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प्रथमं शैलपुत्रीति द्वितीयं ब्रह्मचारिणी ।
देव्याः कवचम्
तृतीयं चन्द्रघण्टेति कूष्माण्डेति चतुर्थकम् ॥
पञ्चमं स्कन्दमातेति षष्ठं कात्यायनी तथा ।
सप्तमं कालरात्रिश्च महागौरीति चाष्टमम् ॥
नवमं सिद्धिदात्री च नवदुर्गाः प्रकीर्तिताः ।
उक्तान्येतानि नामानि ब्रह्मणैव महात्मना ॥
prathamaṃ śailaputrīti dvitīyaṃ brahmacāriṇī |
Devyāḥ Kavacam
tṛtīyaṃ candraghaṇṭeti kūṣmāṇḍeti caturthakam ||
pañcamaṃ skandamāteti ṣaṣṭhaṃ kātyāyanī tathā |
saptamaṃ kālarātriśca mahāgaurīti cāṣṭamam ||
navamaṃ siddhidātrī ca navadurgāḥ prakīrtitāḥ |
uktānyetāni nāmāni brahmaṇaiva mahātmanā ||
First is Śailaputrī, second is Brahmacāriṇī,
third is Candraghaṇṭā, Kūṣmāṇḍā is fourth;
fifth is Skandamatā, sixth is Kātyāyanī,
and seventh is Kālaratri, and Mahāgaurī is eighth;
and ninth is Siddhidātrī, these are well-known as the Navadurgās,
these names were indeed uttered by the great Lord Brahma himself.
This article is Part 4 in the Navadurgā series, describing the fourth of the Navadurgās, Devī Kūṣmāṇḍā, who is worshiped on the caturthī tithi. The previous installments of the series can be accessed below:
|| Kūṣmāṇḍā iti caturthakaṃ ||
सुरासम्पूर्णकलशम्
रुधिराप्लुतमेव च।
दधाना हस्तपद्माभ्याम्
कूष्माण्डा शुभदास्तु मे॥
surāsampūrṇakalaśam
rudhirāplutameva ca |
dadhānā hastapadmābhyām
kūṣmāṇḍā śubhadāstu me ||
With a kalaśa of amṛtam (divine nectar),
and another kalaśa filled with blood -
holding these with her lotus-like hands,
O Goddess Kūṣmāṇḍā, shower auspiciousness on me.
Devī Kūṣmāṇḍā is the womb of creation and substratum of the entire cosmos: sṛṣṭi-stithi-laya-kāraṇam. Ku meaning ‘little’, uṣma meaning warmth, and aṇḍa referring to the cosmic egg, or creation – the cosmic egg, She is the glowing substratum of the universal existence. Her glowing body provides the light of the sun even to Sūrya deva himself, and she resides in the middle of the celestial solar sphere.
As per our śāstras, the cosmos was no more than a void full of darkness until Devī Kūṣmāṇḍā appeared. Initially just a ray of divine light, she grew to illuminate every nook and corner of the void, which had no indications of the world or life anywhere. This formless sea of light finally started taking a distinct rūpa, that of a Devī. From the light of her glowing body emerged infinite, powerful light rays that spread all around, and each manifested into various multiverses. Thus, she is the substratum of the cosmic egg (aṇḍa).
No different than Ādi Parā Śakti Herself, she invoked the three goddesses Kālī, Lakṣmī, Sarasvatī, and their consorts Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva. The śakti required for creation, maintenance, and dissolution of the cosmos was bestowed upon them only by Her. She then brought forth all the gods, sages, kinnaras, yakṣas, mankind and other beings. She also created the different lokas (worlds), earth, the planets, celestial beings, and stars. But to sustain life, the world needed the Sun god - Sūrya deva and solar energy. So, the Goddess centered herself in the center of the Sun and she became the cause of the energy and light necessary for life. As we know, the Sun alone gives life to the world - and Devī Kūṣmāṇḍā herself is the power of the Sun, the source of all energy as she resides within the solar core1.
