Gadiyar

My date of birth is 13/07/1958 at 1930 hrs at Bellary, India. How is my future professional life going to be?

I dont think you can solve your husband's alcohol problem on this forum. It looks like he has alcohol dependence rather than full blown alcoholism. I am sure he will consume alcohol after the intensive religious ceremony you have planned. Perhaps, your best bet will be sit with him and discuss the problem with him and allow him to verbalise his concerns and problems. Having once acknowledged the problem, the next step will be for him and you to work on a solution. Once you both solve that problem, then you can consider doing the religious ceremony.

You are truly blessed. I think, if you have time read the Devi Mahatmyam every day. If not at least once a week. She is telling you that she will look after you.

In Devadatta Kali's excellent interpretation of Devi Mahatmyam, Madhu and Kaithaba are Anger and Brute Force. Mahishasura is Delusion protecting the ego ruled by attachment, aversion and fear. Chiksura is petty/small mindedness. Chamara is thick skinned. Dhumralochana is clouded vision. Chanda and Munda are Lust and greed. Rakthabheeja is Desire due to a restless mind. Nishumba is Attachment to materialistic things while Shumba is Send of I-ness. Sugriva the messenger is Deceit. You are absolutely right that the asuras signify the different negative aspects of ourselves which we need to remove systematically. The order in which they go, is not necessarily like that prescribed in the Devi Mahatmyam.

Statue of a Temple Dancer?

How would it make any difference whether or not she has had any previous relationships? If you love her truly, this should not matter at all. Think of the present and future. Forget the past. Move forward, not backward. Pray to Lord Krishna to show you the light. Think of this problem when you are towards end of meditating on Krishna and in the divine light that flows through you, the dilemma you face will vanish. Gadiyar

Let us just say Brahman is the supreme god - Satchitanand - with Maya [Maha kali] as the creative force. Vishnu, Siva and Bhrama are sub-Gods and then come the various little ones. That way, everybody is happy.

Can you please give us these 32 characteristics. It will save a lot of time.

I believe the three spikes in the Trishul represent the past, present and future. When the trishul strikes the ego is cleansed of its karma in the past, present and future and the soul attains salvation. That is the explanation which I have gathered from a reading and meditating of Devi Mahatmyam especially chapter 4, where the devas led by Indira praise the Devi for killing the asuras. While the asuras are destroyed their souls are given a place near her. Gadiyar

I hope you are not suffering with Acute Paranoid Schizophrenia a condition with symptoms just like yours.

I had a dream two nights ago, when a large black panther with a serene large face is directly in front of me in the house. While I am admiring the shiny black coat the panther looks towards the Pooja section of our house and gives out a snarl twice, partially showing its fangs. And then the dream vanishes. I regularly pray to Kali. I often [about once every two or three days] read the Devi Mahatmayam. I am unable find any definite association between Kali and a black panther on the net. Please tell me the significance of this.

There is a very bad negative review by someone on Amazon.co.uk re: the book you have advocated. It appears that the author is not aware of the fact that Devi is in fact a Vedic God. She is first mentioned in the Vak Suktam of the Rig veda and I believe he claims that Siva is also not a vedic God. Reviewer recommends the Satyananda's book. I have bought your recommendation. I hope it is as you say it is. Apparently the author is a recent convert to Hinduism.

My own feeling is that - 1) All these are divine ecstacy which one feels when one is deep in devotion. It is a blessing to feel thus. Many of the so called possessions are essentially this. 2) Maha Kali, has I am sure better things to do than possess someone and answer questions put to her. The 'possessions' are a trance induced by deep devotion to the goddess. Nothing more to it. I get a trance every time I read the Devi Mahatmye, especially when I am reading the Vak Suktham at the end and more so when I do the 108 Navanthra mantras.

Sarva Mangala mangalye........ is in the 11th chapter of Devi Mahatmye. In the same chapter, there is a reference to how Lakshmi and Alakshmi are invoked by the Goddess in times of prosperity and bad times. The latter two are transient manifestations of the Goddess Kali. In fact the entire Devi mahatmye is a prayer to Kali or Chande or whatever. Mahakali emerges from Vishnu to enable him to kill Madhu and Kaithaba. Bhadrakali is the one who kills Mahishasura. In the fifth chapter, when the Devas pray to Devi, Parvathi [Kosa] leaves her body as Kausiketi and Kali in her dark form stays back. Kali then assumes Kalika form [beautiful form] to entice Chanda and Munda. Dhoomralochana is killed by Kalika. Chanda and Munda are kiled by Kali in her frightening form. Raktabheeja is essentially killed by Kali although it was really a team effort of various shaktis. Shumba is killed by Chandika. Nishumba by Durga [the single form of all the devis]. There is no question of Lakshmi or Saraswathi engaging in the warlike activities. Kali is the one who we worship with recitation of Devi Mahatmye.

Irrespective of who you worship, it is well known that divine ecstacy is confused for possession. Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to exhibit bizarre behaviour when he was in divine ecstacy. i am surprised that in the 21st Century, there are people who still believe in spirits and Devi possessing humans. I am sure my beloved devi has far better things to do. There is a book called 'The Divine madness of saints' by June McDaniel. The author has thoroughly researched this. Lot of the symptoms that the original post describe comes in this category of Divine madness.