Our Divine Master, Sri Swami Sivananda wrote, "Outwardly, the nine-day worship of the Mother is a celebration of triumph. This celebration of nine days is offered to the Mother for Her successful struggle with the formidable demons led by Mahishasura. But to the sincere spiritual aspirant the particular division of the Navaratri into sets of three days, in order to adore different aspects of the Supreme Goddess, has a very sublime, yet thoroughly practical truth to reveal. In its cosmic aspect, it epitomises the stages of the evolution of man into God, from Jivahood (the state of individual life) to Sivahood (the state of union with God). In its individual import, it shows the course that his spiritual practice should take."
Pagal Haranath (1865-1927 AD) a well-known Yogi in India, wrote letters to his devotees and admirers which contain clear and universal messages for struggling mankind. He wrote to one of his devotees about the role of women in the home: "All I care to tell you is do not be deceived by taking your wife for a toy. Do not try to train your wife in the fashion of the West. In a Hindu family, a Hindu wife is an object of endearment. Train her after the pattern of a good wife. Bear in mind that fidelity to husband is a female's beauty. It matters not at all if her features are handsome or not; she must be full of good qualities. She must be implicitly obedient to serving mother and other elders, and a helpmate to her husband, through good and evil. Such is wife or Sahadharmini. Lots of wives can be had, who are pleasant to the eye, but it is hard to get wives after the heart. Do not wish for wives simply pleasing to the eye."
Another aspect of the Mother may be seen from the eyes of a sincere devotee, written by Pujya Swami Sahajananda and which appears in the Prayer book published by Divine Life Society of S.A:
"O adorable Mother, Thou hast generated this illusion by which all people walk deluded in this world.All sciences have come from Thee. Without Thy Grace, no one can get success in spiritual Sadhana and salvation in the end. Thou art the seed of this world. Give me the divine eye. Let me behold Thy majestic form. Help me to cross this illusion, O kind Mother. O compassionate Mother, I bow to Thee. Thou art my saviour. Thou art my goal. Thou art my sole support. Thou art my guide and the remover of all pains, troubles and miseries. Thou art the embodiment of holiness. Thou pervadest the whole universe. Thou art the storehouse of all qualities. Do Thou protect me. I again and again salute Thee. All women are Thy forms. Mind, egoism, intellect, body, Prana and senses are Thy forms. Thou art force, electricity, magnetism, energy, will and power. All forms are Thy forms only. Reveal to me the mystery of Thy creation. Be Thou gracious enough to bestow on me pure divine knowledge and wisdom".
Our Master speaks about the final day as follows: "The tenth day−Vijaya Dasami−also marks the triumphant victory of the soul in having attained freedom and liberation while living in this world, through the descent of divine knowledge by the Grace of Goddess Saraswati. The soul rests in its own Supreme Self or Satchidananda Brahman. This day celebrates victory and the achievement of the goal. The banner of victory flies aloft. Lo! I am He! I am He!" Let us pray to fervently to the Divine Mother. She will be easily pleased.
Our Divine Master concludes with the following advice, "Do not ask Her for petty worldly things; pray for Moksha or final liberation. She is ever ready to rush to you. Only you have to accept Her! Clear your mind of all dross and install the Mother in it on a Golden Thrown. Give up your little ego at Her Feet. Pray, 'Thy will be done Mother! I want nothing!' She will take you by the hand and lead you to Moksha!"
