The Nava Ratras (with video on Yajnya)

 The Devi, who is adored as Durga is manifested with her effulgence in the form of Shakti. She can be seen through the TATTVA DARSHNA, which is the knowledge of the COSMIC EVOLUTION. When the Devi is approached in the form of Murti, then She appears to be the Sukumari-- Tripura Sundari--the mother of beauty and excellence.
----Uma Sahsram 6.9

In the Vedas , thou art present as emotions,
In the Tantras, thou are inherent in sound,
In the Shabra , thou art present in the ritual
In the Satat Mantra, thou art the essence itself.
----Uma Sahsram20.17
(Shabramantra is related to the ritualistic form of worship and the Satat mantra is the Japam)

A Vedic Mantra helps us to undetstand the beauty of the Nava Ratra. The Vedas say: एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति।

This famous quotation is from the Rigveda 1-164.46 . Sanatana Dharma/Hindu Religion teaches that the Divine can be approahed through various ways. Truth is One, but the men of intellect describe that Truth, variously. What we perceive Ishvara in the Vedas is the Brahman of the Upanishadas. Devi Atharva Shirsha speaks of the Divine as the Mother of the Universe.The Puranas speak of Brahman as Purusha and Prakriti, of Shiva and Shakti, of Vishnu and Lakshmi. In popular Hinduism, Ishvara is revred as the Ganesha,Vishnu, Shiva,Shakti and the Surya, known as the Panchayatan Puja. The Puranik theology helps the Hindus to revere the Divine as Father and Mother both

The most popular hymn of revereance is:
tvameva maata cha pitaa tvameva/त्वमेवमाताचपितात्वमेव

ॐ
प्रथमंशैलपुत्रीद्वितीयंब्रह्मचारिणी।
ृतीयंचन्द्रघन्टेतिकूष्माण्डेतिचतुर्थकम्
ञ्चमं स्कन्दमातेतिषष्टंकात्यायनीतिच।
प्तमंकालारात्रीतिमहागौरीतिचाष्टमम्।
वमम् सिद्धिदात्रीचनवदुर्गाप्रकीर्तिताः।

Below is given the essence of the Hridayam Puja / invocation to the Sapta Shati Durga:
"AUM Aim hrim klim chaamundaayai namah". These are the "Nine seed-syllables "of the Divine Mother Shri durga"

1. The Devi is to be invoked at the early dawn, after witnessing/ having Darshana the Prana Pratishta of the Shaila Putri.Shaila Putri is the Divine Mother Sharika. Shailaputri is in the mystic spring at Baramulla area of Ksshmir.The whole world is the very breath of Shri Sharika. It is the physical conscience of the Divine Mother that Shri Chakra is manifested as the Svayambhu Chakra. She is truly Parvati, the consort of Shiva.Its color is crimson, the earth is her Tattva, and She abides in the MooladharaChakra. Her subtle Mantra is लं Lam. It is also known as the abode of Shri Ganesha.She is invoked on the Pratipada-the first day of the Nava Ratra.

2. Bhrahmacharini is the cosmic vibration to be felt within Sadhana. The whole cosmic phenomenon is to be realized through the grace of Brhmacharini on the second day. She abides in the Svaddhishthhana Chakra. Its nature is related to the waters. Verily, She is Shri Ragnya Bhagavati. She is invoked on the Dvitiya-the second day of the Nava Ratra. Her subtle Mantra is वं Vam.
 

3. Chandraghanta is the cosmic sound ॐ ऐं AUM/Aim to understand the creation, sustenance and dissolution within Absolute. Bijaksharas are the vibrating forces to feel the vibrations. She abides in the Manipura Chakra. Its nature relates to the forces of stimulating the senses of form and color. Chandra ghanta is invoked on the Tritiya-the third day of the Nava Ratra. . Her subtle Mantra is रं Ram.

4. Kushmanda is the universal seed, which is ever conscious. This is the Shudha Vidya aspect of the Shri Chandi. She abides in the Anahat Chakra. Its nature is Shiva and Shakti and its subtle Mantra is यं/ Yam. She is invoked on the Chaturthi-the fourth day of the Nava Ratra.

5. Skandamata is the mother of Kumara Kartikeya. She is the power of existence. The Skandamata is the force behind the Skanda--Kumara Kartikeya to annihilate the Rakshasa. Her abode is the Ajna Chakra. It is the union of Shiva and Shakti. She is the source of the sacred movements of speech. She is the Sarasvati / Sharada aspect of the Divine Mother. She is invoked on the Panchami-the fifth day of the Nava Ratra.

6. Katyayani is the daughter of the Katyayana Rishi. She is the mother of excellence, the inner beauty, the inspiration and supreme understanding. She is the Mother of the VAK-the supreme word AUM/ OM of the Vedas or 'Aim' of the Tantra. She is invoked on the Shashti-the sixth day of the Nava Ratra.

7. Kalaratri abides in the Sahsra -ara Chakra, the thousand petalled Chakra. She is what the devotee wants to achieve for understanding the truth behind the dark night. She is the Time Eternal. She is infinite in nature and moves ahead to look forward for Usha-the dawn of life. Usha is the associating deity of the Kala Ratri. Kalaratri is invoked on the Saptami-the seventh day of the Nava Ratra

8. Mahagauri is having the effulgence of the golden hue. She is what the Hiranya garbha exists for. She activates the Kundalini Shakti within. She abides in the Moola Trikona/ the Primal triangle of the Shri Chakreshvara,which is the Chakraraja Chakra. She is invoked on the Ashtami-the eighth day of the Nava Ratra. She is the Presiding Deity of the Durgashtami.

9. Siddhidhatri is all perfection. It is the Prakasha/l eternal ight and Vimarsha/power of understanding woven together in the higher realms of the Divine Mother. Sidhidhatri is measureless. She structures the whole universe through her grace of being in the Brahmarandra and passing through नाडि-यन्त्र / nerve channels of Yoga. She is unborn . She is Purna Prakriti. She is

स्वाहा स्वधा वषट्कार/Svaha--an invocation to the DEevatas and Svadha--an offering to the manes.. She is Vashatkara--the mystic syllable and sound. And above all, Shri Durga is the source of life for Brahma, the creator. She is All realms of existence. She is the Mother of the Universal flux.

A Homa is being conducted to offer the Ahuti of unbroken rice, sesame, ghee, barley with the recitation of the Seven Hundred Shlokas, after doing the Kanya Puja , on the Ashtami Tithi/ day. On the Navami 1/10th of the Tarpana is to be offered and 1/10 th of the Japam is to be offered to the Divine Mother Shri Chandi,during the Agamic YAJNYA/ Havana.

The principal Deity of the Nava Ratra is Shri Chandi. Being an aggregate of the Nine forms of energies