Shoolini , ( Sanskrit : शूलिनी) is the principal form of the Goddess Durga or Parvati , also known as Devi and Shakti .
88-437: Maa Shoolini ( Mahashakti ), the form and formless, is the root of knowledge, wisdom, creation, preservation and annihilation. She is Shakti or power of Lord Shiva . Narasimha , the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu , couldn't control his rage after killing the unruly demon king Hiranyakashipu . He was becoming a threat to the entire universe. So, Lord Shiva, in order to pacify Narasimha, manifestated as Sharabha . Shoolini
176-561: A deity in Hinduism . The concept and reverence for goddesses appears in the Vedas , which were composed around the 2nd millennium BCE. However, they did not play a vital role in that era. Goddesses such as Durga , Kali , Lakshmi , Parvati , Radha , Saraswati and Sita have continued to be revered in the modern era. The medieval era Puranas witness a major expansion in mythology and literature associated with Devi, with texts such as
264-415: A pustaka (book or script), a mala (rosary, garland), a water pot, and a musical instrument (lute or vina). The book she holds symbolizes the Vedas representing the universal, divine, eternal, and true knowledge as well as all forms of learning. A mālā of crystals, representing the power of meditation, and a pot of water represents the power to purify right from wrong. The musical instrument, typically
352-527: A veena , represents all creative arts and sciences, and her holding it symbolizes expressing knowledge that creates harmony. The Saraswatirahasya Upanishad of the Yajurveda contain ten verses called " dasa sloki " which are in praise of Sarasvati. In this Upanishad, she is extolled as You are the swan gliding over the pond of creative energy, waves and waves of creative forces emanating from your form! Radiant Goddess resplendent in white, dwells forever in
440-464: A broad range of culturally valued goals and activities. Her connection with motherhood and female sexuality does not confine the feminine or exhaust their significance and activities in Hindu literature. She manifests in every activity, from water to mountains, from arts to inspiring warriors, from agriculture to dance. Parvati's numerous aspects, states Gross, reflect the Hindu belief that the feminine has
528-536: A cognate of devi is Latin dea . When capitalised, Devi maata refers to the mother goddess in Hinduism. Deva is short for devatā and devi for devika . According to Douglas Harper, the etymological root dev- means "a shining one", from * div -, "to shine", it is an Indo-European cognate of the Greek dios , Gothic divine and Latin deus (Old Latin deivos ); see also *Dyēus . A synonym for
616-580: A collective are called Tridevi . The nirguna concept ( Avyakrita , transcendent) is also referred to as Maha-lakshmi. This structure is not accidental, but embeds the Samkhya philosophy idea of three Gunas that is central in Hindu scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita . The Samkhya philosophical premise asserts that all life and matter has all three co-existent innate tendencies or attributes ( Guṇa ), whose equilibrium or disequilibrium drives
704-462: A day over nine days. These are: Shailaputri , Brahmacharini , Chandraghanta , Kushmanda , Skandamata , Katyayani , Kaalratri , Mahagauri and Siddhidaatri . In the goddess-worshiping Shaktidharma denomination of Hinduism, the supreme deity Mahadevi manifests as the goddess Mahasaraswati in order to create, as the goddess Mahalaxmi in order to preserve, and as the goddess Mahakali ( Parvati ) in order to destroy. These three forms of
792-472: A dispossessed king Suratha, who has lost his kingdom and a merchant named Samadhi, who is betrayed by his family. Disturbed by these events, both men decide to renounce the world and escape to the forested ashram of sage Medhas to find peace. Medhas' teachings lead them both beyond existential suffering. The sage tells them about Mahamaya , an epithet of the goddess, who is the cause of world's delusion and creation and who manifests in different ways. Most famous
880-457: A part of the bhakti movement symbolising "yearning of human soul drawn to Krishna". In South India , she is considered as Bhumidevi . Though goddess Radha has more than thousand names but some of her common names used by devotees are – Radhika, Radhe, Radharani, Madhavi, Keshavi, Shyama, Kishori, Shreeji, Swamini ji (in Pushtimarg ) , Raseshwari, Vrindavaneshwari and Laadli ji. In
968-522: A philosophical foundation, wherein the female is the primordial creator; she is also the Tridevi as the secondary creator, the sustainer, and destroyer. She is described in the text as the one who dwells in all creatures, as the soul, as the power to know, will and act. She is further described as the consciousness of all living beings, intelligence, matter, and all that is form or emotion. The text includes hymns to saguna (manifest, incarnated) form of
