Navratri Process
Every question on the site tagged Navratri Process, each answered from a timestamped source rather than a summary written from memory.
Notes from our sources
Devi worship in Navratri is incomplete without her attendant deities
The speaker says that in Navratri people worship the Navadurgas, the ten Mahavidyass or one chosen form of Jagdamba, but while doing her puja and japa they forget certain deities whose worship is compulsory; without it, he says, the Devi's puja and japa is never complete. The reason he gives is that in Navratri, and especially chaitra-navratri, every shakti is at its peak and comes from its own loka to the earth, to its holy places and to its devotees' homes. Her Anga Shaktis and Mandala Shaktis are like a family: invite her and she does not come alone, her sons and children come with her, so all of them are to be worshipped and remembered, as far as one knows them.
Hanuman and Bhairav are worshipped before the Devi: they secure her place
The speaker says one need not know much Tantra to see this: even in ordinary puja, when the Devi is invited and the Durga Chalisa is recited, it says "Langur Veer karat agwani", Langur Veer, that is Hanuman, leads the way and goes first. Wherever Jagdamba or her partial shaktis are about to come, Langur Veer reaches first and oversees the whole place; the responsibility for its security rests on Hanuman and on Bhairava. So the worship of both becomes essential, and because Hanuman comes first, his worship and Bhairav's worship are to be done before the Devi's own.
Minimum Bhairav worship in Navratri
The speaker says that alongside Hanuman, Bhairava must also be worshipped in Navratri according to one's capacity. At the very least one should remember him, do japa of his name-mantra, and light a Chaumukh Deepak lamp in his name. The reason he gives is that these two shaktis are the ones who carry out all of Bhagavati's work, and the responsibility of protecting her devotees rests on them; so both are to be worshipped in Navratri without fail.
Are fasting, Kalash establishment, and an unbroken flame mandatory for Navratri recitation?
No — if you lack the financial means to maintain an unbroken flame or a full Kalash-based worship for nine days, you can recite Saptashati without either, and there is no fault in this for devotion to the Goddess; fasting depends purely on physical capacity.
Can a mustard oil lamp be used during Navratri worship, or only ghee or sesame oil?
Mustard oil is not reserved only for death rituals or spirits, as some misleading videos claim — it can be used for regular worship and is specifically used in protection rituals; the real requirement is purity of the oil, whichever type is used.
What is the correct timing for morning Aarti and recitation during Navratri?
Morning Aarti and offerings must be completed by 7:00–7:30 AM at the latest during Navratri — earlier is better — because divine powers gather at fixed times when the Kalash and unbroken flame are established, and absence at that time causes divine displeasure (Dev Dosha).
Should Saptashati recitation happen before or after Aarti, and can it be done at night?
Complete basic morning worship and Aarti by 7:00–7:30 AM regardless of body constraints, then recite Saptashati afterward at a comfortable pace; night recitation is also acceptable starting around 8–10 PM, but morning Aarti timing is never relaxed even after a late night.
How should food offerings (bhog) and fruit-fasting be handled during Navratri?
Offer bhog according to your own financial capability rather than rigidly following claims about specific day-wise offerings, and during fasting consume only enough fruit, coconut water, or clean juice to sustain the body.
Sutak pauses regular worship, a permanent idol under about six inches replaces paper photos and is not moved or bathed daily, and havan may be substituted with extra chanting or donated materials.
Sutak pauses regular worship, permanent idols should be used instead of paper photos, the main idol should not exceed about 6 inches, the primary idol should not be moved or bathed daily after installation, pregnant women past three months should avoid the core worship area, and Havan can be substituted with extra chanting or donated materials.
What is Sandhi Puja in Navratri, and when does it fall?
The speaker says there is one time in Navratri when puja, path and prayer to Bhagwati through a special vidhi-vidhan — for destroying enemies, Abhichara, Preta, Pishach and other negative forces — bears fruit without fail: the transition when the Ashtami tithi ends and the Navami tithi begins, the Sandhi Kaal, announced in Durga Puja pandals as the time of Sandhi Puja. He says this window is so divine and supremely effective that in it Bhagwati Chamunda is held to pervade the entire world in her direct ugra form, and by that fierceness every negative force in the whole world is eclipsed, bound and pressed completely beneath her feet.
