Story of Seven Great Goddesses

Lakshmi Durga or Shakti

Saraswati

All About
About
Seven
Great
Goddesses
By
Radha Gayatri
Snehil
Sharma

&

Ajay
Singh
Aswal
1
 Ganga Yogmaya
Acknowledgement
The BOOK “Story of Seven Great
Goddesses” is consisted of truths and
Knowledge regarding The Mythology of
India. It forecasts the importance and
legends of Goddesses which is from our
side that may help to improve the
condition of Women and significance of
Girl Childs in India by defining importance
of Super Feminine “Goddesses of Indian
Mythology”. The book is on the motivation
of our brothers Sahil Sharma and Anoop
Singh Aswal and friends Bubal, Anoop,
Sunil Rajwinder, Raman, Narinder and
Bhupinder which is on the basis of
following references.
References: -
 Wikipedia.org (Approved Sites)
 Markendaya Purana or Durga Sapthashati
 Skanda Purana
 Hindu Mythology Articles, Facts @
Indian Divinity_com (Approved Site)
 Brahma – Vaivrata Purana

Snehil Sharma &

Ajay Singh Aswal

2
 Contents
Chapters Topic Page No.

Goddess of
1) Goddess Saraswati Knowledge,
Consort of 4 – 10
Brahma

2) Goddess Lakshmi Goddess of

(Legend of Origin and her Wealth, Consort 11- 61
incarnations) of Vishnu

3) Goddess Shakti Goddess of

(Legends of Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, Power, Consort 62 – 89
Mahasaraswati, Parvati, Kali, Durga, of Shiva
Sati).

4) Goddess Gayatri Mother of Vedas 90 – 92

5) Goddess Ganga Holiest River 93 – 96

6) Goddess Radha Goddess of 97 – 101

Purity and Love

7) Goddess Yogmaya Goddess beyond 102 – 105

Understand

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 Chapter – 1st
Goddess Saraswati

Saraswati (Sanskrit: सरसवती, sarasvatī; Malay: Saraswati; Thai: Saraswati) is

the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music and the arts. Saraswati has been
identified with the Vedic Saraswati River. She is alternately considered either
the daughter or the consort of Brahma, the Hindu god of creation. Thus, with
the goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati or Durga, she forms the Tridevi ("three
goddesses"), who are consorts of the
male trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Saraswati
Shiva, respectively. Saraswati’s
children are the Vedas, which are
the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism.

As a river/water goddess, Saraswati

symbolizes fertility and prosperity.
She is associated with purity and
creativity, especially in the context
of communication, such as in
literary and verbal skills. In the
Learning, the Arts, Music, and river
post-Vedic age, She began to lose
her status as a river goddess and Affiliation Devi
became increasingly associated with Mantra Om Eim Saraswatyei Swaha
literature, arts, music, etc. Her name Consort Brahma
literally means "the one who flows",
Mount swan, peacock
which apparently was applied to
thoughts, words, or the flow of a river (in Sanskrit: "dhaara-
pravaah").Saraswati is known as Benzaiten in Japan.

Saraswati as River Goddess

The Rigvedic hymns dedicated to Saraswati mention her as a mighty river with
creative, purifying, and nourishing properties. The best theory regarding the
Vedic Saraswati River states that it was formed by the present headwaters of
the Yamuna River. In ancient times, after leaving the Himalayan foothills, the
waters of the Yamuna turned west instead of east at Paonta Sahib. Next, the
river flowed southwest across the Punjab and Haryana regions along the course
of the modern Ghaggar-Hakra River in a pathway roughly parallel to the
smaller Indus River to its west. The Sutlej flowed further east than it does

4
today, and joined the Saraswati somewhere near Bahawalpur. Eventually, the
wide river emptied into the Rann of Kutch, which at the time was a more
integral part of the Arabian Sea.

Along the course of the Sarasvati, the Harappan Civilization developed. The
earliest known examples of writing in India have been found in the ruined cities
that line the now dry riverbed of the ancient waterway. Some have postulated
that the goddess Saraswati gained her role as personified communication and
the giver of knowledge due to the role of the Sarasvati River in the
development of written language in ancient India.

Between 2000 B.C. and 1700 B.C., seismic activity caused the waters of the
river's two main sources to change course. The Sutlej moved course westward
and became a tributary of the Indus River. The Yamuna moved course eastward
and became a tributary of the Ganges. The tremendous loss of water which
resulted from these movements caused the once mighty river to become
sluggish and dry up in the Thar Desert without ever reaching the sea. Without
any water for irrigation or transportation, the dense population of the river
basin soon shifted east with the waters of the Yamuna to the Ganges River
valley. Late Vedic texts record the river as disappearing at Vinasana (literally,
"the disappearing"), and as joining both the Yamuna and Ganges as an invisible
river. Some claim that the sanctity of the modern Ganges is directly related to
its assumption of the holy, life-giving waters of the ancient Sarasvati.

Recently, archaeologists using satellite images have been able to trace the
course of the river. A small channel of water flows near Kurukshetra. A nearby
signboard denoting the former path of the once great Sarasvati River can be
seen along the main highway.

Mahavidya Nila Saraswati

Nila Saraswati is another form of Mahavidya Tara. There are separate dhyana
shlokas and mantras for her worship in Tantrasara.

Origins and Iconography in Hinduism

Origin : - In the Rig-Veda (6,61,7), Saraswati is credited, in association with
Indra, with killing the serpentine being Vritraasura, a demon which hoarded all
of the earth's water and so represents drought, darkness, and chaos. She is often
seen as equivalent to other Vedic goddesses such as Vak, Savitri, and Gayatri.
Saraswati represents intelligence, consciousness, cosmic knowledge, creativity,

5
education, enlightenment, music, the arts, and power. She is not only
worshipped for secular knowledge, but for the true divine knowledge essential
to achieve moksha. She is also referred to as Shonapunya, a Sanskrit word
meaning ‘one purified of blood’.

According to Vedanta she is considered to be the feminine energy and

knowledge aspect (Shakti) of Brahman, as one of many aspects of Adi Shakti.

Iconography: - Saraswati (Thuyathadi in Burmese) represented in Bamar

fashion, seated on a hansa, and holding scriptures of the Tipitaka, by a river.

The Goddess Saraswati is often depicted as a beautiful, white-skinned woman

dressed in pure white often seated on a white Nelumbo nucifera lotus (although
Her actual vahana is believed to be a swan), which symbolizes that she is
founded in the experience of the Absolute Truth. Thus, she not only has the
knowledge but also the experience of the Highest Reality. She is mainly
associated with the color white, which signifies the purity of true knowledge.
Occasionally, however, she is also associated with the color yellow, the color of
the flowers of the mustard plant that bloom at the time of her festival in the
spring. She is not adorned heavily with jewels and gold, unlike the goddess
Lakshmi, but is dressed modestly — perhaps representing her preference of
knowledge over worldly material things.

She is generally shown to have four arms, which represent the four aspects of
human personality in learning: mind, intellect, alertness, and ego. Alternatively,
these four arms also represent the 4 Vedas, the primary sacred books for
Hindus. The Vedas, in turn, represent the 3 forms of literature:

• Poetry — the Rig-Veda contains hymns, representing poetry

• Prose — Yajur Veda contains prose
• Music — Sama Veda represents music.

The four hands also depict this thusly — prose is represented by the book in
one hand, poetry by the garland of crystal, music by the Veena. The pot of
sacred water represents purity in all of these three, or their power to purify
human thought.

She is shown to hold the following in her hands:

• A book, which is the sacred Vedas, representing the universal, divine,

eternal, and true knowledge as well as her perfection of the sciences and
the scriptures.

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 • A Mala (rosary) of crystals, representing the power of meditation and
spirituality.
• A pot of sacred water, representing creative and purificatory powers.
• The veena, a musical instrument that represents her perfection of all arts
and sciences. Saraswati is also associated with anurāga, the love for and
rhythm of music which represents all emotions and feelings expressed in
speech or music. It is believed that children born with that name will
prove to be very lucky in their studies.

A white swan is often located next to her feet. The sacred swan, if offered a
mixture of milk and water, is said to be able to drink the milk alone. The swan
thus symbolizes discrimination between the good and the bad or the eternal and
the evanescent. Due to her association with the swan, Goddess Saraswati is also
referred to as Hansa-vahini, which means "she who has a swan as her vehicle".

She is usually depicted near a flowing river, which may be related to her early
history as a river goddess. The swan and her association with the lotus flower
also point to her ancient origin.

Sometimes a peacock is shown beside the goddess. The peacock represents

arrogance and pride over its beauty, and by having a peacock as her mount, the
Goddess teaches Hindus not to be concerned with external appearance and to
be wise regarding the eternal truth.

Festivals Associated with Goddess Saraswati

Saraswati festival on Dasashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi, India, January 2007

Saraswati Puja is performed on the 5th day of Magha month of Hindu calendar
(Also known as Basant Panchami).

In several parts of India, generally states to the south, Saraswati Poojas are
conducted during Navaratri - a 9 day long festival celebrating the power of
feminity. Navaratri is celebrated in all goddess-temples of India- especially
with great pomp and splendor in south and east India. The last three days of
Navaratri starting from Mahalaya Amavasya (the New Moon day) are dedicated
to the goddess. On the ninth day of Navaratri (Mahanavami), books and all
musical instruments are ceremoniously kept near the gods early at dawn and
worshipped with special prayers. No studies or any performance of arts is
carried out; as it is considered that the Goddess herself is blessing the books
and the instruments. The festival is concluded on the tenth day of Navaratri
(Vijaya Dashami) and the goddess is worshipped again before the books and

7
the musical instruments are removed. It is customary to study on this day,
which is called Vidyarambham (literally, Commencement of Knowledge). All
students are traditionally required to study a part of all that they have learn till
that day, and also to start the study of something new on the same day. Gurus
(Preceptors) are worshipped on this day as embodiments of Saraswati. In major
part of India this Navaratri is associated with Goddess Durga (Parvati), but
down South is celebrated as Saraswati Puja.

Temples
Major temples for the goddess are in Basara Town (Andhra Pradesh,
www.BasaraTemple.org) Shringeri (Karnataka), Pushkar (Rajasthan),
Panachikkad (Kerala), South Paravoor (Kerala). Though temples for Saraswati
are rare, there are some minor temples in Kumbakonam, Koothanur
(Tamilnadu), Basar, Nuzvid (Krishna Dt...)(Andhra Pradesh), Bharathi temple
(known as Kollam Bharathi locally) near Atmakur, Kurnool Dist in Andhra,
shradapeth (ruins) (kashmir) Also Deupatan, Kamalakshi, Thimi, Bhadrakali
,Gairidhara in the Kathmandu region have her temples.

Goddess Saraswati Images

Legend of Goddess Saraswati

8
In the Vedas, Saraswati was a water deity and was
revered for purifying, fertilizing and enriching powers.
The next stage in Saraswati mythological history was her
identification with the holy rituals performed on the
banks of river Saraswati. She is said to have invented
Sanskrit, known as the mother of all languages, of
scriptures and scholarship. It is also believed that it was
her who discovered soma or amrita.

According to the Matsya Purana, Saraswati evolved from the mouth of Brahma.
Such was her beauty and grace that Brahma pursued her. As she fled in different
directions a head appeared and so Brahma is attributed with five heads. She was
the most unique creation of Brahma. The moon and the lotus associated with
Saraswati are both symbols of eternal womanhood.
Some of the many mythological stories connected with Saraswati have
interesting sociological interpretations. The gods and the demons by the mutual
agreement decided to churn the ocean for the Amrit or the elixir of life. Mainak
Mountain was used as the churning rod and Basuki – a python, as the churning
rope. When Lakshmi appeared with the Amrit kumbha both wanted the elixir.
Mohini, the Feminie form of Lord Vishnu with her exquisite beauty lured away
the asuras or the demons. As the gods were drinking the Amrit, Rahu and Ketu,
two asuras saw them and slipped with the Gods. As they drank the Amrit which
would make them immoral like the gods, Vishnu detected them. He
immediately cut off their heads. The two enraged asuras swallowed the sun and
moon but could not retain them as their throats where cut. This led to the origin
of solar and lunar eclipse. Saraswati, who was instrumental in helping the Gods
to be immortal, was established in the heaven as the Goddess Saraswati.
The Gods and the Gandharvas both wanted the Soma Ras. It was again
Saraswati who with her beauty and grace lured and so exhausted the
Gandharvas that they could not acquire the Soma Ras which naturally went to
the gods.
The Aryans fought with the non - Aryan Comi tribe (tribal dominance among
the Aryans) like Nished, Sabar and Pulindar on the banks of the river Saraswati.
At the request of Vishnu, Saraswati disappeared underground and again
reappeared in far of Rajasthan. The tribals were thus deprived of the life -
saving water. They were forced to abandon the area. In both cases we see the
important of the river Saraswati in Aryan life and how Saraswati was used to
deprive the weak of water, without which life is impossible. Saraswati is known
as Prithudhar (subjugator of the Aryans).

9
Vashishtha and Vishwamitra, the two sages, were both violently opposed to
each other. Vishwamitra ordered the river Saraswati to wash away Vashishtha
along with all he possessed. Saraswati refused to comply with his command. To
punish Saraswati, he turned the water of the river to blood. At the behest of
Shiva, the two sages became amicable and once again there was pure water in
the river of Saraswati.
In Eastern India, particularly Orissa and Bengal, Saraswati has been absorbed
into their culture. She has been given the mantle of daughter of Parvati and is
treated as a daughter.
History tells us that the Aryans came to India through the Khyber pass and
settled in Punjab, Haryana and North Rajasthan. Saraswati was one of the seven
holy rivers flowing through modern Punjab, Haryana and North Rajasthan. The
mythological background of Saraswati shows the importance of the river
Saraswati in the life of the Aryans settled along her river banks. Sociologically
the River Saraswati was an important factor in ancient civilization. She is
therefore a part of the fertility cult.
The Aryans who lived along the banks of the river were pastoral and rural. All
early development took place on the river bank. Consequently Saraswati came
to be venerated as a symbol of knowledge. It is evident that the upper strata of
society used their superior knowledge and expertise to deprive the ignorant
lower half of society.
The story of Kalidas has been built around Saraswati. There was a proud and
learned princess who rejected all suitors who could not match to her
knowledge. The pundits in anger planned to marry her off to a fool. They saw a
man cutting the branch on which he was sitting and decided he was the ideal
fool for the princess. Kalidas was presented to the princess as a man of wisdom
who only spoke in signs. The pundits answered the entire princess's question by
interpreting Kalidas's signs. The two were married but on the wedding night the
princess realized she had been duped. She kicked Kalidas out of her bed. He in
sorrow and shame went to commit suicide. The Goddess Saraswati appeared
and asked him to take a dip in the river. As he emerged from the river Kalidas
was transformed. He began to recite verses in praise of the Goddess.
Unfortunately for him he began to praise her beauty not from her feet upwards
but from her breasts downwards. Saraswati in anger cursed Kalidas for his
audacity. He would die in an ignonimous place.

Chapter -2
Goddess Lakshmi

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Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, luck, love and beauty, the lotus
flower and fertility. Representations of Lakshmi (or Shri) are found in Jain and
Buddhist monuments, in addition to Hindu temples. Analogous to the Greek
Aphrodite and Roman Venus - who also originated from the oceans - she is
generally thought of as the personification of material fortune, beauty and
prosperity. She is the consort of Vishnu.

Iconography

Physically, goddess Lakshmi is

described as a fair lady, with four
arms, seated on a lotus, dressed in fine
garments and precious jewels. Her
expression is always calm and loving.
The most striking feature of the
iconography of Lakshmi is her
persistent association with the lotus.
The meaning of the lotus in relation to
Shri-Lakshmi refers to purity and
spiritual power. Rooted in the mud but
blossoming above the water,
completely uncontaminated by the
mud, the lotus represents spiritual
perfection and authority. Furthermore,
the lotus seat is a common motif in
Hindu iconography. Image of Goddess Lakshmi
Affiliation Devi/Shakti
Goddess Lakshmi's traditionally
accepted vehicle, the owl (Ulooka in Consort Vishnu
Sanskrit), is a bird that sleeps through Mount Owl
the day and prowls through the night.

Forms of Goddess Lakshmi

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Ashta Lakshmi (Sanskrit: Aṣṭalakṣmī lit. "Eight Lakshmis") are a group of
eight secondary manifestations of the goddess Lakshmi, who preside over eight
sources of wealth and thus represent the powers of Shri-Lakshmi. They are:

1) Ādi Lakṣmī [The First manifestation of Lakshmi]

2) Dhānya Lakṣmī [Granary wealth]
3) Dhairya Lakṣmī [Wealth of courage]
4) Gaja Lakṣmī [Elephants, symbols of wealth]
5) Santāna Lakṣmī [Wealth of continuity, progeny]
6) Vijaya Lakṣmī [Wealth of victory]
7) Vidyā Lakṣmī [Wealth of knowledge and education]
8) Dhana Lakṣmī [Monetary wealth]

Celebration in Hindu society

Lakshmi idol at Bhubaneswar during (Laxmi Puja) Festival

Hindus worship Lakshmi the most on Diwali, the festival of lights. According
to tradition people would put small oil lamps outside their homes on Diwali and
hope Lakshmi will come to bless them.

In Bengal, Lakshmi is worshiped during a night in autumn when the moon is

full, the brightest night of the year. It is believed that she showers wealth on
this night. She, along with her mount, the great white owl, descends to earth
and takes away the darkness of poverty, stagnation, anger, and laziness from
our lives.

The prefix Sri (also spelled as Shri, pronounced as shree) renders as 'one who
takes delight in Sri' Lakshmi, meaning wealth, wealth of any kind. Any thing
that need be affluent gets the auspicious prefix or suffix 'Lakshmi', or 'Sri' like
Rajya Lakshmi (Wealth of Empire), Shanti Sri (Wealth of Peace), etc. In
modern India, common titles standing in for the English Mr. and Mrs. are Shri

12
(also Sri or Shree) and Shrimati (also Srimati or Shreemati), as in "Sri Gupta"
or "Srimati Mangeshkar".

Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped by those who wish to acquire or to preserve

wealth. It is believed that Lakshmi (wealth) goes only to those houses which
are clean and where the people are hardworking. She does not visit the places
which are unclean/dirty or where the people are lazy.

In the Sri Vaishnava philosophy however, Sri (Lakshmi) is honored as the

"Iswarigm sarva bhootanam" i.e. the Supreme goddess and not just the goddess
of wealth. This is an important distinction between Sri Vaishnavism and other
materialistic philosophies.

In Uttarakhand, after the worship of the goddess on Diwali night, the Shankha
or Conch is not blown. This is because the shankha is also from the ocean like
the goddess herself, so it is given a day of rest.

Worship

Two of the most famous prayers for worshipping Ma Lakshmi are: Sri Lakshmi
Stuti by Indra and Sri Sukta. There is another famous prayer pronounced by the
great sage Agasti: Agasti Lakshmi Stotra. Although Mother Lakshmi is
worshipped as the Goddess of fortune, when she is worshipped with Narayana
not only wealth but also peace and prosperity never leave the home of the
worshipper. They can be worshipped in various forms such as
LakshmiNarayana, LakshmiNarasimha, SitaRam, VithalRakhumai
(VithhalRukmini).

Legends of Goddess Lakshmi

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Origin: - Goddess Lakshmi is regarded as goddess of wealth and fortune. All
the fortunes and beauty lies in the feet of the goddess Lakshmi. Lakshmi is the
queen consort of the Lord Vishnu, Who is protector and preserver of the
world, so the goddess Lakshmi counterpart His this activity, by providing
wealth and fortune for preservation of whole Material world.
Why Maa Lakshmi is designated as the goddess of wealth? It is because of
the fact from the legend of her origin. The legend goes as follow: -
Once upon a time there was a long lasting battle b/w Demigods and Demons,
all the demigods and demons got fed up due to loss of large amount of life loss,
the all approached to the trinity, and the holy trinity (Brahma, Vishnu and
Mahesh) suggested them a solution of peace treaty and Samundra Manthana,
in which one must churn sea to obtain different material objects that provides
wealth and fortune to them, these objects would be equally distributed among
demons and demigods. Here Sheshnaga, the holy seat of Lord Vishnu acted as
Churner and Vindhyachala Mountain acted as the material upon which the
churner churns. When the activity started, First material to be obtained is
KALKUTA VISH (Poison). There was no one who has ability to take the
poison except for Lord of all Lords, LORD SHIVA. After annihilating the
Poison, the throat of the Lord Shiva got blue. After this, He was then
recognized with name Neelkantha. After the Poison, all the luxurious materials
were driven out of the ocean. These were obtained in following order.

S.No Material Description Holder

1) Kamdhenu The holy Cow Demigods
King of
2) Airawata The ten headed holy vehicle Gods,
INDRA
3) Holy Tree Using which a person never gets old Heaven
King of
4) Mani The greatest mani Demons,
BALI

After all the materiality objects next one that was obtained from the
manthana was a very beautiful lady who was red dressed, wore many
ornaments of Diamond, Gold and Silver. Her appearance was very much
like personality of Rajo Guna. She was then named as Goddess of wealth,
glory and Light, Goddess Lakshmi. But, there was nobody who was apt
for her as her Consort. She was then supposed to choose husband of her
own. She found herself equally glorified with Lord of All Lords, Shri

14
hari Vishnu. She then was married to Lord Vishnu in very glorified
manner.
After the evolution of Goddess Lakshmi, the Holy Dhanvantri holding the
AMRITA came out. It was the glory full Drink, that makes the inhalator
immortal. For the Drink they started quarrelling. But here Lord Vishnu
assumed the form of Mohini, which attracted the demons, with her
consciousness; she gave water to Demons and The Drink to Demigods.
But a clever demon Rahu knew all the unfair, and assumed the getup of
Demigod. He took Drink from Mohini, But Lord Surya due to Spritual
intervene of Goddess Sarswati, knew the Maya of Rahu and told to
Goddess Mohini, and then Mohini assumed the shape of Lord Vishnu and
Cuts of the head of Rahu. But till that Amrita reached to his throat. Now
his head is immortal and rest of the body is dead.
Since Narayana is the consort of Goddess Lakshmi, the Jointly
Referred as:-
a) Laxmi Narayana
b) Laxmikant
c) Ramakant
d) Sri Hari
(Shri or Sri is the name specially adjusted to Goddess
Lakshmi).

LAKSHMI NARAYANA LAKSHMI NARAYANA

15
Other Legends are reflected in her
Avatars, She incarnated as wife of all
almost all the incarnations of Lord
Vishnu, which reflects many principles of
Women.

 Tulsi Avatar
 Vedavati Avatar
 Sita Avatar
 Rukmani Avatar
 Vashnavi Avatar (typically is the Shakti
form of Goddess Parvati and spritual cum
physical form of Goddess Lakshmi).

Legend of Goddess Vedavati

In Hindu mythology, Vedavati is speculated to have been the spirit of Sita
Devi, the wife of Rama in the epic Ramayana. She was another avatar of
Devi Laxmi.

Early life
Vedavati is the daughter of Brahmarishi Kusadhvaja, who is the son of
Brihaspati, Lord-Guru of the Devas, the Gods. Having spent his life chanting
and studying the sacred Vedas, he names his daughter Vedavati, or
Embodiment of the Vedas, born as the fruit of his bhakti and tapasya.

Dedication to Vishnu
Her father wants his child to have Lord Vishnu for a husband. He thus
rejects many powerful kings and celestial beings who sought his daughter's
hand. Outraged by his rejection, a powerful Daitya king Sambhu murders
her parents in the middle of a moonless night. Vedavati continues to live in
the ashram of her parents, meditating night and day and performing a great

16
tapasya to win Vishnu for her husband. The Ramayana describes her as
wearing the hide of a black antelope, her hair matted in a jata, like a rishi.
She is inexpressibly beautiful, in the bloom of her youth, enhanced by her
tapasya.

Immolation and death

Ravana, the emperor of Lanka and the rakshasa race found Vedavati sitting
in meditation and is captivated by her incredible beauty. After mocking her
dedication to Vishnu and her penance, he attacks her, viciously, by pulling
her hair. Her chastity and reputation destroyed, Vedavati immolates herself
by building a pyre, while Ravana is watching.

Prophesy
Vedavati refuses to curse Ravana as it would exhaust her tapasya, but
pledges to return in another age and be the cause of his destruction. The
Rishi Agastya tells Rama that Vedavati was re-born as Sita, his wife, and
became the cause of Ravana's destruction at his hands. She also thus
obtained Vishnu, whose Avatara Rama is, as her husband.

_____________________________

17
 Legend of Sita Devi

Sita is the wife of Rama, the seventh avatāra of Vishnu, and is esteemed as
an exemplary of wifely and womanly virtue. Understood theologically in
Hinduism, Sita is an avatāra of Lakshmi, Vishnu's consort, who chose to
reincarnate herself on Earth as Sita and endure an arduous life, to provide
humankind with an example of good virtues. Sita is one of the principal
characters in the Ramayana, a Hindu epic named after her husband Rama.

Legend
Sita was a foundling, discovered in a furrow in a ploughed field, and for that
reason is regarded as a daughter of Bhudevi, the earth Goddess. She was
found and adopted by Janaka, king of Mithila (modern-day Janakpur, Nepal)
and his wife Sunayana. Upon her coming of age, a swayamwara was held to
select a suitable husband for her, and she was wed to Rama, prince of
Ayodhya, an Avatara of Vishnu.