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#17327872923841056-558: A shakta Upanishad, Sita is extolled as the supreme goddess. The Upanishad identifies Sita with Prakrti (nature) which is constituted by "will" ichha , activity ( kriya ) and knowledge ( jnana ). The Upanishad also states that Sita emerged while furrowing, at the edge of the plough . She is extolled as one of the Panchakanya for her virtuous qualities; taking their names destroys all sins. Her life story and journeys with her husband Rama and brother-in-law Lakshmana are part of
1144-615: A shakta or tantric poem, is dedicated to the Supreme Deity of the sect, Parvati who is considered much superior to Shiva. It celebrates Parvati and her feminine persona. It is an approach to the tantra through Parvati. In Shakti Tantra traditions, Devis are visualized with yantra and are a tool for spiritual journey for the tantric adept. The adepts ritually construct triangle yantras with proper use of visualization, movement, and mantra. The adepts believe, state John Stratton Hawley and Donna Marie Wulff, that "to establish such yantra
1232-478: A universal range of activities, and her gender is not a limiting condition. In Hindu belief, Parvati is the recreative energy and power of Shiva, and she is the cause of a bond that connects all beings and a means of their spiritual release. Devi is portrayed as the ideal wife, mother, and householder in Indian legends. In Indian art, this vision of ideal couple is derived from Shiva and Parvati as being half of
1320-404: A white lotus . She not only embodies knowledge but also the experience of the highest reality. Her iconography is typically in white themes from dress to flowers to swan – the color symbolizing Sattwa Guna or purity, discrimination for true knowledge, insight and wisdom. She is generally shown to have 8 to 10 arms, but sometimes just shows two. The four hands hold items with symbolic meaning –
1408-426: A world under attack by the shape-shifting Mahishasura , an evil demon who uses deception to disarm his opponents, ultimately taking the form of a buffalo demon. Mahishasura is able to use his powers to defeat the male gods because he had been granted a boon that he could only be defeated by a woman. Feeling angered and helpless, the gods release energy which combines into a singular mass of light and strength which takes
1496-791: Is "the paradigm for rituals and ceremonies for the bride and groom in Hindu weddings ." Archaeological discoveries and ancient coins suggest the recognition and reverence for goddess Lakshmi in the Scytho-Parthian kingdom and throughout India by the 1st millennium BCE. She is also revered in other non-Hindu cultures of Asia, such as in Tibet.She is also worshipped in Buddhism. Lakshmi's iconography and statues have also been found in Hindu temples throughout Southeast Asia, estimated to be from second half of 1st millennium CE. In modern times, Lakshmi
1584-600: Is a form of Maa Kali or Maa Durga. She is also known as Shoolini Durga . Shoolini Mela Solan, the Mushroom city of India acquires its name from the sacred shrine of Goddess Shoolini positioned in Solan. The marvellous temple of Shoolini Devi is principally reckoned for the Shoolini Mela celebrated here in the last week of June every year. Dedicated to the patron Goddess of Solan i.e. Maa Shoolini, celebrated in
1672-598: Is also called Durga Saptaśati (literally a collection of seven hundred" or something that contains seven hundreds in number), as it contains 700 shlokas (verses). It is also known as Candi Patha. Caṇḍī or Caṇḍika is the name by which the Supreme Goddess is referred to in Devī Māhātmyam . According to Hindu Scriptures, Caṇḍikā is "the Goddess of Truth and Justice who came to Earth for
1760-539: Is also mentioned as the creative power of Shiva in Tripura Upanishad , Bahvricha Upanishad and Guhyakali Upanishad. Devi identifies herself in the Devi Upanishad as Brahman in her reply to the gods stating that she rules the world, blesses devotees with riches, that she is the supreme deity to whom all worship is to be offered and that she infuses Ātman in every soul. Devi asserts that she
1848-415: Is an example of the later, where she subsumes all goddesses, becomes the ultimate goddess, and is sometimes just called Devi. Theological texts projected Mahadevi as ultimate reality in the universe as a "powerful, creative, active, transcendent female being." The Puranas and Tantra literature of India celebrates this idea, particularly between the 12th–16th century, and the best example of such texts being
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#17327872923841936-618: Is astride on a tiger or lion. In the Skanda Purana , the Devi Bhagvata Purana and other Puranas , Devi assumes the form of a warrior-goddess and defeats an asura called Durgamasura , who assumes the form of a buffalo. In this aspect, she is known by the name Durga. In later Hindu literature, states Jansen, she is attributed the role of the "energy, power (shakti) of the Impersonal Absolute". In
