Mahadevi

An 18th century painting of Mahadevi from Bikaner, Rajasthan

Mahadevi (Sanskrit: महादेवी, Mahādevī), also referred to as Adi Parashakti, Adi Shakti, and Abhaya Shakti, is the supreme goddess in the Shaktism sect of Hinduism. According to this tradition, all Hindu goddesses are considered to be manifestations of this single great Goddess, who is comparable to the deities Vishnu and Shiva as Para Brahman. Vaishnavas consider her to be Lakshmi, Shaivas consider her to be Parvati, Durga, and Mahakali, while Shaktas consider her to be Durga, Tripura Sundari, Bhuvaneswari, and Kali. Author Helen T. Boursier says: "In Hindu philosophy, both Lakshmi and Parvati are identified with the great goddess—Mahadevi—and the Shakti or divine power".

Vaishnavism

The goddess of prosperity, Lakshmi

The goddess Lakshmi is revered as Mahadevi in the Vaishnavite tradition, extolled to possess a thousand names and qualities. Various texts like the Garuda Purana, Bhagavata Purana, and Lakshmi Tantra refer to Lakshmi as Mahadevi.

According to Saptashati, the iconographical characteristics of Lakshmi are as follows: "She bears 18 hands carrying a rosary, axe, mace, arrow, thunderbolt, lotus, pitcher, rod, shakti, sword, shield, conch, bell, wine-cup, trident, noose, chakra, and the discus". Lakshmi is revered to be prakriti, the perfect creation: self-sustaining, self-contained Nature. She is worshipped as maya, the delightful delusion, the dream-like expression of divinity that makes life comprehensible, hence worth living. She is true shakti, energy, boundless and bountiful.

“

इच्छारूपां भगवतस्सच्चिदानन्दरूपिणीम् । सर्वज्ञां सर्वजननी विष्णुवक्षस्स्थलालयाम् । दयालुमनिशं ध्यायेत्सुखसिद्धिस्वरूपिणीम् ॥

”

“	I always meditate on that Goddess who has the form of pleasure and salvation, Who takes that form that is dear to the God, who is the form of divine joy, Who knows everything, who is the mother of all, Who lives on the chest of Lord Vishnu and who is very merciful.	”
—Vyasa, Skanda Purana

Shaivism

The Shiva Purana says Adi Parashakti incarnated in materialistic form as Parama Prakriti from the left half of Lord Shiva i.e.Parabrahman during the beginning of the Universe. The Linga Purana states that Adi Shakti brings forth the evolution of life in every Universe through the union of every Parvati and Shiva in all of the Universes.

Shaktism

Adi Shakti as Durga

Shaktas conceive the Goddess as the supreme, ultimate, eternal reality of all existence, or same as the Brahman concept of Hinduism. She is considered to be simultaneously the source of all creation, its embodiment and the energy that animates and governs it, and that into which everything will ultimately dissolve. She has manifested herself as Shiva in male form. Her half is Shiva.

Importance

In the Devi Gita, it is suggested that before incarnating as Parvati, she appeared to King Himalaya and revealed divine, eternal knowledge to him. She explained herself, in the words of the Vedas, as having neither beginning nor end. She is the only, eternal truth. The whole universe is her creation. She is the only victor and the manifestation of victory itself. She is a manifested, un-manifested and transcendent divinity. She then displayed her scarcely seen form to him: Satyaloka was located in her forehead; the created universe were her hairs; the sun and moon were her eyes; in her ears were the four directions; the Vedas were her words; death, affection and emotion were her teeth; maya was manifested by her smile. The goddess Parvati as Kushmanda gives birth to the universe in the form of a cosmic egg which manifests as the universe. Ultimately, Adi Shakti herself is the zero energy which exists even after destruction of the universe and before its creation.

Shakta Puranas

The Devi Bhagavata Purana described her in the form of Bhuvaneshvari. It mentioned that Shiva worshipped and meditated on Adi Parashakti for thousands of years, using the beeja mantra "Hreem". The Goddess Adi Parashakti is also considered to be both the truly supreme spirit without form (Param Atman) and Saguna with form. In her Saguna form she is described as the Mother of the Universe and is residing in Sarvaloka Manidweepa above all of the other realms. She is the Great Goddess, and all other goddesses and even all the Gods are her various forms, says the Devi Gita. In Devi Mahatmyam, Trimurti and demigods praises Adi Shakti.

