Guest guest Posted October 12, 2003 Report Share Posted October 12, 2003 naked durga has power WHEN she is naked. for thousands of years seekers of tao and tantrists have been silenced, chastised, persecuted for their appreciation of the naked sexuality of Goddess. without naked Mother Goddess maybe none of us would be here huh? the denial of Her sexuality involved here has many layers. i LOVED the photo and well... --- Devi Bhakta <devi_bhakta wrote: > Here's an unusual controversy. During Navratri, the > Toronto Star, > Canada's leading daily newspaper, published a Reuters > wire-service > photo of an artist preparing a statue of Durga Devi > for a Dussehra > procession. ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 12, 2003 Report Share Posted October 12, 2003 The Goddess in her closely related Kali form is ALWAYS depicted as nude. This is an essential part of the theology. Kali is all-inclusive. Nothing can contain her, nothing can surround her. She is all and encompasses all. Nothing can excape her, not even light (thus explaining why she is black). Sister Usha Devi ===== Sister Usha Devi Founder, Divinely Female and worshipper of the Sacred Flame that shines inside every woman The New with improved product search Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 12, 2003 Report Share Posted October 12, 2003 DB: Is it true that Durga is never pictured nude? There are so very many Goddesses, and so many traditions of the same Goddess but from different areas or ages....as a woman at the local Navaratri celebration pointed out to me there are even different "ages" assigned to Durga depending on the geography of the originating community. She was saying that Durga was strongest and born in the south so She was young there, in another place She was older and by the time She reached Gururat She was an older woman. The woman speaking to me even told me the name that they call Her which apparently had some reference to Her augustness. All of this has me very curious. Is there any light you can shed on this? Blessings of the Goddess, Pr , "Devi Bhakta" <devi_bhakta> wrote: > Here's an unusual controversy. During Navratri, the Toronto Star, > Canada's leading daily newspaper, published a Reuters wire-service > photo of an artist preparing a statue of Durga Devi for a Dussehra > procession. The still-incomplete statue was nude. This is the photo: > > http://story.news./news?tmpl=story&u=/030914/170/59kiv.html > > Many Hindus were shocked and offended. India Cause, a U.S.-based anti- > defamation group, said, "[This] was the [the Star's] gift to the > Indian community on the auspicious day of Dussehra. They published > [this] blasphemous and entirely misleading picture of the Goddess > Durga in the October 4th issue. This picture prominently appeared on > 1/3 of the printed page and was probably made bigger than the article > itself." > > India Cause argues, "Would Toronto Star or Reuters dare to publish > a "NUDE" Virgin Mary on Christmas Day? If you are offended by this, > please forward your comments to (Attorney General of Canada, Ontario > Press Council, Human Rights Commission, Advertisers of The Star, The > Star Management, Premier Elect of Ontario and Reuters) Also circulate > this page to your friends for their protest." > > The URL is: http://indiacause.com/Cause/C23_thestar_durga.htm > > Today (Oct. 11), the Star published the following apology (which > India Cause has already dismissed as a "shameless justification"): > > UNDRAPED GODDESS > > Durga is the multi-armed, Hindu goddess of power. Each fall, statues > of Durga are worshipped for nine days at prayer festivals, and > immersed in water. > > Last Saturday, the Star ran a Reuters photo of a craftsman in India > making a statue of Durga. It ran with a feature on Hindu festival > preparations here. > > The idol in the large colour photo was unclothed, dramatically so. > The picture stirred strong protests from some Hindu readers who said > the undraped, frontal view was at least disrespectful, at > worst "blasphemous." > > Said an editor: "We're sorry if this representation of the goddess > offended some readers. It was unintentional." An effort to photograph > a local statue being built had failed, she explained. So the wire > photo was used. > > Apparently, the Star didn't understand the idol would never appear > unclothed. > > When asked, several Hindus said the photo didn't offend them. > > Still, it's a reminder that matters of faith are delicate. Editors > need to guard against insensitivity. > > http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer? > pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1065737414341&call > _pageid=968256290204&col=968350116795 > > So: What's your opinion? Should the Star be taken to task for > publishing this photo? Is India Cause making too big an issue of it, > or are they right to be educating the West on respectfully > approaching subjects that are sacred to the Hindu community? > > Please share your views with us! > > DB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 13, 2003 Report Share Posted October 13, 2003 Dear PR: Thanks for some good questions. *** Is it true that Durga is never pictured nude? *** No, this is not true. Some of the earliest sculptural portrayals of the Mahishasura Mardini episode feature a nude Devi finishing off the buffalo demon. And as Usha pointed out, Kali is virtually always conceived as being nude, with all the symbolic weight that this implies. And Devi = Durga = Kali. There are not a million different goddesses, after all; there are simple a million different human perceptions of a single One. *** All of this has me very curious. Is there any light you can shed on this? *** I can only offer my own understanding, for whatever it might be worth. As to the clothed Durga, I would comment that, in some of the more mainstream, non-Tantric approaches to Hinduism, Navratri is only very remotely associated with Durga Devi's nine-night battle as described in the Chandi (Devi Mahatmyam), Devi Bhagavat Purana, etc. Instead, it tends to be interpreted in a homelier fashion; that is, Durga is conceived as a young bride leaving her marital home with her husband for a brief visit with the family of her childhood. As with such visits in the human realm, she is welcomed with love and tears and favorite meals; she is showered with attention and affection; everyone stays up late remembering old stories and catching up on new ones. When it is time for her to leave again (i.e. at the end of Navratri), she is seen off -- again -- with love and tears and heartbreak, all tempered by the joy of anticipating her next visit. A similar transformation has happened to Dussera (lit., "Tenth Day"), or Vijayadasami -- the day following the end of the ninth night of Navratri. This is essentially a day to celebrate Durga's victory over the demons led by Mahishasura, and many people do still celebrate it that way. The famous Durga Puja is carried out on Dussera. However, for many people, particularly Vaishnavas (the numerically hugest school of Hinduism, by far), Dussera is considered to commemorate the homecoming of Lord Rama after he rescued his wife Sita from the demon Ravana, King of Lanka (i.e. the story of the great Ramayana). The only real Devi connection might be an acknowledgement that Rama prayed to Devi for help in assuring that victory. It is in these later contexts -- Devi as the beloved daughter returning home to her parents; Devi as the good wife, leaving her husband for a few days, but always dutifully returning to her rightful place by his side; Devi as the pristine Mother who guides Lord Rama to victory in rescuing his blameless Wife -- it is in these contexts that you can begin to see how offense might be taken at a nude statue of Durga. It's very telling, how the offended group's argument says, "How would you guys feel if we printed a nude picture of the Virgin Mary, huh?" Because I think it's fair to say the the role of Devi in mainstream Hinduism is comparable to that of Mary in Roman Catholicism. She is the Ideal Mother; the Ideal Woman -- and, on that account, carries all similar psycho-social baggage that Mary carries for her Christian devotees. Please be clear on this: Hinduism, in general, is vastly more open to the idea of Feminine Divinity than Christianity is. But when you start talking about nude Goddesses, and Devi as Brahman and so on, you need to understand that you are leaving the mainstream, big time. You see, the Tantric and Shakta and Tantric-Shakta approaches to Devi are a distinctly minority approach. It is true: A Shakta sees nothing inherently or objectively lewd or provocative or shameful about a nude Devi; certain poojas absolutely require it. As Guru Amritaji notes, "Some devis prefer to receive worship in the nude." It is that simple. No big deal. That's just the way it is. So my reply would be this: The offended parties are not wrong. The un- offended parties aren't wrong. It all depends on the aspect and approach chosen by the worshiper. That's my understanding, at least. Hope it's helpful? Aum Maatangyai Namahe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 13, 2003 Report Share Posted October 13, 2003 Dear friends, vinaasa kala viparitha buddhi -- we may say a lot about rahasya roop of the goddess but then this is rahasya(secret) -- not to be made public( meaning not for everyone restricted). I wish to add this. We all believe in vasudeva kudumbakam & good blessings for everything round us with that motive in mind we invoke the goddess. The timing of the same is auspicious during sarat navaratri or starting of the year. The meaning of Durga is nicely explained by her 32 namas as durga,durgarthi samani etc. she is person who kills durgati of her worshippers. In the second chapter of devi mahatmiyam she is praised in words & deeds by devatas offering her present. How she is to be worshipped is nicely said in the 13th chapter. We give gifts,flowers,presents to our friends & relatives as a token of respect,love etc. She is indeed a kalpaka viruksha who fullfills the aspiration of her children. Now instead of giving respect we are just insulting her by doing something like this - this must again lead only to destruction this is again said by the 12 th chapter of devi mahatmiyam. Let us hope she forgives all of us for this - "papathmanan kridhiyatham hrudhayeshu buddhi " with warm regards shankar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 14, 2003 Report Share Posted October 14, 2003 Greetings, What you have said it very correct. Correcting our wrong deeds is very essential. As said let us pray for forgiveness. Just because one goddess is nude we cannot force fully attribute the same to all other goddess. Each form has its own inner spirtual meaning and sanctity. One should not forget that we are in public and should respect their sentiments. For the same reason Tantra is practiced in seclusion. this does not effect the social customs and beliefs. Unfortunately curiosity and examination have become main aspects in Tantar practice but not for realizing the Truth. hope soon we all realise and correct ourselves. anildivine krishnamoorthy shankar <junk74_in wrote: Dear friends, vinaasa kala viparitha buddhi -- we may say a lot about rahasya roop of the goddess but then this is rahasya(secret) -- not to be made public( meaning not for everyone restricted). I wish to add this. We all believe in vasudeva kudumbakam & good blessings for everything round us with that motive in mind we invoke the goddess. The timing of the same is auspicious during sarat navaratri or starting of the year. The meaning of Durga is nicely explained by her 32 namas as durga,durgarthi samani etc. she is person who kills durgati of her worshippers. In the second chapter of devi mahatmiyam she is praised in words & deeds by devatas offering her present. How she is to be worshipped is nicely said in the 13th chapter. We give gifts,flowers,presents to our friends & relatives as a