Ravana abducts Sita, by Ravi Varma

Some time after the wedding, circumstances forced Rama to leave Ayodhya
and spend a period of exile in the forests of Dandaka. Sita willingly
renounced the comforts of the palace and joined her husband in braving the
travails of exile, even living in Dandaka forest. However, worse was to

18
come: the forest was the scene for the abduction of Sita by Ravana, King of
Lanka, one of her former suitors. Ravana kidnapped Sita, disguising himself
as a brahmana mendicant while her husband was away fetching a
magnificent golden deer to please her (this deer was actually Ravana's
demon uncle, Mareecha, in disguise). Jatayu, the vulture-king, who was a
friend of Rama's, tried to protect her, but Ravana chopped off his wings.
Jatayu survived long enough to inform Rama of what had happened.

Ravana held Sita captive in his distant island realm. In captivity, Sita not
only consistently rejected the many advances of her powerful and royal
captor, but also preserved her chastity of mind, never once wavering in her
adherence to her husband. She was finally rescued by Rama, who waged a
tremendous battle to defeat Ravana and secure the release of Sita. Since Sita
was kept in captivity by Ravana all this time, Rama asked her to go through
the 'Agni-Pariksha', the test of going through the fire, which would prove her
chastity.

In Hindu dharma every action has results irrespective of the stature of the
person. A school of thought states that Rama questioned Sita on her integrity
as a punishment for her questioning the integrity of Lakshmana who had left
all his comfort and served Rama and Sita for 14 years. Lakshmana was
asked to create the fire despite his protests about needing such a procedure to
prove that Sita is innocent. The couple returned to Ayodhya, where Rama
was crowned king with Sita by his side. While Rama's trust and affection for
Sita never wavered, it soon became evident that some of Ayodhya could not
accept Sita's long captivity under the power of Ravana.

Sita Exile
During Rama's period of rule, an intemperate washerman, while berating his
wayward wife, declared that he was "no pusillanimous Rama who would
take his wife back after she had lived in the house of another man". This
calumnious statement was reported back to Rama, who knew that the
aspersion cast on Sita was entirely baseless. Nevertheless, he felt his
position as ruler undermined by the ever-present possibility of slander
attaching itself to his hitherto unimpeachable dynasty and personal reign. It
was this train of thought that led Rama to remove Sita from his household.

Sita was thus again in exile; she was not only alone this time, but also
pregnant. She attempted to commit suicide in the Ganges, but she was

19
rescued by the sage Valmiki. He gave her refuge in his hermitage, where she
delivered a son named Lava. Once day Sita left her son with Valmiki, and
went to the river bank to fetch water. Valmiki who was in deep dhabas
without noticing the return of Sita and picking up her child, created by his
ascetic power another baby with Dharba. She finds two sons of the same
virtue and hears from the sage what happened there in her absence. She
accepted both sons as her own, naming the other Kusha.

In the hermitage, Sita raised her sons alone, as a single mother. They grew
up to be valiant and intelligent, and were eventually united with their father.
Once she had witnessed the acceptance of her children by Rama, Sita sought
final refuge in the arms of her mother Bhumidevi, the Earth Goddess.
Hearing her plea for release from an unjust world and from a life that had
rarely been happy, the earth dramatically split open; Bhumidevi appeared
and took Sita away to a better world. Sita also took part in the Hindu ritual
of Ashvamedha, as narrated in the Uttara Kanda (book 7). In this narrative,
Rama was married to a single wife, Sita, who at the time was not with him,
having been excluded from Rama's capital of Ayodhya. She was therefore
represented by a statue for the queen's ceremony. Sita was living in Valmiki's
forest ashram with her twin children, Lava and Kusha, whose birth was
unknown to Rama. In its wanderings, the horse, accompanied by an army
and the monkey-king Hanuman, entered the forest and encountered Lava,
who ignored the warning written on the horse's headplate not to hinder its
progress. He tethered the horse, and with Kusha challenged the army, which
was unable to defeat the brothers.

Rama Sita Hanuman Parambhakta

Of Sita Rama

20
 Legend of Goddess Tulsi

Goddess Tulsi

THE APPEARANCE OF TULSI DEVI

Narada Muni asked Lord Narayana, "O Bhagavan! How did the pure, chaste
Tulsi Devi become Your wife? Where was she born? Who was she in her
previous birth? What family did she come from? And what austerities did
she perform to get You as her husband--You, who are above the material
energy, not subject to change, the Cosmic Self, the Supreme God, the Lord
of all, omniscient, the cause of all, omnipresent, container and preserver of
all. And how did Tulsi Devi, Your chief goddess, become a tree? O You who
resolves all doubts, my mind is curious to know all about these points;
therefore, it compels me to ask you these questions. Kindly remove these
doubts from my mind."

Lord Narayana then related the following account...

Manu Daksa Savarni was a partial expansion of Lord Vishnu. He was

extremely virtuous, devoted to the Lord, and very famous for his good

21
deeds. Daksa Savarni's son, Dharma Savarni, was also extremely virtuous.
Dharma Savarni's pious son was called Vishnu Savarni, and his son, who
was a great Vaishnava, was known as Raja Savarni.
However, Raja Savarni's son, Vrisadhvaja, was fanatically devoted to Lord
Shiva. Lord Shiva lived in Vrisadhvaja's house for three celestial yugas
(ages) and loved him more than his own sons. Vrisadhvaja did not revere
Lord Narayana, Goddess Lakshmi or any of the demigods. He abolished the
worship of Lakshmi in the month of Bhadra (Aug., Sept.) and the worship of
Saraswati in the month of Magha (Jan., Feb.). He did not participate in the
sacrifice and worship performed out of respect for Lord Vishnu (Narayana)
and criticized them rather severely. The demigods did not curse him because
they feared Lord Shiva. However, Surya, the sun god, no longer able to
restrain his wrath, cursed him: "O King, just as you are completely devoted
to Lord Shiva and only to Lord Shiva, and just as you do not recognize any
of the other deity, I declare that you will now lose your wealth and
prosperity!"
When Lord Shiva heard this curse, he became angry. Seizing his trident, he
ran after Lord Surya. Afrid, the sun god went with his father, Kasyapa Muni,
to Brahmaloka, the highest material planet, to take shelter of Lord Brahma.
But Lord Shiva pursued him there. Lord Brahma, also afraid of Lord Shiva,
took Lord Surya and Kasyapa Muni to the region of Vaikuntha, the spiritual
or eternal world. There, with throats parched due to anxiety, they took refuge
of Lord Narayana, the Lord of all. They offered obeisance to Him and
praised Him repeatedly and finally explained why they were so
apprehensive.
Lord Narayana bestowed His mercy on them and granted them the power to
be fearless. He said, "O fearful ones; be consoled. How can you be afraid of
anyone while I am here? If anyone remembers Me when he is in danger,
wherever he may be, I hurry to him with my Sudarsan disc in my hand and
save him. O demigods! Param Brahman Parmeshvar OM always is the
creator, preserver and destroyer of this universe. In the form of Me, He is the
preserver; in the form of Brahma, He is the creator; and in the form of Shiva,
he is the destroyer. I am Shiva, Shiva is me. I and He assume numerous
forms and preserve the universe. So go back to your respective places. You
have nothing to be afraid of. All will be well. "From this day on, you have
nothing to fear from Lord Shiva. He is the shelter of the pious, is easily
pleased, is the servant and lord of his devotees, and is great minded. Lord
Shiva and the Sudarsan chakra are dearer to Me than My life. In the world of
valour, they excel all. Lord Shiva can easily create ten million Suryas and
ten million Brahmas. For him, nothing is impossible. He is not conscious of

22
the external world. He always Meditate on Me and Me on Him. He is
absorbed day and night and he always sings My glories and Me Vice Versa.
Day and night, I also always think of his welfare and he also thinks of My
Welfare. To whatever degree one worships Him, to that degree He favor that
ones. The nature of Shiva is all-auspiciousness."
While Lord Narayana was speaking, Lord Shiva arrived. His eyes red, and
he was sitting on his bull carrier holding his trident.
Lord Narayana, Vishnu, was sitting on His jewel-studded throne. He was
decorated with a crown, earrings, and a garland, and was holding His disc.
His form was extremely beautiful, and His complexions like a fresh blue rain
cloud. Each of His attendants had four arms and was fanning Him with four
hands. His body was anointed with sandal paste and He was wearing a
yellow garment. Lord Vishnu, who shows kindness to His devotees, was
chewing betel nut that had been offered to Him by His wife Lakshmi.
Smiling, He was watching and listening to the dancing and singing of the
Vidyadharis.
After Lord Shiva bowed down to Lord Narayana, he bowed to Lord Brahma
and Both Narayana and Brahma Bowed Down to Lord Shiva. Lord Surya
and Kasyapa Muni respectfully saluted Lord Shiva. The attendants of Lord
Narayana began to fan Lord Shiva with white whisks to relieve him of the
fatigue of his journey. Lord Shiva, because of being in contact with Lord
Vishnu's virtues, then assumed a cheerful disposition and adored the Eternal
Being with his five mouths. Lord Narayana was highly gratified. With sweet,
nectarine words, He said, "O Lord Shiva, you are the symbol of all good and
welfare. Thus, to ask about your welfare would be foolish. I would ask you
only out of respect for the rules of society and the method prescribed in the
Vedas. One who yields fruits of devotion and gives all prosperity should not
be asked about his austerities or material prosperity. Since you preside over
knowledge, it would be useless to ask if you are increasing in knowledge. It
would be equally useless to ask a conqueror of death if he is free from all
danger. But you have come to my residence for a reason. What is it? Have
you become angry over something?"
"O Lord Vishnu!," Lord Shiva began. "King Vrisadhvaja is my great
devotee. Lord Surya has cursed him and that has made me angry. Out of
affection for my son, the king, I was about to kill Surya. But Surya sought
shelter of Lord Brahma, and now both of them have sought Your protection.
Those who are distressed and take shelter of You, either by speaking about
You or by remembering You, become completely safe or free from danger.
What to speak of those who come personally to You and take shelter. When
one remembers You, his dangers disappear. All good comes to him. O Lord

23
of the world! What will become of my foolish devotee who, by the curse of
Lord Surya, has lost his fortune and prosperity?"
Lord Vishnu replied, "O Lord Shiva! A half hour has elapsed here in
Vaikuntha. In that time, twenty-one celestial yugas have passed away.
Therefore, King Vrisadhvaja, through the revolution of irresistible and
dreadful time, is dead. His son, Hamsadhvaja, in the course of time, also
died. Hamsadhvaja begot two noble sons named Dharmadhvaja and
Kusadhvaja. They are both great Vaishnava but, because of Lord Surya's
curse, they have become luckless. They lost their kingdoms, including all
property and prosperity. But they are now engaged in worshiping Goddess
Lakshmi, who is pleased with their efforts. Therefore, She has agreed to
descend to Earth and expand Herself partially by taking birth from the wives
of those two kings. Then, by the favor of Goddess Lakshmi, Dharmadhvaja
and Kusadhvaja will become prosperous, mighty kings. O Lord Shiva! Your
devotee Vrisadhvaja is dead, so return to your abode. O Lord Brahma, Lord
Surya and Kasyapa Muni--you also should return your realms."
Bhagavan Vishnu then went with His wife to the inner apartments. The
demigods went cheerfully to their own abodes, Lord Shiva continuing his
practice of austerity. Dharmadhvaja and Kusadhvaja performed harsh
asceticism and worshiped Goddess Lakshmi. Thereafter, they separately
obtained the blessings they desired. By Goddess Lakshmi's favor, they again
became the rulers of the earth. They acquired great spiritual merits, were
married, and begot children. King Dharmadhvaja was married to Madhavi.
After some time, she became pregnant with a partial incarnation of Goddess
Lakshmi. However, the infant remained in Madhavi's womb for one hundred
celestial years. Day by day Madhavi's lustre increased. Then, on an
auspicious day and moment, when there was a full moon, in the month of
Kartika, on a Friday, she gave birth. The grace of the Goddess of Fortune,
Lakshmi, manifested through the baby. There were marks of the lotus flower
on the infant's feet. Her face looked like the autumnal moon, her eyes
resembled blooming lotuses, and her lips appeared like ripe bimba fruit. Her
palms and the soles of her feet were reddish, her navel was deep, and just
above it were three folds. Her buttocks were round, and her body was
delightfully warm in the winter and cool in the summer--very pleasant to
touch. Her breast was firm and her waist thin and the light shining from her
body surrounded her like a halo. Her complexion was white, like a
Champaka flower, and her hair looked beautiful. Because her beauty was
incomparable, the sages called her Tulsi.

24
TULSI PERFORMS AUSTERITIES

As soon as she was born, Tulsi resolved to go to the mountainous region of

Badarinatha to practice severe austerities. Though many persons tried to
dissuade her, no one was able to; for she was determined to stay and pray in
the forest till Lord Vishnu appeared and agreed to become her husband.
During a period of one hundred thousand celestial years, she endured the
following:

In the summer, she exposed herself to four fires around her and the sun
above; in the winter, she submerged herself in the icy waters; and in the
rainy season, she subjected herself to heavy downpours at the funeral
grounds. For 20,000 years, she subsisted on fruits and water; for 30,000
years, she chewed dry leaves; for 40,000 years she lived only on air; and for
10,000 years she ate nothing and just stood on one leg.
Finally, she saw Lord Brahma in the sky, riding on his swan carrier and
sweeping down towards her. Believing that he had come to grant her a boon,
she bowed down low to him. Lord Brahma said, "O Tulsi, ask me for a boon.
Whether it be devotion to Lord Hari or servitor ship to Him or freedom from
old age or freedom from death--I will grant it."
"Yes, O Lord, I will ask. Please listen. I will not hide my desires out of fear
or shame, since you are all-knowing. My name is Tulsi. Formally I was a
cowherd girl in Goloka, and there I served Radharani, the beloved of Sri
Vishnu. I am a partial expansion of Radharani and was her favorite
companion. But one day in the place where the rasa dance had occurred,
Vishnu became intimate with me and I fainted from excessive joy. While I
was lying there, Radharani suddenly appeared and saw me in that condition.
She was not at all pleased. Blinded with fury, she first reproached Vishnu
and then cursed me. She said, `O vile one! Go! And take birth as a human
being!'
"Then Vishnu said to me, `When you take birth in India, if you practice
austerities, Lord Brahma will grant you a blessing. He will arrange for you
to marry the four-armed Narayana, who is an expansion of me.' Then Vishnu
disappeared. And out of fear of Radharani, I left Goloka and was born in this
world...So please grant me that boon. I want to have that handsome and
peaceful Narayana as my husband." Lord Brahma replied, "O Tulsi, Sudama
was a partial expansion of Vishnu and was one of Vishnu's cowherd
boyfriends in Goloka. As a result of a curse by Radharani, he is presently
living on earth among the Danavas (demons). His name is Sankhacuda. He

25
is very energetic and no one can compare with him in strength. While living
in Goloka, he was very attracted to you and wanted to marry you. But
because he feared Radharani, he did not make any overtures.
"Just as you are a jatismara--that is, one who knows her previous births--
Sankhacuda also is. Remembering his past desire to be close to you, he has
performed severe austerities to obtain you as his wife. I now wish to grant
his desire. Therefore, O beautiful one, please agree to wed him. However,
later on, by the special arrangement of Providence, you will get the beautiful
Narayana as your husband. But after that, He will curse you and you will be
transformed into the world-purifying Tulsi plant (holy basil Ocillium
Basildum Sanctum). You will be the best of flowers and dearer to Narayana
than His own life. No one's worship will be complete without your leaves.
You will remain as a tree in Varindavana and will be widely known as
Varindavani. The cowherd men and women will worship Lord Hari with
your leaves. As the presiding deity of the Tulsi plant, you will always enjoy
the company of Vishnu, the best of cowherd boys."
Tulsi Devi smiled and gladly said to Lord Brahma, "O Father, I will be
honest with you. I am not as devoted to the four-armed Narayana as I am to
the two-armed Vishnu. For in Goloka, my close encounter with Vishnu was
suddenly interrupted, leaving me still longing for Him. Thus, it was only
because Vishnu had asked me that I have been praying to get Narayana for
my husband. But now it appears certain that by your grace I will again get
Vishnu, who is very difficult to attain. However, O lord, please grant me the
following boon: that I lose my fear of Radharani."
Lord Brahma replied, "O child, I shall now give you the sixteen-lettered
Radha mantra. By this boon you will be as dear to Radharani as Her life, and
She will approve of Your intimate dealings with Vishnu."
Lord Brahma initiated Tulsi Devi into to the sixteen-lettered mantra, the
hymn, and the mode of worship of Sri Radha. Then, blessing her, he
disappeared.
As directed, Tulsi engaged herself in worshiping Srimati Radharani and,
after twelve years, attained success. Obtaining the desired boon, she reaped
the fruits that were unattainable by others. As the pangs of her austerities
ended, she became cheerful. When one gets the fruits of one's labour and
then considers the difficulties experienced in attaining them, the difficulties
then seem pleasurable. Tulsi was in the prime of her youth and she longed
for the company of Sri Vishnu. Finishing her food and drink, she lay down
on a beautiful bed decorated with flowers and perfumed with sandal paste.
She went to sleep with a happy heart. But while she slept, Kamadeva, the
god of love, shot five arrows at her--arrows that were meant to enchant her.

26
Consequently, though she was anointed with cooling sandal paste and slept
on a bed strewn with flowers, her body began to feel as though it were on
fire. Out of joy, the hairs on her body stood on end, her eyes reddened and
her body began to tremble. One moment she looked thin and at another
moment she grew restless or drowsy. Sometimes she became agitated or
warm with desire, at other times she fainted, then recovered, then sorrowed.
Sometimes she got up from the bed, walked this way and that way, sat down
or lay down. This abnormal condition of her body and mind increased daily;
so much so that her soft bed felt like a bed of thorns; delicious fruits and
water tasted like poison; her house seemed like a desert; her soft delicate
cloth felt hot like fire; and the vermilion mark on her forehead pained like a
boil.
In her dreams she saw a nicely dressed, smiling, jolly youth. He was adorned
with jewels, besmeared with sandal paste and garlanded with flowers.
Gazing at her face, he spoke to her affectionately, and embraced and kissed
her repeatedly. One moment he went away; the next moment he returned;
then she cried out, "O Lord of my heart, where are you going? Please don't
go!" When she awakened, she wept again and again. In this way Tulsi Devi
passed her days at Badarikashrama.

THE BIRTH OF SANKHACHUDA

The sage Kasyapa was the son of the prajapati (forefather) Marici and the
grandson of Lord Brahma, and was very learned. Daksa, another prajapati,
gave him thirteen of his daughters in marriage. One of Kasyapa Muni's
wives was known as Danu. She was very attractive and chaste, and Kasyapa
cared for her with love and devotion. Danu bore many mighty sons, one of
whom was Vipracitti, who was exceedingly powerful and courageous. His
son Dambha was self-controlled and a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. But he
could not beget a son, so he became anxious. Therefore, to improve the
situation, he went to Puskara Forest and performed severe austerity for a
hundred thousand years. There, sitting in a steady posture and uttering the
Vishnu mantra, he practiced japa. While practicing, intolerable effulgence
shot out from Dambha's head and spread everywhere. It was so hot that all
the demigods, sages and Manus were scorched by it. Thus, with Indra
leading, they all sought shelter of Lord Brahma.
Arriving at Lord Brahma's abode, they praised him and then informed him
of the situation. After hearing about it, Lord Brahma, to relate the problem to
Lord Vishnu, led them to Vaikuntha. There, with palms joined reverentially,
they praised the great saviour and Lord of the three worlds. The demigods

27
then asked, "O Lord, we do not know what has caused this. Please tell us.
What is that light by which we have been scorched?"
Lord Vishnu laughed and lovingly said, "O demigods, do not be afraid;
remain calm and unshaken. No flood will occur and it is not the time of
universal dissolution. The asura Dambha, one of my devotees, is performing
asceticism to obtain a son. I shall soon bless him and that will quiet him."
Encouraged by this, Lord Brahma and the other demigods returned to their
own realms. Lord Vishnu then went to Puskara where Dambha was
practicing austerity. Seeing that Dambha was repeating His name, the Lord
consoled him and asked, "What blessing do you want Me to grant you?"
Dambha offered his obeisances with great devotion and praised the Lord
repeatedly. Then he said, "O Lord of lords, O lotus-eyed one, obeisances
unto You. O Lord of Lakshmi, O Lord of the three worlds, please be
merciful to me. Please give me a powerful and courageous son who will be
Your devotee, be invincible to the demigods, and be the conqueror of the
three worlds." Lord Vishnu asked Dambha to stop his austerity, granted him
the blessing, and disappeared. As the Lord vanished, Dambha offered
obeisance in that direction and returned home. Within a short while his
blessed wife became pregnant. She radiated effulgence that illuminated the
inner apartment of her residence. The soul residing in her womb was
Sudama, one of Lord Vishnu's leading cowherd companions who had been
cursed by Srimati Radharani. When Dambha's chaste wife gave birth to a
radiant-looking son, Dambha invited the sages to his place and had the post-
natal rites performed. There was great jubilation and, on a favourable day,
the father named him Sankhacuda. The son grew up in his father's residence
like the moon in its bright half. In his childhood he learned all the traditions,
customs, injunctions and prohibitions, and became resplendent. Engaging in
childhood play, he delighted his parents and became the favourite of all the
family members. Later on, to obtain a boon from Lord Brahma, Sankhacuda
performed an austerity in Puskara for a long while. He concentrated his
mind, restrained his senses and organs of action, and chanted a mantra that
his preceptor, Jaigisavya, had imparted to him. Finally, Lord Brahma went to
Sankhacuda to grant him a blessing. Lord Brahma asked, "Tell me what
boon you want." Seeing Lord Brahma, the Danava king bowed to him
humbly and praised him with devotional words. Then he said, "Please make
me invincible to the demigods, and also enable me to marry Tulsi.
"So be it," Brahma replied. Then he gave Sankhacuda the Divine amulet of
Lord Sri Vishnu. This amulet, called Sarvamangalamaya (Conqueror of the
World), was considered the most auspicious of all auspicious things in the
world, for it guaranteed victory everywhere. Brahma continued, "Now you

28
should go to Badarikashrama. Tulsi Devi is performing penance there by her
own will. You should marry her there. She is the daughter of King
Dharmadhvaja." Lord Brahma then disappeared. Sankhacuda, whose
austerity had now borne fruit at Puskara, tied that most precious amulet
round his neck. He then set out for Badarikashrama, his face beaming with
joy.

TULSI DEVI TESTS KING SANKHACHUDA

Tulsi saw Sankhacuda approaching in his jewelled airplane and noticed that
he was in the prime of his youth. He was handsome like Cupid, white-
complexioned like the Champaka flower and decorated with gems. His face
resembled the full moon of autumn, his eyes looked like lotuses in full
bloom, and his cheeks flashed with the glow of his earrings. A Parijata
flower garlanded his neck, musk and saffron anointed his body, and sandal
paste perfumed his person. As he came closer, Tulsi hid her face in her shawl
and smiled at him with sidelong glances. Blushing at the thought of this first
meeting, she bowed her head nervously and eagerly drank in with her eyes
the lotus of his face. Sankhacuda also gazed at Tulsi, seated as she was on a
lovely bed strewn with flowers and sandalwood. Her teeth shown like pearls,
her lips were like Bimba fruit, her nose was graceful and her complexion
golden. She resembled the autumnal moon. Adding to her grace, just below
the parting of her hair, was the mark of sandal paste and musk; and, just
below them, a mark of vermilion. She had a low yet deep navel, and below
it, three lovely abdominal folds. Her palms were reddish, her fingernails
were glowing, and her feet were radiant and crimson, coloured with lac-dye.
Her glowing toenails surpassed the glow of the autumn moon, giving her an
unrivalled beauty. Tulsi was adorned with lovely jingling ornaments, and the
knot of hair at the back of her head was decorated with a jasmine wreath.
Shark-shaped earrings adorned her cheeks while a diamond necklace
beautified her breast. She wore gorgeous bangles of conch on her arms and
wrists, as well as precious jewels on her fingers.
Sankhacuda sat down and said to her, "O beautiful girl, whose daughter are
you? And how have you come to this forest? You look most fortunate and
blessed. Indeed, you are the personification of heavenly joy--the best of
women! You are a model of loveliness and can certainly bewilder even the
saints!"
When Tulsi gave no reply, he asked, "O gracious one, why don't you speak?
I am your servant, so please greet me with the melody of your speech."

29
Her head lowered, her face smiling, the beautiful-eyed Tulsi said, "I am the
daughter of King Dharmadhvaja and have been practicing asceticism here.
But who are you? And why are you talking to me? If a noble man sees a
virtuous woman alone, he does not talk to her. So go away--wherever you
please."
But Sankhacuda did not move. Tulsi continued. "The shastras say that only a
degraded man desires a woman. At first a woman is sweet to a man, but later
proves fatal. Though her mouth rains honey, her heart is like a jar of poison.
She uses sweet words but her heart is sharp like a razor. To achieve her own
selfish ends she is submissive to her husband; otherwise, she is
unsubmissive. While her face looks cheerful, her heart is dirty. Even the
Vedas and the Puranas cannot fathom her character. A wise man never trusts
a base woman. She has no friend or enemy; for all she wants are new lovers.
When a woman sees a well-dressed man, she inwardly desires him, but
outwardly she appears chaste and modest. She is naturally passionate,
attracts men's minds, and eagerly engages in sex. Though outwardly she
hides her lust and appears modest, when she meets her lover in secret, she is
ready to swallow him up. When she does not have sex with him, she feels
offended, her body burns with anger, and she begins to quarrel. When her
passions are fully satisfied, she becomes cheerful; when unsatisfied, morose.

