Shri Durga Devi

दुर्गा देवी

Shri Durga Devi
All ways of knowledge are your aspects, O Devi; so are all women in the world, endowed with various attributes. By you alone, O Mother, this world is filled - Chandi, II, 6
Durga's story appears primarily in the Skanda Purana, in Chandi, itself a part of the Markandeya Purana, but very similar stories are told in the Brahmanda Purana and also in the famous epic, the Mahabharata. She also appears elsewhere in tantrik texts, including as Mahishamardini (killer of the demon Mahisha) in the Kulachudamani Tantra. The gods lost their empire to two great antigods (asuras), Shumbha and Nishumbha, and prayed to the Goddess for help.
Needless to say, the ever compassionate Devi took on these proud antigods and vanquished them utterly. To this end, she assembled an entire army of Shaktis similar to her and when things became very tough, projected Kalika out of her third eye. She is called Durga because she slayed the son of the arch-demon Durga, son of Ruru.
As the Matrikabheda Tantra points out, the names of the goddess are really adjectives, and she is one, under these different descriptions. For example, the goddess in Chandi takes the forms of Kali, Sarasvati and Vaishnavi, representing the three gunas, to subdue the host of demons.
As Lalita, she subdued the demonic Bhandasura at the request of the gods, who then built the Shri Yantra to celebrate her greatness.
The metaphor is that she is cruel to the demonic; that is to say to the proud ego of man.
The hymn to Durga in the Mahabharata contains the verses (shlokas):
"I salute Thee, leader of Yogis, one with the Brahman,Dweller in the Mandara forest.Virgin, Kali, spouse of Kapala, of tawny hue.Salutation to Thee, Bhadrakali.Reverence to Thee, Mahakali,Chandi, Fearless one. Salutation to Thee,Saviour imbued with all good fortune."
(Arthur Avalon's translation in Hymns to the Goddess.)
So, too, in the Karpuradistotra, a famous 22 verse hymn to Dakshina Kalika, we find the commentator describing the animal sacrifice of cats, camels, sheep, buffaloes, goats and men as symbolising six avices.
न मन्त्रं नो यन्त्रं तदपि च न जाने स्तुतिमहो न चाव्हानाम ध्यानं तदपि च न जाने स्तुतिकथाः इन जाने मुद्रास्ते तदपि च न जाने विलपनं परम जाने मतास्त्वदानुसरानाम क्लेशाहरानाम
Meaning: O Maa Durga! I don't know any prayer or any magical summons to invoke you. Neither I know any mantra and have no idea how to meditate on you. I don't know your story or glory as well. I neither know your various postures nor am I given to crying in distress. The only thing I know is that seeking shelter under your protection and following your command will definitely end all sufferings.
विधेराग्यानें द्रविनाविर्हेनालासताया विधेयाशाक्यत्वत्त्व चरणयोर्या च्युतिर्भुत इ तदेतात क्षन्ताव्यम जननी सकलोद्धारिणी शिव कुपुत्रो जायेत क्वचिदपि कुमाता न भवति
Meaning: O Durga, assure salvation to all troubled, I don't know how to worship you. I don't have resources or temperament since I am nasty by nature. I don't have special knowledge to conduct your worship as well. In rendering service to you if, I have made any mistakes or errors, forgive me Mother because there could be a bad son but never a bad mother.
प्रिथिव्यम पुत्रास्ते जननी वहावः सन्ति सरलः परम तेषाम मध्ये विरालातारालोअहम तवा सुतः इमादी योयाम त्यागः समुचितामिदम नो तय शिव कुपुत्रो क्वचिदपि कुमाता न भवति
Meaning: O Maa Durga, this earth has many of your naïve sons, but I am the most fickle among them. There would be hardly any one like me. Yet, O Shive! Rejecting me like this is not proper in this world, as there could be a bad son but never a bad mother.
जगान्मतार्मातास्तावा चरणसेवा न रचित न व दुत्तम देवी द्रविनामापी भूयास्तावा माया इतथापी त्वं स्नेहं मई निरुपम यात्प्रकुरुशे कुपुत्रो जायेत क्वचिदपि कुमाता न भवति
Meaning: O Mother of the World! I have never rendered any service to you. I never offered money to you. Yet, you bless me always for the reason that in this world there could be a bad son but never a bad mother.
परित्त्याकता देवा विविधाविधिसेवा कुलाताया माया पन्चाशीतेराधिकामाप्नीते तू वयासी ईदानी चेन्मतास्तावा यदि कृपा नपी भवता निरालम्बो लम्बोदर जननी कम यमी शरणम
Meaning: O Parvati, mother of Lord Ganesha, I had been busy restlessly. But now, I have stopped worshipping other gods as I cannot worship them ritually. Therefore, I don't even expect any help from them. In such a condition I am absolutely helpless. From whom I seek shelter? I have no hope from any other god except you.
श्वपाको जल्पको भवति मधुपको मजीरा निरातानको रंको विहरति चिरं कोतिकनाकैह तवापर्ने करने विशति मंवारने फलामिदम जनः को जानीते जननी जपनीयम जप्विध्हाऊ
Meaning: O Maa Aparna! One word of your holy prayer that falls in the ear of a foolish rascal is sufficient to make him utter sweet speech like an experienced scholar. With your blessing, a pauper then becomes rich owning millions of gold coins and enjoying life with all its joys till ripe old age. When listening to one word can work such wonders, who can presume the reward obtained by those, who continuously chant your name with full custom of worship.