Shailputri : The Power of Awakening

[Guest guest]

Shailputri means "The Daughter of the Mountain," the abode of Shiva

and of the father of Parvati. So Shailputri has a double identity:

One as a daughter and another as a wife. This dual role of Shailputri

denotes also the great transformation a woman undergoes - not just

spiritually but physically - when she turn from a daughter to become

a wife. Shailputri, the Devi of the first night of Navratri,

symbolizes the beginning of that journey of transformation.

 

Shailputri too in my opinion can be interpreted as the very power

that awakens us. Awaken to what? Awaken us to undertake this

spiritual journey. She is the power that bring forth the urge to get

up and move for without this urge, nothing will happen. There will

no beginning. When you have been "asleep" for a long period

of time, it does need a great force to awaken us. Shailputri is that

very force.

 

She is also the Devi of the root chakra, who, upon awakening, begins

Her journey upwards. Sitting on Nadi , and making her first journey

from the Muladarachakra? To where? From her father to her husband -

the awakening Shakti, beginning Her search for Shiva or making a move

towards her Shiva? (Could each Navdurga represent a charka; the seven

that all aspirants know; plus the two Tantric charkas that are never

named?)

 

Mountains in general are associated with strength, beauty, panorama

and variety. They are not manmade like cities. They denote height and

depth, grandeur and gravity etc. Mountains represent the obstacles

one faces in scaling the spiritual heights in the course of one's

efforts at sadhana.