Introduction

 

Mr C. Rajagopalachari (philosopher and India's last governor-general) said: "Mythology is an integral part of religion like the skin that preserves a fruit with its juice and its taste. Mythology and holy epics are necessary for any great culture to rest on its stable spiritual foundation and function as a life - giving inspiration and guide". He also says "the familiarity with our ancient heritage is necessary if we desire to preserve our individuality as a nation and serve the world through truthfulness which alone can save mankind from error and extinction" It is said that Hinduism has so many gods.No. Hinduism also believes that there is one and only one God. The 100s of Gods projected are only different aspects of that one God. God is the giver of all benefits. When he gives knowledge he is projected as Goddess Saraswathi. When he gives wealth he is projected as Goddess Lakshmi. and so on.They are just symbolic to help people to concentrate.. Essentially there are two basic forms (1) Object. (2) Energy. or power. Object is our body or 'Sivam' and Life is energy or 'Sakthi'. Only if the object has life or energy it can move, work and do other things and without energy or life it is dead. `Sak' means energy the ability`to do' or `to act'. Sakthi (devi) worship is the worship of Energy which is personified as female and is generally conceived as the all pervading Mother Goddess. She is regarded as the Supreme creativity, Sustained and destroyer of the universe. The earliest evidences regarding the prevalence of the mother Goddess worship have been traced from a large number of inscriptions,clay statues and seals which have been found from Indus Valley on the basis of which the history of the worshipers of the mother goddess has been traced. Sir John Marshall has recorded that the female statues found in Indus Valley are akin to those from Baluchistan, and over a wide range of countries, between Persia , and the Aegean, notably in Elam, Mesopotamia,Transcaucasia, Asia-Minor, Syria, Palestine, Cyprus, Crete the Balkans and Egypt. He further points out that this type of resemblance brings out the fact that people of these lands used to consider Sakthi as the Supreme Divinity Shakthi as the supreme force is generally accepted by vedic scholars. Hope you enjoy reading more of 'Shakthi's' prowess. Shakthi's ( DEVI'S) blessings be upon you. Devi Mahatmiyam I have written in brief to have taste to read the detail form  kindly see the book in detail.      Sarojamani                                                   Home

Destroying Madhu-kaidapa

Meditation of Mahakali
I resort to Mahakali who has ten faces ten legs and holds in her hands the sword disc mace arrows bow club spear missile human head and conch who is three eyed adorned with ornaments on all her limbs and luminous like a blue jewels and whom Brahma extolled in order to destroy Madhu and Kaitapa when Vishnu was in Yoga Nidra.
Once sage Jaimini came to tell some details about Devi Mahathmiyam to Sage Markandeya. But the sage was in deep penance. So Jaimini rishi taught Devi Mahathmiyam to four parrots that were living in Vinhya mountains. After finishing his penance Sage Markandeya learnt about devi mahathmiyam from the parrots and told the stories to King Suradha and a trader called samathi. The sage told King suradha to do penance after learning about Devi Mahathmiyam and then he would become the 8th Manu.(Becoming a Manu is attaning a very high status in birth)

The story as told by the parrots to Sage Markandeya:
Once upon a time at the end of 'Swaroshisha Manvantra' King Suradha ruled over the world wisely. His subjects were very happy under his rule. Unfortunately 'Kolavid-wamsi' of his neighbouring country invaded his country and defeated him. Suratha's own ministers turned traitors and took away all his wealth.
Broken hearted King Suratha told his people that he was going for a hunt but actually went deep into the forest and was wandering about thinking of his lost kingdom. He came upon a hermitage and finding the place and people very peaceful settled down there.
After sometime he met a trader called Samathi and found that man also very sad. He enquired of him "my friend you look very sad and worried . May I know the reason?" The trader replied that his wife and children whom he loved very dearly cheated him of all his wealth treating him very badly and drove him away from home. However he said " even though they treated me in a very unfair manner still I am all the time thinking of them and their welfare". The King told the trader " yes your story is much like my life. I have also lost every thing because of the treachery of my ministers and lost my kingdom. But I am constantly thinking of them, my people and my kingdom. Come let us go to the Sage and ask for his advice how we can get rid of our worries".
The trader and the king went into the sage Markandaya's hermitage and told their sad stories to the sage.
 