token of respect,love etc. She is indeed a kalpaka viruksha who fullfills the aspiration of her children. Now instead of giving respect we are just insulting her by doing something like this - this must again lead only to destruction this is again said by the 12 th chapter of devi mahatmiyam. Let us hope she forgives all of us for this - "papathmanan kridhiyatham hrudhayeshu buddhi " with warm regards shankar The New with improved product search Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Here's an update on a discussion we had here during Navratri, on the Toronto Star publishing a photo of a Durga Devi statute in the nude, before she had been dressed for a Navratri procession. The Star, faced with continuing complaints from some members of the Hindu community, recently issued a revised apology. Hindu Press International reports: TORONTO, CANADA, November 15, 2003: Continuing protests by Hindus led to a revised apology by the Toronto Star for their publishing an photo of an unfinished Goddess Durga icon being prepared for a festival. The initial protests led to the half-hearted apology (see below), but Hindus were not satisfied, and continued discussions with principals of the paper. As a result of the discussions, the editors came to a better understanding of Hindu sensibilities on the issue and today published a revised apology on the religion page. "On Oct. 4, the Star published a photo of an unfinished depiction of the Hindu goddess Maa Durga. Members of Toronto's Hindu community took great exception to this goddess being presented in an undignified manner. The above picture shows the goddess in an appropriate manner. The Star regrets that publication of the original photo has caused anguish and apologizes to the Hindu community." For anyone who may be interested in a Shakta perspective (at least my own) on the debate, my comments from the original thread follow: Dear PR: Thanks for some good questions. *** Is it true that Durga is never pictured nude? *** No, this is not true. Some of the earliest sculptural portrayals of the Mahishasura Mardini episode feature a nude Devi finishing off the buffalo demon. And as Usha pointed out, Kali is virtually always conceived as being nude, with all the symbolic weight that this implies. And Devi = Durga = Kali. There are not a million different goddesses, after all; there are simple a million different human perceptions of a single One. *** All of this has me very curious. Is there any light you can shed on this? *** I can only offer my own understanding, for whatever it might be worth. As to the clothed Durga, I would comment that, in some of the more mainstream, non-Tantric approaches to Hinduism, Navratri is only very remotely associated with Durga Devi's nine-night battle as described in the Chandi (Devi Mahatmyam), Devi Bhagavat Purana, etc. Instead, it tends to be interpreted in a homelier fashion; that is, Durga is conceived as a young bride leaving her marital home with her husband for a brief visit with the family of her childhood. As with such visits in the human realm, she is welcomed with love and tears and favorite meals; she is showered with attention and affection; everyone stays up late remembering old stories and catching up on new ones. When it is time for her to leave again (i.e. at the end of Navratri), she is seen off -- again -- with love and tears and heartbreak, all tempered by the joy of anticipating her next visit. A similar transformation has happened to Dussera (lit., "Tenth Day"), or Vijayadasami -- the day following the end of the ninth night of Navratri. This is essentially a day to celebrate Durga's victory over the demons led by Mahishasura, and many people do still celebrate it that way. The famous Durga Puja is carried out on Dussera. However, for many people, particularly Vaishnavas (the numerically hugest school of Hinduism, by far), Dussera is considered to commemorate the homecoming of Lord Rama after he rescued his wife Sita from the demon Ravana, King of Lanka (i.e. the story of the great Ramayana). The only real Devi connection might be an acknowledgement that Rama prayed to Devi for help in assuring that victory. It is in these later contexts -- Devi as the beloved daughter returning home to her parents; Devi as the good wife, leaving her husband for a few days, but always dutifully returning to her rightful place by his side; Devi as the pristine Mother who guides Lord Rama to victory in rescuing his blameless Wife -- it is in these contexts that you can begin to see how offense might be taken at a nude statue of Durga. It's very telling, how the offended group's argument says, "How would you guys feel if we printed a nude picture of the Virgin Mary, huh?" Because I think it's fair to say the the role of Devi in mainstream Hinduism is comparable to that of Mary in Roman Catholicism. She is the Ideal Mother; the Ideal Woman -- and, on that account, carries all similar psycho-social baggage that Mary carries for her Christian devotees. Please be clear on this: Hinduism, in general, is vastly more open to the idea of Feminine Divinity than Christianity is. But when you start talking about nude Goddesses, and Devi as Brahman and so on, you need to understand that you are leaving the mainstream, big time. You see, the Tantric and Shakta and Tantric-Shakta approaches to Devi are a distinctly minority approach. It is true: A Shakta sees nothing inherently or objectively lewd or provocative or shameful about a nude Devi; certain poojas absolutely require it. As Guru Amritaji notes, "Some devis prefer to receive worship in the nude." It is that simple. No big deal. That's just the way it is. So my reply would be this: The offended parties are not wrong. The un-offended parties aren't wrong. It all depends on the aspect and approach chosen by the worshiper. That's my understanding, at least. Hope it's helpful? Aum Maatangyai Namahe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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