As I Know: The Lord of the Mountains – Shiv Purana: 121

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All gods of heavens obey commands of the Supreme Brahma and each one operates within specified regions of authority…when anyone goes beyond, it is not good and it distorts the objective of blessings…tale of Durgama

Goddess Parvati assumes different names and images and as Supreme Brahma desires, she executes the divine plan. In the divine scheme of things, lord Vishnu, Shiva, Indra and other gods obey directions of the Supreme. Each lord of Trinity operates within his area of authority. If an act of creation, preservation and destruction titillates and confuses man, it also encourages localising truthful position in the divine scheme that stipulates harmonious flow of system granting peacetime to all. Durgama’s tapa did not go waste and soon, he was able to gratify Supreme Brahma.

If one goes through the life of various daityas, one learns that they were great men of wisdom and knowledge and of intense tapa and meditation and earned the blessings of the Supreme lord. Unfortunately, they could not live contentedly even when they enjoyed boons, blessings and munificence of Supreme lord and therefore, strongly preferred to go beyond, and as a result, the cravings for the ownership of horizons beyond, proved lethal.

Durgama underwent austere tapa for many years. Delighted with the penance, lord blessed Durgama. He was an authority on the Vedas and was unconquerable and therefore, even gods found him invincible. Armoured with the boon, greed for more power and wealth brought impatience and restiveness. He resorted to ruthless measures to conquer others. Nobody could restrict demon’s violent activities and thus, the sins and crimes of daitya increased, and he made lives of people wretched. Even gods failed to restrain and control because he was powerful. They feared heartless acts of Durgama but could not stop. Wisdom of the Vedas no longer guided the destiny of created beings. TheVedas almost disappeared and thus, the Vedic practices were nearly extinct or virtually frozen. Nobody ever thought of carrying out the tenets of the Vedas.

Acts of righteousness and charity ennoble life and existence and evincing interest in yajna or religion, glorifies man. During the ruthless regime, brahmins and gods began to live life of sins, evils, crimes and violence. Unwholesome conduct of gods and men raised suspicions. None respected virtuous deeds and dharma was almost nonexistent. Acts of charity and generosity did not attract created beings. No dana or punya-charity or virtuous deeds ever became part of life. Living beings were, no more interested in rigorous tapa, penance or meditation. Holy men disappeared or if a few lived a pious life they could not gather courage to hold yajnas or religious ceremonies and so devoted people lived in extreme agony, as they were unable to make any oblation. The sacrificial fire never sanctified the environment and as such, no sacrificial offering ever ennobled hearts and minds of people.

If one looks at the age from the contemporary context, one finds circumstances are not different. Now, mostly men are exhibitionists. Whatever a modern man does, he does it to show off. Men are pretentious in words, deeds and observance. When such conditions prevail, nothing worthwhile or extraordinary takes place. A mere concoction in history and events fascinate, and creation appears a huge travesty. It is ugly demonstration of religion, perpetuation of suicidal instincts and propensities. A perceptible campaign continues to make publicity an instrument of image building without substance. However, exceptions exist in some instances that make life objective.

Durgama spread vicious fangs of governance everywhere. Sinful acts and crimes existed in abundance and therefore, he annoyed even nature, and therefore, the consequences proved disastrous. As atrocities, cruelties and immoral deeds continued, a severe drought visited the country for one hundred years that made life of people miserable. Fury of nature was unrestrained. It happened during ancient times and the gruesome and catastrophic manifestations affected lives of living beings when evil forces spread tentacles but it is different in this age of tremendous scientific and hi-tech expansion.

During the age of Durgama the great daitya, nature was unhappy and thus, without rain, life of living beings was difficult, and agonies and miseries in the three worlds increased. People suffered. Hunger and thirst proved lethal and deaths visited every household. All wells, water tanks, water places, water lakes, rivers whether small or big and even the oceans went dry. Trees and plants dried up. Living beings felt the heat of parched and rainless times. When gods realised that the situation was out of control, they appeared before Maheshwari, the refuge of yogamaya – the delusory powers created out of yoga or intensity of discipline and tapa. They knew that only goddess could save living beings from fatality and ruin.

Sufferings did not lessen and daitya never relented for a while and therefore, prayers of gods and created beings before the goddess appeared the only resolution, a potential way out, of course.

