Dhyan Praveshika

September 2015 | Volume11

Shri Kalyanika Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah USA

INDIA

Kalyan Sewa Ashram

Kalyanika Himalayam Devsthaanam

Kalyan Sewa Ashram of USA

Amarkantak, Dist. - Anuppur MP India - 484886 Phone # 07629-269421, Fax # 07629-269532 Email: info.amarkanatak@kalyanika.org

Village: Kanara, Post: Chaikhan, Dist: Almora Uttarakhand - India Phone # 05962-256023 / 256001 Email: info.himalaya@kalyanika.org

5 W Clark Pl. Colonia, NJ Phone: 001-732-599-3138 Email: info.usa@kalyanika.org

SELF-REALIZATION

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________________________________ __ WORTH THE WAIT

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________________________________ __ NINE FORMS OF GODDESS DURGA

Introduction

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_________________________________ MAHAVIDYA CHINNAMASTA

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________________________________ __ VEDIC FEMINISM: UPLIFTING WOMEN FROM THE MORASS OF FABRICATED HISTORY _______________________________ __

Dear Readers, Hari Aum, Welcome to the eleventh issue of Dhyan Praveshika, It is always a delight to share with you and extend the knowledge of understanding of the spiritual realm, and with this issue we dive deeper into the understanding of the self and read in detail about the epics of the Goddesses, incorporating tales such as the slaying of Shumbh and Nishumbh, a demonstration of Shakti winning over all evil, the supreme power of Maa to create and destroy.

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The Slaying of Shumh-Nishumbh

Published by Shri kalyanika Himalaya Devsthanam Nyas, PO- Chaikhan, Village- Kanara, Dist.- Almora, Uttarakhand-263625.

Editors Swami Vishweshwaranand, Swami Kapileshwaranand Compilation and design StartUp Media Cover design Omar Sharif

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SELF-REALIZATION In spiritual circuits we often come across the term inner awakening; implying two different aspects of a being- inner and outer. It is surprising to know that all our actions are merely expressions of our inner mental state. My master always says that there are two distinct states of mind; pure and impure,that we humans experience and secondly a stage which is known to be the higher one; which is complete self awareness devoid of any other concept of happiness whatsoever.

This is quite confusing as everyone, irrespective of their states, seem to be involved in some or the other activities. Krishna, however, demarcates and explains that though they look same in terms of their actions they are substantially different and poles apart in reaping the fruits of their actions. He further clarifies that the one who acts only to maintain his physical existence accrue no further debts and attract no further seeds. underlining the two categories of our actions - one which is accomplished happily and gives unconditional happiness in return and the other which is full of sorrow nd negation, however, committed due to the habits formed out of series of actions enacted unconsciously, which means there are times when we commit certain actions seeking pleasure and comfort , which means there are times when we commit certain actions seeking pleasure and comfort which turns out to be really uncomfortable and often disgusting. All such quests sourced out of egoistic adventurism mostly culminate into dissatisfaction. If we ask why; then the answer is because in reality we do not want anything and do not desire whatsoever. Yes no desire and no limitation only unconditional happiness. Look at the eyes of a newborn baby and it will be revealed that it does not seek anything;that blank expression is the testimony of our being.

There is a fable elaborating the same- once Veda Vyas- the sage passing through the banks of a river following his own son Shukadev, there were a few young women bathing in the river. The moment they saw Ved Vyas they started hiding themselves - Ved Vyas being a reputed sage was amazed and asked about their awkward behavior as when his young son Shukadev passed, seemingly unfazed, they carried on with their bathing and the moment they saw him, comparatively old and elderly, they started to clothe themselves.

Those women replied that his son is like a newborn that is not yet exposed to desires that corrupt our minds and coerce us into the never-ending conquest of pleasure and pain.

There are wise men who understand the futility of material quest and this understanding keeps the possessor from chasing these desires and on the other hand there is someone who is completely unaware

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of material pleasure. These are indeed two stages of awakening firstly, the onset of the knowledge primarily conjuring up to the fact that the material gains are not the ultimate solution of the emptiness that we humans experience and secondly a stage which is known to be the higher one; which is complete self awareness devoid of any other concept of happiness whatsoever.

This is quite confusing as everyone, irrespective of their states, seem to be involved in some or the other activities.

Krishna, however, demarcates and explains that though they look same in terms of their actions they are substantially different and poles apart in reaping the fruits of their actions. He further clarifies that the one who acts only to maintain his physical existence accrue no further debts and attract no further seeds.

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WORTH THE WAIT

do that.

2. EXPAND YOUR EMPATHY

Why patience pays off In 1968, a Stanford University researcher presented each member of a group of preschool children with a single marshmallow. He wanted to see which of them could resist eating it long enough to earn a second treat. Followup studies found the children who’d demonstrated sufficient patience to win the prize experienced greater success later in life. They were more likely than the impatient kids to earn good salaries and less likely to suffer from addictions of all kinds. The researchers’ conclusion: Those blessed with an ability to defer gratification enjoy greater life chances as the result.

'Don't Bite the Hook' (Shambhala Audio), she outlines three methods for developing patience borrowed from the writings of eighth-century Buddhist scholar Shantideva.

She explains that the key to cultivating more patience - whether you're in a long line at an Indian marketplace or stuck in freeway traffic - lies in finding new ways of perceiving your predicament. Here are a few ways you might do that.

For the majority of us, patience doesn’t come easily. And when it does come, it’s often fleeting. The rest of the time, we rush, we interrupt, we get exasperated when people squeeze ahead of us in line, we charge things now rather than paying cash later, we curse drivers who impede our progress in the fast lane.

The second of Shantideva’s methods is an extension of the first: Learn to see the complexity of a situation. This means understanding that human beings live complicated lives in a complex universe, all the variables of which we can’t possibly know or appreciate in the moment. Just remembering this fact may allow us to amplify our sense of empathy with others, and thus to soften a little.

For example, if you’re in a movie-ticket line that’s not moving, you might start feeling testy. But if you are willing to see the complexity of the situation, you might reflect on the fact that even a movie theater has a number of intricate moving parts. Everyone who works there has navigated traffic, weather, relationships, possible health challenges and who knows what else to get to work that day.

1. START SEEING DIFFERENTLY For the majority of us, patience doesn’t come easily. And when it does come, it’s often fleeting. The rest of the time, we rush, we interrupt, we get exasperated when people squeeze ahead of us in line, we charge things now rather than paying cash later, we curse drivers who impede our progress in the fast lane.

From decisions made in haste to words spoken without reflection, impatience can cause a vast amount of pain, waste and damage. [This writer owes the demise of one Toyota to an un-willingness to endure the length of a red traffic light.) Fortunately, even if we are not born with a great deal of patience, it is a virtue that even the most agitated among us can develop,according to American Buddhist nun Pema Chödrön. It's a skill, she asserts, one that we can hone with focus and practice.In a talk Chödrön gave in 2007 titled

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From decisions made in haste to words spoken without reflection, impatience can cause a vast amount of pain, waste and damage. [This writer owes the demise of one Toyota to an un-willingness to endure the length of a red traffic light.) Fortunately, even if we are not born with a great deal of patience, it is a virtue that even the most agitated among us can develop,according to American Buddhist nun Pema Chödrön. It's a skill, she asserts, one that we can hone with focus and practice.In a talk Chödrön gave in 2007 titled 'Don't Bite the Hook' (Shambhala Audio), she outlines three methods for developing patience borrowed from the writings of eighth-century Buddhist scholar Shantideva.

It’s entirely possible that one or more people scheduled that day didn’t make it, which could

slow down the line or — in the event the remaining workers had to deal with an unexpected problem or distraction- stop it altogether.

Seen in this light, you might appreciate that everyone is doing the best that he or she can under the circumstances. You might also perceive that this holdup is probably an exception to the rule: The fact that things generally work as well as they do is something of a minor miracle.

Expanding our empathy can do a lot to cool our mental fires, says Chödrön. It helps us shift the sense that our being forced to wait is a personal affront or something that’s being done to us, and lets us begin to see it as something impersonal — inevitable, even.

3. PULL TOLERANCE FROM POSITIVITY It’s easier to have patience when we’re awash in good feelings. When we’re newly in love, for example, it seems like nothing can disturb our sense of well-being. Late busses, long waits for restaurant tables, canceled flights - we

She explains that the key to cultivating more patience - whether you're in a long line at an Indian marketplace or stuck in freeway traffic - lies in finding new ways of perceiving your predicament. Here are a few ways you might

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take them all in stride.

When we are feeling generally happy, our ability to comfortably tolerate annoyances skyrockets.

According to Chödrön, we can use that dynamic to our advantage in pursuing Shantideva’s third instruction: Develop tolerance.

NINE FORMS OF GODDESS DURGA

This doesn’t involve gritting our teeth and bearing reality. On the contrary, it involves actively noticing and cultivating positive feelings. To begin, Chödrön suggests paying attention to pleasant, everyday sensations and experiences, like the pleasure of eating when you’re hungry, putting warm socks on cold feet, or seeing a beautiful bank of clouds in the sky. She calls this ’cheerfulness practice,’ and it can do a lot to lengthen our proverbial fuse.

There will always be things that push us to impatience. But practicing with little annoyances, as Chödrön shows us, can build a greater capacity for humor and perspective overall. So when the truly big challenges come along, there’s grace. Waiting for you.

-Courtney Helgoe

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SHAILPUTRI The first form of Goddess Durga is referred to as Shailputri or Daughter of the Mountain. She is a daughter of the Himalayas. In her previous birth, she was born as Sati-Bhavani, the daughter of Daksha. She had married Lord Shiva, without her father's consent. One fine day, Daksha organized a Yagna, wherein he didn't invite Lord Shiva. Since Sati was obstinate, she went to her father's place and attended the Yagna. Thereupon, Daksha insulted Lord Shiva. Humiliated and angered by her father, because he insulted her husband, Sati burnt herself in the fire of the Yagna.

BRAHMACHARINI The second form of Goddess Durga is called 'Brahmacharini'. Her name is derived from the word 'Brahma', which means 'Tapas' or penance. She holds a rosary in her right hand, while Kamandal in her left hand. Full of merriment, Brahmacharini is worshipped on the second day of Durga Puja.

According to the legend, she was born as Parvati Hemavati, the daughter of Himvan. One fine day, when Parvati was playing with her friends, sage Narada approached her and told that she would marry her husband from her previous birth on a condition that she would have to observe penance.

