Quick question about Durga Suktam?

[sunyata07]

Namaste fellow members,

This is something that I haven't been able to answer by myself for a while, regarding the Durga Suktam in the Maha Narayana Upanishad. I've read sources that claim it's a prayer addressed to the Vedic Lord of Fire, Agni, but then other sources say it's a prayer to Mother Goddess Durga in times of trouble. Anyone confirm if it is to Agni, Devi or both Deities? I would really like to know once and for all before I recite it again the next time.

Om namah Shivaya

[Arjuni]

Namasté,

Sunyata, I think it's to both, in that the mantras are from different sources and to different devatā originally - but if you consider fire as kundalini, fierce protection, purification, etc., then the "combination" is singularly appropriate.

For curiosity's sake I went hunting for the hymn's verses, and here's what I found for original sources; unless I've missed something, it seems that the 5th and 7th verses are unique to the Durga sūktaṃ and the rest from other sources. It doesn't really answer your question per se, but I thought it was kind of interesting anyway.

jātavedase sunavāma somamarātīyato ni dahāti vedaḥ |
sa naḥ parṣadati durghāṇi viśvā nāveva sindhuṃ duritātyaghniḥ ||
-RV 1.99 (Agni)

tām agni varṇām tapasā jvalantīm vairocanīm karma phaleṣu juṣṭām |
durgām devīm śaraṇam aham prapadye sutarasi tarase namaḥ sutarasi tarase namaḥ ||
-RV Khila 4.2.12 (Agni?)

aghne tvaṃ pārayā navyo asmān svastibhirati durghāṇi viśvā |
puśca pṛthvī bahulā na urvi bhavā tokāya tanayāya śaṃ yoḥ ||
-RV 1.189.2 (Agni)

viśvāni no durghahā jātavedaḥ sindhuṃ na nāvā duritāti parṣi |
aghne atrivan namasā ghṛṇāno 'smākam bodhy avitā tanūnām ||
-RV 5.4.9 (Agni)

pṛtanājitaṃ sahamānamugramagniṃ huvema paramāthsadhasthāt |
sa naḥ parṣadati durgāṇi viśvā kṣāmaddevo atiduritā'tyagniḥ | |
-Taittiriya Āraṇyaka 10.2.1.5

pratno hi kamīḍyo adhvareṣu sanācca hotā navyaśca satsi |
svāṃ cāghne tanvaṃ piprayasvāsmabhyaṃ ca saubhaghamā yajasva ||
-RV 8.11.10 (Agni)

gobhirjuṣṭamayujo niṣiktaṃ tavendra viṣṇoranusaṃcarema |
nākasya pṛṣṭhamabhi saṃvasāno vaiṣṇavīṃ loka iha mādayantām ||
-Taittiriya Āraṇyaka 10.2.1.7

kātyāyanāya vidmahe kanya-kumāri dhīmahi |
tanno durgiḥ prachodayāt ||
-Vaikhānasa mantra-praṣna 8.1.195.4

Indraneela
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Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

[sunyata07]

Thanks for responding Indraneela. I really like your interpretation of kundalini as the internal fire and its relation to Lord Agni. Suddenly seems to fit in together wonderfully! I can't believe I didn't spot it myself. For some reason, I'm captivated by this particular hymn. It's absolutely hypnotic when you hear it properly recited.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo2_Zfz3cJM

Om namah Shivaya