Why the sandhi kaal of 25 to 45 minutes is so intense for a Chamunda prayoga
The speaker says Chamunda is so ugra and so intense because the tantra texts hold that the kaal of her appearance is exactly the Sandhi Kaal in which she manifested. The sandhi-kaal is very short, and she finished the war with Chanda and Munda within it — by today's reckoning of the sandhi-kaal puja, a window of roughly 25 minutes to a maximum of 45. The senior, experienced tantriks of the guru tradition, when they describe it, say that in those few moments Bhagwati cleared away who knows how many crores of akshauhini armies — so swift, so intense was she. That, he says, is why this prayoga is extremely intense, excellent and beneficial.
No full Navratri vrat is needed for the Chamunda sandhi puja bali vidhan
The speaker says that to perform this vidhi it is not necessary that only those who have kept the Navratri Vrat and such do it. Those who have not kept the Navratri vrat can still perform this vidhan if they are merely fasting on the Ashtami.
Chamunda sandhi puja bali vidhan: the lamps, sankalp, offerings and aarti in order
The speaker gives the procedure. First light one of the three single-wick diyas and invoke Bhagwati Durga as Jatved Agni into its flame; that is the Karmasakshi Deepak from which every other lamp is lit. Holding Akshat, flowers, water and Dakshina, take Sankalpa with name, Gotra and place: to worship Bhagwati Chamunda in the Sandhi Kaal as far as one's ability, understanding and available upacharas allow, for the destruction of all one's enemies and of every tantric scheme and conspiracy worked against one. From the Jatved lamp light the first single-wick lamp in the Guru's name and the second in Ganesha's; then the eleven Chaumukh Deepak diyas in a row before the banana leaf — the nine in the middle are the nine forms of Chamunda, the one on one's left is Hanuman ji, the last on the right Batuk Bhairava — lit in that order: Hanuman, the nine, Batuk Bhairav last. Before every lamp place one coconut and one lemon, sprinkle all with Gangajal and give each a fine red Sindoor tilak. Holding akshat and flowers recite the Tantrokta Devisuktam — the recitation by which Kaushiki was invoked — and offer the flowers. Then the Bali: offer every coconut first, in the same order (guru, Ganpati, Hanuman, the nine Durgas, Batuk Bhairav), then cut each lemon standing upright, applying Roli and dropping a little water three times beside each from an Achamana spoon. Any stuti may follow; before Aarti set one camphor with two flowered cloves before every lamp and light it, then do aarti and Kshama Prarthana. The lemons are immersed under a sacred tree or in a river; the coconuts are eaten only by the household, never by outsiders. By Jagadamba's grace, he says, Chamunda destroys many troubles, sorrows and crises in a moment.
When should the Navratri fast be broken?
The speaker says that those who fast from Pratipada to Navami must always do their parana on Vijayadashami — never on Navami or Ashtami by eating grain after kanya pujan. The nine-day fast is not broken on Navami but on Dashami, after the Vijayadashami pujan is done. He calls Vijayadashami the day that ties the nine days of vrat, puja, sadhana, havan and japa into one thread, with its own Vijay Muhurat.
Shastra pujan on Vijayadashami
The speaker says the first thing on Vijayadashami is shastra pujan, ayudh pujan: every Sanatan-dharmi home should have a weapon, and it is worshipped that day. At the puja place the weapon is bathed with panchamrit and panchgavya, then with Gangajal, given roli-kumkum tilak, shown dhoop and deep, and then offered to Bhagavati and placed beside her, with dhoop-deep pujan.
Shami and Aprajita pujan on Vijayadashami
The speaker says Shami and Aprajita pujan must be done on Vijayadashami: Shami destroys enemies, Aprajita gives victory in every field, and the nine-day vrat reaches completion only by their grace — no vrat or festival is complete without prakriti puja. Those without the plants light two lamps in their names, even mentally, or get the plants from a flower seller or nursery. The cutting tool is washed and worshipped as a shastra; then with roli, kumkum, deepak, akshat, naivedya, paan, supari, clove, cardamom, Gangajal and mouli one goes first to the Aprajita, offers water, ties the mouli, offers akshat-kumkum, flowers, dhoop-deep and naivedya, prays repeatedly for the full fruit of the vrat and victory, cuts a little of the creeper asking forgiveness, then does the same at the Shami, and places both on the Kalash. In the full vidhan this is done outside the town boundary, which he says is not possible today.
