Parvati Parvati is the Hindu goddess of love, beauty, purity and devotion. She is the mother goddess in Hinduism and has many attributes and aspects. Each of her aspects is expressed with a different name, giving her over 1008 names in regional Hindu mythologies of India, including the popular names such as
Gauri. Along with
Lakshmi (goddess of wealth and prosperity) and
Saraswati (goddess of knowledge and learning), she forms the
trinity of Hindu goddesses. Parvati is married to
Shiva – the destroyer, recycler, and regenerator of the universe and all life. She is the mother of Hindu gods
Ganesha and
Kartikeya. Her parents are Himavan and Maināvati. According to Puranas she performed strict tapasya and achieved the position of consort of Shiva. Rita Gross states, the view of Parvati only as an ideal wife and mother is an incomplete symbolism of the power of the feminine in the mythology of India. Parvati, along with other goddesses, are involved with a broad range of culturally valued goals and activities. Devi is portrayed as the ideal wife, mother, and householder in Indian legends. In Indian art, this vision of ideal couple is derived from Shiva and Parvati as being half of the other, represented as
Ardhanarishvara. Parvati is found extensively in ancient Indian literature, and her statues and iconography grace ancient and medieval era Hindu temples all over
South Asia and
Southeast Asia.
Lakshmi Lakshmi, also called
Sri, is the Hindu goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity (both material and spiritual). She is the consort and active energy of
Vishnu. Her four hands represent the four goals of human life considered important to the Hindu way of life –
dharma,
kama,
artha, and
moksha. She is the mother goddess in Hinduism. She is also part of
Tridevi which consists of Lakshmi,
Parvati (goddess of power, love, beauty), and
Saraswati (goddess of music, wisdom, and learning). In the ancient scriptures of India, all women are declared to be embodiments of Lakshmi. Archaeological discoveries and ancient coins suggest the recognition and reverence for goddess Lakshmi in the Scytho-Parthian kingdom and throughout India by the 1st millennium BCE. She is also revered in other non-Hindu cultures of Asia, such as in Tibet. She is also worshipped in Buddhism. Lakshmi's iconography and statues have also been found in Hindu temples throughout Southeast Asia, estimated to be from second half of 1st millennium CE. In modern times, Lakshmi is worshipped as the goddess of wealth. The festivals of
Diwali and
Sharad Purnima (Kojagiri Purnima) are celebrated in her honor.
Saraswati Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom, and learning. The earliest known mention of Saraswati as a goddess is in
Rigveda. She has remained significant as a goddess from the Vedic age through modern times of Hindu traditions. Some Hindus celebrate the festival of
Vasant Panchami (the fifth day of spring) in her honor, and mark the day by helping young children learn how to write alphabets on that day. She is also part of
Tridevi which consists of Saraswati,
Parvati (goddess of power, fertility, love, beauty), and
Lakshmi (goddess of material wealth, prosperity, and fortune). Saraswati is often depicted dressed in pure white, often seated on a white
lotus. She not only embodies knowledge but also the experience of the highest reality. Her iconography is typically in white themes from dress to flowers to swan – the color symbolizing Sattwa Guna or purity, discrimination for true knowledge, insight and wisdom. She is generally shown to have 8 to 10 arms, but sometimes just shows two. The four hands hold items with symbolic meaning – a
pustaka (book or script), a
mala (rosary, garland), a water pot, and a musical instrument (lute or vina). The book she holds symbolizes the
Vedas representing the universal, divine, eternal, and true knowledge as well as all forms of learning. A
mālā of crystals, representing the power of meditation, and a pot of water represents the power to purify right from wrong. The musical instrument, typically a
veena, represents all creative arts and sciences, The Saraswatirahasya Upanishad of the
Yajurveda contain ten verses called "
dasa sloki" which are in praise of Sarasvati. In this Upanishad, she is extolled as You are the swan gliding over the pond of creative energy, waves and waves of creative forces emanating from your form! Radiant Goddess resplendent in white, dwells forever in the Kashmir of my heart. Saraswati is also found outside India, such as in Japan, Vietnam, Bali (Indonesia) and Myanmar.
