goddesses of India and of Nepal

__________________________________________________________

pp. 39-70 Adelheid Herrmann-Pfandt : "The Good Woman’s Shadow".

pp. 58-61 transformations of lover / spouse into beast, according the the Katha-sarit-sagara

p.

K-S-S

adultress

adulterer

transform

de-tranform, into human

58

7:37:97-137

Bandhu-datta

Soma-svamin

by Bh-d : S-s into monkey

by a female ascetic

58-9

7:37:150-71

ks.udra-s`akini Soma-da

Bhava-s`arman

by -d. : Bh-s` into ox

by siddha-yogini Bandha-mocini

60-1

12:68:33-70

s`akini S`as`i-prabha

cowherder

by S`-p : husband Vama-datta into mahis.a (buffalo)

by a yogini

pp 62-63 12:71:260-81 retributive transformation into animal

by agent __

mechanism

trnnsformee

into __

Bhima-parakrama

victim ate bewitched barley-groats

s`akini in Ujjayini

goat

dus.t.a-yogini

victim had bewitched bond tied around neck

Bhima-parakrama

peacock

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

pp. 71-104 Fabrizia Baldissera : "Terrific Goddesses in the Katha-sarit-sagara".

pp. 77-78 goddesses rescuing persons about to be murdered

K-S-S

goddess

rescuee

prospective murderers

means of rescue

1:3:41

Vindhya-vasini

king Putraka

paid ruffians

deluding spell

5:3:140-56

Can.d.ika

brahmin S`akti-deva

Nis.ada-s

dream sent to N.

7:3:43-9

Eka

merchant Nis`caya-datta

Turks

dream causing chains to disappear

9:5:220-4

Vindhya-vasini

king Kanaka-vars.a

S`abara-s

chains break

10:5:160

Can.d.i

jealous man

Bhilla lover of his wife

ropes loosen

12:34:300-15

Ambika

prince Sundara-sena

Pulinda-s

P. king is caused to set him free

pp. 78-80 goddesses halting suicides about to occur

K-S-S

goddess

rescuee

reason

means of rescue

1:6:78sq.

Vindhya-vasini

a poor brahmin

hunger

divine garden devi-kr.ti in Prati-sthana

4:2:65-70

Can.d.ika

a S`abara chief

substitute for Visn.n.u-datta

 

7:8:165-75

Vindhya-vasini

a prince

restore health to elder brother

divine voice

9:2:155-65

Vindhya-vasini

Jiva-datta

to resuscitate his beloved

magic sword to conquer her : she was a vidya-dhari

9:3:105-81

Can.d.ika

brahmin Vira-vara

for prosperity to the king

divine voice

9:4:160-210

Vindhya-vasini

ks.atriya Yas`as-varman

bereft

dream offering boon

12:11:20-105

Can.d.ika

king S`udraka

 

divine voice; resuscitation of Vira-vara

12:13:25-50

Gauri

a washerwoman

for husband & for brother

instruction on how to revive the 2 men

12:23:70-80

Gauri

widow Malya-vati

for love

revived her dead husband Jimuta-vahana

15:1:104-5

Kala-ratri

Nara-vahana-datta

to placate goddess K-r (p. 81)

divine voice; restored consciousness to his troops

p. 81 goddesses who demand human sacrifice

K-S-S

goddess

demand

purpose

3:4:157-63

Katyayani

young princess

power of pra-vrajaka

9:3:130sq.; 12:11:41sq.

Pr.thivi

7-year-old son of brahmin Vira-vara

hinder immediate death of king

7:4:50-70 from Ku-bera Pra-pan~ca-buddhi was, by human sacrifice, to obtain power of flying

spiritual powers awarded by goddesses

p.

K-S-S

goddess

awardee

power

99

1:5:140-1

S`aran.ya

Vara-ruci

dharan.a (technique) of fire to burn one’s body while living, and thereby reach the heavenly abode

99-100

9:2:259-60

Vindhya-vasini

Jiva-datta

to burn accumulated evil of 8 lives

101

12:1:64sq.