Visarjan of the Navratri Kalash: the farewell prayer and shifting the Kalash
The speaker says that after aarti, visarjan begins by taking akshat and flowers in hand and saying the visarjan mantra — "Uttishtha Devi Chamunde" in Sanskrit if one knows it, otherwise in plain Hindi: that by Bhagavati's grace and the intellect and strength she gave, the Navratri vrat-sankalpa has been completed; that one humbly presents oneself to bid her farewell; that Ma Durga and all the devas who came with her return happily to their lokas and from there always protect the family and grant happiness and prosperity; and that Bhagavati Lakshmi and Shri Ganesh remain established in the storeroom. Then, asking forgiveness again and again, the akshat and flowers are placed on or before the Kalash, and the Kalash and every mandal established are shifted. After the koncha and further kshama prayer, the sown jaware and the Aprajita and Shami twigs are offered onto the Devi's murti or photo.
Koncha: the send-off bundle tied for the Devi before visarjan
The speaker says that in many regions there is a custom called khoincha bharna or bhaat bharna: akshat, flowers, dhoop, grass and dakshina are placed in a chunri and tied into Ma's aanchal, just as a daughter is never sent from her home empty-handed. The married women (suhagan) of the house do it, and it is done before the visarjan mantra is read.
Parana after Navratri: annadaan, bhog and prasad before the Kalash leaves
The speaker says that before parana one must do annadaan: five kinds of grain, or as one can afford about a sava kilo (1.25 kg) of grain — the sidha of flour, rice and so on — touched by hand with the sankalpa "I am donating this to a Brahmin", then set aside and sent to a Brahmin, a pandit or a temple. Then whatever food is cooked is offered as bhog to Ma first; one eats Bhagavati's prasad first, then the bhog — khichdi, or puri-sabzi made on Dashami. Only after the parana, and once the Akhand Jyot has fully cooled, is the Kalash taken out of the house; immersing the Kalash and then coming back to eat is a mistake.
Preparation for the Durga 108 names anushthan: preliminary puja, dress, direction and materials
Before the puja of Bhagwati Durga, the speaker says, first worship Guru, Ganesha and the Navagraha, then do the puja of Jagadamba as the vidhi and one's capacity allow, completing all the vidhans of Kalash sthapana if one is doing it. The sadhak wears red, faces east or north, sits on a red asana, and must apply a mark of rakt chandan on the forehead. Before Bhagwati he keeps at least 50 grams of tilak made of pure Ashtagandha or of kesar in a good box, and Haldi and Kumkum in separate vessels. Then the Sankalpa is taken and the path begun.
Daily recitation vidhi of the Durga 108 names in the anushthan
The speaker says 108 paths are done every day of Navratri. The opening of the stotra — Ishwar uvach, shatanam pravakshyami and so on — is left out, he says, and each path begins directly from the first name, Om Sati Sadhvi Bhavaprita, and runs to the 108th name, Savitri Pratyaksha Brahmavadini, at the 15th shloka; the phalashruti is read only with the 108th path. One keeps at least eleven red flowers: a flower is held in the hand, ten paths are done and it is offered to Bhagwati, and so on, with eight paths on the eleventh flower. Doing this after 9 PM is ati uttam, he says, because it is Navratri and the night has special importance; an Akhand Jyot keeps burning as long as the path goes on.
Nightly pomegranate bali in the Durga 108 names anushthan and the sign of its splitting
Every night of the nine days, the speaker says, the sadhak must give the Bali of one fresh pomegranate: it is set with flowers on a plate before Bhagwati, and when the path is complete the sadhak prays that Bhagwati accept the day's path and puja, accept the pomegranate offered as bali, bless and protect him, grant success in his sadhana, and make every use of her name-mantras for any good wish fully fruitful. If the pomegranate splits open by itself during or after the puja, he says, it has been fully accepted by Jagadamba and her Yoginis, and one should know that a devi shakti is fully present there with her whole gaze on the sadhak. The pomegranate is not to be eaten: leave it overnight and feed it to a cow in the morning.
Total of 1,100 paths in the Durga 108 names anushthan and the Ashtami cut-off before a Navami havan
The speaker says that if the Havan is done on Navami, the paths should be completed within the Ashtami tithi, and the havan done early on Navami morning after first doing the path that morning. The full count of paths must be at least 1,100: since 108 paths a day are counted as 100, eight days give only 800, so the remaining 300 paths are to be done on any tithi between Pratipada and Ashtami, at any time in the daytime or afternoon, so that the 1,100 are complete.
Akhand jyot going out again and again in Navratri
The speaker says that when you light an Akhand Jyot in Navratri and the like, under Abhichara it will go out for one reason or another, again and again. The result, he says, is that first of all your Navratri Sankalpa does not get completed, for some reason or the other.