"A woman likes a good lover more than sweet foods or refreshing drinks;
she likes him even more than her own son; he is dearer to her than her life.
But if the lover becomes impotent or aged, she regards him as an enemy.
Quarrels and anger ensue. Then she devours him as a snake eats a rat. She is
rashness personified and a mine of vices. A woman is hypocritical, obstinate
and unfaithful. Even Lord Brahma and other gods are deluded by her. She is
a hindrance on the path of austerity, an obstacle to liberation, an impediment
to developing faith in Lord Hari, a refuge of all delusion and a living chain
that binds men to the world. She is like a magician and is as false as dreams.
She appears to be very beautiful, but is she is a bucket of stool, urine, gas
and blood. When God created her, he arranged that she should become the
spirit of delusion to the deluded and poison to those who desire liberation.
Thus, on no account should a woman be desired, and by all means she
should be avoided." Sankhacuda smiled and then answered, "O goddess,
what you have said is not completely false. It is partly true and partly false.
From the Creator have come chaste and unchaste women. One is
praiseworthy, the other isn't. Examples of chaste women are Lakshmi,
Sarasvati, Durga, Savitri and Radha. Women who are expansions of them are
auspicious, glorious and very commendable, such as Satarupa, Devahuti,

30
Svadha, Savaha, Daksina, Anasuya, Ganga, Diti, Aditi, Vedavati, etc. In
every yuga cycle these women are excellent. The heavenly prostitutes are
also expansions and partial expansions of the above women, but they are not
praiseworthy because they are unchaste. Women who are in the mode of
goodness are virtuous and pure. The sages declare them to be excellent. But
those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance are not so
praiseworthy. The passionate ones are fond of sense pleasures, indulge in
them, and always want to fulfil their selfish goals. Such women are usually
insincere, deluded and irreligious. Generally, they are unchaste. But woman
in the mode of ignorance are considered the worst. They are irresistible.
"A virtuous man would never court another man's wife in either public or
private. But I have come to you by Lord Brahma's command--to marry you
according to the Gandharva rite. (In this, the bride and bridegroom meet
each other of their own accord and consummate their meeting in sexual
union. No sacred rituals are necessary. "My name is Sankhacuda. When the
demigods see me, they flee in fear. In my previous birth, I lived in Goloka
and was a cowherd boy named Sudama. I was a close friend of Sri Vishnu's,
one of His attendants. I was one of the eight celebrated cowherds. Then
Srimati Radharani cursed me to be born in India in a demon family. By
Vishnu's grace and by His mantra, I am a jatismara, that is, I know the
history of my previous birth. You also are a jatismara. So you know that in
your previous birth, in Goloka, when Radharani caught you alone with
Vishnu, she became angry and cursed you to be born here, in India. In
Goloka I very much wanted to consort with you; but because I feared
Radharani, I did not do so." Sankhacuda stopped talking. Then Tulsi smiled
and cheerfully said, "Persons like you are famous in this world and good
women desire such husbands. You have defeated me in argument. A man
who is conquered by a woman is very impure and condemned by people in
general. The forefathers and the demigods regard men who are conquered by
women as low and contemptible. Even their fathers and mothers mentally
despise them. The Vedas say that when a child is born or a relative dies, the
brahmanas are purified in ten days; the ksatriyas in twelve days; the vaisyas
in fifteen days; and the sudras as well as other low classes in twenty-one
days. But a man conquered by a woman always remains impure. Only when
his body is burned to ashes does he become purified. Neither the ancestors
nor the demigods accept from him offerings of cakes, flowers, etc. Men
whose hearts are totally conquered by women acquire no fruits from their
knowledge, austerities, japa, fire sacrifices, worship, learning or fame.
"I tested you to determine how strong you are in knowledge. One should
choose one's husband by examining a man's merits and defects. If one gives

31
his daughter in marriage to a man devoid of all good qualifications, to an old
man, to a man who is ignorant or poor, illiterate, diseased, ugly, wrathful,
harsh, lame, limbless, deaf, dumb, inactive, or impotent--this sin is
equivalent to the sin of murdering a brahmana. But if one gives his daughter
in marriage to a young Vaishnava who is learned, well-qualified and
peaceful, one acquires the fruits of performing ten horse sacrifices. If one
raises a daughter and then sells her out of greed for profit, he falls to the hell
known as Kumbhipaka. There, for a period equal to fourteen of Lord Indra's
lifespans, such a sinner has to drink his daughter's urine and eat her stool as
well as be bitten by worms and crows. When this period ends, he has to be
born in this world as a diseased person and earn his livelihood by selling and
carrying meat."

TULSI MARRIES SANKHACHUDA

When Tulsi Devi stopped speaking, Lord Brahma suddenly appeared there.
After Sankhacuda and Tulsi offered him their respects, Lord Brahma said,
"O Sankhacuda! Why are you wasting your time in such empty talks with
Tulsi? Marry her now by the Gandharva rites. As you are a gem among
males, she is a gem among females. When a clever couple marry, the union
is very happy. And who would abandon happiness when it is at hand?
Anyone who would do so is worse than a beast. And you, Tulsi! Why are
you testing this noble and qualified person who can subdue both the gods
and the demons? Marry Sankhacuda, just as Lakshmi is married to
Narayana, Radhika to Vishnu, my Savitri to me, Saci to Indra and Aditi to
Kasyapa. Stay with the handsome Sankhacuda for a long time and, as you
like, wander with him to various places. When Sankhacuda leaves his body,
you will return to Goloka and get Vishnu as your husband." Lord Brahma
then blessed them and returned to his own abode.
Sankhacuda then married Tulsi by the Gandharva rite. Glorifying the
marriage, the demigods sounded their drums and showered flowers on them
from the sky. Sometimes the newly married couple would go to a flower
grove and at other times to a river bank. There they would sleep on flower
beds smeared with sandal paste and enjoy marital pleasures. Tulsi easily
stole the heart of her husband, and Sankhacuda also attracted Tulsi's heart.
After Tulsi garlanded her husband with parijata flowers, which prevent
disease and old age, she placed a precious jewelled ring on his finger and
offered him rare beautiful gems. Bowing down to his feet with devotion,
she repeatedly said, "I am at your service!" Sankhacuda smiled. He then
presented Tulsi with clothes he had obtained from Lord Varuna's house; he

32
also gave her a precious necklace of jewels, an armlet he had gotten from
Swaha (Agni's wife), armlets from Chhaya (the sun god's wife), earrings
from Rohini (the moon god's wife), finger rings from Rati (Cupid's wife),
conch ornaments from Visvakarma, as well as excellent bedding adorned
with pearls and jewels. After further adorning her, he placed her feet on his
chest and said, "I am your servant." They left the hermitage and began to
travel to various places. They went to different mountains, flower gardens,
caves, beaches, riversides and forests. Wherever they went, they enjoyed
each other's company with great satisfaction, never tiring of one another.
Sankhacuda then brought Tulsi to his own kingdom and there they continued
to delight in each other's company.

LORD VISHNU HELPS THE DEMIGODS

Sankhacuda enjoyed his kingdom for one Manvantara (4,320,000 years) and,
during that period, gained control over all the Devas, Dhanavas,
Gandharvas, Kinnaras and Raksasas. He dispossessed the gods of their
realms and privileges, deprived them of their rights with respect to worship
and offerings, and seized their weapons and ornaments. Consequently, they
wandered about the universe like helpless beggars. Finally, they united in a
group and went to Lord Brahma's assembly. Sobbing, they related the whole
story of how Sankhacuda had oppressed them. Lord Brahma took them to
Lord Shiva's realm and related to Shiva the details of the case.
Lord Shiva then took them all to the highest place, Vaikuntha, where there is
neither old age nor death. As they approached the first gate, they saw the
watchmen guarding the gate and sitting on jewelled seats. The watchmen
had beautiful dark blue bodies and looked effulgent. They had smiles on
their faces, lotus like eyes, and four arms--each hand holding a conch, mace,
disc and lotus. They wore yellow garments, were decorated with jewelled
ornaments, and were garlanded with forest flowers.
Lord Brahma asked them for admittance and they nodded their approval.
Then, after passing through sixteen gates, the group finally arrived before
Lord Narayana. The assembly hall was filled with saints and four-armed
attendants who resembled Narayana and were wearing Kaustubha jewels.
The assembly hall was so brilliant with rays of light that it appeared as
though the moon had just arisen. By Lord Narayana's mercy, there were
diamonds, gems and necklaces of jewels placed in various areas. In some
spots there were rows of pearls that shed their splendour and brilliance, and
in other spots there were mirrors arranged in a circle. In certain areas there
were jewels called Padmaragas which were artistically arranged to appear

33
like lotuses spreading their radiant beauty everywhere. There were rows of
steps made of Syamantaka jewels. Throughout the hall were wonderful
pillars built of Indranilam jewels. There were sandal leaves strung high from
pillar to pillar. There were also golden jars full of water. All around were
parijata-flower garlands, sweet-scented sandal trees, and saffron and musk;
the whole atmosphere was permeated with sweet fragrances.
The Vidyadaras were dancing in one area. The assembly hall measured eight
thousand miles in circumference. All over, numerous servants were engaged
in various services. Lord Brahma and other demigods saw Lord Hari
(Narayana) sitting in the centre on a precious jewelled throne; He looked
like the moon surrounded by many stars. He was wearing a crown on His
head, earrings, a wildflower garland round His neck and sandal paste on His
body. Holding a lotus in His hand, He was smiling, watching the dancers
and listening to the music. He looked very tranquil. Lakshmi was gently
holding His feet and He was chewing the sweet-scented betel she had given
Him. Ganga was fanning Him devotedly with a white chamara, and others
were singing hymns to Him with their heads lowered in devotion.
Lord Brahma and the other gods offered their obeisances to Lord Vishnu. As
they did, their hairs stood on end, tears flowed from their eyes and their
voices were choked with emotion. Then Lord Brahma, his hands clasped and
his head bowed, informed the Lord about Sankhacuda's doings.
Lord Hari smiled and said, "O lotus born! I know all about Sankhacuda. In
his previous birth he was my great devotee, a very energetic cowherd boy in
Goloka. I will tell you something about him which is quite sanctifying. His
name was Sudama and he was my chief attendant. He is now a Danava
because in Goloka Radha pronounced a terrible curse on him. Here is how it
happened...
"One day I left Radha's company and went to the rasa dance area with the
gopi named Viraja. Radha soon heard from one of Her maidservants that I
had flirted with Viraja. Blinded with fury, She hastened there with Her
attendants to see if this were true. Seeing that it was, Radha immediately
converted Viraja into a river. I myself disappeared, so Radha rushed home
angrily with Her attendants. "Later, when I was with Sudama and She saw
me, Radha rebuked me very much. However, I remained silent. But Sudama
could not tolerate this, so he rebuked Radha in My very presence. This was
quite intolerable to Her dignity. Her eyes became red with anger and She
immediately ordered thousands of Her attendants to drive him away. Sudama
then trembled with fear. As Radha's attendants tried to drive him away, he
resisted and repeated his reproaches against Her. When She heard them, She
cursed him, saying, `May you be born in the womb of a Danavi (demon

34
woman)!' "Sudama bowed down to Me and, crying, began to leave. But
Radha, who is quite merciful, began to melt. Weeping, she tried repeatedly
to stop him from leaving. "Wait!" She called. "Wait! Where are you going?
You don't have to go. Please come back." She became distressed, and Her
attendants and the cowherd boys began to weep. I then explained to them,
`In about a half a moment Sudama will return, having fulfilled the conditions
of the curse. Of course a half moment here is equal to about one Manvantara
(4,320,000 years) on Earth.' I then called to Sudama. `O Sudama, when the
curse expires, please came back here!'
"O demigods, that expert mystic and devotee Sankhacuda will return to
Goloka. Therefore, O gods, go quickly to India. Lord Shiva will kill the
Danava with the trident. The demon is wearing My auspicious amulet
around his neck. It is called the "Conqueror of the World." As long as he
keeps wearing it, no one can kill him. So I will go to him disguised as a
Brahman and beg the amulet from him. But you have granted him the boon
that he cannot die unless his wife's chastity is violated. I will take care of this
as well. Then he will surely die. Later, when his wife leaves her body, she
will become my dearest wife."

AN ENVOY SENT TO SANKHACHUDA

Lord Brahma and the other demigods returned to their respective abodes.
Later, to gain victory for the demigods, Lord Shiva pitched his big tent and
camped on the banks of the Chandrabhaga River under a beautiful fig tree.
He then sent Puspadanta, the leader of the Gandharvas, as a messenger to
Sankhacuda. When Puspadanta arrived at Sankhacuda capital, he noticed
that it was more beautiful than Indra's realm and more opulent than
Kuvera's.
The city was 40 miles wide and 80 miles long. It was built of pearl and jewel
crystals, and on all sides there were roadways. Seven inaccessible moats,
one after another, surrounded the city. There were hundreds of shops full of
trade articles and marketable commodities. Palatial buildings of traders and
merchants were all over. Thousands and thousands of beautiful buildings,
constructed with scarlet gems, inlaid with various ornaments and decorated
with fancy articles, gave the place a boundless charm.
The Gandharva chief saw that Sankhacuda's palace was spherical like the
moon. Four successive moats with fiery flames encircled it. On top of the
palace were ramparts, made of jewels that touched the sky. The palace was
inaccessible to enemies but offered no hindrance to friends.
The twelve gates, decorated with lotuses, jewelled mirrors, paintings and

35
statues, were guarded by twelve gatekeepers. On all sides the place was
protected by very powerful, graceful, well-dressed and richly adorned
demons who were holding heavenly weapons in their hands. When
Puspadanta approached the first gate, he saw that it was guarded by a man
who had a hideous face, copper complexion and tawny eyes, and who was
smiling and holding a trident in his hand. Puspadanta explained to him the
purpose of his mission--that he was a war ambassador--and the guard
allowed him to pass inside; the other gatekeepers did the same. At the last
gate he said to the guard, "O guard, quickly inform your king that a war is
about to occur." The guard did so and, obtaining Sankhacuda's permission,
ushered the messenger inside. There, the Gandharva saw the well-formed,
handsome demon seated in the centre of the royal assembly on a golden
throne. One attendant was holding a jewelled umbrella over the king's head
while other attendants were fanning him with white chamaras (whisks).
Countless demons surrounded him and armed guards walked here and there.
Sankhacuda was beautifully dressed in heavenly garments, covered with
garlands, and anointed with fragrance. Seeing all this, Puspadanta was
thunderstruck and said to Sankhacuda, "O King, I am a messenger of Lord
Shiva and my name is Puspadanta. My lord has ordered me to tell you the
following: The demigods have sought the protection of Lord Hari. So you
had better restore to them their kingdoms and rights. Lord Hari has asked
him to wage war against you if necessary. Presently, Lord Shiva is residing
under the shade of a fig tree on the bank of the Puspabhadra River. Either
you must return to the demigods their property or you must be ready to fight
with Lord Shiva...What shall I tell my lord is your reply?" The demon
laughed loudly and said, "You had better leave. I shall go to him in the
morning." The messenger returned to Lord Shiva and conveyed the demon's
message. In the meantime the following group of persons appeared before
Lord Shiva: Kartika, Nandi, Bana, Manibhadra, the eight Bhairavas, the
eleven Rudras, the eight Vasus, the twelve Adityas, Indra, Agni, Chandra,
Viswakarma, the two Aswini-kumaras, Kuvera, Yama, Jayanta, Nala-
Kuvara, Vayu, Varuna, Budha, Mangala, Dharma, Sani, Kama, Ugra-chanda,
Kottari, the hundred-armed Goddess Durga or Adi Shakti Parvati, Who
was seated on Well jeweled seat of Lions, as well as many other personages.

She carried a trident, an iron spear, conches, a wheel, mace, lotus, bow,
arrows, dumbbells, a scimitar, thunder, the weapons of Vishnu and Varuna, a
snake noose, the weapons of Agni, Narayana, Brahma, Gandharva, Garuda,
Pasupata, a pestle, shield, staff, as well as other irresistible weapons. This
fearsome goddess was accompanied by millions of devotee Yoginis and

36
Dakinis, and also countless ghosts, goblins and demons known as Bhutas,
Pretas, Pisachas, Kusmandas, Brahma Raksasas and Raksasas, as well as
Yaksas and Kinnaras. Then Kartikkeya arrived and he bowed down to his
father Lord Shiva and Great Goddess Parvati who meanwhile was in the
Shape of Durga, who asked him to sit on his left side and help him. The
army remained there in battle array.

SANKHACHUDA CONSOLES TULSI

At the palace, the mighty Sankhacuda went to the women's quarters and
informed Tulsi about the imminent war. Hearing this, her palate, lips and
throat became dry. With a sorrowful heart, she said to him, "O my lord, my
friend, my master! Stay for a moment and sit within my heart. Fill me with
life for a moment. Please satisfy my human desire. Let me gaze at you fully
so that my eyes may be satisfied. My breathing is very agitated now. For at
the end of night I had a very bad dream. Therefore, I feel a burning within
myself."
The king finished his meal and, in truthful and beneficial words, said to
Tulsi, "O my queen, when it is time to reap the results of one's past acts, one
experiences good and evil, pleasure and pain, fear and sorrow. In time, trees
grow, branches develop, flowers blossom and fruits appear. In time, the
fruitful tree decays. Similarly, in time, human beings grow and decline. In
time, the creator creates, the preserver preserves and the destroyer destroys.
This is the law of creation, preservation and destruction. Therefore, you
should always adore Lord Vishnu, as He is Presever, He has neither
beginning nor end, and He does not depend on material nature. Lord Vishnu,
by His own will, has manifested nature with its animate and inanimate
objects.
"All things, from Lord Brahma down to a blade of grass, are artificial and
temporary. In time, they grow and decay. Thus it would be better for you to
adore Lakshmi consort, Lord Vishnu, who is distinct from the three modes
of material nature, who is the Supersoul within all and the Great Lord. Take
shelter of Vishnu, for it is by His command that the wind blows swiftly, the
sun radiates heat, Indra pours rain, death visits human beings, fire burns, and
the moon travels through the sky. Seek the Supreme Vishnu, who is the
death of death, the time of time, the creator of the creator, the preserver of
the preserver and the destroyer of the destroyer. Take refuge in Him. My
dearest, no one is a friend of anyone, but Lord Hari (Vishnu) is the friend of
all. Therefore, pray to Him and serve Him.

37
"My love, who am I and who are you? By our karma, Providence has united
us. Providence will also separate us. When danger comes, only fools are
disturbed. The wise are never thus shaken. Like wheels, pleasure and pain
always revolve. In Badarikashrama you absorbed yourself in austerities to
obtain Lord Narayana as your husband. Surely you will get Him. I myself
practiced austerities to obtain you as my wife. And by Lord Brahma's grace I
have gotten you. Very soon you will get Govinda in Goloka Varindavana.
And when I leave my demoniac body, I too shall go there. In that realm we
will regularly see one another. By Radha's curse I was born in the precious
land of India. But I will return to Goloka. Therefore, my dear, do not worry
about me. You too will quit your human form and assume a spiritual form
and go to Lord Hari. So you need not sorrow."
Tulsi was thus consoled. Sankhacuda spent the night with Tulsi in the temple
of gems, which was lit by diamond lamps. They rested on a nicely decorated
bed that was strewn with flowers and anointed with sandal paste. Then Tulsi,
who had not eaten any food and thus looked thin, became overwhelmed with
grief and began weeping. The king, who knew the truth about life, clasped
her to his chest and again appeased her in various ways. The spiritual
instructions he had received in Bhandira Forest from Lord Vishnu, which
were capable of destroying all sorrows and delusions, he now carefully
conveyed to Tulsi. Upon receiving them, her joy knew no bounds, for she
realised that everything in this world is temporary. She and her husband then
spent the remainder of the night in loving exchanges.

SANKHACHUDA PREPARES FOR WAR

At Brahma Muhurta (48 mins before sunrise), Sankhacuda got up from his
flower-strewn bed. He discarded his night clothes, bathed in pure water, put
on freshly washed clothing, and smeared his body and forehead with bright
tilaka markings. He performed his necessary rites and worshiped his
personal Deity. He then saw such auspicious things as curd, ghee, honey,
parched rice, etc., and, as usual, distributed to the brahmanas the best jewels,
pearls, clothing and gold. To make his departure for war favourable, he gave
to his guru some pearls, gems and diamonds, and he gave to the poor some
horses, elephants and cows. He then gave to the brahmanas a thousand
storehouses, three lakhs (300,000) of towns and seven lakhs (700,000) of
villages. He installed his son Suchandra as the acting king and entrusted to
him the care of his family, kingdom, treasury, subjects, wealth, storehouses
and conveyances.

38
Sankhacuda dressed himself for war and armed himself with bow and
arrows. The king ordered the armies to gather, so three hundred thousand
horses, one hundred thousand elephants, ten thousand chariots, three crores
of archers (30 million), three crores of armed soldiers and three crores of
trident holders readied themselves for battle. After counting his forces, the
king appointed a maharatha, an expert in the science of warfare, as
commander-in-chief over three lakh aksauhini forces (300,000). [An
aksauhini is a whole army consisting of 109,000 foot soldiers, 65,610
horses, 21,870 chariots and 21,870 elephants]. Ordering three aksauhinis to
beat war drums, he remembered Lord Hari and emerged from the pavilion.
Sankhacuda rode on a fine chariot and, headed by his guru and his elders,
left for Lord Shiva's place. Lord Shiva at that time was staying on the banks
of the Puspabhadra River at Siddhasrama. This holy place was known to
enable sadhus to easily attain perfection in yoga. It was here that Lord
Kapila practiced asceticism, and thus devotees of Lord Kapila went there
and did the same. The place was bounded on the west by the western sea, on
the east by the Malaya mountain range, on the south by the Sri Saila
mountain and on the north by the Gandha-madhan mountain. The
Puspabhadra River was forty miles wide and four thousand miles long. This
auspicious river offered great spiritual merit, and was always full of
transparent, sparkling water. She is the favourite spouse of the Lavana (salt)
ocean and is indeed very sacred. This river issues from the Saraswati in the
Himalayas and, keeping the Gomati River on her left side, she eventually
merges with the western ocean.

