Durga Durgatinashini
Goddess Durga is the embodiment of divine energy (Shakti).
In the eighteen Puranas—Vishnu, Bhagavata, Narada, Garuda, Padma, Varaha, Brahma, Brahmāṇḍa, Brahmavaivarta, Markandeya, Bhavishya, Vamana, Shiva, Linga, Skanda, Agni, Matsya, and Kurma—as well as in the Devi Mahatmya, Devi Bhagavata, and Brahmavaivarta Purana, the divine play (lila) of Mahamaya, Bhagavati Durga, has been beautifully described.
Durga And The Upanishads
Durga is also mentioned in the Narayana Upanishad of the Krishna Yajurveda.
First, let us understand why the name of the Goddess is “Durga.” According to the Skanda Purana, since She slew the demon named Durgama, She came to be known as Durga.
In the hymn of Shri Shri Chandi (11/49–50), the Goddess Herself declares:
“Tatraiva ca badhiṣyāmi Durgāmākhyam mahāsuram,
Durgādevīti vikhyātaṃ tan me nāma bhaviṣyati.”
Meaning: The Goddess says, “At that time, in My incarnation as Shākambharī, I will slay the great demon Durgama, and thus I will become renowned as Goddess Durga.”
The Devi Upanishad also mentions:
“Durgāt samtrāyate yasmād devī durgati kathyate.”
The Vamana Purana also provides a description of Goddess Durga.
In the Devi Mahatmya of the Shri Markandeya Purana, the glory of the primordial Shakti Mahamaya under the name “Durga” is extolled:
“Durgāsi durgabhavasāgaranourasaṅgā” (Shri Shri Chandi 4/11).
Durga thus means—She who is the unique, incomparable, ferry-boat that carries across the impassable ocean of worldly existence.
In short, the very remembrance, utterance, or hearing of this name brings protection from sixfold fears—demons, obstacles, disease, sin, danger, and enemies. The power of the Supreme Being is known as Durga.
The Taittiriya Aranyaka, Narayana Upanishad, declares:
“Tām agnivarṇāṃ tapasā jvalantīṃ vairocanīṃ karmaphaleṣu durgāṃ devīṃ śaraṇam aham prapadye sutārasī namo namo.”
“I take refuge in that Goddess Durga, blazing with the hue of fire, created by the Supreme, who with Her heat destroys enemies, who grants the fruits of karma. O Deliverer across the ocean of worldly existence, O Saviour Goddess, to You I bow again and again.”
Durga And Chandi Mantra
The Durga referred to in this mantra is Chandī, born from the womb of the Vedas. In Her first character, Chandi embodies the Rigveda; in Her middle character, She embodies the Yajurveda; and in Her final character, She embodies the Samaveda.
Chandi, who is pervaded with the Supreme, is the destroyer of Madhu and Kaitabha, the slayer of Chanda and Munda, the devourer of Raktabija, the crusher of the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha, and the vanquisher of Mahishasura.
Brahma’s Shakti is none other than Durga Shakti. In the Devi Sukta, She Herself proclaims Her own identity.
In the Devi Mahatmya of Shri Markandeya Purana, the glory of the primordial Mahamaya under the name Durga is described:
“Durgāsi durgabhavasāgaranourasaṅgā” (Shri Shri Chandi 4/11).
Durga thus means—She who is the unique ferry across the difficult ocean of worldly existence.
“Durge smṛtā harasi bhītimaśeṣa-jantoḥ” (Shri Shri Chandi 4/17).
“O Durga, when remembered, You remove the fear of all creatures without exception.”
In times of distress, when remembered, O Durga, You remove the fear of all beings.
The Goddess is all-pervading, the very form of the Supreme Brahman.
She alone is the cause of creation, preservation, and destruction.
The Goddess is supremely gentle, yet She is also most terrifying.
She is as beautiful as She is dreadful.
The Goddess abides in every creature as consciousness itself.
In all of creation She manifests as mother, as sleep, as hunger, as power, as thirst, as peace, as memory, as compassion, as thought, and as delusion.
Thus, She is truly omnipresent.
She resides as the presiding power of all the senses.
She is the sovereign of the entire universe.
She is the sustaining energy of this world.
The Goddess Herself is the bestower of liberation (moksha).
Hence, the sage Medha described Her true nature to King Suratha and the merchant Samadhi:
“She is the eternal supreme knowledge (Vidya), the cause of ultimate liberation,
Yet She is also the cause of worldly bondage—She is indeed the Sovereign of all rulers.”
(Shri Shri Chandi, 1/58)
It is under Her delusion (maya) that living beings forget the Supreme Lord of peace and bliss, and instead become attached to the fleeting objects of the world, thereby undergoing suffering.
She (Mahamaya, the Great Goddess) is the very cause of this bondage of worldly attachment.
Yet, through sincere devotion and prayer to Her, one can, by Her grace, attain release from bondage.
She is at once avidya (ignorance), the cause of bondage, and also parā brahmavidyā (supreme knowledge), the eternal Divine Mother who grants liberation.
In the world, She creates in the form of Brahma, preserves in the form of Vishnu, and destroys in the form of Rudra.
