The secrets of maa Durga

The secrets of maa Durga

You will be surprised to know the secrets of maa Durga

Maa Durga holds the highest position among the goddesses in Hinduism.  She is called Ambe, Jagadambe, Sherawali, Pahadwali etc.  She has hundreds of temples all over India.  There is more Shaktipeeth than Jyotirlinga.  Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati are the wives of Trideva.  Different information about her story is mentioned in the Puranas.  In the Puranas reveal the mystery of the Goddess in the Devibhagwat purana.

After all, what is the secret about those Amba, Jagadamba, Sarveshwari etc.?  It is also important to know.  Those who have complete knowledge about Mata Rani are her true devotees.  Although it is also true that here in this article complete information about her cannot be given, but I can trying to tell so much, what should you know?

Who is the mata Rani?  :

 1.Ambika: According to Shivpuran, that indestructible Parabrahma (Kaal) expressed the wish of the second after some time.  Within him, the resolve to be one to many emerged. Then that formless God conceived the shape with his lila power, which is the idolless Supreme Brahm.  He is the supreme Brahm Lord Sadasiva.  Alone Sadashiva who wandered in all the direction  to his will, created maa Shakti from his idol(body), which was never going to be separated from his divine body. Sadashiv's strength has been described as the dominant nature, quality of maya, the mother of the intellect element and unvarnished. She is called Shakti Ambika (not Parvati nor Sati).  She is also called Prakriti, Sarveshwari, Trideva Janani (mother of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh), Nitya(eternal) and root cause. There are 8 arms of that Shakti as revealed by Sadasiva.  Parashakti Jagatjanani Goddess, she is endowed with various divine power and takes a variety of weapon power.  Even though one, that maya power becomes many by her desire .  That Shakti is the ardhangini(wife) of Sadashiva, also known as Jagadamba.
2. Devi Durga: There was a great powerful monster born in the dynasty of Hiranyaksha,he was son of Ruru named Durgamasura.  All the deities were stricken by durgamasura.  He surrounded the city of Indra's, Amravati.  The gods were became powerless as a result, they considered it best to flee from heaven.
They ran away and hid in the holes and caves of the mountains and started worshiping Adi Shakti Ambika for help.  The Goddess appeared and blessed the Gods to be fearless. A messenger told Durgamasura all this saga and there was talk of incarnation of the protector of the gods.  Immediately, Durgamasur became angry and went to war with all his weapons and his army.  A fierce battle ensued and Devi destroyed all demons army including Durgamasura.  Since then this goddess began to be called Durga.
3. Mata Sati: Lord Shankar is also called Mahesh and Mahadev.  The same Shankar first married Dakshayani, daughter of king Daksha . That Dakshayani is called Sati.  Sati finished her life by jumping into the yagna of her father Daksha due to insulting her husband Shankar. Lord Shankar wandered from place to place with the body of Mother Sati.  Wherever the parts and ornaments of Goddess Sati fell, Shaktipeeths were built there. After this, Mata Sati took birth in Himalayaraja as Parvati and did severe penance of Lord Shiva and got Shiva again and became famous in the world as Parvati.