“

गायन्ती दोलयन्ती च बालभावान्मयि स्थिते सेयं सुनिश्चितं ज्ञातं जातं मे दर्शनादिव कामं नो जननी सैषा शृणु तं प्रवदाम्यहम् अनुभूतं मया पूर्व प्रत्यभिज्ञा समत्थिता

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“	Now I recollect all what I felt before at Her sight and recognize that She is the Bhagavati. These very things I now communicate to you. Hear attentively that She is this Lady and She is our Mother.	”

Cosmogony

In the third canto of the Srimad Devi Bhagavatam, Devi addressed the Trimurti as follows:

“	There is oneness always between me and the Purusha; there is no difference whatsoever at any time between me and the Purusha (the Supreme Self). Who is I, that is Purusha; who is Purusha, that is I. The difference between force and the receptacle of force is due to error. He who knows the subtle difference between us two, is certainly intelligent; he is freed from this bondage of Samsara; there is no manner of doubt in this. The One Second less Eternal ever lasting Brahman substance becomes dual at the time of creation.	”

According to the Tripura Rahasya, Mahadevi was the only goddess existed before the beginning of the universe. She is supposed to have created the Trimurti, and began the creation of the universe.

“	Long ago, at the time of creation, Tripura the Universal Consciousness was all alone. There was nothing other than Her. She, the embodiment of Power, who is Self independent wanted to create; the desire developed. From desire, knowledge was born and then action. From Her three glances the three gods were born. Pashupati represented desire, Hari knowledge and Brahma action. They were looked at by Sankari and became naturally powerful and Truth abiding.	”

Forms

As Parvati, she is kind and tender and represents motherhood

As Tripura Sundari, she is the complete supreme form.

As Kali, she is ferocious and destroys evil

Mahadevi can take various forms including Kali, Durga, and Chandi.

In Vaishnavism, Lakshmi is traditionally worshipped as secondary to her consort Vishnu, and represents the bliss of a settled and domestic life. However, in Shakta traditions Lakshmi either is, or is a representation of, the supreme deity. In texts such as the Lakshmi Tantra, she is both the creator and the destroyer. In her capacity as Mahalakshmi, she is synonymous with Mahadevi.

In Shaivism, the Devi Parvati is the complete incarnation of Adi Parashakti. Parvati was Sati in her previous birth. Sati was also a direct incarnation of Adi Parashakti. However, Sati died and was reborn as Parvati. Parvati is shown as kind and loving mother goddess.

According to Shakta traditions, Devi is the ultimate goddess and complete physical embodiments of Adi Parashakti. Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva of this Brahmanda are her subordinates and cannot function without her power. Thus, she is considered the supreme Goddess and primary deity in Shaktism as she is the nearest representative of Adi Parashakti who further incarnated as Parvati. Whatever deity one is worshiping they are, ultimately, worshiping Adi Parashakti.

According to the Srikula tradition in Shaktism, Tripura Sundari is the foremost of the Mahavidyas, the highest aspect of Mahadevi and also the primary goddess of Sri Vidya. The Tripura Upanishad places her as the ultimate Shakti (energy, power) of the universe.

Iconography

Adi Parashakti is generally seen as an abstract goddess but her appearance is described in the Devi Bhagavata Purana, Kalika Purana, Markandeya Purana-Devi Mahatmya, Brahmanda Purana-Lalita Sahasranama, and the Tripura Rahasya. According to the Devi Bhagavata Purana, the goddess once invited the Trimurti to Manidvipa. The Trimurti saw the supreme goddess Bhuvaneshvari sitting on a jeweled seat on a throne. Her face contained the radiance of millions of stars and her celestial beauty was so great, that the Trimurti were not able to look at her. She carries the Abhaya and Varada Mudra, Pasha, and Ankusha.