Kalash of the invoked deities falling during Navratri
The speaker says it has happened many times in houses with abhichara trouble that the Kalash falls. He explains that all the gods and goddesses are invoked into the kalash and sit in it, and Jagadamba herself resides in it; so that the nine-day puja cannot be completed, it will seem as if someone knocked the kalash over. Either a rat or a cat will topple it, he says, or it will fall on its own at some moment.
Navratri vidhi to awaken the Vindhyavasini Chalisa: 41 daily paths, final-day ahutis, then daily use
The speaker says the Vindhyavasini Chalisa, published for the good of all, has been recited for ages. In Navratri, take a Sankalpa and do 41 paths of it every day; on the last day do Ahuti five times, giving one ahuti with each of its 40 chaupais. Awakened this way, the Chalisa can then be used regularly. The sankalpa may be for Bhagavati Vindhyavasini's grace, or for the fulfilment of any wish that has stayed stuck for a long time. Through the Chalisa alone, he says, one can greatly please Bhagavati and gain her grace; recite it daily throughout life.
When the Annapurna anushthan is performed
The speaker says the Annapurna sadhana is done in Navratri from Pratipada up to the Ashtami tithi. In any other month it can be begun from the Poornima tithi; anticipating the question of how long it then runs, he says eight days only, so the sadhana is complete on Saptami and the havan is done on Ashtami.
Daily framework of the householder Navratri: fixed aarti times, path by morning, japa by night, dress, asana and direction
The speaker says the first day goes partly in Ghatasthapana itself; after that a morning and evening Aarti is a must, and if the family joins, do the aarti at a fixed time and do one's own path afterwards. The path in the Mahavidya krama is done in the morning; Bhagavati's mantras are japped in the night or at Sandhya. Make a full effort to wear red or yellow — it must be coloured: red, yellow or orange. The asana should be of Kusha, red or yellow, red being best, and one faces east or north.
Night japa vidhan on Pratipada: a karma sakshi lamp, offerings to the four guardians, and nine malas of Shailputri
The speaker says that on Pratipada night — or earlier, at Sandhya, once the Aarti is done with the family or alone — one sits again on the asana around eight o'clock. The Akhand Jyot is burning; light a separate Karma Sakshi lamp, offer Dhoop, deep and Naivedya, and offer Akshat and flowers in the names of the guru, Ganesha, Batuk Bhairava and Bhagwan Narasimha. Then jap nine Mala of the mantra of Bhagavati's first form, Shailputri Durga, and offer the japa to Bhagavati; that is all. If one wishes, light nine camphors and nine cloves in some vessel. The first day's pujan is complete; it takes little time, is authentic, and brings Bhagavati's full grace. The mantras of all nine Durgas for the nine nights are in one PDF he provides.
On what day does this Chaitra Navratri begin?
Chaitra Navratri is beginning from the Sunday, with Pratipada as the tithi of that day; Tritiya and Chaturthi are falling together. Navratra means new nights, and beginning from Surya vaar — the first day of the week, the day of Suryadev, king of the grahas — makes this new year very divine in itself.
What should those who cannot fast for nine days do?
This time the Navratri is of eight days. Those who cannot keep a nine-day upvas should at the very least keep the upvas of Pratipada and of Ashtami or Navami.
Who should not keep the Ashtami fast?
Those who have only one son — no other daughter, no other son, only a single son — should not keep the Ashtami upvas; they should keep the Navami one. He says this is described in the Kalika Purana and in the Srimad Devi Bhagavat Mahapuran, and that Jagadamba placed this subject before Shri Ramchandra ji when he performed her upasana for the slaying of Ravana.
Pratipada begins on Sunday, Tritiya and Chaturthi share Tuesday, and Ashtami falls on Saturday.
Pratipada begins on Surya vaar; Dwitiya is on Monday; Tritiya and Chaturthi are on Tuesday; Panchami on Wednesday; Shashthi on Thursday; Saptami on Friday; and Ashtami falls on the Saturday.
When is the sandhi puja on that Ashtami?
Ashtami is falling on the Saturday, and on that very Ashtami, in the evening from around seven o'clock — he says the full timing will be posted as well — the period between seven and eight will hold the sandhi kaal of fifty or forty minutes. That is, sandhi pujan will take place between seven and eight on the Saturday evening.
Why will this Saturday sandhi puja be exceptionally divine?
Because on one side it is a krura day — a day of ugrata, a fierce vaar — and on the other the Ashtami tithi together with Navami, that is the sandhi time. The form of Jagadamba that manifests then, whose energy pervades the whole brahmand for those forty to forty-two minutes, is that of Bhagavati Chamunda.
