Durga

The Unconquerable One; The Invincible;

The One Who Eliminates Suffering

ORIGIN:

India

An immensely popular and beloved goddess, Durga, originally a ferocious tribal spirit, was incorporated into the Hindu pantheon as the fierce warrior path of Parvati. Durga removes physical, mental, and spiritual pain and misery. She laughs in the face of evil spirits and they flee. (Those that defy her are quickly dispatched. And if Durga can’t eliminate them, her alter ego and sister spirit, Kali, can.)

Durga is a spirit of fertility and protection. She provides wealth, eliminates obstacles and enemies, and helps attain desires. An annual fair is held during the nine-day Durga festival in Mahuadham in Bihar, India, where those afflicted or obsessed by malevolent spirits, ghosts, or vampires can be healed, exorcised, or otherwise protected.

MANIFESTATION:

She is blindingly beautiful with three flashing eyes and usually ten arms (occasionally she has eighteen).

ICONOGRAPHY:

A beautiful, bejeweled woman rides a lion or tiger into battle. She is often depicted slaughtering a buffalo Demon, her most famous myth.

ATTRIBUTES:

Trident, thunderbolt, discus, conch shell, bow and arrows, lotus, and sword

Emblem: Durga’s yantra, a magical geometric figure, is engraved onto metal (gold, silver, copper) and worn as an amulet for a multitude of purposes.

Mount:

Lion or tiger

ELEMENT

Earth

Number: 18

Plants:

Turmeric; pink lotus and marigolds (Tagetes spp.)

Sacred spaces: Forest groves

Sacred days: Her nine-day festival, the Durga Puja, is among the most important and widely celebrated throughout India.

ALTAR:

Durga’s shrines are decorated with elaborate flower arrangements.

OFFERINGS:

Flowers; fruit, especially mangoes; sweets and incense; adorn her image with marigold garlands.

SEE ALSO:

Kali; Parvati; Phoolan Devi; Santoshi Ma

SOURCE:

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses– Written by :Judika Illes Copyright © 2009 by Judika Illes.