As Navratras unfolds, we are reminded of the feminine force — Shakti — in its truest essence. It is not just the power to fight battles, but the quieter, more transformative power to nurture, shape, and sustain.
A friend once shared with me: “I look at myself as the mother of this world. I am here to nurture.” What a powerful thought. The minute we see ourselves as a nurturer of this world, our whole worldview changes. After all, women are gifted with the power to create which no man can. The power to give birth is also the power to change destinies. A mother doesn’t just raise a child; she shapes a citizen. Whatever a mother teaches is carried forward by generations. As the saying goes, “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.” and hence if we anchor our lives in the belief that we are here to create, not consume; to heal, not harm; to guide, not dominate — then every relationship, every decision, every act acquires a different meaning.
In a time when aggression often masquerades as strength, perhaps we need to return to the feminine ideal of power — not as domination, but as nurture. Navratras is a reminder that true strength is not about destruction alone, but about creation, care, and continuity.
When we see violence, conflict, or disregard around us, women have the power to change the thought process. And when the thought changes, the action changes — and generations transform.
Gandhi captured this continuum best: “Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.”
Habits shape thoughts. If children see equality at home (sharing chores, respecting women’s voices), they grow up believing equality is “normal.” Thoughts guide actions. Once the mind accepts an idea, it reflects in behavior. Respectful thoughts lead to respectful acts. Actions build culture. When many individuals act differently, society begins to change. A generation inherits new norms.
I was reminded of this again when I was invited recently to judge a prestigious inter school “Father Peter Mermier” debate at my alma mater, St. Francis on the topic: “Integrity Matters More Than Intelligence.” Father Peter Mermier, founder of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales believed education must form character first and intellect later. My school has carried forward this legacy instilling in us the courage to choose what is correct over what is convenient. Their guiding motto as Father Principal Saiju Thomas said- “The heart of education is education of the heart.”
Intelligence without integrity is dangerous. Integrity without intelligence is ineffective. Intelligence gives us science — the ability to solve problems, innovate, and succeed. But it is integrity that teaches us the art of living — guiding how we use that intelligence for good.
Because in today’s world of Artificial Intelligence, human intelligence is no longer the differentiator. Machines may outpace us in memory, speed, and logic, but they can never replicate human conscience. That moral compass — integrity — is uniquely ours.
AI may calculate faster than us, but it cannot differentiate between right and wrong unless we program it so. That moral code comes only from integrity. Aptitude may get you hired, but attitude and ethics keep you trusted. Skills open the door, but it is character that keeps you in the room.
The 21st century will not be defined by the sharpest minds alone, but by the strongest moral compasses. As AI gets smarter, humans must get truer.
And that brings me back to woman power – the feminine energy during Navratri. To nurture with integrity is the highest form of power. Creation without conscience is reckless; conscience without creation is incomplete. But when the two meet, they shape not just individuals, but generations.
As technology accelerates change, it is nurture that humanises it. Navratras remind us that real strength lies not in speed or scale, but in sustaining life with integrity. To create and to care — that is the power only humans, and especially women, hold. And that is the power that will define our destiny.
