Devi: The Devi Bhagavatam RetoldThe Devi Bhagavatam is said to have been composed in Bengal in the sixth century CE, in twelve Parvas and 18,000 slokas. The text is only available in Bengali, with Hindi commentaries. It is replete with references to and legends from an obviously pre-Vedic religion of the Goddess. The Devi Bhagavatam is a Shakta Purana. It is for the Shakta what the Bhagavata Purana is for the Vaishnava: his or her most sacred book. The Shaktas worship Shakti, the Eternal Feminine, in all her forms. Devi is Kali and Durga; she is Saraswati, Mahalakshmi and Parvati; she is Sati, Sita and Radha. She is the Mother of the Universe; without her animating power, Shiva becomes shava, a corpse. This book is an abridged literary rendering of the Devi Bhagavatam. It retells all the major legends of the Goddess, as well as some other, less known tales. |
Common terms and phrases
Agni Ambika Amravati Apsaras asked asrama Asura auspicious Ayodhya battle beast beautiful began bhakta blessed body boon born Brahma Brahmana Brihaspati called chakra chanted child cried curse Daityas Danava dark daughter demons Devaloka Devas Devi Devi Bhagavati Devi's dharma dhyana earth eyes face father fell fire flew forest Gandharvas Ganga Gayatri Goddess golden guru hands Harishchandra head heard heart heaven husband Indra Janamejaya Kali karma kavacha kill king kingdom Krishna Kshatriya Lakshmi live Lord lotus Mahisha mantra moksha mother mountain Nahusha Narada Narayana Nisumbha once Patala queen Radha Rishi river roar Rudra rudraksha Sachi sacred sandhya Sankhachuda Saraswati Shakti Siva smiled Soma stood Sudarshana Suka Sumbha Surya Suta Svaha Swarga tapasya tell thousand three worlds tirthas told Tulasi Vaikuntha vana Varuna Vasishta Vedas vimana Vishnu Viswamitra Vritra Vyasa Vyasa Muni wife woman worship the Devi yagna Yakshas Yudhajita yuga