|
In
Hindu mythological literature, energy is pictured as a female deity,
as a consort of its counterpart male deity. A goddess is seen
as a mother, daughter and sister - all forms of womanhood
personified.
Durga, the ten armed warrior goddess, and wife of Lord Shiva is
worshipped as Shakti (energy) or the "Divine Mother".
According to Hindu mythology, when demon Mahishasura drove the gods
out of heaven, they turned to the gods Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma for
help. With divine fires and effulgent lights coming out of
their bodies, the trio created a huge celestial fire, which
gradually condensed and took shape of a very beautiful lady Durga.
Durga rode a lion, ready for battle against the demons. Durga
rode a lion, ready for battle against the demons. Durga fought
single-handed against more than a thousand demons for nine days and
nights, and finally beheaded Mahishasura on the tenth day.
The age-old Puranic (Hindu) tale tells us how in the great battle
between the divine and the anti-divine, Goddess Kali emanated from
the bow of Goddess Durga to fight in the fearful war as the forceful
aspect of the latter. She is conceived as Adya Shakti,
the Primal Cosmic Energy. Ever shining in her transcendental
self, without any beginning or end, without any name, form or
distinctive aspect. Kali resides in the heart of Mahakala as
the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer of the Universe. In
Goddess Kali, the darkness is embodied and absorbed, yielding
illumination. That is why she is seen as dark complexioned
absorbing all darkness of the mind, leaving nothing behind. A
terrifying and powerful form of the warrior goddess Durga she is
with disheveled hair, dazzling eyes, a mouth wide open with a
lolling tongue as if to devour the entire creation. She holds
a blood-stained kharga and wears a garland of skulls. She is
seen in the cremation ground where all the worldly objects are
reduced to dust or to their seed stage. Her foot is placed on
the heart of Lord Shiva. She is also the benign mother
conferring boon to all by raising her arm.
Saraswati is the daughter of Goddess Durga and the wife of Lord
Brahma - the creator of the universe. She is therefore
regarded as the mother of creation. Literally, Saraswati means
"the flowing one". In the Hindu text Rigveda she
represents a river and the deity presiding over it. Saraswati
is the personification of all knowledge. She has a milk white
complexion dispelling the darkness of ignorance. She holds a
book in her left hand, the book representing all aspects of secular
sciences. She rides a swan. The swan has the power of
separating milk from water, meaning it can filter the essential
truth.
Lakshmi (sister of Saraswati) is the goddess of fortune. She
is the wife of Vishnu - the preserver. She was born out of the
ocean of milk when it was churned. She is
inseparable from Vishnu as speech from meaning or knowledge, or good
deeds from righteousness. He represents all that is masculine
and she all that is feminine. Lakhsmi is born as the consort
of Vishnu whenever he incarnates. Lakhsmi stands on a lotus
and is adorned with a lotus garland. If her complexion is
golden yellow, she represents the source of all wealth. If she
is pink in complexion it represents her compassion for all creatures
and her motherly nature. Lakhsmi rides the night bird or owl.
Sitala, mounted on a donkey, is the goddess of small pox. Worship of
Sitala is said to ward off small pox, cholera, typhoid, tetanus, eye
ailments, leprosy and boils. Generally, the poor, who don't
have access to modern medical treatment, pray to her.
Ganga, the divine river of India, is regarded as a goddess.
She flows on Mother Earth or Prithvi. Water of the Ganga is
worshipped by pious Indians.
Our
thanks to Pallavi in India for this article.
Back
to Articles |
