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Home > Temples of Kerala > Sakthi Worship Sakthi WorshipSakthi is personified as Goddess Devi having supematural or magical faculties and with countless ramifications. Srimad Devi Bhagavatha (Chapter I) gives the idol of Devi (as revealed to Maha Vishnu) having four arms with conch (sankh), disc (chakra), club (gada) and lotus (padma) with divine dress and omaments and also representing sakthis of rathi (pleasure), bhoothi (prosperity), buddhi (intelligence), mathi (consciousness), keertthi (glory), smrithi (memory), dhrithi (impudence), sraddha (devotion), medha (vigour), svadha (sacrificial things), svaaha (oblation), kshudha (hunger), nidra (sleep), bhaya (fear), daya (compassion), gathi (motion or progress), thushti (gratification), pushti (abundance), kshama (patience), lajja (shyness),jrambha (yawning or stretching), thandri (lassitude) etc. Goddess, is thus the manifestation and source of all energies of virtues and evil in nature. Sakthism is merely the off shoot of Saivism and thanthras hold that Siva and Sakthi are inseparable and it is the sakthi which brought the universe into existence. It is necessary here to observe that the Saktheya form of Hinduism is equipped with a vast mythological personnel of its own, an immense array of female personalities, constituting a distinct division of the Hindu pantheon91. According to puraanas the main five forms of Devi are Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswathi, Saavithri and Rcldha each representing specified characteristic and purpose92. Durga is considered the embodiment of all energies ie, sarva-sakthi-swaroopini (all pervading force) and worshipped by all Devas, Sages, Manus etc. Durga is personified as aadi-sakthi, Kaali, Parvathi or the Goddess who lives in inaccessable areas or who is hard to be pleased or who is praised even by the wicked. Durga posseses four bhavaas (characters), terrific and gentle. Under the
Details of saptha-maathrkkals have already been discussed in the earlier chapter. They are worshipped as personification or manifestations of the Goddess Sakthi and can be seen installed at the southen border line of antharmamdala in almost all temples. The idoles of Sakthi, as in the case of other deties, belonging to the category of swayamboo(self-revealed) or prathistha. Under prathishta the idols take different forms, either stones of irregular shape, or of oval shape with a projecting base similar to a metal mirror (like Aaranmula-kannati) and bimbas carved from sila wood or moulded metal based on the dhyaana.. In certain temples mirror-type idoles, representing the Goddess, is installed while in some other fierce weapon like sword or triad are kept, or fixed on a peetha. The idoles or prathishtas are either standing or sitting or reclining pose, The different types of goddess based on sankalpa generaly seen in kerala are sree Durga (which include Jaya-Durga, Saanthi-Durga,Santhana-Durga, Vana-Durga et al) Sree Thripura Sundari, Sree Saraswathi, Sree Mahalakshmi, Sree MAhishasura Marddini, Sree Annapoorneswari, Sree Parvathy and Sree Bhadrakaali each having specified characterstics, Durga takes the name either as the Goddess who lives in forests, mountains, etc or as the one who crossed the samsara-saagara. According to Monier Williams Durga, otherwise called Kaali,Parvathi, Uma, Bhavani, etc, is the chief object of worship with the Sakthas and Thaanthrikas. The Durga idoles generally have three eyes, with a crescent in kireeta and also either in standing pose or seated over a peetha, or on a simha(lion) or in a padma(lotus). The special feature of Vana-Durga as per sankalpa, is as one seated over a He-buffalo. The most common weapon or objects kept in hands are chakra (holy disc), sankh (conch), gada (club), padms (lotus), vill (bow), ambu (arrow), thrisoola (trident), vall (sword), parissa (shield), paasam (rope) and kapaala (skull -mostly of Daaruka) etc., apart from abhays (hand suggestive of protection) and varada (suggestive of conferring boon) poses. Durga temoles are seen throughout the state and some of them belonging to seventh to ninth centuries. sree Thripura