The Devi Mystique

I HAVE BEEN CITING bits from Kurma Purana narrated by Vishnu in his avatar as Kurma to the rishis. I also said that each Purana has its own value addition and the Kurma Purana has a lot on Devi. Hence, this column is about Devi and Devi’s greatness from the Kurma Purana. The rishis asked, “Who is Bhagavati Devi, who is half of Shankara’s body? Please tell us about Shivaa Sati Haimavati.”

Kurma answered, “Earlier, on the extremely beautiful slopes of Meru, Brahma spoke about this. This vijnana is especially secret and mysterious. This is supreme samkhya for the followers of samkhya. This is excellent vijnana about the Brahmana. This alone frees beings who are submerged in the ocean of samsara. She is Maheshvari Shakti, in the form of the jnana one hankers for exceedingly. Haimavati is described as the firmament. She is held to be the supreme point. Shivaa is infinite and goes everywhere. She is beyond the gunas. She is nishkala. She is one, but has many divisions. Her form is that of great hankering for jnana. She is nishkala and without a parallel. In her own energy, she is established in the truth. She is the natural foundation and her sparkling radiance is like that of the sun. Maheshvari Shakti is one, but she has many appellations. She does everything. This universe is the result of her action. The wise say that Ishvara has no task, nor is he the instrument. Within her, four of Devi’s shaktis exist in their own forms. They exist because of her. They are said to be Shanti, Vidyaa, Pratishthaa and Nivritti. (Respectively, peace, knowledge, stability and renunciation.) Hence the divinity Parameshvara is described as possessing four vyuhas. Through this, the divinity enjoys supreme bliss in his own atman. The four Vedas are Maheshvara’s four forms. Her great potency is unmatched and her achievement is without a beginning. Because of her association with Rudra, the paramatman, she is infinite. Devi Ishvari is the one who makes all beings function.”

“Bhagavan Hari Maheshvara is spoken of as Kala and prana. Everything in the entire universe is woven into him, like warp and woof. Those who speak about the Vedas, sing of him as the divinity Hara, the fire of destruction. Kala creates beings. Kala destroys prajas. Everything is under the subjugation of Kala. Kala is not under the subjugation of anyone. Pradhana, the tattva Purusha, Mahat, the atman and ahamkara and other tattvas are permeated by Kala, the yogi. His form is everywhere in the universe and his shakti is known as maya. Isha Purushottama uses his maya to whirl everything around. This shakti, in the form of maya, is eternal and assumes every kind of form. It always manifests Mahesha’s form as the universe. There are other foremost shaktis, fashioned by the divinity. These three are jnana shakti, kriya shakti and prana shakti. Using his maya, the powerful one, who is without a beginning and without destruction, has fashioned these shaktis. Maya is in all the shaktis. It is impossible to counter and impossible to cross. The possessor of maya is the lord of all these shaktis. The lord Kala is the one who brings about destruction. Kala is the one who acts. Kala is the one who destroys everything. Kala establishes the universe. This universe is subjugated by Kala. Maya obtained the presence of Parameshthi, the overlord of the devas. He is infinite and is the lord of everything. The lord Shambhu has Kala in his atman. Having done this, maya assumed the forms of Pradhana and Purusha. She is one, goes everywhere and is infinite. She is absolute. She is nishkala Shivaa. Shakti is one. Shiva is one. Shiva is spoken of as the one who possesses the shaktis. However, from the shaktis, other shaktis, and those who possess these shaktis, evolved. Those who know the supreme truth say that there is a difference between the shaktis and the possessor of the shaktis. But yogis who have thought about the truth do not see any difference between them. These shaktis are Devi, the mountain’s daughter. Shankara is the one who possesses the shaktis.”

