Durga Pooja

Durga is a wrathful form of Parvati (consort of Shiva). She is represented with many arms with a weapon in each hand, shown sitting astride her mount, the lion, holding celestial weapons. Though popularly She is depicted with ten hands, but other of her popular forms present her with four, six, eight, sixteen, eighteen, and even, a thousand hands. Her face always remains calm and gentle. As Durga, the Goddess is ''beyond reach'' or ''inaccessible''. She is Devi Mahishasuramardini (Goddess Killer of the Buffalo Demon) who appears to her devotees as both saumya (gentle and mild) and ghora (frightful and terrible). According to Skanda Purana, she is none other than Parvati who takes on the role of warrior at Siva’s request to kill a giant demon. The demon cannot be killed by any of the gods because he is protected against the torments of any male by a special boon. Thus Parvati alone is able to kill him, and in doing so, the goddess is named Durga. The demon then takes the form of a buffalo, an apparition that again appears in the famous Devi-Mahatmya tale of the slaying of Mahishasura, the buffalo demon (mahisha means buffalo).

The story from 'Markandeya Chandi'
("Mahishasur-Vadh" or 'The Killing of Mahishasura'-episode from the book):

All the gods, headed by Lord Brahma, came over to Kailasha (a peak in the Himalayas), where Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva were busy in divine conversations. They narrated the whole story of how the demon-king Mahishasura dethroned Indra from the heaven. They added that, the demon is severely putting an end to the devotees of Vishnu and Shiva, by killing them cruelly. The Asura (demon) wants all in the universe to worship him as god, and not anyone else. First, There's no yajna (worship through divine fire in the altar) for long, and the gods of heaven are leading a life in disguise in the mountain caves, away from the clasp of Mahishasura. Hearing the story, the faces of Vishnu and Shiva turned red in wrath. Their faces glowed up. A sudden effulgent, fiery glow came out of their faces, and at a single point, the energy, the 'jyoti' (divine glow and aura), of all the gods coalesced and formed a gigantic mountain of fire. Soon, this 'jyotipunjah' (heap of 'jyoti') took the form of a young woman. She had the complexion of molten gold, and her 'jyoti' touched the heavens high above. Her face was from the light of Shiva. Her ten arms were from Lord Vishnu. Her legs were from Lord Brahma. Where as, her hair from Yama, her hips from the force of the goddess Earth, her breasts from the Moon-god, and so on. The dispossessed gods were drawn to Durga. They praised her and gave to her their divine gifts: Pinakadhrik (Shiva) gave her a trident - "Trishula". Lord Vishnu gave her a disc - "Chakra". Varuna, the god of water, gave her a conch - "Shankha", and the god of fire gave her a missile. From the wind, Vayu, she received arrows. The king of gods, Indra, gave her a thunder-bolt, and the gift of Indra's white-skinned elephant Airavata was a bell, or "ghanta". From Yama, the god of death, Durga received a rod - "Kaaldanda", and from the Ruler of Waters she was given a noose - "Paash". Durga received many other precious and magical treasures -- gifts of jewels, new clothing, and a garland of immortal lotuses for her head and breasts. Heaven's architect Vishwakarma gave her a bright axe and magic armor. God of the Himalayas, Himavat, gave her jewels and a magnificent lion to ride into battle as her mount ("vahan"). Now equipped with the fearsome weaponry of the gods and dressed in golden armor and jewels she set off, seated gracefully upon that lion. His thunderous roars shook the three worlds. Oceans boiled and surf poured overland. Continents were torn at their granite foundations as whole new chains of mountains rose, while older ranges crumbled, cracked, and gave way to dust in a thousand landslides. Seeing these cataclysms rippling in waves through all the three worlds, Mahishasura and his demon allies found their attention drawn from heaven to Earth. Though confident of their power and control in heaven, even the conquering demon host could not help being awestruck.

