We are celebrating Navaratri. "Nava" means "nine" and "ratri" "night", so we are having nine nights. This number "nine" is very interesting. Number nine is a symbol of the Absolute Truth. The whole Cosmos exists between the number one and nine. Nine multiplied or added by nine comes to nine. We are having Rigveda with 1017 Suktas, the sum of it is nine. We are having nine planets, nine Navagrahas, which we are worshipping. We are having in our Prayer-Malas 108 beads, whose total of the digits is nine. We are having 108 Upanishads, which also becomes nine. We are having Gita with 18 chapters, which becomes nine. So, nine is absolutely a wonder number.

And you see, in Navaratri, the word "nava" means also "new", and when we speak of "new", Navaratri specially should renew our lives and hearts, that we are ourselves open for the Divine, so that Maa Durgaji can enter into our hearts and destroy all the impurities, the impurities, which hinder us to come nearer to Her.

So, every Navaratri we should take the opportunity and plunge ourselves in great prayers, in great harmony, and we should request Maa Durga: "Please do enter our hearts, purify us, so that we come closer to you!" And when we come closer to Her, our happiness increases, our health will be better, everything will be nice, the surroundings will be nice, everybody will look at us, appreciate us; we will become a shining star.

But a little effort we have to do, we have to open ourselves to the Divine. Usually we close our hearts towards the Divine. The Divinity, Maa Durga, or whatsoever name we give to the Truth, is always ready to enter in our heart. But are we always ready to open ourselves? This is the main question!

Navaratri is a good occasion, when we can open ourselves, so that the Goddess may enter and fulfill our lives. Otherwise life passes quickly in vain. And then in the end is coming the question, why and for what have we come over here, on this planet?

So, let us use this wonderful opportunity for obtaining the Grace of the Divine! All of you are born in a country, which is absolutely second to none, a country, which is having a great divine Spirit. Saints and Sages all over the centuries have come here specially to India, which is a blessed place. That is why we say: "India will be the Guru of the whole world" - not maybe because of any financial reason or because of the political approach, no, but because of the great Divine Spirit! That is what makes India absolutely a number One and that is what makes India the country, which we regard and respect as an excellent country.

Now, once more I pray, that Maa Durga may dwell in all of us, give us Light, Peace and Harmony, so that our lives will be much, much easier. Thank you, thank you very much.

Swami Omkarananda Maharaj ki Jay ho!