Simha (Lion) Vahana Tattva of Chandika Parameshwari

Dear Ambaal Devotees,

I would like to share some of the information with you all regarding the simha

(Lion) vahana tattva of Durga or Chandi.

The vahana of Durga is said to be Simha (Lion).

The Vaikritika Rahasya of Chandi Sapthasathi extols

the vehicle / Vahana of Chandi to be Dharma Swarupa ie.,

the form of Dharma (vide ref sloka 31 of V.Rahasya

// dakShiNE puratah simham samagram dharmam Ishwaram // (Sloka 31)

This Simha Vahana in the form of Dharma has Satya, yAga, tapas & dAna as its 4

legs.

This " Simha " rupa " Dharma " is none other than Lord Hari (Vishnu). Lord Hari has

become the Simha Vahana for Durga. Which is why Devi Bhagavata & Uddameshwara

Tantra extols the Simha in the form of *Simha Stutih* where we can have the

glimpse of Simha tattva in Virat Swarupa.

Simha (another form of Vishnu as Dharma) is extolled as Sarva-devata-swarupa.

Devatas reside in all the parts of Simha / Lion starting from forehead to tail

(puccha bhaga).

SIMHA STUTIH

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shrI dEvI girijA lalATaphalakE vakShahsthalE shAradA

ShaDvaktro maNibandha sandhiShu tathA nAgAstu pArsvasthitAh

karNou yasya tathAsvinou sa bhagavAn dharmasvarUpo harih //

yannEtrE shashibhAskarou vasukulam dantEShu yasya sthitam

jihvAyAm varuNastu humkrutiriyam shrIcharchikA chanDikA

ganDou yakSha yamou tathoShThayugalam sandhyAdvayam priShThakE

vajrI yasya virAjatE sa bhagavAn dharmasvarUpo harih //

grIvAsandhiShu saptavimShati mitAnyarikShANi sAdhyA hridi

prouDhA nirghruNtA tamO(a)syatu mahAkrouryaih samAh pUtanAh

prANE yasyatu mAtarah pitrukulam yasyAstvapAnAtmakam

rUpE shrI kamalA kachEShu vimalAstE syUravE rasmayah //

mEruh syAdvriShaNE(a)bdhayastu jananE svEdasthitA nimagnAh

lAngUlE sahadEvatairvilasitA vEdA balam vIryakam

shrI viShnoh sakalAh surA api yathAsthAnam sthitA yasya tu

shrI simhO(a)khila dEvatamaya vapurdEvIpriyah pAtumAm //

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Kalika Purana while extolling Mahamaya describes her wonderful form where

Brahma, Vishnu & Siva become the vahanas of Mahamaya.

Here is the dhyana sloka:

brahma viShNu sivairdEvairdriyatE sA jaganmayI

sitah prEto mahAdEvo brahmA lohita pankajam //

harirharistu vijnEyA vAhanAni mahoujasah

svamUrtyA vAhanatvam tu tEShAm yasmAnnavidyatE //

simhasyopari sthitam padmam raktam tasya urdhwagah sivah

tasya upari mahAmAyA varadAbhayadAyinI //

The Mahamaya Dhyana runs typically as :

Devi is seated on White Corpse; Corpse is on the Red Lotus; and the Lotus is

placed on the Simha (Lion).

Here, Vishnu has become Simha; Brahma has become Red Lotus & Siva has become

White Corpse.

with regs,

sriram