Personal Relation with the Goddess

[ADITYA_HYDSPIRITUALITY]

Namaste Everyone,

I am new to this forum and I am new to Shakti Sadhana as well. I was into Vaishnavism and I am still connected to Lord Krishna. I always had this urge to worship the Mother from childhood however I couldnt proceed as I felt Mothers worship was slightly inaccessible as compared to Lord Vishnus. Partly I feel the Parampara system is not easy to follow. For example despite having a rigorous Pancaratra system Lord Vishnu can still be worshipped just with a Tulasi leaf and even if we forget His mantras we can still chant His name and attain the same result. My question is for a beginner what is the easiest way to worship the Mother. If I am not into tantric initiation or if I dont follow a parampara what are the simpler ways to worship Her? If I have to worship Lord Vishnu the easiest way for me would be to chant Krishna or Rama. I can also read the Bala Leelas and establish a personal relation or I can offer a Tulasi leaf. Does Mother have similar methods of worship? What are the closest names of Her that I can chant? Also Lord Krishna has elaborate pastimes as espoused in Bhagavatam. I wanted to read the Leelas of Mother in the form of Mother Parvati but I felt disheartened because I couldnt find any in the Devi Bhagavatam.Is there any other Purana or Scripture where the pastimes of Mother have been independently elaborated? What I mean is Mothers pastimes as a Child(Please note I am not talking about Post Marriage pastimes where Mother is invariably talked about in relation to Lord Shiva) I have noted in Devi Gita that Mother explicitly tells Himavan that She would take Her birth in his house because of His Devotion to Her. What form of devotion did Himavan follow?So are there any pastimes relating just to Bhakti Yoga of Mother? I really want to become a devotee of Her and the path I want to follow is Bhakti. Kindly help

[ameyAtmA]

Namaste Aditya

Devi can be your Divine Mother or Divine Daughter, and you can very easily skirt all the mantra yantra tantra anushThAn if you wish.

I recommend starting with the following short stotra (Glorifying Divine Mother and Prayer of Protection) - from Devi MahAtmya in MArkanDeya purAN

1. DurgA kavach
2. ArgalA stotra
3. Keelaka stotra

You have to read all three in one sitting, they are not long.
Read and understand the meaning, the first is a prayer asking Devi for protection. This way your relationship with the Divine Mother can begin.

WARNING: She is extremely compassionate. Remember She is Mother. She will place Her varada hasta on your head and you are all set - not to worry about anything.

You can certainly have a bhAv that She is a little girl and your daughter. It is all described in Devi MahAtmya and Devi BhAgwat how Devi is a kumArikA aged 2 to 10.
Each kumArikA age has a distinct name. Very sweet. like... "Devi at age X is called NNN "

Go on to read and understand the Devi MahAtmya which includes the following
* The three-fold rahasya of Devi - how MahALakshmi , AdiNArAyaN's Shakti, manifested KAli, Saraswati, and how the three Devis created Purush-PrakRuti pairs for creation, maintenance, anhilation of a BramhAnDa . Later, this very MahA Lakshmi, the original secret Adi Shakti, manifested as DurgA when all Devas donated their respective Shaktis to create the composite DurgA.

There is a lot of pujA and ritual rules in the Devi MahAtmya, but you do not have to start with the pujA
You may want to look into the Devi mantra for japa, but it is recommended that one goes through a Guru , and since your interest is bhakti bhAv, you can focus on Her Leela stories

Read Devi BhAgwatam - you can do pothi pArAyaN (read at home as time permits) just like Shrimad BhAgvatam , to learn more about Devi. It is one of the purANa written by VedaVyAs ji.

|| om namo bhagavate vAsudevAya ||

[ameyAtmA]

Another shAstra for philosophical knowledge, in addition to Devi MahAtmya and Devi BhAgvat, is the Lalita SahasranAma stotra by VishNu-avatAr HayagrIva (Lord of shAstra-knowledge),
Just like VishNuSaharanAma, LalitASahasranAma is a key/clue/gateway to understanding Devi tattva as the Adi-Shakti,PrakRuti as well as Universal Consciousness that AdiPurusha is. It means you cannot split Adi-Shakti from Adi-Purush.