After hearing this, she decided that she would tie the wedding knot with none other than Shambhu (Lord Shiva), her husband in the previous birth. After saying this, she went to observe penance. This is the reason, why she is referred as Tapacharini or Brahmnacharini. since then, she also came to be known as Uma.

Katyayani is the sixth form of Goddess Durga. As per the legends, Rishi Katyayan was born in his 'Katya' lineage. He observed penance, because he wanted to get paramba as his daughter. Pleased with her prayers, Goddess Durga blessed him and took birth as his daughter. The daughter was then named 'Katyayani'. Seated on her vehicle lion, Katyayani has three eyes and four hands.

KALRATRI The seventh form of Goddess Durga is popularly known as 'Kalratri'. As the name suggests, Kalrati is as black as a dark night. With bountiful unlocked hair, Kalratri wears necklaces that shine like lightening. She is personified as the deity of power, with large eyes and fire that is breathed by her.

Kalratri is also referred to as Shubhamkari, as she makes her devotees fearless. She has four hands, with a sharp sword in her left hand and a burning torch in her lower left hand, her lower and upper right hand that shows blessings.

MAHA GAURI The eighth form of Ma Durga is called 'Maha Gauri'. She is as white as a conch and is eight years old.

She is clad in a snow white cloth and is accessorized with white colored ornaments. With three eyes and four hands, she rides on a bull. Her left hand shows the fearless Mudra, while her lower left hand holds a Trishul. Calm and peaceful Maha Gauri observed penance. According to the legends, when she observed penance and got dirty due to dust, Lord Shiva cleansed her body with the Holy Water of Ganges, flowing through his head.

CHANDRAGHANTA SIDDHIDATRI The third form of Goddess Durga, referred to as Chandraghanta, represents bravery. The charming, bright Chandraghanta looks gorgeous. She has a half-circular moon in her forehead, hence the name 'Chandraghanta'. With three eyes, she is golden in color. Ten types of weapons, including sword and arrows are held by her ten hands. Seated on a lion, she is always ready to go to war. The unprecedented bravery of Chandraghanta is worshipped on the third day of Durga Puja.

KUSHMANDA

The ninth and last form of Goddess Durga is known as Siddhidatri. It is believed that Lord Shiva attained all the eight Siddhis (Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakamya, Lishitya and Vashitva) by offering prayers to Maha Shakti. With her gratitude, the half portion of the body of Lord Shiva became of Goddess Shakti. Hence, he is called 'Ardhanarishwaran'. Siddhidatri has all the eight Siddhis. She rides on a lotus. Siddhidatri is worshipped by all the other Gods and the RishisMunis, Siddhas, Sadhakas and Yogis.

the fourth form of Goddess Durga, resides in solar systems. It is believed that Kushmanda is the creator of the entire Universe. According to the legends, she created the Universe by merely laughing. She hands eight hands out of which, seven hold weapons and the eighth one bears a string of beads. With rosary in her right hand, she sits on a Lion. The deity is worshipped on the fourth day of Durga Pooja.

SKANDA MATA In her fifth form, Goddess Durga is known as 'Skanda Mata'. After observing penance, Goddess Parvati tied the wedding knot with Lord Shiva. Their son is Skanda, the leader of the army of Gods.

Therefore, the fourth form of Goddess Durga is referred to as Skanda Mata, the Mother of Skanda.

The deity of fire - Skanda Mata - is white in color, has three eyes and four hand. She is seated on a lion, with her son (Skanda), on her lap.

KATYAYANI

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MAHAVIDYA CHINNAMASTA

CHHINNAMASTA ("She whose head is severed"), often spelled Chinnamasta and also called Chhinnamastika and Prachanda Chandika, is one of the Mahavidyas, ten Tantric goddesses and a ferocious aspect of Devi, the Hindu Divine Mother. Chhinnamasta can be easily identified by her fearsome iconography. The self-decapitated goddess holds her own severed head in one hand, a scimitar in another. Three jets of blood spurt out of her bleeding neck and are drunk by her severed head and two attendants. Chhinnamasta is usually depicted standing on a copulating couple.

Chhinnamasta is associated with the concept of self-sacrifice as well as the awakening of the kundalini – spiritual energy. She is considered both as a symbol of self-control on sexual desire as well as an embodiment of sexual energy, depending upon interpretation.

She symbolizes both aspects of Devi: a lifegiver and a life-taker. Her legends emphasize her sacrifice – sometimes with a maternal element, her sexual dominance and her selfdestructive fury. Though she enjoys patronage

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as part of the Mahavidyas, her individual temples – mostly found in Northern India and Nepal – and individual public worship is rare, due to her ferocious nature and her reputation of being dangerous to approach and worship. restricted to heroic, Tantric worship by Tantrikas, yogis and world renouncers.

Chhinnamasta is recognized by both Hindus and Buddhists. She is closely related to Chinnamunda – the severed-headed form of the Tibetan Buddhist goddess Vajrayogini, Buddhist texts recount the birth of the Buddhist Chinnamunda. One tale tells of Krishnacharya's disciples, two Mahasiddha sisters, Mekhala and Kankhala, who cut their heads, offered them to their guru and then danced. The goddess Vajrayogini also appeared in this form and danced with them.

Another story recalls princess Lakshminkara, who was a previous incarnation of a devotee of Padmasambhava, cut off her head as a punishment from the king and roamed with it in the city, where citizens extolled her as Chinnamunda-Vajravarah In a story from the Shakta Maha-Bhagavata

Purana, which narrates the creation of all Mahavidyas including Chhinnamasta, Sati, the daughter of Daksha and the first wife of the god Shiva, feels insulted that she and Shiva are not invited to Daksha's yagna ("fire sacrifice") and insists on going there, despite Shiva's protests. After futile attempts to convince Shiva, the enraged Sati assumes a fierce form, transforming into the Mahavidyas, who surround Shiva from the ten cardinal directions. Chhinnamasta stands to the right of Shiva in the west. Similar legends replace Sati with Parvati, the second wife of Shiva & reincarnation of Sati or Kali, the chief Mahavidya, as the wife of Shiva and origin of the other Mahavidyas. While Parvati uses the Mahavidyas to stop Shiva from leaving her father's house, Kali enlightens him and stops him, who was tired living with her, from leaving her.Devi Bhagavata Purana mentions the Mahavidyas as war-companions and forms of the goddess Shakambhari.

Pranotasani Tantra narrates two tales of Chhinnamasta's birth. One legend, attributed to Narada-pancharatra tells that once, while having a bath in Mandakini river, Parvati got enticed, turning her black. At the same time, her two female attendants Dakini and Varnini (also called Jaya and Vijaya) became extremely hungry and craved for for food.

Though Parvati initially promised to give them food once they return home but the merciful goddess beheaded herself by her nails and gave her blood to satiate their hunger. Later, they returned home.

An oral legend records the goddess Prachanda-Chandika appeared to aid the gods in the god-demon war, when the gods prayed to the Great Goddess Mahashakti. After slaying all demons, the enraged goddess cut off her own head too and drank her own blood.

The name Prachanda-Chandika also appears as a synonym of Chhinnamasta in her hundred-name hymn in Shakta-pramoda.

Another oral legend relates her to the Samudra manthan (Churning of Ocean) episode, where the gods and demons churned

the milk ocean to acquire the amrita (the elixir of immortality). Chhinnamasta drank the demons' share of the elixir and then beheaded herself to prevent them from acquiring it.

Chhinnamasta is described as being as red as the hibiscus flower or as bright as a million suns. She is described to be a sixteen-year-old girl with full breasts, having a blue lotus near her heart. Chhinnamasta is depicted wearing a serpent as a sacred thread and a garland of skulls/severed heads and bones, along with other ornaments around her neck. She carries her own severed head – sometimes in a platter or a skull-bowl – in her left hand and holding a khatri, a scimitar or knife or scissor-like object, in her right hand, by which she decapitated herself. A crown on the severed head and bangles, waist-belt ornaments may be also depicted. Three streams of blood string from her neck, one enters her own mouth, while the others are drunk by her female yogini companions, who flank her.

Both the attendants, Dakini to her left and Varnini to her right, are depicted naked, with matted or dishevelled hair, three-eyed, fullbreasted, wearing the serpentine sacred thread and carrying the skull-bowl in the left hand and the knife in the right. While Dakini is fair and represents the tamas guna, Varnini is red-complexioned and conveys the rajas guna. With her right leg stretched and left leg bent a little, Chhinnamasta stands in a fighting posture on the love-deity couple of Kamadeva (Kama) – a symbol of lust – and his wife Rati, who are engrossed in copulation with the latter usually on the top (viparita-rati sex position). Below the couple is a lotus and in the background is a cremation ground.This popular iconographic form is described in the Tantrasara and the Trishakti Tantra.

Additionally, she is described as three-eyed, with a jewel on her forehead, which is tied to a snake and her breasts adorned with lotuses.

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Another form of the goddess in the Tantrasara describes her seated in her own navel, formless and invisible. This form is said to be only realised via a trance.

of the brain. Pingala courses from the left testicle to the right nostril and is associated with the hot solar energy and the left hand side of the brain.

Chhinnamasta signifies that life, death and sex are interdependent. Chhinnamasta's image conveys the eternal truth that "life feeds on death, is nourished by death, necessitates death, and that the ultimate destiny of sex is to perpetuate more life, which in turn will decay and die in order to feed more life", while the lotus and the lovemaking couple symbolize life and the urge to create life, in a way gives life-force to the beheaded goddess, the blood flowing from goddess conveys death and loss of the life-force, which flows into the mouths of her devotee yoginis, nourishing them.

The self-decapitation also represents removal of false notions, ignorance and egoism. The ability to remain alive despite the beheading is associated to supernatural powers and awakening of the kundalini. The triad of the goddess and the two yoginis is also philosophically cognate to the triad of patterns, "which creative energy is felt to adopt".

The Chhinnamasta icon is also understood as a representation of the awakening of the kundalini – spiritual energy. The copulating couple represent the awakening in the Muladhara chakra, which corresponds to the last bone in the spinal cord. The kundalini flows through the central passage in the body – the Sushumna nadi and hitting the topmost chakra, the Sahasrara at the top of head – with such force that it blows her head out.The blood spilling from the throat applies the upward-flowing kundalini, breaking all knots (granthis) – which make a person sad, ignorant and weak – of the chakras. The severed head is "transcendent consciousness". energy and the right hand side of the brain. Pingala courses from the left testicle to the right nostril and is associated with the hot solar energy and the left hand side of the brain.