Gods and the celestial beings praised the goddess eloquently, prayed and said, “O an embodiment of the greatest mahamaya, kindly protect people and devotees. O goddess, observe control over anger, otherwise it will destroy living beings. O ocean of mercy, O friend of vulnerable people, as you destroyed daitya Shumbha, mighty Nishumbha, Dhoomraksa, Chunda, Munda, Raktabeej, Madhu, Kaitabha and Mahishasura, you also wipe out Durgama, the great daitya, who brings manifold sufferings to the people of the three worlds.”

After some time, they said again, “O goddess, children and ignorant people continue to commit mistakes but one finds none in the world other than a mother, who tolerates sins and crimes. Whenever sufferings and anguish of brahmins, gods and goddesses of heavens and celestial beings of the three worlds increase, you take birth and in an embodied incarnation make people happy and comfortable.”

Earnest prayers of distraught and disillusioned gods pleased the divinity greatly. Happy and cheerful, she showered blessings and appeared before the gods. In each hand, she held a bow, an arrow, a lotus flower and different fruit and roots etc. so that each hand symbolizes blessings to the devotees. Thus, the four hands held something to offer. When the goddess observed sufferings and pains of devotees and the gods, tears filled eyes and she looked at the devotees out of love, compassion and mercy.

The goddess did not wish gods to suffer for a long time. She, the mother was immensely distressed and aggrieved at the predicament of the created beings, and in discomfort and agony she continued to weep for nine days and nine nights because it was difficult to withstand the miserable condition of devotees and gods. Like a mother, the goddess was emotionally disturbed. Holy and divine glimpses of the omnipotent goddess filled eyes of the gods even as tears flowed and the aching and poignant hearts drew immense love and compassion.

When thousands of tiny streams of tears flowed out of the various eyes of goddess, the holy water quenched thirst of gods and the created beings. Now, living beings were satisfied and happy. Holy water flowed out of the eyes and it watered herbal plants and miscellaneous vegetation. All rivers and oceans overflowed with water. Green vegetables, spinach, green leaves and various types of fruit and roots sprouted. The mighty goddess began to distribute fruit and a variety of food that she had carried in hand for sanctified and religious mahatmas but instead she also thought to offer foodstuff and fruit to the suffering.

Not only she looked after the living beings but also for the animals and such beings and therefore, goddess’s blessings made the earth grow grass, silage and fodder, and similarly, she offered appropriate ration and eatable to various living beings. With the blessings of goddess, all gods, brahmins, men and the created beings felt satisfied after years of thirst and hunger.

People appeared satisfied and happy.

Goddess asked, “O gods and the created beings, now what should I do for you? Please tell. I will definitely fulfill your desires and make you contented and prosperous.”

All gods and celestial beings gathered and said, “O goddess, you satisfied and blessed created beings and gratified all. Please bring back the Vedas, which the great daitya Durgama took away. He has destroyed the essence and sanctified message of the Vedas and thus, spread anarchy, sin, aggression, malice, dishonesty and self-indulgence.” The gods and celestial beings explained everything.

Goddess heard gods patiently and said, “I bless you. Your wishes will be fulfilled.” After a pause, she said, “O gods, go home. I shall soon bring back all the Vedas, and dedicate to you.”

Humanity and benevolence of goddess made gods very happy. They bowed before the cheering lotus-eyed goddess Jagadamba (Shiva), saluted and then, left for respective abodes. Soon after, the heavens, the sky and the earth were full of gratifying clatter, jangle and wild frenzy. Clamour and noise foretold of imminent disaster. When the great daitya learnt about the development, he visualised the gravity of future events. He gathered forces and surrounded the entire heavenly regions of gods from all directions. Goddess Shiva with the light of powerful aura came out of the security circle the daitya had created to restrict movements of the goddess. Later, he thought to incarcerate the divinity, the goddess. However, it did not happen.

The moment, she was free, a dreadful war broke out. A terrible rain of arrows and lethal weapons began and it created panic and hysteria. At this moment, out of the divine body of goddess, ten more mahavidyas (goddesses of wisdom) – Kali, Tara, Chhinmasta, Srividya, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi, Bagla, Dhoomra, Tripura Sundari and Matangi emerged effusively fortified with many astras and sastras. Thereafter, numerous matrikas and goddesses as images of destruction and death with divine figures, appeared. All carried a circlet bearing the insignia of moon, and appeared full of incandescence. Thus, a fierce war between the ganas of matrikas and daityas caused uncertainty.

It appeared time had come to challenge the mighty daitya as Goddess Jagadamba created mahavidyas and matrikayas so that she could fulfill earnest wishes of devotees – the created beings and gods.

