Shakta Discussion

[Aupmanyav]

Mata and Ganesha are the deities on the rise in Hinduism today extending their arc of influence from Bangal and Maharashtra. I hope someday Murugan also will make his presence felt in a greater measure in North India, it is not that he is not here. No, @Vinayaka? Of course, Krishna is the heart of India. Where is @Nitai? Having a rest after celebrating Rath Yatra on July 6?

http://indianexpress.com/photos/lif...rts-in-ahmedabad-amid-much-fanfare-2896719/2/

 

[Jainarayan]

We have a plethora of representations of Maa... Ambika, Lakshmi, Andal, Durga/Saraswati/Lakshmi, Kannika/Kannyaka (I see it spelled both ways) Parameshwari, Gayatri, and of course Sita and Radha. No Maa Kali, too fierce as I was told when I asked. I visit all the shrines; I think of it this way... I have many pictures of my mother, but I don't limit myself to looking at only one.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

We have a plethora of representations of Maa... Ambika, Lakshmi, Andal, Durga/Saraswati/Lakshmi, Kannika/Kannyaka (I see it spelled both ways) Parameshwari, Gayatri, and of course Sita and Radha. No Maa Kali, too fierce as I was told when I asked. I visit all the shrines; I think of it this way... I have many pictures of my mother, but I don't limit myself to looking at only one.

At my current Temple we have Parvati, Durga, Sita, Lakshmi, Radha and Saraswati. I sometimes feel pulled in two different directions between Durga and Lakshmi. Both are dear to me. One inspire's courage and the other is comforting to me. So often I need both Comfort AND courage though. =)

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

A few days ago I visited a new temple. When I sat in front of the white marble Ma Lakshmi murti I noticed that she was wearing a lime garland. I know that Durga and Sri Rajarajeshwari often wears a lime garland but I had never seen another form of the Goddess wearing one. For some reason it made me happy that she wears them too.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Shakambhari: Without vegetables there will be no meal.

 

[Vinayaka]

A few days ago I visited a new temple. When I sat in front of the white marble Ma Lakshmi murti I noticed that she was wearing a lime garland. I know that Durga and Sri Rajarajeshwari often wears a lime garland but I had never seen another form of the Goddess wearing one. For some reason it made me happy that she wears them too.

Probably the easiest garland to make. Murugan wears them too, particularly around Thai Pusam.

 

[ShivaFan]

We have a couple of temples of the Great Mother Goddess Parvati with lime garland and other fruit-food garlands in the form of Annapurna who is the Goddess of Food and grains, and as Aup pointed out as Shakambhari who is a version of Annapurna or Parvati as Goddess of Food. Here is Shakambhari as Meenakshi Devi version of Shakambhari Devi-Annapurna at a local temple in the Silicon Valley California:

In Varanasi, you will find Annapurna with a garland of fruits, limes and such, other areas of India. Other Devis are also given this type of garland on holy days associated with Annapurna, also Vaishnavo devis are sometimes garlanded on such "Mother of Food" holidays.

Perhaps Lakshmi was garlanded such for such a "food Goddess" and-or Annapurna (Parvati) holy day? I have seen Durga so garlanded in Livermore California on such a day.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Perhaps Lakshmi was garlanded such for such a "food Goddess" and-or Annapurna (Parvati) holy day? I have seen Durga so garlanded in Livermore California on such a day.

There were many forms of the Goddess at this temple and she was the only one with a garland of limes. My guess is that she was chosen because it was a Friday, which is her day.
Beautiful picture btw - I love how the grapes look like beads/gems =)

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

I visited a Shiva Durga temple this morning for the first time. After doing my prayers, I just watched people for a bit as they approached the shrines and made offerings. One family made an offering I had never seen before.. They opened an entire box of incense and lit/circled it before Durga Maa before placing it in a special incense stand. Not I know you offer incense during puja - I had just never seen it done at temple before.

Also it's interesting now that I've been to about 10 temples, how different the access to the deities can be. For example, as some temples the murties are set deeply within their own enclosed shrine, with steps leading up and in, and only the priest can go there. Other temples have all the murties on the same dias but there is a rope to keep you from getting too close. Still others, like the temple I visited today, permitted devotees to go right up to the murties and touch their feet.

I don't like it when temples have signs prohibiting placing offerings near the deities. As long as they are on thalis and neatly placed, I feel like it's important for devotees to feel like they can have a physical as well as spiritual connection with the murty.

 

[Aupmanyav]

North India/South India. At our Rameshwara Shiva temple in Jodhpur, it is customary to massage the two feet high marble parapet which encloses the lingam, as if one is massaging the feet of Lord Shiva.

