Nava-ratri means nine nights. Nights induce fear in human beings. But nights also nourish them. There are three fear inducers in a human life that also nourish them. Huge barriers (be it social, human, natural etc etc) in front of our life induce fear in us. We have to develop the strength to cross these potential barriers to achieve something. If we cross-over these barriers, they nourish us. dur-gA in sanskrit means one that can not be stopped. This quality is personified as a feminine divinity in vedic literature. So we invoke durgA (invoke means worship in vedic terms), the strength in us, not to be stopped by any barrier. The ability of others to harness resources for their growth (which we call wealth) induces fear in us. We have to develop that ability in us to harness the resources around us for our growth. If we achieve that wealth, it nourishes us. Laksh-mi means the 'mark' or 'characteristics' in us. The hallmark of human life is the ability to ...