Chandi Sapta Sati meaning

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

I am doing parayanam of Chandi Path and getting confused with which goddess took

what form and killed whom. For example, Uttama charitham

explains how goddess Saraswathi killed Shumbha and Nishumbha. But when I was

reading the English translation it's mentioned that Uma killed them. But Uma is

another form of Parvathi !! Lakshmi killed Mahishasura in the form of Durga?!

I think Durga is also similar to Parvathi Devi, right?

 

So, can someone please explain the explicit meaning ( I am not that spiritual

yet to understand the inner meaning). If it's already explained in the old

messages, can you please direct me to that post.

 

Thank you & happy Dasara.

Lakshmi.

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

I am doing parayanam of Chandi Path and getting confused with which goddess took

what form and killed whom. For example, Uttama charitham

explains how goddess Saraswathi killed Shumbha and Nishumbha. But when I was

reading the English translation it's mentioned that Uma killed them. But Uma is

another form of Parvathi !! Lakshmi killed Mahishasura in the form of Durga?!

I think Durga is also similar to Parvathi Devi, right?

 

So, can someone please explain the explicit meaning ( I am not that spiritual

yet to understand the inner meaning). If it's already explained in the old

messages, can you please direct me to that post.

 

Thank you & happy Dasara.

Lakshmi.

 

--- End forwarded message ---

[Guest guest]

Namaskar,

 

I hope the following article from internet will help you on your questions:

 

DEVI: HER THREE MANIFESTATIONS

 

Whatever the mode of her origin, attributes or aspects, the Puranas, at least

the earlier ones, saw Devi as the personified sole female energy of the cosmos,

the comprehensive dynamic principle, and the universe as its manifestation. In

its original application, the term 'Devi' was not a common noun as it became in

later usages. As the Devi-Mahatmya has it : 'MahalakshmirMahakali saiva prokta

Saraswati, Ishvari punyapapana sarvalokamaheshvari' (Part 3, Chapter Vaikrtika

Rahasya, verse 25); that is, 'She herself is proclaimed as Mahalakshmi,

Mahakali, and (Maha) Saraswati, the great ruler of all worlds, reigning over the

virtuous and the wicked'. She is thus one but, as proclaims the Devi-Mahatmya,

is also three, that is, she combines three in her, similar to the universe,

which appears to be one but is three-aspected comprising 'tamas', 'rajas' and

'sattva', i.e., inertia, dynamism and luminosity. The equation of sage

Markandeya is simple. Metaphysically, the Devi has been perceived as the one

dynamic principle that the universe manifested in its oneness. In her forms as

Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati manifested the cosmic diversity, i.e.,

the three elemental components of the phenomenal universe - 'tamas', 'rajas' and

'sattva', which not only work as instruments of creation but also underlie all

subsequent activities of creation, sustenance and dissolution. Devi defines the

totality of cosmic energy, while Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati define

its 'vyastis', individual aspects of this cosmic energy, which are 'tamas',

'rajas' and 'sattva'. The Puranas, thus, saw her as both, one and many.

The abstract principle of Devi's unity, which texts like Devi-Mahatmya

contemplated, seems to have confined, however, to rhetoric and metaphysical

discourses alone. Her aniconic verbal concept little suited the devotional mind

and least, a shrine, which had by now a well-evolved tradition of iconic

deities. Not in the course of time but in the very beginning, Devi's three

formal manifestations - Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati, were her more

accepted forms. Even the Devi-Mahatmya, which advanced the principle of Devi's

unity, treated each of her manifest forms independently. When personalising

these forms, the Devi-Mahatmya conceived for each of Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and

Mahasaraswati a different set of iconic imagery, anatomy, attributes, kind of

role and personality type. The Devi-Mahatmya has for each of them an independent

'Dhyana', meditative hymn devoted to her. The text also classified into separate

chapters the verses devoted to Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati and their

exploits against evil forces. Not long before, the term 'Devi' reduced to a

common noun, to mean goddess, defining either or all of Mahakali, Mahalakshmi,

Mahasaraswati and other subsequently evolved deities in different pantheons.

