Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c5.1124

c5.1124

DURGĀ I. The goddess of the universe, Durgā possesses different forms and aspects. Pārvatī, spouse of Śiva is a form of Durgā. According to the prayer of devotees this Devī assumes diverse forms. She is worshipped in 64 forms as Āryadurgā, Vedagarbhā, Ambikā, Bhadrakālī, Bhadrā, Kṣemākṣemakarī, Naikabāhu, Devī etc. In south India she is worshipped more in her fierce and terrible forms, Devī in her gentle aspects and moods assumes the forms of Kanyā, Kāmākṣī and Mūkāmbā. In Kerala the Devī is called Bhagavātī also, in Andhra Jokulāmbikā and in Tamilnadu Kaṇṇaki. Worship of the Devī is supposed to be more than 4000 years old in India. In religious literature from Vedic times up to date Devī occupies an important place. In modern India Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa Paramahaṃsa, guru of Svāmī Vivekānanda, was a great devotee of Durgā. In the Mahābhārata there are various references to the Devī. When the Pāṇḍavas entered the capital of Virāṭa for their life incognito they worshiped Durgā, who appeared to them and granted them certain boons. (Virāṭa Parva, Chapter 6). At the commencement of the great war Arjuna, at the instance of Kṛṣṇa prayed to Durgā, who appeared in the sky and granted him boons, for victory in War. (Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 23). See Pañcadevis and Prakṛti).