Navratri Special: Even in Contemporary Times, the Durga Saptashati Offers Us Much to Learn

By: Aradhya Chaturvedi | 9971357252 | H. No. 251

THE EIGHT MATRIKAS, CIRCA 1700

Durga Saptashati is a composition that delves into many basic tenets of life and spiritual thought in its narrative. This written text has an engaging narration and vivid imagery that suggests these compositions were for those for whom the language of Sanskrit was unfathomable.

There were many who understood the importance of these compositions and what they taught. Yet some remain unfamiliar with it. Let us have a glimpse at some of the key takeaways from the Durga Saptashati that are relevant to contemporary times.

The Creation of Durga: Page from a Dispersed Markandeya Purana, CIRCA 1820

1. There is only one Supreme Being — the Divine Goddess — Shakti, who is formless but manifests in various forms.

The Saptashati discusses the emergence of the Devi from being formless (Nirguna) to being a form (Saguna) when Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma combine their energy (Tejas). The Tejas is nothing but the primordial Shakti who is the epitome of that who is ‘One’ — the eternal ‘Brahman’. There is no discord within the diversity of forms and paths that lead to the ‘One Truth’.

2. Shakti is the benevolent Mother who reincarnates to re-establish the reign of Good over Evil.

One of the cornerstones of Indian thought is that the formless Divine manifests at the behest of the devotees to defeat the forces of evil and re-establish the forces of good. The Saptashati reiterates this in its narrative, proclaiming that while Shakti is eternal and unborn, She, manifests herself again to protect the world.

3. The I within us is constantly engaged in combat with good and bad. We must transcend the I (aham) or ego to reach the divine.

The Saptashati reminds us that there is a constant battle within us — a battle between our saintly and our demonic tendencies. We have to transcend our own nature — with all its wrong conceptions (the Mahisha within us) and move beyond the false sense of I (aham) to reach and merge with the higher divine consciousness. The arrangement of the episodes in the Saptashati symbolises the different stages of this elusive process of transcending the self.

4. Our ego and our pride keep resurfacing till they are annihilated.

Kali and the Matrikas kill the ferocious Raktabija (Rakta is blood and Bija is a seed). Raktabija can be likened to our ego and our pride. Our ego keeps resurfacing in various demonic forms when hurt and is like the drops of blood which keep giving rise to Raktabija. It has to be destroyed completely for us to be able to move forward.

5. There is a multiplicity of Purusharthas (goals) at various stages of our existence.

The Indian tradition recognises that each one of us has a different goal based on the cosmic law of karma. Both, the desire for artha and moksha are valid as long as they are achieved by following the dharmic path. At the end of the frame narrative, Surath asks for the power to defeat his enemies in the current birth and for a kingdom in the next birth — artha. Samadhi requests for that knowledge which does not distinguish between the divine and the I — moksha. The Devi grants both.

6. The Supreme Divinity can be and is visualised in a Feminine Form.

There are many references in earlier Indian literature including the Vedas, where the Supreme Being is referred to as the Divine Mother. She, as Prakriti (the active principle), is the cause of all creation in Samkhya thought, as Shakti is the energy of the Universe and she as Maya conceals the true nature of reality in Vedanta. The Saptashati, however, brings together all forms of the Divine Feminine, coalesces them into a whole and crystallises the fiercely independent Goddess as The Supreme Being — The Ultimate Godhead — The Divine Feminine. She is the Mahadevi who creates the Universe, pervades all creation (omnipresent) sustains all creation, and then destroys it. She is the Mahadevi who possesses the powers of all the male gods combined (omnipotent). All divine beings are just manifestations of her — there is ‘no second one’ in this Universe. The composition also brings together the vatsalya of the Matrikas with the fierceness of Kali to fuse into the great Mahadevi.

Durga Saptashati 's 11th Adhyaya

PICTURE CREDITS: METMUSEUM.COM