Drawing strength from the goddesses

These stories teach us not to give up easily but to persist consistently, study the opponent, strengthen one’s armoury and devise counter strategies.

Whenever I am up against a tyrannical professional or someone unethical and difficult  I tend to draw inspiration  and strength from the many women goddesses in the Hindu pantheon who have vanquished and annihilated asuras and demons.

Satyabhama who killed Narakasura who in a sense was her offspring ( she was an avatar of Bhumidevi his real mother), Jagadamba, Mahamaya -- mother of the Universe -- the combined force of Brahmini , Lakshmi and Parvathi also knows as Durga, Mahishasuramardhini, who killed the demon Mahishasura ( she was given the feminine aspect by the Trimurtis for the task ) or Goddess Kanyakumari who quelled the arrogance of Banasura and decimated him. Although Goddesses traditionally did not fight in a battlefield or combat zone if the situation warranted, as in the case of Mahishasuramardhini, they were entrusted with the task and provided with the wherewithal -weapons and special powers included.

Many demons initially pooh-poohed the idea of engaging in combat with women opponents and grossly underestimated their capabilities given their gender but the Devis proved more than a match and subdued their opponents.

That said, the confrontation was never a cake walk; the battles were long drawn and the oppressed had to wait patiently for a taste of victory.

There is an interesting story around Goddess Kanyakumari who materialised only to kill Banasura after the Devas performed a yagna on the advice of Vishnu .Banasura had obtained a boon that he could be killed only by an unmarried girl (kanya).Even as Kanyakumari deeply meditated on Lord Shiva and was almost set to marry Him, the wedding did not happen due to the planned intervention by the sage Narada who stalled the wedding as he knew that if Kanyakumari married she wouldn’t be able to vanquish Banasura.

The thing to remember is that these mammoth tasks took time. Goddess Kanyakumari assured the devas that she would definitely accomplish the victory over Banasura but in time. These stories also teach us not to give up easily but to persist consistently, study the opponent, strengthen one’s armoury and devise counter strategies.

Coming together as one unified force, too, makes a huge difference as in the case of Mahishasuramardhini who was supported by Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and many other Gods. 

May the Goddesses inspire all those women who are fighting whether for a cause or taking on evil forces.