2024-468: Is called in Yoga Vasistha as Prakṛti or "all of nature". She is described in the text, state Shimkhanda and Herman, as the "one great body of cosmos", and same as Devis "Durga, Jaya and Siddha, Lakshmi, Gayatri, Saraswati, Parvati, Savitri". She is the power that supports the earth, with all its seas, islands, forests, deserts and mountains, asserts Yoga Vasistha . She is not to be confused with
2112-479: Is celebrated as " Radhashtami ". She is described by scriptures as the chief of gopis . She is also revered as the queen of Barsana , Vrindavan and her spiritual abode Goloka . Her love affair with Krishna was set in Vraja and its surrounding forests. It is said that " Krishna enchants the world but Radha can even enchant Krishna due to her selfless love and complete dedication towards him ". Radha has always been
2200-472: Is central and key to the creation as Maha-Maya, or, the great illusion/power that induces Vishnu's deep slumber on the waters of the cosmic ocean prior to the manifestation of the Universe which is a continuous cycle of manifestation, destruction and re-manifestation. Two demons, Madhu-Kaitabha , arise from Vishnu's earwax. The demons endeavour to vanquish Brahma who is preparing to create the next cycle of
2288-463: Is clothed in a tiger skin, rides a tiger, and wields a staff topped by a human skull. She destroys the asuras. Literature on goddess Kali recounts several such appearances, mostly in her terrifying but protective aspects. Kali appears as an independent deity, or like Parvati, viewed as the wife of Shiva . In this aspect, she represents the omnipotent Shakti of Shiva. She holds both the creative and destructive power of time. Kali, also called Kalaratri,
2376-619: Is dated to the ~3rd century CE, and the Devi Mahatmyam was added to the Markandeya Purana either in the 5th or 6th century. The Dadhimati Mata inscription (608 CE) quotes a portion from the Devi Mahatmyam . Thus, it can be concluded that the text was composed before the 7th century CE. It is generally dated between 400–600 CE. Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty dates the Devi Mahatmya to c. 550 CE , and
2464-635: Is done during the Sharad Navaratri (October – November) in India . It is recited during Navaratri celebrations, the Durga Puja festival and in Durga temples of India. In the theological practices of the goddess tradition of Hinduism, the middle episode is the most important. If a community or individual cannot recite the entire Devi Mahatmyam composition, the middle episode alone is recited at
2552-489: Is escorted in a very ostentatious manner. The Mata Durga Temple of the Ganj Bazar is the ultimate destination of Goddess Shoolini which is regarded to be the abode of her sister Durga Devi. The Goddess Shoolini halts at her sister's place for three days and then returns to her own domicile. The return journey of the Goddess to her own temple is celebrated on the last day of Shoolini Mela with even more pomp and grandeur. On
2640-412: Is expressed with a different name, giving her over 1008 names in regional Hindu mythologies of India, including the popular names such as Gauri. Along with Lakshmi (goddess of wealth and prosperity) and Saraswati (goddess of knowledge and learning), she forms the trinity of Hindu goddesses . Parvati is married to Shiva – the destroyer, recycler, and regenerator of the universe and all life. She
2728-667: Is intrinsic, not derived from its Puranic context. According to Damara Tantra "Like Aswamedha in Yagnas, Hari in Devas, Sapthsati is in hymns." "Like the Vedas; Saptasati is eternal" says Bhuvaneshwari Samhita. There are many commentaries on Devi Māhātmya . The significance of Devi Māhātmya has been explained in many Tantric and Puranic texts like Katyayani Tantra, Gataka Tantra, Krodha Tantra, Meru Tantram, Marisa Kalpam, Rudra Yamala, and Chidambara Rahasya. The recitation of Devi Mahatmya
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2816-427: Is known as Narayani Stuti which affirms her role as the creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe. Devi, pleased with the devas, grants them a boon that she will always destroy the demons and bring peace to earth. She mentions her future incarnations and their respective acts (Chapter 11). Then Devi mentions the benefits, accrual of peace, bliss of worshipping her and disappears (Chapter 12). The sage finishes
2904-521: Is one of the most important texts in Shaktism , along with Devi-Bhagavata Purana and Devi Upanishad . The text is one of the earliest extant complete manuscripts from the Hindu traditions which describes reverence and worship of the feminine aspect of God. The Devi Mahatmyam describes a storied battle between good and evil, where the Devi manifesting as goddess Durga leads the forces of good against
2992-400: Is propounded in many Hindu texts such as the Devi Upanishad , which teaches that Shakti is essentially Brahman (ultimate metaphysical Reality) and that from her arises prakṛti (matter) and purusha (consciousness) and that she is bliss and non-bliss, the Vedas and what is different from it, the born and the unborn and all of the universe. Shakti is Parvati , Shiva ’s wife. She
