Brahmacharini – 2nd day of Navaratri

The second day of Navaratri is here and we are celebrating Brahmacharini. Brahma from the root word “brahm”, means one who realises Brahma within them. Charini, being the female form of the word Charya,means someone who practices with discipline. To say one realises brahma within them, is not from ego or arrogance, but to realise the ability to create within you. After all, that is the essence of Navaratri— to celebrate the divinity within you. She is often seen holding a rosary in her right hand and ‘kamandal’ in her left hand.

This form of maa represents the Second chakra— the swathisthana chakra and the control we need to have with it. She encourages us to keep a steady heart and mind even in the darkest times and to hold our morality and ethics, and be on the path of dharma and duty. This chakra helps in sustaining the bhakti in a consistent manner, much like when she was doing her tapas to be one with her shiva again, and stayed focus to the penance and achieved her goal, restoring balance in the world. This form of maa also represents the discipline and devotion she had for her beloved lord shiva— the amount of tapas and meditation she had to do to attain her beloved and be united again, and the amount of disclipline she had to have to get through the penance as a brahmacharini to attain her goal, unwavered.

She is the model example for not only women, but also men, in pursuit of be it a relationship or being single— she represents the loyalty, hard work, and self-control every person should have to be in the collective towards satyaloka. To observe, acknowledge and to surrender.

I am beyond proud to say that my Amma and Appa are living proof of this love and commitment seen between Shiva and Sakthi, and the discipline, unswerving moral values which they both have instilled in us. The story of Shiva himself in disguise, approaching Brahmacharini and telling her all the negatives and falters of lord shiva, and she still dismissed it and went forth in her pursuit for her truth, is something that is getting rarer by the day. It’s rare, yes. But impossible? Gone? No. My parents are here as living proof.

One love one life one breath in the shared breath of oneness as Shivasakthi swaroopam both equally practicing the morality and respecting each other’s holy love and sacredness through their vessels for the collective.

(Artwork by yours truly: Dhevamitra)

Jai Pratyangira Jai Jai Pratyangira
Jai Maa Brahmacharini
Jai Adiparasakthi Namo Namaha
Jai Bhuvaneswari Jai Namo Varahi
ANBE SIVAM
Thiruchitrambalam .