Kala-samkars.in.i (fn. 6)

son-in-law of yogini

kala-samkars.in.i vidya, the science that can prolong life

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

pp. 105-122 Silvia Schwartz Linder : "The Lady of the Island of Jewels".

p. 106 7th tale of the Vetala-pan~cavims`atika

V-Pv

Apokalupsis of Ioannes

Underwater city [as if there were no sea ]

21:1 "there was no more sea."

visited by Sattva-s`ila :

2:2 "And I Ioannes (John) saw the holy city"

"This city glistens with gold

21:18 "the city was pure gold"

and gems, and

21:19 "garnished with all manner of pretious stones"

the four seasons can be enjoyed simultaneously".

 

"Catur-darika" (5th book of the Katha-sarit-sagara) 24-26

p.

K-S-S

parallels from the Alethe Diegemata by Loukianos

108

"he is swallowed by a fish but gets out alive"

Is swallowed by a fish (TS1, p. 287), but escapeth alive (TS2, p. 305)

109

"a divine tree that emerged from the ... ocean ... is host to several gigantic birds"

"enormous kingfisher’s nest ... The female was sailing on it" (TS2, p. 345)

TS1 = Harmon (tr.) : A True Story. 1913. http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/luc/true/tru01.htm

TS2 = Harmon (tr.) : A True Story. 1913. http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/luc/true/tru02.htm

p. 110 implements of goddess Tri-pura-Sundari , according to the Tri-pura-Rahasya

implement

symbolizing __

bow & arrows

iccha-s`akti (‘will-power’)

pas`a (‘noose’)

jn~ana-s`akti (‘knowledge-power’)

ankus`a (‘[elephant driver’s] hook’)

kriya-s`akti (‘activity-power’)

cities constructed in the model of the s`ri-yantra around the temple of a goddess

p.

goddess

city

111

Tri-pura

S`ri-pura

111, fn. 3

Kama-aks.i

Kan~ci

111, fn. 3

S`arada

S`r.ngeri

pp. 112-113 chapters 31 to 37 of the Lalita-mahatmya (final 40 chapters of the Brahma-an.d.a Puran.a)

p.

description

112-3

divine cities :- "here are sixteen such ... cities,

nine of which are terrestrial and

seven under water,

and in order to abide in each one, the Goddess adopts sixteen different manifestations, known as the sixteen nityas, thereby earning the name of S.od.as`i (the Sixteen)."

113

defense-walls of S`ri-pura :-

iron,

bronze,

lead,

copper,

silver,

gold

 

"Toward the centre are another seven rooms with walls of

topazes,

rubies,

gomeda,

diamonds,

lapis lazuli,

sapphires and

pearls."

Herein dwelleth Maha-kala "and the deities of the six seasons ..."

   
 

abodes of the Holy Trinity

 

deity

Rudra

Brahma

Vis.n.u

 

abode : of __

pearls

corals

rubies

pp. 113-114 Devi-bhagavata Puran.a, Chapters 10 to 12 of the last book

p.

description

   
 

[enumerated inwardsly] the 18 concentric defense-walls (each enclosing a divine region) of the man.i-dvipa (‘gem-island’) Sarva-loka

 

#

wall : composed of __

deities

113

1st

iron

 
 

2nd

"white copper" [antimony?]

 
 

3rd

copper (square)

god of spring season

 

4th

lead

 
 

5th

brass

 
 

6th

iron (quintuple)

 
 

7th

silver

 
 

8th

"molten gold"

 

114

9th

topaz

Dik-pala-s

 

10th

ruby

64 Kala-s

 

11th

gomeda

32 Maha-s`akti-s

 

12th

diamond

Bhuvana-is`vari

 

13th

"cat’s eye" [beryl]

8 Matr.ka-s

 

14th

sapphire (16-petalled)

16 S`akti-s

 

15th

pearls (8-petalled)

8 counsellors

 

16th

emerald (hexagon)

 
 

17th

coral

goddesses of the 5 elements

 

18th

nava-ratna (‘9 jewels’)

10 Maha-vidya-s

   
 

man.d.apa-s (‘pavilions’) in Ratna-gr.ha (‘Jewel-Abode’)

 

-man.d.apa

what is imparted there

 

s`r.ngara-

listen to divine singing

 

mukti-

jiva-s are free from bonds

 

jn~ana-

teachings are imparted

 

eka-anta-

performance of manifestation, conservation, and re-absorption of the universe

   
 

in Cintaman.i-gr.ha (principal hall of Ratna-gr.ha) is (fn. 5) goddess Akhila-an.d.ha-is`vari "adorned with special earrings in the form of s`riyantra".

