Dear Bhagavatas,
I would like to share a pramana from the Laksmi Tantra, a text from
the Pancaratra Agama, which may answer the doubt about worshipping
Mahisamardini Durga. The doubt seems to be based on a
misunderstanding about the identity of Mahisamardini Durga.
Hopefully this pramana will remove all doubts from the minds and
hearts of all the Bhagavatas.
Please consider the following discussion, which is divided into four
sections.
Section 1 The authority of the Pancaratra Agama.
Section 2 The authority and special characteristics of the Laksmi
Tantra.
Section 3 The pramana which establishes the identity of
Mahisamardini Durga.
Section 4 Conclusion.
Section 1 The authority of the Pancaratra Agama.
Sri Yamunacarya in his Agamapramanyam and Sri Vedanta Desika in his
Sri Pancaratraraksa have established the authority of the Pancaratra
Agama. No more evidence is needed to establish this statement.
Section 2 The authority and special characteristics of the Laksmi
Tantra.
The Laksmi Tantra is a Pancaratra text that may be considered
especially authoritative for the following reasons.
2.1 The Laksmi Tantra is extensively quoted as a pramana by Vedanta
Desika in his Srimad Rahasyatrayasara.
2.2 The Srivaisnava scholar V. Krishnamacharya did a critical
edition of the Laksmi Tantra. The reference to this text is as
follows.
2.2.1 Krishnamacharya, V. editor. Laksmi-Tantra, A Pancaratra
Agama. Madras: The Adyar Library and Research Center, 1959.
2.2.2 In his Sanskrit introduction to the Laksmi Tantra. Pandit V.
Krishnamacharya makes the following statement. "Many passages from
this (Laksmitantra) are taken and explained in works on Srivaisnava
tradition and in particular in the Rahasyatrayasara, Nikseparaksa,
and others on the topic of prapatti and are interpreted. This text
is found therefore to enjoy validity in regard to the doctrines of
the Pancaratra system and is accepted by the disciplined."
Varadacharya, V. Laksmimahima The Glory of Laksmi (English
rendering to Pandit V. Krishnamacharya's Sanskrit Bhumika to the
Laksmi Tantra). Pondicherry, 1996, page 139.
2.2.3 By providing a critical edition based on a number of
manuscripts, Pandit V. Krishnamacharya has made certain that the
pramana quoted below is not an interpolation and is an authentic
part of the Laksmi Tantra.
Section 3 The pramana which establishes the identity of
Mahisamardini Durga.
Chapter 9 of the Laksmi Tantra is a declaration by Sri (shrIh) about
the special forms She takes in order to resolve special problems.
Verses 8 to 12 and verse 37 make up the pramana that I am citing in
order to establish the identity of Mahesamardini Durga.
Professor Sanjuka Gupta has translated these verses as follows:
Beginning of quote
8-11 These are my three supreme forms, as classified by the three
gunas. O Sakra, during the reign of Svayambhuva (Manu), for the
benefit of all worlds, I, Mahalaksmi, appeared as Mahisamardini.
The elements of my sakti inherent in each god combined to constitute
my dazzlingly beautiful form (of Mahisamardini). O king of gods,
the saktis belonging to the special weapons of each god turned into
my weapons without undergoing change of form. Worshipped by the
gods I, in that form (Mahisamardini), instantaneously slew the
(demon) Mahisa.
12 Then the laudatory hymn (addressed) to the slayer of Mahisa,
which opens with the words devaya yaya etc. and fulfills every wish,
was revealed to all the gods including Indra and the sages.
37. Whereupon I shall indeed slay the great demon called Durga and
gain renown as the goddess Durga.
End of quote
The quote given above is from: Gupta, Sanjukta. Laksmi Tantra, A
Pancaratra Text. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1972. pages 49-50; 52.
Below is the Sanskrit text of these verses from pages 32 and 33 of
Pandit V. Krishnamacharya's critical edition of the Laksmi Tantra,
transliterated following the 5.3 version of ITRANS.
Verses 8-11
guNatrayavibhAgena rUpametatparaM mama |
mahAlakShmIrahaM shakra punaH svAy.Nbhuve (a)ntare ||
hitAya sarvalokAnAM jAtA mahiShamardanI |
madIyA shaktileshA ye tattaddevasharIragAH ||
sambhUya te mamAbhUvan rUpaM paramashobhanam |
AyudhAni ca devAnAM yAni yAni sureshvara ||
tacchaktayastadAkArA AyudhAni mamAbhavan |
abhiShTutA suraiH sAhaM mahiShaM jaghnuShI kShaNAt ||
Verse 12
mahiShAntakarIsUktaM sarvasiddhipradaM tadA |
devyA yayA dikaM dRRiShTaM sendrairdevaiH saharShibhiH ||
Verse 37
tatraiva ca haniShyAmi durgamAkhyaM mahAsuram |
durgAdevIti vikhyAtiM tato yAsyAmyahaM bhuvi ||
Section 4 Conclusion
In the Laksmi Tantra?a text favored by Vedanta Desika himself?Sri
declares that She appeared as Mahisamardini. As a form of Sri and
Mahalaksmi, Mahisamardini Durga is certainly worthy of vandana and
aradhana. This pramana should remove the misunderstanding about the
identity of Mahisamardini Durga that is the basis of the doubt
concerning Her worship. Since all Vaisnavas will happily worship
any form of Narayana, Sri, or Bhudevi, they should also be able to
offer worship to Mahisamardini Durga?as a form of Sri---without any
doubts in their minds about its appropriateness.
I gathered this information over my lunch hour. This is the best I
can do without spending more time researching this topic. I think
that the pramana that I have presented has adequately addressed the
doubt. If I have made errors in preparing this, I apologize in
advance.
Respectfully,
Robert D. Evans
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