भानुमण्डल-मध्यस्था भैरवी भगमालिनी ।
ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्रम्
पद्मासना भगवती पद्मनाभ-सहोदरी ॥ ६५॥
bhānumaṇḍala-madhyasthā bhairavī bhagamālinī |
Śrī Lalitā Sahasranāma Stotram
padmāsanā bhagavatī padmanābha-sahodarī || 65 ||
Kūṣmāṇḍā Devī is thus the ādhāra, the substratum and core of universal existence; and Durgā Devī is contented and happy in this avatāra: When there is no existence of any creation, only eternal darkness abounds - and this stillness ends when Mā Kūṣmāṇḍā smiles, marking the time for creation to begin again. From her smile, the body of energy comes forth from her and from that potent energy, comes forth light and creation. And she always smiles when the gods, celestial beings and all inferior ones honor her.
Mātā Kūṣmāṇḍā dons a pink saree and like Devī Brahmacāriṇī, has a notably fair complexion. Like Candraghaṇṭā, she has the tiger as her vāhana, representing dharma, valor, and fearlessness. She is another aṣṭabhuja Navadurgā, with eight hands. In her left hands she bears the cakra (discus), gadā (mace), japa mālā (rosary beads), and rakta kalaśa - a pot of metal filled with blood. Her right hands bear the padma (lotus), bāṇa (arrow), cāpa (bow), and amṛta kalaśa, or kamaṇḍalū filled with amṛta, the divine nectar of immortality.
It should be noted that the japa mālā which she holds is capable of bestowing the aṣṭa siddhis and nava nidhis - the aṣṭa siddhis being aṇimā (smallness or subtlety), mahimā (greatness), laghimā (lightness), garimā (heaviness), prāpti (ability to attain), prākāmya (agility), iṣitva (lordship), and vaśitva (ability to influence); and the nava nidhis being mahāpadma (thousand-petalled lotus for abundance and wealth), padma (lotus for inner growth and self-realization) , śaṅkha (conch for communication), makara (crocodile for fertility, creativity, and artistic ability), kacchapa (tortoise for stability, patience, and resilience), mukunda (quicksilver for grace, love, and compassion), kunda (jasmine for illumination and awareness), nīla (sapphire for protection from obstacles and warding off negativities), and kharva (dwarf for material resources and prosperity).
अष्ट सिद्धि नौ निधि के दाता।
हनुमान् चालिसा
अस बर दीन जानकी माता ॥
aṣṭa siddhi nau nidhi ke dātā |
Śrī Hanumān Cālisā
asa bara dīna jānakī mātā ||
She is therefore another form of Devī Siddhidātrī, whom we will learn more about later in this series. As seen above, Devī Kūṣmāṇḍā grants dīrghāyuḥ (life span) and kīrtiḥ (great respect, name, glory and fame). Thus upon worshiping her, one can overcome all ailments and sorrows. For being another form of Caṇḍīkā, she purifies the space of negative energies and beings, and kills the wicked. However, for her devotees, Mā is serene, gentle, and peaceful. She aids in the attainment of spiritual enlightenment.
Mā Kūṣmāṇḍā resides in the anāhata cakra. This heart cakra, at the center of the chest, is the core of the creative forces. This chakra governs love, compassion, and kindness. Activating the heart chakra fosters a sense of unconditional love, empathy, and connection with oneself and, consequently, all others, too.
अनाहताब्ज-निलया श्यामाभा वदनद्वया ।
ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्रम्
दंष्ट्रोज्ज्वलाऽक्ष-मालादि-धरा रुधिरसंस्थिता ॥ १०० ॥
anāhatābja-nilayā śyāmābhā vadanadvayā |
Śrī Lalitā Sahasranāma Stotram
daṃṣṭrojjvalā’kṣa-mālādi-dharā rudhirasaṃsthitā || 100 ||
Kūṣmāṇḍā Rānī signifies fertility and creativity; moreover, she is the love, compassion, and kindness of Mother. Her celestial body is the Sun, her favorite flower the jasmine, and her favorite color the royal blue of the sapphire gemstone.
This caturthī, through her concentrated upāsanā may we attain the jñāna śakti, icchā śakti, and krīyā śakti of Mātā Kūṣmāṇḍā. Below are a few more verses from Śrī Lalitā Sahasranāma to aid in such upāsanā, where Mātā Devī is named in unique ways as the substratum and womb of existence. A śubha Navarātrī to all.