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

pp. 191-216 Niels Gutschow : "The As.t.amatr.ka and Navadurga of Bhaktapur".

p. 212

dyah.che (‘god-house’) houseth Siphadyah. (Oldeander Goddess)

p. 213 deities of musical instruments

instruments

deities

ta (small cymbals)

dyah.khi (drum)

Nandin

Bhr.ngin

ka~y (large thin cymbals)

d.amaru (double-heads skulls-drum)

Can.d.i (Maha-kali)

Maha-kala

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

pp. 343-354 Brigitte Merz : "Cult of the Goddess Harati in Nepal".

goddess Harati

p.

myth

346

according to the Samyukta Nikaya,

"she was the daughter of the Yaks.a S`ata of Rajagr.ha and

married to the Yaks.a king Pan~cika of Gandhara ..."

 

"In contemporary sources it is said that

Harati did not merely steal other people’ children, but that

she was also "feeding herself and her many sons on them" ... and

that the Buddha was able to heal her from her ‘cannibalism’

"by giving her a diet of pomegranates ..."".

348

"she was even tbe Buddha’s mother in ... earlier incarnations.

... she would fly around like the yoginis."

349

"the missing sixth child in the temple is Harati’s favourite which she keeps in hiding.

... two of the children in particular :

Vasim. Bhaju, the second oldest son of Harati, and

Jilam. Bhaju, her youngest son. ...

Vasim. Bhaju always emphasizes that ... me mumbles badly ...

He has a special liking for radishes with lots of green leaves,

and he loves laddu, a round-shaped sweet. ...

 

... when a medium ,,, is possessed by Vasim. Bhaju she is helped into a glittering red waistcoat and puts on a matching cap ...

Vasim. Bhaju is consulted by parents with children who have speech impediments." [fn. 14 "the Elephant God Gan.es`a is also turned to for ... these reasons, and ... he too has a strong liking for laddu and radishes (mula)."]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

pp. 355-382 William Sax : "Draupadi and Kunti in the Pan.d.avlila".

according to the Rama-ayan.a bt Tulasi Das

p.

event

360

"it was only a "shadow" Sita who was sent to Lanka with Ravan.a,

while the "real" Sita remained hidden."

{cf. phantasm-woman with Paris, according to Stesikhoros}

   

360, fn. 10

disease-incarnations of the shadow-Sita

 

disease

identity

 

Gandika

 
 

Can.d.ika

 
 

Hingola

 
 

Pingola

jaundice

 

D.ankhin.i

bile

 

S`ankhin.i

sore throat

 

Cur.i

bamgle

 

Camari

 
 

Char.amukhi

stickface

 

Patangari

flyer

 

Dadura

measles

 

S`itala

 
 

Mr.ti-nagala

fatal snakebite

 

Andhi

 
 

Locar.i

whooping cough

     

376

6 pahar-s (watches in the night, 2 hours’ duration each), at nocturnal convocation of vulture-goddesses at huge hollow tree

 

#

pahar : of __

 

1st

"men : the sick and the lame"

 

2nd

"ghosts : all kinds of strange ones"

 

3rd

lions

 

4th

leopards

 

5th

wind

 

6th

fire

     
 

"It took ... months to reach ... the tree.

He fired the arrow and the door opened. The tree said "... come inside my belly," so ... went inside with his horse, and the door closed behind."

 

"One after another they came, in the shape of vultures. They came in their thousands and took their respective places, according to ranks, on twigs and branches.

Some were like Can.d.i,

some had skulls,

some were bloody,

some were like mothers or sisters,

some ate the dead.

The eldest was an old mother, and she sat in the largest chair." [!]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

pp. 417-436 Andrea Loseries-Leick : "Kali in Tibetan Buddhism".

pp. 421-422 ornaments of S`ri-devi (dPal-ldan lHa-mo), which are gift to her from deities

p.

gift

donor

421

sandalwool cudgel

Vajra-pan.i

 

snake (in her left ear)

snake-king Nanda (dGa-bo)

 

lion (in her right ear)

Ku-bera

 

sun-lamp (in her navel)

Vis.n.u

 

moon-lamp (in her hair)

"

422

peacock-feather (on her head)

