Durga's topics are power over evil and negativity, knowledge and sustenance. Durga's symbols are flame, yellow-colored items, lions, rice bowls and spoons. The Hindu warrior Goddess Durga is generally depicted as a gorgeous girl with ten arms that bear divine firearms to safeguard all that is sacred -- for example you. Her function in Indian mythology is so strong that the national anthem sings Her praises as a guardian. According to the stories, Durga overpowered the fantastic demon who threatened to destroy not only the earth but the gods themselves.
Durga's festival (Durga puja or Durgotsava) comes during the first autumn, once the heavens are growing darker. As this happens, she offers to zealously defend goodness against any malevolence that resides in these figurative shadows. When there is a special person or job that you want protected, pray for Durga's help now. Light a yellow candle (or some other candle) and say:
‘Durga, protectress and guardian
Watch over (person, situation or project)
with all due diligence
Take the sword of truth
the power of justice
and the light of decency
to stand guard against any storms that come
So be it.’
Blow out the candle and relight it anytime you need safety.
To encourage Durga’s providence, set a bowl of rice on your altar with a spoon today. This is the symbol of Annapoorna, an aspect of Durga who supplies daily food.”
(Patricia Telesco, “365 Goddess: a daily guide to the magic and inspiration of the goddess”.)
“All of Goddesses in Hindu belief are ultimately the exact same Goddess, frequently called simply 'the Goddess' or 'Devi.' But She looks in various forms with different names. One of the fiercest of Devi's kinds is Durga. She was also the eldest: throughout the primordial war between gods and antigods, Durga was the initial manifestation of Goddess-energy. The war proved to be a standoff; neither side was winning, along with the battles dragged on without victory. Almost impossible, the gods gathered and focused their energies. Flames sprang from their mouths and shaped Durga, the first female divinity from the universe. Although produced by the gods, the Goddess was stronger than any of these, or most of them together, and She had been fiercely eager to fight.
Recognizing Her power, the gods given their weapons to Durga. She mounted a lion to ride toward the antigods' chief, the demon Mahisa. That magical being, terrified of this new apparition, used his powers to presume one fearsome type after another. Nevertheless the Goddess innovative, until eventually, as the demon assumed the form of a buffalo, Durga slaughtered him. The demon nonetheless tried to escape through the dying monster's mouth, but Durga captured him by the hair and butchered him, thereby freeing the ground for the gods to occupy.
The Goddess in this form not only symbolizes the fierce power of the combat against evil but also the rule of the intellectual sphere, for Durga (‘unapproachable’) represents the end of all things; to seek to understand Her is to engage in the most powerful intellectual exploration possible” (Monaghan, p. 106 – 107).
Shri Gyan Rajhans clarifies the Mother Goddess Durga and Her symbolism: The word 'Durga' in Sanskrit means a fort, or a location that's challenging to overrun. Another meaning of 'Durga' is 'Durgatinashini,' which literally translates into 'the one who eliminates sufferings.' Thus, Hindus consider that Goddess Durga protects Her devotees in the evils of the world and at precisely the same time removes their miseries.
The Many Forms of Goddess Durga
There are many incarnations of Durga: Kali, Bhagvati, Bhavani, Ambika, Lalita, Gauri, Kandalini, Java, Rajeswari, et al.. Durga incarnated because the combined power of all celestial beings, who offered Her the essential physical attributes and weapons to kill the demon 'Mahishasur'. Her two appellations are Skondamata, Kusumanda, Shailaputri, Kaalratri, Brahmacharini, Maha Gauri, Katyayani, Chandraghanta and Siddhidatri.
Durga’s Many Arms
Durga is depicted as having eight or ten hands. These represent eight quadrants or ten directions in Hinduism. This suggests that She protects the devotees from all directions.
Durga’s Three Eyes
Like Shiva, Mother Durga is also referred to as ‘Triyambake’ meaning the three eyed Goddess. The left eye represents desire (the moon), the right eye represents action (the sun), and the central eye knowledge (fire).
Durga’s Vehicle – the Lion
The lion represents power, will and decision. Mother Durga riding the lion symbolizes Her hands over all these qualities. This indicates to the devotee that one has to possess all these qualities to get over the demon of self.
Durga’s Many Weapons
- The conch shell in Durga’s hand symbolizes the ‘Pranava’ or the mystic word ‘Om’, which indicates Her holding on to God in the form of sound.
- The bow and arrows represent energy. By holding both the bow and arrows in one hand ‘Mother Durga’ is indicating Her control over both aspects of energy – potential and kinetic.
- The thunderbolt signifies firmness. The devotee of Durga must be firm like thunderbolt in one’s convictions. Like the thunderbolt that can break anything against which it strikes, without being affected itself, the devotee needs to attack a challenge without losing his confidence.
- The lotus in Durga’s hand is not in fully bloomed, It symbolizing certainty of success but not finality. The lotus in Sanskrit is called ‘pankaja’ which means born of mud. Thus, lotus stands for the continuous evolution of the spiritual quality of devotees amidst the worldly mud of lust and greed.
- The ‘Sudarshan-Chakra’ or beautiful discus, which spins around the index finger of the Goddess, while not touching it, signifies that the entire world is subservient to the will of Durga and is at Her command. She uses this unfailing weapon to destroy evil and produce an environment conducive to the growth of righteousness.
- The sword that Durga holds in one of Her hands symbolizes knowledge, which has the sharpness of a sword. Knowledge which is free from all doubts, is symbolized by the shine of the sword.
- Durga’s trident or ‘trishul’ is a symbol of three qualities – Satwa (inactivity), Rajas (activity) and Tamas (non-activity) – and she is remover of all the three types of miseries – physical, mental and spiritual.