Durga Puja 2023 is a highly significant festival in Hinduism, celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion. People venerate Goddess Durga, particularly in West Bengal, Kolkata, Bihar, Tripura, Assam, and Odisha. During Navratri, devotees worship the nine forms of Goddess Durga over nine consecutive days. The nine forms of Durga are Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri. Durga Puja commences on the Shashti Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the month of Karthik as per the Bengali Calendar. This year, it began on October 20, 2023, and will conclude on October 24, 2023.

What is Navratri Durga Puja

Durga Puja, also referred to as Navratri, is a significant Indian festival that commemorates the victory of Goddess Durga over the formidable buffalo demon, Mahishasura. Among the various important days of this celebration, Mahashtami, the eighth day, holds deep religious significance and is widely observed throughout the nation. 

According to mythology or Folklore this day is marked by elaborate rituals, including special prayers and offerings, conducted with great care to seek the blessings of Goddess Maha Gauri, imploring for strength, bravery, and protection. It’s a period when spiritual devotion reaches its peak, and communities unite to exhibit the diverse tapestry of their cultural and religious heritage during this nine-day extravaganza.

Durga Puja 2023 | Durga Pooja Pandal 

Durga Puja is celebrated with immense religious significance within the Bengali community. The festival involves several unique customs, starting with the visitation of numerous beautifully adorned Durga Puja pandals, each having its distinct theme, providing a visual treat for the attendees. The pandals are artistically decorated and visited by people, prasad (offering to God) is usually made in the form of khichdi. Various stalls are set up with foods from various parts of the country.

A central element of the festivities is the Praan Pratishtha ceremony, where the idol of Goddess Durga is consecrated and brought to life through the recitation of various Vedic Mantras. One of the distinctive traditions associated with Durga Puja is the practice of taking a banana plant to a nearby river. This plant is bathed and adorned with a saree, symbolically representing the wife of Lord Ganesha. This act highlights the sacred connection between deities and the interplay of their roles within Hindu mythology.

■ Read in Hindi: Durga Puja | क्या दुर्गा पूजा शास्त्र सम्मत है, जानिए जन्म मृत्यु से मुक्ति पाने की वास्तविक पूजा विधि!

The culmination of Durga Puja involves the Visarjan, where devotees gather to immerse the idol in a nearby river or sea, symbolising the goddess’s return to her heavenly abode. But, this practice is not in accordance with the scriptures because its proof is not available in our Holy Books.

History and Significance of Durga Pooja 2023

In Hindu mythology, there’s a story of Durga Puja related to a demon Mahishasura who was granted a boon by Lord Brahma, making him impervious to being defeated by man or god. Mahishasura used this power to wage war against the gods and drove them out of heaven. Faced with this grave threat, the gods united and conducted a worship of Goddess Durga.

A ten-day battle ensued between Goddess Durga and Mahishasura. On the tenth day, Goddess Durga triumphed by vanquishing the demon king, and this day is now celebrated as Vijaya Dashami, signifying the victory of good over evil. On the final day, devotees ritually immerse the idol of Goddess Durga in the sacred waters of the Ganges River, a practice known as Durga Visarjan. Prior to immersion, there are lively processions featuring the beating of drums, singing, and dancing.

Goddess Durga is the Mother of Trinity Gods Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh 

Durga Mata is the mother of the Trinity Gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh. These three deities are responsible for the creation, preservation, and destruction of the universe. Durga Mata is often addressed by various names, including Tridev Janani, Shakti, Ashtangi, or Prakriti Devi. To support above-mentioned truth, there’s a reference in Devi Bhagwat Mahapuran, specifically on page 123, where Brahma ji says that Rajgun, Tamgun and Satgun are the three qualities of ours (Rajgun Brahma ji, Satgun Vishnu ji, Tamgun Shiv ji).  You are the one, our appearance means birth and disappearance means death.  That means Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh born as well as die.  They are not the immortal Supreme God, the Supreme God who created all these universes is someone else.

Know How to Please Goddess Durga on Durga Puja 2023?

