Rama Ji performed Shakti Pooja during the powerful days of Navratri.
Ravana abducted Mother Sita. He was not a crook, but abducted Her for other reasons, not to harm Her. The representative of Rama Ji, Hanuman Ji, and the rest tried to persuade Ravana, but Ravana didn’t admit it.
Rama Ji performed worship to seek help from His Guru, Shiva, for He wins the battle. Rama Ji needed someone who could carry out the pooja in a systematic manner. Ravana helped and performed the pooja as a pandit. He even brought Mother Sita to accomplish the pooja without any flaw.
The battle progressed and grew into an extravagant war. A day arrived when all the leading personals lost the strength to fight. Lakshmana Ji was unconscious. Hanuman Ji brought Sanjeevani to help Him. Rama Ji and Ravana were left to face each other.
Rama Ji couldn’t harm Ravana for a day or two. When the battle ceased temporarily, Rama Ji was upset. The wise commander consoled Him and tried to boost Him for the next day. Rama Ji replied that He was upset as he saw Shakti fighting on behalf of Ravana. Rama Ji could not believe that Mother was helping the culprit.
The commander requested Him to pray to Mother and ask Her the reason for the cause, and also to help Him in the battle. He assured that his army would fight on the frontline during the days of worship.
The worship began. Rama Ji collected hundred-and-eight lotuses for the pooja. He gathered a fixed posture and visualized the opulent form of Mother. The worship proceeded for nine days and nights. He fixed His attention on the Form, unstirred in posture, space, and time. Eight days passed smoothly.
Mother wanted to test Him, if He had some remnants of His individuality, as Dashrath Putra. She picked up the last hundred-and-eighth lotus. Rama Ji tried to search for the lotus but didn’t find the same. He felt shattered. He prayed to Mother Sita and asked for forgiveness as He could not help Her.
Suddenly, He remembered the words of Mother Kaushalya. She used to call Him, Padmalochana, the one with lotus like eyes. He felt that He had two lotuses with Him. He reverted the arrow towards His eye socket, and was ready to suck out the eye ball. Mother appeared before He. She said that He had passed the test with flying colors, and would surely win the battle.
Though Rama Ji was the Eternity, He faced all the circumstances to teach the world. Mother is the incarnation of love for all the creatures. She even helped Ravana, as She loved him seventy times a mother’s love. Though he was wrong, divine love cures all ailments. Ravana was not ready to admit it, but he attained liberation. He uttered the Name of Rama at his last breath. The divine arrow killed him.
We perform Shakti Pooja for nine days and celebrate the victory of righteousness over the futile ego, symbolized as Ravana (even, Mahishasura) on the tenth day.