Navratri Vrat: Kalash, Akhand Jyot, Bali and Paran Rules

The speaker says the first question in Navratri is the time of Ghat Sthapana, that is, the establishment of the Kalash. Before anything else, he says, look at how long PratipadaThe first tithi of a fortnight, on which navaratra anushthans begin. and Amavasya run: when Amavasya ends and when Pratipada begins. He distinguishes two situations. In the first, Pratipada and Amavasya fall on the same day and the next day is not Pratipada at all. His example is Amavasya lasting until 8 in the morning, Pratipada beginning after that and ending the same day. In that case, he says, establish the Kalash on that very day, in the midday period, in the Abhijit MuhurtaAn elected span of time in which an act is begun.. In the second, Amavasya lasts the whole day and Pratipada begins only in the afternoon, from around 2 or 3 o'clock, and the next morning Pratipada is still available for a while after sunrise, even half an hour, one hour or two hours. In that case, he says, do the Kalash sthapana on that next morning, when the first TithiA lunar calendar day — some idols (like a Shivling) need daily bathing regardless, while others only need it on their dedicated weekly day or tithi. of the bright fortnight is available, choosing an auspicious Chaughadiya muhurta within that time. He adds that if, say, only an hour and a half of Pratipada is available that morning and no auspicious Chaughadiya falls within it, one should still establish the Kalash on that second day, in the morning, at whatever auspicious muhurta is found or in the Abhijit muhurta.

After the Kalash sthapana, the speaker says, comes the question of the Akhand Jyot. Once the Kalash has been established, he says, the Akhand Jyot is lit. He gives one rule of placement. If the Akhand Jyot is of ghee, that lamp is to be established on the right-hand side of BhagavatiThe Goddess addressed by her honorific, used across these talks for whichever form is under discussion.'s image, her Shri Vigraha. If it is of sesame oil, it is established on Bhagavati's left side.

The speaker notes that sowing jvare in the Kalash is not universal: at Chaitra Navratri, he says, many places do not sow them and many do. Where they are sown, he gives the method. First the ground is cleaned. On it a triangle or a hexagram is drawn. Over that, pure soil that has been well purified by mixing GangajalWater from the Ganges, used to purify and re-consecrate ritual items exposed to impurity. into it is spread. Into this soil the barley is sown, while reciting whatever mantras of BhagavatiThe Goddess addressed by her honorific, used across these talks for whichever form is under discussion. the practitioner knows. He says the barley should be soaked and left a day beforehand, so that when it is mixed into the soil it sprouts well. The middle portion is to be left a little empty, cleared away, so that the Kalash seats properly and is not shaken when the jvare grow. He mentions that a separate video on Kalash sthapana exists, giving the simplest method that anyone can do on their own without worry.

On the wick of the Akhand Jyot, the speaker says it should be long from the start so that it does not have to be changed in between. Even so, he says, the flame can go out for any reason: it may go out on Panchami or Shashthi, on some night, or when soot has built up at the front of the wick and the flame dies while the soot is being removed. Asked what to do then, he says: relight the jyot, kindle it again. As soon as you see it, light it. After that, when you sit for puja, for the path, do one Mala of Japa of this mantra: "या देवी सर्वभूतेषु क्षमा रूपेण संस्थिता नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः", as a plea for forgiveness and as PrayashchittaRitual atonement performed to offset the karmic burden of a weighty act, such as a Shatkarma that results in an enemy's death., whatever the reason the flame went out. Here, he says, your prayashchitta is done and BhagavatiThe Goddess addressed by her honorific, used across these talks for whichever form is under discussion. will show grace. He calls this a small remedy, a method one can use if the jyot goes out.

On what BhogThe food offering placed before a deity before anyone in the household eats. to offer, the speaker says: if you are able, you can offer a different bhog each day according to the nine forms of Navadurga. Otherwise there is the ordinary bhog: sweets made from milk, raisins, dried dates (chhuhara), and whatever seasonal fruits are available at the time. He says honey must definitely be offered. If it is possible, keep honey as bhog before BhagavatiThe Goddess addressed by her honorific, used across these talks for whichever form is under discussion. in a small silver bowl for the nine days. After the pujan, when your path is complete, put that honey into water and have everyone accept that water as PrasadWhat returns from the deity after an offering, and is then eaten rather than discarded., that is, drink it. This, he says, should be done.

The speaker says many people finish their Saptashati path by Saptami. When AshtamiThe eighth tithi of a fortnight, held especially favourable for shakta rites. and NavamiThe ninth tithi of a fortnight, on which a navaratra anushthan is completed. tithis meet, that Sandhi KaalThe juncture where one tithi gives way to the next, in particular the ashtami-navami joint held most potent in Navratri. is the most special time, and Bali can be given then. The bali, he says, may be of a coconut, a lemon or a banana. If one does not know a very special vidhi, he says a very simple one can be used. He mentions a separate video on how to give a lemon bali. Otherwise, in the ordinary way: spread a banana leaf, place the bali offering on it, such as cucumber, banana, pumpkin and the like, and then, saying the hunkara, strike with whatever implement you have. That implement, he says, must never be changed: the implement with which you offer bali is kept for ever, it is worshipped, and then bali is done with it. At the time of bali, the fruit being offered should be covered, for example a banana covered with a red cloth, and the strike must be so sharp that the fruit splits into two pieces in a single blow. After that, apply RoliA red vermilion powder applied to ritual offerings such as the lemons in a sacrificial Bali, before they are circled with water and offered. to it and encircle it while giving water. He says if one goes very deep there are mantra-based vidhans, but he is giving the simple form, and the shakti of your house will surely accept it; BhagavatiThe Goddess addressed by her honorific, used across these talks for whichever form is under discussion. is very pleased by bali, it is dear to her. He urges the simple sadhak not to get stuck thinking "I know nothing, how will I do it". As for when: do this at the sandhi kaal when Ashtami and Navami tithis are meeting, the best time, because that is the time ChamundaThe form the Goddess takes on slaying Chanda and Munda, from whom the name is given. appeared. At that time, he says, her energy pervades the entire cosmos; for the destruction of enemies and of whatever troubles and diseases there are, that time is the finest, so bali should be given then.

