Shubhankara Navratra Jaagran Celebrations at Melbourne Upasana Kendra

Hari Om,

ll Anasuyo Trisambhuto Dattatreyo Digambarah

Smartrugaami Swabhaktaanaam Uddhartaa Bhavsankataat ll

As is the norm at our Melbourne Upasana Kendra we listen to our Param Poojya Bapu’s pravachan after the weekly upasana. So one day while we were watching the DVD of our Param Poojya Bapu’s Marathi pravachan (Thursday 7th October 2010 at Shri Hari Guru Gram) Bapu emphasised on the importance of Navratri and also explained everyone the upasanas that should be performed in this period. Bapu said that during Navratri period maximum sacrosanct and extremely holy waves and vibrations are being transmitted throughout this universe. In the pravachan, Bapu stressed on the presence of word 'Ratri' in the word Navratri and further emphasised on the importance attached to all the nights that fall in this period. Bapu urged everyone to do Jaagran i.e. staying up till late night atleast once during the period of nine nights. But while we do jagran we should do recitations of Ashubhanashini Stavanam, Shubhankara Stavanam, Ram Raksha, Shree Gurukshetram Mantra, etc without counting the number of recitations and / or perform reading of Matruvalsalya Vindanam or Ram Rasayan (both these books are authored by Param Poojya Bapu Himself). One can even keep reciting just the word "Aai" from the bottom of his heart and call "Her (Aadi Mata)". These recitations or readings should ideally begin from 9:30 pm at night and should end not before 2:30 am in the morning. But it would be best to stay up for the entire night. And while we observe jagran we should take care that the others around us are not disturbed for which we should refrain from creating any noise or being vocal. Bapu completely ridiculed and criticised the practice of playing cards under the name of Jaagran and the waste of time that is associated with it. Bapu also criticized the wrong way in which this holy festival is now-a-days celebrated in the society (where people drink alcohol and participate in the Navratri festival, dandiya and processions, involve in immoral activities under the name of garba or dandiya and offer non-vegetarian foodstuffs and alcohol to Goddess by considering it to be a holy offering). Finally before ending his discourse Bapu again urged all the Shraddhavans to seriously observe the night recitations and reading and also visit Shree Aniruddha Gurukshetram and take darshan of both the forms of Aadi Mata (Anusaya Mata and Mahishasurmardini Mata) and offer our love and worship whole heartedly to the Goddess. Moreover, He again stressed on the point that the statue of Mahishasurmardini Mata at Shree Aniruddha Gurukshetram is actually not just a statue but the Goddess Herself.

After the pravachan was over we unanimously decided to observe a Navratri Jaagran from this year onwards. And almost immediately we had the program chalked out and everyone was poised to take this opportunity to make it happen. The first opportunity to observe jaagran was during the Chaitra Navratra on the night of 13 April 2013 to thank the Aadi Mata for her blessings and love she has bestowed upon every one of us.

The first session of jaagran started at 10 PM, with regular Saturday Upasana of our Param Poojiya Bapu. The upasana was followed by extended Gajar and Garahane session praising our Bapu mauli’s grace. As you can see in the photo our youngest Bhakta Riyaveera taking the lead on singing the Garahane (as always).

The second session started with pathan of eleventh, twenty second and thirty third chapter of Sai Sat Charitra with voice of our Param Poojya Suchitdada being played in the background. This was followed by chanting of Adimata Subhamkara Stavanam and Ashubnashini Stavanam  for approximately half an hour and 108 times of the powerful matra ‘OM AIM RHEEM KLEEM CHAMUNDAYE VICHAY'. The way the whole atmosphere crackled with energy during chanting of this mantra was amazing, absolutely awesome.

The jaagran also included a session of listening to Bapu’s pravachan and the then Anubhav kathan. The jaagran ended at 6.30 am with five continuous Aartis of Sadguru Bapu, Nandaaai, Suchit Dada, Anusaya Mata and Mahishasurmardini Mata. Towards the end and many a times, we found ourselves completely ecstatic enjoying every moment of the night. We included tea and snack sessions in between to stay up and awake for the entire night.

All the Bhaktas celebrated the jaagran with great devotion and fervor with blessings of our beloved Aadi Mata. By the grace of Chandika kul the whole experience of the jaagran was memorable with lots of positive vibrations experienced and all this was evident by the look of absolute reverence on the faces of all Bhaktas.

Om Namahshchandikaye...