Women are accorded the highest respect in the Vedas and the Goddess worship was of primary importance to the Hindus.
Not only that, women Seers like Maitreyi were very popular.
The Vedas mention Shakti in different aspects.
Durga ,the giver of Strength and destroyer of Evil Forces(this later became the worship of Kali),
Laxmi, the Provider of Wealth, and
Sarasvati, the Repository of Knowledge.
There are Five important Sukthas,
Purusha Suktham,
Narayana Suktha,
Vishnu Suktham,
Sri Suktham and
Durga Suktham.
Of the Upa Suktham we have the Saraswati Suktham.
Later the worship of Sakthi became two kinds.
Mantra and Tantra.
In the Mantra worship , Devi is worshiped through the Mantras while in the Tantra form She is worshiped through Mystical symbols.
Please read my post on Samayin and Kaulamarga-link provided at the end of the post.
The uniqueness of Hinduism is that one can worship God in any Form one pleases or likes.
Mother, Daughter.
Mother Form is practiced in the Upasna of Kali or Akilandeswari/Tripura Sunadri/Abirami.
As a child She is worshiped as Bala.
Female child of five years is considered as the incarnation of Durga and it is the practice of the Hindus to worship children of this age by washing their hands and feeding them during Navratri.
Shakti worship is of such an importance that Shankaracharya established Shakta worship, devoted to Devi, while reorganizing the six modes of worship-Shanmathas.
Following are the Nine Forms of Devi Worship.
| Durga Shailputri (Daughter of Mountain) : “Shail” means mountains, “Putri” means daughter. Parvati, the daughter of the King of the Mountains Himavan, is called ‘Shailputri”. The first among nine Durgas and 1st night of Navratras is devoted to the puja of Shailputri . Her two hands display a trident and a lotus. Her mount is a bull. | |
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| The second Durga Shakti is Brahamcharini. Brahma that is who observes penance(tapa) and good conduct. Here “Brahma” means “Tapa”. The idol of this Goddess is very gorgeous.One hand hold a “Kumbha” or water pot, and the other holds a rosary. She personifies love and loyalty. Bhramcharini is the store house of knowledge and wisdom. Rudraksha beads are Her most adored ornaments! | |
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| The name of third Shakti is Chandraghanta. There is a half-circular moon in her forehead. She is charmful and bright. She is Golden in color, possesses ten hands and 3 eyes. Eight of her hands display weapons while the remaining two are respectively in the mudras of gestures of boon giving and stopping harm. Chandra + Ghanta, meaning supreme bliss and knowledge, showering peace and serenity, like cool breeze in a moonlit night. This Durga Shakti rides a tiger. She is mainly worshipped in Tamil Nadu. | |
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| With the fourth night begins the worship of Kushmanda, possessed of eight arms, holding a weapons and a mala ( rosary), her mount is the tiger and She emanates a solar aura. “Kumbh Bhand” means to see the cosmic dance in the form of Pindi; the knowledge of cosmic intricacies in the human race. The abode of Kushmanda is Bhimaparvat ! | |
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| Fifth name of Durga is “Skanda Mata“. Rising a lion as Her chosen vehicle, She holds Her son skanda on her lap. She displays three eyes and four hands; two hands holds lotuses while the other two hand display defending and granting mudras, respectively. Its said, by the merch of Skandmata, even the fool becomes an ocean of knowledge. | |
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| Black (or blue ) skin with bountiful hair and 4 hands, 2 clutching a cleaver and a torch, while the remaining 2 are in the mudras of “giving” and “protecting”. Her vehicle is a faithful donkey. The destroyer of darkness and ignorance, Kaalratri is the seventh form of Nav-Durga meaning scourer of darkness; enemy of darkness. | |
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| The Eighth Durga is “Maha Gauri.” She is as white as a conch, moon and Jasmine. She is of eight years old. With four arms and the fairest complexion of all the Durgas Shaktis, Mahagauri radiates peace and compassion. She is often dressed in a white or green sari. She holds a drum and a trident and is often depiected riding a bull. | |
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| Ninth Durga is “Siddhidatri“. There are eight Siddhis , they are- Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakamya, Iishitva & Vashitva.It is said in “Devipuran” that the Supreme God Shiv got all these Siddhies by worshipping Maha Shakti. With her gratitude the half body of Shiv has became of Goddess and there fore his name “Ardhanarishvar” has became famous.Usually shown ensconced a lotus with four arms, She is the grantor of 26 different wishes to Her Bhaktas | |
Ref.http://www.indif.com/nri/articles/article2.asp
Related Articles
- Shakti Worship Methods Devi Upasna (ramanan50.wordpress.com)
- Six Systems Of Vedic Worship Sankaracharya
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