The speaker takes up the question of whether to do kunwari kanya pujan first or Havan first. If your full path was completed on Saptami and you are going to do Kanya Pujan on AshtamiThe eighth tithi of a fortnight, held especially favourable for shakta rites. tithi, he says, first do the havan on Ashtami. Only after the havan do the kanya pujan and the rest. If you are completing the path on Ashtami, then on NavamiThe ninth tithi of a fortnight, on which a navaratra anushthan is completed. first do the havan, and after the havan do the kanya pujan on Navami.

Coming to how the Kalash is immersed and when the ParanThe formal breaking of a vrat at its appointed time, without which the observance is held incomplete. is done, the speaker says to keep in mind: if you are keeping the Navratri VratA vow kept with fasting and restraint for the span of an observance., you must remain fully fasting for nine days, that is, observe the vrat. It is not, he says, that because you did kunwari Kanya Pujan on NavamiThe ninth tithi of a fortnight, on which a navaratra anushthan is completed. tithi or on AshtamiThe eighth tithi of a fortnight, held especially favourable for shakta rites. tithi you may do the paran on that same day. That must not happen; it is a wrong method. If you do the paran on Ashtami, then where do the nine days of Navratri get completed? The worship of Shailputri is still pending, the whole vidhan of Dashami is still pending, so the vrat will be broken. So, he says, whether you did the kanya pujan on Ashtami tithi or on Navami, the paran is to be done only when Dashami TithiA lunar calendar day — some idols (like a Shivling) need daily bathing regardless, while others only need it on their dedicated weekly day or tithi. begins, that is, on Dashami itself.

The speaker describes the Dashami sequence for someone who, for example, did the kanya pujan on Navami after the havan. On Dashami TithiA lunar calendar day — some idols (like a Shivling) need daily bathing regardless, while others only need it on their dedicated weekly day or tithi., in the morning, first do the pujan of Aparajita BhagavatiThe Goddess addressed by her honorific, used across these talks for whichever form is under discussion.. Do ShamiA leaf used in remedy rituals — conventionally not to be picked on a Saturday; if needed for a Saturday rite, it's picked the Friday before. pujan. Whatever jvare have grown are all offered to Bhagavati, so offer them to her. Then do the Visarjan actions. First the Kalash has to be moved, and all of Bhagavati's shaktis, her entire family, have to be sent to their proper places. Only after all of this is done, when the visarjan and the samarpan are complete, touch some items and set them aside for daan so that the Navratri vrat succeeds: as far as one can, grain, fruit, spices, oil, ghee. After placing these, touch them and make the SankalpaA formal ritual resolution spoken aloud before an offering or observance, declaring its intent and dedicating its merit. in an ordinary way: "O Bhagavati, as far as I am able I give this food-daan to a BrahminOne of the priestly varna, fed or given dakshina at the close of many anushthans., or to the poor, or to both, so that my vrat, my anushthan, is successful." Then go and give it to the brahmin or the poor. Or, he says, do the ParanThe formal breaking of a vrat at its appointed time, without which the observance is held incomplete. first and then go and give it; there is no problem in that either. If you do it this way, he says, your Navratri vrat will be complete.

On the Akhand Jyot, the speaker says it should keep burning until you move the Kalash. That is, once you have done the Visarjan, if the jyot then goes out by itself, there is no problem. But it should never be, he says, that "now the kanya pujan is done, so if the jyot is going out, never mind, don't add oil, don't add ghee". Until you have given BhagavatiThe Goddess addressed by her honorific, used across these talks for whichever form is under discussion. her farewell in the same way you invoked her, the jyot must remain kindled, must keep burning. This too, he says, is to be kept in mind, and only after all this is done.

One more question in Navratri, the speaker says, is what to do with the coconut placed on top of the established Kalash. Many people, he says, on Dashami TithiA lunar calendar day — some idols (like a Shivling) need daily bathing regardless, while others only need it on their dedicated weekly day or tithi. at Visarjan, either go to the river and after visarjan take out the coconut and break it, or take it out at home, break it and distribute it as PrasadWhat returns from the deity after an offering, and is then eaten rather than discarded.. This, he says, is a very wrong thing and a very wrong method; it brings great dosh. Whatever you may have heard from anywhere, however great, knowledgeable, capable and learned the sadhak who told you, take it as fixed that your entire Navratri VratA vow kept with fasting and restraint for the span of an observance. is being shattered if you do this. Breaking the coconut placed on the Kalash, he says, is the biggest foolishness, because that coconut is the very form of BhagavatiThe Goddess addressed by her honorific, used across these talks for whichever form is under discussion.. It takes worship for nine days; for nine days Jagadamba"Mother of the World" — an epithet of the Devi. is established in the jyot and in the Kalash. If you break that very coconut, what is left? It must never be broken. Either leave it in the river after visarjan, or, if you want to bring it home, keep it in the place of worship and worship it, and then you will have to immerse it the following year. It will never be broken. If the coconut has set, he says, you may plant it in the house, if there is a good, clean place, give it water and let it grow; it will protect your home. Never break the coconut; never do such a foolish thing.