reaching which man has no more to go this round of painful birth and death. That is the abode of everlasting light from where there is no more return to sorrow. There is no more pain. Once for all we reach that supreme abode which is beyond all sorrow, all pain and all delusion. That is the supreme goal of the aspirant, the seeker, of all human beings, in fact, for this human birth has been given to us for that purpose of the highest attainment and for that purpose alone. All other pursuits are delusions and the one purpose of attaining the Supreme Being is the sole meaning, end and aim of this invaluable and precious human birth.

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11th October to 19th October is the holy nine-day worship of the Divine Mother known as Navaratri. The tenth day, Vijayadasami, concludes the nine-day worship.

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The following articles were recently posted at Sri Swami Krishnanandaji's site:

• The Cosmic Mind
• Attachment and Duty
• The Definition of Hinduism
• Om Mantra Is Best
• Earth-Shaking Thoughts

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

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BOOK SYNOPSIS

God As Mother
by Sri Swami Chidananda

During the Navaratra Durga Puja at the Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, in 1953 (8th to 17th October), Revered Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj delivered a series of most illuminating lectures on “God as Mother” which have been brought together in a book form.

These lectures contain in them an inspiring message to all sections and strata of mankind. That it has already gone through three editions before this, gives ample credence that it was well received by readers. Besides being out of print for quite some time, we felt it most fitting to bring out this fourth edition under the auspices of the Amrita Mahotsava of Pujya Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj.

For more information, please see: God As Mother

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KEEP A PROMISE: The Master was briefing a young man who was proceeding on a spiritual propaganda tour. To each one of the Master’s instruction, the young man only nodded his head, “Yes, Swamiji!” “I will watch for the fulfilment of your promises. Have you made these promises in earnest or are they like the promise of Sri X.?” the Master asked, and told the disciples how Sri X., wanting the Master to visit his place, promised to make all arrangements for a trip by air to and from that place.

“He kept quiet for a few days and then wrote a nice letter saying that he was bedridden and so could not fulfil his promise. Even at the time he made the promise, he had this ‘illness’ ready in his mind! This is a class of people who make vain promises for earning cheap glory. Even at the time of making the promise, they know full well that they will not fulfil it. Their lips utter the promise but their minds are at the same time manufacturing some lame excuses for breaking that promise. That lame excuse comes out later, according to schedule!

“These people have no idea of the practice of truth and its glory. They live in vain. Others detect them very soon. They do not achieve any success even in their worldly undertakings. Spiritual progress and falsehood cannot both go together.”

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“The Durga Puja is celebrated in various parts of India in different styles. But the one basic aim of this celebration is to propitiate Shakti, the Goddess in Her aspect as Power, to bestow upon man all wealth, auspiciousness, prosperity, knowledge (both sacred and secular), and all other potent powers. Whatever be the particular or special request that everyone may put before the Goddess, whatever boon may be asked of Her, the one thing behind all these is propitiation, worship and linking oneself with Her. There is no other aim. This is being effected consciously or unconsciously. Everyone is blessed with Her loving mercy and is protected by Her.” – Sri Swami Sivananda

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