mnx12 thumbnail
Posted: 12 years ago
#1
This is posted by June
( This is from her PM, but I thought if discussed here other members can join too)
Good morning...⭐️

I went through the reference you gave from DSS- Shakraadi Kruta Devi Stuti..😃..
I felt the word Bhadrakali is used for a different meaning & purpose.! before going to that let me give you an example...

this is a quote from Amarakosha which reads- Indira lokamata maa, Bhargavi loka Janani..Meaning is crystal clear. Indira is loka maata & Bhargavi is loka janani..

but why it is mentioned separate that Lokamata maa & loka janani???? only one was sufficient.. Right? (bhargavi & Idira are the avatar of same goddess or they both are the same one ultimately...)

But it actually means she is not only mother for Ihaloka but she is also mother for Paraloka...two similar words which look the same delivered two entirely different meaning...

now lets Dissect her, bhadrakali- 😆-- you know how Bhadrakaali is portrayed...nothing much to explain there...😳

I felt that name is used in a different sense for Mahalakshmi..😊

it has two words, Bhadra and Kali...😊

Kali means the blackish/bluish black, Bhadra means the beautiful.. so literally in first look, it can be said as 'the beautiful bluish black goddess'...and it beautifully fits into Devi Kali..⭐️

❓but, doubt arises for as we can never find Mahalakshmi being portrayed as bluish-black...????😲 (as far as my knowledge goes or consider its only my doubt...)

is there any other meaning for that name??????

I searched a lot...🤢

Bhadra also means 'fair'--- but we cannot consider that meaning here as it will translate into a himalayan blunder-- the fair bluish-black goddess--which has basically no sense.!😲😉

again Bhadra means 'blessesd'-- that will make more confusion as her name will get translated to 'the blessed bluish-black goddess'...😆😃

Among the meanings of Bhadra, the left major ones are 'auspicious', 'prosperous' and 'fortunate'...😛

keep it aside..!!!!!!!!🥱

go for Kali now--🤓

another one meaning of Kali is 'kala shiva: tasya patni iti kali" (kala is shiva, his consort is kali)...that points to Devi Parvati who is totally different from Mahalakshmi who killed Mahishasura & Bhadrakali who is the daughter of Shiva...

again any more meanings...????????😲


yes..! yes! yes!..😉


Kali also means the goddess of time (kala)...one word root of kali is kala..😲⭐️

now combine both-- we get the goddess of auspicious/prosperous/fortunate time...😃


that also indicates this goddess is even above & beyond Kala or Lord Shiva..😲 and none other than Devi Mahalakshmi/Durga to whom the name beautifully fits...because Kaali is born out of Lord Shiva & also from Devi Kaushiki at one or another instance...but when it means the goddess of time, she is beyond time limits & remain unaffected by time/Kala/Shiva...⭐️


in that sense Bhadrakali really fits to Devi Mahalkshmi⭐️...but that doesn't seem to indicate Devi Kali who is blackish-blue and born from Lord Shiva/ Devi Kaushiki..😳

finally my opinion is the word Bhadrakali in DSS-Shakradi Kruta Stuti is given to indicate a totally different Goddess..not the Bhadrakali who is seen keeping her foot over Lord Shiva's chest & carrying Daaruka's head (and about whom I was talking I my thread. That is why I said nowhere in DSS they are said to be the same...sorry for that...)...😳

this is my personal opinion based on what I learned.. I'm sure you can find some other level of meaning to the same...⭐️

I'm not saying whatever I said are 100% correct...😳..I know you're more right & precise at your points..😃

kindly show me the right path if I'm wrong..😛 I wish to be corrected..!!!!!😃

have a nice day ahead...!⭐️


Edited by mnx12 - 12 years ago

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varaali thumbnail
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Posted: 12 years ago
#2
That's what even I said in another thread. The DSS does not mention Kali stepping over Shiva's chest. That is an event associated with Bhadra Kali - Drukasur


The nomenclature issue that you have raised is interesting. Yes Bhadra, means 'auspicious' as in "Bhadram karnebhi shrunu yama Deva" and Kali of course is a derivative of Kala- time.

