Religion:Kaushiki
Kaushiki (Sanskrit: कौशिकी, romanized: Kauśikī, lit. 'woman of the cell',[1]) is a Hindu goddess, a deity who emerged from the sheath of Parvati.[2] She was emerged from Parvati's cells to defeat the asura brothers Shumbha and Nishumbha, and was also the reason the Matrikas come into existence. [3]
Legends
Puranas
The story of Kaushiki is described in Devi Mahatmyam of Markandeya Purana. According to the Devi Mahatmyam of the Markandeya Purana, the gods approach the goddess in the Himalayas and praise her, whereupon Parvati appears and asks for whom their hymn is intended. As she does so, a dark, fierce goddess emerges from her sheath (kosha), and the Devi Mahatmyam identifies this manifestation as Kaushiki, while Parvati herself is thereafter called Gauri.[3]
Goddess Kaushiki also known as Ambika or Chandika is an incarnation of Mahasaraswati. She has eight hands. Lion is her mount. She went on Himalaya to kill the demon brothers Shumbha and Nishumbha, and was also the reason the Matrika’s came into existence.[4]
The generals Chanda and Munda caught a glimpse of Kaushiki and told Shumbha to marry her. With the help of the Matrikas, who were the feminine forms of the Trimurti consisting of Brahmani, Vaishnavi, and Maheshwari, also Varahi, Narasimhi, Sakti and her dark form Chamunda(Kali) Kaushiki and her forces fought the asuras in a pitched battle in order to vanquish them and restore the natural order.[5]
Devi Bhagavata Purana describes Kaushiki as the Shakti that came out from the body of Goddess Parvati, and she is called ‘Kaushiki’ in the beginning of Devi Bhagavata Purana.[6][7][8][9][10] The Linga Purana also details her manifestation in its Pūrvabhāga, describing her as Yoganidrā, born of Yaśodā, and intimately connected to the Supreme Lord:
"The Supreme Lord Janārdana, together with Halāyudha (Balarāma), shone with the radiance of pure silver. In order to dispel the effect of Bhṛgu’s curse, He accepted the human form, and thus Janārdana was born of Devakī through Vasudeva. From the very body of Umā arose the goddess Yoganidrā, known as Kauśikī. By the divine ordinance (niyoga) of the Lord of lords, she became the daughter of Yaśodā. She is verily Prakṛti herself, directly worshiped by all the devas; while the Puruṣa, Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, is He who bestows the fruits of Dharma and Mokṣa."
— Linga Purana, Pūrvabhāga 70[11]
Devi Mahatmya Appendices
According to the Prādhānikam Rahasyam (The Secret Pertaining to Primordial Matters), the supreme sovereign Mahalakshmi created Mahasarasvati who is Kaushiki from her pure Sattva nature. Mahasarasvati, in turn, created a male-female pair which included the white-complexioned goddess Gauri.[12]
Following this lineage, the Vaikṛtikam Rahasyam states that the goddess who was later born from the body of Gauri to destroy the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha is an incarnation of this same Sarasvati. The eight-armed manifestation, she is described as wielding an arrow, a pestle, a spear, a discus, a conch, a bell, a ploughshare, and a bow.[12]
Shaiva Agamas
The Ajitāgama describes Brahmā presenting the newly manifested Kauśikī, emphasizing her equivalence to the supreme deities:
Brahma says to Uma:
"This dark complexion that has come out of your sheath is endowed with your supreme power. O devī, know this goddess as Kauśikī who is united with Hari and revere her as you revere Hara."
Saying so, Brahmā placed the goddess in Pārvatī's hands and then she (Kauśikī) manifested her śakti and various weapons.
— Ajitāgama, Kriyāpāda 53/7-8[13]
Tantric texts
In the Rudrayāmala-Uttaratantra, Kaushiki is listed as one of the thousand names of Kumāri. According to the text, simply reciting these names brings spiritual rewards, even if a person does not perform formal rituals like puja or ritual bathing.[14]
Pancharatra Agamas
In the Lakshmi Tantra (Chapter 9), a major Pancharatra text, Kauśikī is described as a Kevala-Avatāra, meaning a "separate descent" or independent incarnation of the goddess Lakshmi. The text explains that while Lakshmi is never truly separated from Vishnu, she occasionally manifests on her own to protect the world.[15]
In this chapter, Lakshmi reveals to Indra that she is the supreme shakti who took the form of Kauśikī from Gauri to slay demons like Shumbha and Nishumbha:
O Sakra, during the period of Tamasa (Manu),
I, the supreme Mahavidya, was Kaushiki, who sprang from the body of Gauri
to slay all those notorious demons including Shumbha and Nishumbha.