 

The ten-armed and three-eyed Mahakali has been conceived with ten faces and ten

feet. She has a complexion sparkling like a sapphire. She carries in her hands

sword, discus, mace, spear, bow, iron club, sling, human head and conch. In her

form as Mahakali, Devi was instrumental in eliminating the demons Madhu and

Kaitabha.

 

 

The lotus-seated Mahalakshmi has been personalised with eighteen hands and the

coral-like radiant complexion. She has been conceived as carrying in her hands

prayer beads, ax, mace, arrow, thunderbolt, staff, lance, sword, shield, conch,

bell, wine-cup, trident, noose and discus Sudarshana. It is in her form as

Mahalakshmi that the Devi killed Mahishasura.

Effulgent like the moon shining at the edge of a cloud, the eight-armed

Mahasaraswati has been acclaimed as the support of the three worlds. She has

been conceived with lotus-like hands and as the one who came forth from the body

of Gauri to destroy Sumbha and other demons. She holds in her hands bell,

trident, plough, conch, mace, discus, bow, and arrows. Thus, whatever her

manifest form, the Devi was perceived initially as the destroyer of evil and the

promoter of good.

 

TRANSFORMATION OF DEVI-FORMS IN LATER PURANAS

 

In later Puranas, the roles of the three Devi-forms, Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and

Mahasaraswati widely changed. The aniconic Devi of the Devi-Mahatmya was now

iconically realised Devi and demon-slaying attributes of her Mahalakshmi and

Mahasaraswati forms, slaying Mahishasura or Sumbha, merged with this new Devi

form. She was now the principal demon-slaying goddess assuming whatever form,

four, eight, ten or eighteen armed, the prevailing situation required. This form

was known by various names, Mahishasura-mardini and Durga being the most

prominent among them. Lion was now invariably her vehicle.

Mahakali, better known as Kali, was contemplated as one of her aspects. For

accomplishing an object Devi created Kali out of her own being.

She also created her 'shaktis', subordinate powers. In the course of time many

of these subordinate powers entered the Brahmanical pantheon as minor but

independent 'devis'.

With her own distinction Kali soon emerged in the devotional mind and tradition

of faith as an independent divinity, and even if an aspect of Devi, it was as

significant as her Mahishasura-Mardini, Durga and Parvati forms. In the entire

pantheon, Devi came out with the widest role, most multifarious personality and

the largest range of iconic and anthropomorphic formations. As Kali she was

ferocious, as Durga, valorous, and as Parvati, Uma or Gauri, lovable and

incomparably beautiful.

She represented in her being both light and darkness and destruction and

sustenance. If black complexioned Kali represented darkness and destruction, the

gold complexioned Parvati, Uma or Gauri, light and love, and Durga, sustenance,

which she effected by annihilating evil that sought to destroy life and cosmic

order.

 

THE DESTROYER

The male dominated angle of later Puranas conceived Devi as Shiva's consort and

his feminine aspect. These Puranas perceived in Shiva the proto lover and in Uma

or Parvati, Devi's other aspect, his creative faculty and timeless

love-companion and his half.

Mythically, Parvati was the daughter of Himalayas, and as such, represented

humble sublime aspect of creation, which as Himalayas' daughter was her inherent

nature. As Durga, she slew demons and eradicated evil, but different from the

ferocious looking Kali, she has been conceived with a benign look, feminine

softness and an abhaya, fearlessness, granting gesture.

Kali, in all forms, Shamshan-Kali, Mahakali, Chandi and others, has been seen as

the horror-striking destroyer of the universe.

Severed human heads comprised her garland, skull, her bowl, fresh human blood,

her drink, and blood-smeared naked sword, her weapon. She roamed in cremation

ground and exalted she danced over corpses.

Of Devi's all forms Kali has always been the most widely worshipped divinity of

Indian masses enshrining altars even in remotest tribal hamlets.

