Guest guest Posted October 22, 2005 Report Share Posted October 22, 2005 The red colour symbolizes action and the red clothes signify that She is always busy destroying evil... Goddess Durga is a fierce form of Devi, the Mother, and the all-powerful almighty goddess. According to a legend Mahishasura, the king of Demons, being granted a certain boon from Lord Shiva, started his tyranny over the Heaven and Devas. Scared and hopeless, the Gods earnestly requested Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva to kill Mahishasura. Then from these three gods, a divine vigour came out as blinding light and Goddess Parvathi evolved from the light with many arms as the magnificent Goddess Durga. She was as beautiful as she was deadly. Durga was born fully-grown and is depicted as extremely beautiful and full of rage. The Gods called Goddess Durga, the invincible one, and armed her with all their weapons. Thus armed, Durga rode to the top of a mountain on a lion. In a bloody battle, she defeated Mahish and his army of demons and thus saved the universe from this demon’s menace. Goddess Durga represents the power of the Supreme Being that preserves moral order and righteousness in the creation. The Sanskrit word Durga means a fort or a place that is protected and thus difficult to reach. Durga, also called Divine Mother, protects mankind from evil and misery by destroying evil forces such as selfishness, jealousy, prejudice, hatred, anger and ego. She is also called by many other names apart from Parvati, Ambika and Manasi. Other names being Tribhuvaneshwari, Pankajadharini, Surashreshtta, Varada, Pashupriya, Santati, Ratri, Kshma, Sharanya, Saukhayada, Arogyada, Ayurda, Rackshasamardini, Mahishasuramadini, Adya and Gorja. Goddess Durga is shown in a female form, wearing red clothes. She has many arms, carrying many objects in Her hands. The red colour symbolizes action and the red clothes signify that She is always busy destroying evil and protecting mankind from pain and suffering caused by the evil forces. A tiger symbolizes unlimited power. Durga riding a tiger indicates that She possesses unlimited power and uses it to protect virtue and destroy evil. The eighteen arms of Durga signify that She possesses combined power of the nine incarnations of Lord Vishnu that have appeared on earth at different times in the past. The tenth incarnation, the Kalki (a man on a white horse), is still to come. Thus, Goddess Durga represents a united front of all the Divine forces against the negative forces of evil and wickedness. The sound that emanates from a conch is the sound of the sacred syllable AUM, which is said to be the sound of creation. A conch in one of the Goddess's hands signifies the ultimate victory of virtue over evil and righteousness over unrighteousness. Other weapons in the hands of Durga such as a mace, sword, disc, arrow, and trident convey the idea that one weapon cannot destroy different kinds of enemies. Different weapons must be used to fight enemies depending upon the circumstances. For example, selfishness must be destroyed by detachment, jealousy by desirelessness, prejudice by self-knowledge, and ego by discrimination. Goddess Durga is worshipped on Tuesdays at the precise Ragu Kaalam. Ragu kaala poojas are performed at all Shiva temples on Tuesdays. Devotees light lamps made with lime. (Two limes are to be cut, and the juice is to be squeezed in the peedam. Then the lime is turned in such a way that the peel will hold oil/ghee. A fresh cotton thiri is immersed and the lamps are lit). It is