मनोरूपेक्षु-कोदण्डा पञ्चतन्मात्र-सायका ।
निजारुण-प्रभापूर-मज्जद्ब्रह्माण्ड-मण्डला ॥ ३ ॥
manorūpekṣu-kodaṇḍā pañcatanmātra-sāyakā |
nijāruṇa-prabhāpūra-majjadbrahmāṇḍa-maṇḍalā || 3 ||
सुप्ता प्राज्ञात्मिका तुर्या सर्वावस्था-विवर्जिता ।
सृष्टिकर्त्री ब्रह्मरूपा गोप्त्री गोविन्दरूपिणी ॥ ६३ ॥
suptā prājñātmikā turyā sarvāvasthā-vivarjitā |
sṛṣṭikartrī brahmarūpā goptrī govindarūpiṇī || 63 ||
संहारिणी रुद्ररूपा तिरोधान-करीश्वरी ।
सदाशिवाऽनुग्रहदा पञ्चकृत्य-परायणा ॥ ६४ ॥
saṃhāriṇī rudrarūpā tirodhāna-karīśvarī |
sadāśivā’nugrahadā pañcakṛtya-parāyaṇā || 64 ||
उन्मेष-निमिषोत्पन्न-विपन्न-भुवनावली ।
सहस्र-शीर्षवदना सहस्राक्षी सहस्रपात् ॥ ६६ ॥
unmeṣa-nimiṣotpanna-vipanna-bhuvanāvalī |
sahasra-śīrṣavadanā sahasrākṣī sahasrapāt || 66 ||
आब्रह्म-कीट-जननी वर्णाश्रम-विधायिनी ।
निजाज्ञारूप-निगमा पुण्यापुण्य-फलप्रदा ॥ ६७ ॥
ābrahma-kīṭa-jananī varṇāśrama-vidhāyinī |
nijājñārūpa-nigamā puṇyāpuṇya-phalapradā || 67 ||
विजया विमला वन्द्या वन्दारु-जन-वत्सला ।
वाग्वादिनी वामकेशी वह्निमण्डल-वासिनी ॥ ७७ ॥
vijayā vimalā vandyā vandāru-jana-vatsalā |
vāgvādinī vāmakeśī vahnimaṇḍala-vāsinī || 77 ||
विमर्शरूपिणी विद्या वियदादि-जगत्प्रसूः ।
सर्वव्याधि-प्रशमनी सर्वमृत्यु-निवारिणी ॥ ११२ ॥
vimarśarūpiṇī vidyā viyadādi-jagatprasūḥ |
sarvavyādhi-praśamanī sarvamṛtyu-nivāriṇī || 112 ||
विश्वगर्भा स्वर्णगर्भाऽवरदा वागधीश्वरी ।
ध्यानगम्याऽपरिच्छेद्या ज्ञानदा ज्ञानविग्रहा ॥ १२७ ॥
viśvagarbhā svarṇagarbhā’varadā vāgadhīśvarī |
dhyānagamyā’paricchedyā jñānadā jñānavigrahā || 127 ||
सर्ववेदान्त-संवेद्या सत्यानन्द-स्वरूपिणी ।
लोपामुद्रार्चिता लीला-कॢप्त-ब्रह्माण्ड-मण्डला ॥ १२८ ॥
sarvavedānta-saṃvedyā satyānanda-svarūpiṇī |
lopāmudrārcitā līlā-kḷpta-brahmāṇḍa-maṇḍalā || 128 ||
Next - Skandamātā | Navadurgā - Part 5
Footnotes
- This understanding alone - of Devī as center of the solar system, as referenced in Śrī Lalitā Sahasranāma Stotram as bhānumaṇḍala-madhyasthā - gives us the insight that our ṛṣis and seers knew (1) the planet on which we live is not flat but spherical (2) the Sun is the center of our Solar System, not the Earth, and (3) all life comes from the Sun.
References
- Śrī Durgā Saptaśatī, Devī Māhātmyam, Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa
- Navadurgā Stotram
- Śrī Lalitā Sahasranāma Stotram, Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa
- Śrī Hanumān Cālisā, Sant Tulsi Dāsa
- Durga Puja or Navaratri
- Navadurga Symbolism of Chakra Awakening
- Significance of Navadurga
- 9 Divine Forms of Goddess Durga
- The Nine “Nau” Nidhi’s (नौ निधि)