Kushmanda Devi – Fourth Incarnation of Navadurgas
Who is Kushmanda Devi? How she incarnated?
There are mystical secrets in Kushmanda Devi’s incarnation. Kenopanishad glorifies this divine mother, Kushmanda Devi.
Once deities defeated, demons in a battle and deities won and had a party. They were fully drowned in the ocean of pride, leaving the fact that Brahman is the source of their mighty victory. All were puffed up with illusion and celebrating their success by bragging themselves.
To bring them to their senses, Goddess Parvati taught them a lesson by appearing as a divine bright light-the formless Brahman. All the deities were astonished by seeing that adorable spirit and could not guess what it was. Lord Indra appointed Agni to find out its history and greatness.
When Agni approached Brahman and bragged about his immense power of burning anything that comes to him, then Brahman put forth a dry blade of grass and asked him to turn it to ashes. Agni used all his power but couldn’t burn it. Then Indra sent vayu who can carry off whatever is present on this earth. Even he could not move it.
All deities requested Indra to find out who this spirit was. Feeling the pride of his own power, he approached that spirit, but it disappeared. Indra was observing it and the moment he glanced at the sky, a woman’s voice touched his ears and that spirit took a woman’s form. She is Hymavathi, regarded as Kushmanda Devi, the fourth incarnation of Navadurgas.
When Indra asked her about that adorable light, she replied that the light was Lord Shiva, her formless form who was the backbone for their victory and appeared to destroy their false sense of pride.
Hearing this, Indra and other deities realized the fact, glorified Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakthi. This is the story of Goddess Kushmanda Devi.
Kushmanda means Gourd. This universe appears to be like a gourd. That divine mother created this universe and so is regarded as Kushmanda Devi. She represents the formless light. Her abode is Sun.
How Goddess Kushmanda looks like?
Goddess Kushmanda has eight hands holding a kamandalu, bow, arrow and lotus flower on the right and trident, Amruta kalasham, Japamala, Gada and Chakra on her left. Her abode is the Sun, and the color associated is white. She rides lion as her vehicle.
How to worship Goddess Kushmanda?
The fourth day of Devi Navaratri marks for Kushmanda Devi Puja. On this day, Siddhaguru performed havan, abhishekam and Shodasha Puja, glorifying divine mother by chanting mantras chanted in Vedas. Offer Curd rice on this day to please her. She is associated with white and saffron colours.
Goddess Kushmanda Chanting mantras
- Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Chaitanyabhideeyate
Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah - Kushmanda Parameshtini Surya Mandala Bhasita
Vidyutprabha cha Vidyuta Tejaswini Mahavashi - Om Surya Antaryaminyai Sri Kushmanda Maha Devyai Namah
- Om Sarvadevata Garva Vinashinyai Sri Kushmanda Maha Devyai Namah
- Om Brahmajnana Pradayinyai Sri Kushmanda Maha Devyai Namah
- Om Devadevyai Sri Kushmanda Maha Devyai Namah
- Om Visweswaryai Sri Kushmanda Maha Devyai Namah
- Om Sarvadevata Stuta Sri Kushmanda Maha Devyai Namah
- Om Maha Tejswinyai Sri Kushmanda Maha Devyai Namah
- Om Sarva Hridaya Antaryaminyai Sri Kushmanda Maha Devyai Namah
Benefits of worshipping Goddess Kushmanda
- ego is annihilated,
- gain eternal cognizance,
- experience the eternal happiness.
How to meditate, Goddess Kushmanda?
As per Tantric yoga and Kundalini Yoga, Goddess Kushmanda dwells in Surya Chakra exactly in the right centre between Manipuraka chakra and Anahata Chakra. When the seeker crosses the lower chakras- Muladhara, Swadhishtana, Manipuraka, including surya and Chandra Chakras, he gets dispassionate for his life. Surya and Chandra Chakras arrests seekers to achieve spirituality and throw him into illusion.
Chant “Hram” (the surya Chakra’s beejakshara mantra for 9 times) concentrating your mind on that chakra. There are three letters hidden in this mantra. HA, RA, MA. The God of “Ha” is Sada Shiva, “Ra” is Agni and Ma is Parameswara.