Why does the beej Chamundayai stand in the Navarna mantra?
Bhagavati Chamunda is in herself the most blazing and ojaswi, and one may say the most fierce, of the devis. The beej akshar Chamundayai that has come in the Navarna, he says, has not come there without reason: that form of Jagadamba stands present in direct form within that mantra.
What bali may be offered at the Navratri sandhi pujan?
At the time of that sandhi pujan you will perform bali chhedan: whether you give kushmanda bali, coconut bali, lemon bali, jaiphal bali, clove bali, or cucumber bali, or kadali phalam — that is, banana bali — a bali of a hundred and one of whichever substances is offered at that time.
What does a bali offered in the sandhi kaal accomplish?
That bali will be in itself utterly complete for the destruction of your enemies and the destruction of your troubles, he says, because an astonishing conjunction of tithi and day is occurring that day in the sandhi kaal of the Saturday. Be ready for it.
What is done on the final day of the Navratri?
Kanya pujan will be done, havan will be done. It is in a manner of speaking the time of completeness: that day the final phase of our Navratra will be running, which makes it exceedingly divine and exceedingly distinctive in itself.
What is the rule of the vrat for someone doing Navratri for the first time?
Keep the vrat according to the capacity of the body. Try to remain on phalahar — some devotees do stay on water alone or on juice — but according to bodily capacity keep the Navratri vrat on phalahar or in a phalahari manner.
What if even a phalahar fast is not possible?
If you will not be able to manage it, accept grain and the rest at one time of the day. Whatever havishya ann is possible, that you may take.
Is a sabudana dish made with ten spices really a fast?
This sabudana that people eat, made into pakodis, and the various dishes and chutneys with ten kinds of spice put into them — then brother, he says, do not keep the vrat at all. Do not do this pakhand. In the name of bhaav, he says, people have created havoc.
How long should the akhand jyot burn?
The akhand jyot should burn until you have done the paran on the Dashami tithi. The whole subject, he says, has been discussed at great length on the channel.
What do people wrongly do with the akhand jyot at visarjan?
People read the mantra for kalash visarjan and release akshat, and at that very moment pour water over the akhand jyot and extinguish it. Instead, he says, take out whatever ghee and oil is there and keep it — it will serve for applying tilak — and let a little oil remain so that it finishes of itself while the paran is being done.
How is the seven-day Saptashati path arranged across the Navratri?
On the eighth day do stuti and the rest, do the path of the rahasyas; on the ninth day do havan. And if it is of eight days, complete it in seven and do the havan and the rest on the eighth. Which adhyaya is read on which day, and how everything is done, has been described.
What should a sadhak carry with him to a teerth in Navratri?
When you perform sadhana or an anushthan during Navratri in any manner, the surrender you take and whatever japa and tapa you do — understand that it goes with you when you go to a teerth sthan, to those divine kshetras; and it is to be offered there in exactly that manner.
Should sadhana in Navratri be done at night?
The first subject was of time; and in Navratri, he says, one should do as many night-time sadhanas as possible. This does not at all mean that you should not sleep in the day — sleep in the day entirely according to the body's convenience, two, four or five hours, whatever you need.
At what time is Devi pujan mostly valid?
The special pujan of Ram Navami takes place at midday, he says, so that is a separate matter; but as regards the worship of the forms of Jagadamba, devi pujan and the like, it is the nishith-vyapini pujan that is mostly valid, or else the brahma muhurta.
Is it compulsory to light an akhand jyot in Navratri?
Asked whether it is necessary to light an akhand jyot in Navratri, he answers that if you cannot light it there is no difficulty; only kindle a karma-sakshi deep, and keep the akhand jyot kindled for as long as you will be performing the anushthan.
Who becomes the ananya priya of Bhagavati?
Whatever karma you are doing in Navratri, all these karmas are dear to Jagadamba, and one who keeps the Navratra vrat and performs all these anushthans becomes her exclusively dear one. On the one hand Bhagavati says in the Gita that no one is dear or undear to me — but know, he says, that the same one says in the Srimad Bhagavat that one who in this manner performs my puja and anushthan, shringar, stuti, havan and the rest becomes my ananya priya.
