The Connection Between Durga Puja and Rama's Story

 Many people celebrate Durga Puja in Bengal and eastern India, but did you know that the festival is linked to Rama's worship of the goddess Durga? This story, while not in the Valmiki Ramayana, is mentioned in other Hindu texts.

One such text is the Devi Bhagavat Purana. The narration in this text is less detailed compared to others, but it still provides a clear account. It states that when Rama and Lakshmana were wondering how to get Sita back, Rishi Narada approached them and instructed Rama to worship the goddess. Narada advised Rama to perform this worship for nine days and nights during the month of Ashwin (September-October) and even agreed to be the priest for the ceremony.

Rama and Lakshmana, guided by Narada, performed the worship. On the eighth day, the goddess appeared before them, riding a lion. She reminded Rama that he was an incarnation of Vishnu and Lakshmana of the snake Shesha. She then blessed them, stating that Lakshmana would kill Indrajit and Rama would defeat Ravana. After her blessing, she disappeared. 

Following the successful worship, Rama and his army crossed over to Lanka by building a bridge. As the goddess had promised, Lakshmana killed Indrajit, and Rama killed Ravana, completing their mission.

This narrative shows how different Hindu scriptures complement each other and provide additional details to well-known stories. Another text, the Brihad-Dharma Purana, also mentions this story, which will be explored in a future video.

To understand the full story and its significance, watch the complete video here: