Recently, in a public meeting of INDIA alliance held in Mumbai, Rahul Gandhi said from the stage that 'I and the people of INDIA alliance, we are not fighting against one person, BJP or PM Modi. There is a word Shakti in Hinduism. We are fighting a force. This statement of Rahul Gandhi remained in the headlines and political attack and counter-attack on this is also going on. In what sense and how he used the word Shakti is a different matter, but he talked about 'Shakti' in Hindu religion, what is its meaning, let us consider it now.
The names of all four Vedas are included in the oldest and earliest written documents of India. Even though today we look at these Vedas only from a religious perspective, they are not merely religious books. The real knowledge of life and the real achievements are contained in the four Vedas. Its gods are not those with miraculous powers, but on the basis of their sacrifice and strength the Vedic people have declared them respectable. These gods are named after Sun, Moon, Rain, Storm or Wind, Fire, Water and Death. That is, the essential elements which the Vedic people considered as life, considered them as gods and worshiped them. This is the reason why mythological gods are somewhat different as compared to Vedic gods.
On the basis of Vedas, gods were described as divine in mythological stories and they became the ones with miraculous powers. Here the word 'Shakti' is important, the word 'Shakti' is used to describe the strength and power of the gods. In the grammatical sense, it is synonymous with strength, but this word holds so much importance in the Vedas and Puranas. Apart from Shaiva and Vaishnav, there is another tradition prevalent in the cult tradition of India, which is called Shakta tradition. This Shakta tradition worships the goddess Shakti and has given her names like Bhagwati, Durga, Amba, Bhavani. This Shakti Devi is the reason for the powers of all the gods, in fact, the Shakta tradition says that it is this 'Shakti' Devi, due to whose will the whole world is moving.
What is Shakti, what is the Shakta tradition, what is its importance and how it was created in the form of a goddess, all these are described more in the Puranas other than the Vedas, especially in the famous Markandeya Purana of the Shaiva tradition. Is. This description has been called Devi Mahatmya. There are 700 verses in this Mahatmya and that is why it has got its popular name Saptashati. This is called Sridurga Saptashati.
The narrator of Devi Mahatmya or Durga Saptashati is a Maharishi, whose name was Medha. Maharishi Medha is known as a prominent worshiper of the Shakta tradition, who pleased the Goddess. It is he who narrates the story of the goddess in Saptashati. The story of Durga Saptashati has two bases, one was Chakravarti Samrat and the other was a Vaishya whose name was Samadhi. Know the story of these two…
As the darkness increased, the sound of the wind became more frightening. The birds had returned to their nests. The ferocious animals were coming out of the den and their roar piercing the darkness was piercing to the heart. All these were enough to make the bones of any human mind tremble, but in some confusion, two steps continued to move forward. This person was walking away with doubt in his mind, fear of disgrace in his eyes and a bowed head. There were definitely royal marks on the body, but the glow of the body had become dull. The hair was open and the face was surrounded by worries.
After walking for who knows how many miles, the day came and the person saw that someone was sitting under a tree. Seeing someone sitting alone in this deserted forest, the king who was wandering in the forest reached him. Now in this deserted forest there were two humans amidst a terrifying environment. Both of them introduced each other. The king said that I am Surath. Was once a Chakraborty, now I am defeated. The second person said, my name is Samadhi and I am Vaishya. The king asked the Samadhi Vaishya the reason for his worry. Then the Vaishya said that whatever he earned from doing business religiously, he used to spend it on the comforts of his family. I was always worried that he should not worry. Even after this my wife and my sons treated me badly.
Now when I cannot do business, they despised and insulted me. I have been alone in this forest for three days, yet my attachment towards him is not going away. That's why I'm worried. Saying this, Samadhi's eyes filled with tears. The king consoled Samadhi and said, don't mourn friend, my situation is no different from yours. Strong Nandi, grandson of Dhruva and son of Utkala, was a king born in the lineage of self-proclaimed Manu. He surrounded my kingdom from all sides with an army of a hundred Akshauhinis.
There was a continuous war between our two sides for a whole year, but no result was achieved. In the end my soldiers kept getting killed in the war and I started feeling lonely. Vaishnav king Nandi defeated me and expelled me from the kingdom. It was because of this disgrace that I went to the forest. Now this is the reason for my concern. Neither am I able to accept defeat nor am I able to give up my attachment towards the state.
While listening to each other's story, both people moved forward. The desolation of the forest was left behind and there was peaceful greenery in front. The fragrance of Panchagavya was present in the very peaceful atmosphere. Both of them continued moving towards the smell of Samidha lying in the fire and reached the ashram of a sage. There was a Gurukul here, Agnihotra was taking place. Sitting under a Peepal tree, the sage was explaining the formula of the beginning of creation to his disciples. He said- 'Akoah, Bahushyami.' Rajan felt peace after hearing this aphorism, he realized that now this sage can cut the bonds of his attachment. He was Maharishi Medha.
Samadhi Vaishya and Rajan ran and caught hold of the sage's feet and started mourning. The calm sage blessed both of them and picked them up and made them sit close to them, assuring them of removing their worries. Said consoling words, gave water to drink and said now both of you tell, what is the worry? I will try my best to remove it. Then Rajan Surath and Samadhi told their ordeal to Maharishi Medha. Then he said – O God, why is there attachment in our hearts, what is the reason for this?
Maharishi Medha explained to him that the mind is fickle and mobile. The power by which it can be controlled is knowledge. This is the first form of knowledge and power. Knowing this knowledge is knowledge. To understand this knowledge is salvation. This knowledge sometimes creates the universe, and the power of Brahma becomes Brahmi. It becomes Yoganidra and remains in the center of Vishnu's meditation and also destroys by becoming the power of Shiva. Although this knowledge is nirguna, formless, but in corporeal words it is the Adi Shakti and is called Devi.
Hearing this, King Surath asked – O Maharishi! Who is Devi? How was he born? Where will she be found? Tell us about his greatness. How should we call them? Rajan asked all the questions in one voice out of curiosity. Maharishi described her as the form of a goddess. Said that Rajan, the goddess is eternal and universal. He is Adi Shakti. He is also known as Parma. She is the Yogamaya Shakti of Vishnu and also his Yoganidra. He appeared, not was born. He is eternal and also infinite. It is true that she has been taking birth and incarnation for the welfare of the world, yet she is the original form. In this way, he relieved the worries of the king and the Vaishya by narrating the story of the appearance of the Goddess. By the grace of the sage, both of them got the results of penance just by listening to the story of the goddess without any penance. He received the blessings of Bhagwati.
This story of King Surath and Samadhi Vaishya is the basis of Sridurga Saptashati. There are total 13 chapters in Durga Saptashati which are divided into three characters. These three characters are divided into three parts of the story. The first character in which there is the story of Madhu Kaitabh's murder. In the middle character, there is the story of the killing of Mahilshasur along with his army and in the northern character, there is the story of the killing of Shumbha and Neshumbhan and the blessing of the goddess to King Surath and Samadhi Vaishya. Including these three characters, there are 700 verses in Saptashati and these verses are divided into 13 chapters on the basis of stories. Reading each chapter gives different results and different stories of the appearance and incarnations of the Goddess are also described in it. Goddess of first character is Mahakali, Goddess of medium character is Mahalakshmi and Goddess of best character is Mahasaraswati. In this too, there is one chapter in praise of Goddess Kali, three chapters in praise of Goddess Lakshmi and nine chapters in praise of Goddess Saraswati. Saraswati is the main form of Adi Shakti in the form of education and knowledge.