3080-549: Is the creator of earth and heaven and resides there. Her creation of the sky as father and the seas as the mother is reflected as the 'Inner Supreme Self'. Her creations are not prompted by any higher being and she resides in all her creations. She is, states Devi, the eternal and infinite consciousness engulfing earth and heaven, and 'all forms of bliss and non-bliss, knowledge and ignorance, Brahman and Non-Brahman'. The tantric aspect in Devi Upanishad, says June McDaniel,
3168-404: Is the mother of Hindu gods Ganesha and Kartikeya . Her parents are Himavan and Maināvati. According to Puranas she performed strict tapasya and achieved the position of consort of Shiva. Rita Gross states, the view of Parvati only as an ideal wife and mother is an incomplete symbolism of the power of the feminine in the mythology of India. Parvati, along with other goddesses, are involved with
3256-747: Is the story of Mahishasura Mardini – Devi as "Slayer of the Buffalo Demon" – one of the most ubiquitous images in Hindu art and sculpture, and a tale known almost universally in India. Among the important goddess forms the Devi Mahatmyam introduced into the Sanskritic mainstream are Kali and the Sapta-Matrika ("Seven Mothers"). The first episode (chapter 1) of the Devi Mahatmyam depicts Devi in her form as Maha-Maya. Here, Devi
3344-411: Is the usage of the terms yantra , bindu , bija , mantra , shakti and chakra . Among the major world religions, the concept of Goddess in Hinduism as the divine feminine has had the strongest presence since ancient times. Parvati is the Hindu goddess of love, beauty, purity and devotion. She is the mother goddess in Hinduism and has many attributes and aspects. Each of her aspects
3432-588: Is then integrated into a monistic (non-dualistic, Advaita ) spirituality in Devi Mahatmya , just like the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita , the Bhagavata Purana and other important texts of Hinduism. The Goddess in Indian traditions The Devi-Mahatmya is not the earliest literary fragment attesting to the existence of devotion to a goddess figure, but it is surely the earliest in which
3520-525: Is thereafter invincible, and revered as "preserver of Dharma , destroyer of evil". Durga's emergence and mythology is described in the Puranas , particularly the Devi Mahatmya . The text describes Kālī 's emerging out of Parvati when she becomes extremely angry. Parvati's face turns pitch dark, and suddenly Kali springs forth from Parvati's forehead. She is black, wears a garland of human heads ,
3608-424: Is to place the macrocosm within oneself", and doing so can yield temporal benefits, spiritual powers or enlightenment. A tantric text titled "Vigyan Bhairav Tantra", 'Vigyan' meaning "consciousness" is a conversation between Shiva and Parvati rendered in 112 verses, elaborates on "wisdom and insight of pure consciousness." Devi Puja is the worship of Parvati which is observed through four forms of Devi Yantra;
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3696-555: Is worshipped as the goddess of wealth. The festivals of Diwali and Sharad Purnima (Kojagiri Purnima) are celebrated in her honor. Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom, and learning. She is the consort of Brahma . The earliest known mention of Saraswati as a goddess is in Rigveda . She has remained significant as a goddess from the Vedic age through modern times of Hindu traditions. Some Hindus celebrate
3784-531: The Devi Mahatmya , wherein she manifests as the ultimate truth and supreme power. She has inspired the Shaktism tradition of Hinduism. Further, Devi is viewed as central in the Hindu traditions of Shaktism and Shaivism . Devi and deva are Sanskrit terms found in Vedic literature around the 3rd millennium BCE. Deva is masculine, and the related feminine equivalent is devi . Monier-Williams translates it as 'heavenly, divine, terrestrial things of high excellence, exalted, shining ones'. Etymologically,
3872-516: The Rigveda . However, the goddesses are not discussed as frequently as gods ( devas ). Devi appears in late Vedic texts dated to be pre-Buddhist, but verses dedicated to her do not suggest that her characteristics were fully developed in the Vedic era. All gods and goddesses are distinguished in Vedic times, but in post-Vedic texts, particularly in the early medieval era literature, they are ultimately seen as aspects or manifestations of one Devi,
3960-399: The Devi Mahatmyam is both a culmination of centuries of Indian ideas about the divine feminine, as well as a foundation for the literature and spirituality focused on the feminine transcendence in centuries that followed. The Devi Mahatmya is a devotional text, and Thomas Coburn states that its aim is not to analyze divine forms or abstract ideas, but to praise. It accomplishes this with
