Narrating the Greatness of the Goddess Flashcards
how does the Devimahatmya depict reality?
the text excplicitly presents the ultimate reality as femnine to show the power of the Goddess.
the Goddess ______ our diverse _____, but she also _________ one from it.
the Goddess CREATES our diverse REALITY, but she also LIBERATES one from it.
why can the texts included in the Devimahatmya be considered as mantras?
there is power in reciting and repeating the texts.
why hasn’t the Devimahatmya helped women’s empowerment in India?
Devi is seen as the exception, not as a role model women should follow.
what is the relationship between Devi and other goddesses?
The many different goddesses present in the text are a part of Devi, showing their plurality and their unity.
what is the frame story of the Devimahatmya?
- King Suratha flees his kingdom after being defeated and encounters a merchant at hermitage
- the King and the merchant approach the sage and ask him for help
- the sage describes the power of Mahamaya and narrates three stories
- the King and merchant recite an hymn and worship the Goddess
- they receive a vision of her and she grants their requests
- the King regains his kingdom
- the merchant chooses the knowledge that destroys the notions of “I” and “mine”
what is the first episode of the Devimahatmya?
- these two demons, Madhu and Kaitabha, emerge from Visnu’s ear and harass Brahma
- Brahma praises the Goddess with a hymn
- the Goddess releases Visnu who awakens
- aided by the Goddess’s power of deception, Visnu destroys the Asuras
what is the second episode of the Devimahatmya?
- Mahisa and the Asuras defeat the regular gods, led by Indra
- the gods then ask Visnu and Siva for help
- there is a fiery splendour that comes from all the different gods and transforms into a woman, the Goddess
- she receives features and weapons from all the gods, as they praise and bow to her
- the Goddess projects her own armies that defeat the Asuras in a bloody battle
- she strikes Mahisa with her foot while he is halfway in buffalo form and kills him
- she grants the gods’ wish that whenever she is remembered by gods or humans, she will protect and bless them
what is the third episode of the Devimahatmya?
- these two demons, Sumbha and Nisumbha, oppress the Vedic gods led by Indra
- the Goddess, praised by the gods, takes on the form of Parvati
- the two demons, having heard of her beauty, demand that she marries one of them
- she plays coy and agrees, only if they can defeat her in battle
- the demons threaten the Goddess and send their armies
- the Goddess knits her brow and brings forth Kali and Kali destroys their armies
- the Goddess defeats the demon Raktabija with the help of Kali
- various saktis emerge from all the gods to help the Goddess
- the Goddess defeats the demon Nisumbha, but Sumbha challenges her by saying she has only defeated his brother because she was helped
- the Goddess withdraws all the goddesses back into herself (movement between many and one)
- she slays Sumbha
- she grants the gods’ wish and promises to take on different forms known by different names to battle demons
who is Anandamayi Ma?
She is perceived as God having taken on the form of a woman.
