艢膩ktism: The 顿别惫墨-cult [Part 3]

Matsya Purana (critical study)

by Kushal Kalita | 2018 | 74,766 words | ISBN-13: 9788171103058

This page relates 鈥楽haktism: The Devi-cult鈥� of the English study on the Matsya-purana: a Sanskrit text preserving ancient Indian traditions and legends written in over 14,000 metrical verses. In this study, the background and content of the Matsyapurana is outlined against the cultural history of ancient India in terms of religion, politics, geography and architectural aspects. It shows how the encyclopedic character causes the text to deal with almost all the aspects of human civilization.

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Part 3 - 艢膩ktism: The 顿别惫墨-cult

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艢膩ktism is another aspect of Hinduism as important as 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫颈蝉尘 and 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘. The 顿别惫墨-worship forms a very important section of Indian religion with a great influence on Indian society which can even be seen in present time. 艢膩ktism, the cult of 艢补办迟颈 can be traced back to the worship of Mother Goddess or nature goddess of PreVedic age. The term 艣补办迟颈 represents female divinity in general and energizing power of some divinity in particular.^[1] In the 峁欢惫别诲补, the mother cult is associated with 辫峁泃丑颈惫颈 (earth).^[2] Among the 峁歡vedic goddesses, the names of U峁Ｄ�, 笔峁泃丑惫墨, Aditi, 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨, 膧pa岣� may be acknowledged first. But the idea of one supreme mother principle does not seem to tally with the hymns ascribed directly or indirectly to these divinities. Only 顿别惫墨s奴kta^[3] and the 搁腻迟谤颈蝉奴办迟补^[4] of the 峁欢惫别诲补 can be said to possess the germs of 艢补办迟颈sm in the Vedas. The Atharvaveda describes the goddess as dwelling in fire, Sun, Brahman, waters, gold, in dice etc.^[5] Through these 蝉奴办迟补蝉 though it can be said that the basis of 艢膩ktism is traced in the Vedic texts, yet the 艢补办迟颈-cult which centres round the worshiping of goddesses like 顿耻谤驳腻, 碍腻濒墨, Um膩 etc. could not make any room for its progress with these 峁歡vedic female divinities of the Vedas. However, later 厂补峁僪颈迟腻蝉, 膧谤补峁噛补办补蝉 and 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉 have passages containing the names of 顿耻谤驳腻 or Durg墨, Um膩, 础尘产颈办腻, 碍腻濒墨 etc. The evidence of 艢补办迟颈sm is found more or less in almost all the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 and the popularity of 艢补办迟颈-cult is evident through these references. The 顿别惫墨m膩h膩tmya of the 惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, the 碍腻濒颈办腻辫耻谤腻峁嘺, the 顿别惫墨bh膩gavatapur膩峁嘺, the 惭补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, the 叠丑补惫颈峁补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 etc. possess ample descriptions of 艢补办迟颈-cult prevailing in those days.

In 艢补办迟颈sm, 艢补办迟颈 is regarded as the ultimate reality. It preaches the worship of 艢补办迟颈 or God in Mother form. 艢补办迟颈 is the Supreme power of 艢颈惫补. However, though 艢补办迟颈 is regarded as the power of 艢颈惫补, she is not subordinate to 艢颈惫补, rather she is the divine mother of the world. Again 艢膩ktism maintains that 艢补办迟颈 and 艢膩ktim膩n (the possessor of 艢补办迟颈), i.e., 艢颈惫补 are non-different from one another; they are inseparable.^[6] 艢补办迟颈 is the cause of the world; she is the creator, sustainer and destroyer of this universe. There are different manifestations of 艢补办迟颈 like 顿耻谤驳腻, 碍腻濒墨, 颁补峁囜笉颈办腻, 鲍驳谤补肠补峁囜笉腻, 颁腻尘耻峁囜笉腻, 颁补峁囜笉墨, 罢腻谤腻, 厂补迟墨, 笔腻谤惫补迟墨, ten 尘补丑腻惫颈诲测腻蝉 etc.

The idea of popularity of 艢补办迟颈-cult can be gathered from the passages of the 惭补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 where holy places for worshiping 诲别惫墨 are narrated. In the 13^th chapter of the 惭补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, the narrations of 厂补迟墨, 笔腻谤惫补迟墨 and 惭腻迟峁沰腻蝉 are found. There is a brief story of 厂补迟墨, who is 笔腻谤惫补迟颈 in her previous birth. 厂补迟墨 is said to be the mother of the world who gives happiness to all. 顿补办峁, her father have saluted her and said that she became her daughter as an act of grace only.^[7] One hundred and eight (108) 诲别惫墨p墨thas or sacred places are described by 厂补迟墨 on the request of 顿补办峁 so that a person could get his desired object through practising penance therein. 厂补迟墨 says that she is present everywhere, i.e., omnipresent.^[8] Though a person can find her in any time at any place still, 厂补迟墨 has mentioned the names of the places which are sacred to the Goddess along with the epithets by which usually she is known in those places. It is said by 厂补迟墨 herself that one can be freed from all sins if he memorizes or hears these one hundred and eight (108) names or pays a visit to her after taking bath in the 迟墨谤迟丑补蝉 and thus can live in the 艢颈惫补loka for one kalpa. Moreover, if one reads these names at the time of worship or at the time of donating a cow (驳辞诲腻苍补) or at the time of funeral ceremony (艣谤腻诲诲丑补) he will achieve Brahman.^[9] The 惭补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 further asserts that misfortune and sorrow exist nowhere where these names of Goddess 厂补迟墨 are available in written form and is worshipped along with a deity as well.^[10] This list is found in other 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 also like the 笔补诲尘补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, the 顿别惫墨bh膩gavatapur膩峁嘺 and the 厂办补苍诲补辫耻谤腻峁嘺.^[11] Goddess 厂补迟墨 is the giver of good fortune, enjoyment and liberation. Her worship leads to the attainment of everything for men and women.^[12]

The 惭腻迟峁沰腻蝉 or Mother-Goddessess occupy a good place in the 惭补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 with reference to the position of 艢补办迟颈-cult. According to the 惭补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 惭腻迟峁沰腻蝉 are first created by 艢颈惫补 in order to kill demon Andhaka. But unable to destroy Andhaka, 艢颈惫补 ultimately takes refuge to 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 who again created other 惭腻迟峁沰腻蝉. In the 179^th chapter of this 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 a list of about 200 惭腻迟峁沰腻蝉 created by 艢颈惫补 are given who are described as becoming oppressive and engaging in the destruction of the three worlds. Then in order to overcome such a degrading situation 艢颈惫补 worshiped 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 in the 狈峁泂颈峁僪补 or 狈补谤补蝉颈峁僪补 form. 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 from his different limbs creates 32 惭腻迟峁沰腻蝉 the sights of which made the 艢颈惫补-惭腻迟峁沰腻蝉 surrender before 痴颈峁ａ箛耻. 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 then reminded their duty to foster and guard the universe and not to destruct. They should protect the devotees of Siva and 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 as well. They should fulfill the desired objects of those who offered sacrifices to the 惭腻迟峁沰腻蝉. They should also protect those persons who recite praises uttered by 痴颈峁ａ箛耻.