During the auspicious period of Navratri, dedicated efforts are made to seek the blessings and favor of Goddess Durga. However, it is believed that to truly please Goddess Durga, one must chant her fundamental mantra, and this sacred knowledge is imparted exclusively by a Tatvdarshi Sant. A complete saint, who possesses profound insights into the scriptures, imparts divine methods and boundaries for devotion, enabling individuals to easily appease not only Durga Mata but also other deities like Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh.

Goddess Durga cannot be pleased through arbitrary rituals and practices. On the contrary, adhering to devotional practices in accordance with the scriptures bring myriad benefits and profound happiness to one’s life. The Tatvadarshi Saint shares the authentic methods of devotion as outlined in the scriptures, and Supreme God Himself incarnates in this mortal world to assume the role of a Tatvdarshi Sant. Only the Tatvdarshi Sant provides the basic mantras of Ashtangi Durga Ji, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh etc. through which the seeker gets all the benefits and complete salvation.

Durga Puja 2023 | Goddess Durga’s refusal to Worship her

Published from Gita Press Gorakhpur, on the seventh skandha of Shrimad Devi Bhagwat i.e. Devipuran, Chapter 36, page 562-563, Shri Devi Ji, while preaching to King Himalaya, has said, “O King! Leaving aside all other things, worship the Brahm, whose mantra is Om. By this one will attain Brahm and will go to Brahm world. It is clear from this that Goddess Durga ji is refusing even to worship herself and the devotees are worshipping Mother Durga arbitrarily.

Complete Salvation is achieved by true devotion to the Supreme God.

The three deities (Rajgun-Brahma, Satgun-Vishnu, Tamgun-Shiv), influenced by Jyoti Niranjan (Kaal), ensnare living beings in cycles of existence, leading them through experiences in heaven, hell, and various forms of life for 8.4 million births. We are all caught in the trap set by Durga and Kaal.

Maya kaali nagini, Apne jaaye khaat| 

Kundali mein chhode nahin, Sau baton ki baat।।

Knowledge giver of Holy Gita, Kaal Brahm says that the people who try to get free from the suffering of death and old age, they know Supreme God other than Brahm i.e. Kaal Brahma.  Regarding the same, it is said in Gita Chapter 18 Verse 62 that go to the shelter of that God, by whose grace you will attain ultimate peace and eternal supreme abode i.e. Satyalok where there is no birth-death, old age and any other suffering. 

Who is that Supreme God superior than Goddess Durga

Yajurveda Chapter 29 Verse 25

समिद्धोऽअद्य मनुषो दुरोणे देवो देवान्यजसि जातवेदः।

आ च वह मित्रामहश्चिकित्वान्त्वं दूतः कविरसि प्रचेताः।।

Meaning – At the time when the Supreme God appears, at that time all the sages and saints are abandoning the scriptures and rituals are guiding all the devotees of the society by their arbitrary conduct, then He himself comes as the messenger of His Tatvgyan, that is KavirDev i.e. Kabir Prabhu.  

God Kabir Himself gives His (Purna Brahm’s) information that above these gods, there is a SatPurush (True God) who has infinite arms, who lives in Satlok (Sachkhand, Satdhaam) and all the loks, [Brahm’s (Kaal’s) 21 brahmands and the loks of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiv, and Shakti and the seven Sankh brahmands of Parbrahm and all the other brahmands] come under Him. One can go to Satlok with Satnaam and Saarnaam’s incitation and these can be obtained from a Purn Guru (a Complete Guru).

Who is that Tatvdarshi Sant : The messenger of the Supreme God 

The Tatvdarshi Sant mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Verse 34 is none other than Jagatguru Tatvdarshi Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj Ji. According to scriptures, He imparts the complete devotional method in three stages. Initially, Tatvadarshi Sant provides the true mantras of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Goddess Durga, and Ganesha. In the second initiation, He gives the Satnaam of Brahm and Akshar Purush, and in the third, He offers the essence of Purnbrahm, Supreme God Kabir Sahib. This process is said to bring numerous benefits and lead to salvation, aligning with the genuine method of devotion as per scriptures. Seekers are encouraged to abandon worship against the scriptures and seek guidance from Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj for their well-being and to gain true spiritual knowledge.   To access this knowledge, they can download the Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj App from the Google Play Store.

FAQ REGARDING Durga Puja 2023

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