Essay name: Devi Tantra, Mantra, Yantra (study)
Author:
Srider Basudevan Iyer
Affiliation: University of Mumbai / Sanskrit, University Department
This essay studies the history of Devi (the Goddess) in relation with worship using Tantra, Yantra and Mantra. The study explores the concept of the 'Female Principle' or Goddess, examining her role and significance in ancient Indian society.
Chapter 3 - Minor Goddesses
35 (of 119)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
217
Chapter 3. Minor goddesses
Skanda as his wife. She is known as Ṣaṣṭi among the Mātṛkās
and is the sixth part of Prakṛtī. She bestows sons to the
sonless, wealth to the wealthless,work or employment to the
poor etc... The Ṣaṣṭi kalpa mentions the identification of
Ṣaṣṭi with Ṣrī which highlights her functional aspect that she
was a 'favoring goddesses' who presided over the welfare of
children. In the purāṇas there is the mention of her child-
reviving powers.
The purāṇas states that, the goddess Ṣaṣṭi revived back
the life of the dead son of the king Priyavrata and the
grandson of Swayambhūva manu and gives the child back to
This act of resurrection results into an agreement whereby
Priyavrata agreed to promulgate and popularise the worship
of Ṣaṣṭi in all the three worlds by worshipping her first
himself124
According to the Man. Gr.S. 125 the goddess Ṣaṣṭi was
invoked as the auspicious, glorified and as an omniform
divinity. She is said to grant riches, to possess treasures,
corns, many goats, ewes and cows. The Baudhāyana
126 Grhyasūtras makes the mention of Ṣaṣṭi as, one of the
names of Sri. Thus, we find a remarkable synchronized
synonyms usage in the addresses used for Ṣaṣṭi and Laksmi.
2 124
DBP, Bk. IX, 39. 25-35
125 Man.Gr.S.II.13.1-10
126 BGS.III.7.13.
