Mahadevi
| Mahadevi | |
|---|---|
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An 18th-century painting of Mahadevi from Bikaner, Rajasthan | |
| Devanagari | महादेवी |
| Sanskrit transliteration | Mahādevī |
| Affiliation | |
| Abode | Manidvipa |
| Mantra | Ōm āim hrīm śrīm klīm[1] |
| Weapon | Devi Chakra, Pasha, Ankusha, Trishula (trident) |
| Symbol | Hreem, Om, Sri Yantra |
| Mount | Lion |
| Texts | Devi Mahatmya, Devi-Bhagavata Purana, Markandeya Purana, Brahmanda Purana, Kalika Purana, Lakshmi Tantra, Lalita Sahasranama, Soundarya Lahari, Shiva Purana, Shakta Upanishads such as the Devi Upanishad[2] |
| Festivals | Navaratri, Durga Puja, Vasanta Panchami, Lakshmi Puja, Kali Puja, Durga Ashtami, Lalita Jayanti, Adi-Puram |
Mahadevi (Sanskrit: महादेवी, IAST: Mahādevī), also referred to as Devi, Mahamaya and Adi Parashakti,[3] is the supreme goddess in Hinduism.[4][5] According to the goddess-centric sect Shaktism, all Hindu gods and goddesses are considered to be manifestations of this great goddess, who is considered as the Para Brahman or the ultimate reality.[6]
Shaktas often worship her as Durga, also believing her to have many other forms.[7][8] Mahadevi is mentioned as the Mulaprakriti (Primordial Goddess) in Shakta texts, having five primary forms—Parvati, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Gayatri and Radha—collectively referred to as Panchaprakriti. Besides these, Goddess Tripura Sundari, a form of Devi, is often identified with the supreme goddess Mahadevi in Shaktism.[9] Author Helen T. Boursier says: "In Hindu philosophy, both Lakshmi (primary goddess in Vaishnavism) and Parvati (primary goddess of Shaivism) are identified as manifestations of this great goddess—Mahadevi—and the Shakti or divine power".[10]
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- ^ Narayanananda 1960, p. 50.
- ^ Jones, Constance; Ryan, James (2014). Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Infobase Publishing. p. 399. ISBN 978-0816054589.
- ^ Mani, Vettam (1975). Puranic encyclopaedia : a comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature. Robarts - University of Toronto. Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 217–219. ISBN 978-0-8426-0822-0.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link) - ^ Vanamali (21 July 2008). "3. Mahadevi". Shakti: Realm of the Divine Mother. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-59477-785-1.
- ^ Dalal, Roshen (6 January 2019). The 108 Upanishads: An Introduction. Penguin Random House India Private Limited. ISBN 978-93-5305-377-2.
- ^ Hay, Jeff (6 March 2009). World Religions. Greenhaven Publishing LLC. p. 284. ISBN 978-0-7377-4627-3.
- ^ Pintchman, Tracy (21 June 2001). Seeking Mahadevi: Constructing the Identities of the Hindu Great Goddess. SUNY Press. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-7914-5007-9.
- ^ Bonnefoy 1993, p. 95.
- ^ Dalal, Roshen (2010). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin Books India. p. 221. ISBN 978-0-14-341421-6.
- ^ Boursier 2021, p. 30.