LORD SHIVA'S COUNSEL

When the demon arrived there, he saw Lord Shiva sitting in a yogic
meditation posture at the root of a fig tree. Looking as bright as a million
suns, Lord Shiva was smiling. He appeared as though the Infinite Light were
radiating from every pore of his body. He was wearing a tiger skin and
holding a trident and axe, and his head was covered with bright bunches of
matted hair. He had five faces and three eyes in each, and there were sacred
snakes coiled around his neck. He was the death of death, the destroyer of
the world and a powerful and Lord of all. His face was serene and beautiful.
He immortalises his devotees, awards the fruits of asceticism and is a source
of prosperity. He destroys the world and rescues sinners from hell.
Upon seeing Lord Shiva, Sankhacuda got down from his chariot and, with
his entire army, bowed low to him. He also saluted Goddess Durga, who was

39
on Lord Shiva's left side, and Kartikkeya, who was in the front. In response,
they bestowed blessings on him. Nandi and other devotees of Lord Shiva got
up and greeted him in a suitable manner. Sankhacuda spoke cordially to
them and then sat down beside Lord Shiva, who greeted him cheerfully and
said, "O King, Lord Brahma, the creator of the world and the father of
religious duty, had a Vaishnava son named Marici, who begat the virtuous
Kasyapa. Daksa, another son of Lord Brahma, bowed to Kasyapa and gave
him his thirteen daughters in marriage. Of these daughters, Danu, who was
very blessed and chaste, gave birth to forty sons. They were all very spirited
and known as Danavas. Amongst them, Vipracitti was prominent--he was
most valorous, pious and devoted to Lord Vishnu. His son's name was
Dambha and he obtained Sukracarya as his guru. Following his teacher's
advice, he worshiped Lord Vishnu at Puskara by reciting the Vishnu mantra
for one hundred thousand years. Consequently, by Lord Vishnu's boon, he
was able to get a son like You. "In your former birth, in Goloka, you were
very religious and were the chief cowherd friend of Lord Vishnu. By Radha's
curse you have become lord of the demons here. But you are also a
Vaishnava. And a Vaishnava regards everything--from the form of Lord
Brahma down to the form of a blade of grass--as very illusory. Even if the
four kinds of liberation are offered to him, namely, Salokya, Sarsti, Sayujya
and Samipya (to live on the same planet as Lord Vishnu, to have the same
opulence's as Lord Vishnu, to merge with Lord Vishnu and to have equal
association with Lord Vishnu, respectively), he does not care at all for them;
for he is only interested in serving Lord Vishnu. Nor does he care to have the
position of Indra, Kuvera or Brahma, for he thinks them all insignificant. He
only cares to worship and serve Lord Vishnu. Now You are a true Vishnu
devotee. Therefore, why do you care for those things that belong to the
demigods and which are false to you? Better return to the demigods their
kingdoms and please me by this act. Let the demigods be reinstated in their
own positions and you govern your own kingdom happily. You are all
descendants of Kasyapa Muni. So it is not desirable for relatives to feud. In
fact, the sin committed by killing a brahmana is not even one sixteenth as
great as that of creating hostilities amongst one's relatives. "O King, pause.
If you think that by restoring to the demigods their kingdoms, you will lose
prestige, you should also consider that no one's position is stable or
unchanging. When the world is completely dissolved, even Lord Brahma
disappears; then, by the will of God and Me, he subsequently reappears. And
later, by virtue of his knowledge, he again creates everything. But the type of
knowledge, intellect and memory that people receive depends on the amount
of austerity they practiced in their previous births. "Also, consider this: truth

40
is the support of dharma or virtue. In the Satya-yuga (golden or truthful
age), virtue is complete; in the Treta-yuga (silver age), it is reduced by one
fourth; in the Dvapara yuga (copper age) by one half; and in the Kali yuga
(iron age or age of quarrel), by three fourths; and at the end of the Kali yuga,
virtue becomes reduced even more, like the moon on the dark-moon night.
"Or consider the sun: in the summer its light is very intense; but not so in the
winter. At noon, the sun is very hot; but not so in the morning and evening.
In time, the sun rises; in time, it becomes powerful; and in time, it sets. By
the working of time, it is obscured by clouds. "Then consider the moon:
when the moon is devoured by Rahu (as in a lunar eclipse) it trembles; when
it is released, it becomes bright again. In the full-moon night it becomes full,
but does not remain so. In the bright fortnight it waxes daily, but in the dark
fortnight it wanes daily. In the bright fortnight, the moon looks healthy and
rich but in the dark fortnight it looks decreasingly thinner, as if afflicted by
consumption. Thus at one time the moon looks powerful and at another time
it looks weak and pale.
"Similarly, Bali Maharaja is presently living in Patala loka (one of the
planets beneath the earth) but at another time he will become lord of the
demigods. At one time the earth is lush with grains and is the resting place of
all beings, but at another time it becomes covered with water. The entire
world, including everything moving and non moving, appears at one time
and disappears at another. "Only the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
remains the same. It is by my knowledge that I obtained the name
Mrtyunjaya (the Conqueror of Death). I have witnessed many
dissolutions of the world and I shall continue to witness them. Lord
Vishnu and Me had Both Seen the Sixteen Worlds and are the Supreme
Being. He is the individual soul as well as the Supreme Soul. Me is The
Time to which all dissolutions of many Worlds are absorbed. We both
are forms of same Supreme Personality. Though he and I assumes many
forms. The Supreme Being has created Brahma, the creator; Vishnu, the
preserver; and me, the destroyer. By That Supreme reality we possess
those potencies and influences. O King! I have delegated Kala, Agni and
Rudra to do the work of destruction, whereas I myself only repeat OM.
For this reason I am called Mrityunjaya, and by my knowledge, I have
conquered death. I am fearless. When death sees me, he flies away just
as snakes flee when they see Garuda."
King Sankhacuda thanked and praised Lord Shiva repeatedly, and replied
modestly. "What you have said is quite true. But please allow me to say a
few words. Kindly listen...You have just said that fighting with one's
relatives is a great sin. Then why did the Lord, on behalf of the demigods,

41
take away all of Bali Maharaja's possessions and send him down to Patala?
And why did the Lord, You and Goddess Durga, for the same reason, kill
Hiranyaksa, Hiranyakasipu, Tripurassura, Shumbhu and Nishumbhu,
Mahishasura and other Danavas (demons)? Long ago the demons and the
demigods worked hard together churning the ocean to obtain nectar from it;
but why did the Lord give the nectar to the demigods? O lord, this universe
is the sporting ground of Lord Vishnu, Maa Durga and You; and anyone You
all favor with fortune and glory obtains them. The quarrelling between the
demigods and the demons is eternal. Victory and defeat come to each party
alternately. So it is improper and unnecessary for You all to interfere in our
quarrel. For you, O great Lord, are both my relative and my friend. And your
nature is of the Highest Self. To You, the demigods and the demons are
equal. So it is certainly shameful for you to become our opponent and favor
the demigods. If you win this battle, the glory and fame you would gain
would not be as great as if we win. And if we defeat you, the disgrace and
infamy you would earn would be much greater than that which we would if
we were defeated: for we are small and you are great.
Lord Shiva smiled and gently said, "O King, you have descended from a
Brahman family, so if I am defeated by you, how shall I incur shame? In
former days the Lord Vishnu fought with Madhu and Kaitabha as well
as Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksa. And I fought with Tripura. And the
universal mother and my Wife, Durga Devi or Devi Parvati, fought with
Shumbha and other demons. But none of the demons just mentioned,
who were killed in the war, can be compared to you in prowess. You are
the best of Lord Vishnu's attendants. The demigods have sought Lord
Hari's protection, so He has sent me on their behalf to approach you. If
I am defeated by a sublime person like you, how can I be disgraced? But
I'm surprised to hear you talk of disgrace and infamy. There is no point
in continuing this useless talk. Now, either return to the demigods their
kingdoms or prepare to fight with me. I am firm in my determination."

THE WAR BEGINS

Sankhacuda quickly got up, bowed down to Lord Shiva, and ascended his
chariot with his ministers. Lord Shiva ordered his army to be ready
immediately, and Sankhacuda did the same. Musical instruments blared out,
formally announcing the start of war. There was a great clamour along with
the cries of the warriors. Then the fight between the demigods and demons
began, and both sides fought righteously. Indra fought with Vrsaparvan,

42
Bhaskara (the sun god) with Vipracitti, Nisakara (the moon god) with
Dambha, Fire with Gokarna, Kuvera with Kalakeya, and Viswakarma with
Maya. Mrtyu (the death god) battled with Bhayamkara, Yama with Sambara,
Vayu with Bala, Vaurna with Vikamka, Budha with Dhritapristha, Sani with
Raktaksa, Jayanta with Ratnasara, the Vasus with the groups of Varchases,
the two Aswini Kumaras with the two Diptimans, Nalukuvara with Dhuma,
and Dharma with Dhurandhara. Mangala contended with Ganakaksa,
Vaisvana with Sobhakara, Mammatha with Pipita, the twelve sun gods with
Gokamukha, Curna, Kahdga, Dhumra, Samhala, Visva and Palasa. The
eleven Rudras fought with eleven terrible and powerful asuras, Mahamani
fought with Ugracanda and others, and Nandisvara and the rest fought with
the leading demons. Lord Shiva, the Goddess Durga and their son Karttikeya
encamped at the root of the holy fig tree. King Sankhacuda, adorned with
gems and surrounded by millions of demons, sat down on a beautiful
jewelled throne. Then a great battle ensued. Many mystical and supernatural
weapons were hurled, and numerous demigods and demons were killed.
Maces, long and short swords, Pattisas, Bhusundis, Mudgaras (different
types of iron clubs), javelins, spears, axes and other weapons glowed in the
soldiers' hands. Fighting with these weapons, the jubilant warriors roared
and cut off each other's heads. Elephants, horses, chariot and foot soldiers,
along with their drivers and passengers were hit and torn apart. Arms, thighs,
hands, hips, ears and feet were cut off. Flags, arrows, swords, coats of mail
and beautiful ornaments were split apart. From the tussle, glowing heads
with earrings as well as elephant like thighs were strewn about the earth.
Severed arms with their ornaments and weapons were scattered about like
honeycombs. Warriors running on the battlefield saw several headless bodies
that jumped and which were still holding their weapons. The warriors
discharged so many arrows at each other that the sun became obscured and it
appeared as if the rainy season had arrived. Heroes roared like lions, blew
conches loudly and fought furiously. Though the combat was terrible and
tumultuous, it was pleasurable to the fighters. Then the demigods were
defeated. Many were wounded by weapons and missiles, and, frightened,
they fled the battlefield.

KARTTIKEYA AND DURGA ENTER THE BATTLE

The demigods returned to Lord Shiva and sought refuge in him. Disturbed,
they cried out, "O Lord, please save us! Save us!"
Lord Shiva, noting the demigods' defeat and hearing their fearful cries,
became greatly enraged. Glancing at the demigods sympathetically, he

43
assured them of his protection. He ordered his son, the great hero Karttikeya,
to attack the enemy. Fighting courageously with the hosts of demons,
Kartikkeya shouted angrily and roared heroically, killing one hundred
aksauhinis in the battle. Then Durga, her eyes like a red lotus, chopped off
their heads with Her Axe. She fought in many ways, frightening both the
demigods and the demons. Wherever She went, there She Killed Demons.
With one hand she grabbed ten million elephants and ten million men and
playfully throws them to Sky. Her Power and Strength was Beyond Reach.
Karttikeya again became furious. Showering countless volleys of arrows, he
struck thousands of demon leaders within a few seconds. Terrified, many of
the Danavas fled, but those who stayed were slain. The demons Vrsaparvan,
Vipracitti, Danda and Vikampana fought with Karttikeya by turns, and all of
them were wounded by his spear. Durga assisted Kartikkeya, and together
they won the battle. In the heavens, the celestials pounded their drums and
showered down flowers. Sankhacuda saw the appalling spectacle wrought
by Karttikeya and Maa Durga; it appeared as terrible as the final dissolution
of the world. Furious, he prepared for battle. Accompanied by many heroes,
he climbed into his diamond-studded airplane, which was equipped with
weapons and missiles. This enlivened and encouraged his men, especially
when Sankhacuda, sitting in the middle of the plane, drew his bowstring to
his ear and discharged volleys of arrows. The shafts were terrifying and
could not be endured. They resembled a shower of rain and covered the
battlefield with intense darkness, relieved only by occasional flashes of fire.
At this, Nandisvara and the other demigods fled, however, Karttikeya stayed.
Then the Danava king showered mountains, serpents, pythons and trees so
horrendously that they could not be resisted. Thus Karttikeya looked like the
sun covered by thick sheets of frost. Sankhacuda broke Karttikeya's car, cut
to pieces his bow, chariot and horses, and shattered his peacock carrier. Then
he hurled his effulgent spear at Karttikeya's chest, and the force of the blow
caused him to fall unconscious.

Quickly regaining consciousness, Karttikeya mounted his sturdy, bejewelled

chariot, took up his weapons and missiles and fought awesomely. Using his
mystic weapons, he furiously split the weapons that had been hurled at him,
namely, the serpents, mountains, trees and rocks. Then he put out a fire with
his water weapon, split apart the demon's bow and chariot, and killed his
charioteer. Roaring and shouting repeatedly like a hero; he split
Sankhacuda's armour and crown, and then hurled his blazing spear at the
demon's chest. Sankhacuda collapsed unconscious. But within a second that
powerful asura regained consciousness and, with the strength of a lion, got

44
up and roared. The demon grabbed another bow and more arrows and
mounted another chariot. Foremost in the use of mystic powers, the demon
caused a tremendous downpour of arrows on Karttikeya that completely
enshrouded him. Then the demon grabbed an invincible iron spear, which
was filled with Lord Vishnu's energy; it was radiant like a hundred suns and
looked like the vast fire that occurs at the end of the world. Sankhacuda
hurled it at Karttikeya and it hit him with the impact of a massive fireball,
causing him to drop unconscious. Durga immediately went to him, lifted her
son to her breast and carried him to Lord Shiva. By virtue of his deep
knowledge, Lord Shiva revived Karttikeya and endowed him with
inexhaustible strength. He then got up full of vigour but remained guarded
by Lord Shiva. Then After Seeing the condition of her son Durga Assumed
the form of Most ferocious Goddess Kali. Kali followed by Nandiswara, the
Gandharvas, the Yaksas and the Kinnaras, returned to the battlefield.
Hundreds of war drums were pounded and hundreds of persons carried wine.
When Kali began to roar like a lioness, the demons fainted. Seeing this, she
burst into cackles of laughter repeatedly, boding ill to the asuras. Then Kali
drank wine and danced on the battlefield, and the Yoginis, Dakinis and the
demigods also drank, roaring and revelling.

When Sankhacuda saw Kali, he hastened to the field. Though his men were
frightened by her, he assured them of his protection.
Kali then hurled a fire weapon and it shot over the field like the fire that
manifests when the world is about to come to an end. of final devastation;
but the king shot water weapon at it and quickly extinguished it. Kali hurled
the Varuna weapon at him but he baffled it with the Gandharva weapon. Kali
threw the Maheswara weapon, but he destroyed it with his Vaishnava
weapon. Then, after uttering some mantras, Kali discharged the Narayana
weapon. Seeing it coming at him, the king jumped off his chariot and bowed
down to Mother Kali as She was Unconqurable, causing the weapon to zoom
upwards like the fire of final dissolution. The demon, full of devotion, fell
prostrate on the ground. The goddess recited a mantra and hurled a
Brahmastra at him, but he baffled it with his own Brahmastra. Then she
threw a weapon at him that was eight miles long, but Sankhacuda cut it to
pieces with his celestial weapon. Infuriated, the demon discharged celestial
missiles at the goddess but she merely opened her mouth wide, swallowed
them and roared with loud laughter. This terrified the demons. Sankhacuda
then hurled a weapon at her that was eight hundred miles long, but she
shattered it into a hundred pieces with celestial missiles. He flung the
Vaishnava missile at the goddess but she blocked it with a Mahesvara

45
missile. The fight continued for a long time and all the demigods and
demons stood watching it.

Kali was now infuriated. Just as she readied herself to throw the Pasupata
weapon, a heavenly voice from the sky cried out, "O Goddess! Do not
throw this missile at Sankhacuda. So long as Lord Hari's amulet
remains on his neck and his wife's chastity is not violated, For You
Nothing is Impossible as You are Perssonification of Velocity and Who
can dissolute the Universe in just Seconds. You Kind hearted Goddess
shouldn’t hurl Your never-failing Pasupata weapon at him as it would
violate the rules of Vedas. Lord Brahma gave him this boon." Kali heeded
the voice and desisted from hurling the weapon. But out of hunger she
devoured millions of demons. She then hastened to devour Sankhacuda but
he resisted her with his sharp celestial weapons. She next aimed a scimitar at
him that flashed like the noonday sun but the king cut it to pieces. So she ran
after him to swallow him. But the skilful demon prevented her by expanding
his body. Highly enraged, the dreadful goddess smashed his chariot, killed
his charioteer, and hurled a terrible spear at him--one that looked like the
awesome fire that occurs when the world is about to end. But the king
caught it with his left hand. The goddess then angrily struck him with her
fists and caused the demon enough pain to make him reel and fall
unconscious for a moment. Regaining consciousness, he got up, but he
would not engage in hand-to-hand combat with Kali, Because it was
impossible to fight with The Goddess Kali as She is itself the
Personification of Power and speed, and Speed is undefeatable and
immortal. Rather, he bowed down to her. After that Goddess Shows her
Divine form of Singh-Vahini to bless his Bravery and asked him to fight
the war. The goddess then threw other weapons at Sankhacuda, but he
partly cut them down and partly took them up and absorbed them,
rendering them futile. Then Kali caught hold of him, whirled him around
repeatedly and angrily flung him into the sky. The demon came down with a
tremendous crash, but he immediately got up and bowed to the goddess.
Next, he gladly climbed up onto another stunning jewelled chariot and,
feeling fatigue from the battle with Goddess Kali, continued fighting.

Then Kali, feeling hungry, began drinking the blood and eating the fat and
flesh of the demons. After this the goddess returned to Lord Shiva and
described to him in detail the progression of the war--from beginning to end.
Hearing about the demise of the demons, Lord Shiva laughed. Kali remarked
that the only demons alive were the ones who crawled out of her mouth

46
while she was chewing them, which amounted to about one hundred
thousand. "And when I took hold of the Pasupata weapon to kill
Sankhacuda, an invisible celestial voice cried, “He cannot be killed by you."

LORD SHIVA ENTERS THE BATTLE

After hearing the goddess' report, Lord Shiva, versed in the highest
knowledge, went with his entire retinue into battle. He sat on his great bull
and was encircled by Virabhadra and others, as well as the Bhairavas and the
Ksetrapalas, all equal to him in valour. As Lord Shiva entered the battle
ground, he assumed a heroic form and shone well as the incarnation form of
the destroyer. When Sankhacuda saw him, he alighted from his aerial chariot
and offered obeisances to him by lying flat on the ground. Then he got up,
quickly returned to his chariot, and, seizing his bow and arrows, readied
himself for the fight. The fight lasted for a year. The two heroes showered
arrows fiercely on one another the way clouds continuously pelt the earth
with rain. When Sankhacuda playfully shot dreadful arrows, Lord Shiva split
them all with his own arrows. Lord Shiva hit the demon's limbs with various
weapons. Sankhacuda then grabbed his sword and shield, hastened toward
Lord Shiva's sacred bull and hit it on the head. Seeing this, Lord Shiva
smashed that sword and the shining shield by his Ksurapra weapon. Then the
demon threw his spear but Lord Shiva shot an arrow at it and split it in half.
Sankhacuda, now infuriated, flung a discus, but Shiva punched it with his
fist and splattered it. The demon threw his club vigorously at Lord Shiva;
however Shiva split it apart and reduced it to ashes. Grabbing an axe,
Sankhacuda rushed toward Lord Shiva, but Shiva released such a volley of
arrows at him that he fell unconscious. The Danava quickly regained
consciousness and mounted his beautiful chariot. Covering the whole sky, he
shone resplendently with his mystic weapons and arrows.
When Lord Shiva saw him coming toward him, he pounded his drum with
enthusiasm and twanged his bowstring with a loud sound. Shiva filled all
four quarters with the sound of his horn and then, roaring loudly, frightened
the demons. Next, the noble bull bellowed thunderously, filling the sky, earth
and eight quarters and shaming the proud trumpeting elephants. Lord Shiva
surpassed all previous sounds by clapping the earth and the sky. The
warriors emitted a raucous laughing sound, portending ill for the asuras.
Shiva also roared in that mighty battle.
The demons were frightened by these piercing and dreadful sounds.
However, the Danava king became extremely angry.

47
Lord Shiva shouted, "O wicked one, stay! Stay," and the gods and his
companions quickly shouted, "Victory! Victory!"
Sankhacuda then hurled at Lord Shiva his awesome flame-shooting spear; as
it travelled, it blazed brilliantly like a mighty fire. However, one of Lord
Shiva's followers shot a meteor at it and stopped it. As the battle between
Lord Shiva and the demon king continued, the heavens, earth, mountains,
oceans and rivers shook and trembled. Lord Shiva split apart hundreds and
thousands of Sankhacuda's arrows, and the king did the same to Lord Shiva's
shafts. Then the infuriated Shiva hit Sankhacuda with his trident and
knocked him unconscious. But quickly regaining consciousness, he grabbed
his bow, discharged some arrows and hit Lord Shiva and his assistants.
Then, by means of magic, the asura assumed ten thousand arms and quickly
surrounded Lord Shiva with ten thousand discuses. But Lord Shiva shot
wonderful arrows at them and split them all apart. Sankhacuda next seized
his mace and, accompanied by a massive army, charged Lord Shiva with the
intention of destroying him. However, Lord Shiva split the mace, making the
Danava furious. The demon then seized a spear that, to the enemy, blazed
unbearably; as he neared Lord Shiva, the latter hit him in the chest with his
trident. Then, a huge, valorous being came out of the demon's chest and said,
"Stand by, stand by." Lord Shiva laughed loudly and, with his sword, cut off
the fearsome head that was emerging, and it fell to the ground.
Spreading her mouth wide open, Kali angrily consumed countless demons,
crushing their heads with her fierce fangs. The enraged Ksetrapala consumed
many other demons, and Lord Shiva shot missiles at some and killed them.
Others were just wounded. Virabhadra and Nandisvara destroyed many other
demons. Thus a major portion of Sankhacuda's army was killed while many
of his terrified troops cowardly fled the battlefield. But Sankhacuda stood
firm and said to Lord Shiva, "I'm here, ready to fight with you. Come on. So
what if many of my men have been killed. Fight me, face to face!"

LORD VISHNU APPEARS

Sankhacuda threw mystic missiles at Lord Shiva. He also, like a cloud

pouring rain, showered arrows on him. He used different kinds of illusory
methods that were invisible and bewildering to the demigods and Lord
Shiva's followers. Seeing this, Lord Shiva released his supernatural
Mahesvara missiles and these quickly destroyed the illusions, divesting them
of their brilliance. Then the powerful Lord Shiva suddenly grabbed his
trident--a trident that could not be withstood even by great persons--so as to

48
slay Sankhacuda. But to stop him, an unembodied heavenly voice boomed,
"O Shiva, do not throw the trident now. Listen to this request...There is no
doubt that you are able to destroy the universe in a second. So what
would be the difficulty in destroying this one Danava, Sankhacuda? Still
you should not ignore the rules of the Vedas. O great one, rather make it
truthful and fruitful. Understand that Lord Brahma has stated that as
long as Sankhacuda wears the armour of Lord Vishnu --namely, the
amulet around his neck--and as long as his wife maintains her marital
faithfulness, he can neither die nor grow old. He is under these boons.
Therefore, please make these boons truthful by not violating them."
Lord Shiva replied, "So be it." At that moment Lord Shiva desired to see
Lord Vishnu, and so Lord Vishnu appeared there. Lord Shiva told Him what
he desired and Lord Vishnu agreed to help him.
So, dressed as an aged brahmana, Lord Vishnu, foremost in mystic power,
approached Sankhacuda and requested, "O King of the Danavas, please
grant my request. You give away in charity all kinds of wealth and riches, so
please grant me what I desire. I am a quiet, peaceful, aged brahmana. I am
very hungry and thirsty. But first make your promise, and then I will tell you
what I want." The king, with a kind face and a pleasing eye, swore to Him
that he would give Him whatever He asked for. So the brahmana said
affectionately, "I would like your amulet." Sankhacuda, a well-wisher of the
brahmanas who spoke the truth, thus handed over to the disguised Lord
Vishnu his divine amulet. Then Lord Vishnu assumed the form of
Sankhacuda and went to Tulsi Devi's palace. When He approached the
entrance, He created the appearance of a victory homecoming, causing
others to beat their drums and to shout "Victory".
Tulsi Devi was awakened from sleep. On hearing the sounds, the chaste
woman was ecstatic. She eagerly peeped through the windows onto the road.
When she realised that her husband had returned, she observed all
auspicious rites and offered cash gifts to the brahmanas. Then she beautified
herself. Lord Vishnu went to Tulsi's apartment.
When she saw the Lord and thought He was her husband, she was
gladdened. She bathed His feet, offered obeisances to Him, and sobbed.
Then she had Him sit on the jewelled throne and handed Him the auspicious
betal leaf that had been made fragrant with camphor. She said, "Today my
life has become happy. For my beloved, who went to fight, has now returned
home."
Drinking him in with wide eyes and a smiling face, Tulsi Devi sweetly asked
him about the events of the battle. "My lord, how did you do in the battle
with Lord Shiva? He is the protector of the demigods and the annihilator of

49
countless universes. You have returned cheerfully after defeating the great
lord. How did you beat him? Tell me all about it."
Lord Vishnu laughed and said sweetly, "When I reached the battlefield, there
was a terrible clamour. A big battle then followed. The demigods fought the
demons, and each side was eager for victory. The demigods defeated the
demons. But then I fought the powerful demigods. Those whom I defeated
sought shelter of Lord Shiva. Then Lord Shiva, to help them, fought me for a
long time. My dear wife, Lord Shiva and I fought continuously for a year.
All the demons were killed. Then Lord Brahma made us agree to peace.
Thus, at Lord Brahma's order, the powers of authority were re-assigned to
the demigods...So, I have come home and Lord Shiva has gone to Shivaloka.
All have returned to health and normalcy. Thus the trouble has ended." Lord
Vishnu then lay down on the bed with Tulsi devi and became close with her.

THE FINAL BATTLE

At this time, on the battlefield, King Sankhacuda approached Lord Shiva

without his armour. The latter seized his blazing trident to slay the demon.
The trident's name was Vijaya, and it was as bright as a hundred
summer suns and was most powerful weapon of all time that was much
more powerful then the heat of millions of Surya Heat. The front of it
was presided over by Lord Narayana, the middle by Lord Brahma, the
root by Lord Shiva and the edge by Time. It was bright like the fire of
devastation at the end of the world--dauntless, irresistible, fixed and
destructive in its aim. In brilliance it equalled the Sudarsana Chakra,
and Surdarshan was one of the topmost of all weapons. No one but
Goddess Parvati (Durga and Kali) or Lord Vishnu or Lord Shiva could
wield it, and all other gods were afraid of it. The trident was 14,000
cubits long and 100 cubits wide. One could not tell from where and how
it proceeded. By its own will, this trident could destroy all the worlds
and Universe; No one could wield it except for Lord Shiva Himself or
Devi Parvati (Durga and Kali).

