User:Kanishka Sajwan/Sandbox

Rudrasundari

Maa Uma is known by different names and different forms all over the universe. She is Mahalakshmi Mahakali and Mahasaraswati.[1] She is Navadurgas and Dasa Mahavidyas. It's she who resides in the shaktipeethas of Indian subcontinent. There are 108 shaktipeethas out of which 52 are major which are mentioned in Devi bhagwatam. But out of these, one shaktipeeth is usurped by Vaishnavas and thus, very few people know about the Devi in that shaktipeeth. This devi is known as "Vaishno Devi" but her actual name is Rudrasundari.[2] if we go through the scriptures. In this page I will try to explain About her.

Popular claims and the reality

The Popular belief revolving around Maa Rudrasundari is that she is doing penance for Vishnu so that he could marry her in Kalki Avatar. It narrates how a girl "Trikūta" a combination of Kali Lakshmi and Saraswati was born to King Ratnakar and afterwards left home to meditate on Lord Vishnu. When Lord Rama came at the place where she was meditating he disguised himself as a Brahmin and tested her. She couldn't recognise him at first but when Lord Rama manifested himself before her she asked for a boon to marry her. Lord Rama ordered her to meditate on Trikūta Parvat and assured her to marry her in Kalki Avatar.[3]

Now this story has some logical loopholes. First of all, Why would an avatar of tridevis born to a human being?? Even Sita Mata appeared as Ayonija i.e. not born from womb. So why would this said "Trikūta" born to Rani samriddhi?? And on top of that King Ratnakara's Dynasty is not mentioned in the popular folktale. The second point is that How could an avatar of Tridevis could not identify Lord Vishnu? As per scriptures The Goddess always knows who she is for example Sati maa and Parvati maa knew who they were and thus did penance for Lord Shiva. And What is the need for Lord Mahavishnu to marry a goddess other than Sri devi and Bhudevi??

The people try to justify this story by stating that Vaishno devi or Rudrasundari is Ramaa as Kalki is said to be marrying Ramaa and Padmavati . This point is also refuted by Kalki Purana where Ramaa is said to be Bhudevi and Padmavati is Śrīdēvī.[4]

Regarding the epithet "Vaishnavi" BN Pandit has clearly pointed out that Vaishnavi is one of the matrikas of Maa Uma and also she is Shiv Patni. Her name is "Vaishnavi" because it's due to her grace that Vishnu retains his position.[5]

Bhairava

Now this is undoubtedly a Shaktipeeth as per The scriptures so it's quite evident that wherever there is shaktipeeth there will be Lord Shiva's presence as Bhairava for guarding the energy of that shaktipeeth.

BN Pandit while refuting the Popular story of Bhairav "killed" by Mata Vaishnavi, says "People tell the tale of conflict of Vaishnavi devi with some Bhairava. Some say that this Bhairava was a local ruler while some relate him with a Saint of Gorakhnath sampradaya. Whether it's a Local ruler or a Saint, both are Humans and Ordinary Humans cannot dare to Look At a Powerful Goddess like Vaishnavi with lust and therefore chase her. And, it is unimaginable that such powerful goddess like Vaishnavi runs away from a Human ."[6]

Now BN Pandit has also clarified that the Bhairava of Vaishno devi is none other than Svacchanda Bhairava which is a form of Umapatinath Shiva as Mentioned in Svacchanda Tantra that "Umapatinath has given the knowledge of agamas by taking the forms of 64 prominent Bhairava such as Swacchanda, Chanda, Asitanga etc. Each one of these Bhairava is the partner of Every Matrika and assists them in the administration of the Universe."[7]