For the devotional history of HimavAn and his wife, as parents of Gauri -- you may have to do some research in BhAgwat mahA-purAN (right after the Daksha and Sati story, how the parents of Gauri were chosen as next avatar of Shakti), and as far as I know - there is not much Leela in Samudra dev adopting sAgar-LakshmI as his daughter - just because the question arose "Who will do the kanyA daan when Lakshmi weds VishNu"

For kumAri pujA you do not need these references. Your bhAv is yours , and if Devi wishes, She will grant you the bhAv.

One thing to remember as a common theme is that Devi is ONE. Not 3, not 20. The TriDev may have separate roles of creation... Devi also takes forms to preside over different aspects of existence , but the story of DurgA (DurgA saptashati) shows that She is ONE. and not many. When Shumbha taunts Devi for using Helper Devis She absorbs all of them into Her and shows him - look, I am ONE.

[ameyAtmA]

Aditya..

I forgot to mention that you can read up Baal LeelA (childhood pastimes) of VaishNavi - popularly known as VaishNo-Devi, an avatAr of MahA Lakshmi.
She was born to a royal couple and was the apple of everyone's eye. She knew the Vedas and stunned Her first teacher. BramhaDev supplied all Veda-gyAn when She was an infant.

Plenty of Baal Leela from infancy to age 10 and beyond. VaishNavi went off to perform tapasyA (penance) when She grew up.

[ADITYA_HYDSPIRITUALITY]

Dear Ameyatma
Thank you very much for taking time and posting your reply.
My questions still loom,
1)What are the closest names of mother that I can chant? Like how Lord Vishnu has two specific names as in Krishna and Rama what are the closest names of mother. I ask this question because Lalita Sahasranama takes atleast 1 hour or more to recite Plus I am time bound due to my work, meditation etc I was told by a guru that the closest names of Mother are Bhuvaneshwari, Uma, Durga and Parvati(Parvati is also one of the 12 names of Devi as espoused by Lord Narayana to Narada in Brahma Vaivarta Purana) However I am not sure because he hasnt quoted any particular source
2) I do know Devi is one and states specifically in Devi Bhagavatam that she will take birth as Parvati in a purna avatara and specifically tells Himavan that she is pleased to take birth in his house. I am not sure if She tells Sagara the same thing when her amsa takes birth as Mother Lakshmi
3)I have read the Devi Upanishad where three mantra pathways of Devi are given 1) Aim Hrim Klim Chamundayai Vicche 2)HreeM 3)Ka A eelA HriM Hasakahala HriM Sakala HriM Is it ok to chant the first and the third without initiation? Hrim as a counterpart of Om can be chanted whenever and whereever but again Hrim is a mantra and not a nama
4)In Devi Gita Mother specifically asks to worship Her chant Her name etc but which name She never tells
5)My questions in conclusion: a)easiest names of Devi to chant b)Easiest ways to worship Her. What is that one specific fruit or flower or leaf that Mother loves? Just like how Lord Krishna/Vishnu can be worshipped with just a leaf of Tulasi?
I hope I am not bothering you by asking for too much
Thanks once again

[ameyAtmA]

4)In Devi Gita Mother specifically asks to worship Her chant Her name etc but which name She never tells
5)My questions in conclusion: a)easiest names of Devi to chant b)Easiest ways to worship Her. What is that one specific fruit or flower or leaf that Mother loves? Just like how Lord Krishna/Vishnu can be worshipped with just a leaf of Tulasi?
I hope I am not bothering you by asking for too much
Thanks once again

You are not bothering me. Neither of us are talking about the beej mantra from Devi MahAtmya or ChanDi pAth, but bhAv bhakti, and a loving relationship. (By the way the beej will draw you to Her, AND form a relationship. So also DurgA kavach will).

*Gauri and UmA sound more intimate to me because they are used by MahADev Shiv Himself.
* Study and learn the mahishAsur mardinI stotra. (this link is by little nava durgA)

Look up bhajans - navrAtra bhajans and Aratis - AnurAdhA PaudwAl has made a major contribution to this bhakti wing of Hinduism for people who do not want to follow the rigorous philosophical or tAntric pAths. Look for bhajans and Artis by AnurAdhA and others -- particularly Devi bhaktas.