Durga and Kali Vedic literature does not have any particular goddess matching the concept of Durga. Her legends appear in the medieval era, as an angry, ferocious form of the mother goddess
Mahalakshmi, who assumes the
avatar of Durga . She manifests as a goddess with eight or ten arms, holding weapons and skulls of demons, and is astride on a tiger or lion. In the
Skanda Purana, the
Devi Bhagvata Purana and other
Puranas, Devi assumes the form of a warrior-goddess and defeats an
asura called
Durgamasura, who assumes the form of a buffalo. In this aspect, she is known by the name Durga. Durga's emergence and mythology is described in the
Puranas, particularly the
Devi Mahatmya. The text describes
Kālī's emerging out of Parvati when she becomes extremely angry. Parvati's face turns pitch dark, and suddenly Kali springs forth from Parvati's forehead. She is black, wears a
garland of human heads, is clothed in a tiger skin, rides a tiger, and wields a staff topped by a human skull. She destroys the asuras. Literature on goddess Kali recounts several such appearances, mostly in her terrifying but protective aspects. Kali appears as an independent deity, or like Parvati, viewed as the wife of
Shiva. She is the power that supports the earth, with all its seas, islands, forests, deserts and mountains, asserts
Yoga Vasistha. The largest annual festival associated with the goddess is
Durga Puja celebrated in the month of
Ashvin (September–October), where nine manifestations of
Parvati (
Navadurga) are worshipped, each on a day over nine days. She is extolled as one of the
Panchakanya for her virtuous qualities; taking their names destroys all sins. Her life story and journeys with her husband Rama and brother-in-law
Lakshmana are part of the Hindu epic
Ramayana, an allegorical story with Hindu spiritual and ethical teachings. However, there are many versions of Ramayana, and her story as a goddess in Hindu mythology. Her legends also vary in southeast Asian versions of the epic Ramayana, such as in the
Ramakien of
Thailand where she is spelled as
Sida (or
Nang Sida). In Valmiki Ramayana, Sita is repeatedly expressed as the manifestation of Lakshmi, as the one who blesses abundance in agriculture, food, and wealth. She is referred to golden goddess, wherein after Rama (Vishnu) is bereaved of her, he refuses to marry again, insists that he is married solely and forever to her, and uses a golden image of Sita as a substitute in the performance of his duties as a king. Devi Bhagavata Purana gives prime position to Mahadevi as the mother of all-encompassing the three worlds and gives her the position of being all of universe – the material and the spiritual. In the Upanishadic text
Devi Upanishad, a Sakta Upanishad and an important Tantric text probably composed sometime between the ninth and fourteenth centuries the Goddess is addressed in the most general and universal of terms, as Mahadevi, and represents all goddesses as different manifestations of her. The
Lalita Sahasranama (Thousand names of
Lalita (
Parvati) states that Mahadevi is known by different synonyms such as
Jagatikanda (anchors the world),
Vishvadhika (one who surpasses the universe),
Nirupama (one who has no match),
Parameshwari (dominant governor),
Vyapini (encompasses everything),
Aprameya (immeasurable),
Anekakotibrahmadajanani (creator of many universes),
Vishvagarbha (she whose
Garba or womb subsumes the universe),
Sarvadhara (helps all),
Sarvaga (being everywhere at the same time,
Sarvalokesi (governs all worlds) and
Vishavdaharini one who functions for the whole universe). The Mahadevi goddess has many aspects to her personality. She focuses on that side of her that suits her objectives, but unlike male Hindu deities, her powers and knowledge work in concert in a multifunctional manner. The ten aspects of her, also called
Mahavidyas (or great forms of her knowledge) are forms of
Parvati and they are:
Kali,
Tara,
Tripura Sundari,
Bhairavi,
Bhuvanesvari,
Chhinnamasta,
Dhumavati,
Bagalamukhi,
Matangi and
Kamala.
Tantra and Devis are used as icons for Devi in Tantra; above is Tripura-Bhairavi yantra Tantric literature such as
Soundarya Lahari meaning "Flood of Beauty", credited to
Adi Shankaracharya a shakta or tantric poem, is dedicated to the Supreme Deity of the sect,
Parvati who is considered much superior to Shiva. It celebrates Parvati and her feminine persona. It is an approach to the tantra through Parvati. In Shakti Tantra traditions, Devis are visualized with yantra and are a tool for spiritual journey for the tantric adept. A tantric text titled "Vigyan Bhairav Tantra", 'Vigyan' meaning "consciousness" is a conversation between Shiva and
Parvati rendered in 112 verses, elaborates on "wisdom and insight of pure consciousness." Devi
Puja is the worship of Parvati which is observed through four forms of Devi Yantra; the first is Tara that exists in the realm of the fourth
chakra representing the spiritual heart; Saraswati emanates in the first chakra; Lakshmi forms the second chakra; and Parvati is at the heart of the third chakra and completes the chakra. Worship through this Yantra leads to the realization of "cosmic energy" within oneself.
Matrikas Matrikas, that is, the mothers, are seven or eight female divinities, which are depicted as a group. They are
Brahmani,
Vaishnavi,
Maheshvari, Indrani, Kaumari,
Varahi and
Chamundi or Narasimhi. They are described in the
Isaanasivagurudevapaddhati as creations to facilitate Shiva's confrontation with his adversary
Andhakasura. All the Matrikas are depicted in a sitting position,
Lalitasana, and bedecked with heavy jewellery. Scholars state that the concept of Matrikas as powerful goddesses emerged in the early 1st millennium AD, and possibly much earlier. The idea of eight mother goddesses together is found in Himalayan Shaivism, while the idea of seven divine mothers (Sapta Matrika) is more common in South India.
Navadurgas Navadurgas, the nine forms of Durgas, are some of the most important manifestations of Devi. The nine forms of Devi are majorly worshipped during
Navaratri. They are: •
Shailaputri, daughter of the mountain •
Brahmacharini, who does penance •
Chandraghanta, who has a bell-shaped moon on her head •
Kushmanda, who formed the 'Anda-universe' with the warmth of her smile •
Skandamata, mother of Skanda-Kartikeya •
Katyayani, daughter of the sage Katya •
Kalaratri, who engulfs space and time •
Mahagauri, who has a bright complexion •
Siddhidhatri, who grants the eight
Siddhis, namely Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakamya, Isitva and Vashitva These deities are worshipped during
Sharad Navaratri and
Chaitra Navaratri. In
West Bengal, Navaratri is called
Durga Puja. In
Devi Kavacham, it is said that those who remember these goddesses will attain success in life and will have the ability to withstand enemies and even fire. According to traditions and Hindu scriptures, Navadurga has different forms. The
Agni Purana lists them as Rudrachanda, Prachanda, Chandogra, Chandanayika, Chanda, Chandavati, Chandarupa, Atichandika, and Ugrachanda. ==See also==