But, IMHO,by putting the two together we cannot jump to the conclusion that it is refers to Mahalakshmi.

Whenever, in Sanskrit / Puranic literature, reference is made to an entity / person whose nature is supposed to be angry / violent, the practice has been to prefix the actual name with a syllable that denotes peace or auspiciousness (to counter that anger or violence that may trigger when the name is uttered).

If you have noticed, Narasimha is rarely referred to thus (given his ferocious nature) He is addressed as "Lakshmi Nrisimha" (ref :Adi Shakara's Stotra) or "Yoga Nrisimha".

BTW, where is the original thread? Will write more after reading it.
Edited by varaali - 12 years ago
varaali thumbnail
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Posted: 12 years ago
#3
The DSS has totally different take on Mahalaksmi and Mahasaraswati. As you may be knowing Chapters 2,3,and 4 (Madhyama Charita) are devoted to Mahalakshmi. But the Mahalakshmi described in the Dhyana Sloka of CHapter 2 is very unusual. Take a look at this:

OM akShasrakparaSuM gadEShukuliSaM padmaM dhanuH kuNDikaaM
daNDaM SaktimasiM ca carma jalajaM ghaNTaaM suraabhaajanam |
SoolaM paaSasudarSanE ca dadhateeM hastaiH pravaaLa prabhaaM
sEvE sairibhamardineemiha mahalakShmeeM sarOjasthitaam ||

Mahalakshmi is described as wielding weapons like the mace, bow, trisulam and aslo holding a cup filled with wine! She is also described as 'Sarojastitham'- meaning she who resides on a lotus. This description - of a war like Mahalakshmi- is, to the best of my knowledge found only in DSS.

The description of Kali is given in Chapter 7, (Chanda- Munda Vadha), verses 6-9. She is described as Kali- Karala Vadana (as black as ink)


Edited by varaali - 12 years ago
mnx12 thumbnail
Posted: 12 years ago
#4
Shakradi stuti, shloka 37, mentions her as Ambika. This shows Jagdamba is addressed as Ambika, Bhadrakali .In this Mahalakshmi's charitra, Aadi Shakti appears from the combined energies of all the Devatas, as they operate from her energy only.
There is no mention of Shivji at Kali's feet in DSS, that's why all the confusion is due to different stories being popular in different state. I would like to see a proper scripture on this story.
MahaKali, MahaLakshmi, MahaSaraswati are trgunatmaka forms of formless Aadi Shakti.
In 10 Mahavidya's book, Bhadrakali is mentioned as a milder version of Mahakali. As you have mentioned Bhadra means auspicious. Dakshinkali is her ferrocious form. Smashankali, Chintamanikali, Guhyakali etc are some other.
mnx12 thumbnail
Posted: 12 years ago
#5
@varaali, in 3rd adhyaya before kiling Mahishasura, sheeven says,
Garja garja kshanam mudha madhu yavatpibamyaham I
maya tvayi hatetraiva garjishyantyashu devatah II
Till I drink this vine, till then you can roar, you'll die in my hand, then soon Devatas will roar.
May be Bhadrakali word is used to describe her ferrocious form. That's why it is mentioned in shakradi stuti.
varaali thumbnail
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Posted: 12 years ago
#6
Since June(?) whom you quoted in your post was equating Kali with Mahalakshmi I tried to high lightthe differences b/w the two, even within the context of DSS.

I was referring to The emergence of Kali as described in the Saptama Adhyaya (CH 7) Chanda - Munda Vadha. The description of Kali is clearly given as below.

bhrukuTeekuTilaattasyaa lalaaTaphalakaaddrutam|
kaaLee karaaLa vadanaa viniShkraantaasipaaSinee ||5||

vicitrakhaTvaangadharaa naramaalaavibhooShaNaa|
dveepicarmapareedhaanaa SuShkamaaMsaatibhairavaa ||6||

ativistaaravadanaa jihvaalalanabheeShaNaa|
nimagnaaraktanayanaa naadaapooritadinmukhaa ||6||

saa vEgEnaabhipatitaa ghootayantee mahaasuraan|
sainyE tatra suraareeNaamabhakShayata tadbalam ||8||


To summarize, in English, On seeeing the hordes of Chanda and Munda, Ambika grew extremely angry and from her forehead emerged the terrible Kali, black as ink.