The demons had little time to admire the radiant visage of their new adversary, for soon she engaged them on the battlefield. First the army of Chikasura and then that of Chamara, Mahishasura's chief commanders were met. They were destroyed in a great battle. At first, confident of his overwhelming power, Mahishasura held in reserve his personal demon army. But seeing the setbacks being dealt his commander's troops on every side, it soon became obvious to Mahishasura that even his personal guard must be completely committed or he would surely be cast out of heaven. Or worse. Onto the battlefield swarmed that most elite and despised assemblage, with its gruesome hordes of infantry gleefully wielding their unearthly collection of dark iron axes and halberds, gorey bludgeoneers side by side with squadrons of demon-archers. Leading this evil array in its mad and desperate charge were thousands of charioteers and cavalry of horses and elephants. Surrounded by chants of praise, the blowing of horns the beating of drums and songs of worship Durga roamed the battlefield on her mighty lion. From her divine breath her army was constantly replenished with new warriors, each able, brave and resolute. With her bell she confused the demons, and many were dragged away bound and chained. With her divine sword she cut them to bits. So many demons and elephants and horses died that a river of blood flowed across the battlefield. The ground was left littered with the broken limbs and body parts of the defeated demon army. Durga was then attacked by the demon commanders, who were all killed immediately, and without mercy.

Mahisha, the king of the demons and usurper of the throne of heaven, was shocked and enraged by the disastrous events on the battlefield. He reverted to his own form, a buffalo, and charged about on the battlefield. He ran wildly at Durga's divine soldiers goring many, biting others and all the while thrashing with his long, whip-like tail. Durga's lion, angered by the presence of the demon-buffalo, attacked him. While he was thus engaged, Durga threw her noose around his neck. To escape this trap, Mahishasura discarded the buffalo and assumed the form of a lion. Durga beheaded the lion, and the demon escaped in the form of a man. Without hesitation, Durga dispatched the man with a flight of sharp arrows. Mahishasura and Lion Yet again the demon escaped, and this time took the formidable shape of a huge elephant, which battered Durga's lion with a tusk. With her sword Durga hacked at the tusk until it too was broken. Weakened, the demon reverted once more to his own form the wild buffalo. He retreated into the mountains where he hurled boulders at Durga with his horns. The Mother of the Universe drank the divine wine, gift of Kuvera. She said:

"Garja garja Kshanam moorha, madhu yavat pivamyaham |
Mayaa twayi hatehtraiva, garjishyantyashu devatah ||"

--- Take thou time to squall and scream as long as I don't finish up my divine wine, o, foolish Mahishasura! I will soon slain you (after I finish my drink), and the gods of heaven would burst in the joy of victory.

Immediately after this, the goddess jumped onto Mahishasura, pushing him to the ground with her left leg. She grasped his head in one hand, pierced him with her sharp spear held in another, and with yet another of her ten hands she wielded her bright sword, beheading him. At last he fell dead, and the scattered surviving remnants of his once invincible army fled in terror. The gods returned to heaven, and along with the sages of the earth, they sang praises to the Goddess Durga. Henceforth, and to this day, the Goddess Durga is worshipped by all the gods in heaven, and all human beings on earth. As he requested, Mahishasura is there too--frozen in his moment of final defeat, impaled by Durga's spear and prostrate beneath her left foot.

Glory of the Goddess

Once in the land of the gods, a huge and terrible battle raged for hundreds of years. The gods were finally defeated, kicked from their celestial abode by the terrible leader of the demons, Mahishasura. The gods, who had fought the battle and lost, appeared before the greatness of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, explaining their defeat. The major gods became furious, and from their faces ''came forth a great fiery splendor, and also from the...bodies of all the gods, Indra and others...and it congealed into a single form''.

Quote Thomas Coburn’s translation of the Devi-Mahatmya at this point will give a feel for the power of the tale of Durga’s appearance: A stupendously fiery mass like a flaming mountain the gods saw there filling the firmament with flames. That matchless splendor, born from the bodies of all the gods, came together in a single place, pervading all the worlds with its lustre, and it became a woman...Devi bellowed aloud with laughter over and over again. The entire atmosphere was filled with her terrible noise, and from that deafening, ear-shattering noise a great echo arose. All the worlds quaked, and the oceans shook. The earth trembled, and the mountains tottered. The gods, utterly delighted, cried, "Victory!" to the one who rides on a lion.

