Narrator:
[Ritual Chanting and Ceremony] (The audio begins with the sounds of conch shells, bells, and rhythmic drumming. A priest performs the Maha Ashtami puja, chanting Sanskrit mantras dedicated to Goddess Durga and Dakshina Kalika. The atmosphere is filled with the sounds of a fire ritual (homa), including the crackling of wood and the pouring of clarified butter.)
Interviewer:
Greetings, Guru-dev.
Guru:
Greetings.
Interviewer:
Durga Puja is almost reaching its conclusion.
Guru:
Yes, it's nearly over. Navami has already begun this morning. The rituals will continue through the night. Tomorrow morning by 11:00 AM, the Navami puja must be completed because Dashami will begin right after. This is quite a tight schedule. Tomorrow is one of our most significant days—the Navami puja involves the great sacrifice (bali-dan) and the sacred fire rituals (homa-yagya). All of this needs to be wrapped up by 11:00 AM. I'm not sure if we can manage everything in time.
Interviewer:
In some places, Kumari Puja is also held.
Guru:
Yes, Kumari Puja is definitely a part of it. In many places, it was performed today. It is a major event at Belur Math. Swami Vivekananda once said that even if you do nothing else, you must perform the Kumari Puja. It is held there with great pomp and ceremony. This is a special aspect of the Ashtami celebrations.
Interviewer:
Many people might not know the intricate details of what occurs during the Ashtami Puja. Could you explain the process for our listeners?
Guru:
I've already discussed the Sandhi Puja. Now, regarding the Ashtami Puja: early in the morning, the priests arrive to awaken the Mother Goddess. We perform a ritual called Danta-Manjan (cleaning the teeth). For this, we use warm water, a twig from the Bel tree, and salt on a mango leaf. This is offered to the Goddess as a symbolic cleaning of her teeth.
Guru:
After waking her and symbolically cleaning her face, we offer her tea, just as we would in a household. The system here is the same. Then, the priests sit for the main puja.
Guru:
First, there are various preparatory pujas, followed by the Mahasnan (the Great Bath). This is done every day of the puja. Once the bathing ritual is complete, the priests begin the elaborate puja of the Mother. We worship Goddess Durga first, then Kartikeya, Ganesha, Saraswati, and Lakshmi.
Guru:
After these five, we worship various attendant forces—Ghor, Aghor, and the companions of the Mother, Jaya and Vijaya. We even offer prayers for the spirits (bhuta-preta). Then comes the worship of the Dasadikpala (the ten directional guardians).
Guru:
Following that is the worship of the Ashtashakti (Eight Powers) who fought alongside the Mother. These include Brahmani, Maheshwari, Kaumari, Vaishnavi, Narasimhi, Varahi, Indrani, and Chamunda. Each of them is invoked and worshipped with full honors.
Guru:
Then we worship the eight Bhairavas—Asitanga, Ruru, Bhishana, Samhara, Chanda, Unmatta, Kapala, and Krodha. After them, we move to the 64 Yoginis. These powerful beings were present on the battlefield with the Mother. Sri Ramakrishna himself attained spiritual heights through the worship of these 64 Yoginis.
Guru:
Next is the worship of the Kshetrapala—the guardians of the site. Finally, we worship the Lion (the Mother's mount) and Mahishasura (the Buffalo Demon).
Guru:
There is a unique story here. When Mahishasura fought the Mother, he attacked her fiercely. He used his horns to uproot mountains and his tail to churn the oceans. He struck her with many weapons. However, when the Mother struck him back, it wasn't out of malice, for she is the mother of all.
Guru:
As the gods watched from above, they realized the Mother had no physical weapon to deliver the final blow. Lord Shiva then gave her his trident (Trishula), saying, "Mother, use this to slay the demon, for he cannot be killed otherwise."
Guru:
When Mahishasura was pierced by the trident, he had a realization. He said, "Mother, I am your child. I failed to recognize you. Please forgive me. When you come to Earth in the future, please bring me with you and let me be worshipped at your feet." The Mother granted this wish, which is why Mahishasura is always seen at her feet in her idols.
Guru:
Another thing to note is about the music. Many people play the Shehnai during these rituals, but in my opinion, it shouldn't be played during the battle-focused segments. The scriptures suggest that during the fiercer aspects of the Mother, instruments of war like drums, trumpets, and conches are more appropriate. The Shehnai is too soft for the warrior form of the Mother.
Guru:
Despite his atrocities, the Mother forgave Mahishasura because she is the Universal Mother. Think about the depth of her compassion! Even after all that torture, she allowed him to be part of her worship.
Interviewer:
You mentioned Kumari Puja. Is there a rule about whether it should be on Ashtami or Navami depending on whether it's in a temple or a household?
Guru:
There isn't a strict universal rule, but Swami Vivekananda's influence made it very prominent on Ashtami. For any spiritual seeker (Sadhaka), Kumari Puja is essential to gain spiritual success (siddhi). I personally performed it at the Kamakhya temple on Ashtami.
Interviewer:
You've described a very detailed and long process.
Guru:
Yes, if done correctly, it takes eight to nine hours. It isn't a two-hour job. The priest needs immense knowledge—three types of knowledge, actually: Brahma-gyan (for Saraswati), Vishnu-gyan (for Lakshmi), and Shiva-gyan (for Durga or Kali).
Guru:
When worshipping Durga, one must establish Lord Shiva within themselves and mentally declare, "I am Shiva." The seeker then "orders" the Mother to remain still and accept the worship, because she is Chanchala (restless/fickle). This is how a true seeker performs the puja.
Guru:
Today is dedicated to Ma Gauri. Gauri performed severe penance at Gauri-kund to attain Lord Shiva. When Shiva appeared and asked what she wanted, she said, "I want you." She placed a rosary of Rudraksha around his neck.
Guru:
Later, during their marriage, Daksha (Gauri's father) asked Shiva about his lineage (Gotra). Shiva replied, "I am without a lineage (Gotra-heen)." This led to a conflict, but Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu explained that Shiva is the beginning and the end, the Primordial Power, and beyond such human classifications. Eventually, they were married.
Interviewer:
Gurudev, you have explained the various aspects of Durga Puja in great detail today. We will listen to you again tomorrow regarding the Navami rituals.
Guru:
Yes, greetings. Greetings.
Spiritual Insight
This profound exposition of Maha Ashtami rituals reveals the extraordinary depth of Durga Puja. The process begins with intimate domestic gestures—Danta-Manjan (cleaning the Goddess's teeth with Bel twig and salt) and offering tea—demonstrating that the Divine Mother is treated as a living member of the household. The elaborate worship sequence encompasses the Pancha-devatas (five deities), Ashtashakti (eight powers including Brahmani, Maheshwari, Kaumari, Vaishnavi, Narasimhi, Varahi, Indrani, and Chamunda), Astha-Bhairava (eight fierce manifestations), and the 64 Yoginis who witnessed Sri Ramakrishna's spiritual attainments. Most significantly, the redemption story of Mahishasura—who asked to be worshipped at the Mother's feet after realizing her true nature—reveals the Universal Mother's infinite compassion. The requirement of triple knowledge (Brahma-gyan, Vishnu-gyan, Shiva-gyan) for the priest underscores the comprehensive spiritual mastery needed for authentic ritual performance.