Wonderful. I got the first and a clear image of the idols and lingam of our temple on the web for the first time. There are a few videos of the aarati, which I have posted earlier also. We do have a black and white photograph in our puja. But this is much better (showing the parapet which the devotees caress, and the two Parvatis (one older one) and the other arranged to be installed by my grandfather (but could never replace the older one). The older one has pushed the new one to one side. Lord Ganesha had to move a little to the left to give the mother her space (Ha, ha). Whatever notice may be placed, people will still touch the feet of the idols. The lingam is never touched unless one is doing an abhishekam. I did once. It involves 'Phool-mala' (decoration of the temple with garlands) and some expense is necessary. It is followed by a brahmin-bhoja (meal offering to a number of brahmins according to the capacity of the person, generally 11). It is a small community temple, but we all are very much attached to it. Here:

 

[DeviChaaya]

North India/South India. At our Rameshwara Shiva temple in Jodhpur, it is customary to massage the two feet high marble parapet which encloses the lingam, as if one is massaging the feet of Lord Shiva.

Wonderful. I got the first and a clear image of the idols and lingam of our temple on the web for the first time. There are a few videos of the aarati, which I have posted earlier also. We do have a black and white photograph in our puja. But this is much better (showing the parapet which the devotees caress, and the two Parvatis (one older one) and the other arranged to be installed by my grandfather (but could never replace the older one). The older one has pushed the new one to one side. Lord Ganesha had to move a little to the left to give the mother her space (Ha, ha). Whatever notice may be placed, people will still touch the feet of the idols. The lingam is never touched unless one is doing an abhishekam. I did once. It involves 'Phool-mala' (decoration of the temple with garlands) and some expense is necessary. It is followed by a brahmin-bhoja (meal offering to a number of brahmins according to the capacity of the person, generally 11). It is a small community temple, but we all are very much attached to it. Here:

Hey, Aup, is the larger Parvati the older? She is absolutely beautiful, as is the other form She has deigned to take for you and your family! I hope one day you will let me come and visit Her.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Hey, Aup, is the larger Parvati the older? She is absolutely beautiful, as is the other form She has deigned to take for you and your family! I hope one day you will let me come and visit Her.

No. The larger Parvati is the new one. The older one is on the right (and with a stronger aura). The new one has more modern appearance. But you see, Shiva too likes the older one, so, he did not allow her to be taken away. You are most welcome around here. I will take you to our temple. Please note it is a community temple and not a Brihadeeshwara temple, quite small and unpretentious, with a deep step well in front of it, but it is ours.

 

[Jainarayan]

There is a Durga mandir in Princeton, NJ.

My former (due to the elimination of my division) coworker's family goes there. I have not been there because I have anxiety about driving that distance, especially on the deathtraps, er I mean highways out there. I would love to go, and will maybe one day ask Maa to give the courage to go.

They have a mobile app... those wild and craaaazy Hindus!

 

[DeviChaaya]

No. The larger Parvati is the new one. The older one is on the right (and with a stronger aura). The new one has more modern appearance. But you see, Shiva too likes the older one, so, he did not allow her to be taken away. You are most welcome around here. I will take you to our temple. Please note it is a community temple and not a Brihadeeshwara temple, quite small and unpretentious, with a deep step well in front of it, but it is ours.

You know, Aup, I thought the smaller one was the elder but I wasn't really sure! She definitely pulls the eye from Her younger form!

 

[SomeRandom]

There is a Durga mandir in Princeton, NJ.

My former (due to the elimination of my division) coworker's family goes there. I have not been there because I have anxiety about driving that distance, especially on the deathtraps, er I mean highways out there. I would love to go, and will maybe one day ask Maa to give the courage to go.

They have a mobile app... those wild and craaaazy Hindus!

LMAO! I love it!

Need to pray? There's an app for that!

Ahh the age of technology.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Namaste All,

Lately I have been reading a translation of the Lakshmi Tantra, a Vaishava text glorifying and emphasizing the attributes and importance of MahaLakshmi as AdiShakti.

What struck me about the text was that several times MahaLakshmi is described not only as Shakti but as having her own Shaktis.

The more I think about my relationship with MahaLakshmi the more this makes sense. Often Saraswati Maa, Kali Maa and Durga Maa along with other forms of the Goddess, are spoken about in the metaphor of being sisters, or mothers. But to me, this never seemed to quite fit the dynamic of my relationship with all these Goddesses nor how I viewed their relationship with each other.

MahaLakshmi having her own shaktis (ie. Saraswati Maa is the creative/artistic shakti of MahaLakshmi) seems to make more sense to me. These forms of the Goddess emanate from her, they are a part of her and therefore both identical yet distinct from her. Obviously this view will be difference for other Shaktas who primarily revere other forms of Devi.

The only thing for me now is figuring out how me devotion to Lord Rama fits into all this. If Shakti has a Shakti, how do I refer to the masculine power?