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Katyayani

Not to be confused with Katyayani, wife of sageYajnavalkya.

Katyayani(कात्यायनी) is an aspect ofMahadeviand the slayer of the tyrannical demonMahishasura.She is the sixth among theNavadurgas,the nine forms of Hindu goddessDurgawho are worshipped during the festival ofNavaratri.[1]She is depicted with four, ten or eighteen hands. This is the second name given to the goddessAdi ParashaktiinAmarakosha,the Sanskrit lexicon (GoddessParvatinames-Uma,Katyayani,Gauri,Kali,Haimavati, Ishwari).

Katyayani
Goddess of Power
Daughter of Sage Katyayana, hence known asKatyayani
AffiliationAvatarofDurga
Planetmars
Mantraचंद्रहासोज्जवलकरा शार्दूलवरवाहना। कात्यायनी शुभं दध्यादेवी दानवघातिनि।।
WeaponKhadga(longsword)
Padma or Lotus,Abhayamudra, Varadamudra
MountLion
Genealogy
Parents

InShaktism,she is associated with the fierce forms ofShaktior Durga, a warrior goddess, which also includesBhadrakaliandChandika.[2]She is traditionally associated with the colour red, as withParvati,the primordial form of Shakti, a fact also mentioned inPatanjali'sMahabhashyaonPāṇini,written in 2nd century BCE.[3]

She is first mentioned in theTaittiriyaAranyakapart of theYajurveda.TheSkanda Puranamentions her being created out of the spontaneous anger of Gods, which eventually led to slaying the demon, Mahishasura, mounted on the lion. This occasion is celebrated during the annualDurga Pujafestival in most parts of India.[4]

Her exploits are described in theDevi-Bhagavata PuranaandDevi Mahatmyam,which are part of theMarkandeya Puranaattributed to sageMarkandeyaRishi, who wrote it in Sanskrit ca. 400-500 CE. Over a period of time, her presence was also felt in Buddhist and Jain texts and several Tantric text, especially theKalika Purana(10th century), which mentionsUddiyanaorOdradesa(Odisha), as the seat of Katyayani andJagannath.[5]

In Hindu traditions likeYogaandTantra,she is ascribed to the sixthAjnaChakraor the Third eye chakra and her blessings are invoked by concentrating on this point.

Iconography physical Appearance

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Goddess Katyayani has three eyes and four hands. She holds a sword in one of her left hands and a lotus in another. Her right hands can be seen in the varada mudra (bestowing boons) and abhaya mudra (represents removal of fear, benevolence and protection). With the crescent moon adorning her forehead, Goddess Katyayani rides a lion.


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Origin

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Born out of the anger of Gods, Katyayani kills the demon, Mahishasura

According to theVamana Puranashe was created from the combined energies of the gods when their anger at the demonMahishasuramanifested itself in the form of energy rays. The rays crystallized in the hermitage ofKātyāyanaRishi,who gave it proper form therefore she is also called Katyayani or "daughter of Katyayana".[6]Elsewhere in texts like theKalika Purana,it is mentioned that it was Rishi Kaytyayana who first worshipped her, hence she came to be known asKatyayani.In either case, she is a demonstration or apparition of theDurgaand is worshipped on the sixth day ofNavaratrifestival.[7]

