Goddess Durga is one of the most revered and worshiped figures in Hinduism and is considered the manifestation of Shakti (energy aspect of the Divine). The followers of the Shakti sect of Hinduism regard Goddess Durga as the ultimate Truth and the Supreme deity. She is the source of creation, maintenance, and destruction and is worshiped in various forms such as Parvati and Kali. In Shaivism, the position of Durga Devi is seen as the divine consort of Lord Shiva who is always ready to support him in his cosmic affairs. She plays the role of a nurturing mother and shows immense compassion towards all the conditioned souls in the material world. The Shaivites often worship Mother Durga in the form of Goddess Parvati who resides with Lord Shiva in Kailash, the eternal abode of the lord.
In the Vaishnavism sect of Hinduism, while the ultimate deity or the Supreme Lord is Lord Vishnu, Goddess Durga has a special role in the maintenance of the material world. The living entities who try to act independently of the Supreme Lord are sent to this material world and suffer threefold miseries (Adhi-bhautik, Adhi-adhyatmik, and Adhi-daivik). Goddess Durga takes charge of all these rebellious souls. She kills the miscreants who go against the religious principles and become the source of irreligion and disturbance. Durga Devi is generally portrayed as seated on a lion and having eight or ten arms, each carrying a weapon. Her fierce form signifies the immense power she possesses to act against demoniac elements.
The weapons or symbols of Goddess Durga are not just tools of destruction but carry great spiritual significance. Some of the weapons are for establishing the principle of victory of good over evil while other symbols are for the protection of the saintly souls.
The trident (known as Trishul in Sanskrit) is a weapon with three sharp edges or prongs. These prongs represent the three modes of material nature which condition a living entity in this material world – Sattva Guna (mode of goodness), Rajas Guna (mode of passion), and Tamas Guna (mode of ignorance). Sometimes, the Trident is also said to represent the threefold miseries which the living entities are forced to suffer.
Discus or Chakra is a divine wheel weapon similar to Lord Vishnu’s Sudarshan Chakra. She wheels it on her index finger and symbolizes the righteousness of religious principles. For the sincere seekers of the Absolute Truth, the discus cuts the knots of ignorance within their hearts and thus inspires them to break the cycle of repeated birth and death through knowledge and devotion.
The gada (mace) weapon is a symbol of courage and strength. For the demons, it comes as the crusher of their false ego and evil but for the devotees, the mace is a manifestation of the divine protection from various adversities and challenges on the path of their spiritual enlightenment thus reminding them to go forward with full surrender to the Supreme.
The sharp curved sword that Goddess Durga wields signifies the cutting of the strong attachments within the hearts of the forgetful souls. Being unaware of their real spiritual nature, they identify themselves as the material body and accept everything related to it as “theirs”. This concept of “me and mine” takes them away from their ultimate goal and entangles them further into the material realm. The sword of Durga Devi reminds them to detach themselves from everything material and cut through the veil of ignorance.
Goddess Durga holds the lotus flower to drive away fear in the minds of the saintly people in the material world. Lotus is the symbol of purity. Although it grows in muddy water, it grows beautifully, untouched by mud. Similarly, those who walk the path of devotion and surrender to the Supreme, are untainted by the three modes of material nature and taste the nectar of spiritual bliss.
Shankh or the Conch shell is another symbol that grants solace to the devotees. The divine sound of the conch shell purifies the surroundings. Likewise, it drives away all the impurities from the lives of devotees that hamper their advancement on their spiritual journey – anger, greed, lust, illusion, ego, and attachment. It also grants a boon to them thus fulfilling all their spiritual desires.
The striking thunderbolt symbol represents the unshakeable faith in the process of spirituality. It cuts the mountains of illusion and establishes one on the right path, the path leading to the spiritual world where there are no miseries and the living entity remains blissful eternally.
It is believed that the bow and arrow weapon was given to Goddess Durga by Vayu Dev. The bow represents the power of discrimination – a living entity should not be influenced by the desires of the gross and subtle senses. The arrow symbolizes the intelligent move and focused mind that aims to elevate the entity’s consciousness despite many disturbances around him.
The shield weapon is for the protection of the devotees against the wicked-minded demons who transgress the laws of nature and deride the authority of scriptures. Goddess Durga, being the mother of the living entities, feels protective for her children and nurtures them with her love.
Devi Durga holds the spear weapon as the symbol of truth. Truth always prevails. One who is on the path of devotion is assured success if his endeavours are sincere and faith is unwavering. Thus Goddess Durga grants them fearlessness.
All the weapons and symbols of Goddess Durga hold significance in accordance with the life of devotees and the charge of material affairs. While sometimes she is portrayed in many fierce forms, she is an ocean of mercy for all the conditioned souls who are wandering in different material bodies and struggling for happiness. A mother cannot deride any of her children and when Durga Devi kills a demon, she blesses him with spiritual credit. Durga Puja, the nine-day festival, celebrates her divine energies and everyone participates in the occasion to receive the blessings of Durga Devi.
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