The ferocity of war made the three worlds tremble. In the serious and violent war, the goddesses destroyed a huge army of Durgama, consisting of one hundred Aksonis. After the death of each daitya, goddess Jagadamba picked up horrible trident and with a single strike killed Durgama. Terrible looking demon fell on the ground like a rootless tree. After the daitya was dead, goddess got back the Vedas and returned the Holy Scriptures to the gods.

Feeling extremely indebted, the gods said, “O Ambikei, you transformed ‘the self’ into a goddess with innumerable eyes for the sake of gods. Therefore, the monks and sages of the worlds would call you ‘shataksi’, a goddess of hundred eyes. You fed the three worlds with food born of body and therefore, devotees and people will call you ‘shakambhri.’ O goddess Shivei, you killed a mighty daitya Durgama, and therefore, the people will call you, the most benevolent Bhagwati Durga. O goddess of Yoga, we salute you. You are an almighty goddess, you sanctify all with knowledge and wisdom of scriptures. You are the mother of the universe. You speak of great knowledge and understanding, and you are the preserver of infinite number of cosmoses (brahamandas) and many lands of Supreme Brahma. We salute you O goddess.”

The gods continued to praise, “You are beyond mind, word and body. The sun, the moon and the fire gods are your eyes. Therefore, we do not know the limits of your power and influence and so, we are unable to praise properly. Who else is there than goddess Shataksi, who can take pity …and consecrate created beings? Please destroy the enemies of gods and never ignore the three worlds, we pray.”

The gods continued to sing songs of glories of the great goddess for a long time. After she listened to the words of praise, the goddess said, “O gods, as the cows on seeing calves get anxious and run to them, similarly, when I see you distressed, I run to you to offer shelter. When I do not see, it is like passing of a long age, an epoch almost. You are like my children, and for you I can sacrifice life. You are genuine devotees. Therefore, do not worry. I always remain geared up to assist you all during sufferings and hardships. I killed many daityas to protect you, and similarly, I would continue to annihilate asuras in future also whenever they bring miseries.”

She continued, “You should not doubt. I speak only truth, you should know, O my children. In future, when daityas like Shumbha and Nishumbha will take birth, I shall also take birth in the womb of Yasoda and after taking a human figure, I shall be born at Gokula and at the right time, destroy asuras. People would call me Nandja because I shall take birth as a daughter of Nanda, a cowherd. I shall kill demon Aruna disguised as bhramara, a humming bee, and therefore, devotees will know me as Bhramari. As Bheemdevi, I shall begin to eat raksasas. As and when, asuras will torture people on earth and the gods and celestial beings of the three worlds I shall take birth and work for the wellbeing of all the created beings. I would destroy daityas and evil forces…and so the holy men, gods, celestial beings and people on earth and created beings of the three worlds shall know me through many names but all the names will define and interpret the same force and energy born of me.”

Thus, the great goddess assured created beings and the gods and therefore, feeling satisfied and happy, they returned to the heavens contentedly.

Worldly joys and deliverance through knowledge, holy rites and devotion are possible, mother goddess stipulated. Jnanayoga means to have union of mind and Atman – soul. Union with the outside world is Kriyayoga. Bhaktiyoga is devotion to goddess and it demonstrates union of soul with goddess, wise man Sanatkumara told when sage Vyasa wanted to know the characteristics of Kriyayoga. Kriyayoga is the right and apt path to deliverance and it releases an individual soul – jiva-created being from bondages. To construct temple of goddess is a way to liberation of man, family and generation for many futures. First brick of goddess’s temple grants amnesty from sins before, here or hereafter. A man ought to know Amba is a wonderful deity. To build a temple on the riverbank Ganga or along the seashore and worship goddess, grants supreme power. It is a path to attainment of emancipation, divine blessing and definitive liberation.

Devotion confers status of disciples or ganas of goddess Uma, even beyond the power of Mahamaya – delusory potency. Sanatkumara spoke eloquently about the making of image and construction of temple of goddess, establishing of images at the most sacred place properly sanctified and the significance of prayer and worship. He spoke about the magnificence of para Amba. It blesses the devotees if they observe fast to delight the goddess during months and days. He speaks about worship and of listening to the sacred exploits of goddess that fulfill and grant supreme bliss. Ghosts, pisaches and evil spirits fail to harm a devotee of goddess and the goddess blesses him with wealth, offspring and prosperity. Ardent devotees, who through blessings attain the status of Ganas continue to chant Shiva’s name even as worship of goddess grants salvation. 
 
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