The three blood streams is the flow of nectar when the kundalini unites with Shiva, who resides in the Sahasrara. Another interpretation associates Daknini, Varnini and Chhinnamasta with the three main subtle channels (nadis): Ida, Pingala and Sushumna flowing free. Sushumna connects the Muladhara and Sahasrara and is cognate with the spinal cord. Ida courses from the right testicle to the left nostril and is linked to the cooling lunar energy and the right hand side

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VEDIC FEMINISM: UPLIFTING WOMEN FROM THE MORASS OF FABRICATED HISTORY The degraded treatment accorded to women in the medieval age, has always been the tipping point in brandishing Hinduism as a dogmatic and highly patriarchal religion.

Our history books are replete with references of women being forced to partake in Sati or self-immolation, cases of wicked oppression by the male gender, countless crude examples of coercion into child marriage, among myriad other social evils that persisted during the middle age.

When a student of history, as it is taught in the modern school education, is outrightly subjected to such a one-sided view of the Hindu society, it becomes quite natural for him to start visualizing Sanatana-Dharma or the eternal religion as being synonymous with a degraded version of theism, practiced by men of warped intelligence.

The propaganda levelled against Hinduism, that of being inherently oppressive towards the fairer sex, is meant to turn people against the true essence of Hinduism.

Such a manipulated notion, paints a very dogged image of Hinduism, as it exists in its unadulterated form.

A thorough understanding of the ancient Vedic texts would reveal a contrarian view of women as propounded in the scholarly works of the modern historians.

When Divinity finds itself naked and incomplete, without the female aspect of the Divine, it speaks volumes of the importance that is stressed upon womanhood in Hinduism. Krishna is

approached through his eternal consort Radha, Ram through Sita, Shiva with Durga and so is the case with every spiritual form.

The whole school of Neo-Vedanta, established

by Ramakrishna Paramhamsa and popularized by Swami Vivekananda, greatly emphasises the worship of Kali as the Mother.

The conception that women were denied access to education in the Vedic age is utterly farcical. Several hymns of the Vedic canon have been composed by women such as Maitrayi, Ghose and Vak. The composition of such highly sophisticated stanzas could not have been formulated unless the women were well-educated in knowledge.

Another social evil attributed to a 'superstitious' Hinduism, is the propagation of coerced child marriage. The Rig Veda, the oldest of the living Vedas, quashes such an argument in toto.

An unmarried learned daughter should be married to a bridegroom who like her is learned. Never think of giving in marriage a daughter of very young age. (Rig-Veda 55:16) The above statement makes it amply clear that women, like men, were equally educated and learned and were married after reaching nubility.

The Vedic religion is also sometimes dubbed as 'backward' and 'illiberal' by arguing that women were bound within the realm of their paternal house, forced to live in a kind of social slavery.

On the contrary, young men and women were given unrestricted freedom to intermingle with each other. Samsanas, traditional equivalent of carnivals, used to be organized from time to time, allowing people from both genders to interact and participate in merrymaking. And, many women chose their life

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partner from such social gatherings.

Moreover, there are considerable allusions to women marrying in older age. For instance, the female seer Ghosa married at a late age to the sage Kaksivan.

Such ennobling examples of freedom of choice in marriage, apart from invalidating Western notions of Hindus being caught in the web of 'arranged marriage', clearly highlight the maturity level which characterized the ancient Vedic religion.

The precept of dowry is also completely misunderstood by the predisposed minds famished under the tutelage of distorted history books.

Dowry was not a sum of money on which the transactional deal of women was based. In stark contrast, it was a parting gift that the woman carried with her to the new house, having sole preserve of its rightful use.

Cases of Sati or self-immolation, were quite rare and have now been blown out of context and proportion.

A widowed women, in the Vedic times, was given much affection and warmth. She had the right, or rather, the freedom to remarry. This can be corroborated by the following verse from the Rig-Veda(X, 18.8) Rise up woman thou art lying by one whose life is gone, come to the world of the living, away from thy husband, and become the wife of him who holds thy hand and is willing to marry thee.

While occupying a supreme position in the Vedic civilization, women were honoured and respected, not equally but in a highly lofty fashion.

The reverence and significance of womanhood is summed up by Manu in his law book Manu Smriti Women must be honored and adorned by their fathers, brothers, husbands, and brothers-inlaw, who desire their own welfare. Where women are honored, there the gods are pleased; but where they are not honored, no sacred rite yields rewards. Where the female relations live in grief, the family soon wholly perishes; but that family where they are not unhappy ever prospers. The houses on which female relations, not being duly honored, pronounce a curse, perish completely, as if destroyed by magic.Turning back the pages of Vedas can indeed usher in a new era of feminism, one which is much more rooted in spiritual wisdom.

- Gaurav Sharma

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f}rh; ,d vn~Hkqr [ksy] tks izfr iy cnyrk jgrk gSA cnyko fVdrk ugha] vkSj [ksy feVrk ughaA ;g [ksy vuojr izfØ;k ds izdj.k esa gks jgk gSA bls ge n`”; dgrs gSaA bl [ksy dk enkjh NksVk ls Hkh bruk NksVk gS fd vfUre NksVkiu Hkh mlls cM+k gSA blhfy, Jqfr mls ^^v.kksj.kh;ku~** dgrh gS] ftl ge vn`”;] vxkspj vkfn dgrs gSaA [ksy ^Hkze* rFkk enkjh ^czºe dgk tkrk gSA [ksy fouk”kh gS vkSj enkjh mnklh gSA ftls Jqfr vfouk”kh Hkh dgrh gSA vkdkj Hkh bruk NksVk gS] fd og fujkdkj dgk tkrk gSA bl vn~Hkqr vfuoZpuh; ¼vdF;½ [ksy dks [ksyus dk eSnku Hkh bruk cM+k gS fd ftldh cM+kbZ o.kZukrhr gSA bl [ksy ds eSnku esa loZ izFke ikap Hkwr ¼vkdk”k] ok;q] vfXu] ty] i`Foh½ fn[kkbZ iM+rs gSaA ckn esa ,d cgqr cM+k v.Mk fn[kus yxrk gSA v.Mkdkj ;g cM+k lk xksyk czºek.M dgk tkrk gSA bl czºek.M ds vUrxZr pkSng Hkqou izdV gks tkrs gSaA Hkwyksd ¼i`Foh½ ds lfgr Åij lkr yksd gSa& 1-Hkwyksd 2-HkqoyksZd

3- lqry yksd 4- rykry yksd 5- jlkry yksd 6- egkry yksd 7- ikrky yksd bruk fo”kky gS ;g [ksy dk eSnku] bl [ksy vkSj eSnku ds jpuk dkj enkjh dh fojkVrk gekjh vk¡[kksa esa ugha lek ldrhA blfy, Jqfr dk ;g dFku fd og jpuk dkj ^^egrksegh;ku~** gS] bls ge eku fy;s gSaA bl [ksy esa lfEefyr f[kykfM+;ksa dh la[;k vxf.kr gS] D;ksafd ftl lIr}hi okyh i`Foh ¼Hkwyksd½ ij ge jg jgs gSa] lw;Z ftls izdk”k fc[ksjrk jgrk gS] pUnzek viuh “khr jf”e;ksa ls ftldh vkS'kf/k&ouLifr;ksa dks iq'V djrk jgrk gS] tks vla[; u{k=ksa] rkjkx.kksa ls lq”kksfHkr gS] ftlij mÙkky rjaxksa okys leqnz vÍgkl dj jgs gSa] tgk¡ xxupqEch mUur ioZrksa ls izokfgr gksdj ufn;k¡ vuojr xfr ls lkxj ls fey jgh gSa] dsoy mlh ij jgus okys f[kykfM+;ksa ¼thoksa½ ds “kjhjksa dh mRifÙk pkj izdkj ls gksrh gSA tks 1mn~fHkt 2- Losnt 3- v.Mt 4- tjk;qt dgs tkrs gSaA

3-LoyksZd 4-egyksZd 5-tuyksd

1- mn~fHkt & tks Hkwfe&Hksnu djds mRiUu gksrs gSa] tSls&?kkl] ikS/ks] o`{k vkfnA 2- Losnt & tks ilhus ds lEcU/k ls mRiUu gksrs gSa] tSls & tw¡ ¼yh[k½] phyj vkfnA

6-riksyksd 7-lR;yksd i`Foh ds uhps ds lkr yksd gSa&

3- v.Mt & tks v.Ms ls iSnk gksrs gSa] tSls&eqxhZ] dcwrj] lkai vkfnA 4- tjk;qt & tks tsj ¼f>Yyh½ ls mRiUu gksrs gSa] tSls&euq';] xkS] ?kksM+k vkfnA

1- vry yksd 2- fory yksd

bl rjg pkj izdkj ls mRiUu bu f[kykfM+;ksa dh pkSjklh yk[k ,d ;ksfu;k¡ ¼vkd`fr;k¡½ gSaA

