Vertical and Horizontal Growth

Science explores the law of gravitation while religion unfolds the law of grace. One can grow horizontally with the help of scientific knowledge. Horizontal growth involves mare of everything that can provide comfort but not inner satisfaction. Religion invites us to grow vertically, exploring deeply love, devotion and contentment.

Both horizontal and vertical growths are necessary in our lives. Vertical growth in the spiritual dimension is essential for nourishing our soul.

Hinduism conceives of god as Brahma ब्रह्मा the creator, Vishnu विष्णु the sustainers and Shiva शिव the destroyer. All three elements co-exit. To create, knowledge is important. So Lord Brahma’s भगवान् ब्रह्मा spouse is Saraswati सरस्वती. To sustain, wealth is necessary, so Lord Vishnu’s भगवान् विष्णु spouse is Lakshmi लक्ष्मी. To destroy, the ingredient required is strength, so. Lord Shiva’s भगवान् शिव spouse is Shakti शक्ति festival all three are invoked and worshiped in the form of Saraswati सरस्वती, knowledge, Lakshmi लक्ष्मी, wealth and Shakti शक्ति, strength.

Every festival in India is celebrated with a divine purpose so as to receive the grace of the almighty. Navaratri नवरात्रि means nine nights. According to a Hindu belief, the last thought one entertains before one’s death determines the next birth. How does one have a sacred thought before death? It is possible through self-discipline. We sleep every day. Sleep is similar to death except that we wake up. Sleep can thus be termed as mini-death. If we were to discipline our mind by invoking a sacred though prior to sleep every day, it will certainly help us have a sacred thought during the time of death, Mahatma Gandhi महात्मा गांधी said ‘hey ram’  हे राम ! before his death as he was self – disciplined.

Nava also means ‘new’. if we invoke the blessings of Saraswati सरस्वती, Lakshmi लक्ष्मी and Shakti शक्ति before going to sleep every night, we will experience newness every night. Night or ratri रात्रि also means darkness denotes ignorance. For this too, invoking the goddesses can prove fruitful. Through grace, our ratri रात्रि or ignorance will vanish. Grace cannot be understood logically. It is a quantum leap in the field of consciousness. In physics, quantum leap is a great discovery. It involves electrons disappearing from one point and between them there is no time gap. Hence it is called quantum leap. Similarly, in the field of consciousness, when grace descends there will be a quantum leap in us.

During navaratri नवरात्रि, three nights of worship are assigned to each of the three Devis. Nava नव or newness in the form of grace is invoked. The tenth day is Vijayadashami विजय दशमी, denoting victory – victory of higher consciousness through the blessing of the goddesses. The greatest victory is the dispelling of darkness or ignorance.    

Grace of the Devis देवी always exists; it’s just that we should be worthy to receive them. The inner apparatus suitable to receive them is pure mind. Impure mind is like dirty muddy water, which cannot reflect the light of the moon. Moon exists but to reflect in water, the water has to be clean. This is called partibimba nyaya प्रतिबिम्ब न्याय. Our mind has to be pure in order to receive grace.

Navaratri नवरात्रि, therefore, is the celebration of removing ignorance. Our ignorance exists in the form of ego. E-G-O can mean edging god out. Hence we find Shakti शक्ति dancing on Shiva’s chest. It may appear disrespectful but it is symbolic: an egoless lord Shiva allows his wife to dance over him. It means deve’s देवी grace can descend in any form… but one should be available to receive it.