Devi MahatmyainSanskrit,the central text ofShaktism,dated 11 CE

The Vamana Purana mentions the legend of her creation in great detail: "When the gods had soughtVishnuin their distress, he and at his commandShiva,Brahmaand the other gods, emitted such flames from their eyes and countenances that a mountain of effulgence was formed, from which became manifest Katyayini, refulgent as a thousand suns, having three eyes, black hair and eighteen arms. Shiva gave her his trident, Vishnu aSudarshan Chakraor discus,Varunaashankha,a conch-shell,Agniadart,Vayua bow,Suryaa quiver full of arrows,Indraathunderbolt,Kuveraamace,Brahma arosaryandwater-pot,Kala a shield and sword,Visvakarmaa battle-axe and other weapons. Thus armed and adored by the gods, Katyayani proceeded to the Mysore hills. There, theasurassaw her and captivated by her beauty they so described her to Mahishasura, their king, that he was anxious to obtain her. On asking for her hand, she told him she must be won in fight. He took on the form of Mahisha, the bull and fought; at length Durga dismounted from her lion, and sprang upon the back of Mahisha, who was in the form of a bull and with her tender feet smote him on the head with such a terrible force that he fell to the ground senseless.[8]Then she cut off his head with her sword and henceforth was calledMahishasuramardini,the Slayer of Mahishasura.[4]The legend also finds mention inVaraha Puranaand the classical text ofShaktism,theDevi-Bhagavata Purana.[9]

Other legends

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Raktabīja,an aide of Kolhasur, possessed a power (Siddhi) whereby every drop of his blood spilled on earth would give rise to a demon. Due to this power,Bhairavawas finding it impossible to kill Raktabīja. Katyayani swallowed all of Raktabīja's blood without letting it fall on earth. She created an Amrut Kunda (tank of nectar) to rejuvenate Bhairava's soldiers, thus playing a crucial role in the war. Her temple to the South of Kolhapur commemorates this.[10][11]

The second among the 'Shaktipeeths' is TuljaBhavani(Parvati) of Tuljapur. It is the family deity of the Bhosale Royal family, the Yadavs and of countless numbers of families belonging to different castes. The founder of the Maratha kingdom, Shivaji always visited the temple to seek her blessings. It is believed that the GoddessDurgaBhavani (Katyayani) gave him a sword - 'the Bhawani sword' - for success in his expeditions. The history of the temple has been mentioned in the Skanda Purana.[citation needed]

According toTantras,she revealed through the North face, which is one of six faces ofShiva.This face is blue in colour and with three eyes and also revealed theDevis,Dakshinakalika,Mahakali,Guhyakali, Smashanakalika,Bhadrakali,Ekajata,Ugratara (fierceTara), Taritni,Chhinnamasta,Nilasarasvati (BlueSaraswati),Durga,Jayadurga,Navadurga,Vashuli,Dhumavati,Visalakshi,Parvati,Bagalamukhi,Pratyangira,Matangi,Mahishasuramardini, their rites andMantras.[12]

Worship

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In the 10thCanto,22nd Chapter of theBhagavata Puranadescribes the legend ofKatyayani Vrata,where young marriageable daughters (gopis) of the cowherd men ofGokulainBraja,worshipped Katyayani and took avrata,or vow, during the entire month ofMargashirsha,the first month of the winter season, to getKrishnaas their husband. During the month, they ate only unspicedkhichriand after bathing in the Yamuna at sunrise made an earthen deity of the goddess on the riverbank and worshipped the idol with aromatic substances like sandalwood pulp, lamps, fruits, betel nuts, newly grown leaves, fragrant garlands and incense. This precedes the episode where Krishna takes away their clothes while they are bathing in theYamuna River.[13][14]She is worshipped and revered on the 6th day of Navratri. She is also considered to be sister of Surya dev, the Sun God, and is worshipped along with him during the festival of Chhath Puja in the eastern parts of India.

The Adolescent Virgin Goddess in the southern tip of India,Devi Kanya Kumariis said to be theavatarof Katyayani orParvati.She is the goddess of penance and Sanyas. During thePongal(Thai Pongal), a harvest festival, which coincides with theMakara Sankranthiand is celebrated inTamil Nadu,young girls prayed for rain and prosperity and throughout the month, they avoided milk and milk products. Women used to bath early in the morning and worshiped the idol of Katyayani, carved out of wet sand. The penance ended on the first day of the month ofThai(January–February) inTamil calendar.[15]

Prayers

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Mantra

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चंद्रहासोज्जवलकरा शार्दूलवरवाहना। कात्यायनी शुभं दध्यादेवी दानवघातिनि॥:

Chandrahasojjvalakara |

Shaardulavara Vaahana ||

Kaatyayani Shubham Daddya |

Devi Daanava Ghaatini ||

ॐ देवी कात्यायन्यै नम: Oṃ Devī Kātyāyanyai Namaḥ

Chandrahasojjvalakara Shaardulavaravahana |

Katyayani Shubham Dadyad Devi Danavaghatini ||

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Ma Katyayani Rupena Samsthita |

Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah ||[16]

Dhyan Mantra

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स्वर्णाआज्ञा चक्र स्थितां षष्टम दुर्गा त्रिनेत्राम्। वराभीत करां षगपदधरां कात्यायनसुतां भजामि॥ Swarnagya chakra sthitam shashtam Durga Trinetram. Varabhit Karam shadgpadmdharam katyayansutam Bhajami

Temples

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    • Sri Kathayee Amman temple, Nelli Thoppu at Kovilur in Thanjavur city of Tanjore district.

References

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  1. ^ab"The Sixth form of Durga".Archived fromthe originalon 2017-05-11.Retrieved2009-06-14.
  2. ^Religious beliefs and practices of North India during the early medieval period,by Vibhuti Bhushan Mishra. Published by BRILL, 1973.ISBN90-04-03610-5.Page 22.
  3. ^Devī-māhātmya: the crystallization of the goddess tradition,by Thomas B. Coburn. Published by Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 1988.ISBN81-208-0557-7.Page 240.
  4. ^abCHAPTER VII. UMĀ.Hindu Mythology, Vedic and Puranic,by W.J. Wilkins. 1900.page 306
  5. ^Uddiyana PithaIconography of the Buddhist Sculpture of Orissa: Text,by Thomas E. Donaldson,Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.Abhinav Publications, 2001.ISBN81-7017-406-6.Page 9.
  6. ^"Topic 1".
  7. ^Forms of Durga
  8. ^"Shardiya Navratri 2021 Day 6: Maa Katyayani story, puja vidhi, and significance".Hindustan Times.2021-10-10.Retrieved2021-10-12.
  9. ^The triumph of the goddess: the canonical models and theological visions of the Devī-Bhāgavata Purāṇa,by Cheever Mackenzie Brown. SUNY Press, 1990.ISBN0-7914-0363-7.Page 97.
  10. ^Shree Katyayani devi Bakor, Mahisagar, Gujarat
  11. ^Shree Karveer Mahatmya, Author – Dajiba Joshirao, Publisher – Minal Prakashan, Edition/Year of Publication – 2012
  12. ^Chapter Six: Shakti and ShaktaShakti and Shâkta,byArthur Avalon(Sir John Woodroffe), 1918.
  13. ^Sri Katyayani Vrata StoryArchived2010-06-12 at theWayback MachineBhagavata Purana10th Canto 22nd Chapter.
  14. ^Ancient Indian tradition & mythology: Puranas in translation,by Jagdish Lal Shastri, Arnold Kunst, G. P. Bhatt, Ganesh Vasudeo Tagare. Published by Motilal Banarsidass, 1970.Page 1395.
  15. ^"History of Pongal Festival".Archived fromthe originalon 2010-01-19.Retrieved2009-06-15.
  16. ^"Navaratri 2021 Day 6: Worship of Maa Katyayani".India Today.October 12, 2021.Retrieved2021-10-12.
  17. ^http:// katyayanidevibakor.org/Archived2017-03-08 at theWayback MachineKatyayani Mandir, Bakor,byN.R.Upadhyay,2016.
  18. ^"Shreekatyayani.org".
  19. ^"Katyani".Archived fromthe originalon 2009-04-10.Retrieved2016-02-10.
  20. ^"अर्बुदा देवी मन्दिर | Arbuda Devi Temple | Arbuda Devi Mandir | Arbuda Devi".
  21. ^Temple details and description from Dinamalar composition on temples
  22. ^"Kathyayini Amman Temple: Kathyayini Amman Temple Details | Kathyayini Amman- Marathurai | Tamilnadu Temple | காத்யாயனி அம்மன்".
  23. ^"Katyayanipeeth, Religious Trust, Vrindaban, India".
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