14

o`{kkfn chl yk[k] typj ukS yk[k] d`fe X;kjg yk[k] i{kh nl yk[k] i”kq rhl yk[k] ckuj pkj yk[k vkSj euq'; ,d ¼;ksfu¾vkd`fr½A bl rjg bu f[kykfM+;ksa dh pkSjklh yk[k ,d ;ksfu;k¡ gSaA ;g buds “kjhjksa dh la[;k ugha gS] D;ksafd mDr ;ksfu;ksa esa mRiUu “kjhjksa dh fxurh lEHko ugha gSA Jh ckck th us dgk gS& u ;g vfuoZpuh; ¼ftlds ckjs esa dqN Hkh u dgk tk lds½ [ksy\vjs! HkkbZ ;g bruk cM+k jgL; gS] ftls ^^osn u tkub Hksn**] osn Hkh bl jgL; dk Hksn ugha tkurkA D;ksafd [ksy] enkjh vkSj f[kykM+h lc ,d dh gh ek;k gSA vkiS [ksy vkSj vki enkjhA vkiS cuk foew< [ksykM+hAA bl jpuk esa dqN ,sls Hkh foxzg gSa tks bl [ksy esa lfEefyr ugha gSa] os dsoy mnklh enkjh ls vfofPNUu lEcU?k cuk;s gq, mnklhu ¼rVLFk½ gSa vkSj bu [ksykfM+;ksa esa ekuokd`fr ds dqN [ksykfM+;ksa dks enkjh ls feykus ds fy, vkxe&fuxe dk iUFk crkrs jgrs gSaA budh ckr lquus le>us vkSj ml enkjh ls feyus ds bPNqdksa ds pkj izdkj gSa& dwVLFkk”p rVLFkk”p x`gLFkk% ouokflu%A prqfoZ/kk mnklhuk% cq/kS% ifjdhfrZrk%AA dwVLFk] rVLFk] x`gLFk] ouLFk pkj izdkj ds mnklhu lUrksa ds n”kZu gksrs gSa] ftlesa dqN fuo`fÙkekxhZ gS] dqN izo`fÙkekxhZ gSaA bl foHkktu dh y{k.k js[kk ds jgL;cks/k ds fy, Jh en~Hkkxor esa cM+k foy{k.k ladsr gS& ^^oSjkX;jkxksikf/kH;kekEukrksHk;y{k.kkr~** vFkkZr~ ftlds ân; esa jkx gS] mlds fy, izo`fÙk ekxhZ; lk/kuk /keZ gS vkSj ftlds ân; esa oSjkX; gS mlds fy, fuo`fÙk ekxhZ; lk/kuk /keZ gSA bldk rkRi;Z ;g gS fd Hkkjrh; euh'kk dh ekU;rk gS fd lk/kuk ¼/keZ½ oLrq ;k fØ;k ds xq.k ls ugha gksrh] vf/kdkjh dh fLFkfr ds vuqlkj gksrh gSA psru dh iz/kkurk ls lk/kuk gksrh gS] tM+ oLrq ;k fØ;k dh iz/kkurk ls ugha gksrhA tgk¡ pSrU; ij n`f'V gS ogk¡ mlds izdk”k&fodkl vkSj vkoj.k Hkax ds fy, rnuq:i lk/kuk /keZ mins”k gksrk gA egkHkkjr] “kkfUrioZ esa bu mnklhu eqfu;ksa ds Øe ds lEcU/k esa cM+k Li'V o.kZu gSA

15

czºek us l`f'V ds vkfndky esa ekulh&l`f'v dh] ftlesa&lu] luRlqtkr] lud] luUnu] luRdqekj] dfiy vkSj lukru izdV gq,A ;s lkrksa czºek ds ekul iq= gSa vkSj Hkokxzt ¼l`f'V jpuk ds iwoZ ds½ gSaA LoHkko ls gh fo'k;ksa esa mnklhu jgus ds dkj.k izFke mnklhu dgs tkrs gSa] ^^luRdqekj% izFkekscHkwo**A l`f'V Øe c<+kus ds fy, czºek }kjk dgs tkus ij Hkh bUgksaus czºek ds izLrko dks Lohdkj ugha fd;k] D;ksafd tUe ls gh ;s lHkh fuo`fÙk iz/kku mnklh izFkk ds izdk”kd FksA mnklhu ekxZ ds lHkh ludkfn eqfux.k czºek ds ekul iq= gSa] blfy;s bu esa ;ksfut fodkj ugha gS] vr% ;s eqfux.k fo|koa”k pykus okys gSa] ;kSuoa”k ughaA o`{kkfn chl yk[k] typj ukS yk[k] d`fe X;kjg yk[k] i{kh nl yk[k] i”kq rhl yk[k] ckuj pkj yk[k vkSj euq'; ,d ¼;ksfu¾vkd`fr½A bl rjg bu f[kykfM+;ksa dh pkSjklh yk[k ,d ;ksfu;k¡ gSaA ;g buds “kjhjksa dh la[;k ugha gS] D;ksafd mDr ;ksfu;ksa esa mRiUu “kjhjksa dh fxurh lEHko ugha gSA Jh ckck th us dgk gS& u ;g vfuoZpuh; ¼ftlds ckjs esa dqN Hkh u dgk tk lds½ [ksy\vjs! HkkbZ ;g bruk cM+k jgL; gS] ftls ^^osn u tkub Hksn**] osn Hkh bl jgL; dk Hksn ugha tkurkA D;ksafd [ksy] enkjh vkSj f[kykM+h lc ,d dh gh ek;k gSA

vFkkZr~ ftlds ân; esa jkx gS] mlds fy, izo`fÙk ekxhZ; lk/kuk /keZ gS vkSj ftlds ân; esa oSjkX; gS mlds fy, fuo`fÙk ekxhZ; lk/kuk /keZ gSA bldk rkRi;Z ;g gS fd Hkkjrh; euh'kk dh ekU;rk gS fd lk/kuk ¼/keZ½ oLrq ;k fØ;k ds xq.k ls ugha gksrh] vf/kdkjh dh fLFkfr ds vuqlkj gksrh gSA psru dh iz/kkurk ls lk/kuk gksrh gS] tM+ oLrq ;k fØ;k dh iz/kkurk ls ugha gksrhA tgk¡ pSrU; ij n`f'V gS ogk¡ mlds izdk”k&fodkl vkSj vkoj.k Hkax ds fy, rnuq:i lk/kuk /keZ mins”k gksrk gA egkHkkjr] “kkfUrioZ esa bu mnklhu eqfu;ksa ds Øe ds lEcU/k esa cM+k Li'V o.kZu gSA czºek us l`f'V ds vkfndky esa ekulh&l`f'v dh] ftlesa&lu] luRlqtkr] lud] luUnu] luRdqekj] dfiy vkSj lukru izdV gq,A ;s lkrksa czºek ds ekul iq= gSa vkSj Hkokxzt ¼l`f'V jpuk ds iwoZ ds½ gSaA LoHkko ls gh fo'k;ksa esa mnklhu jgus ds dkj.k izFke mnklhu dgs tkrs gSa] ^^luRdqekj% izFkekscHkwo**A l`f'V Øe c<+kus ds fy, czºek }kjk dgs tkus ij Hkh bUgksaus czºek ds izLrko dks Lohdkj ugha fd;k] D;ksafd tUe ls gh ;s lHkh fuo`fÙk iz/kku mnklh izFkk ds izdk”kd FksA mnklhu ekxZ ds lHkh ludkfn eqfux.k czºek ds ekul iq= gSa] blfy;s bu esa ;ksfut fodkj ugha gS] vr% ;s eqfux.k fo|koa”k pykus okys gSa] ;kSuoa”k ughaA

vkiS [ksy vkSj vki enkjhA vkiS cuk foew< [ksykM+hAA bl jpuk esa dqN ,sls Hkh foxzg gSa tks bl [ksy esa lfEefyr ugha gSa] os dsoy mnklh enkjh ls vfofPNUu lEcU?k cuk;s gq, mnklhu ¼rVLFk½ gSa vkSj bu [ksykfM+;ksa esa ekuokd`fr ds dqN [ksykfM+;ksa dks enkjh ls feykus ds fy, vkxe&fuxe dk iUFk crkrs jgrs gSaA budh ckr lquus le>us vkSj ml enkjh ls feyus ds bPNqdksa ds pkj izdkj gSa& dwVLFkk”p rVLFkk”p x`gLFkk% ouokflu%A prqfoZ/kk mnklhuk% cq/kS% ifjdhfrZrk%AA

czºek us l`f'V Øe dks c<+kus okyh nwljh l`f'V ejhfp] vafxjk] vf=] iqyLR;] iqyg] Ørq vkSj of”k'B lkr ekul iq=ksa ds :i esa dhA czºek us vius bu lkrksa iq=ksa dks l`f'VØe esa yxk;kA ,rs osnfonks eq[;k% osnkpk;kZ”p of.kZrk%A lIrSo ekulk% iq=k% izo`fÙkiFkekfJrk%AA

dwVLFk] rVLFk] x`gLFk] ouLFk pkj izdkj ds mnklhu lUrksa ds n”kZu gksrs gSa] ftlesa dqN fuo`fÙkekxhZ gS] dqN izo`fÙkekxhZ gSaA bl foHkktu dh y{k.k js[kk ds jgL;cks/k ds fy, Jh en~Hkkxor esa cM+k foy{k.k ladsr gS&

Jh pUnz fot; lxZ&5] “yksd 31&39 rd esa mijksä ?kVuk dk mYys[k djrs gq, dgk x;k gS fd ;gha ls fuo`fÙk ekxZ vkSj izo`fÙk ekxZ izkjEHk gqvkA tks dBksifu'kn~ esa Js;&izs; ds uke ls of.kZr gSA Js; fuo`fÙk ekxZ gS tks ludkfn mnklhuksa dk gS rFkk izs; izo`fÙk ekxZ gS] tks of”k'B vkfn l`f'VØe pykus okyksa dk gSA blh Hksn ds vk/kkj ij ludkfn eqfu vkSj of”k'B vkfn _f'k dgs x;s&

