Mother being closest in filial affection to a child, worshipping God as Divine Mother is but natural.

A child has greater affinity to the mother than the father, because she is very kind, loving, tender, affectionate, forgiving and looks after the wants of the child. Likewise, in the spiritual field also, an aspirant or a devotee - the spiritual child - has intimate relationship with the Divine Mother. Because,

• Her grace is boundless;
• Her mercy is illimitable;
• Her knowledge is infinite;
• Her power is immeasurable;
• Her glory is ineffable; and
• Her splendor is indescribable.

Therefore, an aspirant should first approach the Mother and win Her grace. She will undoubtedly take Her spiritual child to the Father for illumination and Self-realization.

The three aspects of the Divine Mother - Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati - correspond to the three stages in the spiritual evolution of an aspirant.

The central purpose of our existence is to realize our eternal identity with the Supreme Spirit, to grow into the image of the Divine.

• The first step in that evolutionary process is to get rid of all the impurities and undivine elements that have come to cling to the aspirant in his embodied state.
• Then the aspirant has to acquire lofty virtues and Divine qualities.

Durga corresponds to the purification stage, Lakshmi to the stage of acquisition of Divine qualities and Saraswati to the final stage of realization of one-ness with the Supreme Spirit.

By praying to Mother Durga, we are seeking Her grace for the removal of all impurities, vices and defects in us; we are asking Her to fight with and annihilate the baser animal qualities in us, the lower demonic nature represented by the demons Mahishãsura, Šumbha, Nišumbha etc. Likewise, by praying to Mother Lakshmi, we are asking Her to fill us with Divine qualities and Mother Saraswati to bestow the Divine Knowledge to us.

Therefore, by chanting of Šri Chandi constantly, a spiritual aspirant obtains the Grace of Mother Durga and roots out all impurities in him. This is the surest way of making spiritual progress and bringing peace in the world.

JAI DURGE