What Do Feminists On RF Think Of Kli and Durga?

[Poeticus]

1. Are Mother Goddess Devi Shri Kāli and Mother Goddess Devi Shri Durga admired by feminists?

2. Do the two Mother Goddesses hold any significance in some way to feminism?

3. Are any of you devotees of the two Mother Goddesses in the FeministOnly section of RF?

4. What are your viewpoints regarding the two Mother Goddesses? Do they hold any motivational or influential aspects with which you identify?

5. Do you feel as if the Two are misunderstood (I think They are, ), etc. etc.?

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

I have read this book Aghora: At the Left Hand of God - Robert E. Svoboda - Google Books

I find them intriguing. I would probably worship Kali if I believed in the divine in that way. Do I think they goddess worship has anything to do with feminism-huummm well yes and no, I think it is an interesting point of study for women but you have to look at how the societies at the time worked not just the individual goddess.
I think my interest in the Hindu Mother goddess probably is due more to trying to understand a part I my heritage that I wasn't brought up in and know little about rather than due to my interest in feminism.

 

[Riverwolf]

When I was actively practicing Hinduism, Durga and Kali were major parts of my spirituality. I regarded Kali as the purest form of the Great Mother, the form She is in when all other aspects of the universe are removed. I regarded Durga as the form the Great Mother takes when aspects of the universe are present, except for civilization.

Nowadays, my views of the Divine are different, but the spirit of my views remains the same: the Great Mother is the Source of All Things.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Kali was the name I used on Guitar Hero back in the day. :jam:

I find the archetypes a refreshing change from the typical goddess character.

 

[Alceste]

I like Sarasvati, personally. Music and wisdom. What more do you need?

 

[DallasApple]

I think she is VERY scary .I would not want her to be my mom.(unless she was on my side) and I love all the colors!

 

[ohhcuppycakee]

I'm a feminist and I don't really have much of an opinion on the goddesses since I don't believe in them. I like things that show the feminine as powerful though, so I can appreciate that aspect.

 

[Penumbra]

I appreciate the uniqueness of those goddesses, and pleased about the depiction of them rather than representing common female archetypes of religions, mythologies, and literature.

 

[Poeticus]

Penumbra,

Yeah. Their depiction is totally counter-archetypal. In fact, it seems that Hindu Goddesses are more bad*** than the Hindu Gods, hehe. Anyways, I found a picture of Mother Devi Shri Durga that you might like:

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

Penumbra,

Yeah. Their depiction is totally counter-archetypal. In fact, it seems that Hindu Goddesses are more bad*** than the Hindu Gods, hehe. Anyways, I found a picture of Mother Devi Shri Durga that you might like:

Ooooooohhhhh I like that picture but would prefer if she was atually Indian lol

 

[Riverwolf]

penumbra,

yeah. Their depiction is totally counter-archetypal. In fact, it seems that hindu goddesses are more bad*** than the hindu gods, hehe. Anyways, i found a picture of mother devi shri durga that you might like:

niiiiiiiiiiiice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Riverwolf]

Ooooooohhhhh I like that picture but would prefer if she was atually Indian lol

What do you mean? North Indians have that skin tone.

 

[DallasApple]

That's a pretty one..

 

[Poeticus]

Ooooooohhhhh I like that picture but would prefer if she was atually Indian lol

Thanks for liking the picture! I got it from deviant-art website (never heard of it before until two days ago); it was done by some Indian dude from Mumbai or Delhi.

But regarding Her not looking like an average Indian.... well it all goes back to color symbolism in Hinduism. Color plays a very important role when it comes to depictions of the Shri Gods/Goddesses. Nothing to do with skin-tone or race/ethnicity. In fact, many of our Hindu Gods and Goddesses are whiter than the blond haired blue eyed Norwegian.

At the same time, many of our Gods and Goddesses are darker than West Africans.

A long time ago, the term "white" meant "pure" in English, but only recently it was applied to signify race when a pseudo form of science-study known as eugenics picked up in terms of mainstream influence. In Vedic Sanskrit, "black" (krishna) signified the encompassing color of the universe - darkness that enveloped everything - nothing about "black" being evil, demonic, etc.

Solar deities like Surya are gold colored like gold bullion.

Krishna is blue and at the same time blacker than Denzel Washington (both are gorgeous, by the way :drool.
- - - - - - - - -
Lord Shri Indra (the Vedic Indra) dyed his hair and his beard blond with Soma residue to symbolize the unbreakable relationship between the elixir that is Soma and the consumer of Soma that is Indra. While, contrastingly, Indra on many occasions is given a vast multitude of varying colors symbolizing specific things:

“For each and every form he is the Model,
it is his form that is to be seen everywhere;
Indra by his charm (māy&#257 moves in many forms,
truly, his bay steeds are yoked a thousand times.”
–ṚV VI.47.18.

