Durga Ashtami: The Timeless Battle Within
As people across the world prepare to celebrate Durga Ashtami, one may wonder: what is truly being celebrated? Beyond rituals and decorations lies a story far deeper than any legend- a story of knowledge, power, and the ultimate liberation of the Self.
Prakriti: The All-Pervading Shakti
In the Vedas, Prakriti is not just “nature.” Its root meaning reveals a secret: Pra – the supreme, the first; Kriti – creation. Together, they signify the all-powerful Shakti, the energy that pervades the universe, manifesting in infinite forms.
Within this cosmic dance, the Atma divides itself, symbolically — the male principle on the right, the female principle on the left. Yet, there is no real difference between male and female in the realm of the Self.
Five Forms, One Truth
Prakriti manifests in five forms, each a key to understanding the universe and ourselves:
- Durga the mother, the guardian, the destroyer of ignorance. She symbolizes the principle underlying all life, from the smallest leaf to the mightiest tree.
- Lakshmi the essence of prosperity and abundance, visible in heaven and earth alike.
- Saraswati the illuminator of true knowledge, the one who dissolves doubts.
- Savitri/Gayatri the radiant mother of Vedas, Mantras, and Tantras, representing Brahmaic energy and wisdom.
- Radha residing in Go-loka, the embodiment of the five vital airs, the subtle forces that animate all beings.
Each form is not just a goddess; she is a mirror reflecting the stages of spiritual evolution within every human being, a reminder that diverse paths converge toward one truth.
The Enemies Within
Who are the enemies she battles? Are the Asuras and Rakshasas really monsters? No. They are the shadows of our own minds — lower desires, ignorance, fear, and attachments.
Mahishasura, the buffalo demon, is none other than our inner darkness, the impulses that obscure the light of knowledge. The real battle is not on some distant battlefield — it is within every heart, in every human being, across all cultures, genders, and identities.
The Ten-Day Purification
The ten-day festival symbolizes the purification of our ten Indriyas , the five active senses and five cognitive faculties. Each day, each ritual, each prayer is a subtle instruction, a map to mastery over the self.
Every individual, no matter who they are or where they come from, can participate in this inner conquest. The victory of the Self is truly inclusive, available to every human being.
The Vigraha: An analytical Map. The Vigraha of Durga, her form, her weapons, her symbols is itself a lesson:
- Trident The three Gunas ( Attributes of human beings)
- Four hands Satwa, Rajas, Tamas, and Ahamkara
- Conch (Sanka) The subtle elements
- Discus (Chakra) The mind, untainted like a child
- Bow (Sarang) The sattwic power of maya
- Mace (Gadha) Strength to destroy ignorance
- Lotus The 24 Tattvas
- Earrings Timeless realms
Every weapon, every ornament is a key to understanding the Self . A thrilling revelation for those who look beyond the surface. Even the highest meditation turns the mind itself into a Vigraha, a living battlefield of knowledge and self-realization.
Here is the ultimate Rahasya ( Secret) :
The battlefield is not far away, not in some distant myth, not in someone else’s story. It is here. It is now. Within you.
Can you feel it?
The Asuras of doubt, fear, and ego rise inside your mind. The Rakshasas of attachment, anger, and ignorance crowd the hallways of your heart.
And yet… a light flickers. A presence stirs. The Timeless Self awakens. Its gaze pierces the darkness. The trident of discernment, the sword of courage, the shield of wisdom - all rise from within.
In a single heartbeat, the veil begins to lift. The shadow recoils. The darkness trembles. And just as the final note of the conch pierces the morning air, the truth lands with a thunderous clarity:
The goddess is not outside. She is you. She is the knowledge that refuses to be extinguished. She is the courage that rises when fear attacks. She is the Timeless Self, watching, guiding, victorious always. Durga is not merely a goddess; she is the purified Buddhi of every seeker, the wisdom that discerns the illusory world (Samsara) from the timeless Self (Atma). When this knowledge awakens, the shadows of ignorance -fear, ego, lower desires-cannot survive and even the seeking stops.
Across cultures, identities, and lifetimes, this is the universal message: the battle is timeless, the victory is within reach of everyone, and knowledge, courage, and clarity are powers waiting to awaken in each of us.
Puranas are best understood as the technical commentaries of the Vedas, not as literal mythology. For a deeper enquiry into Hindu Dharma and the philosophical essence behind these teachings, explore my book: Inside Out – An Enquiry of Hindu Dharma, available on Amazon, Notion Press, Kindle, and Kobo.
May the knowledge of the Timeless Self vanquish the shadows of ignorance in you, in me, in all of us.
Wishing you a profoundly illuminating Durga Ashtami and Dussehra.
K V Vishwanathan