Yogis have perceived Mahadevi’s supreme state. She is greater than the greatest. She is the eternal truth. She is auspicious and does not decay. She dissolves into infinite prakriti. such is devi’s supreme state

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“Vishveshvari Devi, devoted to her husband, Maheshvara, is described as the one who is enjoyed. Bhagavan Kapardi Nilalohita is said to be the one who enjoys. The divinity, Vishveshvara Shankara, the destroyer of Manmatha, is the one who thinks. Those who reflect, speak of Ishani as intellect and the object to be thought. Everything in this universe has originated from the shaktis and the possessor of the shaktis. Sages with insight about the truth have said this in all the Vedas. This is the supreme and divine greatness of Devi that has been manifested. Those who speak about the Brahmana have determined this in all the discussions of the Vedanta. She is one and goes everywhere. She is subtle and hidden. She does not move and is eternal. Yogis have perceived this supreme state of Mahadevi. She is imperishable bliss. She is the absolute Brahmana. She is supreme and nishkala. Yogis have perceived Mahadevi’s supreme state. She is greater than the greatest. She is the eternal truth. She is auspicious and does not decay. She dissolves into infinite Prakriti. Such is Devi’s supreme state. It is auspicious and without blemish. It is pure and devoid of gunas and devoid of duality. Devi’s supreme state can be obtained through the realisation of the atman. She is Dhatri and she is Vidhatri. For those who desire supreme bliss, with the support of Ishvara, she destroys all the torments of samsara. Therefore, if one wishes for liberation, one should seek refuge with Parvati Parameshvari. Shivaa’s atman is in the atmans of all beings.”

“The lord of mountains tormented himself through extremely difficult austerities and obtained Sharvani [Parvati] as his daughter. Along with his wife, he sought refuge with Parvati Parameshvari. The one with the beautiful face was born out of her own will. When she was a child, Menaa, Himalaya’s wife, spoke to him. Menaa said, ‘O king! Behold this child. Her face resembles a lotus. Because of our austerities, she has been born for the welfare of all beings.’ He also saw Devi, with a complexion like that of the rising sun. She possessed matted hair and four faces. She had three eyes and was extremely eager. She possessed eight hands and her eyes were large. The moon was her ornament. She was nirguna and saguna. She was herself existence and non-existence and was devoid of any notion of manifestation. Greatly agitated because of her energy, he prostrated his head on the ground. Terrified, he joined his hands in salutation and spoke to Parameshvari. Himalaya asked, ‘O large-eyed Devi! Who are you? Your body is decorated with the moon. O child! I do not know who you are.’ Hearing the words spoken by the Indra among mountains, Parameshvari, who bestows freedom from fear to the yogis, replied to the great mountain. Shri Devi answered, ‘Know me to be the supreme shakti, who finds a refuge in Maheshvara. I am no different from him and am without decay. I am the absolute one. Those who desire moksha, see me. I am the one whose atman is in every kind of conception. I am Shivaa, present in all the atmans. I am the eternal power. Vijnana is my form. I am the one behind every kind of activity. I am infinite and my greatness is infinite. I enable the crossing over of the ocean of samsara. I will bestow divine sight on you. Behold the form of my powers.’ Saying this, she herself bestowed vijnana on Himalaya. She showed him her divine form, associated with Parameshvara. It resembled one crore suns. There was a serene orb of energy. There were thousands of garlands of blazing flames, resembling one hundred fires of destruction. There were cruel teeth, impossible to assail. The form was ornamented by a mass of matted hair. It wore a crown and held a mace in its hand. It held a conch-shell and a chakra. There was an excellent trident in the hand. It was a terrible and fearful form. But the face was also serene and amiable, possessing infinite powers. One hundred thousand moons decorated the body and the dazzle was like that of one crore moons. There was a crown and a mace in the hand. The form was adorned with anklets. There were divine garlands and garments, smeared with divine fragrances and unguents. (You should recognise shades of Chapter 11 of the Bhagavad Gita.) The hands held a conch-shell and a chakra. The desirable form was three-eyed and was clad in a hide. It was located inside the cosmic egg and outside it. Everything was inside and outside this form. It possessed every kind of shakti and was pure. It was eternal and possessed every kind of form. Brahma, Indra, Upendra and Indras among yogis worshipped the lotus-feet. There were hands and feet in every direction. There were eyes, heads and faces in every direction. He saw Parameshvari established there, enveloping everything. On seeing Devi’s supreme Maheshvara form, the king was overwhelmed by fear, but was also delighted in his mind.”

As I said, there are shades of the Bhagavad Gita in the description of Devi’s greatness in Kurma Purana.

About The Author

Bibek Debroy

Bibek Debroy has translated the Mahabharata and the Valmiki Ramayana into English. He is the Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister

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