Lord Shiva raised the trident high, aimed and hurled it at Sankhacuda.
Seeing it coming, the demon king dropped his bow and arrows, collected his
mind, sat down in a yoga posture, and meditated on the lotus feet of Lord
Vishnu with great devotion. The trident whirled around Sankhacuda's head
for a while. Then, at Lord Shiva's command, it smashed into the demon's
head and burned him and his chariot to ashes. Thereafter, the trident returned
to Lord Shiva, and then left for the airways at the speed of the mind, and

50
finally returned with force and gladness to Lord Narayana.
In the heavens, the celestials beat their drums, the Gandharvas and Kinnaras
sang, the sages and demigods chanted eulogies and all the damsels danced.
Flowers continuously rained down upon Parvati-Shiva, and Lakshmi –
Vishnu. Brahma, Indra and other notables praised Them.
Out of compassion, Lord Shiva tossed the demon's bones into the sea and
these bones became transformed into all the conches in the world. They are
always considered very holy and favourable in the worship of the demigods.
The water in the conch is also considered very sacred and satisfying to the
demigods--as sacred as the water in any holy river. It can be offered to all
the Gods but not to Lord Shiva. Wherever the conch is blown, Lakshmi
dwells there with great delight. If one bathes with the conch water, this is
equivalent to bathing in all the holy rivers. Wherever the conch is placed,
Lord Hari and Goddess Lakshmi live there, and all inauspicious things
disappear from that place. However, wherever the females and sudras blow
the conch, Goddess Lakshmi becomes annoyed and, out of fear, travels to
other places. Lord Shiva with her consort Goddess Durga then mounted his
bull and Lion carrier and, with all his followers, returned to his own
residence. All the demigods also returned to their abodes with great joy.
Before leaving, Lord Shiva favoured Sankhacuda by releasing him from his
curse, and thus he regained his original form as the cowherd boy Sudama.
Adorned with jewels, holding a flute, mounted on a divine chariot, and
surrounded by numerous cowherd boys from Goloka Varindavana,
Sankhacuda then flew to the spiritual sky, Goloka, which is full of devotees
of Lord Vishnu who have various transcendental relationships with Him.
When Sudama saw Srimati Lakshmi and Sri Vishnu, he bowed down to
Their lotus feet with devotion. Seeing him, the Divine couple were filled
with love for him and, with kind faces and joyful eyes, lifted him up and
took him on Their laps.

TULSI CURSES LORD VISHNU

Meanwhile, at the palace, Tulsi Devi was still lying on the bed with Lord
Vishnu, who was still disguised as Sankhacuda. She suddenly realised that
there was a distinct difference in the way her husband had expressed his
affection to her in the past from the way he had just expressed it. This made
her suspicious, and she began to wonder whether the man with whom she
had just been intimate was really her husband. Then, not feeling the same
happiness, affection and attraction, she looked at him distrustfully and said,

51
"You're--you're not--" Realising in the core of her heart that He was not her
husband, she asked, "Who--who are you?" Tulsi Devi became angry. "Yes,
who are you? I want to know immediately. For I know you have deceived
me to enjoy me! You have outraged my modesty! For this I shall curse you!"

Lord Vishnu then assumed His own true beautiful form. Tulsi saw the Lord
of the demigods before her. His complexion was deep blue, like fresh rain
clouds, His eyes were like autumnal lotuses, and He was decked with jewels
and ornaments. His smiling face looked very gracious, and He wore a yellow
robe. Seeing Vasudeva's handsome form, Tulsi fainted.
A few moments later she regained consciousness and said, "O Lord, you are
like a stone! You are merciless! You violated my chastity by deception. And
by this means you have killed my husband. O Lord, you are merciless! Yes,
Your heart is like a stone. Therefore, I curse you to become a stone. Those
who call you holy are doubtlessly wrong. Your devotee committed no
offence and yet, for the sake of others, You killed him! Why?"
Overpowered with grief and sadness, Tulsi cried loudly and repeatedly
lamented.
Seeing her so upset, Narayana, who is an ocean of mercy, tried to console
her according to dharmic rules. He said, "O exalted one, you performed
austerities for a long time to get Me as your husband. And Sankhacuda also
performed austerities for a long time to get you as his wife. By that austerity,
he fulfilled his wish. It was then necessary for Me to fulfil your wish. For
this reason, I had to do what I did. Now leave your earthly body and assume
a spiritual body--and be married to Me. Be like Lakshmi. Your body will
become a famous river known as Gandaki, a virtuous, pure and transparent
river in this holy land of India. Your hairs will be transformed into holy
trees; and since the trees will be born of you, they will be known as Tulsi
trees. All the residents of the three worlds will perform worship with the
leaves and flowers of this tree. Thus, you, Tulsi, will reign as the best among
trees and flowers."

BLESSINGS TULSI DEVI WILL BESTOW

Lord Narayana continued... "The sanctifying Tulsi tree will grow in Goloka,
on the coast of the Viraja River, on the rasa-dance site, in the forests of
Varindavana, Bhandira, Champaka, Chandana, and in the groves of
Madhavi, Ketaki, Kunda, Mallika and Malati. You will live in sacred places
and bestow the highest religious merit. All the holy spots will converge and
reside at the root of the Tulsi tree, and thus spiritual merits will accrue to all.

52
O fair one, all the demigods and I will wait there to gather the falling Tulsi
leaves.
"Whoever will be moistened or anointed with the water that has been
sanctified by Tulsi leaves, will reap the benefits of having bathed in all the
sacred rivers and performed all kinds of sacrifices.
"Lord Hari will not be as pleased with the gift of a thousand jars of honey as
with one Tulsi leaf. "Offering one such leaf as a gift will bring the same
reward obtained by offering millions of cows.
"If one offers Tulsi leaves during the month of Kartika, he gets the same
rewards as those just mentioned. "If, at the time of death, one drinks or gets
the Tulsi-leaf water, one will be freed of all his sins and proceed to
Vaikuntha.
"Whoever drinks the Tulsi-leaf water daily will be redeemed in his lifetime
and receive the benefit of a dip in the Ganges. "Whoever plucks a Tulsi leaf,
keeps it on his person, and then leaves his body in a holy place, will go to
Vishnuloka.
"Anyone who worships Me with this leaf daily will reap the blessings of a
hundred thousand horse sacrifices. "Anyone who leaves his body holding a
Tulsi leaf in his hands will be saved from all sins. "Anyone who wears a
necklace composed of Tulsi wood, will surely, at every step, get the reward
of a horse sacrifice. "Whoever breaks his promise while holding the Tulsi
leaf will go to the Kalsutra hell for as long as the sun and moon last.
"Anyone who gives false evidence in the presence of the Tulsi leaf, will go
to the Kumbhipaka hell for as long as the lifespans of fourteen Indras.
"Whoever at the time of death drinks or gets a little Tulsi-leaf water will
certainly proceed to Vaikuntha, leaving in a jewelled airplane.
"Lord Hari will decapitate that person who, on the day of the new moon or
the full moon, or on the twelfth or last day of the lunar month, or after being
anointed with oil just before taking a bath, or at noon, night, daybreak or
sundown, or in a state of impurity or in one's night dress--will cull or pluck
the Tulsi leaf. "O chaste one, even if such a leaf is kept for three nights and
becomes dry, it can still be employed in connection with funeral ceremonies,
vows, gifts, consecration of temples and the worship of demigods.
"If Tulsi leaves that were offered to Lord Vishnu have fallen on the ground
or on water are then properly washed, they may still be used for other sacred
purposes.
"You will always be the presiding deity of the Tulsi plant here on Earth, and
at the same time you will always sport with Sri Vishnu in solitude in Goloka.
You will also be the presiding deity of the Gandaki River, and thereby
shower India with religious merit. You will further be the wife of the ocean

53
of salt, which is My partial expansion. O chaste goddess, you will always
remain personally by My side and enjoy My company, as Lakshmi does.

BLESSINGS OF THE SALIGRAM

Lord Hari continued... "As for Me, by your curse, I will become a stone and
remain close to the bank of the Gandaki River. Millions of Vajrakita worms,
with their sharp teeth, will make convolutions or rings in the stones there
(Chakras), representing Me. These will be known as Saligrams or sacred
stones.
"Those stones which have one entrance hole, four rings (Chakras), are
marked with a garland of wild flowers, and look like a fresh rain cloud, will
be known as Lakshmi-Narayana murtis or forms. "Those stones that have
one entrance hole, four rings (Chakras), look like fresh rain clouds but have
no garland mark will be called Lakshmi-Janardana chakras.
"Those that have two entrance holes, four rings (Chakras), are impressed
with the marks of cow-hooves but have no garland mark, will be called
Raghunatha chakras.” Those that are very small, have two rings (Chakras),
look like fresh rain clouds but have no garland mark will be called Vamana
chakras. They shall be auspicious to householders.
"Those stones that are very small having two rings and a garland mark will
be called Sridhara chakras. They will bring prosperity to householders.
"Those stones that are large, circular, have two rings but no garland mark
will be known as Damodara chakras."Those that are medium-large, have two
rings, have the marks of arrows and quivers will be known as Rana-rama
chakras.
"Those that are medium-sized, have seven rings, and have the marks of an
umbrella and ornaments will be called Rajarajesvaras (king of kings) chakra,
and give royal prosperity to the people. "Those that are large, have fourteen
wheels (Chakras), look like fresh rain clouds will be called Ananta chakras.
They will bestow the fourfold fruits--artha, kama, dharma and moksa
(wealth, pleasure, righteousness and liberation). "Those that are spherical,
beautiful, medium-large, have two rings, look like rain clouds, and are
marked with cow hooves will be called Madhusudana chakras.
"Those that have one ring (Chakra) will be called Sudarsana chakras.
"Those that have their rings (Chakras) hidden will be called Gadadhara
chakras. "Those that have two rings (Chakras) and the face of a horse will be
called Hayagrivas. "Those that have two rings (Chakras), their mouths very
wide and extended, and look very terrifying will be called Narasimhas. They
will bestow detachment on their worshipers.

54
"Those that have two rings, extended mouths and garland marks (elliptical)
will be called Lakshmi Nrisimhas. They will bestow blessings on the
householders who worship them. "Those that have, near their doors, two
rings that are of equal size and beautiful, with manifested marks, will be
known as Vasudevas. They will fulfil all desires.
"Those that have a thin ring, look like fresh rain clouds, and have many fine
holes within their wide gaping facets will be called Pradyumnas. They will
give happiness to all householders. "Those whose rings are united and whose
backs are capacious will be called Sankarsanas. They will always bestow
happiness to householders. "Those that look yellow, round and very
beautiful will be known as Aniruddhas. They also will give happiness to
householders.
"Wherever there are Shaligrama stones, Lord Hari Himself exists. And
wherever Lord Hari is, Goddess Lakshmi and all the holy places also exist.
"By worshiping the Shaligrama shila (stone), one destroys the sin of having
killed a brahmana and any other type of sin. "By worshiping Shaligrama
stones of the following shapes, the following effects take place:
"If the stone looks like an umbrella, one may obtain a kingdom.
"If the stone looks round, great prosperity. "If it is cart-shaped, miseries.
"If its ends are spear-shaped, death. "If its facets are distorted, poverty.
"If it is yellow, evils and afflictions. "If its rings (Chakras) look broken,
diseases.
"If its rings (Chakras) are split into fragments, certain death.
"If one observes vows, offers gifts, consecrates a temple, performs shraddha
or funeral ceremonies, or worships the demigods before the Shaligrama
shila--all these acts become highly exalted.
"If one worships the Shaligrama shila, one acquires the merits of bathing in
all the tirthas (holy rivers) and being initiated into all the Vedic sacrifices.
"Furthermore, one acquires all the merits acquired by performing all the
Vedic sacrifices by visiting all the holy places, by fulfilling vows, by
practicing all austerities and by reading all the Vedas.
"Whoever performs His Abhisheka (bathing) ceremony always with
Shalagrama water--being sprinkled with this water at the initiation and
installation ceremonies--acquires the spiritual merits gained by offering all
sorts of gifts and walking around the entire earth.
"Without a doubt, the demigods are pleased with the person who daily
worships the Shalagrama shila. He becomes so holy that even all the holy
places desire his touch. He becomes a jivanmukta (liberated while in his
physical body) and very godly. Ultimately he goes to Vaikuntha and serves
Lord Hari there eternally. Any sin, such as the killing of a brahmana, flies

55
away from him just as snakes flee at the sight of Garuda (Lord Vishnu's
eagle carrier). The earth is consecrated by the dust of his feet. By his birth,
he redeems one hundred thousand of his ancestors.
"Anyone who, while dying, drinks the Shalagrama shila water, will be freed
from all his sins and go to Vaikuntha. He becomes completely freed from the
effects of karma (material action and reaction) and, without a doubt,
becomes forever absorbed in the vision of Lord Vishnu's feet.
"Anyone who lies while holding the Shaligrama in his hands goes to
Kumbhipaka hell for as long as Lord Brahma is alive (311 trillion and 40
billion earth years).”If one breaks his promise while holding the Shaligram
in his hand, he goes to the Asipatra hell for one hundred thousand
manvantaras.
"He who worships the Shaligram shila without offering Tulsi leaves on it, or
who separates the leaves from the stone, will have to suffer separation from
his wife in his next birth.”And if one does not offer the Tulsi leaves in a
conch, he remains without his wife for seven births and becomes diseased.
"He who maintains the Shaligrama shila, the Tulsi, and the conch in one
place, becomes very dear to Lord Narayana.
"It is painful for a person to separate from his beloved, whose company he
once enjoyed. You were the dearmost of Sankhacuda for one manvantara, so
it is now very difficult for you to separate from him.

TULSI RETURNS TO THE SPIRITUAL WORLD

When Lord Hari stopped speaking, Tulsi left her physical body, assumed a
celestial form and went to Vaikuntha. There she remained in the heart of Sri
Hari, as did Goddess Lakshmi. Lord Hari also went with her to Vaikuntha.
As soon as Tulsi Devi quit her physical body, this body became the Gandaki
River; and Lord Hari manifested Himself as the mountain on the bank of
that river, giving spiritual merit to the people. The worms on that mountain
cut and fashion, i.e. construct, various kinds of stones. Those that fall into
the river and assume the colour of clouds, without a doubt, yield results; but
those that drop onto the dry land become brown by the sun's rays and unfit
for worship. Lord Hari duly honoured Tulsi and began to sport with her
along with Goddess Lakshmi. He elevated Tulsi to the rank of Lakshmi,
making her blessed and glorious. Lakshmi and Goddess Ganga allowed and
tolerated this new union of Lord Narayana and Tulsi. However, Goddess
Saraswati became angered and could not tolerate Tulsi's elevated position.
Once, in the presence of Lord Hari, the dignified Saraswati quarrelled with

56
Tulsi and hurt her. Tulsi, humiliated and insulted, disappeared. Then, out of
anger, the wise and adept Tulsi became invisible even to Lord Hari.
When Lord Hari did not see Tulsi, he appeased Saraswati and, obtaining her
permission, proceeded to the Tulsi forest--Varindavana. He was very much
disturbed by separation from her. There, he took a bath; then, with proper
rites, he worshiped the chaste Tulsi with His whole heart, and then meditated
on her with devotion, and uttered, "Obeisances to Tulsi Devi, Queen of
Varindavana Forest." During the worship, Tulsi was offered a lighted ghee
lamp, frankincense, sandal flowers and sacrificial offerings. Anyone who
worships Tulsi in this way will achieve complete perfection.
The Lord then began to praise His glorious devotee. "The Tulsi trees collect
in many groups, thus the pandits call it Vrinda. I praise that dear Tulsi. Long
ago she appeared in the Vrindavana forest and is thus known as Vrindavani. I
adore that auspicious and glorious one. She is always worshiped in countless
universes and so is known as Visvapujita--one who is worshiped throughout
the world. I worship that Visvapujita.
"Countless universes are made pure and holy by her contact. She is therefore
called Visvapavani--one who purifies the whole universe. Remembering her,
I am suffering from separation from her. Though other flowers are heaped
upon the demigods, they are not satisfied unless Tulsi is offered. Thus she is
considered the essence of all flowers and is called Puspasara. Now I am
anguished and troubled and very eager to see her--she who is purity
incarnate. I crave the favor of that goddess. Because attainment of her brings
faith and joy, she is called Nandini. O may she be pleased with Me. In the
whole world she is incomparable, thus she is called Tulsi. I take refuge of
that dear Tulsi. Very chaste and dear, she is the life of Vishnu and so is
known as Vishnujivani. O may that goddess save my life." After Lord Hari
finished the ceremony and prayers, Tulsi was pleased and came out of the
tree. She immediately took refuge at Lord Hari's lotus feet. He blessed her
by saying, "O Tulsi, you will be worshiped by all throughout the world.
Dearest, I will hold you on my head and in my heart; and all the demigods
will hold you on their heads." When Lord Hari saw that the dignified Tulsi
was weeping because her feelings had been hurt by Saraswati, He clasped
her to His breast, took her to Saraswati and reconciled their differences.
Then He blessed Tulsi, saying, "You will be worshiped by all, honoured by
all and respected by all. And all will carry you on their heads. I also will
worship, honour

57
and respect you and carry you on My head." Tulsi was now very happy.
Saraswati then embraced her and seated her by her side. Lakshmi and
Ganga, smiling, also hugged her, and then took her home.

Legend of Rukmani Avatara

Rukmini
There was a king by name Bhishmaka in the
kingdom of Vidharbha. He had five sons by name
Rukmi, Rukmaratha, Rukmabahu, Rukmakesha and
Rukmamali. Sriman Narayana was born for killing
Kansa and with a view to establishing righteousness.
When he was thus born as Krishna, Lakshmi was
born as Rukmini, daughter of Bhismaka. She was
beautiful and virtuous. Father Bhishmaka was not
only god-fearing but had also great respect for Sri
Krishna. He thought of giving Rukmini in marriage
to Sri Krishna. But Bhishmaks's first son Rukmi did
LAKSHMI - CONSORT OF not agree to it. He had joined a gang of wicked men
VISHNU
formed by Shishupala and others. He brought
pressure on his father to give sister Rukmini in marriage to Shishupala. As
Rukmi hated Sri Krishna he did not agree to have the relationship.
Bhishmaka was not bold enough to ignore his advice.

Rukmini's marriage with Shishupala was fixed. But Rukmini, having heard
of Sri Krishna's good character and greatness, had mentally accepted him as
her husband. She sent a messenger to Dwaraka with the message that she
would marry Krishna; and if not possible, she would give her life. Sri
Krishna had already heard of Rukmini's character, virtue and beauty. He
wished to marry her. Therefore, he immediately boarded a chariot and came
to Bhishmaka's town. Balarama came to know that Sri Krishna went alone.
Instantly he followed with a large army to help his brother.
In the capital of Vidarbha all arrangements were being made for Rukmini's
marriage. Shishupala had arrived with his friends Jarasandha, Salva,
Paundraka and others. Balarama and Krishna also joined. Balarama had
stationed his army far away outside the city. After sometime the marriage
rituals commenced. Rukmini went with her entourage to the temple to
worship Gowri. She worshipped Gowri and prayed: "Let only Sri Krishna

58
become my husband." She was not aware of Sri Krishna's having come to
the town. She was worried about what would happen. Rukmini completed
worship of Gowri and came out of the temple. Instantly Sri Krishna brought
his chariot, made her mount it and drove away towards Dwaraka. Jarasandha
and others, when they came to know of this incident became angry and went
after Sri Krishna. A terrible war was fought. Krishna and Balarama defeated
all and set out to Dwaraka. Thereafter the marriage of Sri Krishna and
Rukmini was celebrated grandly at Dwaraka. Rukmini was the senior queen.
Pradyumna is Rukmini's son.

Images Of Goddess Lakshmi

59
 Legend of Goddess Vaishnavi
The temple of Mata Vaishno Devi lies at a height of 3500 feet in the Trikuta
Mountains, in the state of Jammu, and each year millions of pilgrims make
this journey by foot, to pay homage to the Divine Goddess. It is believed that
if you ask for something with a true heart and devotion, your wish will come
true. Many of these devotees come to pray to their Mata every year,
unfailingly, no matter what their caste or religion.

Vaishno Devi is one of the Shakti forms of the Goddess Parvati and
Spiritual form of Goddess Lakshmi. According to legend, the three main
forms of Parvati are Lakshmi, Kali and Saraswati. One day, the three of
them combined their spiritual strength (Mostly of Goddess Lakshmi)
and created a beautiful young girl. She then undertook Vishnu’s blessings.
She was commanded by Lord Vishnu to take birth in the house of Ratankar,
a good, honest and devout man, and to evolve herself spiritually until she
became one with Lord Vishnu. Thus it happened that Ratankar's wife gave
birth to a girl, who grew up to be as religious, devout and learned as she was
beautiful. As Vashnavi grew older, she decided to renounce the world and to
live a life of penance in the forests. During this time she came across Lord
Rama, whom she recognized to be a form of Vishnu, and begged him to let
her merge herself with him, so she would be encompassed by her Lord. But
he felt that the time wasn't right. He said that he would return after a few
years, and if she recognized him again, he would grant her wish. However
when he returned in the guise of an old man, Vashnavi failed to recognize
him. She was devastated, and Lord Rama consoled her. He set up and
ashram for her at the foothills of the Trikuta Hills, and encouraged her to
continue with her meditation. Thus, she took a vow of celibacy and resumed
meditating with renewed devotion.

Vashnavi's fame spread far and wide, until it reached the ears of Gorakh
Nath, a Tantric. Gorakh Nath sent his disciple, Bhairon Nath to spy on her
and find out if she had attainted a high level of spirituality. However,
Bhairon Nath fell in love with her, and started harassing her, by pleading
with her to marry him. She refused, and journeyed up into the Trikuta
Mountains to continue her penance in peace. Bhairon Nath followed her up
the mountain, past Banganga. At Banganga, Mata Vashnavi felt thirsty and
shot an arrow into the ground. Water gushed out from this spot, and Mata
drank some of this water and rested here. The 'Charan Paduka' marks the
place where she rested.

60
Mata entered a cave at Adhkawari and stayed inside for nine months, during
which time she mediated and prayed. The cave is thus symbolic of a womb
and is called Garbh Joon. When Bhairon Nath finally located her, Mata
raised her trident and lashed it against the opposite wall of the cave, creating
a tiny opening, from which she crawled out. The chase continued up to the
Holy Cave at Darbar. Mata was then forced to assume the form of eight
armed Goddess striding on Tiger. She appeared before Bhairon Nath, and
cut off his head using her divine Chakra. After his death he prayed to her for
forgiveness, and she granted it to him, along with the boon that every
devotee who comes to her shrine to seek her blessings would have to pay
homage to Bhairon Nath afterwards, or his pilgrimage will remain
incomplete.

However, legend goes that if anyone visits the Bhairon Nath cave first, he
will be unable to do Mata's Darshan. Stories have trickled down through the
ages about various devotees who tried visiting Bhairon Nath first and then
continued to pay homage to Mata, but they never made it because they fell
sick, met with an accident or died on the way. One devotee even reported
seeing a tiger appear before him preventing his entrance to Mata's temple.

Mother Vashnavi in Pindi of

Saraswati Lakshmi Kali

61
 Chapter 3
Goddess Shakti

Parvati or Durga or Shakti, the Consort of Shiva perhaps is one of the most
important Goddess in Hindu Mythology. She is characterized with both of
her Fierce and mild forms. She is a
multi-dimensional goddess. She Adi Shakti
has so many names, so many
personalities and so many facets.
She is worshipped by millions of
people allover India and a sizeable
number of them give her an
importance more than Lord Shiva
himself. Durga has a variety of
forms with different attributes. In
her milder form she is PARVATI
(the mountain-girl), UMA (the
light), GAURI (the yellow-white
complexioned Mounted on bull
Goddess of Total Energy
beauty), HIMAVATI (daughter of
Himalaya), JAGATMATA (mother Affiliation Universal Truth
of the world) and BHAVANI (the Trishul (trident), Chakram,
goddess of the universe); in her Scimitar, Snake,
terrible form she is DURGA (the Weapon Conch shell, Mace,
inaccessible), KALI or SHYAMA Bow, Talwar (long sword),
(the black complexioned),
Lotus, Thunderbolt
CHANDIKA or CHANDI (the
fearful one) and BHAIRAVI (the Consort Adi – Shiva
terrible). All these are broadly Mount Dawon (tiger or lion)
included under the name of DEVI or MAHADEVI (the great goddess).

Shakti's various names have a special significance. Since Ishwara or Shiva is

also called 'BHAVA' his wife is known as 'BHAVANI'. She is 'PARVATI',
being the daughter of the king of mountains, PARVATARAJA. With the
same connotation she has two other names, 'GIRIJA' and 'SHAILAJA'. As
she is the source of all good things to all those who have faith and follow the
path of virtue, she is 'SARVAMANGALA'. Since her childhood days she
was a devotee of Lord Shiva. She would constantly engage herself in

62
meditation and worship of Shiva, without even changing the posture. So her
mother Mena would out of exasperation say "Parvati, don't do this tapas
(meditation)." In Sanskrit 'u' is a word of address and 'ma' means 'don't' or
'not wanted'. Hence she got the name 'UMA'.
Now we will Discuss all her manifestations in detail: -
a) Mahakali (Legend of Madhu kaitabha).
b) Chandika or Mahalakshmi (Legend of Mahishasura).
c) Sati.
d) Parvati (Individual Importance).
 Birth and Marriage with Lord Shiva.
 Birth of Lord Ganesha.
e) Goddess Ambika (Mahasaraswati) and Kali (Legend of Shumbhu
and Nishumbhu).
f) Goddess Durga (Slayer of Demon Durgam)
g) Nava-Durga and Mahavidyas.

Mahasaraswat
Mahalakshmi Mahakali
i

Legend of Mahakali

63
Mahakali literally translated as Great Kali, is sometimes considered as greater form of
Kali, identified with the Ultimate reality Brahman. It can also simply be used as an
honorific of the Goddess Kali, signifying her greatness by the prefix "Maha-". Mahakali,
in Sanskrit, is etymologically the feminized variant of Mahakala or Great Time (which is
interpreted also as Death), an epithet of the God Shiva in Hinduism. Mahakali is the
presiding Goddess of the first episode of Devi Mahatmya. Here she is depicted as Devi in
her universal form as Shakti. Here Devi serves as the agent who allows the cosmic order
to be restored.

