Nightly, very short, aarti to Ganesh, Shiva and Durga Ma. I'm studying so I ask Ganesh to remove the obstacles in my path and help me as I start on this new journey. Shiva because... well, He just deserves it. And Ma because, like Shiva, She deserves it. Shiva brought me to Sanatan Dharma and Ma...
Chandi Path and Devi Gita are pretty good. There's loads of translations as well, I think I have two or three separate Chandi Path books? I've definitely got one from the Ramakrishna Mission and a more academic text I was recommended for chanting.
The Gospel of Shri Ramakrishna details the...
Sorting the wheat from chaff is difficult for most people. They don't understand that discrimination is key and - especially amongst white converts - think that they must listen to every single word their 'guru' says and not challenge it. They forget that gurus are just people, more or less...
So, an answer from a Devi Bhakti with a keen interest in Dhumavati (whenever I hear about Her I perk up).
Dhumavati is the 'widow' form of Shakti. Dhumavati is Shakti after dissolution when there is no Lakshmi or Alakshmi, no Parvati or Mahadeva. She has consumed Shiva - making Her a widow -...
I've found it irritating enough that I never get very far into the telling. If it's not penis this it's vagina that and while I know there is that meaning as well and that creation can quite literally be seen as birth and what not it makes me uncomfortable. I'll probably never manage to get far...
I have the Shiva Purana (I've searched, I think it's the same as the Shiva Mahapurana) from Motilal Press. The only downside of this edition is that it keeps referring to the lingam as a phallic symbol. Like... lol, no. It's not. For that reason I never get very far into reading it because...
If we're talking about Mahavidyas may I tell you my favourite? (I mean, they're all my favourite, but I'm drawn to one in particular.)
Dhumavati! The form of Ma as a widow. I don't know why She calls to me in this form but boy is She insistent. Unfortunately Dhumavati Ma gets a bad reputation...
Replying to the original post and some of the replies.
Given the context and time that this was performed it is not unusual that the father felt blessed. He was highly likely to be illiterate and if this was done with only the father, Vivekananda and his followers and the little girl there it...
The Matrikas are forms of Durga Ma, therefore it is Durga Ma who is the prime mover. She directs all those beneath Her and fills them with Her power and grace so that they may defeat evil. Filled with Durga Ma's power and grace they are non-different from Her and so each one is Her.