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Original artwork is © Jan Bailey, 1996-2006. Translations are ©Mike Magee 1996-2006.
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Shri Durga DeviAll ways of knowledge are your aspects, O Devi; so are all women in theworld, endowed with various attributes. By you alone, O Mother, thisworld is filled - Chandi, II, 6
Durga's story appears primarily in the Skanda Purana, in Chandi, itself apart of the Markandeya Purana, but very similar stories are told in theBrahmanda Purana and also in the famous epic, the Mahabharata. Shealso appears elsewhere in tantrik texts, including as Mahishamardini(killer of the demon Mahisha) in the Kulachudamani Tantra. The godslost their empireto two greatantigods(asuras),Shumbha andNishumbha, andprayed to theGoddess forhelp.
Needless to say,the evercompassionateDevi took onthese proudantigods andvanquished themutterly. To thisend, sheassembled anentire army ofShaktis similar toher and whenthings becamevery tough,projected Kalikaout of her thirdeye. She iscalled Durgabecause sheslayed the son of the arch-demon Durga, son of Ruru.
As the Matrikabheda Tantra points out, the names of the goddess arereally adjectives, and she is one, under these different descriptions. Forexample, the goddess in Chandi takes the forms of Kali, Sarasvati andVaishnavi, representing the three gunas, to subdue the host of demons.
As Lalita, she subdued the demonic Bhandasura at the request of thegods, who then built the Shri Yantra to celebrate her greatness.
The metaphor is that she is cruel to the demonic; that is to say to theproud ego of man.
The hymn to Durga in the Mahabharata contains the verses (shlokas):
"I salute Thee, leader of Yogis, one with the Brahman,Dweller in the Mandara forest.Virgin, Kali, spouse of Kapala, of tawny hue.Salutation to Thee, Bhadrakali.Reverence to Thee, Mahakali,Chandi, Fearless one. Salutation to Thee,Saviour imbued with all good fortune."
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(Arthur Avalon's translation in Hymns to the Goddess.)
So, too, in the Karpuradistotra, a famous 22 verse hymn to DakshinaKalika, we find the commentator describing the animal sacrifice of cats,camels, sheep, buffaloes, goats and men as symbolising six vices.
Artwork is © Jan Bailey, 1996-2006. Translations are © Mike Magee 1996-2006. Questions orcomments to [email protected]
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