This is also why I pointed out the ample Baal LeelA of VaishNavi (VaishNo Devi) - avatAr of Adi-Shakti MahALakshmI (birth to teenage)

I also feel that the glorifying shlokas that are sung before and after Shri SUkta (Rig Ved) , in addition to Shri SUkta itself (I love purusha sUkta and hence Shri sUkta), are very sweet and devotional. This link is a lovely rendition sung by ShwetA Pundit.

I know your inclination is towards Parvati specifically, but here is a beautiful shloka on Shri :

sarasija nilaye saroja haste |
dhawala tarAnkusha gandhamAlya shobhe |
bhagawati hari-vallabhe manodnye |
tribhuwana-bhUti kari praseeda mayihyam ||

This shloka is drenched and dripping in bhakti bhAv, submission, surrender, intensity.
Seated in a bluish Lotus, holding a Lotus in one hand, goad (ankush) in another, wearing pure or white clothes, fragrant pastes, and fragrant garland,
O Divine Mother (bhaga-watI), Beloved of Hari, Who understands the devotee's mind without their expressing anything, be pleased, gracious to me, O Mother of the 3 worlds.

This:

padmAnane padmavipadmapatre |
padma-priye padma-dalAyatAkshI |
vishwa-priye vishwamanonukUle |
tvad pAda padmam mayi sannidhastva ||

Lotus-faced, Seated on a Lotus in Lotus pose, untouched by blemishes like a Lotus Leaf, Lover of Lotus Flower, Whose eyes are the shape of lovely Lotus Petals, Beloved of the Universe and VishNu (remember vishwam vishNu vashaTkAram ... sahasranAma) , Whose Mind is favourable (anukUla) towards the universe, my residence is at Your Lotus Feet.

Here is another lovely kshamA-yAchanA-shlok chanted after Shri SUkta

vishNu-patneem kshamAm* devIm, mAdhaveem mAdhava-priyam |
Lakshmeem priya sakheem deveem namAmyAchuta-vallabhAm ||

Obeissances, I bow down to the Wife of VishNu, the compassionate Goddess Who is forgiveness personified (kshamA), MAdhavI - Dear One, Mother and shelter, Beloved of MAdhav - the One Who is the shelter (dhav) of ShrI (i.e. VishNu)
Goddess of Wealth, Dearest Friend, Goddess, Beloved of Achyuta - the infallible immovable One (VishNu, KRshNa, NArAyaN)

*REF: yA devi sarvabhUteshu kshamA rupeNa saMsthitA = O all-pervading Goddess Who is of the form of forgiveness
https://nitaaiveda.com/All_Scriptures_By_Acharyas/Vedas/Sri_sukta.htm

(I put these here for anyone interested.)

P.S. For Gauri's favorite food and flowers : You have to research Devi BhAgvat, and will find regional variations. My general knowledge says white fragrant flowers, aboli, yellow shevanti - fragrant yellow dailia/daisies, and especially a semi-circle 'veNi' of these flowers strung with glitter for Her hair-bun, green sAri, special day delicacies such as Gauri pUjan after GaNapati festival: puri, sweets and savories, vaDA made of lentil and wheat, sweet dosa of jaggery-wheat, sprouted legumes, veggies.

[ameyAtmA]

Lakshmi Ksheera Samudra Raaja TanayA
Sree Ranga DhaameshvarI
Daasi Bhootha Samasata Deva VanitAM
Lokaika DeepAnkurAM
Sreeman Manda Kataaksha Labdha Vibhava
Brahmendra GangaadharAM
Tvaam Trailokya KuTumbineem
SarasijAM Vande Mukunda PriyAM ~

Meaning: Goddess Lakshmi, who is the daughter of the king of the ocean of milk, whose abode is Srirangam (with Lord Ranganatha), who is served by all the divine ladies in heaven, who is the guiding light for the world, who has obtained the sustained (continued, everlasting) glance (Grace) from Brahma, Indra and Shiva, whose abode is the three worlds (Bhu, Bhuva, Suvaha) - I offer my prostrations to Thee, the beloved of Lord Krishna, the bestower of mukti (liberation), Who makes the devotee mutka, free (Mukunda).

