Maa (Mother) Durga symbolizes the power of the Supreme Being that maintains moral order and righteousness in the universe. Worship of the goddess Shakti is very popular among the Hindus. Durga stands for the unified symbol of all divine forces (Shaktis). Goddess Durga is the divine mother, who protects people from evil forces of selfishness, jealousy, hatred, anger and ego. Mother's love and her kindness towards her child, is the best example of pure love in this whole universe. Likewise, the love of Maa Bhagwati (Durga) towards her devotee (Child) is pure and serene. Maa (Mother) never asks for a favour from her child. She pours her kindness and warmth on the child without desiring anything in return. The love of Jagdamba is like a free flowing river. Durga loves her each and every devotee (Child) without any discrimination.

The Shiv Purana gives an account of the origin of Durga. At the beginning of time, Lord Shiva invoked Durga, the primordial energy from his left half to create. Together they created their eternal abode, Shivaloka, also known as Kashi. Thereafter, they created Vishnu and Brahma.

Durga on a lion

As per the Shiva Purana and Devi Mahatmyam, Mahishasura, the son of the demon Rambha, unleashed a reign of terror on earth. When the gods intervened, Mahishasura defeated them, banishing them from heaven.

The vanquished gods went to the Trimurti - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. As they narrated their woeful tale, an immense mass of light manifested from Lord Vishnu's mouth. This was joined by similar rays that emerged from the enraged faces of gods. This mass of light transformed into a woman. The gods bestowed gifts of divine weapons to this woman who was Adishakti manifested as Durga, to slay Mahishasura.

Other sources say that Durga did not arise from the Devas as she was a form of Goddess Adishakti. The Mother took birth on Earth as Parvati to be united with her lord, Shiva. After marriage, Shiva helps Parvati realize and gain control of her powers as Adi-shakti, the pure energy of the universe. Later on, she slays Mahishasura as Durga and Raktabija as Kali.

Armed with celestial weapons gifted by the deities and decked with divine ornaments, Durga rode into the battle field and challenged the demons for battle. Mahishasura's entire army, led by demons like Chikshur, Chamar, Asiloma, Vidalaksha, Durdhara, Durmukha, Mahahanu and many more, attacked Durga simultaneously. But Durga slew all of them with unparalleled fearlessness. An enraged Mahishasura attacked Durga in the guise of a buffalo. But Durga bound him in this form with ropes. The buffalo then morphed into a lion and leapt on Durga, but she beheaded it with her sword. At this, Mahishasura began to fight with his sword. Durga pinned him down with a torrent of arrows. Mahishasura assumed the form of a giant elephant and tugged at Durga's mount, itself a lion. Durga lopped off the trunk of the elephant with her sword and freed her lion. The elephant turned into a buffalo and charged at Durga. Durga flung her trident and beheaded Mahishasura, finally killing him.

Origin of Goddess Durga

It is believed that once the existence of the universe was under a threat by Mahishasura (the demon). The Gods pleaded Shiva to protect their world from the evil forces. Lord Shiva asked the three goddesses, Saraswati, Maa Kali and Maa Lakshami to release their powers (shaktis). The Power emerged in a female form. The Divine light emerged and a goddess of exceptional power appeared with many arms. She was beautiful as well as ferocious. Durga was an extremely gorgeous girl with full of rage. The gods named her Durga, the invincible one and they furnished her with all their arms. Durga rode on a lion to the top of a mountain. In a violent battle, she killed Mahishasura and thus, saved the world from the demon's threat.

Durga - The Image

The word Durga has been derived from Sanskrit language which means a fort or a place that is difficult to reach. In the Images, Shakti is visible in the female form, wearing red clothes. Goddess has eighteen arms, carrying many items in her hands. The red color symbolizes fierceness and it suggests that goddess destroys evil and protects people from pain and misery caused by evil forces. Durga riding a tiger shows that she holds infinite power and uses it to save virtue and destroy evil. The eighteen arms holding weapons signify the unattainable energy that Maa Durga possesses. Different weapons suggest the idea that she can face any evil force without consideration. Durga Chalisa Shri Durga Chalisa is a "forty verse" prayer. These verses are usually recited or chanted by groups. The acts and deeds of Sri Durga are recalled in these verses to aid the devotee to meditate on virtuous and noble qualities. Names of Durga Goddess Durga is the embodiment of the divine force of the Almighty. The word Durga, in Sanskrit means "the invincible". Durga Devi represents power, strength, morality and protection. Maa Durga is the destroyer of sin and protector of morality. Goddess Durga is also known as Shakti (Power).

Descent of the Goddess

Durga, a beautiful warrior seated upon a tiger, was the first appearance of the great goddess. The circumstance of her miraculous arrival was the tyranny of the monster-demon Mahishasur, who through terrific austerities had acquired invincible strength. The gods were afraid of this water-buffalo bull because neither Vishnu nor Shiva could prevail against him. It seemed that the joint energy of Shakti was only capable of vanquishing Mahisha, and so it was the eighteen-armed Durga who went out to do battle.

Battlefield and Goddess Shakti

She went to battle on her ferocious mount lion, armed with the weapons given to her by the other Gods. Durga is one of the angry and aggressive aspects of the goddess Shakti, whose role in Hindu mythology was to fight and conquer demons and also personify the Sakti or female aspect of any male deity. In the battle, she fought and killed the evil Mahishasura and restored heaven to the Gods. Since then the goddess is invoked for protection from the powers of evil. Durga Puja is observed in her honor, to celebrate her victory over evil.

Revered Mother

She has been worshiped from about 400 AD, but probably earlier, to the present. Her literary references are chiefly the Ramayana and Mahabharata, epic and Puranic texts, and she is mentioned by name in Vedic literature. In general, Durga is regarded in northern India as the gentle bride epitomizing family unity while in southern India she is revered more in her warrior aspect.