Goddesses as Devi
Manifestation of Goddesses in Bharatvarsha and Kashmir. The Great Goddess, known as Devi {Goddess}, has many guises. She is ‘Ma’ {Mother}; the gentle and approachable mother. As Jagatmata, or Mother of the Universe, She assumes cosmic proportions, destroying evil and addressing herself to the creation and dissolution of the world. Devi is all-important in the Brahmanic tradition and all Goddesses are different manifestations of Devi. Today millions of Brahman’s; men and women, conduct regular pujas of Devi through one of her many forms. For some She is their primary deity, for others She is part of a greater pantheon.I9n Kashmir Naga religion of original inhabitants basically revolved around the worship of springs, rivers, important Naga Chieftains and had predominance of snake-cult. With the immigration of anu’s
{Aryans} to Kashmir, whose religious beliefs had amalgamated with those of original nhabitants of Bharatvarsha, religious worship incorporating forms that had manifested manifested in Bharatvarsha, including Aryans, also took roots in Kashmir. The most talked Goddess in Kashmir was Uma; a form of Devi. The very land of Kashmir was mother Goddess Kashmir, a form of Uma; mother antagonistic attitude towards other cults. The other Goddesses revered were; Sita, Saci, Lakshmi, Bhadrakali, Durga. In Kashmir the tendency of describing one deity as the highest among others, at one time or the other, and transferring the same epithet to the other at another time, was clearly perceptible in the praises of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Nila and Goddesses Uma, Lakhsmi, Bhadrakali and Durga. Lakhsmi was also raised to the high position by saying that all the Goddesses are Her forms. The earth too was a form of goddess Sati. Earth, Water, Air, Sky, Fire, Sun, and Moon were regarded as forms of Shiva; while Shiva’s consort Parvati was also called Shakti; power or strength {Shakti} of Shiva.
Goddesses Durga and Bhadrakali:
Goddess Durga. Durga, in fact, is the goddess widely worshipped in Bharatvarsha, in various ways and under various names. Durga name does not figure in any of the Veda’s. Goddess Durga has nine important forms including Bhadrakali {Also named Siddhidhatri}. Each has a different form; two to ten hands, two or three eyes, lotus to rosary or trident or pitcher or weapon in hand, riding bull or tiger and black, marble white or black complexion. During the Navaratri festival {October}, each of these Goddesses is to be worshipped on a particular night for the destruction of evil and for the preservation of Dharma. In the form of Chamundi, Durga killed two demons, Chanda and Munda. The narration of the killing of these two demons is typical of a warrior’s assault, associating her from time immemorial with warrior class. In Nilmat Puranam her worship is mentioned on three days. First on 15th of the Bright Half of Chaitra {Chaitra Puranmashi}, when Durga and other Gods and Goddesses are to be worshipped; when Nikumba goes for fighting the Pisacas {Verses: 683,702 Nilmat Puranam}’. Second on 14th day of the Pitra Paksh {Asuj}, prescribed for shraddha of those who were killed by means of weapons {Verse 761a Nilmat Puranam}. Third on Durga Ashtami {8th of the Bright Half of Kartik} {Verse 819-20a Translated}; “O twice-born, the books should be worshipped in the temple of Durga and the artisans should also worship their tools”. In addition specific worship of Durga is in Verse 767-69; ‘the weapons should be worshipped at night in the temple of Durga’; apart from mentioning worship by artisans, astronomers and stage performers in these verses. On all these days, rituals and events, weapons, warriors and the artisans are the focal of her worship. From Nilmat Puranam and other scriptures it is evident that in the initial period of the settlement of Aryan Saraswat Brahmins in Kashmir, the pantheon of Goddesses did not include Durga.
