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Fall Navaratri 2024

Thursday, October 3, 7:00 p.m. Opening Puja

The Meditation Center is celebrating the nine days-nights (navaratri), with special events.

5:30-6:45 p.m.: In-Person Gentle Hatha Yoga  with Sig Martell

7:00-8:00 p.m.: “Fall Navaratri 2024 with Emilio Bettaglio”

8:00-8:30 p.m.: Meditation Guided by Eric Ness

8:30 p.m.: Evening Prayers

Shardiya (fall) Navaratri is the invocation and celebration of Mother Divine, one of the most important observations in the Himalayan Yoga tradition. She, Shakti “… by whom this whole world, whole universe is upheld and sustained…” Swami Veda.

Join Emilio at The Meditation Center on the first night of the waxing moon on Thursday, October 3rd, at 7:00 p.m. in the Hall of the Tradition. The Satsang will be in person and on Zoom to celebrate the opening of the nine nights of Navaratri with a guided puja. This will be followed by Swami Veda’s audio recording of Lalita Sahasranama, the Thousand Names of Lalita.

You are also invited to join us for eight additional evenings at 8:00 p.m. to hear the audio recording of Lalita Sahasranama by Swami Veda. This special recording is a contemplation and meditation in itself; each of the thousand names of Mother Divine is a mantra and Swami Veda’s recitation is a wonderful experience of creative dynamic energy.

The final and ninth evening will be on Friday, October 11 at 7:00 p.. when the Lalita Sahasranama audio file will be played first, followed by the puja to close the observance. Again, this will be held in the Hall of the Tradition and will be in person and via Zoom.

All nine sessions will be zoomed; the first and final sessions on October 3rd and the 11th will be in person and on zoom.

The Durga mantra that will be chanted during the pujas is the Sarva Mangala mantra.

sarva maṅgala maṅgalye
śhive sarvārtha sādhike
śharaṇye tryambake gauri
nārāyaṅi namo’stu te

Oh Mother of the Universe, of Life and of Love

Oh Shakti of Shiva,
You are fulfilling the desires of your devotees.

You with three faces, earth, heaven and beyond

Everything I am,

Everything I have,
I surrender to Thee.

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who is the auspiciousness in all that is auspicious,
Auspiciousness Herself, complete with all the auspicious attributes, the consort of Lord
Shiva, who is the means of accomplishing all desires, wealth, and all the Four
Purusharthas, and who is the refuge of all, the consort of the three-eyed Shiva, and the
fair-complexioned one. Salutations to You, O Narayani!
This powerful Durga mantra is taken from the Devi Mahatmya (Durga Saptashati /
Chandi Path), which is part of the Markandeya Purana, written by the sage
Markandeya. When the Goddess killed Mahishasura, the buffalo demon, the devas
praised Durga with their hymns.
This shlokam (verse) includes seven different names in praise of Durga: Sarva Mangala
Mangalye, Shive, Sarvartha Sadhike, Sharanye, Triyambake, Gauri and Narayani. We
bow to that great Goddess, the Shakti as the giver of all good fortunes – our savior and
refuge.

sarva — all
maṅgala — auspicious
maṅgalye — conferring happiness and auspiciousness
śhive — Shiva, Durga’s consort
sarvārtha — all wealth or all four Purusharthas (Kama, Artha, Dharma, Moksha)
sādhike — accomplishing, fulfilling, achieving
śharaṇye — giver of refuge, affording shelter, yielding help and protection
tryambike — consort of the three-eyed one (Shiva)
gauri — one with fair complexion (brilliant, shining face), Durga, (Parvati???)
nārānyaṅi — sister of Narayana (Vishnu)
namah — bow, reverential salutation
astu — should happen, let it be so!
te — to you

Read a detailed explanation of the Sarva Mangala mantra.

Read here the Sarva Mangala Mantra

Listen here to Swami Veda Bharati recite the Sarva Mangala mantra.

Read here the text of the Sri Lalita Sahasranama, the Thousand Names of Lalita.

Listen here to Swami Veda reciting the 1,000 Names of Lalita, the Mother Divine, “Sri Lalita Sahasranama”

All events at the Meditation CenterFor further information please call the Meditation Center (612) 379-2386