Goddess Worship In Hinduism: Introduction 

The worship of the divine in feminine form as mother goddess was an integral part of all the ancient civilizations across the world. Goddess worshiping symbolized veneration of fertility and reproduction, which sustains human existence. Bharat too for thousands of years has recorded evidence of goddess worship. Shakta school or Shaktism is one of the major traditions of goddess worship in Hinduism across the country, where the Supreme is worshipped as Shakti (the embodiment of power). The Devi (Divine Mother) is invoked in her various gentle and fierce forms in Shakta tradition. Adherents of the Shakta schools use ritual worship in the form of chanting mantras and practicing tantra, yantra, yoga, and puja to invoke cosmic forces and awaken the Kundalini power. Vedas, Shakta Agamas, and Puranas are the central texts of Shakta worship. 

Durga Saptashati, also known as Chandipath is one of the most widely revered texts of Shakti worship in Hinduism. Durga Saptashati is part of the Markandeya Purana. The text describes the three aspects of Goddess Chandi as Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasaraswati, who represent the three Gunas (qualities) of Tamas, Rajas, and Sattva respectively. Mahakali is the divine aspect of the Shakti which is the cause and controller of Kala (time) and hence of all the actions. Mahakali is the personification of Kriya Shakti (the force of action). She inspires the seeker the performance of righteous actions. Mahalakshmi personifies Iccha-Shakti (the force of the will). She inspires the power of the mind, concentration, and meditation for overcoming mental dullness and pride. Mahasaraswati, the personification of Jnana-Shakti (knowledge), removes the doubts and imparts Atma-Jnana (self-knowledge).¹ The following verse from the fifth chapter of the text revers the Goddess as: 

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु विष्णुमायेति शब्दिता ।

नमस्तस्यै ॥ नमस्तस्यै ॥ नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥

Yādēvī sarvabhūtēṣū viṣṇumāyēti śabdhitā।
namastasyai, namastasyai,namastasyai namōnamaḥ

Translation:

O, Mother!
Thee, who is present everywhere as the Power of Vishnu;
I Bow to Thee! I Bow to Thee! I Bow to Thee!

Thus, as per the Hindu texts, when Lord Vishnu incarnated as Krishna, he was accompanied by Shakti in the form of Yogamaya, who was born as the daughter of Yashoda and Nanda at the same time. In his previous incarnation as Rama, it is believed as per the Hindu tradition that he had invoked Goddess Durga before going to battle against Ravana. Thus, the festival of Durga Puja celebrated on a large scale in Bengal and other parts of eastern India, starts on the sixth day of Sharadiya Navaratri with “Akal Bodhan”, as it’s believed that it is the day when Goddess Durga was invoked by Rama. The festival of Vijayadashmi signifies both, the victory of Goddess Durga over Mahishasura as well as of Lord Rama on Ravana.

Civilizational Significance Of Shakti Worship In The Context Of The Hindu Renaissance 

Goddess Chandi, who is considered the upholder of Ṛta (cosmic equilibrium), commands the celestial army and its earthly counterparts to struggle for truth and justice in society. The worship of Goddess Durga guides the seekers at spiritual and mundane levels. Bharat’s history is full of heroic characters who sought inspiration from Devi. This includes the founder of the Maratha empire, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and the 20th-century revolutionary and philosopher, Sri Aurobindo, who were guided in their Dharmik struggle by the power of Goddess Durga. Shivaji Maharaj was an ardent devotee of Goddess Tulaja Bhavani. As per tradition, he received his famous “Bhavani Talwar” (Bhavani Sword) as a blessing from Devi for ensuring his victory in the battle for Dharma. 

The following verses are the translation of the fourth stanza of the song Vande Mataram in prose by Sri Aurobindo:

        For thou art Durga holding her ten weapons of war,
        Kamala at play in the lotuses
        and Speech, the goddess, giver of all lore,
        to thee I bow!
        I bow to thee, goddess of wealth,
        pure and peerless,
        richly-watered, richly-fruited,
        the Mother!
        I bow to thee, Mother,
        dark-hued, candid,
        sweetly smiling, jeweled and adorned,
        the holder of wealth, the lady of plenty,
        the Mother!

The original composer of the song Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay in the 19th century during the British colonial era, personified Bharat Mata (Mother India) as the three aspects of Shakti: Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. The original verses in Bangla are: 

त्वं हिदुर्गा दशप्रहरणधारिणी                     

कमला कमलदलविहारिणी 

वाणी विद्यादायिनी, 

नमामि त्वाम् नमामि कमलां 

अमलां अतुलां 

सुजलां सुफलां मातरम् ।। ४ ।।

वन्दे मातरम् ।

Tbaṃ hi Durgā daśapraharanadhārinī
Kamalā kamala-dalabihārinī
Bānī bidyādāyinī
Namāmi tbaṃ
Namāmi kamalām
Amalāṃ atulām,
Sujalāṃ suphalām Mātaram
Bande Mātaram

From Vaishno Devi, Jwalaji, and Naina Devi in the Himalayas of the north to Kamakhya and Kalighat in the east, from Hinglaj (now in Pakistan), Ambaji & Pavagadh in the west to Chamundeshwari in the south, the four corners of original geography of Bharatavarsha are dotted with Shakti Peethas dedicated to different forms of Goddess Chandi. The sacred geography of Bharatavarsha is thus referred to as “Bharat Mata” because the landmass of the Indian subcontinent is not seen just as a mere geological piece of land, but the land which is a pious living entity, worthy to be worshipped. Bharat Mata was personified as the embodiment of Shakti during the colonial era as she was considered the very embodiment of the Sanatana Hindu consciousness. 

Abanindranath Tagore, for the first time in history in 1905, painted the iconography of Bharat Mata on canvas, in which she was depicted as a sadhvi (female ascetic) clad in saffron robes with her four hands upholding sheaves of rice, a cloth of white, a Japa mala (beads for meditation) and a book. Her head is haloed and lotuses bloom at her feet. The luminous tinge of yellow at her feet and her head attracts the viewer to look at her feet and her crown first. It is not a mere coincidence that the time when Bharat Mata was painted for the first time coincided with the period when Vande Mataram became the slogan of the indigenous uprising against British Imperialism, during the Swadeshi Movement of 1905.² 

Bharat Mata and the slogan of Vande Mataram became the driving force behind India’s independence struggle. Even today, she is the symbol of the de-colonial struggle of the people of Bharata, rooted in indigenous Dharmik values; against both Western Imperialism driven by globalization and Middle Eastern colonialism. Thus, for invoking both physical and intellectual vigor, fighting the battles of narratives as well as countering physical annihilation, Shakti is the divine force we need to invoke. To shed the darkness of ignorance inherent in human nature, we need to surrender to her. All our weapons, whether material or spiritual, should first be consecrated to Shakti so that they can be used wisely to thrive towards the decolonization of Bharata rooted in genuine Dharmik values. To conclude, the following verse from the “Hymn to Durga” composed by Sri Aurobindo captures the spirit of Dharmik civilizational rejuvenation in its best form:³

Mother Durga! India lies low in selfishness and fearfulness and littleness.

Make us great, make our efforts great, our hearts vast, make us true to our resolve.

May we no longer desire the small, void of energy, given to laziness, stricken with fear…..

---

REFERENCES

1. http://indiafacts.org/understanding-navaratri-vedanta/
2. https://rashtram.org/abanindranath-tagore-and-the-making-of-the-modern-indic-art/
3. http://www.sriaurobindoinstitute.org/saioc/Sri_Aurobindo/karmayogin_newspaper/hymn_to_durga