Guest guest Posted January 30, 2002 Report Share Posted January 30, 2002 The most important features of Devi ParaShakti mythology and theology is that she have two forms, namely the auspicious and the terrible forms. As auspicious form , she manifests as Lakshmi, Parvati, Sati and Prthivi . She plays the positive roles of protection, fertility and establishment of dharmic order, cultural creativity, wifely duty and material abundance. These encompases 3 aspects : 1. as the granter of wisdom, learning and liberation 2. as embodiment of female beauty and the exciter of desire 3. as the source of food and nourishment As the granter of wisdom, learning and liberation. HER name appears many times in the following text: a. Aryastava text she is called : Mukti = liberation She who speaks the language of Brahman She who is the knowledge of Brahman b. Mahabharata Liberator and knowledge of Brahman as well as the mother of the Vedas. Intelligence The destroyer of ignorance and mankind fetters. c. Lalita-sahasranama Mahabuddhi - The great Intelligence Vijnanabhanarupini - she whose form is a mass of knowledge Prajnatnika - She who is wisdom itself Pasupasavimocini - She who releases creatures from bondage Tamopaha - She who removes the darkness Mati - Intelligence Bandhamocani - She who removes bonds Vidya - Knowledge Atmavidya - She who is knowledge of the atman Gurumurti - She whose form is guru Jnanada - She who bestows knowledge Muktida - She who gives salvation Svargapavargada - She who bestows heaven and liberation Satyajnananandarupa - She whose form is truth, Wisom an bliss Janmamrtyujarataptajanavisrantidayini - she who brings peace to people consumed By birth, death and decrepitude. Sarvapadivinivarini - She who removes all misfortune. Ajnanadhvantadipika - She who is the lamp that dispels the darkness of ignorance. As embodiment of female beauty and the exciter of desire, many texts describe the Devi extraordinary beauty a) Saundaryalahari : one of the most famous ( the translated version is in our briefcase. See link for URL) hymn praising the Devi. b) Lalitha-Sahasranama This names stress Devi's physical beauty and sexual vitality Ramya - the beautiful one Kanta - loveliness Vamanayana - she who have beautiful eyes Vamakesi - she who has beautiful hair Ratirupa - She whose form is Rati Kamya - the one who is desired Srngatatasasampurna - she who is filled with erotic sentiment Lolaksikamarupini - she whose form is the desire of women Ksobhini - She who causes emotion Mohini - enchantress Kamarupini - she whose form is sexual desire Kamakelitarangita - she who overflows with desire and pleasure. These names associate the Devi with life and the rhythms of the physical world Ojovati - vitality Pranada - she who gives life Pranarupini - she who form is life As the source of food and nourishment : one of the Devi distinctive characteristic. She is often associated with Earth itself a) Lalitha-Sahasranama Annanda - She who gives food Pusti - She who gives nourishment Satakasi - She who has one hundred eyes * (see note) Sakambhari - She who bestows vegetables Annapurna - She who is full of food. Jagaddhatri - she who supports the world or another meaning "world nurse" As terrible forms, The Devi is said to possess fierce and terrible appearance. Often these forms are associated with war, blood, destruction, death, hunger and anger. These terrible forms arises in two context, namely 1. To maintain cosmic order 2. Asserting her power as that greater than Siva To maintain cosmic order. Devi often takes in fierce form when she enters into battle. As guardian of the Cosmos, she appears in a form of a great warrior, battling against Demons on behalf of the gods. Nevertheless in most text it is said that the Devi only take the fierce form when she has actually entered the battle or when she is being provoked by the insults of her enemies. The Devi transforms herself, and then multiplies herself into ferocious goddess or goddesses. Devi terrible forms often betray the benign qualities of the goddess, and it threatens the world. This action suggest the dangerous and uncontrolled facets of the goddess when she loses control She is described as rending her enemies' limb from limb, tearing their flesh with her teeth and drinking their blood, when then intoxicates her. Thirsting for more blood or dancing drunkenly out of control, she herself becomes a threat to the cosmos and must be tamed or subdued. She can becomes dangerous to her own allies. Asserting her power as that greater than Siva The Mahavidyas (the great manifestation) played a central role in Sati's attempt to overpower or frighten Siva, so that she may have her own way. Even though Sati played the submissive wife, she contains fearsome and independent aspects that easily overwhelmed Siva. In the Mahavidyas myth, it is about Sati and Siva. Satis father, Daksa decides to perform a great sacrifice an invites all the inhabitants of the heavenly spheres to attend. Sati and Siva was the only couple not invited because Daksa does not like her son-in-law especially Siva's uncivilized habits and disheveled appearance. Siva was not offended, but Sati was greatly insulted. She insists of going to the sacrifices and to disrupt it. Siva was not pleased and forbid her from attending the sacrifice. Sati unable to change Siva's mind, eventually loses her temper. First she assumed a dreadful forms then she multiplies herself into 10 forms namely: Kali, Tara, Chinnamasta, Bhuvanesvari, Bagala, dhumavati, Kamala, Matangi, Sodasi and Bhairavi. Siva was frightened of Sati fearful appearance and the terrible forms that she assumed, which completely surround him. He eventually gives her permission to go if she withdrew them. Om ParaShaktiye Namaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 30, 2002 Report Share Posted January 30, 2002 Thank you so much for all of this information about the forms and aspects of the Goddess in these sources. What is the Lalitha-Sahasranama and could you explain more about Lolaksikamarupini - she whose form is the desire of women? prainbow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.