Thereby I rescued the worlds and helped the gods.
O Indra, I am Kauśikī — the bestower of countless blessings.
When worshipped with devotion, I grant the treasure of omniscience.
The tale of my origin, my valor in battle, and my praise —
this triad is recited by the venerable Brāhmaṇas of old, masters of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas.– Lakshmi Tantra 9/20-27[16]
In Jainism
In Jainism, Kauśikī (or Kauśikīvidyā) is the name of one of the sixteen Vidyās. According to the Jain text Trishashtishalakapurushacaritra by Hemachandra, this power is associated with a specific group of supernatural beings known as the Kauśikīpūrvaka Vidyadharas. The text states that these beings will instantly lose their magical abilities if they disrespect Jain teachers (Jinas), harm ascetics, or commit severe crimes.[17]
See also
References
- ↑ Bhattacharji, Sukumari; Sukumari (1998) (in en). Legends of Devi. Orient Blackswan. ISBN 978-81-250-1438-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=2UszWGeqkZcC&dq=kaushiki+fair+goddess&pg=PA29.
- ↑ Mitter, Sara S. (1991) (in en). Dharma's Daughters: Contemporary Indian Women and Hindu Culture. Rutgers University Press. pp. 78. ISBN 978-0-8135-1678-3. https://books.google.com/books?id=CeeIimZ7LxAC&dq=kaushiki+goddess&pg=PA78.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Frederick Eden Pargiter (tr.) (1904), The Markandeya Purana, Canto LXXXV–LXXXVIII (Devī-Māhātmya), Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 8171102237; see also online translation at Wisdom Library: Canto LXXXV and Canto LXXXVIII.
- ↑ Bhattacharji, Sukumari; Sukumari (1998) (in en). Legends of Devi. Orient Blackswan. pp. 29. ISBN 978-81-250-1438-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=2UszWGeqkZcC&dq=kaushiki+fair+goddess&pg=PA29.
- ↑ Bhattacharji, Sukumari; Sukumari (1998) (in en). Legends of Devi. Orient Blackswan. pp. 31–35. ISBN 978-81-250-1438-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=2UszWGeqkZcC&dq=kaushiki+fair+goddess&pg=PA29.
- ↑ Wangu, Madhu Bazaz (2003). Images of Indian goddesses : myths, meanings and models. New Delhi: Abhinav Publications. p. 185. ISBN 81-7017-416-3.
- ↑ Jones, Constance A.; Ryan, James D. (2007). "Virashaivas". Encyclopedia of Hinduism. New York, NY: Facts On File. p. 489. ISBN 978-0-8160-5458-9.
- ↑ Sinha, A. K. (2009). Approaches to history, culture, art and archaeology. New Delhi: Anamika Publishers. p. 500. ISBN 9788179752487. https://books.google.com/books?id=z6mAsIRsAa0C&dq=goddess+kaushiki&pg=PA500.
- ↑ Mitter, Sara S. (1991). Dharma's daughters : contemporary Indian women and Hindu culture (2. print. ed.). New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press. p. 78. ISBN 0-8135-1677-3.
- ↑ Kinsley, David (1 December 1975). "Freedom from Death in the Worship of Kali". Numen 22 (3): 183–207. doi:10.2307/3269544.
- ↑ "70". The Linga-Purana. 1. Motilal Banarsidass. 1973.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Coburn, Thomas B. (1991). Encountering the Goddess: A Translation of the Devi-Mahatmya and a Study of Its Interpretation. State University of New York Press. ISBN 0791404463.
- ↑ N. R. Bhatt, ed (1964). "Kriyāpāda, 53". Ajitāgama. II. Institut Français de Pondichéry.
- ↑ Malaviya, Sudhakar, ed. "Prathamabhāga, 10: Kumārīsahasranāma" (in Sanskrit, Hindi). Rudra Yamalam Uttara Tantram.
- ↑ Smith, H. Daniel (1975). "Lakṣmītantra". A Descriptive Bibliography of the Printed Texts of the Pāñcarātrāgama. 1. Oriental Institute, Baroda. p. 166.
- ↑ Lakshmi Tantra: A Pañcarātra Text. Motilal Banarsidass. 2000. p. 50. ISBN 9788120817357. https://books.google.com/books?id=pENlKmZ4r94C.
- ↑ Bhattacharyya, B., ed. "Chapter 1.3". Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra: Vol-I Adisvaracaritra. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.189073.
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