Thought of the week: Durga devi

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Hare Krishna !!

 

The material world is called Devi-dhama, since it is under the auspices of

Durga devi. She is the presiding deity of all the fourteen planetary

systems from the lowermost Patala loka to the highest Brahma loka. She is

ten-armed, representing the tenfold fruitive activities described in the

Vedas and the ten directions that she guards. She rides on the lion,

representing her heroic prowess. As the subduer of vices she tramples down

Mahisasura. She is the mother of two sons, Karttikeya and Ganesa,

representing beauty and success. She is placed between Laksmi and

Sarasvati, representing opulence and knowledge. She is armed with the

twenty weapons, representing the various pious activities recommended by

the Vedas for suppression of vices. She holds the snake, representing the

beauty of destructive time. Such is Durga devi possessing all these

manifold forms.

 

Spiritual and Material Durga devi

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In the spiritual world, the pure devotees of Krishna are under the

influence of Yoga-maya or His internal potency. Under the influence of

Yoga-maya the devotees forget that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of

Godhead and enjoy various mellows with Him. Thus Yasoda in the mood of a

mother chastises Krishna, Vasudeva as a protective father tries to hide

Krishna from Kamsa, the gopas (cowherd boys) in the mood of friends ride

on His shoulders and the gopis (damsels of Vrindavana) make Him the object

of their affection.

 

The material world is described as a perverted reflection of the spiritual

world. Yoga-maya, which enables the devotees to enjoy with Krishna, is

reflected in the material world as Maha-maya and under its influence the

spirit souls try to enjoy separately from Krishna. This Maha-maya is

personified by Durga devi. The jiva or he spirit soul represents the

marginal potency of the Lord (tatastha sakti). Based on his free will, he

can choose to be controlled either by the internal potency (Yoga maya) or

the external potency (Maha-maya). Under the influence of Maha-maya the

living entities begins to identify himself with his material body and

tries very hard to enjoy with his material senses.

 

The prison house

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In any country there are laws and as long as a person living in the

country abides by these rules and regulations, he enjoys freedom. However

when he breaks the law, he is punished by being put in a prison. In the

prison house his movement is further restricted and he is subjected to

additional misery. Similarly, living entities who have misused their free

will and placed in this prison in the form of the material world. Durga

devi is owner of durga, which means a prison house. The wheel of karma is

the instrument of punishment at this place. She very kindly takes on the

duty of purifying these penalized jivas until the time they re-establish

their original relationship with Krishna. She is incessantly engaged in

discharging this by the will of Krishna.

 

Despite her role of a ‘prison-warden,’ Durga devi is the most merciful

mother of the material world. She is quickly pleased by little devotion

from her children and grants them many material boons. However, the boons

received from Durga devi in the shape of wealth, property, recovery from

illness, of wife and sons, should be realized as her deluding kindness.

She is really pleased when the forgetfulness of Krishna on the part of the

imprisoned jivas is removed and their natural tendency for the loving

service of Krishna is aroused, Durga devi herself then becomes the agency

of their deliverance.

 

The greatest devotee

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One of the names of Durga devi is Vaishnavi. Lord Shiva is considered to

be the greatest Vaishnava, and Durga devi, as the consort of Lord Shiva,

the greatest Vaishnavi. Devotees of Krishna pray that Durga devi gives

them her mercy by removing the deluding cover of illusion. The gopis of

Vrindavana very sincerely worshipped Durga devi by following the Katyani

vrata and received the benediction that they would get Krishna as their

husbands. The Srimad Bhagavatam describes a pastime in which worshippers

of Kali devi (a form of Durga devi) tried to sacrifice Jada Bharata, a

great devotee of Krishna. Intolerant of the offenses committed against a

Vaishnava, the infuriated goddess Kali assumed a frightening body. Leaping

violently from the altar, she immediately decapitated all the rogues and

thieves with the very sword with which they had intended to kill Jada

Bharata.

 

Durga devi assumes many forms to perform many duties. As Parvati, the

consort of Lord Shiva, she is the mother of the universe. As Durga she

deludes the envious spirit soul into thinking that they can enjoy separate

from Krishna. As Kali she is death personified for the sinful demons. As

Candi she very kindly takes charge of those in the mode of ignorance and

gives them an opportunity to rise to the modes of passion and goodness. As

Vaisnavi she freely distributes pure devotional service and removes the

illusory covering of maya from sincere devotees thus enabling them to

re-establish their eternal relationship with Krishna.

 

In the Brahma-Samhita (5.44), Lord Brahma states, “The external potency,

maya, who is of the nature of the shadow of the cit [spiritual] potency,

is worshiped by all people as Durga, the creating, preserving and

destroying agency of this mundane world. I adore the primeval Lord

Govinda, in accordance with whose will Durga conducts herself.”

 

In Srimad Bhagavatam (10.2.11-12,10) Lord Krishna blessed Mayadevi by

saying, “In different places on the surface of the earth, people will give

you different names, such as Durga, Bhadrakali, Vijaya, Vaisnavi, Kumuda,

Candika, Krsna, Madhavi, Kanyaka, Maya, Narayani, Isani, Sarada and

Ambika. By sacrifices of animals, ordinary human beings will worship you

gorgeously, with various paraphernalia, because you are supreme in

fulfilling the material desires of everyone.”

 

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Jun 16 2001, Saturday Disappearance Sri Srivasa Pandita

Jun 17 2001, Sunday Ekadasi Yogini (Break fast 04:43-09:41 USA EST)

Jun 21 2001, Thursday Disappearance Sri Gadadhara Pandita (Fast)

Disappearance Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Gundica Marjana

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