#mahamaya

[bhrm555]

Durga, Mahishasura-mardini

[mirabel2007]

Part 2: Harigatha

The Rise of the Trinity.

The trinity sensing that this goddess was far greater than what they can comprehend, bowed before her. “Who are you mother?” asked Brahma. “Who are we?” asked Vishnu. “And how we came into existence?” asked Shiva. With gentle voice that echoed around the endless cosmos the goddess replied, “I am Adi Shakti, the source of energy. I am Mahamaya, the mother of this endless cosmos. I with my own energy created you and hence I am your mother.” Turning towards Brahma the goddess claimed, “The universe shall call you Brahma- the one who will create the brahmanda (universe). I have created you so that you can continue the process of creation. You will have infinite knowledge and with that knowledge you would create the universe, the Vedas, and the scriptures. The essence of vidya shall take the form of a goddess and shall accompany you with your work of creation.” With this she created another radiant being. The goddess complexion shone like the radiant full moon. Clad in pure white garments and adorned with a garland of white lotuses, she embodied wisdom, purity, and eternal knowledge. She held a veena, a sacred book, a rosary, and a water pot, with divine serenity illuminating her face. Mahamaya looked at the goddess and claimed, “You are Saraswati- the goddess of knowledge. Your knowledge is as infinite as the ocean. The world shall preach you to attain knowledge. You shall accompany with Brahma to complete the process of creation.” Looking towards Vishnu the goddess stated, “The universe shall know you as Vishnu- the one who pervades. You shall protect and prevail whatever Brahma creates. The essence of Shree shall accompany you as your wife and shall spread prosperity throughout the universe.” She then brought forth another luminous being. Her golden complexion shimmered like the first rays of the rising sun, illuminating all directions with divine splendour. Clad in crimson silk and adorned with dazzling jewels and fragrant lotus garlands, she embodied prosperity, beauty, and fortune. She held lotus flower in one of her hands, a water pot, and a pot of gold coins. Looking at the goddess Mahamaya asserted, “You are Shree or Lakshmi- the goddess of wealth, fertility, and prosperity. The universe shall worship you to become more prosperous.” Mahamaya now turned towards Shiva and continued, “You are Shiva- the auspicious one. You are Rudra- the one who carries out destruction. My essence of Shakti shall accompany you as your wife.” From the infinite light within her arose yet another glorious being. Her complexion shone like molten gold, while her eyes reflected unwavering devotion and boundless compassion. Clad in crimson and gold garments, she radiated divine beauty, purity, and the serene majesty of the Eternal Mother. Her face glowed with the brilliance of the dawn, and her gentle smile carried the warmth of infinite love and devotion. Mahamaya looked at Shakti and stated, “The universe will know you as Shakti and shall preach you for power and strength. Shiv will always be incomplete without you.”

All the Gods nodded in agreement. Suddenly the Devis disappeared. Brahma said in confusion, “Where did our wives go?” Mahamaya gently smiled and replied, “When the right time comes you will find your wives. Nothing happens before time. Time is something that is omnipresent and omnipotent. Time is something greater than all of us. We do not have our control on time just like we cannot stop a flowing river. Now time has come to start the divine cycle. I must now leave.” The trinity bowed to the disappearing Goddess. Thus began the eternal work of the Trinity. Each embraced the sacred duty that would maintain the balance of the cosmos. यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत ।अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥ ४.७ ॥ परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् ।धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥ ४.८ ॥ "Whenever righteousness declines and unrighteousness rises, I manifest Myself. To protect the virtuous, destroy evil, and re-establish dharma, I appear age after age." ~Krishna

[danskjavlarna]

Source details and larger version.

If you see the Buddha on the roads of yore ... contemplate my vintage Buddha gallery.

[bhagavanbhakthi]

Goddess Varahi - A form of Goddess Lakshmi

[shivaom99]

💛💛🌸💛🌺💛🌸💛💛 Incredible BEAUTIFUL AUSPICIOUS DEVI MAA from @the_divine_pallette • • 16 Nitya Series • 3. Nityaklinna Nitya Third amongst the Nityas is Devi Nityaklinna. Her name means the one who is always wet. She is surrounded by 19 Shaktis, according to the Tantraraja, who are Kshobhini, Mohini, Lila, Nitya, Niranjana, Klinna, Kledini, Madanatura, Madadrava, Dravini, Vidhana, Madavila, Mangala, Manmatharta, Manashvini, Moha, Amoda, Manomayi, Maya, Manda and Manovati. Devi Nityaklinna is smeared with red sandal paste, wears red clothes, has a smiling gesture, a half moon on her head, and holds noose, goad, cup and makes the mudra dispelling fear. Follow @the_divine_pallette for more #nityaklinna #kameshwari #lalitha #lalithatripurasundari #shodashi #tripursundari #rajrajeshwari #nitya #16nitya #maadurga #mahamaya #parvati #kamakhya #kamakshi #lalithambika #mahishasurmardini #durga https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl5GghVOJow/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[vikramsinghuniverse]

Maa Durga and Sex- workers

Before judging me or thinking this is another article with a “clickbait” title then my intentions are not to mislead you in any way. Yes you have read the title correctly and this article in fact deals with the relation between Maa Durga and Sex-workers!

