Guest guest Posted August 8, 2003 Report Share Posted August 8, 2003 Some questions about the vehicle of Devi: Is this simply an animal created by Her, an aspect of Herself or was it originally a devotee whose great devotion transformed him into being Her vehicle? What is the name of Her lion/tiger? Is it sometimes shown in human-like form in iconography? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 9, 2003 Report Share Posted August 9, 2003 These Varana are the representation of the various energies (animal energies) that exists in the universe as well as in human beings and they need to be controlled and channel properly so as to transform us spiritually. Lions were ancient goddess symbols. This association has existed since Paleolithic times. Evidence of such links was found at: 1. Chapel of the lions in the cave sanctuary of Les Trois Freres, Dordogne, France. -- Shown an image of lions and her cubs on an alter -- On the wall too is a life like image of another lioness, engraved in the middle Paleolithic period (between 18,000 and 14,000) 2. Paleolithic temple of Peck-Merle, France -- An unusual red figure known as the Lion Queen. This is a classic image of the feline aspect of the Goddess. 3. High up in the Anatolis, Yasilakaya, once the Hittite Capital Shows the Goddess (more than 6 feet/ 2 meter) in height mounts on a lion as a god advances towards her. The Lion with its tawny golden mane is sometimes myth logically analogous with the Sun. Therefore the image of an earth. Goddess riding on a lion suggests the combination of natural element. Some said it's more of a divine marriage. 4. Babylonians and Egyptians -- Have shown several images of Goddess, seated on a birthing throne, with each arm resting on a panther or other big cats, and the head of a baby appearing between her legs. -- Statues of Goddess with lion heads, suggest an even closer link probably hints at the myths and ritual of metamorphosis related to the cycles of the sun Tefunt: daughter of the Sun god and the wife of his son, Shu ( Shu is being worship in a form of a lion) and Tefunt transform herself into a lioness and roam throughout the desert emitting flames from her eyes and nostrils, drinking bloods and feed on flesh and animals. Also called as the eye of Re. Sekhmet: is a lion goddess, whose name means "the powerful one". She is usually depicted as a woman with the head of a lion. She is a fierce goddess and was a mistress of war and stringent. Ironically she is also the mistress of healing who drove away sickness. Some of Sekhmet name: "lady of the Place of the Beginning of Time"," the one who was Before the Gods were" And she is believed to be much older than Egypt. She is said to exist well before the time of the earth. Is it sometimes shown in human-like form in iconography? See Sri Maha Pratyangira Devi at : http://www.shaktisadhana.org/images/SriMahaPratyangiraDevi.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 Durga's vehicle tends to be a lion in Western India, and a tiger in areas around Bengal. She is also shown riding a bull (Shiva's Nandi?), and as Kalaratri she rides a wild donkey. Some people say that Durga's lion was the inspiration for Vishnu to take his Narasimha (man-lion) avatar. The <Devi Mahatmyam> stsates that the lion was a gift to Durga from her father, Himavan. I've seen the lion given the name Dharma in certain books. Some paintings of Shiva's family look like they are maintaining a menagery, with Shiva's bull, Devi's Lion or tiger, Ganesha"s rat, Skanda's peacock, and the Ganas with an assortment of animal heads! -- Len/ Kalipadma On Fri, 8 Aug 2003 17:29:10 -0700 (PDT) akka_108 <akka_108 writes: > Some questions about the vehicle of Devi: > Is this simply an animal created by Her, an aspect of Herself or was > it originally a devotee whose great devotion transformed him into > being Her vehicle? > What is the name of Her lion/tiger? > Is it sometimes shown in human-like form in iconography? > > > ______________ The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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