The demons of Durga Saptashati

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

Durga Saptashati has many demons, who represent various negative energies. A

brief description of each:

 

1. Madhu-Kaitab- These are the 1st demons killed. Madhu, which means honey,

means attachment to pleasure & enjoyment. Kaitab is its opposite- attachment to

suffering & self mortification, in the name of God. Both these feelings are

wrong, & must be stopped before beginning Sadhna.

 

2. Mahishasur- Is the body based ego, the Tamasic arrogance that makes us

disregard everything that gets in our way, like a bull, which is the form

Mahishasur takes when attacking the Devi.

 

3. Chand-Mund- Represent Pravritti & Navritti. Pravritti is the feeling of

wanting to do work in the world(for good or bad reasons), while Navritti is the

feeling of wanting to retire from the world. Most Gurus recommend & preach

Navritti, but according to the Saptashati , even this is a wrong feeling.

 

Tantra, or the Shakta path, wants us to remain neutral-in the world, but not of

it. Krishna says the same in the Gita " Be like a Lotus that lives in the mud,

but is not affected by it "

 

4. Rakta Beej- Whenever a drop of blood fell from Rakta Beej, 2 demons would be

born, till the whole world was full of demons. He was killed when Kali drank all

his blood.

 

Rakta Beej represents either desires, or Thoughts. These cannot be killed or

forcefully repressed, as killing them creates 2 more. The only way it to allow

Ma Shakti to rid us of our thoughts. Kali drinking the blood is the way of

showing that Kali purifies our Pran, which leads to the thoughtless state of

Samadhi. It does *not* mean murdering helpless dumb animals & sacrificing them

to Kali, as many people seem to think.

 

5. Shumbh Nishumbh - These 2 demons were the most difficult to trace the meaning

of, as most books say they represent ego/anger/desrires etc, but these demons

have been killed earlier. Even when all negative thoughts have been killed,

something remains. This is Asmita, or the feeling of " I am " , which maybe in the

form of " I am Pure Conciousness " or " I am Love " , or even " I am Shiva/Vishnu " .

Most schools of Vedant end here, but Tantra says even this is a blockage. Shumbh

is " I am " in its purest form, & Nishumbh is the feeling of ownership that comes

with this I am(Mamattva).

 

This feeling of Asmita can only be killed by Shakti, after all other negativity

have been removed. It is the only pash that cannot be removed by our personal

effort, for which we do need the Mothers grace.

 

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu,

Buddhi Rupena Sanshthita

 

love,

[Guest guest]

, shanracer <no_reply wrote:

>

> Namaste,

>

> Durga Saptashati has many demons, who represent various negative energies. A

brief description of each:

 

 

Thanks for posting again on the these holy days.

 

so hum...