4048-519: The Goddess ') is a Hindu philosophical text describing the Goddess, known as Mahadevi or Adishakti, as the supreme power and creator of the universe. It is part of the Markandeya Purana . Devi Mahatmyam is also known as the Durgā Saptashatī ( दुर्गासप्तशती ) or Śata Chandī (शत् चंडी) and Chandi Path ( चंडी पाठ ). The text contains 700 verses arranged into 13 chapters. It
4136-569: The Kali Yuga , which is spelled similarly yet holds a different meaning. The Kali Yuga is presented as a threat to Mother India, with pictures from the nineteenth century depicting the age as a "ferocious meat-eating demon" in comparison to India's depiction of "a cow giving milk to her children". The largest annual festival associated with the goddess is Durga Puja celebrated in the month of Ashvin (September–October), where nine manifestations of Parvati ( Navadurga ) are worshipped, each on
4224-648: The Rigveda (10.125.1 to 10.125.8) is among the most studied hymns declaring that the ultimate reality is a goddess: I have created all worlds at my will without being urged by any higher Being, and dwell within them. I permeate the earth and heaven, and all created entities with my greatness and dwell in them as eternal and infinite consciousness. The Vedas name numerous cosmic goddesses such as Prithvi (earth), Aditi (cosmic moral order), Vāc (sound), Nirṛti (destruction), Ratri (night) and Aranyani (forest); bounty goddesses such as Dinsana, Raka, Puramdhi, Parendi, Bharati and Mahi are among others are mentioned in
4312-460: The Shaktism traditions of Hinduism, found particularly in eastern states of India, Durga is a popular goddess form of Adishakti . In the medieval era composed texts such as the Puranas, she emerges as a prominent goddess in the context of crisis, when evil asuras were on the ascent. The male gods were unable to contain and subdue the forces of evil. The warrior goddess, Devi, kills the asura, and
4400-639: The 'crystallization of the Goddess tradition." The unique feature of Devi Māhātmyam is the oral tradition. Though it is part of the devotional tradition, it is in the rites of the Hindus that it plays an important role. The entire text is considered as one single Mantra and a collection of 700 Mantras. The Devi Māhātmyam is treated in the cultic context as if it were a Vedic hymn or verse with sage ( ṛṣi ), meter, pradhnadevata, and viniyoga (for japa ). It has been approached, by Hindus and Western scholars, as scripture in and by itself, where its significance
4488-456: The Goddess, as well as nirguna (unmanifest, abstract) form of her. The saguna hymns appear in chapters 1, 4 and 11 of the Devi Mahatmya , while chapter 5 praises the nirguna concept of Goddess. The saguna forms of her, asserts the text, are Mahakali (destroyer, desire principle of mother, Tamasic), Mahalakshmi (sustainer, evolution principle of mother, Sattvic) and Mahasaraswati (creator, action principle of mother, Rajasic), which as
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#17327872923844576-457: The Hindu epic Ramayana , an allegorical story with Hindu spiritual and ethical teachings. However, there are many versions of Ramayana, and her story as a goddess in Hindu mythology. Her legends also vary in southeast Asian versions of the epic Ramayana, such as in the Ramakien of Thailand where she is spelled as Sida (or Nang Sida ). In Valmiki Ramayana, Sita is repeatedly expressed as
4664-555: The Kashmir of my heart. Saraswati is also found outside India, such as in Japan, Vietnam, Bali (Indonesia) and Myanmar. Vedic literature does not have any particular goddess matching the concept of Durga. Her legends appear in the medieval era, as an angry, ferocious form of the mother goddess Mahalakshmi , who assumes the avatar of Durga . She manifests as a goddess with eight or ten arms, holding weapons and skulls of demons, and
4752-881: The Supreme Power. Devi is the supreme being in the Shakta tradition of Hinduism; in the Smarta tradition, she is one of the five primary forms of Brahman that is revered. In other Hindu traditions, Devi embodies the active energy and power of Deva, and they always appear together complementing each other. Examples of this are Parvati with Shiva in Shaivism , Saraswati with Brahma in Brahmanism and Lakshmi with Vishnu , Sita with Rama and Radha with Krishna in Vaishnavism . Devi-inspired philosophy
4840-489: The Universe. Brahma sings to the Great Goddess, asking her to withdraw from Vishnu so he may awaken and slay the demons. Devi agrees to withdraw and Vishnu awakens, fights the demons for five thousand years and vanquishes them. Here Devi is praised as the agent who allows both the cosmic order to be upset and restored. The middle episode (chapters 2–4) presents the goddess in her avatar as Durga . The episode stages
4928-506: The continuation of humanity. Radha means "prosperity, success, and lightning." She is the female counterpart and consort of Krishna . She is also considered as the internal potency of Krishna. In Puranic literature such as the Brahma Vaivarta Purana , she is known as the Goddess of love and is also described as the " Prakriti " along with goddess Lakshmi, Parvati, Saraswati and Gayatri. She has figured prominently in
