About this episode
Congratulations on completing another 9 (or perhaps 10) nights of intense contemplation, celebration and worship of M?! What a powerful Navar?tri it's been and each time feels like the first time especially if it was, in fact, your first time celebrating! But whether you are a seasoned ??kta or just now getting acquainted to the festivals and practices of the tradition, Navar?tri and its central litany/liturgy, the Dev? M?h?tmyam remain ever fresh and ever meaningful! Anyway, at the end of the 9 nights of the Goddess, there is a festival called Vijaya Da?am?, "The Victorious 10th night" when we bask in the after glow of our worship. Essentially, we are celebrating the fact that we've been celebrating...But it's also very poignant time because M?'s image will be immersed and that is sometimes a very sad thing for some. And not only that, one can feel a little listless on this day or like there's a kind of anticlimactic feeling arising. In this talk, we discuss what Vijaya Da?am? is, from a philosophical point of view, with an inquiry into form vs formlessness and we also address some of the aforementioned feelings that can come up. Also, I launch into a sustained defense of what some might call "idol worship". Jai M?! ?r? Durg?rpanam astu!The books mentioned in this video for further study:1. Sr?mad-Dev? Bh?gavatam by Swami Vijñ?n?nanda 2. I didn't mention it in the video, but as a companion to this ^, try "The Dev? G?t?" by C.Makenzie Brown 3. Devadatta Kali's "In Praise of the Goddess" (and also "Veiling Brilliance", which I forgot to mention in the video) And the Sanskrit texts to recite and contemplate as part of your Dev? M?h?tmya s?dhan? moving forward:1. Dev? S?kta from Rg Veda (10.125) and 2. R?tri S?kta from Rg Veda (10.127)You'll be able to find these online quite easily but their also available in Devan?gri and translation in Devadatta Kali's "In Praise of the Goddess"!and here's the full Ca??i & Navar?tri playlist featuring all our talks over the years (I'm trying to organize it in a way that makes sense: https://www.patreon.com/collection/784368Support the showLectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST Use this link and I will see you there:https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM
