GODDESS OF POWER
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Goddess Durga in Supreme FormIntroduction of Durga Amma.
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One of the most Powerful Goddess for all Hindu's is Goddess Durga. She is also known as Mahisasuramadhini (Mahisurarer Slayer) as she is the one whom appeared to slay the most powerful Demon Mahisasurer who was terrorising the 3 world, when all the other Gods could not defeat the Demon and all Gods and Beings were at his total mercy.
All the Sages and Gods had to pray and beg with FULL FAITH to the Supreme God of Athi ParaSakthi to evolve and come forward and defeat this Demon ans restore peace and sanity back to the 3 world. As such she takes the full form of the 3 Main Woman Goddess which includes ( Parvathi, Saraswathy & Letchumy). In her supreme form she has 12 hands. On the first 8 hands, she she holds all the main weapons that belongs to all the other male Gods and with her two last hand she blesses and another she holds the Lotus flower.
Meaning of word Durga is "The Inaccessible" or "The invisible". As she is the one who redeemed the whole universe from an utmost distress situation, therefore she is known to be the "one who can redeem anything/anyone in/from situations of utmost distress and sufferings".Her most prominent features that she has is her most radiant smile that she always has on her face and when anyone see's that smile, their heart will melt and their mind will forget that she is actually a supremely powerful and fiercest warrior Goddess.
An embodiment of creative feminine force, Goddess Durga exists in a state of self sufficient(she does not depend on anyone or anything) and fierce compassion. Even in her most angriest moment, she never loses her sense of humour, keeps her balances of fearlessness and patience. She represents the furious powers of all the male gods, most ferocious warrior,protector of righteousness and destroyer of all evil.
It's from her that all the other incarnation's such as :-
Bhagawathi, Kali, Bhavani, Chamundiswary, Ambika, Rajeswari, Gauri etc. She is known as Mother of the Universe and is the power behind the work of creation,preservation and destruction of the world.
Her Attributes
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"Durga amma" as she is so fondly called by all her devotee's everywhere.She has always shown full compassion, always patience and her ever smiling face to all her devotee's. She is quick to come forward and help those with their miseries to whomever who has shown full faith in her. It is said that it is not easy to always get her blessing as she is known to test her devotee's of their faith in her to the fullest and extreme level before she comes and rescue's them.
She expects nothing less then full faith from her devotee's. She knows of their needs and bestows upon them what she think is the best for them instead of what the devotee's feels is best for them or want for themselves.
Her most unique attributes would be that in the midst of her calmness and peace , she could turn angry in a split second and then turn calm again in the next second. This is due to the fact that she has in her the element of calm and anger in her eyes and element of wisdom on her forehead.
Like God Siva, she also has 3 eyes. One of the name that she is also called is "Devi Triyambagiyae" which means the 3 eyed goddess. Her left eye represents Desire (Moon-Chandiran) , her right eye represents Action (Sun-Suryan) and her central eye represents Knowledge. (Fire-Agni).
Even though being a most fierce warrior, her form is blindingly bright with 3 lotus like eyes, 10 hands, lush hair with beautiful curls at the end, her skin glows of red-golden colour,she wears a shinning red saree emitting fierce rays, her ornaments are of beautiful gold, pearls and precious stones and holds a long solid gold trisulam (trident) on her left hand while her right hand blesses the devotee's. Her standing pose is known as "Abahaye Mudra" which signifies freedom from fear.
Her faithful Vehicle is the Lion. As Lion is depicted as King of the Jungle. Thus as powerful as Goddess Durga is only a Lion is said to be qualified enough to be her vehicle.
Her hands - she is known to have 12 hands in her supreme form. In her Calm form she is known to have 10 hands. These represents that she protects her devotee's from all 10 directions.
The weapons that she carries are :-
1. Trisula (trident) : Symbol of 3 qualities Satwa (inactivity) , Rajas (activity) and Tamas (non-activity) thus she is the remover of all three types of misery - physical misery, mental misery and spiritual misery. [ This weapon is of Lord Shiva]
2. Chakram or know as "Sudarshan-Chara"(Discuss) : which spins around her index finger without touching her finger signifies that the whole world is subservient to the will and command of Goddess Durga. She uses this un-falling weapon to destroy evil and produce an environment conducive to the growth of righteousness. [This weapon is of Lord Vishnu]
3.The Conch Shell (Sanggu) : this symbolise the "Pranava" or the word "OM".This means that she holds on to all God in the form of sound - "OM". [ This weapon is of Lord Brahma]
4.The Thunderbolt : This signifies firmness. A devotee of Durga has to be firm like a thunderbolt in one's conviction. Just as a thunderbolt that can break anything against its strike, without being affected itself, devotee's needs to attack a challenge/short comings in their life without losing confidence. [This weapon is of Lord Indran]
5. The Bow and Arrow : This represent energy. Kinetic Power is the bow - Bow does not move, it held in the hand and arrow represents the Potential Power as it does the required action. [This is of Lord Rama]
6. The Sword : This symbolises Knowledge. She has the knowledge as sharp as a longsword.Knowledge free from all doubts is symbolised by the shine of the sword. [ Element of Warrior]
7. The Lotus : Lotus in her will not be of one fully bloomed but will be of half bloomed.This symbolises that certainty of success but not finality.Lotus in sanskrit is called "Pankaja" which literally means produce/born of mud. Lotus represents for continuous evolution of the spiritual quality of the devotees is expected amidst the worldly mud of lust and greed. [This is of Goddess Sarawathi]
8. Snake : This represents cautiousness and powerful striking power.Always ready and willing to assist her devotees at their time of needs and also to punish them should they sin. [Primarily protector of Amman]
9. Fire : Element of light. She enlightens and shows the right path to all her devotees in time of misery and distress. [ This is of Lord Agni]
10. Mace : This symbolise the solidness of her force. It is all in one. Her mace is decorated with all the most beautiful precious stones. As it represents her wealth as her as her charitable attributes to her devotees. [ This is element of Lord Kuberan]
Other weapons that she would carry are Rope and Shield ( To punish and to Protect)
Her Legend
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It is said that once a great sage lived in the jungle. He said to have obtain great boon from Lord Brahma after his great penance. His boon was that he should not be defeated by any man or god anywhere, ability to change his appearances and multiple should his blood dropped or spilled to the ground.