Brahma

 

white mule (for riding on)

the gods

p. 422 female assistants in managing the white mule

d.akini : "__-vaktra"

holding __ of mule

color of her face

color of her body

Makara-

snake-bridle

white

blue

Simha-

tail

white

red

p. 423 dark square fortress of the bse daimones

its __

is composed of __

4 sides

dark onyx

pillar

blue turquoise

floor

black iron

pp. 423-424 the 4 goddesses of the 4 seasons, in Mongolian iconography

p.

color

__ rGyal-mo (‘__ Queen’)

riding a __

implement; clothing

423-4

red

dByar (Summer)

water-buffalo

hook in right hand,

blood-filled skull in left hand

424

yellow

sTon (Autumn)

hind

sickle in right hand;

wearing peacock-feather coat

 

dark-blue

dPyid (Spring)

mule

knife in right hand;

wearing human-skin

 

dark-blue

dGun (Winter)

camel with white spot on forehead

holding khat.vanga;

dressed in silk

p. 426 goddess Eka-jat.a, to "protect the doctrine of the atiyoga"

dark-brown, with :

1 single vajra-eye in middle of forehead

1 tooth

1 breast

hair black and producing "sparkling iron scorpions"

in right hand, 3-pointed sapphire svastika [Jain-style sauvastika ?]

in left hand, lasso made of rubies

wearing human-skin and

emerald necklaces

p. 427 triad of goddesses as tri-kaya

dharma-kaya

sambhoga-kaya

nirman.a-kaya

Samanta-bhadri

Vajra-varahi

Simha-mukha

pp. 428-429 goddess Simha-mukha

p.

her traits

428

"Her activity ... is bzlog pa, the returning of psychic aggression ... Such aggressions ... from hostile ghosts (gdon) ... are called curse (byad). Sim.hamukha ... sends them back."

429

"She is dark blue ...

 

Her wrathful face is white ...

 

She is wrapped in skins of elephant and human ...

 

Her loin cloth is a tiger skin ..."

p. 431 Bon goddess Srid-pa>i rGyal-mo

3-headed

6-armed

riding on a black mule

"surrounded by flames on a lake of blood that is encircled by snakes moving through rocks."

p. 431 colors of mules ridden by the 4 activity-emanations of goddess Srid-pa>i rGyal-mo

aspect of goddess

color of her mule

peaceful

white

extended

blue

subdueress

red

wrathful

black

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

pp. 449-482 Eveline Masilamani-Meyer : "The Eyes of the Goddess".

p. 451 cosmic eggs laid by goddesses

egg-laying goddess

her eggs

Ellamma

1st egg -- in Naga-loka, hatched Adi-s`es.a

2nd egg -- in city of Bali, hatched a Brahma-raks.asi

Peddamma

1st egg -- became heaven & earth, stars, sun & moon

2nd egg -- was addled

3rd egg -- hatched Raks.asa-s

Ammavaru

1st egg -- was spoiled

2nd egg -- filled with air

3rd egg -- produced heaven & earth

p. 454 Peddamma "rushed into the anthill. ... the goddess fled finally to nagaloka where she engaged the help of millions of siddhas." {cf. Tachyglossus (ET); this animal hath combined R.E.M. & non-R.E.M. sleep features (ETA), which intermediary sleep-state may be repraesented by Naga-loka.}

ET = http://animals.jrank.org/pages/2577/Echidnas-Tachyglossidae-SHORT-BEAKED-ECHIDNA-Tachyglossus-aculeatus-SPECIES-ACCOUNT.html

ETA = http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/abstract/16/10/3500?ck=nck

pp. 452-453 Ankal.amman the adi-s`akti, who "had two horns, three breasts and three eyes."

p.

account

452-3

"S`iva insisted on having the third eye. She gave it to him,

but S`iva could not bear its heat and

so he jumped into various rivers, trying to cool himself.

Finally, S`akti took pity on him and in order to release him from the heat,

she placed her middle breast on his head and thus cooled him."

453

[Milk from] "The third breast ... becomes, in fact, Ganga on S`iva’s head." {with this heavenly Ganga which is the Milky Way, cf. the galaxy’s originating as milk from the teat of Hera.}

goddesses having powerful eyen

p.

eyen

456

Macaniyamman, a ... goddess ... in the northwestern parts of Tamilnadu, is said to be lying on the ground because if she were standing up, she would burn the whole unibverse with her eyes ...