When the excellent Tamasi Shakti, the Goddess presiding over sleep came out from the
eyes, mouth, nose, heart, etc., of the body of the World-Guru Vishnu and rested in the
celestial space, then the powerful Lord Vishnu began to yawn and got up. He saw the
Prajapati Brahma, terrified and spoke to him in words, deep like rumbling in the clouds:
-- “O Bhagavan Padmayone! What makes you come here, and leave your tapasya? Why
do you look so terrified and anxious?” Hearing this, Brahmâ said: “O Deva! The two very
powerful and very terrible Daityas, Madhu Kaitabha sprung from the wax of Thy ears
approached to kill me; terrified thus, I have come to Thee. So, O Lord of the Universe! O
Vasudeva! Now I am quite out of senses and terrified; save me.” Vishnu, then, said :--
“Now go and rest in peace, without any fear; let those two stupids, whose life has been
well nigh exhausted, come to me for battle; I will certainly kill them.”

While Bhagavan Vishnu, the Lord of all the Devas, was thus saying, those two very
powerful Danavas, elated with pride, came up there, in their search for Brahmâ. O Munis!
The two proud Daityas stood there in the midst of the Pralaya water without anything to
stand on and with calm attitude. They then spoke to Brahmâ as follows: -- O You have
fled and come here? You cannot escape. Go on and fight. I will kill You before this one.

Then I will kill him also who sleeps on this bed of serpent. Either give us battle or
acknowledge yourself as our servant. Hearing their words, Janardan Vishnu addressed
them as follows:-- “O two Danavas, mad for war! Come and fight with me as you like; I
will surely curb your pride. O two powerful ones! If you trust me, come and fight”.
Hearing this, the two Danavas in the midst of that mass of water resting without any
support, came up there to fight, with their eyes rolling with anger. The Daitya, named
Madhu, became very angry, came up quickly to fight while Kaitabha remained where he
stood. Then the hand-to-hand fight ensued between the two mad athletes; Bhagavan Hari
and Madhu became tired; Kaitabha came up and began to fight. After that Madhu and
Kaitabha joined and, blind with rage, began to fight again and again hand to hand with
the very powerful Vishnu. And Bhagavan Brahmâ and the Prime Force Adi Shakti
witnessed this from the celestial Heavens. So the fight lasted for a long, long, time; yet
the two Danavas did not feel a bit tired: rather Bhagavan Vishnu became tired. Thus five
thousand years passed away; Hari then began to ponder over their mode of death. He
thought: -- “I fought for five thousands of years but the two formidable Danavas have not
been tired anything, rather I am tired; it is a matter of great surprise. Where has gone my
prowess? And what for the two Danavas were not tired; what is the cause? This is a
matter, now, seriously to be thought over”. Seeing Bhagavan Hari thus sunk in cares, the
two haughty Danavas spoke to him with great glee and with a voice like that of the

64
rumbling of cloud :-- “O Vishnu ! If you feel tired, if you have no sufficient strength to
fight with us, then raise your folded palms on your head and acknowledge that you are
our servant; or if you can, go on fighting. O intelligent one!

We will take away your life first; and then slay this four-faced Brahmâ”. Hearing the
words of the two Danavas, resting there without any support in the vast ocean, the high-
minded Vishnu spoke to them in sweet consoling words: -- “See, O heroes! No one ever
fights with one who is tired, afraid, who is weaponless, who is fallen and who is a child;
this is the Dharma of the heroes. Both of you fought with me for five thousands of years.
But I am single handed; you are two, and both equally powerful and both of you took rest
at intervals. I will therefore take rest for a while, and then fight with certainty. Both of
you are very powerful and very much elated in vanity. Therefore rest a while. After taking
rest for a while I will fight with you according to the just rules of warfare.” Hearing these
words of Hari, the two chief Danavas trusted and remained far aloof, ready to fight again.

Now the four-armed Vasudeva, seeing them at a sufficient distance, began to ponder in
his mind thus: -- “How their death can be affected? Thinking for a time, he came to know
that they have been granted, by the Supreme Shakti Devi, death at their will and therefore
they are not getting tired. I fought so long with them uselessly; my labour went in vain.
How then can I now fight, with this certain knowledge? Again if I do not fight, how these
two Danavas, elated with their boon and giving troubles to all, be destroyed? When the
boon is granted by the Devi their death is also well nigh impracticable. Who wants his
own death, even placed in very great distressed circumstances? Attacked by terrible
diseases, reduced to indigent poverty no one wants to die; so how can it be expected that
these two haughty Danavas would want their death themselves? Therefore it is advisable
me to take refuge of that Adi Shakti, the giver of the fruits of all desires. No desires can
ever be fructified unless she is thoroughly pleased. Thus thinking, Bhagavan Vishnu saw
the beautiful Devi Yoga Nidra Shiva, shining in the air. Then the supreme Yogi,
Bhagavan Vishnu, of immeasurable spirit began to praise with folded palms that great
Bhuvaneshwarî Mahakali, the giver of boons for the destruction of the Danavas. “O
Devi! I bow down to Thee O Mahâmâyâ, the Creatress and Destructress! Thou beginning
less and deathless! O auspicious Kalike! The Bestower of enjoyment and liberation I do
not know Thy Saguna or Nirguna forms; how then can I know Thy glorious deeds,
innumerable as they are. To-day Thy indescribable prowess has been experienced by me,
I being made senseless and unconscious by Thy power of sleep. Being tried again and
again by Brahma with great care to bring me back to my consciousness, I could not
become conscious, so much my senses were contracted down. O Mother! By Thy power,
Thou didst keep me unconscious and Thou again hast freed me from sleep, and I also
fought so many times. O giver of one's honor! Now I am tired; but Thou hast granted
boon to the two Danavas and therefore they are not getting tired. These two Danavas,
puffed up with pride, were ready to kill Brahmâ; and therefore I challenged them to fight
with me and they too are fighting fiercely with me in this vast ocean. But Thou hast
granted them the wonderful boon that they will die whenever they will; and therefore I
have now come to Thy refuge, as Thou protect those that come under Thy shelter.

65
Therefore, O Mother, the remover of the Devas' troubles! These two Danavas are become
exceedingly elated by Thy boon and I, too, am tired. Therefore Thou help me now. See!
those two sinners are ready to kill me; without Thy grace, what can I do now? And where
to go?”

50-59. Thus praised by the eternal Vasudeva Jagannatha Hari, with humility and pranams,
the Devi Mahakali, resting in the air, said smiling :-- “O Deva deva Hari! Fight again; O
Vishnu! These two heroes, when deluded by My Maya, would be slain by you; I will
delude them certainly, by my side long glance; O Narayana! Then slay quickly the two
Danavas, when conjured by My Maya”. Hearing these loving words of Bhagavatî,
Bhagavan Vishnu went to the scene of battle in the middle of that ocean, when the two
powerful Danavas of serene tempers and eager to light, became very glad on seeing
Vishnu in the battle and said :-- “O four-armed one! We see your desire is very lofty
indeed; well stand! Stand! Now be ready for battle, knowing that victory or defeat is
surely dependent on Destiny. You should think now thus :-- Though it is generally true
that the more powerful one wins victory; but it also happens sometimes that the weak
gets the victory by queer turn of Fate; so the high souled persons should not be glad at
their victories, nor should express their sorrows at their defeat; so don’t be glad, thinking,
that you on many former occasions fought with many Danavas who were your enemies,
and got the victory; nor be sorry that now you are defeated by the two Danavas”. Thus
saying, the powerful Madhu Kaitabha came up to fight. Seeing this, Bhagavan Vishnu
struck them immediately by fist with great violence; the two Danavas, elated with their
strength, struck Hari in return with their fists. Thus fighting went on vigorously.

Now seeing the two Danavas of great powers, fighting on incessantly, Narayana Hari
cast a glance expressive of great distress, towards the face of the Devi Mahakali. Seeing
Vishnu thus distressed, the Devi laughed loudly and began to look constantly with eyes
somewhat reddish and shot towards the two Asuras side-long glances, of love and
amorous feelings which were like arrows from the Cupid. The two vicious Daityas
became fascinated by the side-long glances of the Devi and took great pleasures in them;
being extremely agitated by these amorous darts, looked with one steady gaze towards
the Devi, of spotless lustre. Bhagavan Hari, too, saw the wonderful enchanting pastime of
the Devi. Then Hari, perfectly expert in adopting means to secure ends, began to speak
smiling and in voice like that of the rambling cloud, knowing the two Danavas enchanted
by Mahâmâyâ, thus :-- O two heroes! I am very glad at the mode of your fighting. So ask
from me boons. I will grant that to you. I saw many Danavas before, fighting; but never I
saw them expert like you, nor I heard like this. I am therefore, very much satisfied by
such unrivalled powers. Therefore, O greatly powerful pair of Danavas! I wish to grant
both of you any boon that you want. Seeing the Devi Mahâmâyâ, the gladdener, of the
Universe, the two Danavas felt themselves amorous; and therefore they became proud on
hearing Vishnu’s those words and told Vishnu, with their lotus-like eyes wide open, thus
:-- O Hari! What do you like to give us? We are not beggars; we do not want anything
from you. O Lord of the Devas! Rather we will give you whatever you desire; we are
donors; not receivers. So O Vasudeva! Hrisi Kesa! We are glad to see your- wonderful

66
fight; so ask from us any boon that you desire. Hearing their words, Bhagavan Janardan
said: -- “If you both are so much pleased with me, then I want this that both of you be
killed by me.” Hearing these words of Vishnu, Madhu Kaitabha became very much
wondered and thinking “we are now cheated” remained for some time merged in sorrow.
Then reflecting that there is water everywhere and solid earth nowhere, they said:--

“O Janârdana Hari! We know that you are truthful; therefore now we want this desired
boon from you that you wanted to grant us before now grant us this desired boon of ours.
O Madhusûdana! We will be slain by you; but kill us, O Madhava! On a solid earth, free
from any water; and thus keep your word.

Shri Bhagavan Hari laughed and remembering His Sudarsan disc said: -- “O two highly
fortunate ones! Verily, I will kill both of you on the vast solid spot without any trace of
water. Thus saying, the Devadeva Hari expanded His own thighs and showed to those
Danavas the vast solid earth on the surface of water and said :--

“O two Danavas! See, here is no water. Place your two heads here; thus I will keep my
word and you would keep your word.” Hearing this, Madhu Kaitabha thought over in
their minds and expanded their bodies to ten thousand Yojanas. Bhagavan Vishnu Hari
also extended his thighs to twice that amount. Seeing this, they were greatly, surprised
and laid their heads on the thighs of Vishnu. Vishnu of wonderful prowess then cut off
quickly with His Sudarsan disc the two very big heads over His thighs. Thus the two
Danavas Madhu Kaitabha passed away; and the marrow (meda) of them filled the ocean.
O Munis! For this reason, this earth is named Medinî and the earth is unfit for eatable
purpose.

Thus I have described to you all that you asked. The sum and substance is this that the
wise persons should serve Mahâmâyâ with all their hearts. The Supreme Shakti is
worshipped by all the Devas. Verily, I say unto you that this is decided, in all the Vedas
and other Shastras that there is nothing higher than this Adi Shakti. Therefore this
Supreme Shakti should be worshipped anyhow; either in Her Saguna form or in Her
Nirguna state.

______________________

67
Iconography Mahakali

Mahakali is portrayed mostly in two

forms: the popular four-armed form
and the ten-armed Mahakali form.
In both of her forms, she is
described as being black in color
but is most often depicted as blue in
popular Indian art. Her eyes are
described as red with intoxication
and in absolute rage, her hair is
shown disheveled, small fangs
sometimes protrude out of Her
mouth and Her tongue is lolling.
Universal Force of Destruction
She is often shown naked or just
wearing a skirt made of human Affiliation Devi , Adi Shakti, Brahman
arms and a garland of human heads. Om Krīm Kālyai namaḥ ,
She is also accompanied by
serpents and a jackal while standing Om Kapālinaye Namah,
Mantra
on a seemingly dead Shiva, usually Om Hrim Shrim Krim
right foot forward to symbolize the Parameshvari Kalike Svaha
more popular Dakshinamarga or
right-handed path, as opposed to the Weapon Weapons of Almost all Devas
more infamous and transgress Vamamarga or left-handed path. [

In the ten armed form of Mahakali she is depicted as shining like a blue stone. She
has ten faces and ten feet and three eyes. She has ornaments decked on all her limbs.
There is no association with Siva.

In the Mahakali form she has ten heads, ten arms, and ten legs. Each of her ten hands is
carrying a various implement which vary in different accounts, but each of these
represent the power of one of the Devas or Hindu Gods and are often the identifying
weapon or ritual item of a given Deva. The implication is that Mahakali subsumes and is
responsible for the powers that these deities possess and this is in line with the
interpretation that Mahakali is identical with Brahman. While not displaying ten heads,
an “ekamukhi” or one headed image may be displayed with ten arms, signifying the same
concept: the powers of the various Gods come only through Her grace.

Legend of Mahalakshmi or Chandika

68
Chandi (Sanskrit: चणडी, or Chandika) is the Great Goddess also known as Chandi or
Durga Sapthashati. Chandi is described as the Supreme reality who is a combination of
Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati. Later in the Murti Rahasya she is described
as Maha Lakshmi with eighteen arms (Ashtadasa Bhuja Mahalakshmi) bearing weapons.
But she is fearful form of Devi Parvati, who even sends Shiva as her messenger . Thus she
is also called as Shivduti. There are many legends depicting Her glory. But most famous
of them is that as a slayer of Mahishasura.

The legend goes like that Ramba and Karamba were the sons of the demon
Dhanu. Both of them decided to undertake a severe penance. Karamba immersed himself
neck-deep in water and Ramba entered a blazing fire. Indra, the king of the Demi-Gods
foresaw danger to his throne. He assumed the form of a crocodile, and killed Karamba
who was meditating in the water. Ramba, after realizing that his brother was dead, got
frightened and prepared to commit suicide. Agni, the god of fire, intervened and offered a
boon to Ramba. Ramba asked for a son who would be strong.
On his way back home, Ramba met a beautiful female demon, who was in the form of a
buffalo. He fell in love with her and decided to take her home. At midnight while Ramba
was making love with the demoness, another wild male buffalo attacked and killed him.
The grief-stricken she-buffalo also gave up her life by jumping into the funeral pyre of
Ramba. But Agni's boon had to come true. Therefore a baby boy was born from the
funeral fire. The boy was later named Mahishasura, the buffalo demon.
Mahishasura was brought up by Ramba’s relatives who trained him to be their king. He
worshipped Lord Brahma and performed severe penance for a boon. Brahma was pleased
and appeared before him. Mahishasura obtained a boon from Brahma by which no male
could kill him. He could not even conceive of a situation in which a female would
challenge him. After receiving the boon, Mahishasura began expanding his kingdom.
Finally he entered Heaven, defeated Indra and threw out all the demi-Gods When the
demon Mahishasura was the leader of the demons; they fought the gods and vanquished
them. Then Mahishasura became the lord of heaven, an Indra, and assumed the duties of
Surya, Agni, Vayu, Chandra, Yama and Varuna. The gods approached Lord Vishnu and
Lord Shiva. Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva became very angry when they heard the pitiful
story of the god’s defeat. From their faces, as well as from the faces of all the gods who
were present there, an intense light emerged that pervaded all quarters of the universe.
That light then assumed a female form. Thus Devi was manifest from the lightened power
of all gods. Then the gods all gave her their respective weapons and other gifts: Lord
Shiva gave her His trident; Vishnu his chakra; Indra his thunderbolt and so on all the gods
gave their respective weapons to Devi.

Armed with the power of the gods and all their weapons, Devi started out to kill
Mahishasura. The earth trembled under Her feet. The twang of Her bow raised fear in the
hearts of the demons. Mahishasura generals, Ciksura, Udagra, Mahahanu, Asiloman,
Baskala, Privarita, Bidala and great many other demons came out to fight Devi in
millions of numbers with millions of horses, elephants and chariots. They fought with
arrows, javelins, spears, swords, maces, clubs, axes and every other kind of weapon. Devi

69
killed the demons by the thousands while Her lion killed several hundreds more. Each of
Her sighs in the battle gave birth to a battalion of army which fought and killed the
demons by the million. The blood that was spilled on the battle ground flowed like a
large river.

Then one of Mahishasura generals, Ciksura, got very angry and attacked Devi with many
kinds of weapons. Devi nullified all of his weapons and killed him by hurling a spear at
him. This brought Camara in to the battle who was very angry for the death of Ciksura.
He attacked Devi from atop a huge elephant, but Devi’s mount, the lion, killed both the
demon and the elephant. Next Udagra, Karala, Uddhata, Baskala, Tamara and Andhaka
were killed by Devi in fierce battles. Last of Mahishasura’s generals, Ugrasya, Ugravirya,
Bidala, Durdhara and Durmudha, were killed by Devi in no time. Thus, all of the army of
Mahishasura was killed in the battle by Devi.

Mahishasura gets killed

Then Mahishasura himself came on to the battle field in the form of a fiercely terrible
buffalo. He was ferocious and killed many soldiers on the battle field with his horns and
trampling them under his feet. He charged at Devi’s lion. He kicked up so much dust with
his hooves that the earth trembled. The mountains were tossed and the clouds were
shattered by his horns. The force of his breath swept away even the biggest mountains.
Seeing him in that ferocious buffalo form, Devi bound the demon by throwing Her noose
over him, but the demon quit his buffalo form and became a lion and charged towards
Devi. She cut his head off but it did not kill him. Instead he took a human form with a
sword in his hand. When Devi killed the demon in the human form, the demon appeared
as an elephant and tried to drag the lion with his trunk. Devi then cut the elephant’s trunk
off. Seeing that all his magical powers were useless before Devi, Mahishasura took his
original buffalo form and charged at Devi with such speed and fury, that the three worlds
shook and trembled. Devi was angry now. She sipped a divine drink and jumped down
onto the demon from atop her lion and pinned the demon under her foot. While pinning
him down, she brought down the Trident in her right hand with all the force to sever the
head of the demon. Thus, loosing all his magical powers, Mahishasura was finally slain.
Therefore, Devi is called Mahishmardini (Killer of Mahishasura) Mahalakshmi. There
upon, all the gods praised Devi with bent shoulders and heads and offered her celestial.

Chandi Slays Mahishasura Chandi Slays Mahishasura

Iconography

70
Mahalakshmi (Greator form of Lakshmi) is the presiding Goddess of the Middle episode
of Devi Mahatmya. She is called Mahalakshmi because she provides fortune to all demi-
gods by killing the demon, Mahishasura and Since Goddess Lakshmi is Personfication of
Light energy and Power means Parvati. Since she was manifested from Power (Parvati)
of various God and gods in the form of light energy (Lakshmi). Here she is depicted as
Devi in her universal form of Shakti. The manifestation of the Devi to kill Mahishasura is
formed by the effulgence of all the gods. The Goddess is described as eighteen armed
bearing string of beads, battle axe,
maze, arrow, thunderbolt, lotus, bow, Chandi
water-pot, cudgel, lance, sword,
shield, conch, bell, wine-cup, trident,
noose and the discuss Sudarsan. She
has a complexion of coral and is
seated on a lotus. so She is known as
Ashta Dasa Bhuja Mahalakshmi. But,
Being associated with Power, Hence
Mahalakshmi is described as one of
the most powerful form of Goddess
Parvati. Chandi or Chandika is the
name by which the Supreme Goddess
is referred to in Devi Mahatmya.
"Chandika is "the violent and Universal Force of Preservation
impetuous one". The designation of
Chandi or Chandika is used twenty- Affiliation Devi / Adi Shakti
nine times in the Devi Mahatmya. It is Om aim hrim klim chamuṇḍai
the most common epithet used for the Mantra
vice
Goddess. In Devi Mahatmya, Chandi,
Chandika, Ambika and Durga have Mount Lion
been used synonymously. Chandi is one of the most popular folk deities in Bengal, and a
number of poems and literary compositions in Bengali called Chandi Mangala Kavyas
were written from 13th century to early 19th century. These had the effect of merging the
local folk and tribal goddesses with mainstream Hinduism. The Mangala kavyas often
associate Chandi with goddess Kali or Kalika and recognize her as a consort of Shiva and
mother of Ganesha and Kartikeya, Considering her as a form of goddess Parvati or
Durga. The concept of Chandi as the supreme Goddess also underwent a change. The
worship of the Goddess became heterogeneous in nature. Chandi is associated with good
fortune as well as disaster. Her auspicious forms like Mangal Chandi, Sankat Mangal
Chandi, and Rana Chandi bestow joy, riches, children, good hunting and victory in
battles while other forms like Olai Chandi cure diseases like cholera, plague and cattle
diseases.

71
 Legend of Goddess Sati
The legend of Goddess Sati starts when; Prajapati Daksa the son of Lord Brahma
preached and worshiped the Jagdamba Devi (Feminine Personification of Omkara) so
that she could take birth as her daughter. As per her bless to the Daksa, she took birth in
the home of Daksa. She was looked as Murti of Dharma karma hence she was named as
Sati. Because she was the daughter of Daksa, She is also called as Dakhyani. Since she
was an incarnation of Shakti, She was one who was associated with Lord Shiva. From the
childhood she worshiped Lord Shiva. And when she grew younger, She made hard
Penance to achieve Shiva as her consort. As per the hard penance, she achieved what she
wanted. She then married to Lord Shiva. But the marriage was ensured without the
consent of Daksa that makes him angry towards Lord Shiva. In an incident after wedding
that arose his anger to across the limit When Daksa made the occasion of marriage of his
other 42 daughters with moon, there all the guests stood on the arrival of Daksa to the
ceremony except for Lord Shiva, who meanwhile was in meditation as usual. Daksa here
insulted Shiva with wrong words, which could not be sustained by Goddess Sati. And she
and Lord Shiva left the Ceremony.

But it can not be restrained by Daksa, He than plans to get rid of it. Daksa instituted a
massive sacrifice and in the ceremonies apportioned no share to Shiva. Sati, his daughter,
had come to this ceremony against the advice other husband, Shiva, who was not invited
by the latter's father-in-Law. Sati could not bear this insult and entered the sacrificial fire.
Hearing the news Shiva flew in a rage and reached there with his blazing trident. He
pierced the sacrificial altar with great violence. He ran up to the gods sitting there and
knocked out all things at the spot. Many powerful demi-gods in attendance to Shiva
attacked the place together with their lord. The mountains tottered, the earth shook, the
winds roared and the depths of the sea were disturbed.

The catastrophe is thus described in Purana, "Indra is knocked down and trampled on,
Yama has his staff broken and Matris have their noses wounded, Bhag has his eyes pulled
out, Pushan has his teeth knocked down his throat, Chandra (the moon) is pummeled,
Agni’s hands are broken, Bhragu's beard is crushed, Prajapatis are beaten and the gods
are running around scared." In the end Vishnu intervened and propitiated the wrath of
Shiva. Daksa acknowledged Shiva's supremacy and apportioned a due share to this god.
It is said that after the destruction of massive Sacrifice, Shiva lifted the burnt Body of
Goddess Sati on his shoulders and started Violent Tandva Nritya that Tampered Whole
universe. Seeking this, Lord Vishnu threshed the body of Goddess Sati and Made Shiva
outside the Moh of Goddess Sati. Due to that thresh of the Goddess’s Body, her different
the body parts and Jewelry fell to different parts of Indian Sub-Continent. The places
where different body parts fell are now recognized as Shakti Peeths. They are 51 in
number.

72
Some important Peeths are written bellow.

1) Devi Vashnavi.
2) Devi Jwalamukhi.
3) Devi Vrajeshvari.
4) Devi Mansa.
5) Devi Chamunda.
6) Devi Kalighat.
7) Devi Chintpurni.
8) Devi Shakumbri.
9) Devi Kamkhya.

73
 Legend of Goddess Parvati
Birth and Marriage: -
After the self immolation of Goddess Sati, Lord Shiva thought to live in
Brahmchari mode; he didn’t want to marry again. He led the posture of a Yogi, continued
to make His concentration on Param OM. But at the same time there was a demon,
Tarakasura who undertook deep Penance of Lord Brahma and at last when Brahma got
happy. Then clever Tarakasura took bless from Brahma, the he should be killed by Son of
Lord Shiva. So he thought him self immortal as Shiva’s Son can’t be born unless Lord
Shiva got married. Meanwhile Shiva was in Brahmcharya mode so he couldn’t marry.
Making help of this, Tarakasura captured all the three lokas and led the Indra outside
from heaven. At this time, Lord Vishnu too couldn’t help them to save from the demon as
He was under the limit of Vardana of Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu
suggested them to worship Adi-Shakti Goddess Bhuvaneshwari, so that She could
incarnate again in the Sakara Roop and merry Lord Shiva. After their advice all the demi-
gods worshiped The Goddess. The Goddess appeared as Singh-vahini before them and
said “She will be soon incarnated in the house of Raja Himalaya, The incarnation of
mine will be so divine, and that she would be regarded as Goddess of all Goddesses,
and my total energy, forces and powers will be vested in her. She will have various
Divine forms and manifestation. She will be regarded as My Shakti Swaroop and
this incarnation will be married to my Ishta Deva, God of all Demi-gods “Lord
Shiva”. Mena Rani, the wife of Raja Himalaya, Had worshiped me in her previous
Life and wanted me as her daughter. So now I will take birth as her daughter but
will not take birth from her Garbha. I will be incarnated as ajanma immortal Girl
that will led Shiva-Shakti or Time-Power Unity to led Creation or Energy. Hence
She can be depicted as rebirth of Goddess Sati” She then went to her celestial Loka.