Kalash sthapana timing when Amavasya and Pratipada fall on the same day
The speaker says the first thing to check before establishing the Kalash in Navratri is when Amavasya ends and Pratipada begins. If Pratipada begins and ends on the same day, he says to do the Ghat Sthapana that day in the Abhijit Muhurta around midday. If Amavasya holds the whole day and Pratipada begins in the afternoon and is still available for even an hour or two after the next sunrise, he says to establish the Kalash that next morning in an auspicious Chaughadiya; and if no auspicious Chaughadiya falls in that short window, the Abhijit Muhurta or any auspicious muhurta of that morning may be used.
Which side of the deity the Akhand Jyot is placed on
The speaker says the Akhand Jyot is lit after the Kalash has been established. If it burns ghee, he says the lamp is placed on the right-hand side of Bhagavati's image or Shri Vigraha; if it burns sesame oil, it is placed on her left.
Sowing jvare (barley) under the Navratri Kalash
The speaker says that where jvare are sown under the Kalash (a practice followed in some places and skipped in others, especially at Chaitra Navratri), the ground is first cleaned, a triangle or a hexagram is drawn on it, and pure soil purified with Gangajal is spread over that. The barley, soaked a day in advance so it sprouts well, is sown into it while reciting whatever mantras of Bhagavati one knows. He says to leave the middle clear so the Kalash sits well and does not shake when the shoots grow.
Akhand Jyot going out during Navratri: relighting and prayashchitta
The speaker says the wick of the Akhand Jyot should be long enough that it never needs changing midway. If the flame still goes out for any reason, he says to relight it the moment it is noticed. Then, when next sitting for puja or path, do one Mala of "या देवी सर्वभूतेषु क्षमा रूपेण संस्थिता नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः" as a plea for forgiveness and Prayashchitta, whatever the cause of the lapse. With that, he says, the prayashchitta is done and Bhagavati will be gracious.
Bhog for the nine days of Navratri and the honey offering
The speaker says those who can may offer a different Bhog each day according to the nine forms of Navadurga; otherwise the ordinary bhog is enough: milk sweets, raisins, dried dates and whatever seasonal fruit is available. Honey, he says, must always be offered. If possible, keep honey before Bhagavati in a small silver bowl for all nine days, and when the path is complete, put that honey into water and let everyone take that water as Prasad.
Order of havan and kanya pujan in Navratri
Asked whether kanya pujan or Havan comes first, the speaker says havan always comes first. If the full path was completed on Saptami and Kanya Pujan is to be done on Ashtami, do the havan first on Ashtami and only then the kanya pujan. If the path is completed on Ashtami, do the havan on Navami and the kanya pujan on Navami after it.
Navratri paran is on Dashami, not on the day of kanya pujan
The speaker says that whoever keeps the Navratri Vrat must fast for the full nine days. Doing Kanya Pujan on Ashtami or Navami does not mean the Paran can be done that same day; he calls that a wrong method. If paran is done on Ashtami, he asks, where are the nine days completed, when the worship of Shailputri and the whole Dashami vidhan are still pending, so the vrat breaks. The paran, he says, is done only when Dashami Tithi begins, that is, on Dashami itself, whichever day the kanya pujan was done.
Dashami procedure: Aparajita pujan, Shami pujan, jvare, visarjan and daan before paran
The speaker says that on Dashami morning one first does the pujan of Aparajita Bhagavati, then Shami pujan, and offers all the grown jvare to Bhagavati. Then the Visarjan actions: the Kalash is first moved, and all of Bhagavati's shaktis and her whole retinue are sent to their proper places. Only after visarjan and samarpan are complete, he says, touch and set aside items for daan (grain, fruit, spices, oil, ghee, as one can afford) with a simple Sankalpa to Bhagavati that one will give these to Brahmins or the poor or both so that the vrat and anushthan succeed. The items may be delivered before the Paran or after it; either is fine. Done this way, he says, the Navratri vrat is complete.
Special case: Dashami on a Thursday, the Kalash is not taken out of the house
On when the Kalash may be carried out for Visarjan, the speaker says that if Dashami Tithi falls on a Thursday (Brihaspativar), the Kalash is not removed from the house for visarjan. It is certainly moved in its place, he says, but it is not taken out.
How long the Navratri Akhand Jyot must keep burning
The speaker says the Akhand Jyot must keep burning until the Kalash is moved for Visarjan. Once visarjan is done, if the flame goes out on its own there is no problem. But it must never happen, he says, that after kanya pujan one lets the jyot die by not adding oil or ghee. Until Bhagavati has been given her send-off in the same way she was invoked, the flame must stay lit.