Her role in assisting Devi, Durga of myths, in eliminating demon Rakta-bija is

one of the best-known Kali-related legends. Under a boon from Rudra, there grew

a new Rakta-bija demon wherever a drop of blood from the body of Rakta-bija

fell. As the Puranas have it, before Rakta-bija became invincible, Durga

separated her 'tamas', ferocious aspect and created Kali out of it. Kali

devoured each drop of Rakta-bija's blood before it fell on the earth.

The demon-slaying aspect of Mahalakshmi was the first to disappear. Such aspect

of Mahasaraswati continued for a longer time but not with the prior fervour. In

her demon-slaying form, she was conceived with an iconography identical to

Durga, though unlike Durga she wore white costume and had no regular vehicle.

This form of Mahasaraswati was widely known as Sharda and was highly worshipped

in northern and central India during medieval days. Mahakali continued in her

demon-slaying role, though the over-all Puranic perception in regard to her had

largely changed and sometimes widened. She still represented dissolution,

destruction, death and decay but far more than that she now personified in her

being horror, awe and loathsomeness. She still slew demons but mostly when

summoned by Devi to accomplish an assigned target, and to such extent she was

her subordinate. Whatever its status in concurrent linguistics, the term 'Maha',

which formed first half of Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati, was reduced

to a mere adjectival suffix and was widely dropped from their names reducing

them to Kali, Lakshmi and Saraswati. Now the suffix 'Maha' was used with their

names only rarely to connote a particular form or aspect, not a name in general.

 

THE SUSTAINER

Not merely that the adjectival suffix 'Maha' was dropped, the late concept of

Lakshmi was altogether different from the Mahisha-slayer Mahalakshmi. Lakshmi, a

blend of Indus Mother goddess and Vedic 'Sita' both in iconography and spirit,

was conceived as the sustainer, who bestowed bliss, prosperity, wealth and

material happiness, yielded good crop and abundant grain and represented

magnificence and beauty in life. Lotus, elephant, pot and a four-armed anatomy

emerged as the essential elements of her iconography.

Not an aspect of Devi, Lakshmi was one of the three major female divinities

revered alike in Buddhism, Jainism and different Brahmanical sects.

She was linked with Vishnu as his consort and feminine aspect that helped him

sustain the universe.

In the course of time there emerged her other forms, Padmavati, Gaja-Lakshmi and

Mahalakshmi, and names, Shri, Kamala, Dharini, Vaishnavi, Narayani,

Vishnu-priya, Rajalakshmi, Chanchala and so on.

 

THE CREATOR

Saraswati, representing creation, too, emerged as the Divinity independent of

Devi and completely different from Mahasaraswati or Sharda. Lotus-seated and

swan-riding Saraswati was conceived as the instrument using which Brahma

rendered creation. She was hence dually perceived in Puranas, first as Brahma's

creation, and hence, his daughter, and, secondly, as the feminine component of

creation, and hence, his consort.

She has been addressed also as Brahmani, and as such carries most of Brahma's

attributes. She represents supreme wisdom and all-knowing intellect and

nourishes all creative faculties, arts, music, dance and literature. Elegantly

bejeweled and gracefully costumed the four-armed Saraswati carries in her hands

vina, book, rosary and pot. Lotus and swan, aspects of her iconography,

symbolised purity and chastity, which she symbolised.

 

Ravi.

 

 

, " mahalakshmi_gorla " <mahalakshmi_gorla

wrote:

>

> Namaste,

>

> I am doing parayanam of Chandi Path and getting confused with which goddess

took what form and killed whom. For example, Uttama charitham

> explains how goddess Saraswathi killed Shumbha and Nishumbha. But when I was

reading the English translation it's mentioned that Uma killed them. But Uma is

another form of Parvathi !! Lakshmi killed Mahishasura in the form of Durga?!

I think Durga is also similar to Parvathi Devi, right?

>

> So, can someone please explain the explicit meaning ( I am not that spiritual

yet to understand the inner meaning). If it's already explained in the old

messages, can you please direct me to that post.

>

> Thank you & happy Dasara.

> Lakshmi.

>

> --- End forwarded message ---

>