^^oSjkX;jkxksikf/kH;kekEukrksHk;y{k.kkr~**

Hksnks·u;kseZgkus'k yH;rs ekxZHksnr%A

rLekfnekS eqfu_'kh fHkUukoso fulxZrAA Jh pUnz fnx~ fot; lxZ 5@53AA ckn esa x`gLFk&ouLFk mnklhuksa ds fy, O;oLFkk nh xbZ] fd ?kj NksM+ks] ou idM+ks] ?kj tksM+ks ou NksM+ks dk >esyk er [kM+k djks] ?kj&ou esa dgha Hkh jgks rqe vius mnklhiu dks er cnyksA ?kj NksM+us dh t#jr ugha gS vkSj ugha ou fuokl dh gh vko”;drk gS] dsoy ?kj&ou dh okLrfodrk dks le> ysuk gSA Jh pUnz th us vius ls igys ds tud vkfn dbZ lUrksa dks x`gLFk :i esa ns[kkA budh ekU;rk esa x`gLFk mnklh] rFkk fojä ouLFk mnklh] nksuksa eqfä ds vf/kdkjh gSa] ij eqfä ds fy, mUgsa mnklhu gksuk gksxkA Hkksxksa esa jgdj Hkksxksa ls fujis{k ¼mnklhu½ jguk] fo”o esa loZ= fopj.k&fogkj djuk] ek;k ls u Mjuk] gfj lnSo gekjs lkFk gSa] bldk vuqHko djuk] ^^tgk¡ tkb;s rga lax gS gfj vUr;kZeh**] ;g Hkko x`gLFk&ouLFk nksuksa dks y{; rd igq¡pk nsrk gSA ^^n;k /kje fgjnS esa jk[kgq ?kj esa jggq mnklh** xq#ok.kh ds vuqlkj&ftlds ân; dey ij ijekRek fojteku gks og fojä x`gLFk gks ;k ouLFk og mnklh gSA ^^fops x`lr mnkl jgkbZ] eu js x`g gh ekfga mnklq** vkfn mfä;k¡ blh mijksä rF; dk izfriknu djrh gSaA ^^rkil os'k fo”ks'k mnklh&pkSng ofjl jke cuoklh** rqylhnkl ds erkuqlkj pkSng o'kZ rd fo”ks'k mnklh riLoh ds os'k esa ou esa jgdj mnklh x`gLFk gks ldrk gSA Jh pUnz th us fl)kUr lkxj esa&Jh jke dks mnklh lUr] vklfäghu] fufyZIr gksrs gq, Hkh nq'Vksa dk fouk”k djus ds fy, /keZ”kL= /kkj.k djus okyk dgk gSA i.kZdqVh jp j?kqifr eqfu iV ru /kkjsA tVk twV HkLeax efg ou Qy vkgkjsAA blh in esa vkxs vk;kpZ Jh dgrs gSa ^^Jh pUnz /keZ izHkq dk ufga “kL= folkjs** fujrHkwrfgr lksbZ mnklh in ds vUr esa Li'V dgk x;k gS fd dsoy&Hkxfr izR;klh&Hkfä dh gh izR;k”kk djrk gS] ogh lPpk mnklh lUr ;k mnklh x`gLFk gSA bl rjg ouLFk mnklh dks mnklhu lUr vkSj x`gLFkkJ;h mnklh dks mnklhu x`gLFk ds :i esa ekU;rk izkIr gSA Jh d`'.k us #fDe.kh ls Lo;a dks mnklhu dgdj blh mnklhu x`gLFk

16

dh ifjdYiuk dks lqn`< ekU;rk izknku dh gSA mnklhuk% o;a uwuaL«;iR;kFkZdkeqdk%AA 10@60@20AA

vfer rst txtksfr izdk”kh mRl ls izogek.k mnklh /kkjk esa oSpkfjd voxkgu djus gsrq ml /kkjk ds rV ij igq¡prs gh gesa f”ko] ukjk;.k] luRdqekj] ukjn] okHkzO; vkfn mnklhu ;ksfx;ksa vkSj Hkäksa dk n”kZu gksrk gSA ;gk¡ ge bUgha mnklhu lUrksa ¼u fd mnklhu x`gLFkksa½ dh ppkZ djuk pkgsaxsA vU;= rFkk iqjk.kksa ¼f”ko iqjk.k] Hkkxor iqjk.k] dweZ iqjk.k vkfn½ esa o.kZu ds vk/kkj ry ij gesa JkSr ijEijk ds ;ksx Hkfä&lEi`ä gfjgjk}Sr f”ko&ukjk;.kh Nfo dk loZizFke n”kZu gksxk] tgk¡ & ^^v;a ukjk;.kks lks·lkoh”ojks uk= la”k;%** bl ;ksx”kkL=h; lans”k ds lkFk gh ukjk;.k ds loZ l:i] nsoh&nso nsoky; f”koS x.kHkwiA rFkk vkxs ;ksxhHkksyk bZ”oj] csx iSgj Hk;s ;ksxh”ojAA vkfn ds :i esa gesa vkpk;Z Jh pUnz dh ok.kh dk ikB lqukbZ iM+rk gSA oSfnd lkfgR; esa vusd LFkyksa ij ;ksxekxZ ds izFke vkpk;Z ds :i esa f”ko gh of.kZr gSa] Jh pUnz fnfXot; ¼6@2½ esa ^^luRdqekjks izFkeks oHkwo** crk;k x;k gSA bl rjg f”ko&luRdqekj& ukjn&gkjhr xks=h;&okHkzO;&nkYH; vkfn eqfu;ksa dh cM+h yEch ijEijk of.kZr gS] ftlesa luRdqekj Kku ;ksxekxhZ rFkk ukjn Hkfä ;kssxekxhZ FksA Jh pUnz th bl ijEijk dk mRl czºek ls ekurs gSaA budh ekU;rk ds vuqlkj Jh czºek&lud vkfn&;ksxh”oj f”ko gSa&

17

fujatu fufoZdkj gw¡] dsoy bZ”ojkns”k ls vuU; lk/; dk;Z djus ds fy, i`Foh ij vorh.kZ gqvk gw¡A

iqLrdksa esa ns[kus dks feyrk gS ¼fnfXot; lxZ&2 vkfn½ fd czºenso ds vkns”k ls lud vkfn vusd uke:iksa ls Hkkjr Hkwfe esa vorh.kZ gq,A lud&vfyeÙk] luUnu&ckyjl] lukru&xksfoUn nso] luRdqekj&iq'inso] czºek&lkseukFk f=ikBh rFkk czºenso ls dh gqbZ viuh izfrKk dk Lej.k djds Hkxoku~ “kadj 1494 bZ0 foØe lEor~ 1551 Hkknzin “kqDy] uoeh] lkseokj] ykgkSj] [kM~xiqj rglhy] ryo.Mh xzke esa xq#ukud dh /keZiRuh lqy{k.kk nsoh ds xHkZ ls Hkxoku~ Jh pUnz ds #i esa gq,A

4- gekjs iFk izn”kZd luRdqekj vkfn gSa] tks izo`fÙkekxZ dks NksM+dj fuo`fÙkekxZ ds ifFkd gq,] vr% eSa Hkh mUgha dk vuqlj.k d:¡xkA ;g Fkk ckyd Jh pUnz dk vkRefujh{k.k vkSj n`<+ fu”p;A

Hkk0

;k[;ku ds lUnHkZ esa gh iwT; Jh ckck th us dgk&

izFkeS czºek /kjh lq/kk;s] gk, vrhr cus fl)k;s czºekfnd ludkfnd tksga rkds “kh”k ekfga ;g lksga vkxs ;ksxhHkksyk bZ”oj

csx iSgj Hk;s ;ksxh”ojAA nwljh ek=kAA

tUe ls gh Hkky ij f=iq.M] nkfgus dku esa dq.My] flj ij tVk rFkk HkLe foHkwf'kr “kjhj ns[kdj mUgsa ;ksxekxZ ds izoÙkZd f”ko dk vorkj ekuk tkrk gS] tks ckn esa JkSr;ksx ijEijk ds iqu#)kjd gq,A X;kjgosa fnu budk uke laLdj.k gqvkA “kksHkk] lEifÙk] vkºykn rhuksa xq.kksa dk lekatL; rFkk lkse ¼pUnz½ fnol dks vorkj dk la;ksx ns[kdj fo}kuksa us budk&JhpUnz uke dj.k fd;kA ukuk ewypUnz iD[kks ds ;gk¡ ls ykSVus ij if.Mr gjn;ky “kekZ }kjk budk ;Kksiohr laLdkj lEiUu gqvkA dk”ehj esa Jhuxj fuoklh if.Mr iq#'kksÙke ls bUgksaus leLr osn&osnkaxksa dk v/;;u fd;kA

xq# izkfIr esa izFke izk;ksfxd f”k{kk& budk vgfuZ”k ludkfn eqfu;ksa dk /;ku] lekf/k ;ksx esa jguk rFkk ou fuokl ls le; O;rhr gks jgk Fkk] vpkud vejukFk dh ;k=k esa mnklhu eqfu_a[kyk esa 164 osa eqfu Jh vfouk”kh xq# iq#'kksÙke if.Mr ds ;gk¡ igq¡p x;sA Jh pUnz th ogha Fks] vius vki ;g volj mifLFkr gks x;kA

if.Mr iq#'kksÙke us Jh pUnz th dh fLFkfr vkSj ifjfLFkfr ds ckjs esa Jh vfouk”kh xq# ls lc dqN crk fn;kA ogha le; ikdj Jh pUnz th us eqfu vfouk”kh xq# ds lkeus ftKklk izdV dh&Hkxou~! bl lalkj esa HkocU/k dk mPNsn djus okyh okLrfod “kkfUr euq'; dks fdl izdkj izkIr gks ldrh gSA blds mÙkj esa Jh vfouk”kh xq# us crk;k fd vPNs “kkL=ksa dk Jo.k] mÙke iq#'kksa dk lax] ;ksxkH;kl] lekf/k ij vf/kdkj] ijekFkZn”kZu] ijksidkj djus dk O;lu] oSjkX;] bfUnz;ksa dk fuxzg] ou esa fuokl rFkk vkRefpUru ls “kkfUr izkIr gks tkrh gSA AA Å¡ “kkfUr% “kkfUr% “kkfUr% AA

fo|k/;;u ds le; bUgksaus ogha /kekZuq'Bku dk fof/kor~ ikyu vkSj v/;;u fd;kA ftlds izHkko ls ;s oSfnd deZdk.M vkSj oSfnd vkpkj i)fr ds iks'kd cu x;sA LekÙkZ nsoksikluk esa budh iw.kZ fu'Bk FkhA vkRefpUru %& fo|k/;;u djrs&djrs pkSng o'kZ dh voLFkk O;rhr gks x;hA vc gesa dkSu lk dk;Z djuk pkfg;s\ 1- x`gdk;Z esa gh izo`Ùk jgrk gw¡ rks “kfä dk {kj.k gksus ls esjk vorkj ysuk O;FkZ gh tk;sxkA 2- eqfä ekxZ ds ifFkd dks vkokxeu ds pØ dks mfPNUu u djus okys bl iziap esa ugha jguk pkfg;sA 3- eSa eqä iq#'k gw¡] esjs lkFk iwoZ deZ dk dksbZ cU/ku ugha gS] vr% u esjh dksbZ ekrk gS] u firk gS] eSa LoHkkor%

18

time the great warrior Raktabija, more

The untiring Shumbh fought so violently that

powerful on account of his getting a boon,

Indra and the other Gods and Lokapalas were

attended by his army of two Aksauhini

defeated. Shumbh then took away, perforce,

soldiers. Whenever this demon was wounded

the position of Indra and he occupied the

by any weapon, if one drop of blood fell on the

Celestial Tree and Heavenly milking cow that

ground, at once would be created so many

yielded all desires and other excellent things

innumerable demons, resembling his wicked

over which Indra used to reign. In fact, that

On Brahma going away, the two demons, too,

nature and with similar weapons in their

high-souled demon got the dominion of the

returned to their own places. They then

hands. The demons born of this blood would

three worlds and took away all those that were

appointed the Muni Bhrigu as their priest and

have similar appearances and would be

offered at the sacrifices. He became highly

began to worship him. Bhrigu, the best of the

similar in strength and ready to fight at once

glad on getting the Nandana Garden and was

Munis, then, on an auspicious day and when

when they were born.

extremely delighted when he drank the

THE SLAYING OF SHUMBH-NISHUMBH In days of yore, Shumbh and Nishumbh, the

words, the Grandsire Brahma gladly granted

two fair and good looking brothers came out of

them their desired boon and returned to His

hell to this earth. These two demons, when

own abode.

they grew to their manhood, performed severe asceticism in Pushkar, the holy place of pilgrimage, the most purifying place in this world and they refused to eat rice and water.