5016-473: The demon Mahishasura —the goddess is very angry and ruthless, and the forces of good win. The verses of this story also outline a philosophical foundation wherein the ultimate reality ( Brahman in Hinduism) can also be female. It is recited during Navaratri celebrations, the Durga Puja festival, and in Durga temples across India. Devi Mahatmyam means 'Glorification of the Goddess'. The text
5104-485: The establishment of Dharma", from the adjective caṇḍa , "fierce, violent, cruel for evil forces not for good forces". The epithet has no precedent in Vedic literature and is first found in a late insertion to the Mahabharata , where Chaṇḍa and Chaṇḍī appear as epithets." Devi Mahatmyam is a text extracted from Markandeya Purana , and constitutes the latter's chapters 81 through 93. The Purana
5192-412: The festival of Vasant Panchami (the fifth day of spring) in her honor, and mark the day by helping young children learn how to write alphabets on that day. She is also part of Tridevi which consists of Saraswati, Parvati (goddess of power, fertility, love, beauty), and Lakshmi (goddess of material wealth, prosperity, and fortune). Saraswati is often depicted dressed in pure white, often seated on
5280-512: The first is Tara that exists in the realm of the fourth chakra representing the spiritual heart; Saraswati emanates in the first chakra; Lakshmi forms the second chakra; and Parvati is at the heart of the third chakra and completes the chakra. Worship through this Yantra leads to the realization of "cosmic energy" within oneself. Devi Mahatmya The Devi Mahatmya or Devi Mahatmyam ( Sanskrit : देवीमाहात्म्यम् , romanized : devīmāhātmyam , lit. 'Glory of
5368-427: The form of a goddess, Durga. The gods then bestow her with various weapons. Vishnu gives her his discus, Vayu gives her his bow and arrows and Himalaya provides her with a lion for a vehicle. Durga rides the lion into battle and captures and slays the buffalo demon by cutting off its head. She then destroys the inner essence of the demon when it emerges from the buffalo's severed neck, thereby establishing order in
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#17327872923845456-513: The four goals of human life considered important to the Hindu way of life – dharma , kama , artha , and moksha . She is the mother goddess in Hinduism. She is also part of Tridevi which consists of Lakshmi, Parvati (goddess of power, love, beauty), and Saraswati (goddess of music, wisdom, and learning). In the ancient scriptures of India, all women are declared to be embodiments of Lakshmi. The marriage and relationship between Lakshmi and Vishnu as wife and husband, states Patricia Monaghan,
5544-550: The honor of Goddess Shoolini commemorates the three days visit of the Goddess Shoolini Devi to her elder sister. The citizens of Solan as well as the devotees alight here from neighbouring regions congregate at the Shoolini Devi Temple. Goddess Shoolini is taken out of her temple in an extravagantly ornamented palanquin. The procession passes through different locales of Solan and everywhere it
5632-509: The manifestation of Lakshmi, as the one who blesses abundance in agriculture, food, and wealth. She is referred to golden goddess, wherein after Rama (Vishnu) is bereaved of her, he refuses to marry again, insists that he is married solely and forever to her, and uses a golden image of Sita as a substitute in the performance of his duties as a king. Sita, in many Hindu mythology, is the Devi associated with agriculture, fertility, food and wealth for
5720-563: The nature of a living being or thing. Tamasic is darkness and destructiveness (represented as Kali in Devi Mahatmya ), Sattvic is light and creative pursuit (Mahalakshmi), and Rajasic is dynamic energy qua energy without any intent of being creative or destructive (Mahasaraswati). The unmanifest, in this philosophy, has all these three innate attributes and qualities, as potent principle within, as unrealized power, and this unrealized Goddess dwells in every individual, according to Devi Mahatmya . This acknowledgment of Samkhya dualistic foundation
5808-631: The ninth and fourteenth centuries the Goddess is addressed in the most general and universal of terms, as Mahadevi, and represents all goddesses as different manifestations of her. The Lalita Sahasranama (Thousand names of Lalita ( Parvati ) states that Mahadevi is known by different synonyms such as Jagatikanda (anchors the world), Vishvadhika (one who surpasses the universe), Nirupama (one who has no match), Parameshwari (dominant governor), Vyapini (encompasses everything), Aprameya (immeasurable), Anekakotibrahmadajanani (creator of many universes), Vishvagarbha (she whose Garba or womb subsumes
