Devi is the Cause of Moksha- Part 3

Written by mmpandit

By Dr Manish Pandit

In the first and second parts of this essay we saw that the Great Goddess grants Moksha due to Her own sweet will: https://mmpandit.wordpress.com/2021/07/27/devi-as-the-cause-of-moksha/

https://mmpandit.wordpress.com/2021/07/28/devi-is-the-cause-of-moksha-part-2-why/

However, what is the opinion of the Saptashati Durga on the status of the Trimurti who are normally considered to grant Moksha? This is the question which we shall now endeavour to answer.

Let us first consider verse 4 of the Chapter 4 of this Devi Mahatmya:

यस्याः प्रभावमतुलं भगवाननन्तो ब्रह्मा हरश्च न हि वक्तुमलं बलं च । सा चण्डिकाखिलजगत्परिपालनाय नाशाय चाशुभभयस्य मतिं करोतु ॥ ४॥

It says that even Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara ( भगवाननन्तो ब्रह्मा हरश् )are unable to describe ( न हि वक्तु na alam) the greatness and impossible courage and valour (प्रभावमतुलं) and strength ( बलं च ). It exhorts the Great Goddess Chandika to direct Her intelligence (मतिं करोतु) to the palana of the entire entire Universe ( चण्डिकाखिलजगत्परिपालनाय) to maintain Dharma and look after the Universe ) and to task Herself with the destruction of the FEAR of evil itself. (नाशाय चाशुभभयस्) . Note the verse does not say “destruction of evil” BUT “destruction even of the fear of evil”… obviously when even the fear does not remain, how can evil survive? It is this sort of impossible task which is given to the Divine Mother Chandika. Thus we see that the role of the Trimurtis is performed here by Chandika and that the Trimurtis are described as not being even able to describe Her deeds.

A similar idea is to be found in verse 6 too.

किं वर्णयाम तव रूपमचिन्त्यमेतत् किञ्चातिवीर्यमसुरक्षयकारि भूरि । किं चाहवेषु चरितानि तवाति यानि सर्वेषु देव्यसुरदेवगणादिकेषु ॥ ६॥

The verse says that it is impossible to even describe the form of the Goddess (किं वर्णयाम तव रूपमचिन्त्यमेतत् ) and it is also impossible to describe ( किं वर्णयाम) her courage when She destroys the great Daityas and Asuras (किञ्चातिवीर्यमसुरक्षयकारि )

Then there is a now growing concept that flows through the chapter about the responsibility on the Great Goddess to perform the role of Palana Karta which we saw earlier in verse 4. This comes forth again in the second part of verse 5 too.

श्रद्धा सतां कुलजनप्रभवस्य लज्जा तां त्वां नताः स्म परिपालय देवि विश्वम् ॥ ५

Here we see that the words “Oh Devi please protect this world” coming forth again ( विश्वम् परिपालय देवि ). Thus we can see that when the Goddess is tasked to protect the world and its inhabitants, it is sure that She will also deliver us from this world and give Moksha or liberation which by the way is one of the 4 Purusharthas enshrined in the Shastras. This sentence appears in the first part of verse 11 of the same chapter thus:

मेधासि देवि विदिताखिलशास्त्रसारा दुर्गासि दुर्गभवसागरनौरसङ्गा ।

Note that the meaning of दुर्गासि दुर्गभवसागरनौरसङ्गा is crystal clear and there is no ambiguity. She is described veritably in this verse as the one who is the BOAT who ferries the devotees across the (terrible/difficult) ocean of Samsara/worldliness.

QED.

TBC

To read the essay which was the cause of this blog pot you can go to the original post on Moksha:

https://mmpandit.wordpress.com/2018/03/17/musings-on-so-called-liberation-mukti-moksha/

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