D E V I

Devi Mahatmyam forms part of Markanta puranam. In the said Purana there is a story of one Sumada Maharishi expounding the mahatmyam of Devi to a king by name Suradhan and to a Vaishya by name Samadhy. King Suradhan lived during the second manvanthara period. He was a Devi Bhakthan. In a war an enemey king defeated him and as a result he had to run away for life and he took shelter in the hermitage of Sumada Maharishi. Even while in the asramam his mind was wandering and thinking of his lost kingdom and glory. Similarly one Vaishya by name Samadhy also came to the said Rishi's asramam. He was chased away by his own kith and kin after abducting all his wealth. He was also thinking of his past life and worrying over his present situation. He was still having attachment to his family although he was chased away by them. Thus both the king and the vaishya were more or less in the same state of mind with abhimanam.

Maharishi Sumadas pacified them and advised that they should try to understand the truth that what all we see and experience in our life is only a delusion and their mental worry is due to their too much of attachment to the possessions they happened to have at a moment of time in this life journey.He advised them to pray and do tapas towards Devi who is the personification of the powers of Trinity Gods Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. Devi is Brahma maya when she creates the jagat, she is Vishnu Maya when she protects the jagat and she is Siva Maya when she destroys the jagat. Devi with satwika sakthy is Mahalakshmi, with rajasic power she is Saraswathy and with tamasic power she is Uma Maheswari. She is also known by so many epithets such as Kali, Chandika, Radhika, Gayathri, Savithri, Parvathy, Gowri, Katyayani, Aparna and Ambika.

Maharishi then started narrating in detail Devi Mahatmyam to both of them. Devi Mahatmyam has 700 mantras in 13 chapters. Devi Mahatmyam is as popular as Bhagavad Geetha. The topics dealt with in the chapters are:

Chapter 1 Killing of Madhu-Kaidava
2 &3 do of Mahishasura
4 praising Devi
5 Devi's encounter with the messenger Sugreeva
6 Killing the asura Dhumalochana
7 Killing Chanda-Munda
8 Killing Raktha Beeja and the entire army of Sumbha-Nisumbha
9 Killing Nisumbha
10 Killing Sumbha
11 Praising Devi
12 Mahatmyam of Devi
13 Gracing the king and the Vaishya


Madhu-Kaidapa: During the time of Pralaya, Brahma, the Creator, was threatened to be killed by two Asuras Madhu and Kaidapa. Brahma came running to Lord MahaVishnu. Lord was in Yoga nidra. Brahma started praising Devi so that he could approach Vishnu. Brahma also made a request to Devi to delude the Asuras with her power of Maya. Lord Vishnu, as prayed by Brahma, promised him that the wicked Asuras will be annihilated. He then waged war against the Asuras which lasted for 5000 years. At one juncture the Asuras were deluded by the power of Devi and consequently the asuras felt proud of their strength and out of ego they asked Lord to request for any boon from them!! Lord calmly said that the boon He desires from them is their lives. They agreed but on condition that they should not be killed in any place which is submerged in the pralaya. Lord then killed them by placing them on his lap where BhooDevi resides. (Devi has played a vital role in this episode for she only kindled their ego for their destruction)Further another lesson we have to learn from this episode is that even Brahma, the Creator was not above sukha and dukha and he had to seek shelter out of fear, in Lord and His Consort, to redeem him from the threat of the asuras!

Mahishasura: Ramban and Karamban were two brothers in the asuric clan. They did gora tapas standing on the fire and in the water. Devendra was afraid that the asuras may dethrone him by getting boon from Agni Deva. So he came as a crocodile and killed Karamba who was in deep meditation standing in the water. Ramba, on hearing the death of his dear brother, got dejected and overwhelmed by sorrow, attempted to kill himself. Then Lord Brahma appeared before him and gave him a boon to the effect that one of his descendents would dethrone Devendra for his cunning act. Ramba, while returning to his country from the forest, fell in love with a Mahishi which was already pregnant! He along with Mahishi proceeded to the palace and they were leading a pleasurable conjugal life for sometime. At that time Mahishi's former lover came there and in a rage killed Rambhan. Mahishi overwhelmed by sorrow by the dead of her loving husband committed sati by falling in the pyre of Ramban. Then appeared from the pyre a figure - Mahishasura!! Mahishasura started doing tapas and got many boons. Devas and even trinity gods became afraid of him and none could defeat him or kill him. Finally the trinity gods jointly decided to bring out their respective powers which they did with the result the three powers fromed together as Mahadevi. Devi was blessed with all kinds of weapons. She challenged Mahishasura. In the war between Mahishasura and Devi, all the aids and commanders of Mahisha were killed and finally Mahisha was also annihilated to the joy of all devas and trinity gods. For the welfare of the entire humanity, killing of some bad elements has been justified and further such an act would only bring more grace - punya. (Ekasmin natra nidhanadhabi chet dushta chetasi; Bahunam bhavathy kshemam tatra punya prabha vadha:)
Mahishasura was representing dhurbuddhy which prompted him to terrify all devas and even gods. Devas started praising Devi in gratitude:

"You are Moola Prakrithy, a cause for the entire jagat; You express in three gunas. The entire jagat forms only a fraction of your expression.

You are the 'swaha' by chanting the same all the devas are satisfied. Similarly you are 'swadha' chanting of which gives satisfaction to pithrus.

You are the para-vidhya practised by saints and sages who have already acquired the qualification of sadana-chathushtyam.

You are sabdha brahman (OM) and the Vedas. You are medha - wisdom-knowledge; you are the essence of all tatwa-sastras. You are the boat which takes us to the other shore of samsara.

Only through your Grace ('bhavathy prasada') one could perform the allotted karmas based on dharma.

By the very thought of you the fear in all of us is cast away

When one meditates on you without any desire, he is blessed with a clear intellect. You are the remover of povery, sorrow and fear.

You bestow on us 'hidham' although we may aspire for 'priyam'. As a mother you know what is good for us and what is nitya-shreyas. Although we may aspire for preyas you would give us shreyas.

You reside as Lakshmi in the homes of sukrithas; You reside as alakshmi in the homes of dushkrithas, as a result of which diseases, pre-mature deaths occur.

You reside in the heart of those with samskrithy and wisdom-knowledge.

You reside in the hearts of sajjanas (sadhus) in the form of trust (sraddha) Sajjanas are those with good family tradition, with good knowledge and and intention of doing good karmas.

You reside in the form of 'Lajja" in the hearts of those who happen to be borne in low caste (based on rajo guna and thamo guna) so that by lajja they repent for their bad deeds and keep themselves away from doing such bad deeds in future, fearing God and society.


Sumbha-Nisumbha: Asuras - sons of Bhaktha Prahlada. The two brothers did gora tapas and got a boon to the effect that they should not be killed and if at all they should meet with an end it should be in the hands of a woman who is not borne out of a womb!!

Chanda-Mundas another two asura brothers recognised the supremacy of Sumbha-Nisumbha. Another Asura Raktha-beejan was also subservient to Sumba-Nisumbha. In the war between Devas and Asuras, Sumbha-Nisumbha with their army strength made run the devas hither and thither. Sumbha dethroned Devendra and declared himself as Indra. He declared that Padalam is no more to be known as Asura lokam,

Narada went and complained to his father Brahma about the attrocities of Sumbha and Nisumbha.. Brahma said that it was only appropriate that the Asuras were rewarded with the boon for their gora tapas. Further Devendra had become very egoistic and he rquired such shocks from Asuras which would help destroy his ego!! All these happen because of 'kala chakram', he said. He further told Narada that only Sakthy could help devas out of this situation. As advised by Narada, all the devas started praying Parasakthy for her intervention and help in the matter:

Ya devi sarvabootheshu sakthiroopena samsthitha
Ya devi sarvabootheshu buddhiroopena samsthitha
YA DEVI SARVABOOTHESHU VISHNUMAYETHI SABDHIDHA
Ya devi sarvabootheshu srishtiroopena samsthitha
Ya devai sarvabootheshu sthithiroopena samsthitha (exercise power based on gunas)
Ya devi sarvabootheshu dhridhi roopena samsthitha (wins over upastham and stomach)
Ya devi sarva bootheshu siddhy roopena samsthitha
Ya devi sarva bootheshu daya roopena samsthitha
Ya devi sarva bootheshu medha roopena samsthitha
Chithiroopena ya kristsna;medat vyapya sthitha jagat (As Brahmaswaroopa Devi has pervaded the entire jagat)