Puranas

Some Neo Vaishnavites cherry pick the verse from Varaha Purana's Trishakti Mahatmaya and try to establish that Vaishnavi devi is "Vishnu Priya Trikaladevi" who vowed celibacy and killed Mahishasura. Now the refutation of this claim lies in the Varaha Purana itself. The Ninety first chapter of Varaha Purana states that "These three goddesses Brahmi Vaishnavi and Raudri were created by Lord Rudra alone."[8] Before that one verse of that Chapter states that one goddess was "tripled" by Lord Rudra. Also at one place the same Varaha Purana quotes that "there are 9 crore Chamundas, 18 Crore Vaishnavis and Countless Brahmis. The consort of each one of these is Rudra." So that means they are the expansions of Maa Uma alone.[9]

Fake claims from Tantra

Some Psedo or Neo Vaishnavas are so stubborn that they quote references from scriptures like "Peetha Nirnaya tantra" "Brihanneel Tantra" etc.But The Brihanneel Tantra itself mentions Trikūta as Brahmakuta surrounding Brahmaloka at Mount MMeru along with nineteen other mountains and Quotes Vaishnavi as the obedient of Umapatinath Shiva. And "Peetha Nirnaya tantra" is silent about the 108 shaktipeethas itself which is quoted by Devi Bhagwatam and it's widely known that Mahapuranasare far more superior than Tantra agamas. The Agama which is not in accordance to the Puranas is liable to be rejected.

Durga Saptashati And The concept of Mahishasur mardini

Durga saptashati is the most revered scriptures of Shaktism. The Pradhanika and Vaikritika Rahasya of it disclose certain secrets regarding Universe and its creation. The Pradhanika Rahasya is the first one to Mention Mahakali Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati which appear from a supreme Adishakti and are expansions of her. People often get confused with Kali Lakshmi and Saraswati and this is the main reason why Kolhapur Mahalakshmi and Vaishno Devi are being deliberately portrayed as Lakshmi which is very wrong in itself.

Now the Pradhanika Rahasya describes Mahalakshmi as follows "मातुलुङ्गं गदां खेटं पानपात्रं च बिभ्रती। नागं लिङ्गं च योनिं च बिभ्रती नृप मूर्ध्नि।।" The literal meaning is that "She holds in her four hands Matulunga, Mace, Club and a nectar pot. O king! She also holds Serpent, Linga and Yoni on her crown".If we look at the iconography of Lakshmi Devi she holds lotus on her upper two hands and her lower two hands are in Varada mudra and Abhaya mudra which automatically makes a distinction between Mahalakshmi and Lakshmi. In the second Rahasya called Vaikritika Rahasya talks of her Eighteen armed form and the weapons which she holds including trident, conch, discus, mace, shield, crystal beads, sword, axe, lotus, bow and arrow. This eighteen armed form has said to have killed Mahishasura at present kalpa.

Shiva Purana also states in Uma Samhita that "The Bluish hued Goddess sitting on the Lap of him (Shiva) is Mahalakshmi."

Three kalpas of Mahishasura Mardini - a refutation to fake claims

There are three sub kalpas of Mahishasur Mardini according to various scriptures of Shaktism and Navratra Pradip.

1. Ugrachanda kalpa - In this, the sixteen armed Ugrachanda has killed Mahishasura.
2. Bhadrakali kalpa - In this, Bhadrakali has killed Mahishasura.
3. Katyayani Kalpa - In this, Ten armed katyayani has killed Mahishasura. Based on these kalpas, there are also the types of. Navratri celebrated all over the Indian subcontinent.

Conclusion

From the above given refrences, it should be clear that Maa Vaishno Devi is Vaishnavi who is one of the eight matrikas of Maa Uma and the pindis of Vaishno Devi are the Mahakali Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati of Durga saptashati alone. If someone is still not convinced, there's only one line from the famous Durga aarti " Brahmani Rudrani tum Kamla Rani" so according to this, ultimately there's no difference between Uma and Lakshmi as there is no difference between Mahadev and Narayana. Whatever you consider them to be it's upto you. I have just tried to correct the misconceptions about Maa Vaishno Devi ( Maa Rudrasundari) and also tried to present her original iconography. At the end there is no conflict between these forms of the same God.

Jaya Bhawani! Jaya Shambho! Jaya Lakshmi Narayana!