Durge Smritaa Harasi Beeti-mashesha Janto

Swastai Smritaa Matimateeva Shubham Dadaasi.

Daaridrya Dukhha Bhaya Haarini Kaa Tvadanyaa,

Sarvopakaara Karanaaya Saaardrachitaa.

Mother Durga, you are giver of all things auspicious, by remembering you, our Minds remain healthy. You destroy poverty, sadness, fear and other bad vibrations, and you are the cause and doer of all things good.

Mother Durga is celebrated throughout Hinduism as the powerful representation of female Shakti- energy. Her activities are documented in the Devi Bhagavatam and other Puranas and the famous Dura-Satashati recited every Navatratri festival (the nine night festival to honor the Mother Goddess) comes from the Maarkandeya Puran.

In the various Puranas, we are told of how she protested Lord Vishnu from the demons at he time of creation. Due to this, Lord Vishnu blessed her. He gave her the position of the Sister to God Almighty when He descended upon the earth in Mathura, U.P. at the end of Dwapar Yuga. She was the sister known as Maha-Maya to God Almighty Shri Krishna. Sri Krishna blessed her saying that she would be worshipped by all the Hindus as the blessed mother, who watches over the family, who destroys evil, who is a devoted wife to Lord Shiva and highest devotee to God Himself, like her husband Lord Shiva.

Mother Durga was born of the fiery energy of Mother Parvati and therefore is an expansion of the original female energy required for creation. She slayed countless demons in the history of the world, and she represents all qualities of motherhood. She carries eight weapons in her hands. They were all gifted by the different demigods at the time of her apparition.

Sword – represents the protective aspect of the divine mother willing to take on all the evil in the universe for us, her children. We are taught that we should sever the bonds of material life with the sword of religious devotion.

Tritium – the trident. It represents the knowledge of the vedas, Upanishads and Purana-Itihasas – the three bodies of Hindu Scriptures. By knowing these three volumes of scriptures, the devotees is able to conquer the demons of lust, anger, greed etc that terrorise our minds on a daily basis.

Chakra – the fiery discuss which is an expansion of the Sudrshan Chakra held by God Almighty, Lord Shri Krishna. It represents the ability of the light of knowledge to cut away the darkness of represents illusion and unintelligence.

It chases even those demonic people to the shelter of the lotus feet of God himself.

Gadder – the mace represents the clout of Hindu morals and peaceful living to strike the demons of immorality, quarrel and enmity dead.

Bow – Arrow – These two weapons representing the Guru (Spiritual Preceptor) as the bow and disciple (Shish) as the arrow show us that through the Guru, the disciple may pierce through the demons of illusion and material attraction and head straight-pointedly without distractions on the path of God.

Shankh – the conch-shell is the symbol of the sword vibration of God – Shbda Brahman. It reminds us that the vibrations of good spirituality of one person may permeate the whole society, filling them with the vibrations of spirituality. It also represents the power of the Mantras and of AUM – the sound representation of God.

Parma – the lotus flower shows us that even through the disgusting mud and dirty waters of this material world we may realize our selves as the beautiful soul, which once realised is the most beautiful flower which is used in the service of Lord. We must rise like the lotus, and endeavor to server the Lord in devotion.

Abhaya-Vardaan Mudra – the last hand of Mother Durga is free, as she holds the bow and arrow (two weapons) is one hand. This hand is in the position of the bestowment of fearlessness and the showering of blessings. Get hands bless her children always, and even when fighting the demons of the vices, this hand shows her children that she fights for us and we shouldn’t worry.