Parasakthy appeared before the Devas and assured them to kill the asuras and to do away with Sumbha-Nisumbha by giving sayujyam (being Bhaktha Prahlada's sons)She appeared in satvika roopam from Devi Parvathy. She went to the forest area belonging to Sumbha-Nisumbha and rested there. Chanda-Munda happened to see her and reported the matter to their superior Sumbha-Nishumba!! They described her as the most beautiful lady perfectly suitable to be the consort of Sumbha or Nisumbha!! Sumbha-Nisumbha immediately sent an emissery to Devi to convey their desire to have her. Devi pooh-poohed him and sent him away. Then Asura Dumalochana was sent with direction to drag her to their place. His mission failed. He was killed by Devi. Thereafter Chanda-Munda's turn came. They were also killed by Devi who appeared as Bhadrakali. Thereafter Chandika devi was named as Chamundy Devi. Finally the brothers sent their entire army and also Asura Rakthabeeja. Devi killed the entire army as well as Rakthabeeja. Atlast Sumbha and Nisuhumba were also annihilated. Devas started praising Devi in gratitude:

Bhagavathi Devi Narayanee Namosthuthe (Bhagavathy means she is personification of six virtues viz aiswaryam, veeryam, yachas, sree, gnanam and vairagyam - fullness of this is 'Bhagam'. Narayani means power of Narayana who is the abode of Naras (jeevatmas)"Narayanamayanam yasmat tasmat narayana smritha"
Katyayani devi Narayanee namosthuthe
Parvathy-sankari devi Narayanee namosthuthe
Maheswari-Gowri Narayanee namosthuthe
Maya-mayi Mahalakshmi Narayanee namosthuthe
Prapancha-karana roopani narayani namosthuthe
Aaadharabooda bhoodevi narayani namosthuthe
Vaishnavidevi narayani namosthuthe
Mahishasuramardhanidevi narayani namosthuithe
Chamundi-chandike kali narayani namosthuthe
Sarvamangala mangalye sive sarvartha sadhike
Saranye thriyambike devi narayani namosthuthe
Srishti-sthithi-vinachana sakthiboothe sanadhani
Gunasraye gunamayee narayanee namosthuthe
Saranagatha-deenartha parithrana parayana
Lakshmimathe Mahaveerye narayanee namosthuthe
Medhe saraswathy swaha narayani namosthuthe
Sarvaswaroope sarveche sarvasakthy samanvidhe
Vidhya-saraswathy devi narayani namosthuthe
Jagatsya sakala samastha sthreeya devi tava abheda namosthuthe
Sarvabootha swaroopini narayanee namosthuthe
Swargamukthypradayini narayanee namosthuthe
Sarvasya buddhi roopena janasya hridi samsthitha
Maheswara swaroopena narayani namosthuthe
Vaishnavi roope narayani namosthuthe
Varaharoopini sive narayanee namosthuthe
Sivabhoodi swaroopena narayani namosthuthe
Mahamaya swaroopini narayani namosthuthe
Sarvasakthy samanvidhe narayani namosthuthe

When you are pleased you protect us from all diseases; Also you bless us and fulfil all our desires; Those who come to your shelter never meet with any danger; Those who are under your shelter become shelter to others. (Rohanusesha apahamsi thushta;kaamanabeeshta akhilan dadasi; Twamasridanam na vipannaranam; Twamasritha Asrayadam prayanthy)

NARAYANEE NAMOSTHUTHE

Epilogue: After hearing the Devi-Mahatmyam , Suradharajan meditated on Devi and when she appeared before him he made a request to restore his kingdom and to give him a position of higher status than a king. Poor king! Inspite of Devi-mahatmyam and vision of Devi, the king had his strong vasanas still which only prompted him to ask for material pleasure and higher status instead of Moksha ! In contrast, the vaishya requested for atma-gnanam. Their requests were granted. Devi fulfils the desires of Bhakthas whether it is bhukthy or mukthy. Suradharajan was also blessed to be the 8th Manu (now we are in Vaivasthada manvantharam i.e.7th) Next Manu will be known as a Savarni. The story goes that Sun God's wife Samgjai arranged a concubine for Sun God, and she was named as Savarna. This Savarna was produced from the shadow of Samgjai. One of Savarna's sons is Savarni i.e. king Suradha reborn as Savarni and is going to be the 8th Manu. Planet Satturn is Savarni's brother!!!