4. Mata Parvati: Mother Parvati was Shankar's second wife, who was Sati in the previous birth.  Goddess Parvati's father's name was Himwan and mother's name was Rani Mainavati.  Mata Parvati is called Gauri, Mahagauri, Pahariwali and Sherawali.  Mata Parvati is also considered as Durga Swaroopa.  Parvati's two sons are believed to be prominent, one is Sriganesh and the other is Karthikeya.
5. Kaitabha: According to Padmapuran, both brothers named Madhu and Kaitabh were towards Hiranyaksha in Dewasur Sangram.  According to the Markandeya Purana, Uma killed Kaitabh, causing her to be called 'Kaitabha'.  According to Durga Saptasati, Ambika's power Mahamaya killed both with her yogic shakti.
6.Kali: According to mythological belief, Lord Shiva had four wives.  The first Sati who sacrificed her life by jumping into the yajna.  This sati came in the second birth as Parvati, who has sons Ganesh and Karthikeya.  Then  a third wife of Shiva called Uma.  Goddess Uma has also been called the Goddess of the land.  It is the only temple in Uttarakhand.  Mother Kali is the fourth wife of Lord Shiva.  She killed the terrible demons on this earth.  Kali Mata was the one who killed Asura Raktabij.  She is considered to be the chief among the das Mahavidyas.  
7. Mahishasura Mardini: The daughter of a Katyayan sage from one of Navadurga killed Mahishasura, the son of Rambhasur.  He had the boon of Brahma that he would be killed at the hands of a woman. After killing him, Mother called Mahishasura Mardini.  According to another legend, when all the gods could not win even after fighting with him, then Lord Vishnu said that together with all the gods, worship the Bhagwati superpower due to everyone. A divine glory emerged from the body of all the gods and appeared as a supremely beautiful woman.  Himwan gave the lion to ride Bhagwati and all the gods presented their weapons in the service of Mahamaya. Pleased with the gods, Bhagwati soon assured to free them from the fear of Mahishasura and killed him after a fierce battle.
8. Tulja Bhavani and Chamunda Mata: Worship of Mata Tulja Bhavani and Chamunda Mata is prevalent at many places across the country.  Especially this is more in Maharashtra.  Actually Mata Ambika called Chamunda because of slaying of Asuras named Chand and Mund.  Tulja Bhavani Mata is also known as Mahishasura Mardini.  We have already discussed above about Mahishasura Mardini.
9. Ten Mahavidyas: Some of the ten Mahavidyas are Goddess Amba, some are Sati or Parvati and some are other .  Although everyone is seen connecting with Mata Kali.  The ten Mahavidyas named the following. Kali, Tara, Chinnamasta, Shodashi, Bhuvaneshwari, Tripurbhairavi, Dhumavati, Bagalamukhi, Matangi and Kamala.  Somewhere their names are found in this order: -1.Kali, 2.Tara, 3.Tripurasundari, 4.Bhuvaneshwari, 5.Chinnamasta, 6.Tripurbhairavi, 7.Dhumavati, 8.Balamukhi, 9.Matangi and 10.Kamala .
Navratri: Navratri festival is held twice a year.  The first is known as Chaitra Navratri and the second is known as Sharadiya Navratri of the month of Ashwin.  In this way, the whole year consists of 18 days of Durga, out of which nine days of Sharadiya Navratri are celebrated, which is called Durgotsav. Chaitra Navratri is believed to be for Shaiva Tantrikas.  Under this, Tantric rituals and difficult practices are performed and second Sharadiya Navratri is for Satvik people only for devotion and celebration of mother.
Navratri Vrat: In Navratri, food, along with alcohol, meat and coitus is sacrificed for the entire nine days.  In the said nine days, if a person insults the mother in any way or unknown, they have to face severe punishment.  Many people have been seen dancing to discos and film songs in the name of Garba Utsav.  This is a gross insult to the mother.
Navadurga's secrets : These Navadurga are - 1. Shailaputri 2. Brahmacharini 3. Chandraghanta 4. Kushmanda 5. Skandamata 6. Kakatiyani 7. Kaalratri 8. Mahagauri 9. Siddhidatri.  Parvati Mata is also known as Shailputri, being the daughter of the mountain Himalayas.  Brahmacharini means when she found Shiva through penance. Chandraghanta means a lunar-shaped tilak on its head.  After gaining the power to generate the universe, she came to be called Kushmanda.  From the abdomen to the whole body, she contain the universe within her, which is why she is called Kushmanda.  According to some people, because of being worshiped by a society named Kushmanda, it was called Kushmand.  Parvati's son Karthikeya is also named Skanda, hence she is called Skanda's mother. Pleased with the penance of Maharishi Katyayan, she was born to his as a daughter, hence she is also called Katyayani.  It is noteworthy that just as there are incarnations of Vishnu, so also of Mother.  The daughter of the Katyayana sage killed Mahishasura.  After killing him, she called Mahishasura Mardini.  Kat was a famous Maharishi, his sons was Katyas and the famous sage Katyayan was born in the tribe of these Katyas. Maa Parvati Devi Kaal means that she is going to destroy every kind of crisis, that is why it is called Kalratri.  Mother's color is completely Gaur i.e. Gaura (White), which is why she is called Mahagauri. However, according to some Puranas, when his color turned black due to hard penance, then Shiva processed and washed her body with the holy water of Ganga ji, then she became extremely radiant - like thunder light. Since then, she was named Mahagauri.  The devotee who remains completely devoted to her, gives them all kinds of Siddhi(accomplishments), that is why she is called Siddhidatri.
Tiger and Lion: Each goddess has a different vehicle.  Goddess Durga  is riding on Tiger ,Goddess Parvati on the lion.  Parvati's son Karthikeya is also named Skanda, which is why she is called Skanda's mother. She is shown riding on a lion.  Katyayani Devi is also shown riding on the lion.  Goddess Kushmanda is riding on a lion.  Mata Chandraghanta is also riding on a lion.   Shailputri and Mahagauri ride on bull(Taurus).  Mata Kalratri is riding a donkey, while Siddhidatri sits on a lotus.

