The Divine Trishakti: Mahakali, Mahalakshmi & Mahasaraswati

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Divine Trishakti

Shakti encompasses three vital forms: Gyan shakti, the power of knowledge; Dravya shakti, the power of wealth; and Kriya shakti, the power of action. It is through the worship of Shakti that we connect with the transformative essence of Maa Saraswati, the embodiment of knowledge; Maa Lakshmi, the bestower of wealth and abundance; and Mahakali, the catalyst for powerful actions.

In our everyday lives, every activity we undertake requires three essential powers: wealth, knowledge, and action. For instance, to prepare a delicious meal, you need groceries (wealth), the ability to cook (knowledge), and actually cooking it (action). These three powers are crucial for life and are revered during Navratri. The initial three days pay homage to Māhākālī (action), followed by three days of celebration for Māhālakṣmī (wealth), and the final three days dedicated to worshiping Māhāsarasvatī (knowledge).

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Māhākālī

The story of Māhākālī can be found in the Devi Mahatmya, which is considered the most authentic source. However, there are also numerous regional tales associated with this powerful deity. Known as an incarnation of Goddess Parvati, Māhākālī is the fierce and formidable wife of Lord Shiva. As Parvati, she is known for her compassionate nature, but as Māhākālī, she embodies a terrifying and violent presence.

Māhākālī, the symbolic embodiment of destruction, plays a crucial role in the cosmic cycle. When Adharma, the manifestation of evil, engulfs the entire universe, Māhākālī skillfully absorbs her creation, a phenomenon humans perceive as death, destruction, or even an apocalypse. However, it is in this process that Māhākālī prepares the world for the forthcoming cycle of creation. Patiently awaiting the opportune moment, she initiates the next phase of creation, seamlessly continuing this divine play indefinitely.

Story Of Māhākālī In Devī Māhātmya

In Devī Māhātmya, the emergence of Māhākālī from Goddess Durga’s furious forehead is a powerful portrayal of her anger. As the embodiment of Durga’s wrath, Māhākālī successfully defeats the demons, Chanda, Munda, and later Raktabija. 

However, her destruction did not cease even after vanquishing the demon, leading Lord Shiva to intervene. He positioned himself in Māhākālī’s path and she unintentionally stepped on him, realizing her mistake. This encounter caused her anger to subside, restoring a sense of calm.

Story Of Māhākālī In Kerala

Māhākālī is believed to have appeared in Kerala to defeat the powerful demon Darika, who was causing destruction. Sage Narada informed Shiva about Darika’s actions, leading to Shiva summoning Māhākālī from his third eye. 

This legend is particularly popular in Kerala, where Māhākālī is worshipped as Bhadrakali. The intense battle between Māhākālī and Darika shook the entire universe, ultimately resulting in her victory and the demise of the demon.

Source: https://www.hindu-blog.com/2019/10/goddess-kali-story-various-stories-of.html

Māhālakṣmī

Māhālakṣmī, the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, luxury, beauty, fertility, and auspiciousness, emerged from the stirring of the primordial milky ocean by the gods and demons. With her arms raised to bless and grant, Māhālakṣmī symbolizes material fulfillment, contentment, and a path to achieving one’s goals. She embodies the promise of abundance and leads individuals toward their desired accomplishments.

Māhālakṣmī the esteemed Hindu goddess, holds a significant role as the wife of God Vishnu. Whenever Vishnu incarnates as one of his avatars and descends upon Earth, Māhālakṣmī graciously accompanies him as his devoted consort. 

For example, when Vishnu assumed the form of Rama or Krishna, Māhālakṣmī took on the divine embodiment of Sita, Radha, or Rukmini in order to accompany his auspicious and divine descents.

The Birth Story Of Māhālakṣmī

Like many Hindu myths, the origin story of Māhālakṣmī varies and is often filled with surreal, magical, or unbelievable elements. Her story begins with a meeting between Sage Durvasa and Lord Indra.

