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
82 (of 119)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
Chapter 3. Minor goddesses opine them to be seven in number and according to others there are sixteen in number24 245 Another source for the origin of the word M膩t峁沰a is
spoken 246 as from M膩t膩 or the one who gives birth. Upam膩t膩
is also derived from M膩t膩 and it means the one who suckles
without giving birth. The M膩t峁沰膩 goddesses are inferior
goddesses who are popular in the world as lokam膩t膩 the exact
number of these M膩trk膩's varies and is not fixed. The
minimum number is seven which is seen increasing as seven,
eight, nine, sixteen, fifty-two, one hundred and ninety, and so
on.
264 The most favorite number of the group goddesses is
seven and as such can be related to have an affinity of such
seven sisters or mothers with the popular motifs of the
Saptam膩t峁沰膩 and seven sister maidens in Indian belief or the
seven mothers with the popular motif of the Saptam膩t峁沰膩 and
seven sister maidens in Indian belief
Repeated
Occurances.
The earliest reference to the virgin group occurs in the
RV. The RV makes mention of plural goddesses or maids
often counted as three, seven or ten and are collectively called
245 TSSED P.434
246 Bharatiya Sanskriti Kosa Vol. VII P. 296