According to a legend, Goddess Parvati did austerities for thousands of years to get Shiva in husband form.  The goddess became darker by penance.  One day after the marriage with Lord Shiv, when Lord Shiv was sitting with Parvati, then Lord Shiv joked with Parvati and said Kali. Goddess Parvati was shocked by this thing of Shiva and left Kailash and became absorbed in penance.  Meanwhile a hungry lion arrived there with a desire to eat the goddess.  He sat silently on seeing goddess concentrate in austerity. The lion started thinking about when Devi got up from penance and made her own diet.  Meanwhile many years passed but the lion  stood in its place.  Meanwhile, on completion of the penance of Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva appeared and gave the boon of Parvati Gauravarna i.e. white. After this, Goddess Parvati took a bath in the Ganges and from her body, a dark goddess appeared who called Kaushiki and became Gauravarna Goddess started to call Parvati Gauri. Goddess Parvati made vehicle  the lion who was sitting to eat her.  The reason for this was that lion kept his attention for years by keeping an eye on her while waiting for the Goddess to eat.  Devi took it as the penance of lion and took it into her service.  Therefore, both lion and bull are considered vehicles of Goddess Parvati. 
Community of Goddess: The religion of all the goddesses related to Ambe or Ambika is Shakta.  The Nath sect is considered a sub-sect of the Shaiva sect.  Shakta sect is considered to be the community of Goddess. Indus Valley Civilization also finds evidence of worship of Mother Goddess.  Shakta sect is an ancient sect.  During the Gupta period it was popular in the countries of North-Eastern India, Cambodia, Java, Bornea and Malaya.  After the rises of Buddhism, its influence decreased. Shakta sect is considered under Shaivism.  Shaktas believe that the supreme power of the world is feminine which is why they worship Goddess Durga in the form of God.  In all the religions of the world, God is visualized as a man. That means God may be like a man, but Shakta Dharma is the only religion in the world that considers the creator of creation as mother or woman.  In fact, this is the only religion of women.  Shiva is a dead body, Shakti is the ultimate light.  However, the Saankhya of Shakta philosophy is the same. 
Purpose of Shakta Dharma: Everyone's aim is salvation, yet accumulate power.  Worship the power.  Power is life, power is religion, power is truth, power is everywhere and we all need power.  Be strong, be brave, be fearless, be independent and be powerful.  That is why the seekers of Nath and Shakta sect continue to do different types of yoga and meditation to become powerful.  Achievements continue.
Pilgrimage of Shakti: All the temples of Mata are miraculous.  Everyone knows about the miracles of Mata Hinglaj, Nainadevi, Jwaladevi etc. Apart from 51 or 52 Shakti Peethas, there are hundreds of ancient temples of Maa Durga.  Famous temples of Mother are Tulja Bhawani Temple of Kolhapur, Shaktipeeth of Mother of Pavagadh of Gujarat, Vindhyavasini Dham, Patan Devi, Tulja and Chamunda Mata of Dewas, Mother Sharda of Mehar, Kali Mata of Kolkata, Vaishno Devi of Jammu, Mansa Devi of Uttaranchal, Nayana Devi, etc.

Shakta Dharma Granth: 'Sridurga Bhagavata Purana' is a major book in relation to Durga in Shakta Sampradaya, which describes 108 devipeeths.  Among them, 51-52 Shaktipeeths have special significance.  Durga Saptashati is in this.