The Stories of Sati and Parvati

What appeals to me the most about Hinduism is that one is allowed to doubt and question. In fact you will be surprised to learn that most of our scriptures are entirely conversations And discussions between Master and disciple. The Bhagavad Geeta would not have been a Scripture of such excellence, in terms of knowledge and wisdom if, Arjun would not have challenged and questioned and questioned Krishna’s word over and over again. It is only in the last Chapter that Arjun asserted: ‘Nashto Mohaa...’ Arjun stated that his delusion was destroyed through the Lord’s Grace, He claimed that his doubts were now gone and he professed that he would now act according to Krishna’s advice. Note, that not once did Krishna express His displeasure at Arjuna’s constant arguments. The Ramayan starts with Sati , the consort of Lord Shiva wondering and questioning. She said to Shiva that she could not agree that Shri Ram was the Lord God Himself in whom Shiva had such intrinsic faith. How could Shri Ram be so disconsolate, when he lost Seeta and could not find her? How could he tearfully ask every tree and shrub where Seeta was? Sati scoffed and wondered aloud. Though Shiva explained that that was the (Leela) sport of the Lord, Sati wanted to test it out for herself. So Sati impersonated Seeta and planted herself near Shri Ram. The latter addressed her as ‘Ma’ Sati had not managed to deceive the Lord Shri Ram. When Shiva asked Sati about her whereabouts, she lied to him.

It is said that Shiva, when he learnt that she had impersonated Devi Seeta, could not accept her as a sexual mate. Shiva had nothing against the fact that she doubted or that she questioned. He was against her impersonation. The above is what we are mostly guilty of. We pretend to be that which we are not. That leads to lies, to those who we love And who have so much trust in us. We not only deceive others but ourselves. It is the above trespass that makes us incarnate again for another try. That is the point that I am trying to make. The above is one of the reasons why Sati had to return as Parvati in her next incarnation. As Parvati, she again showed a desire to learn about the feats and greatness Of Shri Ram. Shiva, this time round was happy to comply with Parvati’s Divine Desire. That is how the Great Narration of the Ramayan began.

Once again there was a Divine Plan in action. One more time for the benefit of Humanity. This story appears in the Shiva Puraanam:-
Sati’s father, King Daksha performed severe penance for 3000 years. The pleased goddess manifested before him and promised to take birth as his daughter Herself. When Sati or Gauri as she was named, grew up, she performed intense penance to attain Shiva as her husband. Daksha was not very happy at Sati’s choice of husband. So Daksha did not invite Shiva and Gauri (Sati) to a great Yagna (Spiritual sacrifice) that he was about to perform. Sati, noting that all the celestial vehicles were headed towards her father’s place, felt peeved at the fact that she had received no invitation. She insisted on attending the function anyway, despite the disapproval of Shiva. When Sati entered her parental palace, her father Daksha ignored her. To add insult to injury, Daksha proclaimed that his other daughters and their husbands were finer and more distinguished than Sati and Shiva and as such were more worthy of honour than Sati and Shiva. The Goddess Sati approached the Sadas (The area of the site of sacrifice where the main priests sit.) She thundered: "Let all those who sit here give ear to the Mistress of the Universe. My husband, the Lord of Lords has been insulted for no good reason. No fault exists in Him. It is claimed in the Scriptures that those who steal knowledge, those who betray a Teacher and those who defile the Lord are great sinners and ought to be punished".

After uttering these words, the offended Goddess threw herself in the glowing sacred fire. Daksha’s Yagna had been desecrated. A celebration turned into a funeral. The invitees disappeared afraid that they could be avenged. Shiva was enraged on learning that his wife had sacrificed herself. He created a being called Veerbhadra by tearing a lock of his hair. Mighty Veerbhadra tore off King Daksha’s head and tossed it into the same sacrificial fire. However because it was proclaimed that the Yagna should not be left incomplete, the head of a sacrificial goat was placed on Daksha. Lord Shiva was very sad at the death of Sati. He began to wander in the three nether worlds carrying the dead body of Sati in his arms. So violent was his stride that the universe began to tremble and there was suffering everywhere. In order to break this attachment of Shiva and to save the universe, Vishnu shot some arrows from his bow and cut the corpse of Sati into fifty one pieces. The pieces fell in 51 different parts of the country. These are known as Shakti Pithas.

