Boon chosen by devas: Whenever we think of you again, destroy our direst calam

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>

> Both Jesus and Guru Nanak assail family attachments as the snares of

> Maya, the falseness and illusion of earthly existence, possessions

> and relations that daily deceives, weakens and hinders Self-

> realization. The Guru Granth Sahib repeatedly reminds us to:

>

> Jaarayu aisee pareet kutamb sanbandhee Maya moh pasaaree. Jis antar

> preet Ram ras naahee dubidaa karam bikaaree: Burn away any love of

> family and relatives, which increases your attachment to Maya. One

> who does not savor the Lord's Love deep within, lives in duality

> and corruption (sggs 1198).

>

> Ever since i started meditating on the Great Mother i have been

> unconsciously experiencing the above. i just cannot help myself as

> my attachment to family and friends continues to decrease as

> attachment to the Great Maha Devi ever increases. i have absolutely

> no regrets whatsoever as the inner spiritual journey is far more

> rewarding, and has brought me closer to my eternal family and

> friends - Shri Krishna, Jesus, Shiva, Ganesha, Prophet Muhammad,

> Buddha, Vishnu, Brahma, Guru Nanak and others. At last i have also

> found my Eternal Mother who never abandoned me over countless

> rebirths despite all my faults and shortcomings .......... and

> never ever will!

>

 

" The Devimahatmya refers to two different traditions regarding the

origin of the Great Goddess: in the first Devi is explained as the

Mahanidra of Visnu embodied as the universe, eternal, incarnated in

many forms. She is " drawing herself out from the eyes and the various

organs and limbs " of Visnu: when Great Sleep leaves Visnu, he

awakens. In this form she is the great creator: she creates the

entire universe, she is the cause of bondage and transmigration, the

cause of final liberation too. She is both fierce and auspicious: she

gives to mankind boons for their final liberation.

 

The second account of Devi's origin has a different ring and seems to

be the older one. It not only mentions the Vedic gods but it is

somehow reminiscent of the Indra-Vrtra myth -- the fight of the High

God against the demon usurper, who has conquered the gods and assumed

the place of Indra. Devi here is no longer the prakrti of Visnu but

the essence of all the gods, " godhead " in a concrete sense. She

surpasses all the individual gods in power and glory because in her

all the qualities of the gods are embodied...

 

Thus the salvation of gods and men has been accomplished, and Devi

receives praise from all the devas. In the cause of this prayer all

the essential qualities of the Devi are mentioned, and the basic Devi

philosophy comes to the fore: Devi " is the origin of the universe,

the resort of all, the primordial prakrti. " She is the " supreme vidya

(knowledge) which is the cause of liberation. " She is " durga, the

boat that carries men across the difficult ocean of worldly

existence, " she is " Sri who has taken her abode in the heart of

Visnu, " and she is " Gauri, who has established herself with Siva.

Devi offers a boon, and the devas choose the following: " Whenever we

think of you again, destroy our direst calamities. " ...

 

Devi-avataras are also found in the Puranas. They have the same

function which Vainavas ascribe to Visnu-avataras, namely to protect

the world in successive ages from demons and other evil. This theory

also helps to explain the numerous goddesses as manifestations of One

Supreme Goddess: " Bhavani is worshipped by the gods in all her

repeated incarnations. She always kills demons by incarnating herself

on earth and she protects all creation in heaven, earth and the

nether world...

 

She explains her own nature according to Advaita: " I and Brahman are

one. " "

 

K. K. Klostermaier, Hinduism: A Short History

Oneworld Pub., 2000, p. 200-2.