Parvati

After some time, the sayings of the Goddess gets trued, She took birth in
the house of Raja Himalaya. Narada, the Devrishi along with Lord Vishnu and Lord
Brahma reached there to see the great Goddess in the Form of Newly Born baby. She
then was recognized by the name Parvati. When she grew little younger, Narada was
made guru of Her. When She was of eight, she was so beautiful and was golden

74
complexioned and named as Gauri. In childhood, she had two friends Ajaya and
Vijaya. Narada from the childhood started explaining the prosperity and glories of Lord
Shiva. When she grew younger she started deep worship of Godhead Shiva and wanted
Him as Her Consort. Narada told her for deep Penance, if she wanted Shiva as her
Consort. Then she started Years and years of penance. But there was no answer from
Lord Shiva as he was in deep Meditation. So arising Lord Shiva from deep Meditation
was a very difficult task. As it was like an action to dip your hand in the mouth of Lion.
As there was no one who could hold Shiva’s anger except for Kamadeva. Then Indra sent
Kamadeva to awake Shiva. After a lot difficulty he awoke Lord Shiva. But, Shiva’s anger
arose very far that He burnt Kamadeva by fire from his Third eye. But bow to lord Shiva
led the feelings of Love in the heart of Shiva. After the request of Devi Rati, Wife of
Kamadeva, and Shiva gave her boon that she would have his Husband back in dwapra
Yuga, and took birth as son of Lord Krishna. Years and years of penance of Goddess
Parvati finally brought Shiva before her one day, just for a second. Parvati was only more
besotted afterwards. Very soon afterwards, Shiva came to Parvati in the guise of an old
man and asked why a beautiful woman such as her should waste her time dreaming of a
man who wore leopard skin and smeared his body with ashes. Surely there are more
handsome men in the world. Parvati was deeply offended. She scorned the old man for
saying such things about her beloved. Her objection convinced Shiva of her love for him
and he showed her his true form. Thus, like Sati, Parvati underwent severe penance
(tapas), pleased Shiva and regained him as her husband. Because she didn’t take one
piece of leave she is called by the name Aparana. Shiva gave her boon to accept Her as
his Consort.
But Mena Rani didn’t want Parvati’s wedding with Shivji and She
thought Parvati could not spend whole life with Lord of Ghosts, Shiva. But, She wasn’t
recognized by the Divine form of Lord Shiva, As Shiva is a personification of Time,
which is above all in any respect. Also, Shiva is thus recognized as ultimate reality. But
later on, Mena Rani gave her permission for the divine marriage. The marriage ceremony
of Shiva – Parvati was most colorful marriage. In the barat of Lord Shiva every person
via Devas, Danavas, Bhootas, Pishachas and Brahma and Vishnu along with their
Consorts were invited. Seeing the barat of Bhootas, Pishachas and other ghostly powers,
Mena Rani and friends of Parvati couldn’t cop with it and lose her consciousness. Even
Raja Himalaya gets terrified seeing this. But Goddess Parvati, requested Lord Shiva to
remove His Maya and to come in his Divine form. When Lord Shiva assumes his divine
form all the personnel there praised Shiva in his Divine form. At last Shiva Parvati gets
married.
After her marriage, from the tej of Lord Shiva, a divine son took
birth he is recognized with the names Skanda, Kartikeya and by the respect of Boon of
Lord Brahma. Tarakasura was then killed by god Skanda in the battle field. As Skanda is
the son of Maa Parvati, she is then recognized by the name Skandmata, one of the
forms in Nava-Durga form. Parvati had another divine son named “GANESHA”

75
Legend of Lord Ganesha: -
Though Ganesha considered as son of Shiva and Parvati, the Matsya
Purana, Shiva Purana and Skanda Purana ascribe the birth of Ganesha to Parvati only,
without any form of participation of Shiva in Ganesha's birth.

Once, while Parvati wanted to take a bath, there were no attendants around to guard her
and stop anyone from accidentally entering the house. Hence she created an image of a
boy out of turmeric paste which she prepared to cleanse her body, and infused life into it,
and thus Ganesha was born. Parvati ordered Ganesha not to allow anyone to enter the
house, and Ganesha obediently followed his mother's orders. After a while Shiva returned
and tried to enter the house, Ganesha stopped him. First Lord Shiva sent His Gana to
remove Ganesha from Door, But Ganesha was so powerful that no one could stand
against him. After that all the demi gods also came there to fight with Ganesha but all was
failed against the Lord Ganesha. Trinity then came their, after failure attacks of Vishnu
and Brahma. Shiva was infuriated and severed Ganesha's head with his Trishul (trident).
When Parvati came out and saw her son's lifeless body, she was very angry and sad. She
then assumed the form of Nava Durga and terrifically said to all Devas to restore
Ganesha's life at once. Unfortunately, Shiva's Trishul was so powerful that it had hurled
Ganesha's head very far off and thus could not be found. Finally, an elephant's head was
attached to Ganesha's body and bringing him back to life. Still upset, Parvati demanded
her son be made head of the celestial armies and worshipped by everyone before
beginning any activity and gods accepted this condition.

Ganesha is identified as a god named after his mother. He is called Umaputra,

Parvatisuta, Gaurisuta meaning son of Parvati and Heramba, "mother's beloved (son)".

Goddess Parvati with Lord Ganesha

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Iconography Parvati
Parvati (Sanskrit: पावत व ी), sometimes
spelled Parvathi or Parvathy, is a
Hindu goddess and nominally the
second consort of Shiva, the Hindu
god of destruction and rejuvenation.
However, she is not different from
Sati, being the reincarnation of that
former consort of Shiva. She is also
the mother of Ganesha and Skanda
(Kartikeya). Some communities also
believe her to be the sister of Lord
Vishnu and Shaktas consider her as
the ultimate Divine Shakti - the
embodiment of the total energy in the Goddess of Power
universe. In many interpretations of Affiliation Mahadevi, Adi-Shakti
the scriptures, Parvati is also regarded
as a representation of Shakti, albeit the Himalaya when unmarried,
Abode
gentle aspect of that goddess because otherwise Kailash
she is a mother goddess. She is Trishul, Conch,
regarded as the daughter of the Weapon
Himalayas. Chakram, crossbow, lotus.
Consort Shiva
Parvati when depicted alongside Shiva
Mount Lion or Tiger
appears with two arms, but when
alone, she is shown having four arms, and astride a tiger or lion. Generally considered a
benign goddess, but also has fearful aspects like Durga, Kali, Chandi and the Mahavidyas
as well as benevolent forms like Mahagauri, Shailputri and Lalita. Sometimes, Parvati is
considered as the supreme Divine Mother and all other goddesses are referred to as her
incarnations or manifestations. In Shavias, Parvati and Durga are same, but followers
of Shakti and Vishnu consider Durga, Chandi and Kali as fearful aspects of Parvati,
considering her as Supreme goddess of Power. Parvata is one of the Sanskrit words for
"mountain"; "Parvati" translates to "She of the mountains" and refers to Parvati being
born the daughter of Himavan, lord of the mountains and the personification of the
Himalayas. Other names which associate her with mountains are Shailaja (Daughter of
the mountains), Girirajaputri (Daughter of king of the mountains).

She is also known by a number of 108 other names, including Ambika (mother), Durga
(the inaccessible) Gauri (golden, fair), Shyama (dark complexioned), Bhairavi
(awesome), Kali (black-colored), Uma, Lalita, Aparna, the maternal epithet Mataji, and
many hundreds of others; the Lalita sahasranama contains an authoritative listing. The
name Uma is used for Sati in earlier texts, but in Ramayana is used as synonym for
Parvati. In Harivamsa, Parvati is referred to as Aparna (One who took no sustenance)
and then addressed as Uma, who was dissuaded by her mother from severe penance by
saying u ma (oh don't).

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The apparent contradiction that Parvati is addressed as the fair one, Gauri as well as the
dark one Kali or Shyama... The goddess is usually represented as a fair and beautiful.
The color of her vestments is milk-white, the color of enlightenment and knowledge.
Since white is a combination of all colors it shows that She has all the qualities or
Gunas. Since white also depicts colorlessness, it indicates that She is devoid of all
Gunas. Hence, She is referred to as Trigunatmika (having the three Gunas- Sattva
(Mahasaraswati), Rajas (Mahalakshmi), and Tamas (Mahakali) and at the same
time being Nirguna (without any Gunas). That’s why, Chamunda is an aspect of
Mahakali, Mahishasuramardini Durga is Mahalakshmi and Kaushiki is
Mahasaraswati (Sri Sri Chandi) all are manifestations of Adi Shakti, Parvati. She
has three eyes. Her accoutrements tend to be those of a Rishi (seer) but she may also wear
the ceremonial garments and carry the ritual items of a Guru (Himalayan Oracle). She is
also usually depicted with jatamukuta or a crown of matted hair, as Shiva is usually
depicted. But sometimes, she has jeweled crown, usually when she assumes the shape of
Singh-vahini Durga. Sometimes, She is also shown as having a crescent moon bound in
her locks, like Shiva. Parvati’s Vahana (animal vehicle), is usually considered to be a lion,
in the form of Durga, In certain aspects of Parvati, such as the Mahagauri form of the
Navadurga group, her vahana is Shiva's vahana, Nandi, the sacred bull.

PARVATI – As Singh-vahini
Parvati in Ascetic Mode

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 Legend of Mahasaraswati or Kaushiki
And Goddess Kali
Long long ago there existed two powerful demons called Shumbhu and Nishumbhu. As
they grew in strength, they usurped the vast empire of the King of Gods, Indra and
dispossessed all the gods like Surya, Chandra, Yam, Varuna, Pawan and Agni. Both of
them also managed to throw the god-host away from heaven. Sorely distressed the gods
went to the mortal realm (Earth) and began to brood on how to get rid of these demons
permanently. The solution was to pray to Maa Parvati, the wife of Shiva, so that she could
took the form of Shakti and destroy the two demons. They reached the Himalayas and
prayed to please the kind hearted Goddess Parvati. Parvati, on her way to fetch water
from the river Ganga, arrives and asks the gods who the hymns are meant for. In answer
to her queries, a fair complexioned, eight-armed goddess, seated astride a lion, emerges
from Parvati's body (or sheath called Sharirakosha or simply Kosha in Sanskrit) and
claims the prayers to be made to her. As she emerges from Parvati's kosha, she is called
Kaushiki. The Devi is frequently called Ambika or Mahasaraswati. Her exit from
Devi Parvati’s body caused the latter to turn dark and black and assumes the shape of
Goddess Kalika. Here Goddess Parvati was incarnated to two forms Mahasaraswati
or Kaushiki and Kalika. She was then known as Kaushiki who began to dwell over the
mountain ranges and Kalika starts wondering the whole world.

When the sycophants of the demons, Chanda and Munda saw the dazzling light in the
beautiful form of Ambika, they were enchanted by her superb beauty. They went to the
demons Shumbhu and Nishumbhu and said, “Your Lordship! This woman is the most
beautiful female in the entire Universe”. They described her beauty in such superlative
terms that Shumbhu and Nishumbhu could not resist sending their messenger Sugreeva to
bring her to them.

Sugreeva reached Ambika and extolled the virtues of his masters Shumbhu and
Nishumbhu to influence the Goddess. But she smiled indulgently and replied: “You may
be right in the assessment of your masters but I cannot break my oath. I might have done
it rather unconsciously but the fact is that now I stand committed to my oath, which is
that whosoever can defeat me in battle and brow-beat me; whosoever can match my
power, only he shall only be my master. So go and tell your masters to show their strength
and win me in the battle”
The messenger replied: “Listen, O Lady! You are very arrogant and adamant. Don’t
challenge my masters, against whose might the universe shudders in fright. They, who
have browbeaten the gods and have thrown them out of Heaven, are very powerful. You
are a mere woman, and you cannot match their might. Follow my advice and come with
me to accept their proposal. Or else you shall be pulled by your hair and taken to their
feet.”
The Goddess replied: “Whatever you say may be true. Maybe your Shumbhu is so
powerful and your Nishumbhu is so virile but I am committed to my pledge. But go now
and explain the whole situation to the Demon-lords. Let them come and defeat me!”

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Sugreeva then went to his masters Shumbhu and Nishumbhu and explained the whole
situation at length. Shumbhu and Nishumbhu became angry and they sent another demon
Dhoomralochan to fetch her. But a mere loud cry and wrathful gaze of the Goddess was
enough to incinerate the demon Dhoomralochan. The lion of the Goddess slayed the
accompanying demons. Then the Demon kings sent Chanda and Munda with a large
army to capture the Great Goddess. They encircled the Himalayas to nab the Goddess.
The Goddess then summoned a black figure of frightening form, called Kali-Devi or
Kalika Devi. She destroyed the demons easily, hacked off the heads of Chanda and
Munda and brought them to the Goddess Ambika. Since she had hacked off the heads of
Chanda Munda, she became famous as Chamunda Devi.

Hearing the death of Chanda and Munda, the Demon Kings sent another huge army
headed by seven commanders. To match their combined strength the seven gods:
Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Indra, Mahavaraaha, Nrisingha, Swami Kartikeya dispatched
their forces.
Saraswati of Lord Brahma
Maha Gauri of Lord Shiva
Lakshmi of Lord Vishnu
Amba of Lord Kartikeya
Mahavaraahi of Mahavaraaha
Narisinghi of Lord Nrisingha
Devi Indrani of god-king Indra

Seeing the temerity of the demons, another beam of power in the form of a woman
emerged from the Goddess Ambika’s body called Chandika, who sent Lord Shiva as her
messenger to Shumbhu and Nishumbhu with the message: “If you want your welfare,
return the realm of gods to gods along with their right to perform yagyas, and you must
now go down to Paataal Loka (Neither world).. Shumbhu and Nishumbhu refused to
accept the Goddess’s advice and leading a huge army of terrible demons, reached the
battlefield. Supported by the divine powers, the Goddess began to massacre the demons.
At that time the demon forces were led by a demon, Raktabeeja. He had the power to
reproduce as many demons of his form and dimension as the drops of his blood which
fell to the ground. After a fierce battle the Goddess Chandika ordered Chamunda (Kali
Maa) to spread her mouth far and wide and swallow Raktabeeja along with his blood.
Chamunda did exactly that and hacked off the head of demon.

Kali Maa then devoured the slain bodies of the asuras and danced a fierce dance to
celebrate the victory. This dance of destruction began by Kali and her attendants
continued for long and none could stop her. To stop her, Shiva himself mingled among
the asuras whom she was annihilating. Shiva allowed himself to be trampled upon by her
in this dance of victory because this was the only remedy left to bring her to senses and to
protect the world from total annihilation. When Kali Maa saw that she was dancing over
the body of her husband, she put her tongue out of her mouth in sorrow and surprise. She
remained stunned in this posture and this is how Kali is shown in images with the red
tongue protruding from her mouth.

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Durga Maa then fought the demon Nishumbhu who was slain in no time. Now Shumbhu
decided to take on the Goddess (Durga Maa) himself. Reaching the battlefield, he said to
the Goddess: You take pride on others strength. Why don’t you show your own powers?

The Goddess replied with a smile: Fool! The whole world is just Me. All Creation is my
form in a variety of dimensions. I am the cause and effect of everything: all things
emerge from me only and ultimately enter me only. The whole world is in harmony with
My Being.

Then after the nine celestial powers (Kali Maa and Chandi Maa being two of them)
which had emerged from the Goddess Ambika went back into her. Which combined
powers of nine-celestial Powers to acquire the form of Singh vahini Maa Parvati with
100 arms and She single handedly killed the demon Shumbhu.

Ambika or Kaushiki Hundred Armed Goddess Devi Kalika

Shakti

81
82
Iconography of Goddess Kali
Kali
Kali, also known as Kalika (Sanskrit:
काली), is a Hindu goddess associated
with death and destruction. Despite
her negative connotations, she is not
actually the goddess of death, but
rather of Time and Change. Although
sometimes presented as black and
violent, her earliest incarnation as a
figure of annihilation still has some
influence. More complex Tantric
beliefs sometimes extend her role so
far as to be the "Ultimate Reality" or
Brahman. She is also revered as
Bhavatarini (lit. "Redeemer of the
universe"). Comparatively recent
devotional movements largely
conceive Kali as a benevolent
mother-goddess. The Goddess beyond Time
Kali is represented as the consort of Affiliation Devi , Mahavidya ,
God Shiva, on whose body she is
often seen standing. She is associated
Matrika
with many other Hindu goddesses Abode Cremation grounds
like Durga, Bhadrakali, Sati, Rudrani, Mantra Om Krīm Kālyai
Parvati and Chamunda. She is the
foremost among the Dasa- namaḥ
Mahavidyas, ten fierce Tantric Om Kapālinaye Namah,
goddesses. Om Hrim Shrim Krim
Kali is portrayed mostly in two
forms: the popular four-armed form
Parameshvari Kalike
and the ten-armed Mahakali form. In Svaha
both of her forms, she is described as Weapon Sword
being black in color but is most often
depicted as blue in popular Indian art. Consort Shiva
Her eyes are described as red with Mount Jackal
intoxication and in absolute rage, Her
hair is shown disheveled, small fangs sometimes protrude out of Her mouth and Her
tongue is lolling. She is often shown naked or just wearing a skirt made of human arms
and a garland of human heads. She is also accompanied by serpents and a jackal while
standing on a seemingly dead Shiva, usually right foot forward to symbolize the more
popular Dakshinamarga or right-handed path, as opposed to the more infamous and
transgress Vamamarga or left-handed path.

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Iconography of Kaushiki
Mahasarswati
Mahasaraswati is the presiding Goddess of
the Final episode of Devi Mahatmya. In
this she is recognized as Goddess
Kaushiki also. She is depicted as eight-
armed. Wielding in her lotus-hands the
bell, trident, ploughshare, conch, pestle,
discus, bow, and arrow, her lustre is like
that of a moon shining in the autumn sky.
She is born from the body of Parvati, the
supreme Goddess (Adi-Devi) and is the
sustaining base of the three worlds. The
Mahasaraswati I worship here who
destroyed Shumbhu and other asuras.
Markandeya Purana places the five
forms of Devi Kaushiki in the following
order: Universal Force of Creation
Adi-Shakti, Brahman,
AMBIKA – The goddess who first Affiliation
Devi
received and showed her beautiful face to
entice the demons Weapon Trishul (trident),
Chakram,
DASHBHOOJA – In this form she
destroyed the demon Dhoomralochan. Scimitar,
Conch shell, Mace,
CHAMMUNDA – In this form, She slew Bow, Talwar (long
with Chanda – Munda and Raktabij, the
general whose drops of blood created sword),
thousands of demons Lotus.

VANACHANDI - In this form, She slew Mount Tiger or Lion

Nishumbhu.

100 ARMED GODDESS PARVATI – In this form she slew Shumbhu, the demon.

_____________________

Legend of Goddess Durga

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How Parvati came to have the name of Durga is an interesting narration. On
one occasion the sage AGASTYA asked Kartikeya why Parvati, his mother
is called Durga. Kartikeya replied that once there was a demon, named
DURGUMASURA, the son of RURU. The Guru of Demons provoked him
and Asked him to worship Lord Brahma. He pleased Brahma with his strong
penance. He demanded for Vedas in which all the secrets and glory of all
Devas were written. As the Vedas are the lineal progenitors of Sanatana
Dharma and is the power of all Devas. He conquered the three worlds and
even dethroned Indra, the king of gods. He abolished all religious
ceremonies so that Brahmans were terrified because all mantras were now
functionless as Vedas were captured by the cheap demon. All the gods
assembled and prayed to Trinity to protect them from the tyranny of this
demon. They took pity on them and asked Parvati, The unlimited power, to
go and destroy the evil demon as Her power was Beyond Vedas. She calmed
the gods and agreed to rescue them from the evil Durgumasura. There was
long and fierce battle. As soon as the giant came near with his evil followers
Parvati assumed 1000 arms and also brought out a number of weapons out
of her body.
She repelled every attack and in the end the demon assumed the shape of a
fearful buffalo and with his horns cast trees, rocks and mountains on the
goddess, who cut everything into pieces. The goddess Parvati pierced him
with her trident and subdued him. The gods with this deliverance praised the
goddess and honored MAA PARVATI with the name of MAA DURGA;
actually the goddess was none other than the Goddess Mahalakshmi (Not
Wife of Vishnu), but the Goddess who slayed Mahishasura.

DURGA

85
Iconography
Durga
In Hinduism, Durga (Sanskrit: "the
inaccessible" or "the invincible") or
Maa Durga (Mother Durga) is a
form of Devi, the supreme goddess.
Goddess Durga is considered by
Hindus to be the mother of
Ganesha, Kartikeya, as well as
Saraswati and Lakshmi. She is thus
considered the fiercer, demon-
fighting form of Shiva's wife, Great
Goddess Parvati.

Durga is depicted as a warrior

aspect of Devi Parvati with 8 or 10 Goddess Beyond Reach
arms who rides a lion or a tiger,
carries weapons and assumes
mudras, or symbolic hand gestures. Affiliation Avatar of Devi
This form of the Goddess is the Abode Kailash
embodiment of feminine and
creative energy (Shakti). The Great Om Dum Durgayei Namaha Om
Goddess Durga is said to be Mantra Aing Hring Kling Chamundayei
exquisitely beautiful. Her form is Vichche
blindingly bright (Devi), with three
lotus-like eyes, ten or eigth or 100 Trishula (trident), Chakram,
or 1000 powerful hands, lush hair Scimitar, Snake,
with beautiful curls, a red-golden
glow from her skin and a quarter Weapon Conch shell, Mace,
moons on her forehead. She wears Bow, Talwar (longsword),
shiny oceanic blue attire emitting Lotus, Thunderbolt
fierce rays. Her ornaments were
carved beautifully of gold, with Consort Shiva
ocean pearls and precious stones
embedded in it. Each god also gave Mount Dawon (tiger or lion)
her their own most powerful weapons, Rudra's trident, Vishnu's discus, Indra's
thunderbolt, Brahma's kamandal, Kuber's gada, etc along with Khanda. Himalayas gifted
her fierce whitish golden lion. On the end of the 8th and beginning of the 9th day of
waxing moon.

The 4 days Durga Puja is the biggest annual festival in Bengal, celebrated likewise with
much fervour in the other extremity of India, Gujarat, and parts of Eastern India, but it is
celebrated in various forms throughout the Hindu universe.

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The day of Durga's victory is celebrated as Vijaya Dashmi (East and South India),
Dashain (Nepal) or Dussehra (North India) - these words literally mean "the Victorius
Tenth" (day), vijaya means "of-victory". In Kashmir she is worshipped as shaarika (the
main temple is in Hari Parbat in Srinagar).

The actual period of the worship however may be on the preceding nine days followed by
the last day called Vijayadashami in North India or five days in Bengal, (from the sixth to
tenth day of the waxing-moon fortnight). Nine aspects of Durga known as Navadurga are
meditated upon, one by one during the nine-day festival by devout shakti worshippers.

In North India, this tenth day, signifying Rama's victory in his battle against the demon
Ravana, is celebrated as Dussehra - gigantic straw effigies of Ravana are burnt in
designated open spaces (e.g. Delhi's Ram Lila grounds), watched by thousands of
families and little children.

In Gujarat it is celebrated as the last day of Navaratri, during which the Garba dance is
performed to celebrate the vigorous victory of Mahishasura-mardini Durga.

The Goddess Durga worshipped in her peaceful form as MahaGauri, The Fair Lady,
Shree Shantadurga also known as santeri , is the patron Goddess of Goa. She is
worshipped by all Goan Hindus irrespective of caste and even by some Christians in Goa.

Goddess Durga is worshipped in many temples of Dakshina Kannada district of

Karnataka.

Another important text on Durga is the 21-verse long Mahishasura Mardini Stotram
(Prayer to the Goddess who killed Mahishasura) written by Sri Sri Sri Shankara
Bhagavatpadacharya.

Durga, in fact, is the goddess most widely worshipped throughout India in various ways
and under various names. The goddess Durga has nine important forms called the Nava-
Durga. During the Navaratri festival (October), each of the goddesses is worshipped on a
particular night for the destruction of evil and for the preservation of Dharma (religion).

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 The nine Durgas are:
SHAILPUTRI: She is worshipped on the first night and is the daughter of Himavan. She
has two hands, one holding a trident and the other a lotus. She rides a bull.

BRAHMACHARINI: The second Durga-Shakti has two hands. One holds a water-pot
and the other a rosary. She symbolizes devotion.

CHANDRAGHANTA: The third Durga-Shakti is

golden complexioned, rides a tiger and has ten hands and
three eyes. The hands hold various types of weapons
with two in a boon-giving and protective mode.

KUSHMANDA: The fourth Durga-Shakti has eight

arms, holding various types of weapons and a rosary.
She rides a tiger and has a presence like that of the Sun.

SKANDAMATA: Riding a lion, she is the mother of

Skanda who is shown sitting on her lap. She has three
eyes and four arms with two holding lotus flowers and
two in a blessing and protective mode.

MAHISHAMARDINEE KATYAYANI: The sixth Durga-Shakti is the daughter of

the sage Katya. Riding a lion, she has three eyes and
eight arms holding various weapons. She is golden colored.

KALARATRI: She is black colored with flowing hair, has three eyes and rides a donkey.
She has four hands with two holding a cleaver and a torch.

MAHAGAURI: She is fair complexioned with four arms and wearing white clothes. She
holds a drum and a trident and rides a bull. She has a peaceful expression on her face.

SIDDHIDHATRI: This form is shown seated on a lotus or a tiger. She has four arms and
has the ability to bless her devotees with twenty-six different boons.

