DURGA
DEVI MAHATMYAM
by SAGE MARKANDEYA
Durga is the Hindu goddess of divine female power and protection, known as a fierce warrior who combats evil and cosmic disorder. She is often depicted with many arms, holding weapons, riding a lion or tiger, and symbolizes strength and the ultimate triumph of good over evil. Her story and worship are central to festivals celebrating the divine feminine and her victory over the buffalo demon king. The Devi Mahatmyam is part of the ancient Hindu text known as the Markandeya Puranas. This text glorifies the Divine Mother and serves as a guide for achieving spiritual realization, providing wisdom on the subjective nature of reality and the path to enlightenment.
Durga with tiger
Durga is created
Durga battling Mahishasura
Durga manifests Kali
Durga is considered a principal form of the supreme goddess, Mahadevi, and embodies the divine feminine energy, Shakti, that creates, preserves, and transforms the universe. She is revered as a motherly warrior figure, a protector of dharma, and the source of infinite power and righteousness. Her stories teach lessons about ego, compassion and unwavering devotion. She was created to combat the tyrant Mahishasura, the shape-shifting buffalo who was immune to male warriors. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva combined their powers to create a female divinity and created Durga from a dazzling, blinding light where she received an array of weapons from many gods, which included her lion mount from Himavat, the King of the Himalayas.
Kali, an aspect of Durga, was born from her third eye in a moment of intense rage and wrath during a battle with the demon Raktabija. As Durga fought the demon, his blood splattered, and each drop created new demons, making the battle nearly impossible to win. In response, Durga's furious energy manifested as Kali, a dark, powerful goddess who consumed the blood and eliminated the entire demon horde.
KALI
THE BLACK GODDESS OF DAKSHINESWAR
by ELIZABETH U. HARDING