Guest guest Posted March 27, 2002 Report Share Posted March 27, 2002 This is a question for which nobody has been able to give an answer so far. We always hear and pray to Simha Vahini, as the Vahan of Maa is Lion. We also see in many sculptures MAA Durga with a Lion. But nowadays most of the pictures depict Maa Durga riding a Tiger. All new temples in North India have Maa Durga riding a Tiger. I was told that the Maa on a Tiger is Vaishno Devi Maa. But when I went to Vaishno Devi, I saw that there are only three Pindas for Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswathi. There is a big Protima (idol) outside in which Maa Durga is riding a Lion. I have not heard any Sloka where the Tiger is given as a Vahan. Someone told me that Maa Durga in Tuljapur (Tuljapur Bhavani) is riding a tiger. In Vaishno Devi Maa Durga is called Sherewali Maa. In Hindi Sher means both Lion and tiger. Is it possible that the Hindi speaking people took sher to be Tiger and made Tiger her Vahan. Is there any symbolism involved in Lion and Tiger? Have we reached a stage where the calenderwalas decide how Maa Durga should look like? There are many scholars in this group. I hope I can get an answer. Anamika Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 28, 2002 Report Share Posted March 28, 2002 Dear anamika, I am trying to make an attempt at answering your question. To begin with I agree with the problem about calendarwalas. Also in hindi there are different names for tiger and lion. Lion is called Babbar sher, and tiger is just sher. Linguistically speaking, language tends to reduce its length over a period of time hence the reduction to just 'sher'from 'babbar sher' as is evident from all slang prominent in the world today. Hence when the term sher is heard it is interpreted so. further to be able to be in a position to comment about religion. we must also be in a position to understand the demographics of religion and wildlife distribution. The devi has been identified with many forms those including ferocity, the only animal or object which we are able to cognize as ferocious tends to be from the wild cat kingdom. depending on the distribution of these wild cats around the country, the 'vahaan' of the devi changes, for example in the bengal tiger belt of east india the 'vahaan' will undoubtedly be a tiger while in the north it will be a lion. And as usual though it shouldnt be this way, majority rules and one set of people tends to force his/her opinion on the rest, in the end, the truth is mixed up and people just do and accept what has always been done! C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 29, 2002 Report Share Posted March 29, 2002 Anamika, It suddenly struck me about the difference. Lion is the mount of Maa Durga in Bengal and Tiger in North India. So our Chinnamasthika's clarification seems only partially correct. Any other explanation ? You know for upasakas of Maa Durga it makes a lot of difference. Sankar , " chhinamastika " <prosatan@r...> wrote: > Dear anamika, I am trying to make an attempt at answering your > question. > To begin with I agree with the problem about calendarwalas. > Also in hindi there are different names for tiger and lion. Lion is > called Babbar sher, and tiger is just sher. Linguistically speaking, > language tends to reduce its length over a period of time hence the > reduction to just 'sher'from 'babbar sher' as is evident from all > slang prominent in the world today. Hence when the term sher is heard > it is interpreted so. further to be able to be in a position to > comment about religion. we must also be in a position to understand > the demographics of religion and wildlife distribution. The devi has > been identified with many forms those including ferocity, the only > animal or object which we are able to cognize as ferocious tends to > be from the wild cat kingdom. depending on the distribution of these > wild cats around the country, the 'vahaan' of the devi changes, for > example in the bengal tiger belt of east india the 'vahaan' will > undoubtedly be a tiger while in the north it will be a lion. > And as usual though it shouldnt be this way, majority rules and one > set of people tends to force his/her opinion on the rest, in the end, > the truth is mixed up and people just do and accept what has always > been done! > C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 29, 2002 Report Share Posted March 29, 2002 Dear Family Still doing my thesis and a lot of lateral thinking!!! I have another thought on this....I feel when Maa is in a avatar with other shaktis engaged say in a battle or in a lone prasann roop SHE is on a Lion, this I think because lions are very social animals and always in a pride. On the other hand, in a more ferocious avatar, Maa is on a tiger....the tiger here represents a lone creature, always prowls alone, this is the Krodhi, ie more aggressive avatar of maa's vahan. The geographical theory is very logical however it fails when you think what vahan suits the worship of Maa in South India where neither lions nor tigers abound??? I do believe that Maa is not restricted to india in any way and is worshipped by other names and forms in the west too, eg Varaahi is akin to an Egyptian goddess..presently the name escapes me ... there may be similar names for our very Durga whilst Maa Kali is worshipped as Goddess Hekate in Egyptian and now many celtic clans too!! Again just thoughts expressed, open to discussion. Jai maa _______________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 3, 2002 Report Share Posted April 3, 2002 Dear family Members, Priya has given an opinion which I have also heard earlier. Thank You Priya. I am really surprised that in a club full of worshippers of MAA there are very few messages about this. Please do post your views and scriptural references if any. Thank You, Sankar , " Priya Iyer " <pria7@h...> wrote: > > Dear Family > > Still doing my thesis and a lot of lateral thinking!!! > > I have another thought on this....I feel when Maa is in a avatar with other > shaktis engaged say in a battle or in a lone prasann roop SHE is on a Lion, > this I think because lions are very social animals and always in a pride. > > On the other hand, in a more ferocious avatar, Maa is on a tiger....the > tiger here represents a lone creature, always prowls alone, this is the > Krodhi, ie more aggressive avatar of maa's vahan. > > The geographical theory is very logical however it fails when you think what > vahan suits the worship of Maa in South India where neither lions nor tigers > abound??? > > I do believe that Maa is not restricted to india in any way and is > worshipped by other names and forms in the west too, eg Varaahi is akin to > an Egyptian goddess..presently the name escapes me ... > > there may be similar names for our very Durga whilst Maa Kali is worshipped > as Goddess Hekate in Egyptian and now many celtic clans too!! > > > Again just thoughts expressed, open to discussion. > Jai maa > > > _______________ > Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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