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Tag: Tridevi

  • Tridevi – Three supreme Goddesses

    Tridevi – Three supreme Goddesses

    Tridevi “three goddesses” is a trinity of the supreme deity in Hinduism, combining a trio of distinguished goddesses as either a feminine version of the Trimurti or as consorts of a masculine Trimurti. Typically, Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati, three Hindu goddesses, represent this trinity. These three goddesses are representations of Mula-Prakriti or Adi Parashakti in the Shaktism religion. The Tridevi goddesses serve as consorts and auxiliary deities to the more prominent masculine Trimurti gods in the traditional androcentric Hindu faiths. In Shaktism, the masculine Trimurti gods are demoted to the status of additional deities as agents of the feminine Tridevi. In contrast, the feminine Tridevi goddesses are given the prominent roles of creator (Mahasaraswati), preserver (Mahalakshmi), and destroyer (Mahakali). Here we have talked about Three supreme goddesses in Hindu mythology.

    Mahalakshmi – The Goddess of Wealth

    The Hindu goddess of wealth, auspiciousness, purity, prosperity, and generosity is known as Sri Mahalakshmi or Lakshmi. She exudes grace, attractiveness, and charm as well. Indian mythology features the strong and well-known Goddess Lakshmi. In actuality, Lakshmi, or Shri, is depicted in Buddhist and Jain monuments as well. Buddhist temples include the first ancient depictions of Devi Shri. The basic form laksa in Sanskrit, which means to see or perceive, is where the term “Lakshmi” originates. This also has the same meaning as “laksa,” which means aim, goal, or objective. Thus, Lakshmi is a Goddess who is revered as a tool for achieving a number of objectives, chief among them being a financial success.

    Lakshmi, Sri Maha Vishnu’s consort, also takes on the guises of Sita during Rama’s avatar and Rukmini and Radha during Krishna’s manifestation. As Lakshmi, she is frequently shown as an unbelievably beautiful woman sitting on a fully blossomed lotus, holding pots of gold in her third hand, lotus buds in her other two hands, and benevolently rewarding all people who approach her for help. Elephants stand on either side of her, signifying her royal rank.

    Being the Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi is also seen wearing luxurious crimson silk and being completely adorned with gold and beautiful stones. The four hands of Lakshmi stand for four spiritual virtues. She is seated on a fully opened lotus, which stands for the throne of Divine Truth. Her joyful radiance represents mental and spiritual harmony. Around her, there is perpetual peace and prosperity. Along with her Consort, Vishnu, Sri Mahalakshmi is also seen lying on the Adishesha (bed of snakes). Lakshmi can be seen pressing Vishnu’s feet as he is in the Ananta Shayan (reclining) stance.

    Parvati – The Goddess of Power

    The ultimate feminine deity, Shakti, is represented by Parvati Devi in Hindu mythology. Despite being a kind mother goddess, she is renowned for showing all of her strength and power when things are most dire. She is regarded by the Shaktas as the supreme manifestation of Divine Shakti and the source of all cosmological force. The mother of Ganesha (the Elephant-Headed Lord), and Kartikeya is Parvati, the daughter of Himavan, the monarch of the Himalayas, who is an incarnation of Sati, Lord Shiva’s first spouse (Muruga or Skanda).

    The Devi is frequently pictured as having two arms and sitting on a lion or tiger. Generally peaceful, this goddess is also reputed to assume more threatening personas like Kali, Durga, Chandi, and Mahavidyas. Despite the fact that Parvati is absent from Vedic literature, Uma-Haimavati, the feminine essence of the Supreme Brahman, is discussed in the Kena Upanishad. The Vedic triad of Agni, Vayu, and Indra learn about Brahman from her. Both the Mahabharata and the Ramayana refer to Parvati as Shiva’s consort. The Puranas, which date from the fourth to the thirteenth centuries, and Kalidasa, who lived in the fifth century, both relate the tales of Sati-Parvati and Shiva in great detail. At her father Daksha’s Yagna, Sati, Parvati’s former self, commits suicide (sacrificial ritual). When Sati visits the Yagna against her husband’s desires, Daksha taunts her in addition to refusing to recognize Shiva as his son-in-law.

    When Shiva finds out about Sati’s passing, he gets indignant. He loses interest because of his grief, and isolates himself in the mountains. In the meanwhile Sati again reborn as Parvati (Daughter of Himavat and Mainavati). She frequently goes to the cave where Shiva is doing penance, cleans it up, and does daily puja there. But she is so heartbroken that she chooses to perform a painful penance herself in an effort to appease him when he doesn’t even open his eyes to look at her. She strips off her clothes, denies food and drink, and then begins to perform penance in the arid Himalayan environment. Shiva approves of her love for him and consents to marry her. After there, they continue to live on to Mount Kailas, the home of Shiva.