Sundari, the beutiful goddess, is believed to exit in Thripura (represented by three gods or three agnis or three sakthis, three lokas, three-kaalas, three gunas etc) As per sankalpa the diety has a nimbus with the power of thousand of Suns, around the head, three-eyed, golden or red in colour with crescent on the kireeta and also possessing sugercane, bow goad, rope, flower, arrow etc in hands. The maha Thripura-sundari-sankalpa reiterates that the Goddess stands on sree-chakra. The commaon feature as per the sankalpa of sree Mahishaasura Marddini is that the Goddess is seated either on a lion or lotus, either lifting or seizing the snout of Mahishaasura (in the anthropomorphic form) piercing him with a trident and drinking his blood. It is considered as the victory of virtue over evil. The general description of the idol of Sree parvathy is that of a beautiful lady with three eyes, with crescent on kireeta and having abhaya or varada pose with rope, goad, lotus etc in hands. In some temples Sree parvathy is worshipped as kiraathi while in some others in all bridal glory having two hands one have a garland and the other in lola pose (hand dangling at ease). In most of the temples dedicated to sree parvathy the idols are beautiful amd give solace to the bhaktha. There are many temples dedicated to Goddess Annapoorneswari, where the oidol has two hands-the left one having a vessel and right one having a ladle. According to sankalpa the Goddes is three-eyed, with crescent in the head gear, golden vessel and golden ladle in the hands and jubliant seeing the dance the dance of siva. Saraswathi , the goddess of learning, usually sits on swan, lotus or peeta with kireeta having a crescent, granthha (book), veena (Indian lute), amritha-kumbha (nectar pot) and garland in hands. (alternatively conch, disc, rope or axe in hands) and jnana-mudra. Saraswathi is chiefly worshipped as Vaag-Devatha, Lipi-Saraswathi etc. and essentially as the Goddess of knowledge.Sree MahaIakshmi is the Goddess of prosperity. either seated or in standing pose on a lotus, and having lotuses in hands besides varada and abhaya poses. Temples dedicated to Bhadrakaali are seen throughout the length and breadth of the state having different sankalpas. The two principal sankalpas of Daarujith and Rurujith have already been discussed earlier. Bhadrakali. being a fierce Goddess as per sankalpa is worshipped in different forms as Ardravadi. Kaali. Sumukhi -Bhadrakali, Maha-kaali, Rathrikaali, Karinkkaali etc. The colour of the Goddess, as per sankalpas, is described either as that of sky blue or black, yellow or red and the pose as seated over a peetha or a lion or standing. The face is generally described as having three eyes, white teeth with fierce fangs and also having elevated black hairs with crescent over it. Further the ornaments of the Goddess are exceptional with full ornaments besides in some cases with a garland formed of the skulls of the asuras She had slain. The weapons in hands comprise a combination of anyone of the following like sword, shield, skull, head of Daaruka, trident, pestle, serpent, dhamaru (a small drum), rope, hook, liquor-pot, pearl-garland, foot-trinket, axe, conch, bow and arrow etc. In the fiercest type the Goddess is seated over corpse wearing skull garland, oozing blood from the mouth, corpse pieces hanging in ears and wearing human hands as waist ornament. Whatever may be the description, the deity is treated as Mother Goddess and is fully capable of granting boons, as desired by the worshipper. Among the Mathrkkals the commonly worshipped deity is Chaamunda (Chaamundi), which include Suddha-Chaamundi, Vyakhara-Chaamundi etc. Chaamundi idols have different poses with sword in upper right hand, shield in upper left hand, abhaya pose in right lower hand and triad in left lower hand with damshtra and opened eyes in fierce form with all ornaments and dress. There are variations of these also. The Bhagavathi is also worshipped in several forms such as Mariamma, Mutharamma, Kaanthari-Amman, Yakshi, etc. by certain classes of people depending on their own concept of the Goddess.
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