Sage Markandaya said:

`O famous King' Every one created by God in this world has these kinds of worries - all humans even animals and birds also. some will be blind in day time some in the night. Whatever feelings in the human have the same thing other creatures(animals,birds etc) also experience.Every thing happens because of LokaMaya Shakthi.This world is in her grasp. She is Sri Vishnu's Yoga-nidra. She is the gravitational power in this world.If she is happy the world is prosperous . She is the creater She is the destroyer and She is the protector. Without Shakthi the world cannot move.
Kadhamutbanna Karmasasyacha, Yatsvbava.
(meaning)She is constant.
The King asked the sage
Your holiness: Who is that Maya that you described, I wish to hear from you the detailed story about her.
The sage said:-The world was completely in water. Every were one saw there was only water. At that time Sri Vishnu was in Yoganidra (means spritual sleep)reclining on the five hooded snake. Out of his navel came Brahma at the end of a stem to take over creation.
Two evil demons came and tried to kill brahma the creater. At that time vishnu was in yoganidra; hence Brahma did not know what to do and started to pray to Yogamaya Shakthi.
Sthowmi Nidram Bagavatheem Vishno-raduls-thajasa. Srushti kartre brahma rupa gopthree govidarupini.Samharini rutrarupa rodhanakareeswari
(meaning:-devi shakthi wakeup srivishnu and give him energy to distroy them.)
(this prayar from Sri Lalitha Sahasranamam.)
Devi Yogamaya came out of Sri Vishnu's body and she gave the energy to kill those evils and war begins and lasted many years and at last those evils powers were defeated. Even in defeat they were defiant and offered a boon to Lord Vishnu. Accordingly the Lord asked that the boon he wanted was that he should be able to kill them.
They agreed but said it is water all around but you can kill us only on the land." Sri Vishnu agreed and he spread his thigh like a land and laid them both on his thigh and killed them. Thus he destroyed the evils and from that time that place is called   Medhini  (means earth.)
This is the end of the first chapter.
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Destroying Mahishasura

This picture from internet

Meditation of Mahalakshmi I take refuge in Mahalakshmi the destroyer of Mahishasura who is seated on the lotus and who holds in her eighteen hands rosary axe mace arrow thundrbolt lotus bow pitcher rod sakti sword shield conch bell wine-cup trident noose and the discus Sudarsana.   If one worshipped 'shakthi' she will give all the energy and the power. All desires will come true.This 'shakthi' has three important aspects. ie- creation,destruction and protection.She is the one that directly killed Mahishasura.All other destruction of asuras were by proxy powers.This in a way speaks about the greatness of the asura Mahishasura Once there was a demon called Mahishasura. He was the head of all other demons. All of sudden Mahishasura declared war on the 'devas'. The fighting was going on and on for one hundred years and at last the devas were defeated and Mahishasura captured the Indra-loka - the seat of the powers of the Gods and he took devas as his slaves. The devas could not tolerate his ill-treatment and mis-rule. Hence the Gods prayed to Goddess Devi. Ya devi sarva boodheshu Daya Rupena Sumsthitha Namasthasyai,Namsthasyai,Namsthasyai Namo Namaha!" (meaning)which ever energy is merciful to human-beings , my humble obeisance to the same.)(devi Mahathmiyam) Miraculously the earth and mounthins shook.They could see the brightness everywhere. There was an echo that cannot be discribed. The Goddess appeared sitting on a lion. Their prayers were answered. All were very happy to see the resplendent Devi and praised her prowess her loudly. When the demons saw the devi in all ferocity and brightness fear gripped them and they ran to their king Mahishasura and told them what they saw. Mahishasura got very angry and ordered the head of his army to take his full forces and destroy the devas and the Goddess. According to the chief's orders they started to fight with the Devi Devi just blew them away in one puff and they all burnt and become a mountain of ashes. The remaining demons ran and told the story of their army's defeat by The Goddess to Mahishasura. Mahishasura got really very angry and went with his army and himself started to fight with her. Devi destroyed Mahishasura's full army. He fought with lots of black magic and gimmicks but he could not stand the onslaught of the Goddess At last she killed him with her Sulam (trident)and he died. All devas became free and very happy. Devi said to Indra:- Mahalaxmi-Raham chakkra punaha: swayambuvanthra| hidhaya sarva devanam jadha Mahisha-Marthini|| Madeeya sakth leasa ye dhatra deva- sareeraga:| trudham maya thai;Rubam paramashobanam|| Ayudhani cha devanam yani yani sureachva| Dachsaktays-ddha-karan_yayutani ddha-bavan|| varshande Navaratre dhoodbanna Mahishamardhini|| (meaning)whoever worships sri Mahalakshmi holding all the weapons in Navaratri (the 9days) They will never have face danger with weapons or anything else.                                                           Home

Destroying Sumba-Nisumba

Meditation of Maha-saraswathi
I Meditate on the incomparable Mahasaraswathi who holds in her lotus-like hands bell trident plough conch mace discus bow and arrow; who is effulgent like the moon shining at the fringe of the cloud,who is the destroyer of Sumbha and other demons, who issued forth from Parvathi's body and is the substratum of the whole universe.