Epithets

Mahadevi is known by many names. She is commonly known as Mulaprakrti ('she who is primordial matter') and Mahamaya ('she who is the great maya'). The Devi Bhagavata Purana and Lalita Sahasranama describe Mahadevi's numerous epithets. These names include her divine and destructive characteristics. In the Devi Bhagavata Purana she is described as 'the mother of all', 'the life force in all beings', and 'she who is supreme knowledge'. The Lalita Sahasranama also describes her as Visvadhika ('she who transcends the universe'), Sarvaga ('she who is omnipresent'), Vishvadharini ('she who supports the universe'), Raksasaghni ('she who slays demons'), Bhairavi ('the terrible one'), and Sarhharini ('she who destroys'). Mahadevi's destructive features are further described in a hymn called Aryastava, calling her Kalaratri ('night of death') and Nistha ('she who is death').

Association

With incarnations of Vishnu

The Guhyati guyha-tantra associates the Mahavidyas with the ten avatars of Vishnu, and states that the Mahavidya forms of Mahadevi are the source from which the avatars of Vishnu arose.

The ten corresponding avatars with Mahavidyas

no.	Goddess names	Avatar names
1.	Kali	Krishna
2.	Tara	Rama
3.	Shodashi	Kalki
4.	Bhuvaneshvari	Varaha
5.	Tripura Bhairavi	Narasimha
6.	Chhinnamasta	Parashurama
7.	Dhumavati	Vamana
8.	Bagalamukhi	Kurma
9.	Matangi	Buddha
10.	Kamalatmika	Matsya

Lesser forms

Yogamaya

Adi Parashakti is regarded to be the one who actually creates maya for the gods and teaches them what to do and what not to do, so that they can be connected to the ultimate God. She helps Vishnu to slay the demons Madhu and Kaitabha to save the world. Moreover, she is also the one that who takes Vishnu to mystic sleep, and hence is called the Yoganidra of Narayana. Her presence is supposed to be required by yogis, sages and bhaktas, so that they can be connected to God. Shaktas consider her to be goddess Durga.

Mahamaya

She is the goddess that destroys the upfold of illusion. She is the one that creates and destroys maya. She is controlled by Yogamaya and hence subordinate to Yogamaya and senior to Maya. She emerges as seven mothers to destroy evil forces of Shumbha and Nishumbha, with Chamunda being one of them. She is required to gain physical strength, health, satvika attributes and demotes anger, greed and arrogance Shaktas consider her as form of Durga.

Maya

She is the one who deludes living beings from god and takes any being to the world of illusion. She promotes greed, anger, and arrogance. It is assumed that in the Age of Kali Yuga, her effect is highest.

In popular culture

• The Tenth Riddle, a novel by Sapan Saxena, is based on Mahadevi and her ten forms or Mahavidyas.

References

Works cited

• Bonnefoy, Yves (1993). Asian Mythologies. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-06456-7. 
• Boursier, Helen T., ed (2021). The Rowman & Littlefield Handbook of Women's Studies in Religion. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1538154458. 
• Dalal, Roshen (2010). The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths. India: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0143415176. 
• Dikshitar, V. R. Ramachandra (1999). The Lalitā Cult. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-8120814981. 
• Kinsley, David (1998). Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Traditions. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-0394-7. 
• Mahadevan, T. M. P. (1975). Upaniṣads: Selections from 108 Upaniṣads. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-1611-4. 
• Narayanananda, Swami  (1960). The Primal Power in Man: Or, The Kundalini Shakti. India: N. K. Prasad. ISBN 978-0787306311. 
• Rajeswari, D. R.  (1989). Sakti Iconography. India: Intellectual Publishing House. ISBN 978-8170760153. 

Further reading

• Brown, C. Mackenzie (1990). The Triumph of the Goddess: The Canonical Models and Theological Visions of the Devi-Bhagavata Purana. State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0791403648. 
• Brown, C. Mackenzie (1998). The Devī Gītā: The Song of the Goddess: A Translation, Annotation, and Commentary. State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0791439401. 
• Rao, S. K. Ramachandara (2012). Lalitaarchana-Chandrika, Hymns to Lalita, Form of Tripurasundari. Lala Murari Lal Chharia Oriental Series. Delhi: Divine Books. ISBN 978-93-81218-45-7. 

This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original article was at Mahadevi. The list of authors can be seen in the page history.