Macaniyamman is ... lying flat on her back, her gaze fixed on the sky ... Her eyes are huge, protruding".

457

"The goddess Mariyamman of Celam (Salem) ... sits, she also has her eyes turned downward to diminish her power ...

In Ankalammagudur (Pulivendla Taluk) in Andhra Pradesh the goddess Durga ... used to be taken out the back door of the temple and paraded through the streets backwards because she gaze would have burned the whole town."

459

"the goddess Ilal.itai ... creates

the eight-eyed Brahma {cf. [Ambonese] Mata-waru ‘8 eyed’ at the bamboo-shoot (MPE)} from her right eye,

the lotus-eyed god (Vis.n.u) from her left eye and

the god with fire on his forehead (S`iva) from her middle eye."

MPE = http://ema-huaresi.com/documenten/flash/EmaGeografi_PelaNaku.swf s.v. "Hausasiwa"

p. 461, fn. 10 the 6 colored heads of goddess Kama-is`vari

the __ head

is that of goddess __

white

Maha-is`vari red

red

Kama-akhya

yellow

Tri-pura

green

S`arada

black

Kama-is`vari [herself]

variegated

Can.d.ika

pp. 464-467 smallpox goddesses

p.

smallpox

464

Bhadra-kali "fought the demon Daruka.

Daruka’s wife, Manodari ... threw the drops of sweat on Bhadrakali.

... From S`iva’s ear "Ghantakarna" emerged and

licked the body of [Bhadra-]Kali.

Then the goddess turned away her face

{cf. [Kemetian] goddess SRQt with turned head}, because

it was not proper for her brother to come in contact with her face ...

[Bhadra-]Kali then had the eyes of Manodari blinded and

had her limbs and ears cut off.

{cf. dismemberment of [Aztec] goddess Coyol-xauhqui ?}

She received the name "Vasurimala" or [small]pox garland."

 

"Mariyamman ... is called "thousand-eyed" (ayiran kan.n.ut.aiyal.)"

465

"when a person has smallpox, ... Margosa (nim) leaves are placed over the door to signify that the goddess is in the house."

466

"In Kerala the healing ... goddess is the sister of

the disease-goddess Putiya Bhagavati.

She is the youngest sister of S`rikurumba who causes smallpox,

while Putiya Bhagavati removes the disease."

pp. 468-469 goddesses converting unbelieving humans into believers

p.

conversion-experience

468

"The sons of a villager went to the forest where they felled trees and killed a crow. At that time Ammavaru went that way.

They called her, teased her and beat her with a stick. ... She lifted herself up onto a margosa tree and laughed.

The blood turned into a river and the boys were about to drown in it. ...

At that time the goddess came to the village in the guise of a fortune-teller (yerukkula)."

469

"of the goddess Kulumayiyamman of Trichy ... it was true that the parrots on the goddesses shoulder drank the blood of the sacrificial goats."

 

"the place Mayadaha. S`itala causes a wonderful palace to appear in the middle of the sea, a place in which

men play with tigers,

serpents with peacocks,

where crocodiles and lions are together,

{cf. YS^<YH 11:6 "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them."}

where trees bloom out of season."

{cf. Apokalupsis 22:2 "the tree of life ... yielded her fruit every month"}

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

pp. 513-528 Eberhard Fischer : "Osakot.hi ... in Ganjam District, South Orissa".

p. 517 goddesses with dismembered child, as seen by temple-priests

[at town of Aska, vision of the ‘pole goddess’] Khamba-is`vari "suddenly appearing with a baby cut into pieces in her arms.

t.hakuran.i Mani.ka-is`vari of Digapahandi "took away one of his children and carved it up with the kitchen knife.

[nigh Chikiti] Banka-isvari of Dimbula "was cutting the son of the priest to consume his flesh."

The old man ... slapped her, so that her face turned permanently to one side."

When the priest realized that she had killed his child, he slapped her so hard that her face turned sidewise and got stuck."

 

{cf. "And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other" (Loukas 6:29)}

___________________________________________________________

STUDIA RELIGIOSA HELVETICA JAHRBUCH, Vol. 2 = Axel Michaels; Cornelia Volgersanger; Annette Wilke (eds.) : Wild Goddesses in India and Nepal. Peter Lang, Bern, 1996.