And so the Great Goddess is born, ready to fight the enemies of the gods. In her battle with the demons, she easily wins, and must finally confront the general, Mahisha himself. For this battle she is called Chandika, ''The Violent and Impetuous One'', in part because Mahisha so infuriates her by changing form every time she attempts to kill him. The goddess charges and he changes into a lion. She cuts off his head, and he emerges from that body as a man, armed for battle. She kills him, and an elephant appears in his place. She chops off the trunk, and the buffalo is once again before her. Needing something to channel her focus, Chandika drinks her fill of wine and becomes intoxicated. She laughs at Mahisha as he roars and throws mountains at her during her break. She yells at him that soon it will be the gods who are roaring over his death and defeat. Downing her last gulp, the goddess leaps across the battlefield at Mahisha, stands upon his neck to stop him from changing into any other form, pierces him with her spear and chops off his head. She is indeed victorious with this manoeuver, and the gods sing her praise. She so loves their devotion that she tells them she will come again to their aid if they merely call. With this boon, she disappears.

The most detailed and glorious tale of Durga’s battlefield prowess comes when the gods, who remember her earlier promise, again call upon her. This time, She is asked to defeat the demons Sumbha and Nisumbha (two brothers). These demons had somehow managed to amass so much power that they deprived the gods of sacrificial offerings for a long time. This caused the gods tremendous stress because the offerings are what sustains their purpose-if they are not honored, they are depotentiated. This had been going on for so long that none of the gods could live in heaven any longer. The gods therefore sung out to the goddess, praising her for all things, hoping that she would help save them a fate of anonymity. When called, She came in her most beautiful aspect as Ambika. When Sumbha’s generals, Chanda and Munda, saw her, however, they immediately reported back to Sumbha of her splendor. They told him that she would be most worthy of his favors. Sumbha, being vain and wanting all things of beauty for his own, decided to have his minions ask for her hand in marriage on his behalf.

The generals then go to the goddess, but she tells them of a vow taken in her youth to only marry the one who can defeat her in battle. Upon hearing this from his emissaries, Sumbha is angry to think that a ''mere woman'' would thus suggest challenging him. He calls another of his generals, Dhumralochana (Smoky-Eyes), and tells him to take sixty thousand of his forces, grab the woman by the hair and return her to him. Dhumralochana goes forth to Chandika and at first tries to persuade her to come peacefully to Sumbha. She is not so inclined, and when Dhumralochana attempts to attack her, Chandika turns him and his battalions to ashes. The goddess is not easily had. Sumbha quickly hears about his general’s defeat. He is so filled with hatred and desire to overcome and possess the goddess that he next summons Chanda and Munda, his most trusted officers. These two, acting on their commander’s request head off with the rest of the demon entourage and find Chandika in the Himalayas. They immediately begin firing arrows at her, and with this, the goddess lets her rage be known. She turns black in anger and fury, and from her brow, Kali emerges. This emanation of the goddess is her most fierce and gruesome.

She is depicted as emaciated, with red eyes, protruding tongue set for lapping up blood, black countenance, and wild, long, disheveled hair. She carries multiple weapons, a skull-topped staff, and emits alternatively hideous shrieks and deafening roars. Her only clothing, if any, is a tiger-skin wrapped about her waist, and she wears as ornaments a garland of freshly severed human heads and dead infant earrings. Kali easily slays the generals and offers their heads to Chandika, who then names her Chamunda, or slayer of Chanda and Munda. Then, both Chandika and Kali set out to kill Sumbha and his remaining armies.