Thus, the Goddess Herself declared to Shumbha:
“Ekaivāhaṃ jagatyatra dvitīyā kā mamāparā” (Shri Shri Chandi, 10/5) —
“I alone exist in this world. Behold, apart from Me there is no second.”
In the 5th Skandha, 8th Adhyaya of the Bhagavata, in the 47th Patala of the Rudrayamala, and in the Kalika Purana (Stotra of Garbhāntajñāna), the truth of Mahamaya is clearly explained in relation to Goddess Durga.
Concerning Her own appearance, the Goddess has proclaimed:
“Ittam yadā yadā bādhā dānavotthā bhaviṣyati,
Tadā tadāvatīryāhaṃ kariṣyāmi ari-saṃkṣayam.”
Meaning: “Whenever there arises oppression in the world caused by demons, at that very time I shall incarnate to destroy the enemies.”
The worship of Goddess Durga is performed in the Rajasic manner. The true purpose of this worship is to pierce and subdue the demon of ego within the mind with the trident of the Goddess, and to remain surrendered at Her feet. The worship of the Goddess is the worship of the valiant; cowardice has no place here. Her worship and arati must be performed with a mind full of courage and strength. Only then will the Goddess be pleased.
According to tradition, in the Treta Yuga, Lord Shri Ramachandra first performed the untimely autumnal invocation of the Goddess (ākāl-bodhana) for the slaying of Ravana.
Ravana too was a devotee of the Goddess. But being satisfied with the worship of Rama, the Goddess abandoned Ravana.
According to this view, the springtime (Vasanti) worship is the original Durga Puja.
Yet in the Shri Shri Chandi it is clearly stated that Durga Puja is to be performed in autumn:
“Śaratkāle mahāpūjā kriyate yā ca vāṣikī.”(Shri Shri Chandi, 12/12)
In Sri Sri Chandi (2/20–31) there is mention of the gods offering their weapons into the hands of the Goddess for the journey of slaying Mahishasura. The gods transferred their own weapons and presented them to the Devi. Mahadeva gave the trident, Vishnu the discus, Varuna the conch, Agni the spear, and Vayu the bow with a quiver full of arrows. Indra offered the thunderbolt and the bell of Airavata, Yama the staff, Varuna the noose, Brahma the water-pot and rosary, Surya the brilliant sword and shield, the Ocean of Milk the gem-necklace, Vishwakarma the impenetrable armor and axe, the Ocean the lotus, Kubera the drinking vessel, the king of serpents the serpent-noose, and Himalaya presented to the Devi a lion. The Goddess manifested sometimes with a thousand arms, sometimes with eighteen, and sometimes in her ten-armed form.
The meditation mantra of the Goddess is “Jata-juta samayuktam.” Through this we obtain the description of her form. In her right hands she holds the trident, sword, discus, arrows, and noose, while in her left hands she holds the bell, serpent-noose, mace, and with one hand she seizes the hair of Mahishasura. This mantra radiates her majestic form. Her right foot rests upon the lion, her left upon the buffalo. The three-eyed Devi is radiant in youthful beauty, her hair flowing free.
In Durga Puja, the recitation of Chandi is prescribed. The reader, clothed in pure garments, seated upon a separate and sanctified seat, should establish the Devi-ghata and, with new garments, sandal, flowers, and incense, meditate upon the Goddess while performing the recitation. Recitation at night is forbidden.
The Kurukshetra War
In the Kurukshetra war, in order to gain victory, Sri Krishna instructed Arjuna, before the commencement of battle, to recite hymns and prayers to the Divine Mother Durga. “Parajayaya shatrunam durgastotram udīrayet” (Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva 23/2). Likewise, before proceeding to Virata’s city during their incognito exile, the Pandavas, on the advice of the sages, worshipped the Mother Durga with hymns.
Adi Shankaracharya, in Saundarya Lahari (sloka 97), has described the transcendent turīya form of Mahamaya, beyond the three gunas:
“O consort of the Supreme Brahman! The knowers of the Agamas call the consort of Brahma by the name of Vagdevi, the consort of Vishnu by the name of Lakshmi, and the daughter of the mountain, Durga, as the consort of Maheshvara. O Mahamaya! Beyond this triad of powers, you are the Fourth, beyond the three gunas. Who are you? We cannot determine. Your unfathomable greatness cannot be measured. You enchant this universe, O Empress of the Supreme Brahman.”
The worship of the Devi is therefore called Mahapuja. All women are born as parts of the Devi, and every woman is a living image of Mother Jagadamba — “Striyah samastah sakala jagatsu” (Chandi, 11/6). Hence, to regard every woman as mother, and to honor and revere all women as the Goddess herself, is the highest form of Mahamaya’s worship. The Goddess pervades everywhere. In the Devi Sukta also, the self-declaration of the Goddess makes it evident that she manifests in all. Nothing exists outside her manifestation.
“Ahameva vata iva pravamyarabhmana bhuvanani vishva. Paro diva paro ena prithivyai etavati mahina sambabhūva.” The message of her advent has already reached almost every heart. With the coming of Sharadiya in the lap of autumnal nature, may the Goddess destroy the demon of arrogance within the mind and may the radiance of higher consciousness awaken within us — this is the prayer we cherish.