Something of interesting point is to notice that Jains and Buddhists depict Indra as green, while modern-day Hindus (in Nepal and South India) will depict him as red.

Then, we have Shiva who, contrary to popular belief, is white as camphor. Pretty camphor-like, this picture is.

We also have a RigVedic Goddess called Devi Shri Rātrī who is darkner than night but at the same time is bright as the stars in the sky - representing the light that still survives in the open sky during late evening.

The representation of the Gods has nothing to do with which race/ethnicity worships them - otherwise, that would be limiting the Gods and that would be against the authoritative Hindu texts such as the Vedas.

But, I agree with you on the mere fact that the representation of Durga in that picture (even though it is just a fan art) differs from what Durga should be "colored" as. Since She is Shakti - it would befit her to be colored as red:

http://www.wou.edu/provost/library/exhibits/exhibits2004-05/color/Images/hinduism.pdf <-- A good webpage on importance of various colors pertaining to depicting various Gods/Goddesses in terms of Murtis or paintings, etc.

What do you mean? North Indians have that skin tone.

Quite a few are pretty fair. Neil Nitin Mukesh, Aditya Pancholi, and Kareena Kapoor are just a few out of many that are pretty fair. But, it's a touchy subject because India still hasn't gotten out of its colonial mindset and it's quite pathetic.

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

Thanks for liking the picture! I got it from deviant-art website (never heard of it before until two days ago); it was done by some Indian dude from Mumbai or Delhi.

But regarding Her not looking like an average Indian.... well it all goes back to color symbolism in Hinduism. Color plays a very important role when it comes to depictions of the Shri Gods/Goddesses. Nothing to do with skin-tone or race/ethnicity. In fact, many of our Hindu Gods and Goddesses are whiter than the blond haired blue eyed Norwegian.

At the same time, many of our Gods and Goddesses are darker than West Africans.

A long time ago, the term "white" meant "pure" in English, but only recently it was applied to signify race when a pseudo form of science-study known as eugenics picked up in terms of mainstream influence. In Vedic Sanskrit, "black" (krishna) signified the encompassing color of the universe - darkness that enveloped everything - nothing about "black" being evil, demonic, etc.

Solar deities like Surya are gold colored like gold bullion.

Krishna is blue and at the same time blacker than Denzel Washington (both are gorgeous, by the way :drool.
- - - - - - - - -
Lord Shri Indra (the Vedic Indra) dyed his hair and his beard blond with Soma residue to symbolize the unbreakable relationship between the elixir that is Soma and the consumer of Soma that is Indra. While, contrastingly, Indra on many occasions is given a vast multitude of varying colors symbolizing specific things:

“For each and every form he is the Model,
it is his form that is to be seen everywhere;
Indra by his charm (m&#257;y&#257 moves in many forms,
truly, his bay steeds are yoked a thousand times.”
–&#7770;V VI.47.18.

Something of interesting point is to notice that Jains and Buddhists depict Indra as green, while modern-day Hindus (in Nepal and South India) will depict him as red.

Then, we have Shiva who, contrary to popular belief, is white as camphor. Pretty camphor-like, this picture is.

We also have a RigVedic Goddess called Devi Shri R&#257;tr&#299; who is darkner than night but at the same time is bright as the stars in the sky - representing the light that still survives in the open sky during late evening.

The representation of the Gods has nothing to do with which race/ethnicity worships them - otherwise, that would be limiting the Gods and that would be against the authoritative Hindu texts such as the Vedas.

But, I agree with you on the mere fact that the representation of Durga in that picture (even though it is just a fan art) differs from what Durga should be "colored" as. Since She is Shakti - it would befit her to be colored as red:

http://www.wou.edu/provost/library/exhibits/exhibits2004-05/color/Images/hinduism.pdf <-- A good webpage on importance of various colors pertaining to depicting various Gods/Goddesses in terms of Murtis or paintings, etc.



Quite a few are pretty fair. Neil Nitin Mukesh, Aditya Pancholi, and Kareena Kapoor are just a few out of many that are pretty fair. But, it's a touchy subject because India still hasn't gotten out of its colonial mindset and it's quite pathetic.

That is really cool, Hinduism is just as rich and complex as say Judaism that's what I love about it. That and my grandmother is Indian Nepalese and German and its good to learn about where you come from.

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

About the Aghora book I read, the sadhu said something interesting about women which is relevant to feminism I guess, he said to view every woman as part of the mother goddess and like your own mother than you would respect her and treat her right.