Navratri Swadhyay 7
The trade and the entire economic machinery of Bharat along with her international relations is facing a daunting challenge at present. The growth engine of the trade surplus with America along with the foreign investments in Bharat are being sustained for the last few decades. Due to this, the detrimental consequences of confusion and uncertainty regarding the present trade tariff are increasingly affecting it. The efforts towards self reliance were initiated recently. Hence, a greater emphasis is being laid on more production in the country. International dependence is still high for capital and trade. This is the time for acid test. Everyone including the government, society, entrepreneurs, scientists, strategists and businessmen have to display courage, patience and valour. These three attributes constitute collective bravery.
Veeralakshmi is the sixth of the Ashtalakshmis (eight Lakshmis). The collective nature of any society or nation, determines its future. Holistic development is not possible only through entrepreneurship and trade. The most important is the personal and the collective attitude towards the challenges daunting us. Aggressiveness or courage is not always useful, in some cases patience is highly beneficial. Strength and skillful abilities are also essential in both the states of offense as well as in patiently waiting for the ambush. So, capability along with courage, intrepidity and patience is the Prime attribute of a dauntless person. Bravery is important not only in the military field but also in all the other spheres of national life. Hence, it is expected that the Samskara (moral virtue) of bravery should be cultivated in every organ of the nation (inhabitant) right from their childhood. Only then, the Veeravrat (heroism) will be infused in the entire nation.
Vrat (mission) has a great significance. Making a firm resolution and dedicatedly following the path towards our goal, is called vrat (mission). Bravery cannot be devoid of a goal. The seemingly impossible outburst of enthusiasm may appear to be courage but it is not certain that it will accomplish its goal. Such recklessness cannot be called courage, it is foolhardiness. A brave person is equally zealous and self controlled. We find both these types of examples in the history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Pratap Rao Gujjar was nominated to be the General of Swarajya army during the coronation ceremony. However, he compassionately releases Bahlol Khan from captivity. Shivaji Maharaj wrote a letter to him that such amnesty could be suicidal as Bahlol would mobilise his forces and make an onslaught on the Swarajya. When this materialises, Pratap Rao on receiving the news, angrily gathered 7 brave soldiers and tore down on the enemy army of more than 1 lakh soldiers. He displayed extraordinary valour, reached Bahlol Khan who was perched on an elephant at the center of his army. He made the supreme sacrifice but could not achieve his goal.
The second incident is of Afzal Khan. He infuriated Shivaji Maharaj and made all efforts to provoke him to face him in an open battle. He demolished the Tuljapur temple of Tulja Bhavani – the clan deity of Shivaji Maharaj and desecrated its precincts by cow-slaughter. He also vandalised the Pandharpur temple which housed Vitthala, the deity revered by entire Maharashtra. Shivaji Maharaj did not lose his self control and stuck to his strategy. He chose the secure battle ground of Pratapgarh and invited Khan there. Ultimately offered the sacrifice of the enemy of Mata Bhavani to her at the opportune moment. The entire enemy army was pulverised. Within six months, he regained over all the forts and renovated all the desecrated temples. The indomitable courage by taking insult in one’s stride and controlling anger, is the sign of real bravery.
All this is now essential in the economic field. We have to take calculated risks with patience, self control, courage, indomitable enterprise, creativity and innovativeness. It is imperative to have faith in one’s inner strength. Novel efforts confidently carried out, make us self reliant. Bharat has faced these adverse circumstances several times. Bharat has always converted adversities like the global health crisis due to Corona epidemic or the international sanctions imposed in 5100 Yugabd (1998 CE) after the nuclear test into golden opportunities and marched towards self-reliance. The blessings of Mata Veeralakshmi will enable us to also triumph over the present crisis. A gigantic enterprise will have to be shown, the entire nation will have to display patience and dauntless collective courage. A new creative spirit will also have to be ushered in.
Kalaratri is the Goddess of the Saptami (seventh) Navratri. Her dreadful form creates the feelings of fear in the Aasuri (unrighteousness) forces and safety in the devotees. Mata adopts various unorthodox techniques according to the capabilities and the specialities of the enemy. She peacefully gathers the blood of demon Raktabeeja in Her alm to prevent the burgeoning of those drops of blood into armies. We have to adopt every possible creativity for the protection of Dharma and the holistic development of our nation. May the blessings of Mata Veeralakshmi and Kalaratri be always showered on Bharat and inspire us to courageously and patiently march towards our goal of universal benevolence.