Have you been at the doorstep of a sex worker lately? Did you look deep into her? What did you see? Did you see through her despite all the lust within you? You don’t need to answer any of that.

Champa Mandal, she told me her name was on a boat in Babughat. Obviously that is not her real name; she never told me her real name. My friend Arjun and I were shooting a short film for our college project. We decided to do something about the lives of sex-workers. Champa was my find. We spoke for days trying to understand her; she revealed so much but kept away a lot more, leaving me to guess the rest. On asking if she would take me to her house, she cried. She never took me to her place. Champa was forced into the dark by lanes of Kolkata, I never understood her but I tried. Champa cannot be understood; none of the “Champa” you or I see can be understood. You need to possess a heart as big as Mount Everest to probably understand or a heart as deep as the Atlantic.

Maa Durga, the Goddess loved by all is known as the Mahamaya. Makers of Durga idols at Kumartoly work all day long before the festivities begin. The makers give shape to the idols, the ten hands, the weapons, the lion, Mahisasur with six pack abs! The makers make it all, the breasts and the eyes. What do they think of when they make the private parts?  They only think of mother, the supreme energy that gives life to the entire universe. However, one can see in Kumartoly Mahamaya being made by maya (the created)! I thought Mahamaya made us!

The idol makers approach the sex workers quarters to collect the dust from the doorsteps.  It is believed that when a man enters the sex quarters he drops all the fruits of his good karma at the door steps of sex workers. The dust is then mixed with mud from the Ganges which is later translated into a beautiful idol of Mother Durga. Mother after bathing in Ganga water along with mud from Ganga and dust from Champa’s house looks beautiful. She goes back to Ganga after the festivities. Champa goes back to a life where there is no coming back from.

Maa Durga needs Champa or there will be no Maa. How far have we come as a society? How deep into ‘mud’ have we gone?

Vikram Pratap Singh is a writer and a content creator for www.extrainsights.in. He is inspired by arts, music and society. This article is his take on the declining Indian society.

[lakshyas-world]

Durga parampara , Durga Pooja by Durgashapsti

[shinymoonbird]

NAVARATRI - 9th day, 07.October.2019 -   Mahishaasur Mardini

🙏 🔱 🙏

Mahishasura Mardhini

Long long ago there lived a demon (Asura) named Mahisha. He wanted to become invincible and so he prayed to Lord Brahma for the boon of invincibility. With this aim he performed severe penances and austerities.  All the three worlds trembled under the strength of his penance. This impressed Lord Brahma who then came down to grant him a boon. Mahisha asked for immortality, which the Lord said he could not have as every creature that was born had to die. Mahisha decided that he would cunningly ask for a boon that would make him as good as immortal. He asked that no man should be able to kill and if he had to die, it should only be at the hands of a woman. He was sure that no woman could ever fight against him however strong she would be.

Now that Mahisha was invincible, he started doing evil deeds and terrorising the people on earth and boldly tried to conquer the gods in heaven. His attack was so powerful that even Indra’s mighty thunderbolt could not drive him away. Mahisha drove out the Gods and took over Indra’s throne and  started harassing all the pious people who continued praying to Vishnu or Shiva. Unable to tolerate his tyranny, the gods pleaded with Vishnu to put an end to the demon. The Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara (Shiva) joined together to create an all powerful female form with ten arms – Goddess Durga or ‘Mahamaya’, the Mother of the Universe who embodies the primeval source of all power. The gods then bestowed upon this Supreme creation their individual blessings and weapons. Armed like a warrior, the goddess appeared on the back of a fierce lion to battle with the Mahisasura. After a fierce combat the ‘Durgatinashini’ was able to slay the ‘Asura’ king with her trident. She thus earned the title of Mahishasura Mardhini – the destroyer of Mahishasura.  Heaven and earth rejoiced over her victory and everyone, gods and humans alike chanted loudly the  refrain of  supplication before this Supreme Power:

“Ya devi sarbabhuteshshu, sakti rupena sanksthita Namasteshwai Namasteshwai Namasteshwai namo namaha.”

VIJAYA DASAMI is the day on which this event happened. It is the tenth day after the nine nights of Navaratri and signifies the victory of the Goddess Durga over the powers of darkness. It is believed that the famous battle between Durga and Mahishasura took place right here on the slopes of Arunachala. Thus the brave Parvathi took the form of Durga, the fierce Shakthi and screamed at Mahishasura, “This is a sacred place where only sages and devotees of Arunachala can reside, therefore do not incur the wrath of my Lord and be burnt by Him. It is ordained that I should fight and kill you.” Hence She took him outside the borders of Tiruvannamalai. After a nine day battle She slayed him and returned to Tiruvannamalai truimphantly, where She continued her tapas (1) on the slopes of the holy mountain. Thus the Navaratri festival although celebrated all over India, has the greatest significance in Tiruvannamalai.

(1) Tapas: spiritual practices