Essay name: Devi Tantra, Mantra, Yantra (study)
Author:
Srider Basudevan Iyer
Affiliation: University of Mumbai / Sanskrit, University Department
This essay studies the history of Devi (the Goddess) in relation with worship using Tantra, Yantra and Mantra. The study explores the concept of the 'Female Principle' or Goddess, examining her role and significance in ancient Indian society.
Chapter 3 - Minor Goddesses
3 (of 119)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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185
Chapter 3. Minor goddesses
U峁s is spoken as daughter of heaven and, there is mention
of her encounter with Indra, her defeat and destruction of her
car and her escape far away from the site of battle on the
Vip膩s膩. With her sister-night, she forms a dual of goddesses.
Both these goddesses are said to suckle the same infant. They
alternatively travel through the same unending path. Though
they are of different aspects, they are one-minded. Both these
goddesses are called as the young mothers of the eternal law
搁迟腻濒辞
USAS-Iconographic details.
In the later ages, when the temple culture developed, the
deities who represented the natural phenomena too underwent
transformation. They were no longer fanciful descriptions
limited to thoughts alone. They underwent the process of
concretization as sculpted idols and as paintings. These were in
the course of time regularized and were perfected as a science--
the science of painting and of sculpture. The goddesses Usas is
seen idolised in temples. In temples, she is not the principal
deity but is the spouse of one of the retinue-gods of the
principal deity. She is shown as the wife of the Sun god or
Surya. She is generally shown with certain specific
iconographic details. She is shown grey in complexion and
6 RV.IV.30.9
7 8
RV.IV.30.8-11
RV.X.70.6, 1.113.3, X.127.3
9 RV. I.96.5, RV. 1.95.1
10 RV.V.5.6.