The gods at this point send their power, or shakti, to the aid of the goddesses. Together, these forces, along with the sakti of Chandika, called Aparajita, decimate all foes while those demons still able to do so flee the battleground in terror. One demon though, named Raktabija (Blood Seed, or Drops of Blood), comes forward again to fight. He has the special gift of being able to multiply wherever one of his drops of blood falls upon the earth. But Chandika and Chamunda team up to defeat him. Chandika lances the demon, weakening him, while Chamunda laps up his blood before it can reach the ground, thus ensuring his death. Now, only Sumbha and Nisumbha are left to challenge the goddesses. To make a long story short, however, devi withdraws Her emanations back into herself, kills Nisumbha first and renders Sumbha powerless, finally destroying him with one fatal pierce of her spear. The Goddess is yet again victorious.

Goddess Durga and a few of her various forms:

Goddess Durga is possibly one of the most powerful of all Indian Goddesses. She is worshipped in numerous forms and personas. The Goddess is seen by many of her devotees to be the supreme deity, as powerful as the supreme male deity. Although many Goddesses have consorts, Goddess Durga is independent. One of the many popular images of Goddess Durga is that of her slaying a demon. This is the buffalo demon Mahishasura who, upon being slayed by the Goddess, begged her forgiveness, and asked that he too be worshiped along with her. As a result, three of her forms often depict her slaying the demon, or with the demon at her feet.

Kali

According to Legend, Durga is a fierce Goddess and she created Goddess Kali to help her in her battles. As Kali, she is the destroyer of all evil. She is black, and wears a garland of skulls around her neck. Kali was created to destroy the demon Raktavera. If a drop of his blood would spill on the floor, another demon would sprout forth from this drop. Unknowingly, Goddess Kali attacked Raktavera, and soon she was surrounded by numerous demons or asuras. Kali then went on to swallow the asuras. She then pierced Raktavera with a spear, and drank his blood as it gushed out, until not a drop of blood was left. The blood-smeared image of Kali which is often seen in pictures and in temples depicts this scene.

Kaushiki and Chamunda

When two demon brothers, Shumbha and Nishumbha, forcibly drove the gods out of heaven, they prayed to the mother Goddess to help them. Parvati heard their prayers when bathing, and shed her skin to create the beautiful Kaushiki. Kaushiki was spotted by Chanda and Munda, two assistants of Shumbha and Nishumbha. Chanda and Munda were astounded by her beauty, and praised her to Shumbha and Nishumbha, who sent a message via Chanda and Munda that she marry them. A battle then assumed, and Kaushiki wiggled her eyebrows. Out of her third eye sprung an elderly black Goddess, who slayed Chanda and Munda and brought them to Kaushiki. Kaushiki was pleased at her work, and bestowed on her the name of Chamunda. Chamunda is a persona of Goddess Kali. While Goddess Kali is young and may be portrayed as beautiful, Chamunda is portrayed as old and frightening. Kaushiki then killed Nishumbha and when she defeated Shumbha, the other personas merged into Kaushiki, and she killed Shumbha

Mahamaya

Durga is also equated with the Goddess Mahamaya, the creator of illusion and attachment. According to legend, Goddess Mahamaya once granted a boon to two demons of choice of death. These two demons then started disrupting the universe. Lord Vishnu tried to slay them, but could not as they were protected by the boon. He then approached Mahamaya for help. Using the power of illusion, she tricked the demons into helping Lord Vishnu to kill them. However, they laid forth the condition that he did so only where there be no earth, water, air, ether, mind, intelligence or false ego. Taking this opportunity, Lord Vishnu squashed the two demons on his thigh, since Lord Vishnu's was a transcendental body.

Markandeya Chandi or Durga-Saptashati

The 'Durga-Saptashati', or 'Markandeya Chandi', or 'Devi Maahaatmya' is a 700-verse poem ("Saptashati"), and a part of the Markandeya Puraana. It is auspicious to read the Devi Mahatmya Katha on or before Dassera, but the same can also be read any time.

The best technique for the achievement of 'Moksha' is worship. Moksha consists of the march of the human soul to its freedom. Freedom from what? It is freedom from desires that goad a man from birth to death and the dissatisfaction that results despite their fulfillment. The object of any form of worship is the attainment of Divine Grace. The Devi Mahatmya is a brilliant poem in Sanskrit, that describes the three stages of transformation of the obstacles that a human soul encounters in the journey towards freedom. What are these obstacles?

• Desire and anger.
• Restlessness of the mind.
• Ignorance.

