‘Durga’, in Sanskrit, means “she who is incomprehensible to reach.”

 

Goddess Durga was created to combat the evil demon Mahishasura. The trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva came together to create a powerful female form with ten arms. When Durga emerged from the waters of the holy Ganga as a spirit, she was given a physical form by all the gods put together. Her face was created by Lord Shiva and her torso crafted by Indra. Her breasts were made by Chandra and her teeth by Brahma. The lower part of her body was made by Bhudevi, Varuna sculpted her thighs and knees, and Agni created the Goddess’s eyes. Thus she was a supreme power created with a combination of the powers of all the other gods. So was born Goddess Durga or ‘Mahamaya’, the Great Mother of the Universe, who ensures creation, preservation and destruction of evil forces in the universe.

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Like Shiva, Mother Durga is also referred to as Triyambake, meaning the three-eyed Goddess. The left eye represents desire and has the peace and calmness of the moon; the right eye represents action and holds the power of the sun; and the central eye is the all-knowing eye with the ability to burn with its power of fire.

 

She is usually pictured as having ten arms holding Sword, Conch, Discus, Rosary, Bell, Winecup, Shield, Bow, Arrow, and Spear. She is Uma -“light”; Gauri – “yellow or brilliant”; Parvati – “the mountaineer”; and Jagatmata – “the – mother – of – the – world” in her milder guise. The terrible emanations are Durga – “the inaccessible”; Kali – “the black”; Chandi -“the fierce”; and Bhairavi – “the terrible.”