    Saraswati – The Goddess of Learning and Knowledge

    The Hindu goddess of education, learning, music and the arts is Saraswati. The Vedic Saraswati River has also been used to symbolize and compare Saraswati. She is Brahma’s spouse, the Hindu creator god. She completes the set of the divine Tridevi (the three goddesses, just as the heavenly Trinity) along with Parvati and Lakshmi. The Vedas are considered to be Saraswati’s progeny in Hinduism. In India, the goddess Saraswati is revered as a means of obtaining learning and understanding. Additionally, Saraswati is an important figure in Mahayana Buddhism. She first appears in a Mahayana Sutra, the Golden Radiance Sutra from the late 4th or early 5th Century.

    Devi Saraswati is frequently shown as a stunning, white-skinned woman wearing just white clothing while sitting on a white Nelumbo nucifera lotus. The swan serves as her vahana, or chariot, and represents the fact that she is rooted in the knowledge of the Absolute Truth. She thereby possesses both knowledge and first-hand experience of the Highest Reality. White is the hue most often associated with Saraswati because it represents the purity of real wisdom. She is also sometimes linked to the color yellow, which is the hue of the mustard plant’s blossoms, which bloom during her celebration in the spring. In contrast to the goddess Lakshmi, Saraswati is depicted as wearing very modest clothing, maybe as a representation of her.

    Typically, Saraswati is depicted with four limbs, each of which stands for one of the four learning-related facets of human personality: mind, intellect, awareness, and ego. As an alternative, the four arms could alternatively stand in for the four Vedas, which are the main holy texts for Hindus. The three literary genres are each represented by one of the Vedas: Poetry is represented by the hymns found in the Rigveda; prose is found in the Yajurveda, and music is represented by the Samaveda. The book on the one hand represents prose, the crystal rosary represents poetry, and the veena represents music. The holy water pot stands for purity in all three of them, or their capacity to purify human thought.

    Near her feet is frequently a white swan. It is stated that the sacred swan can only drink milk when given a combination of milk and water. Thus, the distinction between the good and the wicked or the eternal and the ephemeral is represented by the swan. Goddess Saraswati is also known as Hamsa-Vahini, which translates to “she who has a swan as her vehicle” due to her connection to the swan. On occasion, a peacock is depicted next to the deity. With a peacock as her horse, the Goddess encourages Hindus to be intelligent in regards to the everlasting truth and to not be concerned with outward appearance, which the peacock symbolizes as arrogance and vanity over its beauty.

  • Tridevi – the three supreme Goddesses

    Tridevi – the three supreme Goddesses

    Tridevi, or three goddesses, is a term used in Hinduism to describe the three main female deities. These are Saraswati (who is linked to Brahma), Lakshmi (who is linked to Vishnu) and Parvati (who is linked to Shiva).

    Mahalakshmi – The Goddess of Wealth

    Sri Mahalakshmi or Lakshmi, as the Goddess is also referred to, is the Hindu Goddess of Wealth, auspiciousness, purity, prosperity and generosity. She also embodies charm, beauty and grace. Lakshmi is a very popular and powerful Goddess in Indian mythology. In fact, representations of Lakshmi, or Shri, are found also in Buddhist and Jain monuments. The earliest archeological representations of Devi Shri were found in Buddhist monuments.

    The name “Lakshmi” is derived from the Sanskrit elemental form “lakS,” meaning to observe or perceive. This is also synonymous with “lakSya,” meaning aim, goal or objective. Lakshmi is thus a Goddess who is regarded as the means to achieving several goals, importantly, becoming prosperous.

    Lakshmi, the Consort of Sri Maha Vishnu, also incarnates as Sita (during Vishnu’s avatar as Rama) and Rukmini and Radha (during Vishnu’s manifestation as Krishna). As Lakshmi, She is often depicted as an indescribably beautiful woman, seated on a full-bloomed lotus, holding lotus buds in two of her hands, a pot of gold in the third and benignly blessing all those who come to her for succour. She is flanked by elephants, which symbolizes her royal status. Lakshmi, being the Goddess of Wealth, is also depicted as dressed in rich red silk, fully ornamented from head to toe in gold and precious stones.

    Lakshmi’s four hands represent four spiritual virtues. The fully bloomed lotus she is seated on, represents the seat of Divine Truth. The aura of joy surrounding her depicts mental and spiritual balance. Peace and prosperity always exist around her.

    Sri Mahalakshmi is also depicted as being seated on the Adishesha (bed of snakes), along with her Consort, Vishnu. Vishnu lies in the Ananta Shayan (reclining) position and Lakshmi is seen pressing his feet.