The narration starts with the story of king Suratha. He is dejected because he has been defeated by his enemies. He lands up in the hermitage of Sage Medha. There he meets a merchant called Samadhi. Samadhi had not only lost his wealth but his own family, as the latter has turned him out. Both Samadhi and king Suratha are confounded at the fact that their mind keeps reverting to the very family and circumstances that have been the cause of so much sorrow in their lives. They both request Rishi Medha to throw light on this mysterious aspect of the mind. The Sage replies that this sorrow that they were experiencing was due to the veiling power of the Divine Mother which is called 'Maya'. This delusion emanates from the Lord Himself. It is through this power that the Lord creates, preserves and dissolves back everything into its Pure State. It is depicted in the Devi Mahatmya that Ma Durga, Ma Kali, MahaLaxmi and MahaSaraswati are not different. They are three separate aspects of the same 'Shakti' energy.

MADHU AND KAITABHA

Once Lord Vishnu withdrew His power of Maya and went into a Yoga Nidra (sleep). The whole Universe at that time was dissolved in the causal waters. Brahma, the creative power of the Lord had also gone to sleep. The earth had been broken up and was floating around in the causal waters, These pieces of dirt lodged themselves in the ears of the Lord. He swept these out with His fingers. That dirt, because of the Lord's touch sprang into life and became enormous demons 'Asuras'. They were called Madhu and Kaitabh. They attacked Brahma. The latter invoked the Divine Mother to wake Vishnu. The Lord took the Asuras and placed them on His thighs and cut their heads off. The Lord then created the earth with the fat (Medas) of the demons. That is the reason for the earth being called 'Medini' It is believed that the earth is situated in the thighs in the Cosmic Body of the Lord. It is interesting to note that the earth was created again from the fat of the same demons, Madhu and Kaitabh.

RAKTABEEJA

Hearing the news of the death of Chanda and Munda, the infuriated King Sumbha mobilised the Asuric forces and surrounded the Mother from all sides. Then, from the Great Devas (Spiritual Beings) emerged Powers which entered the Form of the Mother.

• From Lord Vishnu emerged the power of Vaishnavi, and subforms from His 'avatars' - Vaaraahi and Naarasimhi.
• From Brahma, emerged the power called Brahmaani.
• From Lord Shiva, emerged Maheshwari and Veer Bhadra.
• From Lord Shiva's son Kartikeya (or Kumar), emerged the power of Kaumari.
• From Indra emerged the power of Aindri.

Raktabeeja was the son of Krodhaavati, the sister of Shumbha and Nishumbha. Krodha means anger. Raktabeeja was an Asura who enjoyed a unique blessing. If a drop of blood were to drop from his body and touch the earth, then a demon of his might and form would spring from it. So if he were to get wounded during battle, the drops of blood would give rise to a thousand demons like himself. It is for the above reason that Kali spread her tongue so that she could suck Raktabeeja's blood before it touched the earth. Raktabeeja fell on the ground dead as his body was completely drained of blood.

SHUMBHA AND NISHUMBHA

Finally Sumbha and Nisumbha were slain by Devi Mahasaraswati. Mahasaraswati stands for knowledge and Wisdom. Knowledge and Wisdom are forever victorious over Ignorance and delusion. The first 3 days of 'Navratra' are dedicated to 'Ma Kali' to annihilate the enemies within The next 3 days are dedicated to 'Ma Laxmi' and the last 3 days are dedicated to Ma Saraswati. After 9 days of struggle, Ma Durga beheaded Mahishaasura on the 10th day. This victorious day is called Vijaydashmi. On this day Shri Ram killed the 10 headed Ravana. This day is known as Dassera. On the 10th day a Bonfire is lit to burn the Self arrogating Ego. So on this Vijaydashmi day or call it Dassera if you wish let us also sound the bugle of Victory over our struggle with our base nature tendencies. But how do we do that? Lord Krishna advises the Spiritual seeker in the Geeta, "Verily this divine Maya of mine made up of the three gunas is difficult to cross over. Those who take refuge in Me, they alone cross over it" ~ Bhagwat Geeta - VII-14.