Sage Durvasa gives Indra a garland of flowers, but Indra puts it on his elephant’s forehead instead of wearing it himself. The elephant, not understanding the significance, throws the garland on the ground. Durvasa becomes angry and accuses Indra of disrespecting him due to his ego. Durvasa curses Indra, predicting the downfall of his kingdom as he ruins the garland with his pride.

Durvasa’s curse causes significant changes in Indra’s city. The gods and people lose their strength and vitality, plants and vegetable products wither away, acts of charity cease, minds become corrupted, and desires become uncontrollable. 

The weakened gods are unable to defend against demon invaders, resulting in chaos. This story symbolizes the coexistence of good and evil within humans, represented by both gods and demons.

In order to restore their power, the defeated Gods sought the help of Lord Vishnu. He advised them to churn the ocean to obtain the elixir of immortality. The churning was represented as a tug-of-war between the Gods and Demons. 

Using a snake wrapped around Mount Madura, they submerged the mountain in the Milky Sea. With the gods at the tail and the demons at the head, they pulled on the snake, causing the mountain to spin and the sea to swirl.

Out of the churning waves of the ocean, numerous things emerge, such as the goddess Lakshmi and the elixir of eternal life. Lakshmi emerges from the water, appearing fully developed, stunning, and seated on a lotus flower. After some cunning tricks, the gods regain possession of the elixir of immortality, and balance is restored to the universe.

Source: https://yogaacademyinternational.com/lakshmi/

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Māhāsarasvatī

Hindu mythology tells us that Lord Brahma created the cosmos, but it was initially chaotic and lacked structure. To rectify this, Brahma created the goddess Māhāsarasvatī, who represented knowledge and creativity. 

Under Brahma’s orders, celestial bodies like the sun, moon, and stars were formed, and the seasons started to change. Known as Vagdevi, the goddess of speech and sound,  Māhāsarasvatī was bestowed with everlasting knowledge. Hindu scripture contains various legendary tales about Māhāsarasvatī. 

The name Māhāsarasvatī derives from the Sanskrit words “Sara,” meaning “essence,” and “swa,” meaning “self.” These roots give her a profound meaning as “the essence of the self.” In Hindu mythology, Māhāsarasvatī is depicted as a river, a personification of Vak (speech), and a revered goddess.

Māhāsarasvatī As A River

Māhāsarasvatī is an important goddess in early Hinduism, associated with the Sarasvatī River. The river is revered for its nourishing and fertility-enhancing qualities, much like the famous Ganga River. The flowing water of the Saraswati River represents purification, and it is believed to bring good health and long life, as mentioned in the Rig Veda. There is a story that narrates how Māhāsarasvatī transformed into a river, embodying purity.

During a war between the Bhargavas and Hehayas, a destructive fire called Vadavagni was created. To protect the world, the devas sought help from Shiva, who advised them to seek assistance from Māhāsarasvatī. 

Approaching Māhāsarasvatī they requested her aid, but she would only agree if Brahma allowed her. After consulting Brahma, Māhāsarasvatī transformed into a river and received the Vadavagni from Shiva. Emerging from a Plaksha tree, she flowed towards Pushkar and eventually reached the ocean, where she extinguished the fiery threat.

Source: https://www.ecraftindia.com/blogs/articles/maa-saraswati-story-the-hindu-goddess-of-knowledge-and-arts

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To Conclude

Experience the transformative power of Śrī Durgā Saptaślokī this Navratri with guided chanting sessions led by Harshvardhan Jhaveri. Join us from October 19th to 21st, 2023 for a truly mystical experience that will leave you feeling empowered and connected to the divine. The chanting sessions will be held from 7:00 to 7:45 a.m. IST. 

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1 COMMENT

  1. The article beautifully explores the significance of Shakti in Hindu mythology, emphasizing the interplay of knowledge, wealth, and action, making it a compelling read for those seeking a deeper understanding of these divine aspects.

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