5896-490: The object of worship is conceptualized as Goddess, with a capital G. — Thomas Coburn The Devi Mahatmya consists of chapters 81–93 of the Mārkandeya Purana , one of the early Sanskrit Puranas, where the sage Markandeya is narrating a story about Savarni Manu , or the eighth Manu. The thirteen chapters of Devi Mahatmya are divided into three unequal parts. The framing narrative of Devi Mahatmya presents
5984-426: The other, represented as Ardhanarishvara . Parvati is found extensively in ancient Indian literature, and her statues and iconography grace ancient and medieval era Hindu temples all over South Asia and Southeast Asia . Lakshmi , also called Sri , is the Hindu goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity (both material and spiritual). She is the consort and active energy of Vishnu . Her four hands represent
6072-432: The philosophical and symbolic battlefield of the Bhagavad Gita , the Devi Mahatmya symbolic killing grounds target human frailties, according to Kali, and the Goddess targets the demons of ego and dispels our mistaken idea of who we are. Thomas Coburn states that most hymns present the Goddess's martial exploits, but these are "surpassed by verses of another genre, viz., the hymns to the Goddess". The hymnic portion of
6160-405: The poems of Vidyapati (1352–1448) as a cosmic queen and later became inspiration behind many forms of art, literature, music and dance. She is also seen as the incarnation of Lakshmi . Some traditions worship Radha as the lover consort of Krishna while many other traditions worship Radha as the married consort of Lord Krishna. Radha was made famous through Jayadeva 's Gitagovinda poem which
6248-417: The rest of the Markandeya Purana to c. 250 CE . Hymns to goddesses are in the ancient Hindu epic Mahabharata , particularly in the later (100 to 300 CE) added Harivamsa section. Thomas Coburn states that the archaeological and textual evidence implies that the Goddess had become as much a part of the Hindu tradition as God by about the third or fourth century. C. Mackenzie Brown states that
6336-403: The seven mothers, or the saptamatrika , are produced from the seven male gods. The demon Raktabīja also appears and is killed by Kali. Nisumbha and his army is defeated by the goddess with the help of the seven mothers. In the final battle against Shumbha, Devi absorbs Kali and the seven mothers and stands alone for the final battle. After the battle, the gods praise Devi. The hymn
6424-603: The sixth century when Devi Mahatmya came into practice the name Devi (goddess) or Mahadevi (Great Goddess) came into prominence to represent one female goddess to encompass the discrete goddesses like Parvati and so forth. In the Hindu mythology, Devi and Deva are usually paired, complement and go together, typically shown as equal but sometimes the Devi is shown smaller or in the subordinate role. Some goddesses, however, play an independent role in Hindu pantheon, and are revered as Supreme without any male god(s) present or with males in subordinate position. Mahadevi, as mother goddess,
6512-652: The supreme goddess Mahadevi are collectively called the Tridevi .These Tridevi are said to be the Shakti of all the Gods or Deva . Like Mahasaraswati is the Shakti of Brahma; Lakshmi is the Shakti of Vishnu; and Mahakali is Shakti of Shiva. Sita, an incarnation of Lakshmi, is married to Rama , an avatar of Vishnu. She is shakti or prakriti of Rama as told in the Ram Raksha Stotram . In Sita Upanishad ,
6600-404: The tale. He tells the king and the merchant to take refuge in Devi to rid themselves of their delusion. Both the king and the merchant undertake penance and Devi grants them her vision. The king asks Devi for his lost kingdom and Devi grants it to him. The merchants asks Devi for wisdom and she grants it to him (Chapter 13). Who is this Goddess? I resemble in form Brahman , from me emanates
6688-409: The text balances the verses that present the spiritual liberation power of the Goddess. These hymns describe the nature and character of the Goddess in spiritual terms: As an independent text, Devī Māhātmya has acquired a number of "limbs" or "subsidiary texts" or "appendages" (angas) over the years "fore and aft". According to Coburn "artistic evidence suggests that the angas have been associated with
6776-460: The text since the fourteenth century." The angas are chiefly concerned with the ritual use of Devī Māhātmya and based on the assumption that the text will be recited aloud in the presence of images. The number and order of these depend on the Sampradaya (tradition). The Devi Mahatmya was considered significant among the Puranas by Indologists . This is indicated by the early dates when it
6864-563: The third day, the festivity reaches its culmination. Solan is jampacked with a deluge of devotees and visitors and the entire township throbs with unequalled gusto and fervour. Shoolini Mela is the quintessence of Solan's traditional. Devi Traditional Devī ( / ˈ d eɪ v i / ; Sanskrit : देवी ) is the Sanskrit word for ' goddess '; the masculine form is deva . Devi and deva mean 'heavenly, divine, anything of excellence', and are also gender-specific terms for
