Maa Durga

Maa Durga is being worshiped as personal goddess by millions of people for thousands of years. The beauty of Hinduism is that it expresses the  most subtle and complicated religious truth, philosophy in a very simple and attractive way so that even a very ordinary person can understand and get interest in developing higher mental attitude, spirituality.

There was a just and a kind king, name Suratha. Though he was an excellent warrior and a good ruler, loved by his subjects, he was defeated in a long bloody battle with Kola, a ferocious group of people. Because of treachery of his ministers, the king went into a deep jungle to save his life. There he suddenly came across another gentleman seating alone inside that deep jungle.

Who are you?  the King asked.

My name is Samadhi. I am a big merchant, he replied.

Why, then, you are here in this jungle? The King asked.

The merchant in a pensive tone said, I have been cheated by my own wife, children and relatives. They have thrown me out from my own house.

The king was taken aback on hearing the reply of the merchant. He felt as if he was listening to his own story. 

Inside that jungle there was a beautiful Ashrama School headed by a very learned sage, Medha. Both the King Suratha and the merchant Samadhi went to that Ashrama and met Medha muni, the sage. Both of them told the sage how they were cheated, insulted, defeated and deprived of their own property by their own people. Then they asked the sage, a very interesting question -

O venerable sir, please tell us why we are still feeling so much attachment for those who have done so much harm in our life? Why can’t we forget them? Why we are not able to control our mind?

From here, in fact, begins the famous book of Sri Sri Chandi which is also known as Durga Saptasati.  Sri Sri Chandi is a part of Markendya Purana. From 81 chapter up to 93 chapter, a total of  13 chapters of Markendya Purana are known as Sri Sri Chandi. Like Bhagawat Gita, it has 700 mantras. Sri Sri Chandi is containing the core teachings of all the tantra scriptures.

In reply to the question of King Suratha and the merchant Samadhi, sage Medha said, if you really want to overcome your problems and be successful, you have to worship Goddess Durga, the primal power of the universe. If she becomes gracious on anyone, she can give everything including the liberation from the circle of birth and death.

The King Suratha then asked, respectable sir, please tell us who is that Goddess? How she came into being?

In reply, the sage said, once upon a time a war broke out between Devatas (Gods) and Asuras (demons). After a long fearful war unfortunately the Asuras defeated the Devatas. The Asuras due to their cruel mentality could not forgive the Devatas, rather they brutally tortured them. The vanquished Devatas then rushed to the creater, the sustainer and the destroyer of the universe, the great Gods, Brahma, Bishnu and Maheswara.

Indra, the head of the Devatas, narrated in a touchy language the plight and the horrible condition of the Devatas. Hearing that the three great Gods, Brahma, Bishnu and Maheswara became terribly angry and their faces became red and their divine power came out as fire. All other gods and goddesses also joined their respective divine powers with that and the sum total of that power was seen as a huge burning mountain. That divine power slowly turned into a beautiful Goddess and all the gods and goddesses decorated Her with their ornaments and armaments. Thus bright golden complexion, big compassionate eyes, smiling face, ten hands, sitting on the Lion beautiful Maa Durga took form. The ancient sages wonderfully described Her as – the most beautiful among all the beautiful things in the world.

In Sri Sri Chandi details has been given how the Goddess Durga killed one after another terrible demons including Mahisasura. One may read in Chandi the detailed description of the unique war. Unique, because only one Goddess with her divine power alone destroyed the whole army of fearful demons.

Maa Durga is worshiped as a personal goddess by millions. But the Mantras, Slokas, about Maa Durga mentioned in Sri Sri Chandi clearly indicate that she is impersonal. The creation of Durga, about which we have already mentioned also indicates that she is the consciousness, all pervading, Omnipotent, Omniscient.

The image which is worshiped as personal Goddess, if carefully noticed, can be found that symbols of impersonal aspect is clearly expressed. The clay which is used to make the image of Maa Durga comes from the door steps of a Brahmin, a King and a Prostitute. The Brahmin is the symbol of high caste, the symbol of Sattva. The King represents middle caste, Raja. The prostitute is the symbol of low caste, Tama. This shows that the Divine Mother is present equally in upper caste and lower caste. There is no difference for Divine Mother.

Her ten hands are the symbols of Omnipresent God – She is everywhere. The different armaments in her hands depict the fact that she is all-powerful. The intelligent hindu, through the symbols teaches that the divinity is present even in animals and birds. The lion and the rat with the image of Goddess Durga symbolizes the whole gamut of animals, similarly the peacock and the owl symbolizes the whole range of birds. The Divine Mother is present even in these creatures. The truth which has been expressed in Upanishads – Isha Varsam Idam Sarvam (The whole universe is covered by God). In Gita – Sarvatha pani padam tat, Sarvatha akshi Shira Mukham etc., (All varieties of manifestation is expression of One God); is crystallized in the image of Goddess Durga.

In Sri Sri Chandi it says :-

-The Goddess who is known as Consciousness in this world

In the verse below we get an indication of the transcendental nature.

-That Goddess who pervades all beings as the intellectual faculty.

-That Devi who is present in the whole world as power.

Bhagavad Gita says, “Of the strong I am the strength – devoid of desire and attachment”

-That Goddess, who is present as peace in all beings.

All these clearly indicates that through Form, human mind should be gradually taken to the vast and subtle concept of Formless. If from the beginning, ordinary human being is forced to understand and concentrate on Formless, Impersonal aspect of God, there is no doubt that he will not only misunderstand the idea about all-pervading God but also degrade in morality.

Maa Durga is the best and perfect symbol of personal Impersonal God.