believed that Goddess Durga will redeem her devotees, who appease her with poojas on Tuesdays, from their sufferings. Goddess Durga is a Mother and she loves her children. The following sloka is a paryer to Goddess Durga. "yaa devie sarvabhuuteshhu maatru roopineh sansthitaah. yaa devie sarvabhuuteshhu shakthi roopineh sansthitaah yaa devie sarvabhuuteshhu shaanti roopineh sansthitash namastasyaih namastasyaih namastasyaih namo namaha" O mother, who is present everywhere, who is embodiment of Universal Mother, O mother, who is present everywhere, who is embodiment of Power and Energy, O mother, who is present everywhere, who is embodiment of Peace, I bow to thee, I bow to thee, I bow to thee. Sree Durga Dhyanam sarva sroop-eh sarvesehsarva shakthi smanvidheypayepyas thrahi noh devidurga devi namohsthuthey Sree Durga Astottara Shatanamavali Om Drugayai namah Om Shivayai namah Om Maha-lakshmyai namah Om Maha-gouryai namah Om Chandikaye namah Om Sarva-gynayai namah Om Sarva-lokeshayai namah Om Sarva karma-phala-pradayai namah Om Sarva teerdha-mayai namah Om Pun-yayai namah Om Deva-yonaye namah Om Ayoni-jaayai namah Om Bhume-jaayai namah Om Nirgu-nayai namah Om Aadhara-shaktyai namah Om Aanee-shvaryai namah Om Nirgu-nayai namah Om Niramham-karayai namah Om Sarva-garva-vimar-dhinyai namah Om Sarva-loka-priyayai namah Om Vaanyai namah Om Sarva-vidyadhi-devataayai namah Om Parvatyai namah Om Devamatre namah Om Vanee-shayai namah Om Vindya-vasinyai namah Om Tejo-vatyai namah Om Maha-matre namah Om Koti-surya-sama-prabhayai namah Om Deva-tayai namah Om Vahni-rupayai namah Om Sate-jase namah Om Varna-rupinyai namah Om Guna-shayayai namah Om Guna-madhyayai namah Om Guna-traya-vivarji-tayai namah Om Karma-gynana-pradayai namah Om Kantayai namah Om Sarva-samhara-karinyai namah Om Dharma-gynanayai namah Om Dharma-nistayai namah Om Sarva-karma-vivardhi-tayai namah Om Kamakshmai namah Om Kama-samhartyai namah Om Kama-krodha-vivarji-tayai namah Om Shan-karyai namah Om Sham-bhavyai namah Om Shan-tayai namah Om Chandra-suryagni-lochanayai namah Om Suja-yayai namah Om Jaya-bhumi-shtayai namah Om Jaahnavyai namah Om Jana-puji-tayai namah Om Shastrasyai namah Om Shastra-mayyai namah Om Nityayai namah Om Shubhayai namah Om Chandhrardha-mastakayai namah Om Bharatyai namah Om Bramaryai namah Om Kalpayai namah Om Karalyai namah Om Krushana-pingalayai namah Om Bramhai namah Om Narayanyai namah Om Roudryai namah Om Chandra-mruta-pari-srutayai namah Om Jyeshtayai namah Om Indirayai namah Om Maha-mayayai namah Om Jagat-grushtya-dhika-rinyai namah Om Bramhanda-koti-samsdha-nayai namah Om Kaminyai namah Om Kamalaa-layayai namah Om katya-yanyai namah Om Kalaa-teetayai namah Om Kala-samhara-karinyai namah Om Yoga-nishtayai namah Om Yogi-gamyayai namah Om Yogi-dyeyayai namah Om Tapa-svinyai namah Om Gynana-pupayai namah Om Niraka-rayai namah Om Bhakta-bhishta-phala-pradayai namah Om Bhutatme-kayai namah Om Bhuta-matre namah Om Bhute-shyai namah Om Bhuta-darinyai namah Om Svadhayai namah Om Naree-madhya-gatayai namah Om Shada-dharadi-vardhinyai namah Om Mohitam-shubha-dayai namah Om Shubhrayai namah Om Sukshmayai namah Om Matrayai namah Om Nirala-sayai namah Om Nimna-gayai namah Om Neela-samka-shayai namah Om Nitya-nandayai namah Om Harayai namah Om Paraayai namah Om Sarva-gynana-pradayai namah Om Anamtayai namah Om Satyayai namah Om Durlabha-rupinyai namah Om Sarasvatyai namah Om Sarva-gatayai namah Om Sarva-bheeshta-prada-inyai namah FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click. 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