They became so very skilled in their Yoga practices that they died in their one posture and seat one Ajuta (10,000) years. Thus they performed very difficult penance.

the star was benign, got a beautiful golden throne built and gave it to the king. Shumbh,

He then defeated in battle Kubera, the god of

very reason and no being could now kill him.

wealth and occupied his kingdom. He defeated

The other demons, when they heard that

the Moon, Sun, and Yama, the God of Death and

Shumbh had become their king, came up there

occupied their positions. Surrounded by his

with their armies consisting of four divisions of

army, Nishumbh dispossessed Varuna, Fire,

The two great warriors Chand and Mund,

elephants, chariots, cavalry and infantry and

and Air of their kingdoms and began to reign in

proud on account of their great strength came

began to serve him. The army of Shumbh and

their stead. Thus deprived of their kingdoms,

there with their large armies, chariots,

Nishumbh thus became countless; and they

prosperity and wealth, the Gods left the

horses, and elephants. Similarly the valiant

forcibly conquered and got possession of all

Nandana Garden and fled, out of terror, to the

warriors Dhumralochan, hearing that

the kingdoms that existed then on the surface

caves of hills and mountains.

Shumbh had become their King, came there

of the earth.

Deprived of all their rights, the Gods without

Then Nishumbh, the destroyer of enemies,

any weapons, without any lustre, without any

collected his army and marched up to the

home, and without anywhere to go, began to

Heavens without any delay to conquer Indra,

wander in lonely forests. All the Immortals

the Lord of Shachi. He fought very hard with all

began to knock about in lonely gardens,

the Lokapalas on all sides, when Indra struck

mountain caves and rivers; and nowhere they

him on his breast with His thunderbolt

found happiness; for happiness depends

Nishumbh fell unconscious on the ground with

entirely unto the hands of Fate.

that blow when his soldiers, defeated in the

When the Gods were all defeated, Shumbh

battle, fled away on all sides. Shumbh, the

began to govern all their kingdoms; thus one

destroyer of the enemies' forces, hearing the

thousand years elapsed. The Gods, on the

unconscious state of the younger brother,

other hand, deprived of their kingdoms, were

came up at once on the field and shot at the

all drowned in an ocean of cares and anxieties;

auspicious throne as the king; the other brave

became pleased with their asceticism and

and excellent demons began to assemble

appeared before them, riding on his vehicle,

there quickly for serving him.

deeply merged in meditation, asked them to get up from that state and told them thus he is pleased with their penances and is ready to present them boons. Shumbh and Nishumbh said to Brahma that they will not get killed by a man, demon, God or deity. Hearing their

celestial nectar.

Raktabeej was unconquerable in battle for this

being the eldest, was then installed on the

Then Lord Brahma, the Grandsire of all,

the swan. The Creator, seeing them thus

That great warrior, the great Demon

with his own army. There came up also at that

Gods with multitudes of arrows.

19

20

at last they began to feel very much and were

body became transformed and turned into a

Sugriv came to Ambika and Kalika, Sugriv

arrows and next broke his chariot and began to

greatly afflicted. Brihaspati suggested the

black colour and is known as KaIika. Her

asked her politely, in a kind, respectful and

laugh repeatedly.

Gods to go to the Himalayan Mountains and

terrible black appearance, when beheld,

sweet voice to come to Shumbh and Nishumbh

Then Dhumralochan becoming angry

worship the Supreme Goddess who, in days of

increases the terror even of the demons, also

at the heavens. Ambika told him that she will

mounted on another chariot and began to

yore killed Mahishasura. Hearing thus his

known as as Kaalratri, the night of destruction,

marry the one who defeats her in a war.

shoot deadly arrows at Kalika. Kalika Devi, too,

words, the Gods departed to the Himalayas

at the end of the world, identified with Durga,

Sugriva understands, he tries to make her

cut out off those arrows into pieces before they

and they became all merged in the devotional

the Fulfiller of all the desires.

understand and convinces her but he fails.

reached Her and shot arrows after arrows on

worship of the Supreme Goddess and began to

The Goddess Ambika, then, began to look

Sugriv conveys this to Shumbh and Nishumbh

the demons in quick succession. Thousands of

meditate constantly in their hearts the Seed

splendid, decked with various ornaments; Her

back at heaven, they were very angry and sent

his soldiers near to him were killed; the asses

mantra of Maya (Hreem).

beautiful form began to look very lovely. The

They bowed down to the Goddess Mahamaya,

Devi Ambika then smiled a little and said to the

the Discarder of all the fears of her devotees

Gods that she will assassinate the powerful

and began to chant hymns to her with perfect

demon Nishumbh and others. Thus saying, the

devotion. When all the Gods thus eulogized,

Goddess Bhagawati, elated with pride,

instantly the Goddess Parvati, full of youth and

mounted on lion and, taking Kalika with Her,

beauty appeared there out of mercy. That

entered into the city of Shumbh, the enemy of

extraordinary beautiful Bhagawati, endowed

t h e

with all auspicious signs, and adorned with the

Ambika went to a garden adjoining the city

Divine clothing, ornaments, and garlands and

accompanied by Kalika, and began to sing in

G o d s .

sandal paste, etc., appeared before the Gods.

such a sweet melodious tune that enchants

Before Whom, even the world enchanter Cupid

even the God of Love, who fascinates the whole

bows down; with such beautiful, Divine

world. What more can be said than the fact

appearance, the Goddess emerged from the

that, hearing that sweet melodious song, the

mountain cave after taking her ablutions in the

birds and beasts became enchanted; the Gods

Ganges.

then began to feel much pleasure from the

That Goddess, sweet voiced like a cuckoo,

Sky. In the meanwhile Chand & Mund the two

gladly smiling began to say to the Gods,

dreadful demons, and attendants of Shumbh,

Dhumralochan and his demon corps of 60,000 demon forces to get Ambika at heaven with force. He ordered him to destroy Ambika's companion Kalika and break down the lion and

and the charioteer were killed and the chariot was broken. She cut off his arrows by Her swift serpent-like arrows and blew Her conchshell.

The Gods seeing this became very glad.

to kill any man, be he a God, virtuous being or deity try to protect her. No sooner ordered thus by the king, Dhumralochan bowed down to the king, and, accompanied by sixty thousand demon forces, quickly went to the battlefield and saw there that the Lady was sitting in a beautiful garden. Seeing that deereyed Lady, Dhumralochan began to address her with great humility and in sweet words full of reason and goodness. When Dhumralochan stopped talking, Goddess Kalika Devi made a loud laugh and told him off in very strong words and said that the Divine Mother will send all demons to death.

Dhumralochan, seeing himself displaced from his chariot, took up with anger his very strong Parigha weapon and came near to the chariot of the Goddess. Then the demon, terrific like death, began to abuse the Devi and said that he will kill her. Thus saying, he suddenly went near her and when he was about to throw his Parigha weapon on her, the Ambika Devi burnt him to ashes simply by her loud shout (of defiance). Seeing Dhumralochan burnt to ashes, his soldiers became panic-stricken, and fled away immediately, crying. The Gods saw this and gladly showered from high heaps of flowers on the Devi. The battle ground then

came out accidentally there on their sportive

Hearing the Goddess' words, Dhumralochan

excursions and saw the beautiful Ambika Devi

caught hold of his very strong bow and began

singing and Kalika Devi sitting before Her. No

to shoot arrows after arrows at Kalika. Indra

tormented Gods praised thus, the Goddess

sooner Chand, Mund saw the extraordinary

and the other Gods came out to see the fight on

places the asses lay scattered on the field. The

created from Her body another supremely

beauty of the Goddess Bhagawati, than they

their best cars in the celestial space and thus

herons, crows, vultures, the Pishachas of the

beautiful form. This created form, the Ambika

went at once to Shumbh and carried all the

eulogized Her. Then a deadly fight ensued

Devi, became known in all the worlds as

reports of Goddess Ambika. Shumbh and

between them with arrows, axes, clubs,

Kaushiki, as She came out of the physical

Nishumbh sent a demon messenger named

Shaktis, and Musalas and various other

sheath of the Parvati Devi. When Kaushiki was

Sugriv to Ambika to make her go to heaven and

weapons. Kalika cut off at the very outset all

created out of the body of Parvati, Parvati's

to accept him as her husband.

the asses that carried the chariot by Her

singing hymns to Her, in a voice deep like that of a rumbling cloud. She asked them who are they praising and what do they want. When the

21

assumed a dreadful appearance; at some places the slain demons; at others, the horses; at other places elephants and at some other

class Batabaraphas and jackals and other carnivorous animals, began to dance wildly and clamour hideously at the sight of the dead bodies, lying on the field.