Due to this, he was full of ego and a very conceited person showing no respect to anyone or anything as he deems himself to be the most powerful being in the universe. However, one day another great sage name Agathiyar Munivar { Short Sage - as he was short as midget in his appearance} was on the way passing his living quarters. As the sage passes him, he did not even bother to greet him and just sat there in his arrogance. Seing this, the short sage asked why he did not even bother to greet him, he replied that he is too powerful than anyone and as such it is Him(Agathiyar Munivar) that should bow to him and greet him and get his blessings. Hearing this, the hot tempered Munivar scolded him and cursed him that he would be turned into a Man with a Buffalo Head.
As soon as Agathiyar Munivar cursed and walked off, the sage immediately turned into a human buffalo (Mahisasuran). He started to torment everyone and created great havoc everywhere and killing people and most of them were holy man. Unable to withstand his torment, holy men approached Lord Brahma for help as he was the one who gave the powerful boon to Mahisasuran. However not able to do anything, Lord Brahma led the men to go and seek Lord Vishnu and Lord Sivan. However, during these period of time, the two of them both were without their power as their consorts were taken away from them by the Supreme God Athi Parasakthi due to their ego's. Hearing this, Sage Narada proposed to all of them that they should pray and beg to Supreme Being to help sort out their problem but in a way that a child is begging from a mother.
Hearing this, all the holy man, began their pooja's (prayers) and recitation of their Mantra's to get help and blessing from the Supreme Being but however knowing this Mahisasuran has always managed to destroy and disrupt their pooja's half way. The holy man were losing hope and faith that help from the Supreme Being will ever come and they began to fear for the worst that the Universe will be controlled by the Powerful Mahisasuran forever. The Holy men went to Sage Narada to complain and asked for his advise.
He advised that the reason for Supreme Being not coming forward to help them is that their prayers are not done will full heart and full faith. He told them that they should surrender their full concentration to the pooja and call her with utmost faith as a child cries for a mother. Admiting their fault, the holy men and god's renewed their pooja's with full faith.
Satisfied with their faith, Supreme Being then evolved herself from the heat of all the 3 male Gods (Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu & Lord Brahma). She combined this manifestion with the 3 consorts of the 3 Goddess and appeared as Goddess Durga.
She then appeared in an Ashram belonging to a holymen named Katyan who was doing the pooja. Thus, her first name was Goddess Katyani in honor of the priest. She then informed all that she is the form of the Supreme Being and none has created her and that she is of combined energy. She told them that she will go and kill Mahisuran bring back sanity to the Universe and protect all the Gods. She then set into the jungle, hunting for Mahisasuran. Hearing that a female goddess is coming to do war against him, Mahisasuran was laughing and mocking all the Gods.
Upon the encounter with Durga, Mahisasuran underestimating her, asked "How can a woman kill me. I am the great Mahisasuran the one who has defeated all the Gods in trinity". Hearing this Durga just smile and then laughed out loud. Her laughter was so loud and powerful that it caused earthquake and this put fear in Mahisasuran. Now he is knows the power of Goddess Durga.
A battle ensued between them, all the while even in the battle, Goddess Durga remained in a very complacent demure and always smiling. This made Mahisasuran even angrier, and then he decided that he would have to use the boon that he has got from Lord Brahma and changed himself into a buffalo but Goddess Durga easily defeated him with her sword. The he changed himself into an elephant and tied up the Lion of the Goddess and began furiously pulling the lion towards him, however Goddess Durga chopped of the elephant trunks. He then took the form a lion but then Goddess Durga easily once again slain and defeated him. Then he took the form a man and fought violently, however once again Goddess Durga using her Mace defeated him.
Then as a last resort, using his last boon, he transformed himself back into the Buffalo and began attacking Goddess Durga. As Goddess Durga shot him with her arrow, blood started to spill from him and from every blood drop, Mahisasuran form was multiplying.
This made Goddess Durga very angry and she lost her patience. She summoned the kali chandhiswary to appear before her and instructed her to drink every drop of blood that spills from the body of Mahisasuran. She then told Mahisasuran that his time was up and that she is going to kill him and ensure peace and sanity is brought back to the Universe.
Ignoring her, Mahisasuran attacked her again and in anger Goddess Durga transforming herself in the most angriest form, used her Trisulam and pierced it through his heart and then as her Lion was pinning the body down, she then slayed Mahisasuran's head off using her sword. Thus her name, Mahisasuramardhini.
After slaying Mahisasuran, Goddess Durga had to be a peaced so she transforms herself back to her calm form. This took the effort of all the Gods, Holy Men and all Human Beings. She then emerged in her calm form with the most impreganable smile ever blessing everyone.
This Battle took nine days to finish. Thus the tenth day is celebrated as the victory day as she emerges in her clam form.
People everywhere do their Navarathiri Pooja ( Nine Days Pooja) in rememberance of her great battle. Another Pooja that is most important is the Raghu Kalam Durga Pooja.
Durga Mantra
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Om Dhum Durgayei Namaha Om.
Both of this Pooja will be on my next Blog.
Om Sakthi!
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