Mother Durga

[Guest guest]

> The personalist liberation and devotional liberation cannot be given by

> any one else other than Mukunda Lord Krishna.

 

If she'd act as a guru she could do it too, isn't it?

 

 

Two hints:

 

- There are many forms of Durgadevi, some ferocious, some beneficent. It

would depend on which one is worshiped.

 

- It would depend on one's understanding of the position of Durgadevi - as

demigoddess, as consort of Siva (then it also depends on understanding his

position), or as an expansion of Sri Laksmi or Sri Radha (Vaisnava view).

 

As far as the term "sincere worshiper of Durgadevi" goes, the most sincere

(and even others) were personally told by Durga to become Vaisnavas:

 

----

Gaurakisora Siromani (1813-1818 AD):

 

(Born in Gudapada village (also known as Citahati) under the Kutugram Police

Station of Katwa.)

 

Once, in order to test the Vaisnava merit of Gaurakisora, some tantric

brahmanas of Kagrama in the district of Mursidavad invited him to give a

recital from the Srimad Bhagavatam in their village. After the recital had

gone on for several days, the evil-minded brahmanas arranged to have animals

slaughtered on the occasion of Kalipuja on the very same site as the Srimad

Bhagavatam was recited. On receiving this news late in the evening, Siromani

was greatly distressed and prayed desperately to Gaura Govinda. Thus when

the slaughterers attempted to sacrifice an animal with one strike, they were

unsuccessful; they needed two strikes for all of the animals. The frightened

slaughterers tried to invoke the grace of the goddess. Later the goddess

chastised the priest in a dream saying: "All of you have humiliated a

devotee of Visnu, hence you will be severely punished." Hearing this the

mischievous persons rushed to the feet of Gaurakisora Siromani. Gaurakisora

asked them first to take a dip in the Ganges and later converted them into

Vaisnavas.

 

----

Haribolananda Thakura:

 

This Vaisnava saint was born on Janmastami day at Gangananadapur village

near Jhikargacha railway station in the district of Jessore (now

Bangladesh). This village stands close to Sripata Vodhakhana.

Haribolananda's pre-initiated name was Navincandra Bhattacarya and his

younger brother was Benimadhav Bhattacarya. Navin remained in family life

until forty years of age, teaching the local rural school. From his

childhood Navin was impartial, truthful, self-controlled, simple, and charm

ing in his manners. On the pretext of a minor property dispute in the

family, Navin left home and went to Kalighat in Calcutta where he lay

prostrate before goddess Kali until he received a divine command to travel

all over India on foot and visit all the pilgrimage-centers.

 

On foot and penniless, Navin left on pilgrimage. For several years he walked

day and night throughout India to all the holy places. However, he did not

get any spiritual satisfaction and returned to Kalighat where he submitted

himself before the goddess. It is said that the goddess appeared in physical

form and directed Navin as follows: "My child, in the Kali-yuga the name of

Hari is the supreme essence and final truth. You go on chanting Haribol

incessantly and circulate this name among one and all indiscriminately,

begging people to chant this Haribol nama."

 

----

>From the biography of Narottama dasa Thakura:

 

One time, some smarta brahmanas made a conspiracy to defame the name of

Srila Narottama dasa Thakura Mahasaya. They were very upset that though he

was only a kayastha by caste, he accepted those born in brahmana families as

his disciples. They enlisted Raja Narasimha and the conquering pandita Sri

Rupanarayana in a crusade to somehow expose Narottama dasa as a fraud. In a

large party they made their way to Kheturi, where Srila Narottama had his

headquarters.

 

Coming to know of this conspiracy, Sri Ramacandra and Sri Ganga Narayana

Cakravarti came forward to meet their challenge. They journeyd to Kumarapura

where they each set up two small shops in the market; one a pan and betel

nut shop and the other a store selling clay pots.

 

When the party of smarta brahmanas arrived at Kumarapura and sent their

disciples out to purchase wares for cooking their meals, the students came

to those shops. The 'shopkeepers' (actually Ramacandra and Ganga Narayana in

disguise) spoke to them in Sanskrit and began to raise a philosophical

dispute with them. Seeing the profound learning of those two shopkeepers,

the students were dumbfounded, but nevertheless took up the challenge. After

a short time, however, it became obvious that they were no match for these

'shopkeepers.' They called for their gurus, who arrived on the scene with

Raja Narasimha and Rupanarayana. Rupanarayana himself was drawn into the

debate and was defeated by the Bhagavata-based arguments of Ramacandra and

Ganga Narayana.

