The Tenth Day – The Death of the Demon – Dussehra / VijayaDashami

The Day after NavRatri [the 'Nine Nights' of Goddess Durga] is known as Vijaya Dashami / Dussehra - Victory on the Tenth,the Destruction of Evil. In many places, the Day is held to commemorate the Victory of Lord Rama over the demon-emperor Ravana. In others, it celebrates the Victory of Durga over Mahishasura. Others still, … Continue reading The Tenth Day – The Death of the Demon – Dussehra / VijayaDashami

SiddhiDhatri – The Final Night – Ninth of the NavaDurgas

The Ninth and Last of the Nine Nights of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as SiddhiDhatri - often rendered in translation as the 'Bestower of Boons', or words to that effect. And yet, while this is indeed a reasonable direct translation of SiddhiDhatri ('Siddhi' having amongst its meanings a 'Boon', often in the sense of … Continue reading SiddhiDhatri – The Final Night – Ninth of the NavaDurgas

MahaGauri – The Eighth Night of NavRatri – Eighth of the NavaDurgas

The Eight Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as MahaGauri – The Great White One. Now, as readers of yesterday’s piece – on KaalRatri – will be patently aware, this stands in seemingly stark contrast to the previous Night’s Aspect of MataJI, Who is the great(est) Black one. And yet, as it happens, a … Continue reading MahaGauri – The Eighth Night of NavRatri – Eighth of the NavaDurgas

KaalRatri – The Seventh Night of NavRatri; The Seventh of the NavaDurgas

“You often hear it said – “Time is on our side”. Well … This is Time. She is On My Side.” The Sixth Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as KaalRatri – the Blackest Night, the Night of Death, The Iron Night, The ‘Stillness’ of Time  – and the ‘Destroyer of Darkness’, the Annihilator: … Continue reading KaalRatri – The Seventh Night of NavRatri; The Seventh of the NavaDurgas

Tabiti – Fire-Pillar of the Universe; Excerpt from Kushmanda Commentary

Excerpt from yesterday's Kushmanda #NavRatri piece, illustrating what I believe to have been a core - yet understated in Western developments - element of Indo-European cosmology/theology, preserved most prominently amidst both the Scythian and some Hindu understandings; presented on its own because it's a rather important mythographic point that is deserving of a highlighted presentation. … Continue reading Tabiti – Fire-Pillar of the Universe; Excerpt from Kushmanda Commentary