She had a garland of skulls around her neck and was wearing a tiger skin. Her eyes were deep red. Her mouth was wide open and her tongue was lolling out. (Significant: Her tongue was already sticking out- not after stepping on Shiva ) She filled the sky and the earth with her roars.

So, yes, Kali, Chamunda are various epithets of Durga / Ambika. I was referring to these verses only to pinpoint the exact description of Kali (as given in DSS)



Edited by varaali - 12 years ago
mnx12 thumbnail
Posted: 12 years ago
#7

varaali, her original post was very good, describing the one shown in the show is Kali not Mahakali as proted by the CVs, which she edited. Then continued on PM, but I thought this is a valid pt & should be seen by other members also that's why created this post.

Truly Mahakali is different, her look varies, DSS describes Mahakali having 10 hands in the Murti Rahasya, whereas Kali has 4 hands. Mahakali wears a skirt of hands & mund-mala. Kali wears Chitah's skin & a mund-mala
Devi Puran describes Mahakali as Parashakti, whose consort is Mahakal & Kali's consort is Shiv.
Mahakali's loka is described as reachable by very few.
There is a difference between Mahakali & Kali. Murti Rahasya of DSS says, it is important to worship the correct form. If one addresses A as B & speaks, his words may not reach A. That's why the correcte idol with the right ritual will always give better result.
Edited by mnx12 - 12 years ago
Brahmaputra thumbnail
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Posted: 12 years ago
#8
Meenakshi, you're praiseworthy for making topics even from PMs. I guess many are confused with my PM reply. In PM, I was giving clarification on DSS/4/39 which address Devi Mahalakshmi as Bhadrakaali. Its so clear and evident that what I meant. I never said both are same.! I was trying to prove how the very same name can be used to address two entirely different goddesses, without being controversial. Its true many times a name to have different indications for different occation. Thats the beauty of Sanskrit language. The name Bhadra Kaali suits for Devi Maha Lakshmi at one instance and it also suits Devi Kaali at another, considering the context. We should never be confused with contextual names. For example if you see Vishnu 1000 Nama, you'll find the name Padmanabha repeating at least 4 times. But that is not affecting the number of names. There every time Padmanabha is used in a differnt sense indicating different aspects of Vishnu.. Here too, Bhadrakali is used in different sense for different contexts. The name can be used for two entirely different aspects of Devi Mahamaya. I never said both Mahalakshmi and Kaali are same, I was emphasizing on the matter that Bhadrakaali can be used to address both Goddesses. Hope this is clear now..
mnx12 thumbnail
Posted: 12 years ago
#9
Our scriptures are very interesting. Same names are used for different Deities. eg. Vaishnavi is Vishnuji's Shakti. But one of the Mahavidya Bagalamukhi is also known as Vaishnavi Shakti because this Mahavidya was worshipped by Vishnuji to stop a big storm. If one refers to various 108 or 1008 names of all the 10 Mahavidyas, will be surprised to find some names repeating in all of them, but they represent different aspects of Shakti.
There is one thing above all, that is whatever name, form our heart connects to Devi reciprocates to that, that's the greatness of Devi Shakti. All the knowledge helps to connect more & more to that Supreme Consciousness.
varaali thumbnail
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Posted: 12 years ago
#10
>>>>Maheshvari mahadevi mahalakshmi mrudapriya >>>>>

>>>>Vishvagrasa vidrumabha vaishnavi vishnurupini >>>>>

>>>>Brahmani brahmajanani bahurupa budharchita >>>>>>

(From the Lalita Sahasranamam)

Here we can see how the names Mahalakshmi, Vaishnavi , Brahmani etc are used for Lalita Tripurasundari

@ June : Thanks for your clarification. Now it is clear what you meant.

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