| Shri Durga is the Mother-creatrix. She is revered as Mahakali-Mahalakshni-Maha saraswati in the Durga Sapta Shati. She is the cause of that 'Tatpurusha',which is inferred from the Eco -system, perceived through the natural phenomenon,and intuited upon by the men of devotion/Bhakta and faith to understand the higher realms of 'Moola - Trigunamayi- Prakriti.' There are thousands of Names of Durga, but She is popularly revered as Devi/Shakti/ Durga/ Amba. A Shloka in the 5th chapter of the Devi Suktam supports this view, which reads as:
Yaa Devi Sarva Bhuteshu Shakti Roopena Samasthita
Namastasyai- Namastasyai -Namastasya -Namo Namah
The translation runs as:
My Namaskar to that Devi, who abides as "Shakti/Energy" in all the embodied souls. My Namaskatar be to That Shakti, Namaskar to That Shakti Namaskar- Namo- Namah to That Shakti.
The Vedic AtharvaAtharva Shirsha says:
The Devatas could not understand the quintessential of Shri Durga. Therefore,all the Devatas submitted before Devi and asked:
"O Maha Devi! Who you are and what are you?"
She Said:
" I am Absolute Brahman. It is because of Me that Purusha and Prakriti have evolved forth, which is Void and non-void. I am Bliss and non-bliss. I am physical as well as transcendental in name and form. I am intellect/Buddhi. I am understanding. I am both Brahman and what is not Brahman.
I am of the Five cosmic elements and different from that five elements of Earth-Water-Fire-Air-Space. I am whole universe.
I am the Vedas and the Agamas. I am Vidya/ Knowledge and avidya/ignorance.
I alone abide in the Rudras-Shiva incarnation and the eight Vasus. I move in the
Twelve Adityas and the Vishva Devas.
I raise all the Mitra -Varuna-Indra -Agni and Ashvini Kumars
I hold both Soma-Tvashtaa, Pushaa and Bhaga.
The Three Potentials-Brahma Vishnu and Maheshvara function, because of my Ichha/will alone.
I hold the Soma and Havi for the Yajmana, who makes the Anushtthana/ invocation for Homa/Puja/Archana/ Samkirtana/ Naam Smirana.
I am Ishvari the Supreme Sovereign of this whole existence.
I have created the whole space. This is all, what Vedas stand for."
After giving a thought in the Atharva Vedic saying, it is concluded that Devi is the Supreme Mother. She is All that is to be seen , visualized and understood. She is the Primal cause of this universal flux. Durga is to be revered with Bhakti, with Puja and Archana and through the specific Anushtthanas. A fine exposition of Shri Durga is seen in the Markandeya Purana, Devi Bhagwatam, and the /Agamic Shastras.
To conclude, Durga is the beauty of Vishnu, creativity of Brahma and the Tandava of Rudra.
Sri Aurobindo has said in his famous epic Savitri about the Divine Mother Durga:
I wear the face of Kali when I kill
I am Charged by god to do his mighty work
I reason not of virtue and of sin
But do the deed he has put into my heart
(Savitri Book Seven-Canto Four) |
*Dr. Chaman Lal Rain