Weapons of Maa Durga – Both Durga puja and Navratri is here and we are drenched to the bone in the festive colors.
Navratri is a widely observed festival in India and Durjapuja is the main festival in the West Bengal. Bengalees from world over celebrate Durgapuja with pomp and grandeur where goddess Durga is worshipped for four consecutive days. Worshipping Goddess Durga is symbolic to insuring oneself for lifelong prosperity. She is the wellspring of knowledge and wisdom.
There are many mythological accounts on 10 Weapons of Maa Durga that radiate power and integrity. We will discuss here about the true story behind those 10 Weapons of Maa Durga:
Weapons of Maa Durga-
1 – Thunderbolt:
Maa Durga holds thunderbolt in one of her hands which is symbolic of invincibility and firmness. It depicts that one needs stay unflinching when faced with challenges. One must possess the conviction to attack all miseries with thunderbolt like energy.
2 – Half-bloomed Lotus:
It consolidates the idea that success may be certain but it is not final. Our brains are embroiled into the worldly pleasures and one should rise above it to acquire wisdom like Lotus blooms in the mud.
3 – Sword:
The sword in her hand symbolizes knowledge and power, or knowledge is power. The shine in the sword tells us that the knowledge is the force whose strength can never fade.
4 – Sudarshan Chakra:
It spins in the index finger of the goddess and symbolizes that what a herculean task she does to hold control of the world. This is an infallible weapon to destroy evil.
5 – Trishul:
The Trishul or the Trident is symbolic of three qualities- Satva, Rajas and Tamas. This is the weapon she uses to slay the demons. This weapon that belongs to Lord Shiva is the most powerful weapon in Hinduism.
6 – Bow and Arrow:
This symbolizes both potential and kinetic energies. Bow symbolizes potential and arrow symbolizes the latter. These hint at the fact that Devi Durga controls all the energies in the world.
7 – Conch Shell or Sankha:
This one symbolizes two things that are humility and success. Conch Shell was gifted to Maa Durga by Lord Varuna or Varun Deva which is symbolic of the sacred ‘Om’ that happens to be the most primitive sound in the universe. This exudes energy and perfectly defines the power of Maa Shakti.
8 – Abhya Mudra:
One hand of Maa Durga is always in blessing position to her devotees. This means she lends an ear to all of us and we can seek her blessings with heartfelt devotion irrespective of our class or caste.
9 – Spear:
The spear in her hand symbolizes auspiciousness. This was a gift from Lord Agni which represents sacred and fiery power.
10 – Club or Axe:
It was gifted to her by Lord Visvakarma which symbolizes his power and constructive nature. The axe bears the power to both destroy and create.
Weapons of Maa Durga – No matter if it is Navratri or Durga Puja, we worship her in the forms of Shere wali Maa or Mahisashurmardini. She is the eliminator of evil and the source of cosmic energy. She is powerful but calm. She blesses her children and insulates them from the external harm.
All year we wait for Devi Durga to arrive on earth and usher it into all sorts of positivity.
She is the ten-armored warrior goddess who slayed the evil demon king Mahisashura when mightiest of warrior failed.