6952-767: The universe), Sarvadhara (helps all), Sarvaga (being everywhere at the same time, Sarvalokesi (governs all worlds) and Vishavdaharini one who functions for the whole universe). The Mahadevi goddess has many aspects to her personality. She focuses on that side of her that suits her objectives, but unlike male Hindu deities, her powers and knowledge work in concert in a multifunctional manner. The ten aspects of her, also called Mahavidyas (or great forms of her knowledge) are forms of Parvati and they are: Kali , Tara , Tripura Sundari , Bhairavi , Bhuvanesvari , Chhinnamasta , Dhumavati , Bagalamukhi , Matangi and Kamala . Tantric literature such as Soundarya Lahari meaning "Flood of Beauty", credited to Adi Shankaracharya
7040-480: The various manuscript versions of Devi Bhagavata Purana with the embedded Devi Gita therein. Devi Bhagavata Purana gives prime position to Mahadevi as the mother of all-encompassing the three worlds and gives her the position of being all of universe – the material and the spiritual. In the Upanishadic text Devi Upanishad , a Sakta Upanishad and an important Tantric text probably composed sometime between
7128-476: The word Devi in the Vedas is Bhagavati. Bhagavatī (Devanagari: भगवती, IAST: Bhagavatī), is an Indian epithet of Sanskrit origin, used as an honorific title for goddesses in Hinduism and Buddhism. In Hinduism, it is primarily used to address the goddesses Lakshmi and Durga. In Buddhism, it is used to refer to several Mahayana Buddhist female deities, like Cundā. The worship of Devi-like deities dates back to period of Indus Valley civilisation . The Devīsūkta of
7216-565: The world, which has the Spirit of Prakriti and Purusha , I am empty and not empty, I am delight and non-delight, I am knowledge and ignorance, I am Brahman and not Brahman. — Devi Mahatmya Devadatta Kali states that the three tales are "allegories of outer and inner experience". Kali states that the evil adversaries of the Goddess symbolize the all-too-human impulses, such as pursuit of power, or possessions, or delusions such as arrogance. The Goddess wages war against this. Like
7304-605: The world. In the final episode (chapters 5–13) the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha conquer heaven and the gods go to the Himalayas to pray to Devi. Soon, Parvati arrives and asks them to whom they are praying. She then reveals to them that it is her. Thereafter, Ambika , or Kaushiki, appears from the sheath ( kosha ) of Parvati ’s body. Devi engages in a fierce battle with Chanda and Munda , servants of Sumbha and Nisumbha. Chanda and Munda are eventually killed by Kali who emerges from Devi's forehead. The battle continues and
7392-489: Was also manifested with the blessing of Lord Shiva to tame Narasimha. Maa Shoolini is also popularly known as Shoolini Durga , Shivani , and Saloni , often being compared to Goddesses such as Durga and Parvati . She is also the Kula Devi (family deity), of Solan people. It was the time when Lord Vishnu took the form of Lord Narasimha to save his devotee Prahlada. This was the 4th avatar of Lord Vishnu. Narasimha
7480-442: Was half-man and half-lion, having a human-like torso and lower body, with a lion-like face and claws. After Narasimha killed the demon Hranyakashyapu, the devas or demigods were unable to calm his fury. Narasimha started on a spree of destruction, and no one could calm him. On seeing this, Lord Shiva decided to tame Lord Narasimha. Thus Lord Shiva took on the incarnated form of Sharabha, Sarabeshwara, to tame Narasimha. This form
7568-428: Was part bird and part lion, and is also called Sharabeshwaramurti . Sarabha was an eight-legged beast, mightier than a lion or an elephant and capable of pacifying a lion. Goddess Parvati then manifestated as Maa Shoolini and appeared in the right wing of Sharabheswara. She is black in color - that is why she is called Saloni. She is also holding a weapon called a 'Shool' and so she is also called 'Shool Dharini' - and
7656-689: Was translated into European languages. It was translated into English in 1823, followed by an analysis with excerpts in French in 1824. It was translated into Latin in 1831 and Greek in 1853. Devi Māhātmyam has been called the Testament of Shakta philosophy. It is the base and root of Shakta doctrine. It appears as the centre of the great Shakti tradition of Hinduism. It is in Devi Mahatmya , states C Mackenzie Brown, that "the various mythic, cultic and theological elements relating to diverse female divinities were brought together in what has been called
7744-462: Was written in 12th century. It is a lyrical drama, a "mystical erotic poem" which describes the love of Krishna and Radha . Some other texts which mentioned Radha are – Brahma Vaivarta Purana , Padma Purana , Skanda Purana , Devi Bhagvata Purana , Matsya Purana , Narada Pancharatra , Brahma Samhita , Shiva Purana and Garga Samhita . Radha was born in Barsana and every year, her birthday
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