 

When the king requested their introduction, those two shopkeepers informed

him that they were two extremely insignificant disciples of Srila Narottama

dasa Thakura Mahasaya. Having met defeat in this village marketplace,

Rupanarayana and the smarta brahmanas were no longer interested in

proceeding onward to Kheturi. Their crusade evaporated as they all decided

to return immediately to their respective homes.

 

That night, after Raja Narasimha had returned to his house, he had a dream

in which Durgadevi told him, "Narasimha! You have committed a great offense

at the feet of Narottama dasa Thakura. As a result of this Vaisnavaparadha,

I will have to cut you all to pieces with this chopper. If you want to save

yourself, then you had better immediately go and take shelter at Narottama

dasa Thakura's lotus feet."

 

When his sleep broke the king quickly took his bath and set out for Kheturi.

Rupanarayana had a similar dream and was also proceeding towards Kheturi at

the same time. They met upon their arrival there and approached the temple

of Sri Gauranga in order to meet Narottama Thakura. Thakur Mahasaya was

absorbed in his bhajana, but when a disciple informed him of the arrival of

the two guests, he came out to meet them. Simply by seeing his

transcendental form, imbued with Krsna-prema, the two offenders became

purified and fell down to offer their obeisances at Thakura Mahasaya's feet.

Thakura Mahasaya very humbly presented himself as being a fallen soul.

Finally he initiated them with Radha-Krsna mantra.

 

----

Radharamana Carana Dasa (born in 1853 AD):

 

The Zamindar of Mamudpura, acknowledging Radharamana's intelligence,

impartial judgement and efficiency, appointed him the Superintendent of

Satara pargana. However, around this time his indifference towards worldly

life increased, thus his work was hampered. At the request of the landlord

he fought against some revolting subjects and managed to seize a

considerable quantity of paddy from the respective fields. However, when he

considered the future sufferings of the subjects he suddenly burst into

tears and on that very day he left his house and went to Bhawanipur Kali

temple in Vaguda district. During the solar eclipse he chanted all the

mantras recommended, and the goddess Kali appeared to him and blessed him

saying, "As per your wish, you will find your guru on the bank of the river

Sarayu. Go at once, he is waiting for you." As directed, Radharamana began

walking day and night until he reached Sarayu river in Ayodhya. There he met

his guru, received his cherished mantra, as well as all good instruction

regarding proper Vaisnava behavior. Thereafter, he traveled to many holy

places, eventually arriving at Navadvipa. He was accustomed to reading Sri

Caitanya Caritamrta, Manahsiksha, Prarthana and Premabhakticandrika daily.

 

----

Vallabhacaitanya Dasa:

 

He was a disciple of Gadadhara Pandita Gosvami (CC. 1.12.82). He is known as

"Thakura Vallabha" in genealogical tracts and was a member of the brahmana

community.

 

It is said that Vallabha worshiped Mahasakti and performed great austerity

in the Himalayan region. One day Mahasakti told Vallabha that Radha was

existing as the wife of Lord Gauranga in Navadvipa. Vallabha immediately

came to Navadvipa and took spiritual initiation from Gadadhara Pandita

Gosvami.

 

----

Durgadasa Raya:

 

He was the Zamindar of Cakhundi village where Srinivasa Acarya was born.

Durgadasa was a Sakta who became a devout Vaisnava by the grace of

Caitanyadasa (Gangadhara Bhattacarya), the father of Srinivasa Acarya.

 

>From the time that Srinivasa was conceived the village of Cakhundi became

filled with the chanting of the holy names. One local Sakta brahmana was

angered by this and complained to Durgadasa. Thus, a few men, accompanied by

Durgadasa walked throughout the village and announced, with the beating of

drums, that no house in the village should worship any god other than Siva

and Durga (Premavilasa 1). Eventually the party reached the house of

Gangadhara, there Durgadasa was cordially invited to spend the night and

Durgadasa agreed. That night while Durgadasa was sleeping, Gaura-Nitai

appeared to him. They filled his heart with joy and he danced in ecstacy.

>From that day Durgadasa abandoned the Sakta faith and became a Vaisnava.

 

 

Hope this helps

 

ys bh. Jan