Durga puja-worshipping unity
According to the mythology, Goddess Durga emerged out of the accumulated powers of Gods, their idealism, appurtenances (bahanas), weapons, ornaments and apparels . She united the powers of scattered gods and won the long drawn battle against Mahisasura. In other words Durga united the Gods who were waging individual battles against the asura. Thus Durga personifies unity.
DURGA REPRESENTS THE POWERS REQUIRED FOR THE EXISTENCE OF A MODERN STATE
Durga arrives on earth with four different powers essential for the existence of a state. These are, the powers of knowledge representing intellectuals, chivalry indicating soldiers, wealth denoting businessmen and physical strength representing both agricultural and industrial workers. These four powers are represented by Sarswati, the Goddess of purity and knowledge, Kartikaya, the God of celibacy and chivalry, Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth and business and Ganesha, the God of physical strength and workers. The source of these powers, Durga is expressed in Shri Shri Chandi as 'Aham rastri' or the empress of the world.
DURGA SYMBOLISES UNITY EVEN IN THE PSYCHIC BEING OF MAN
Durga Puja, is the worship of 'Shakti' or the divine power. It is the fight between the evil and the good, the dark forces eventually succumbing to the divine. But the victory of Durga and the end of Asura does not only represent the material world. This victory of good over the evil is also the inner struggle of human beings to finally rise at the highest of consciousness. The Satta or Psychic and Spiritual mind is the ultimate level of consciousness represented by Durga herself. It is the state of mind when you unfold the ever-perfect spirit within and live in a state of complete bliss.
This state can be achieved only after cultivating the Rajah or the vital. The vital represents emotions, feelings and aspirations. It generally indicates lust and desire. Rajah is represented by the lion who is under Goddess Durga's control.
Thus human beings have to cultivate their emotions, feelings and aspirations to be high, noble, pure, transparent, peaceful, powerful, balanced, harmonious and selfless.Before one reaches the stage of purity of thoughts and action one has to go through a difficult stage of slaying the Tamah or the state of ignorance, superstition and delinquency. This state is represented by Asura who is being slayed by Durga, the spiritual mind and is attacked by the lion, the purified vital mind.This state of being brings peace and stability in humans as well as in the country. The reverse of this will bring disaster.To conquer Tamah and tame Rajah effectively to reach the Satta, it is essential to have pure knowledge (Saraswati) accompanied with the power of chivalry(Kartikaya), riches of the mind (lakshmi) and the ability to remove opposition (Ganesha).Thus Durga symbolises unity necessary for the upliftment of the soul.
