RE: Tigers and lions! (and vahanas)

[Guest guest]

Dear List,

Inspired by the tiger dream, I read a bit online and found an

interesting article from the "Orissa News" about Durga's vahana..I

couldn't copy it but...The article describes how Durga Devi was

formed from the "tejas" (inner radiance ) of the deities and, when

she was embodied, Himavat offered a pure white lion to her as her

vahana. The author goes on to say that Durga represents (among other

things), Dawn, Life and Victory over the Asuric tendencies of the

mind. The lion represent the Solar, luminious principal of life (can

look at the Siddha Kunjika Stotram in the Chandi Path to see this

very clearly outlined in the mantra contained within it). All of

the vahanas of the deities are considered to be "animate divinity

symbols"...meaning that they represent the Divine Energy embodied in

the Deity but on a different incarnational level. So the lion, in a

way, represents the Divine qualities of Durga...lion is considered

to be full of Shakti and solar energy..he "expresses the heroism

necesssary to defeat the asuras (or the ego forces of mind)..in that

way, he can mean alot to Sadhakas, showing what qualities: courage,

heroism and persistance..are necessary to those doing sadhana.

Shakta pithas are usually guarded by a lion facing the main entrance

just as Nandi guards the entrance to a Shaivite shrine or Garuda a

Vaishnivite shrine. Len mentioned Lion being a symbol for

anger...but this is not so...it is the Buffalo Demon who is the

symbol for Anger (Krodha). One thing that is confusing is that,

especially in the South, Durga is depicted on a TIGER vahana...and

the lion and tiger seem to be interchangable. There is another Devi:

Soolini Devi, a very fierce "protector deity" and one of the wives

of Surabeshwar, who is always riding a tiger....I have a painting

called, "South Indian Durga"...it is a green skinned Devi with a

head of flames riding on a tiger...it is Soolini, not Durga!!

Since I have had many many tiger dreams myself, I am interested in

hearing if any of our list members from India happen to know more

about the tiger/lion difference in vahanas of Durga???? To me, the

tiger has come to mean...that solar principal but, also, standing up

for dharma with great fierceness...that has been the meaning in my

own dreams....Anyone know more about the tiger/lion dichotomy???

best to all...and a Blessed Diwali..may we all move further into the

light of Shri Devi.

sadhvi

(ps: to Devi Bhakta...I am so happy to hear that Guruji is well now).