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 Mahavidyas
Mahavidyas (Great Wisdoms) are aspects of Devi in Hinduism. The Ten Mahavidyas are
known as Wisdom Goddesses. The spectrum of these ten goddesses covers the whole
range of feminine divinity, encompassing horrific goddesses at one end, to the ravishingly
beautiful at the other. The name Mahavidyas comes from the roots maha (great) and
vidya (revelation, manifestation, knowledge, wisdom).

In the Tantric tradition, these are identified as:

1. Kali
2. Tara
3. Tripura Sundari
4. Bhuvaneshvari
5. Bhairavi
6. Chhinnamasta
7. Dhumavati
8. Bagalamukhi
9. Matangi
10. Kamalatmika

The Mahabhagavata-purana and Brhaddharma-purana provide a slightly different list of

the Mahavidyas: Kali, Tara, Chinnamasta, Bhuvanesvari, Bagala, Dumavati, Kamala,
Matangi, Sodasi, and Bhairavi.

The Guhyatiguyha-tantra associates the Mahavidyas with the ten avatars of Vishnu, and
states that the Mahavidyas are the source from which the avatars of Vishnu arose.

All ten forms of the Goddess, whether gentle or terrifying, are worshiped as the universal
Mother.

Birth of Das Mahavidyas

Once during their numerous love games, things got out of hand between Shiva and
Parvati. What had started in jest turned into a serious matter with an incensed Shiva
threatening to walk out on Parvati. No amount of coaxing or cajoling by Parvati could
reverse matters. Left with no choice, Parvati multiplied herself into ten different forms for
each of the ten directions. Thus however hard Shiva might try to escape from his beloved
Parvati, he would find her standing as a guardian, guarding all escape routes.

Each of the Devi's manifested forms made Shiva realize essential truths, made him aware
of the eternal nature of their mutual love and most significantly established for always in
the canon of Indian thought the Goddess's superiority over her male counterpart. Not that
Shiva in any way felt belittled by this awareness, only spiritually awakened. This is true
as much for this Great Lord as for us ordinary mortals. Befittingly thus they are referred

89
to as the Great Goddesses of Wisdom, known in Sanskrit as the Mahavidyas. Indeed in
the process of spiritual learning the Goddess is the muse who guides and inspires us. She
is the high priestess who unfolds the inner truths.

Another story (told in several of the puranas) involves an argument between Shiva and
Sati (Dakshayani), an earlier incarnation of Parvati. When Shiva and Sati were wed, Sati's
father Daksha disapproved of the match and organized a great sacrifice to which he
invited everyone except for the newlywed couple. Sati, incensed, insisted on attending
the sacrifice, which Shiva forbade until Sati transformed herself into a terrible appearance
and multipled into the ten Mahavidyas, whereby she subdued Shiva's resistance and
attended the sacrifice.

Bagulamukhi Bhuvneshvari

Tara Kali

Bhairavi

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 Chapter 4
Goddess Gayatri

Gayatri is in fact the name applied to one of the most well known Vedic
hymn consisting of twenty-four syllables. This hymn is addressed to god
Surya (sun) as the supreme generative force. Being translated this hymn
means "We meditate on that glorious light of the divine Surya (Sun), may he,
the lord of light, illuminate our minds". It is ordained that repeating this
hymn again and again leads to salvation. One who desires to attain heaven
should recite it a thousand times each day. A man of the upper caste, who
daily repeats the Gayatri hymn 3000 times for one month, shall be freed
from guilt, however great.

Gayatri later came to be personified as a

goddess. She is shown having five heads and is
usually seated within a lotus. She is another
consort of Brahma.

According to the myth one day Saraswati was

late to arrive at the time when Brahma was to
perform his sacrifices to gods. Brahma became
very angry because his consort's presence was
indispensable to complete the ceremonies.
Brahma asked the priest to fetch him any
GAYATRI
woman and wed him to her at the spot. Just in
the neighbourhood was found a very lovely shepherdess. In reality she was
no other person than this Vedic hymn of Gayatri incarnated in the shape of
that beautiful girl. Brahma immediately married that girl and kept her as his
other wife together with Saraswati.

The five heads of Gayatri represent the four Vedas of ancient Aryans and the
remaining one represents the Almighty Lord himself. In her ten hands she
holds all the symbols of Lord Vishnu including mace, lotus, axe, conch,
Sudarsan, lotus, etc. One of the sacred texts explicitly reads, 'The Gayatri is
Brahma, the Gayatri is Vishnu, the Gayatri is Shiva, the Gayatri is Vedas".

All sects of Hindus accept the importance of this hymn. Even the Arya

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Samajists, who do not believe in the worship of images and idols, proclaim
this hymn as the most sacred one and in every prayer of theirs repeat the
holy mantra to achieve success as well as salvation.

• In Devanagari the hymn is as following:

ॐ भूभुव
व ः सवः ।
तत ् सिवतुवरवेणयं ।
भगो दे वसय धीमिि ।
िधयो यो नः पचोदयात ् ॥

Word-by-word explanation:-

• Om The mystical Om syllable.

• bhu "earth"
• bhuvas "atmosphere"
• svar "light, heaven"
• tat "that"
• savitur devasya "of Savitr, the god" (genitives of savitr-,
'stimulator, rouser; name of a sun-deity' and deva- 'god' or 'demi-god')
• varenyam accusative of varenya- "desirable, excellent"
• bhargo "radiance, lustre, splendour, glory"
• Dhīmahi "may we attain" (1st person plural middle optative of dhā-
'set, bring, fix' etc.)
• dhiyaḥ naḥ "our prayers" (accusative plural of dhi- 'thought,
meditation, devotion, prayer' and naḥ enclitic personal pronoun)
• yaḥ pracodayāt "who may stimulate" (nominative singular of
relative pronoun yad-; causative 3rd person of pra-cud- 'set in motion,
drive on, urge, impel')

Legend of Origin
Rishis selected the words of the Gayatri Mantra and arranged them so that
they not only convey meaning but also create specific power of righteous
wisdom through their utterance. The ideal times for chanting the mantra are
three times a day - at dawn, mid-day, and at dusk. These times are known as
the three sandhyas - morning, mid-day and evening. The maximum benefit

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of chanting the mantra is said to be obtained by chanting it 108 times.
However, one may chant it for 3, 9, or 18 times when pressed for time. The
syllables of the mantra are said to positively affect all the chakras or energy
centers in the human body - hence, proper pronunciation and enunciation are
very important. In general, Brahmarishi Vishwamitra is credited with the
authorship of the Gayatri Mantra.

Iconography
Originally the personification of the mantra, the goddess Gayatri is
considered the Veda Mata, the mother of all Vedas and the consort of the
God Brahma and also the personification of the all-pervading Para Brahman,
the ultimate unchanging reality that lies behind all phenomena. Gayatri Veda
Mata is seen by many Hindus to be not just a Goddess, but a portrayal of
Brahman himself, in the feminine form. Essentially, the Goddess is seen to
combine all the phenomenal attributes of Brahman, including Past, Present
and Future as well as the three realms of existence.

Gayatri is typically portrayed as seated on a red lotus, signifying wealth. She

appears in either of these forms:

• Having five heads with the ten eyes looking in the eight directions
plus the earth and sky, and ten arms holding all the weapons of
Vishnu, symbolizing all her reincarnations.

Accompanied by a white swan, holding a book to portray

knowledge in one hand and a cure in the other, as the goddess of
Education.

Param Brahman Goddess Gayatri

Chapter – 5

93
 Goddess Ganga

This goddess representing the

holy river of Ganges is shown as
a white woman, wearing a white
crown, sitting on the sea animal
crocodile, holding in her right
hand a water lily and in her left
hand a lute.

Rig Veda mention the name of GANGA

GANGA DAUGHTER Ganga only twice but in the later period of Puranic age
OF PARVATARAJA Ganga assumed great importance as a goddess. The legend
says that she was produced from the sweat of Vishnu's
feet, which Brahma caught and filled in his KAMANDAL
(vessel-container).

Another legend states that Ganga is the daughter of

SAGAR GETTING Parvataraja and is the sister of Parvati who is the consort
BLESSED BY SHIVA of Shiva.

The story of Ganga's coming from heaven to earth is a

famous mythological tale. Sagar, a legendary king of
Ayodhya had no children. He performed long and arduous
penances worshipping Shiva as a result of which he was
THE ASHWAMEDA promised the birth of sixty thousand children.
YAGYA
Sagar did get these sons and when they grew up king
Sagar resolved to perform the ASHVAMEDH YAGYA (a
ritual of proclaiming oneself unbeatable). Indra the lord of
heavens was alarmed and feared that Sagar would become
INDRA STEALING THE very strong and dethrone him.
HORSE
Indra descended to the earth and stealthily carried away the horse, which he
placed in PATAL (the subterranean region) just near the famous sage Kapil,
who was sitting there in deep meditation. The sixty thousand sons of Sagar,
after searching that horse on the whole of earth, dug a hole and reached

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patal. There they found the horse
standing near a sage who was sitting
with eyes closed in meditation.
They thought that he was the thief and
began beating the sage Kapil, who
awoke at this and in anger reduced all
the princes to ashes.

The wandering sage Narada informed

Sagar about the fate of his sixty SAGE KAPILA BURNT THE
thousand sons. King Sagar prayed to SONS OF SAGAR TO ASHES
sage Kapil for relief, and was advised
that if he could somehow bring the goddess Ganga from heavens on the
earth and if the ashes were washed with her water, their salvation would
come. Sagar gave the throne to the one surviving son of his and went to
forest for prayers but perished in his efforts. So also his son, who too
sacrificed his life as a penance after giving throne to his son (Sagar's great
grand-son), named Dalip.
Dalip had no son from any of his two wives.
With god Shiva's blessings he did get a son
named Bhagirath who was deformed. When
this boy became young a sage blessed him
and he turned into a healthy and handsome
prince. Bhagirath now addressed prayers
regularly to different gods for the restoration
of his sixty thousand relations suffering on
account of a curse. He performed severe
penance and prayed earnestly for a very long
time. Both god Shiva and goddess Ganga
were ultimately propitiated. As Ganga had to
fall from heaven to earth, Bhagirath was
afraid lest the earth be crushed by her fall. GANGA DESCENDING
TO EARTH
Ganga swept down in three great installments
and Shiva standing on Mountain Himalaya, caught Ganga in his matted hair
to mitigate the impact. At length Shiva allowed a part of Ganga to fall on
earth and Bhagirath blowing the conch given to him by god Vishnu led
Ganga to seas. Later she was taken to patal (nether region) and so all the
sixty thousand sons of Sagar were purified and saved from doom.

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On way to the nether region what happened to Ganga is no less interesting.
Accompanying Bhagirath Ganga asked him at what spot his sixty thousand
relations were laying whom she was to deliver. As he could not inform the
location Ganga before entering the sea divided herself into a hundred
streams so as to ensure the salvation of the cursed wherever they might be
laying.

When Ganga was thus falling from heaven on the

earth, the gods prayed to Brahma that they also
needed Ganga in the heavens to wash off their
sins. At this Brahma assured them that a part of
Ganga would main in heaven too. Thus the
goddess Ganga is called MANDAKENEE in
heavens, GANGA on earth and BHAGIRATHI in
patal.

BHAGIRATHA Iconography
PERFORMING This goddess bears a great importance
PENANCE in holy books. Purana declare that the
sight, the name and the touch of Ganga
take's away all sins and that bathing in
Ganga bestows blessings of the highest
order. Not only have those who bathe in
Ganga obtained SWARGA (heaven),
but also those whose bones, hair, etc.,
are left in the river. All the land over GANGA ON
which Ganga flows is to be regarded as CROCODILE
hallowed ground.

The cremation of a dead body at the banks of

SHIVA CHECKING Ganga and throwing the remains in its water even
GANGA'S FALL when the dead bodies burnt elsewhere is thought
propitious. It is preferred that bones of the
deceased be brought to Ganga and cast into holy
river. It is said that this leads to salvation of the
deceased.

Hindus particularly choose this river for holy

rituals because the merits of works performed here
BHAGIRATHA
LEADING GANGA 96
become manifold in their results. Another name of Ganga is VISHNUPADI,
the one flowing from the foot of god Vishnu. Vishnu Purana says that Ganga
encloses Brahma's great city situated on Mount Meru and then divides into
four mighty rivers flowing in four directions. GANGAJAL, the water of
Ganga, is held so sacred that with this in hand no Hindu dare speak untruth.
Those who die within specified limits around Ganga, called
GANGAKSHETRA (the land of Ganga), are believed to go to the heavenly
world and all their sins washed off.

\
Chapter 6
Radha Rani

97
In the story of Krishna, as told in the Mahabharata and the Bhagavata Purana, he spends
much of his youth in the company of young cow-herd girls, called Gopis in the village of
Varindavana. The Mahabharata does not describe Krishna's earlier life in Varindavana in
much detail, and focuses more on the later battle of Kurukshetra but within the Bhagavata
Purana the child-hood pastimes of Krishna are described very vividly. Within the
Bhagavata Purana, Radha is not mentioned by name but is alluded to within the tenth
chapter of the text as one of the Gopis who Krishna plays with during his upbringing as a
young boy. It is in later texts such as the Gita Govinda where we find the story of Radha
given in more detail.

Within Vaishnavism

Radha with Krishna, as painted by Raja Ravi Varma

Birth

Vaishnava tradition states that Radha was born in either Varshana, or Rawal, a village
about 8 kilometers from Varindavana, near present day New Delhi in India. There are a
number of accounts of her parentage. According to one of the common ones, her father is
the leader (sometimes regarded as king) of cowherds called Vrishabhanu, and her mother
is called Kamalavati, or Kirtida.

Her worship is especially prominent in Vrindavan, the place where Krishna is said to
have lived over 5000 years ago. Wherein Her importance surpasses even the importance
of Krishna. Radha's love for Krishna is held within Gaudiya Vaishnavism as the most
perfect primarily because of its endless and unconditional nature. Thus she is the most

98
important consort of Krishna, 'His heart and soul', and His 'hladini-shakti' (spiritual
pleasure potency).

In the Brihad-Gautamiya Tantra, Radharani is described as follows: "The transcendental

goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krishna. She is the central
figure for all the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all the attractiveness to attract the
all-attractive Personality of Godhead. She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord."

Festivals

Radha (right) with Krishna at Krishna-Balarama Temple in Vrindavan

Radha's birthday is celebrated as Radhastami. During this time devotees are allowed
special sanctions not normally allowed. For example, Radha's name is normally not
chanted due to the possibility of committing offenses towards her. Neither are all
devotees qualified to enter into her kunda, or lake, which is considered holy. On the
festival day of the appearance of Radha Kunda (Radharani's lake), devotees wait up until
midnight in order to bathe there. And there is much recitation of her holy names on her
"appearance day" or "birthday". She is said to "appear" because she does not take birth or
die, being an eternal associate of Krishna, both of whom are liberated. She is the most
chaste woman, "married" to Krishna.

The foremost of the Gopis

The Padma Purana describes 18,000 cowherd-girls (gopis) among whom it says 108 are
the most important. Among those 108, eight are considered more important still, and
among the eight, two have a special position - Chandravali and Radharani. Of the two,
Radha is considered the foremost.

Names & Worship

99
 Temple in Varsana, dedicated to the worship of Radha and Krishna

Radha has many epithets describing her qualities and characteristics.

• Gandharvi - expert singer

• Govinda-nandini - She who gives pleasure to Govinda (Krishna)
• Govinda-mohini - She who mystifies Govinda
• Govinda-sarvasva - the all-in-all of Govinda
• Sarva-kanta Shiromani - the crown jewel of all Krishna's consorts
• Krishnamayi - the one who sees Krishna both within and without
• Radhika - Her worship of the Krishna consists of fulfilling His desires
• Madan-Mohan-Mohini - Within Gaudiya tradition Krishna (as the Supreme
Person) is believed to be the enchanter of all living beings, including even
Kamadeva (Madan) - the god of attraction. Because Radha has the unique
position of being able to enchant even Krishna she is therefore know as Madan-
Mohan-Mohini: the enchanter of the enchanter of Cupid.
• Aradhana - The root name of Radharani, meaning one who excels in worshiping
Krishna
• Sarva-lakshmi - The original source of all the goddesses of fortune
• Vrshabhanu-nandini - daughter of Vrishabanu
• Vrndavaneshvari - Queen of Vrindavana
• Lalita-Sakhi - friend of the gopi Lalita
• Gokula-Taruni - She whom all young girls of Gokul worship
• Damodara Rati - She who dresses herself to please Damodara (Krishna)
• Radharani – Radha the queen
• RadhaKrishna - Worship of Krishna with Radha

One of her names, Hara (mentioned in Narada-pancaratra 5.5.59), in vocative Hare,

forms a part of the Hare Krishna 'Maha-Mantra', one of the most popular Vedic mantras,
especially amongst Gaudiya Vaishnavas. Radharani's names hold a place of prime
importance within Gaudiya Vaishnava religious practices.

100
Temples dedicated to Radha

• Barsana and Vrindavan in Mathura District, Northern India contain a large

number of temples dedicated to both Radha and Krishna, including the
Radhavallabh Temple.

• Barsana Dham in Austin, Texas, USA, one of the largest Hindu temples in the
western Hemisphere.

Temple Deities in India and abroad are generally named in order of Radharani first and
then Krishna. Krishna is approachable through the mercy of Srimati Radharani and no
one else. So for example, if one were to enter the Govindaji temple in Vrindavan the
Deities are named Radha Govinda and devotees of Krishna would pray to Radha and
Govinda not just Krishna. This is because Krishna is controlled by Radharani's love.

Quotations about Radha

• "Although the effulgence of the moon is brilliant initially at night, in the daytime
it fades away. Similarly, although the lotus is beautiful during the daytime, at
night it closes. But, O My friend, the face of My most dear Srimati Radharani is
always bright and beautiful, both day and night. Therefore, to what can Her face
be compared?" (Vidagdha-madhava 5.20)

• "When Srimati Radharani smiles, waves of joy overtake Her cheeks, and Her
arched eyebrows dance like the bow of Cupid. Her glance is so enchanting that it
is like a dancing bumblebee, moving unsteadily due to intoxication. That bee has
bitten the whorl of My heart." (Vidagdha-madhava 2.51)

• "Just as Srimati Radharani is most dear to Krishna, Her bathing pond is similarly
dear. Of all the gopis, She is the most beloved of the Lord." (Padma Purana)

• "The transcendental goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord

Sri Krishna. She is the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune. She
possesses all attractiveness to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead.
She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord." (Brihad-gautamiya-tantra)

• "Among all persons, it is Sri Radha in whose company Lord Madhava is

especially glorious, as She is especially glorious in His." (Rig-parisishta)

"Radharani is the source of spiritual inspiration" (A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Prabhupada).

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RADHA-The foremost Gopi Radha and Other 108 Gopis

Radha – Madhava RadheKrishna

102
 Chapter – 7
Vishnu Maya or Yogmaya

Introduction and the legend

Vishnu Maya, the illusion, is the internal Moh rupa, of Hari, Lord of
all, by help of which the Lord easily can preserve the World, which is create
by Lord Brahma. The Goddess is none other than Consort of Lord Shiva, but
the Mother Goddess, Uma is here Enlightend here to this form of the
goddess. Thus Parvati Maa is also reflected as the Goddess of illusion or the
divine sister of Lord Vishnu and called by the names Narayani, Vishnu Maya
or Moh.
Legend
Once Sri Narada Rishi, the great devotee of
Narayana went to Dwaraka to see Lord Krishna.
After talking for some time, they went out for a
walk. During the course of the walk, they spoke
about a lot of topics. At this juncture, Narada said to
Vasudeva, "Narayana, Krishna, Govinda,
Vishnu, great sages speak of your Shakti
called Vishnumaya, by which the whole universe is
deluded into thinking of "I and mine" and by the
operation of which there is forgetfulness of You.
May I know, Vasudeva, what that Vishnumaya is, if
you are pleased to reveal that to me, your servant's
servant." Recalling to His mind a similar request
made by the sage Markandeya to Himself in the
form of Nara-Narayana, Govinda said "Sure, you
are my dear devotee. My devotees' desires will
never be unfulfilled. I will fulfill your desire."
Satisified with the reply of Madhusudhana, Narada
continued the walk.

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Having walked a long distance, they almost came to
a suburb of Dvaraka. At this juncture, Lord Krishna
felt thirsty. He told Narada, "Dear Narada, I feel
quite thirsty. We have come a long way from our
home. We cannot go back home to quench my
thirst. Can you do Me a favour?” Narada replied,
"Prabho, your wish is my order. Command me,
your servant, what I should do". Narayana replied,
"At a short distance from here, there is a village.
Please go to that village and fetch water for Me. Till
that time, I will be sitting beneath that tree. Don't
miss Me."

Glad to be of service to Vishnu, which is the only

business of the soul, Narada rushed to the said
village. On reaching the first house, he knocked the
door, anxious to quickly procure water for Govinda,
whose feet-washings constitute the perennial
Ganga. The door was opened by a young girl whose
beauty stupefied the mind of Narada, stopping for a
moment his incessant chant of "Narayana,
Narayana". Forgetting both Krishna and His thirst -
the very purpose of his coming there - he enquired
the girl "Dear, who are you? Who is your father? I
would consider myself most fortunate if I can marry
you." The girl replied, "My father is inside. You can
talk to him." Narada went inside and spoke to the
girl's father, "Respected Sir, you may know me to
be Narada, Narayana’s servant. Attracted by the
beauty and modesty of your daughter, I propose to
marry her. I would consider it Hari's grace if you
consent to it." The father readily agreed to the
proposal.

A few days later, the wedding happened. Time, the

power of Vishnu that crushes into oblivion those
turned away from Hari's feet, rolled on. Narada
begot several children in this period of 12 years and
considered his life most happy. But how can
anything other than the service of Padmanabha be
permanent?

One day the clouds turned very grey foreboding

terrible rains. Soon it started raining heavily with
powerful thunderclaps accompanied by a furious

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 wind. In a few hours, the whole village where
Narada lived was flooded and many people started
moving out of the village. To save himself and his
family, Narada too made preparations for exiting
the village. He took a small set of necessary
household articles, clutched the hands of his wife
and elder children, took his younger ones on his
shoulders and slowly waded through the waters.
With powerful rains and thunder from above,
whirling water below and furious winds in all
directions, Narada could not understand where he
was going. The whirling pull of the waters was so
high that the bag of household articles that Narada
was clutching in his hands slipped away from him.
Narada began to lament the loss of his cherished
items, just like a householder attached to his wealth.
While thus lamenting, a powerful whirlpool
snatched away one of his sons. Weeping to the
extreme and bemoaning the loss of his beloved son,
Narada said "O Narayana, what is this that is
happening to me. Please look at your sorrow-
stricken servant. How can he live without his son?"
Soon the powerful waves of the waters snatched or
drowned all his children one by one. Suffering to
the extreme, unable to bear the heavy loss, Narada
clung to his wife and pathetically cried, "Govinda,
why should I live anymore. Why does not Death
snatch me? Why don't you protect me? Do you lack
either mercy or power? If you don't protect me any
further, you will lose your good name as the
`Protector of the Devotees' ". Narada now held his
wife's hands very tightly as she was his only
remaining meaning in life. But, as if to smear salt
on a wound, a powerful whirlpool snatched away
his dearest wife from his hands. Losing everything
without exception, suffering to the extreme and
losing all meaning in life, Narada cried out at the
top of his voice, "O Narayana, is this what you do
to your servants, you merciless rogue."

As if the heavens heard this cry, a very powerful

flash of lightning lighted the sky blinding the eyes
of Narada for a few seconds. When he opened his
eyes, what he saw stupefied him. Neither the rains
nor the thunder, neither the floods nor the storm,
could Narada see. Instead Narada saw a four-

105
handed beauty sitting beneath a tree, as if anxiously
waiting for something. Distressed by the horrible
events and surprised by the enigmatic vision of
Vishnu, Narada found himself thoroughly confused
and disoriented.

Trying to get this clear, Narada approached the

Presence which spoke in a sonorous voice.

"Dear Narada, I was thirsty and asked you to get

some water for Me. I have been waiting for almost
half an hour. Have you brought Me the water?",
said the `rogue' with a mischievous smile playing
on His lips.

In a flash, Narada understood everything; and like a

mad man, he rushed to the Lord, clasped the feet of
the Lord extremely tight and cried bitterly like a
child. Bathing the feet of the Lord with his tears, he
could not come to normalcy for a long time. Then
he regained himself and said, "Today, Narayana,
You have revealed to me Your Vishnumaya Shakti.
I, your servant, have been thoroughly confounded
by your Vishnumaya with the false notion of I,
mine, my family, my wife, my child, my wealth etc.
Taking this impermanent world as the source of
happiness, I wandered about in the dense darkness
of household life, totally forgetting your lotus feet.
In the end, I underwent extreme sorrow as the fruit
of my self-centered household life and the
consequent forgetfulness of You. This much is clear
to me, Lord, that those who serve Your lotus feet
are immune to Vishnumaya, while those who are
turned away from Your service are repeatedly going
round and round in this Samsara chakra. Let me ask
this one boon from you, Govinda: may I have
unabating love for your lotus feet and let me never
again be affected by Vishnumaya."

Granting his request gladly, Hari thought of the

experiences that Narada endured in Vishnumaya.
Pitying him for his pains, Krishna caressed Narada
with supreme affection, while Narada found himself
transported to the highest realms of Supreme Love.

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