    Parvati – The Goddess of Power

    Parvati devi, in Hindu mythology, is a representation of the ultimate female divinity, the Shakti. In spite of her being a gentle mother goddess, she is known for unleashing her true power and strength in times of crisis. The Shaktas consider her the ultimate Divine Shakti, the embodiment of the total energy in the universe. Parvati, the daughter of Himavan, the king of the Himalayas, is an incarnation of Sati, the first consort of Lord Shiva, and is the mother of Ganesha, the Elephant-Headed Lord and Kartikeya (Muruga or Skanda). The Devi is usually portrayed with two arms, seated on a lion or tiger. Generally benign, this goddess is also known to take on more powerful and fearful aspects such as Kali, Durga, Chandi and the Mahavidyas.

    Her other names include Lalita, Gauri, Girija, Girirajaputri and Shailaja. Yet other names include Shyamala (the dark one), Amba, Ambika, Bhairavi, Aparna and Uma. Legend has it that when Shiva teased her about her dark complexion, Parvati took offense and left him to undergo severe penance to acquire Brahma’s boon for a fairer skin color.

    Though Parvati does not make an appearance in Vedic literature, the Kena Upanishad talks about Uma-Haimavati, who manifests as Shakti, the feminine energy of the Supreme Brahman. She reveals the knowledge of Brahman to the Vedic trinity of Agni, Vayu, and Indra. The Ramayana and the Mahabharata talk of Parvati as Shiva’s consort.   Kalidasa (5th century) and the Puranas (4th through the 13th centuries) relate in detail stories of Sati-Parvati and Shiva with comprehensive details.

    Parvati’s earlier incarnation, Sati, self-immolates at her father, Daksha’s, Yagna (sacrificial ritual). Daksha not only refuses to accept Shiva as his son-in-law, but also insults Sati when she goes to visit the Yagna against her husband’s wishes. Shiva is furious when he learns about Sati’s death. Grief-stricken, he loses interest in worldly affairs and undertakes severe penance in the Himalayas. Sati is reborn as Parvati.

    Parvati falls for Shiva and wishes to reunite with him. She regularly visits the cave where he sits deep in penance, cleans up the place and offers puja to him everyday. When he does not even open his eyes to glance at her, however, she is terribly saddened and decides to undergo severe penance herself, in order to please him. She sheds her clothes, refuses food and water and proceeds to do penance in the harsh clime of the Himalayas. Shiva is pleased by her devotion to him and agrees to marry her. They move on from there to mount Kailas, Shiva’s abode.

    Saraswati – the Goddess of Learning and Knowledge

    Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of learning, knowledge, music and the Arts. Saraswati has also been identified with and likened to the Vedic Saraswati River. She is the consort of Brahma, the Hindu god of creation. Thus, with the goddesses Parvati and Lakshmi, she completes the set of the divine Tridevi (the three goddesses, just like the divine Trinity.

    According to Hinduism, Saraswati’s offspring are the Vedas. Saraswati is a very popular Indian goddess and is propitiated to attain knowledge and wisdom. Saraswati also prominently features in Mahayana Buddhism, where she initally manifests in the Golden Radiance Sutra of the late 4th or early 5th Century, in a Mahayana Sutra.

    Devi Saraswati is often portrayed as a beautiful, white-skinned woman, attired in pure white, seated on a white Nelumbo nucifera lotus. Her vahana or vehicle is the swan,  which symbolizes that she is founded in the experience of the Absolute Truth. Thus, she not only has the knowledge but also the experience of the Highest Reality. Saraswati is mostly associated with the color white, which signifies purity of true knowledge. Occasionally, however, she is also associated with the colour yellow, the colour of the flowers of the mustard plant, that bloom at the time of her festival in the spring. Unlike the goddess Lakshmi, Saraswati is not adorned heavily with jewels, gold and heavy silks, but is shown as attired very modestly, maybe symbolizing her preference of knowledge over worldly material pursuits.

    Saraswati is generally shown having four arms, which represent the four aspects of human personality in learning: mind, intellect, alertness, and ego. Alternatively, these four arms also represent the 4 vedas, the primary sacred books for Hindus. The vedas, in turn, represent the 3 forms of literature: Poetry – the Rigveda containing hymns and representing poetry; Prose – the Yajurveda containing prose; Music – the Samaveda representing music. Prose is represented by the book in one hand, poetry by the rosary of crystals, music by the veena. The pot of sacred water represents purity in all of these three, or their power to purify human thought.

    A white swan is often located next to her feet. The sacred swan, if offered a mixture of milk and water, is said to be able to drink the milk alone. The swan thus symbolizes discrimination between the good and the bad or the eternal and the evanescent. Due to her association with the swan, Goddess Saraswati is also referred to as Hamsa-vahini, which means “she who has a swan as her vehicle”.

    Sometimes a peacock is shown beside the goddess. The peacock represents arrogance and pride over its beauty, and by having a peacock as her mount, the Goddess teaches Hindus not to be concerned with external appearance and to be wise regarding the eternal truth.