22

The Ambika Devi then quitting the field, went

Chand spoke with a voice deep as thunder. She

of Dissolution. She began to lick frequently

Gods became delighted in the sky. In the

to a distant place and blew her conchshell so

told them off and challenged her to fight her

and forcibly dashed into the demon army and

meanwhile Chand became conscious and

furiously and terribly that Shumbh heard that

and to meet their fate. Chand and Mund, elated

began to destroy it. She angrily began to take

taking a very heavy club hurled it violently on

terrific noise, while he was sitting in his own

with pride got excited at the Devi's words,

the powerful demons by her arms and pouring

the right hand of Kalika. Kalika rendered that

residence. At the next moment, he saw that

became angry and made a violent noise with

them into her mouth crushed them with her

blow useless and instantly tied down that

the demon forces had retreated, and they were

their bow strings. The Devi, too, blew Her

teeth. Taking the elephants with bells by her

demon by her rope weapon, purified by

coming there crying. Some of them were

conchshell so loudly that the ten quarters of

own power in her hands she put them all into

Mantras. Munda again rose up, and, seeing his

besmeared with blood all over the bodies;

the sky reverberated; in the meanwhile, the

her mouth and swallowed them all with their

brother in that fastened condition, came to the

some had got their feet, some their arms, cut

powerful lion became very angry and roared

riders and began to laugh hoarsely. Thus

front well armored and with an exceedingly

asunder, some were devoid of eyes, some had

loudly. Hearing that sound Indra and other

camels, horses and charioteers with chariots

strong weapon called Shakti. Seeing the

got their backs broken; some had their waists

Gods, the sages, demi-gods, Siddhas, and

all she put into her mouth and began to chew

demon coming, she instantly fastened him

broken; some got their necks broken and

celestial beings became all very glad. A

them all grimly.

down like his brother. Taking the powerful

some were going on bedsteads. Seeing them

dreadful fight than ensued between Chandika

Seeing that the forces were being thus

Chanda and Munda like hares and laughing

thus, Shumbh and Nishumbh asked where is

and Chanda with arrows, axes and other

destroyed, the two great warriors Chand and

wildly, Kali went to Ambika, and said she has

Dhumralochan, why they retreated and why

weapons, causing terror to the weak. Then

Mund began to shoot arrows after arrows

brought the wicked Chand and Mund to her as

they did not bring Goddess Ambika with them.

Goddess Chandika became very wrathful and

without intermission and covered the Devi

offerings as sacrifice.

The soldiers said that Kalika has killed

cut off to pieces all the arrows shot by Chanda

with them. Chand hurled the Sudarsan-like

Seeing the two demons brought, as if they

Dhumralochan and their soldiers and the Gods

and then hurled arrows serpent-like on him.

disc, lustrous like the sun, with great force

were the two wolves, Ambika told her sweetly

are crying aloud in happiness. They also told

Then the sky over the battle ground seemed to

against the Devi, and frequently shouted

to bring the Goddess' work is a successful

Shumbh and Nishumbh the rest of the story of

be overcast with arrows just as the clouds get

thundering cries. Seeing him roaring and the

issue. Hearing thus the words of Ambika,

what happened in the battleground and

covered over with locusts, dreadful to the

lustrous disc coming towards her like another

Kalika spoke to Her again that Chand and

predicted that Lord Shiva and Vishnu will come

cultivators.

sun, she shot at him arrows sharpened on

Mund are offered as sacrifice. Thus saying, the

and help her.

In the meanwhile Mund, exceedingly terrible,

stones so that the warrior Chand became

Kalika Devi cut off their heads with great force

Shumbh, the tormentor of others, hearing

came up to the field, taking with him his army

overpowered by them and lay down senseless

and gladly drank their blood. Thus seeing the

their words asked his younger brother to send

and becoming impatient with anger began to

on the ground. The powerful Mund seeing his

two demons killed, Ambika said gladly that she

the two other demons, Chand and Mund and

shoot arrows. Seeing that multitude of arrows,

brother unconscious became very much

will be named Chamunda in the world because

their forces to the battlefield and slay the

Ambika got very angry; out of her frowny look,

distressed with grief; but he got angry and

she has terminated the demons Chand and

Goddess Ambika. Shumbh ordered Chand and

her eyebrows became crooked, her face

began to shoot arrows immediately on the

Mund. Seeing the two demons killed in the

Mund to go the battlefield with all of their

became black, and her eyes turned red like

Goddess.

battle, the remnant soldiers all fled away back

forces to kill the tawny-eyed Kalika and bring

Kadali flowers; at this time suddenly came out

Goddess Chandika hurled the weapon named

to Shumbh.

the Ambika to Shumbh. As ordered, the two

of her forehead Kali. Wearing the tiger's skin,

Isika and thus cut off to pieces all the dreadful

Some of them were cut and wounded in many

strong warriors Chand and Mund hurriedly

cruel, covering her body with elephant's skin,

arrows of Mund in a moment and semi-

places by arrows, some had their arms

went to the battle, accompanied by a vast

wearing a garland of skulls, terrible, with a

circular arrow at him. With this arrow the

severed, some were bleeding; thus they

army. There they saw the Devi, intent on doing

belly like a well dried up, mouth wide open,

powerful demon was deprived of his pride and

entered crying into the sky. On reaching the

good to the Gods. Then they began to address

with a wide waist, lip hanging loosely, with

made to lie down unconscious on the earth.

lord of the demons, they began to make

Her in conciliatory words.

trident, sword, scimitar and vajra, in her four

Mund thus lying on the ground, a great uproar

frequently the noise indicative of danger and

The Universal Mother, hearing the words of

hands, she looked very terrible like the Night

arose amidst the army of the demons; and the

exclaimed, that Goddess Kali is destroying

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24

everything and will be able to finish off the

a moment to pieces by her sharp arrows. The

forms with ornaments and vehicles as

The incarnation of Lord Vishnu, boar-faced

demon race. They enlightened Shumbh and

Goddess, then, drawing her bow, shot arrows

generally on such occasions. The power of

Varaha, the slayer of King Hiranyakashyap's

Nishumbh about the Supreme Mother

sharpened on stone at the great demon

Brahma came by the name of Brahmani,

brother, Hiranyaksh, a power came named

Goddess Adi-Parashakti.

Raktabeej. Then that wicked Demon, thus shot

having four heads and six hands holding a

Varahi, having the same face as his with the

Hearing this, Shumbh, the conqueror of the

at by the arrows, fell unconscious on the

noose, bell, waterpot, lotus, book and rosary

symbolism of a boar's face, having ten hands

Gods, told them truly in words becoming of a

chariot. When he lay thus senseless, a great

wearing her yellow robes and mounted upon a

holding a yak's tail, sword, rod, vajra, plough,

hero. Thus making a firm resolve to send the

uproar arose amidst his army and the soldiers

swan or a chariot pulled by swans. The power

bell, discus, bow and drinking vessel, astrided

powerful Raktabeej to the battle with a vast

began to cry aloud. Then Shumbh, the king of

of Vishnu came by the name of Vaishnavi,

upon a boar and wearing her blue robes.

army; Shumbh said that Raktabeej is a very

the demons, hearing the sound of a danger cry

having six hands holding a discus, conch shell,

Another incarnation of Lord Vishnu, called

powerful demon and to go to the battlefield

by hands and mouth ordered all the demons to

mace, lotus, longsword, bow and arrow

Narasimha, the slayer of the unruly demon

with all of his forces. Raktabeej assured

be ready for the battle.

wearing her purple robes and seated on a

King Hiranyakashyap, a power like him came

Shumbh that he will destroy that wicked eyed

Then Shumbh said to send all Kambojas, the

eagle.

named Narasimhi, she has a lioness face,

Kali and bring the Ambika Devi with him and

strong Kaalkeyas, Udayudh, eighty-four

The all-destroying power of Shiva

having really blond or disheveled hair and

make her Shumbh's slave. Thus saying, the

Kambus, the fifty groups of Kotiveeryas,

(Maheshwar) came by the name of

having sharp lion claws, riding on a lion and

powerful Raktabeej mounted on his chariot

Dhumravanshajat and Kalaks. Thus ordered,

Maheshwari or Shankari, wearing bracelets of

wearing her orange robes.

and went to the battle accompanied by his

all the fourfold army of Shumbh, the cavalry,

snakes, a crown of matted hair adorned by a

A power from Lord Yamraj came named

forces. The battalion consisted of cavalry,

infantry, elephants and chariots went out,

crescent moon along with other snakes,

Yamdevi, holding a scythe, plough or skull

infantry, chariots and elephants. Thus

intoxicated for war, to the battle ground where

wearing a snake necklace on her neck and

staff, riding a buffalo and wearing her black

surrounded he departed from the city for that

the Goddess existed. The Goddess Chandika,

wearing a tiger skin skirt including especially

robes. The power of Kubera came by the name

Goddess, seated on a mountain top. Then the

seeing the demon forces coming near, made

some tiger skin appeared above, she has six

of Kauberi, having a four hands holding two

Goddess, seeing him coming, blew her

at once terrible sounds frequently. The

hands holding a trident, waterpot, drum,

lotuses in two hands and a jar of gold coins in

conchshell; the demons were terrified at that

Goddess Ambika also made the sound with her

rosary, drinking vessel and a battle-axe,

the other, wearing her gold robes. The power

sound and the joy of the Gods increased.

bowstring and blew her conchshell.

seated on a bull. The power of Kartikeya came

of the Sun God came named Saranyu, wearing

Hearing that sound Raktabeej came very

Kali, then, shouted aloud opening Her mouth

by the name of Kartikeyani or Kaumari having

her bright yellow robes. The power of the Fire

hurriedly to Chamunda and began to speak to

widely. The powerful Lion, the Devi's vehicle,

six or one face and having twelve hands

God came named Swadha, wearing her fire

her sweetly.

hearing the terrible sounds, roared so loudly

holding a mace, trident, longsword, sword,

robes and seated on a ram. The power of the

When Raktabeej spoke all these words,

that the demons were struck with strange

bow, arrow, spear lotus, discus, conch shell,

Rain God came named Varuni, holding a lasso

standing before the Goddesses Kalika,

terror. The powerful demons, then, hearing

battle-axe and shield and wearing her pink

and a special water weapon, wearing her

Ambika and Chamunda began to laugh. The

that sound became impatient with anger and

robes and riding on a peacock. Indra, the

watery robes and riding a crocodile. The power

Goddess, hearing thus, laughed and spoke the

shot arrows after arrows on the Devi. The

egoistic and selfish God-King of the heavens, a

of the Wind God came named Vayudevi, seated

following reasonable words, in a voice deep as

wonderful horrible battle, then, ensued,

power came named Indrani, she has six hands

on a gazelle wearing her light blue robes. And

a rumbling cloud and really told him off.

causing horrification and the Shaktis of

holding a goad, noose, thunderbolt, spiker,

the power of Ganesh, the first-revered among

Hearing the Goddess' words, the demon was

Brahma and the other Gods began to come out

striker, thunderbolt, lotus, saw and vajra,

all Gods had an elephant's head like him

filled with anger and began to shoot dreadful

of their respective bodies to aid Goddess

seated upon Airavat, the heavenly white

named Ganeshi, having six hands holding a

arrows at once on the Lion. Ambika, then,

Chandika.