Long ago there were two demons called Sumba and Nisumba. They captured the whole of the universe.They themselves exercised all authorities and all duties of the gods - creation sustenance and destruction.
All the gods recollected in their memory the boon of goddess Devi that "whenever in calamities they could think of her, that very moment she would put an end to all their worst misfortunes."
Resolving thus, all went to Himalaya to the lord of the mountains, and there extolled the Sakthi.
Sakthi appeared, and asked them `Who is praised by you here? 'An auspicious goddess,sprung forth from her physical sheath,gave the reply
'This hymn is addressed to me by the assembled devas(divinities)set at nought by the demons Sumba and routed in battle by Nisumba."
Sakthi said to devas:-I already told you all that whenever you are in trouble I would come and solve all your problems so you do not worry about those two demons I will destroy them and their whole army and recapture the universe and give it to you back." All of a sudden miraculously Shakthi changed into a very beautiful Lady. One never ever has seen that kind of supreme divine beauty. The demons Sumba and Nisumba's army soldiers saw her and went to their his emperor and told him they saw a beautiful lady sitting on a chariot in the Himalaya.With their description of the lady he fell in love with her and he sent his messenger to Sakthi to tell her his history of the victory over the universe and if she wants to marry Nisumba or Sumba. If she does not agree just drag her by her hair and bring her here.
The messenger went to sakthi and told her all about Sumba and Nisumba's valour and prowess. she should marry either Sumba or Nisumba.If she did not agree he would drag her to their king holding her hair.
Sakthi told the massenger:- `You have come as a messenger and hence it would be not nice to kill you. So go to your head and tell him that I have an oath that whoever wins the war between me and your kings I would marry that man only. So ask your head to come for a war with me'
The messenger, filled with indignation on hearing the words the Sakthi returned and related them in detail to his superior.
After hearing the message from his messenger the king of demons got very angry and he ordered his 1st chieftain to go with his full army to the place where Sakthi was sitting and adviced him to explain to her the details about their monarchs and their power and threaten drag her to their Monarch
The 1st army chief went with the whole army and told Shakthi whatever his monarch had ordered. The sakthi did not relent but was insistent on a war. The Army chief raised his hand to catch her hair. Immediately sakthi blew on him strongly and he and his full army got burnt completely.
The surviving few ran to their monarch and told the story of the entire army having been burnt. The Monarch got really upset and he called his more powerfull army chiefs called Chanda and Munda and told them the full story and asked them to go to sakthi and fight with her and bring her to him.
Chanda and Munda's army went there and started to fight with sakthi. In a fraction of minutes they were killed by sakthi .From that time she is called Chamundeeswari because she killed demons Chanda and Munda

Now the king became worried and sent a more powerfull under Rakthabeeja Rakthabeeja went to sakthi with his full army power.
Rakthabeeja had a special power. When just one drop of his blood falls on the ground one 'Rakthabeeja' would come out of the drop.
With this power Rakthabeeja started fighting with Sakthi. She struck a blow on his head and blood gushed out. Sakthi was careful not to let even one drop to fall on the ground - she ordered Chamundi to drink all his blood. Rakthabeeja fell down without any blood in his body and died.
Hearing this painful story from his army man Sumba himself went to fight with sakthi.His brother Nisumba also joined him and started to fight with Sakthi atlast Nisumba fell on the earth and died.
After Nisumba died Sumba became very sad and very angry.Hence he started to fight very aggressively with Sakthi. At last  Subma was defeated by Sakthi and he died. At that time all good things happened.
All devas became free and praised Sakthi and her mission done she disappeared.
This is the story of the destruction of Sumba and Nisumba The trader and the king who were listening to the glory of Sakthi went immediately to the forest for severe penance. Both King and the trader in order to obtain a vision of Devi stationed themselves on the sand bank of the river and practised penance chanting the supreme 'Devi sukta' (hymn to the Devi)The controlled minds propitiated her thus for three years. Candika the upholder of the world, was well pleased and spoke to them in a visible form.
Devi told them:-"O King and the merchant I am delighted over your penance. Ask me your desire and happily I would grant your wish." The wise merchant asked devi and wanted endless knowledge of the divinity. and the King asked for his kingdom again. Devi granted their wishes. Devi said after death the king would be born in surya's dynasty. He would be a savarnika manu. The king got his kingdom and was born again as the savarnika manu. Savarnika Manu is a high status in human birth.

Om Sarva mangala mangalye
sive sarvartha sadage
saranye thriambige Devi
Narayani Namosthude

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