The coconut on the Navratri Kalash must never be broken
The speaker says that breaking the coconut placed on the Kalash and distributing it as Prasad at Dashami Visarjan, whether at the river or at home, is a very wrong practice that brings great dosh and shatters the whole Navratri Vrat, no matter how learned the person who advised it. That coconut, he says, is the visible form of Bhagavati: it receives worship for nine days and Jagadamba sits in the jyot and the Kalash for those nine days, so if you break it, what is left? The permitted courses are to leave it in the river after visarjan, or to bring it home, keep it in the puja place, worship it and immerse it next year. If it has sprouted, it may be planted at a clean spot in the house and watered so it grows, which protects the home.
How is the kravyad amsha removed from the fire?
The vidhi for extracting the kravyad portion is on the channel, he says; there is a whole Navratra havan video. It is not very difficult: you kindled the fire in the agni kona; then you placed it in the agni kona of the kunda; then you placed the kravyad portion in the nairitya kona and took it out. Rotate the pure fire three times and then establish it in the middle. It does not even take a minute.
Combined Navratri jap of the Navdurga, the navgrah and the mothers of the grahas: purpose and who it is for
The speaker says that if in the nine days of Navratri the nine grahas, the mothers of the nine grahas and the nine Durgas are worshipped together, many graha Doshas and yogas in the birth chart that affect life are pacified. Since even the smallest particle in the world is held to be a karaka of the Navagraha, the grahas must not be neglected; alongside one's Ishta Devata their puja should be done from time to time. Worshipping each graha separately is long and difficult, with its own vastra and vidhi, so he gives a simple nine-day vidhan for Navratri only that any sadhak or sadhika can do, meant especially for those who do not know their own janma kundali: by it alone, in nine days, whatever subtle graha dosha exists is pacified and the grahas' grace obtained. Done fully, he says, Jagadamba removes even the greatest calamity, and sufferings that were not otherwise going away are removed by this collective (samyak) pujan.
Starting the Navratri navgrah jap: Pratipada, kalash optional, morning best, after guru-Ganapati pujan and the Bhagavati path
The speaker says the jap and pujan begin on the Pratipada of Navratri after Kalash sthapana, Akhand Jyot and so on; but one who does no akhand deep or kalash sthapana and only does puja-path can certainly still do this sadhana. It may be done morning or evening as one's business or job allows, though morning is best. The order on each day: first the kalash sthapana (on Pratipada) and the initial pujan, then guru and Ganesha pujan, then whatever path of Bhagavati one does, and only after that this jap. He says all the mantras (of the nine grahas, their mothers and Bhagavati) are put on one page on screen and will be given in the description or a PDF for copying.
One vastra for all nine days of the Navratri navgrah jap, whatever its colour
The speaker says that whether one wears red, yellow or white vastra in Navratri, it is not necessary to change clothing according to the colour of each day. Doing so is useful, but it would work out very expensive, so wear the same one vastra every day; colour is no difficulty.
Completing the Navratri navgrah vidhan: havan ahuti counts, kanya pujan on Navami, parana on Dashami
The speaker says that when the nine days of jap are complete, a Havan is done on the last day, the Navami tithi; the basic havan vidhi has been given on his channel. Five Ahutis each go to guru and Ganesha; nine ahutis each from the separate mantras of the nine Durgas that were japped; nine each from every one of the nine graha mantras; and nine each in the names of the mothers of the nine grahas. On Navami one also does Kanya Pujan and so on, and then on the Dashami tithi the Paran.
The Tritiya falls on two days this time, pushing the Maha Saptami and the Kalratri Puja onto the Monday
The Dwitiya falls on Tuesday; the Tritiya falls on two days this time — Wednesday and Thursday — because the tithi has increased. Chaturthi on Friday, Panchami on Saturday, Shashthi on Sunday; and the Maha Saptami, the Kalratri Pujan, then falls on Monday the 29th of September.
Maha Ashtami falls on the Tuesday, but the Nishith-vyapini Maha Ashtami is obtained on the Monday night
Maha Ashtami is for everyone and falls on Tuesday the 30th — but the Nishith-vyapini Maha Ashtami, the one that pervades the middle of the night, will be obtained on the Monday night. So do not let the Monday night go empty.
What is the Sandhi Puja and when does it fall?
The most principal time of all for a Devi devotee — the moment at which Bhagavati Chamunda manifests. This time it is on Tuesday the 30th of September, from 5:42 in the evening to 6:30. In it we are to do the Deepdaan of 108 for Bhagavati, the bali, her special Stuti, and the japa. This span is never to be let go.