elephant of heavens, also known as Indra's

goad, noose, battle-axe, trident and a plate full

ready-handed, seeing the multitude of arrows

faithful vehicle, and wearing her light green

of sweets, riding on a mouse. Thus the wives of

The Goddesses, the wives of the several Gods,

coming in the sky like serpents, cut them off in

robes.

all Gods came there with proper forms,

then went, to the battlefield in their respective

25

26

vehivle, ornaments, accompanied by their

the demons is known in three worlds as

senseless on the ground. Thus the Matrikas,

and there sprang out thousands and

forces and all excited. Seeing them all, the

Shivaduthi. The demons, thus hearing the

the Goddesses, crushed the forces. Then the

thousands of demons like him. Indrani, the

Goddess Ambika became glad; the Gods, too,

rigorous words of the Goddess, put on their

other powerful soldiers fled away terrified.

wife of Indra, became very angry and struck

became peaceful and expressed their great

coats of armour and taking their bows and

The danger cry rose then loudly; on the other

the terrible Raktabeej with her thunderbolt.

joy; the demons were afraid at the sight of

arrows quickly went out to fight. They came

hand, the Gods began to shower flowers on the

Streams of blood then began to ooze out from

them.

with great force to the battlefield, stretched

Goddesses. Hearing the distressful agonies of

his body. No sooner the drops of blood fell

Shiva, auspicious to all the beings, came there

their bows to their ears and shot piercing

the demons and the shouts of victory of the

from the demon's body, than were

to the battlefield, surrounded by these

arrows, sharpened on stone and tipped with

Gods, Raktabeej, the chief of the demons

instantaneously born from the blood many

Goddesses and thus said to Chandika to

iron, at the Goddess Chandika. The Kalika

became very angry. Seeing specially the

powerful demons, of similar forms, having

quickly destroy all the demons and also let the

Devi, too began to strike some with the trident,

demons flying away and the Gods shouting,

similar weapons and hard to be conquered in

other Mother Goddesses to join them on their

some with Shakti weapon, and some with

that powerful demon came hurriedly to the

battle. Brahmani then becoming enraged

side to kill the wicked demons too. When

clubs and rent them asunder and devoured

battlefield with anger. Then with eyes

struck at him with the staff of Brahma with

Shiva, the Lord of the Gods and auspicious to

them all, and began to roam in the field.

reddened with anger, and with various

greater force. Maheshwari rent the demon

Brahmani began to pour water from her

weapons came before the Goddess, Raktabeej

asunder by striking him with her trident.

waterpot on the powerful demons in the

mounting on a chariot, and making sounds

Narasimhi pierced the demon with her nails;

battlefield and thus destroyed them.

unusual with his bowstring.

Varahi struck at him with her teeth. Then the

Maheshwari, mounting on her bull gave

Please hear attentively about the

demon becoming angry shot at them all with

violent blows by her trident and thus lay them

extraordinary boon that was given by

sharpened arrows and pierced them all.

dead on the ground. Vaishnavi, with the blow of

Mahadev, the God of gods, to the great warrior,

Thus when the Mother Goddesses were

her club, took away the lives of many demons

Raktabeej. Whenever a drop of blood from the

pierced by the club and other various weapons

and striking them with her discus out off the

body of that great warrior will drop on the

of that great demon, they got very angry and

heads of several others. Indrani hurled her

surface of the earth, immediately will arise

pierced the demons in return with shots of

thunderbolt on the chief demons, already

innumerable demons, equal in form and

arrows. Kaumari, too, struck at his breast with

struck by the feet of the elephant and lay them

power to him; thus the Lord Rudra granted the

her weapon, named Shakti. The demons then

dead on the field. Narasimhi tore the strongest

demon the wonderful boon. Thus elated with

got angry and hurled on them multitude of

demons with the sharp nails and, devouring

the boon, he entered into the battlefield with

arrows and began to pierce them. The

them, walked to and fro and made dreadful

great force in order to kill Kalika with Ambika

Goddess Chandika, getting angry, cut off his

Devi. Seeing the Vaishnavi Shakti, lotus-eyed,

weapons into pieces and shot violently at him

Shivaduthi began to laugh hoarsely and laid

seated on the bird Garud, the Demon struck

other arrows. Thus struck by severe blows,

the demons flat on the field, when they were at

her with a violent weapon (named Shakti). She

when blood began to flow in profuse quantities

once devoured by Kalika and Chandika.

then baffled the weapon by Her club and

from his body, thousands and thousands of

Kaumari, seated on a peacock, by drawing the

hurled Sudarshana disc on the great demon

demons resembling Raktabeej sprang out

bowstring to her ears hurled arrows

Raktabeej. Thus struck by the disc, blood

instantly from it. So much so, that the heavens

sharpened on stone on the enemies and killed

began to ooze out from his body as the red

were all covered over with Raktabeejs that

them to serve the cause of the Gods. Varuni

stream of soft red sandstone comes out of a

sprang up from the blood. They all covered all

tied down the demons by her rope weapons in

mountain-top. Wherever on the surface of the

over their bodies with coats of armour, began

a face to face fighting; thus they lay down

earth drops of blood fell from his body, then

to fight terribly with weapons in their hands.

all, said so, a wonderful female ensued out of the body of Chandika, very furious, horrible, with hundreds of jackals surrounding and yelling; then that Shakti, of dreadful appearance, said to the five-faced Shiva, smiling. She said to him to go to Shumbh and Nishumbh as their messenger and tell them that if they want to live, they should go back to hell and allow the Gods to eat their sacrifices from fire. Else, if they like to die, let them go quickly to the battlefield and let their flesh be eaten up by her jackals.

Hearing her words, Shiva went quickly to Shumbh, the lord of the demons, seated in the

sounds.

assembly, and said to the demons that if they want to live, they should go back to hell and allow the Gods to eat their sacrifices from fire.

Else, if they like to die, let them go quickly to the battlefield and let their flesh be eaten up by the Mother Goddess's jackals. Thus conveying the nectar like, beneficial words of the Goddess to the chief demons, Shiva, the holder of the trident, returned to his own place. The Shakti that sent Shambhu as a messenger to

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Then the Gods, seeing that the innumerable

strength, hearing thus the Goddessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; words

Thus, when the dreadful Raktabeej was slain

arrows after arrows at the Divine Mother with

Raktabeejs were striking the Goddess,

began to drink the jets of blood coming out of

in the battle, the demons fled away trembling

the object of frightening Her.

became very frightened and were distressed

the body of Raktabeej. The Goddess Ambika

with fear. Without any weapons, covered all

with sorrow. They began to talk with each

began to cut the Demonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body into pieces and

over their bodies with blood, and void of

other with sorrowful countenances that

Chamunda, of thin belly, went on devouring

consciousness they uttered, dumb

thousands and thousands of huge bodied

them. Then Raktabeej, becoming angry,

confounded. Thus crying, they told their King

warriors were springing from the blood. These

struck Chamunda with his club. But though

Shumbh the creation of the Goddesses

were all very powerful; so how could they be

she was thus hurt severely, she drank off the

assisting Kali, Chamunda and Ambika and the

destroyed?

blood and then devoured all the limbs thereof.

death of Raktabeej and enlightened them

In this battlefield there were now left only the

Thus Kalika Devi drank off the blood of all

about the Goddess Chandika.

Matrikas, Kalika and Chandika. It would be

other powerful wicked demon Raktabeejs that

Hearing thus, Shumbh got confounded by

into pieces by his sharp arrows; thus the fight

certainly extremely difficult for them to

sprang out of the blood. Ambika thus

death, as his end was coming nigh, and said

became more and more dreadful between

conquer all these demons. And if at that

destroyed them. Thus, all the demons, created

the following words, his lips quivering with

them.

moment, Shumbh and Nishumbh were to join

out of the blood were devoured; then, there

anger. Shumbh was angry and told them off,

was left, lastly, the real Raktabeej. Ambika

At this time, the lion of Bhagawati, came down

them with his army, certainly a great

Nishumbh wanted to go out to the battlefield to

Devi then cut him asunder into pieces by her

upon the forces, quivering his manes, like a

catastrophe would occur. When the Gods were

confront the Kali and Ambika Devi. Thus

powerful elephant going down into a lake. By

thus extremely anxious, out of terror, Ambika

axe and thus killed him.

saying, the younger brother, proud of his own

his nails and teeth, he tore asunder the bodies

Devi said to the lotus-eyed Kali to lick the

strength, went hurriedly to the battlefield,

of the demons that fell before him and

blood of the Raktabeej before it fell on the

mounting on his big chariot. He was protected

devoured them, as if they were infatuated

ground. The Goddess Chamunda, of furious

all over his body by his coat of armour and he

elephants. That lion thus crushing down the

was well provided with various weapons and

soldiers, Nishumbh came forward hurriedly,

all other accoutrements of war.

drawing his excellent bow. Hundreds of other

Seeing Nishumbh with his excellent bow, shooting arrows, Chandika began to laugh frequently. With a soft slow voice she spoke to Kalika to see their foolishness and said to her that she wil kill Nishumbh. Thus saying, and suddenly drawing her bow, Chandi covered Nishumbh, in front, all over with a multitude of arrows. Nishumbh, too, cut off those arrows

The bards began to sing hymns to him and

generals of the demons came up there to kill

various other propitious ceremonies were

the Goddess, biting their lips and with their

being performed. Thus making a firm resolve

eyes reddened with anger.

that there would be either victory or death, the great warrior Nishumbh went to fight with the Devi, with great excitement and with all his forces. Shumbh, too the Lord of the demons, accompanied by his forces, went after Nishumbh; Shumbh knew full well the rules of warfare; therefore he remained a witness there. Indra and the other Gods and Yaksas, all stationed themselves in the celestial space, eager to see that fight, covered with clouds.

Nishumbh came to the field, and, taking the

In the meantime Shumbh killed Kalika and came very hurriedly there with his forces to capture the Divine Mother. Coming to the battlefield Shumbh saw that the Divine Mother was standing before him; though she was looking very beautiful, fit for love sentiment, yet she was filled also with the sentiment of fiery wrath. At that time the large eyes of Bhagawati, the Beautiful in the three worlds, though naturally red, looked more red due to wrath.

strong bow made of horns, began to shoot

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to be continued.....

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