A fixed daily mala count through Navratri to Dashami
The speaker says that from the day after the eclipse Navratri begins, and after doing the puja-path one has to do, one does the Japa of this mantra: one Mala if one can do one, ten if one can do ten. But the count must be the same every day: if five malas today, then five tomorrow, five on the third day of Navratri, and the same five malas until the morning of Dashami. After each day's japa the mala goes back into the bowl of Gangajal.
Those joining the organised anushthan observe complete brahmacharya, bodily and mental, from Amavasya to the Dashami
Those taking part in the anushthan organised by Grihastha Tantra should try to observe complete brahmacharya from tomorrow, which is Amavasya, up to the Dashami on the twelfth — bodily and mental both. It is the time of the Navratra, the speaker says, so commit no mistake or offence in it.
What is the minimum a householder should do at home during the Navratra?
Those having an anushthan performed should certainly do something at home too — dhoop, deep and aarti morning and evening; and if nothing else, shringar puja after doing the shringar, which the speaker calls the best of all. Those who are not able to do anything, who are aged or afflicted by illness, should at least have a shri vigraha of Bhagavati in the house, a small one of about five or six inches, for whom they can do abhishek, shringar and aarti daily.
Can puja be done for only the first three or five days of the Navratra?
Yes, it can absolutely be done, the speaker says.
Can the Devi be worshipped directly without a Ganapati puja?
No, it cannot be done, the speaker tells Saksham. The pujan will be in sequence: guru, Ganapati, Bhairav ji, Hanuman ji, and only then Bhagavati. Otherwise, at the very least, Ganapati ji and Bhairav ji, and then Bhagavati.
Can the nine-day fast be kept without ghat sthapana?
Yes, absolutely it can be kept, the speaker says. The seva and puja of Bhagavati can take place even without a ghat.
Can the ghat and the akhand deep be served without fasting?
One does have to keep a fast, at least a little, for the seva of the ghat and the seva of the akhand jyot, the speaker says; their seva will not happen without the fast. Do not do it half-finished. Ask Bhagavati for the strength — Jagadamba, make us capable, so that we keep the fast and serve you in the proper manner. And if you cannot keep the fast, then do the nitya pujan, morning and evening, well and grandly; grace will be obtained in that too. It is not as though grace will not come in that.
Where in the sequence does the name-smaran of the 64 Yoginis come?
The name-smaran of the 64 Yoginis is done after Bhairav ji, the speaker says: Ganapati ji, Bhairav ji, then the 64 Yoginis.
Which is the most distinguished muhurta of all?
The most distinguished muhurta of all is the sandhi kaal of the Ashtami and Navami, the speaker says. And besides that there are the transition periods, of one tithi changing into another — but that is for initiated sadhaks, and the amrit kaal has then to be worked out within it, so he says leave that subject aside. But the sandhi kaal of the Ashtami and Navami has so much on it, whole videos and lives, that nobody should ever let it go.
What if election duty or shift work disturbs the timing?
To one who has election duty from the 30th and the 6th to the 2nd and asks whether he can start the protective shloka anushthan from the 3rd or 4th, he says yes — you may begin from Panchami or Shashthi. Asked by another who cannot do the puja at one and the same time because of duty whether it may be done at different times, he says yes, it may; because of duty your timings may be here and there, there is no difficulty, but do it daily.
When should the havan be, and what if one cannot judge agnivas?
Asked by Uday Pratap ji whether, if the sadhana mantra and stotra are done at night, the havan will be at night or in the morning, and how to proceed when one is unable to know agnivas, the speaker says that if you are doing it in Navratri and the rest, then there is no need to look at agnivas on the Navami tithi. Nor is there any need to look on Dashami. On the day on which your full days are being completed, you may do it.
Preparatory sequence before a full Saptashati havan begins
The speaker says that on havan day — say the path was done till Ashtami and the havan is on Navami — one first performs the full shaap vimochan vidhan, does only a path (no ahuti) of Kavach, Argala and Kilak, and completes the opening havans of Guru, Ganpati, the dikpals and so on. In a full-Saptashati havan there is no separate obligation to offer the Kavach; the first mantra of the Argala may be offered as a navahuti, and the Kilak's first mantra must be offered, and only that one. Then the Ratri Suktam and Atharvashirsha are recited, the Saptashati nyasa done, the Navarna japped and one mala of it offered in havan, nyasa done again, and the first chapter begins. He adds that this is best learned practically beside a specific acharya.
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