[ADITYA_HYDSPIRITUALITY]

vishNu-patneem kshamA devIm, mAdhaveem mAdhava-priyam |
Lakshmeem priya sakheem deveem namAmyAchuta-vallabhAm ||

Obeissances, I bow down to the Wife of VishNu, the compassionate Goddess Who forgives, MAdhavI - Dear One, Mother and shelter, Beloved of MAdhav - the One Who is the shelter (dhav) of ShrI (i.e. VishNu)
Goddess of Wealth, Dearest Friend, Goddess, Beloved of Achyuta - the infallible immovable One (VishNu, KRshNa, NArAyaN)



Dear Ameyatma
Thank you for your reply. Shri sukta in original doesnt have any kshama yachana as such. The one you wrote might have been added later. Also I did read up the Durga Saptashati and it is not Mahishasur but it is Shumbha who asks Devi that She tries subduing him using external powers . And Devi Mahasaraswati(also called Kaushiki for coming out of Mother Parvatis Kosha) absorbs all Goddesses unto Herself
But thanks a lot I have learnt a lot of new shlokas because of you. I understand each Devi has certain shlokas to prove the superiority. For example even Mother Sarasvatis shloka as in Vandana has the following


Yaa Kunde[a-I]ndu-Tussaara-Haara-Dhavalaa Yaa Shubhra-Vastra-[A]avrtaa
Yaa Viinnaa-Vara-Danndda-Mannddita-Karaa Yaa Shveta-Padma-[A]asanaa |
Yaa Brahma-Acyuta-Shankara-Prabhrtibhir-Devaih Sadaa Puujitaa
Saa Maam Paatu Sarasvati Bhagavatii Nihshessa-Jaaddya-Apahaa ||1||

Meaning:
1.1: (Salutations to Devi Saraswati) Who is Pure White like Jasmine, with the Coolness of Moon, Brightness of Snow and Shine like the Garland of Pearls; and Who is Covered with Pure White Garments,
1.2: Whose Hands are Adorned with Veena (a stringed musical instrument) and the Boon-Giving Staff; And Who is Seated on Pure White Lotus,
1.3: Who is Always Adored by Lord Brahma, Lord Acyuta (Lord Vishnu), Lord Shankara and Other Devas,
1.4: O Goddess Saraswati, Please Protect me and Remove my Ignorance completely.


I also want to add that the MahaKali Mahalakshmi Mahasarasvati of the Durgasaptashati arent the same as the tridevis They are parts of Devi Durga Aim Hrim Klim Chamundayai Vicche is the beeja of Devi Durga and the seers of the mantra are the tridevas and the devatas are Mahakali Mahalakshmi and Mahasarasvati


I also came to know that the favorite leaf for Devi is Bilva and flower is Oleander. Thanks for your time

[ameyAtmA]

Gauri GAyatri Mantra (Gauri = fair, PArvati)

1. om girijAyai vidmahe shivapriyAyai dhImahI |
tanno gauri prachodayAt ||
Aum, We meditate on and contemplate, understand, learn about, (vidmahe - nidhidhyAsan) the daughter of the Mountain, beloved of Shiv, MahAdev,
We ask for your blessings, pray to you for upliftment, praise and glorify You.

2. गोरी गायत्री मंत्र :-
ॐ सुभगायै च विद्महे काममालाये धीमहि |
तन्नो गोरी प्रचोदायत ||
Om subhgAyai cha vidhmahe kAmamAlAye dhImahI |
tanno Gauri prachodayAt ||
Aum, We meditate on and contemplate, understand, learn about, (vidmahe - nidhidhyAsan) the personification of auspiciousness and source of all good luck, Who wears the garland of Her devotees' desires (always anukUla to devotees and aware of their minds, wishes - being the Mother)
We ask for your blessings, pray to you for upliftment, praise and glorify You.

PArvati GAyatri
Aum jaganmAtre vidmahe shailasutAyai dhImahI |
tannah: pArvatI prachodayAt ||
Aum, We meditate on and contemplate, understand, learn about, (vidmahe - nidhidhyAsan) the Universal Mother, daughter of the Mountain,
We ask for your blessings, pray to you for upliftment, praise and glorify You.


*You can chant this.

Another simple prayer/shlok/naam whatever you want to call it with the word Gauri :

sarva mangala mAngalye shive sarvArtha sAdhike |
sharaNye traiyambike gauri nArAyaNi namostute ||

Obeissances, prostrations to
the auspicious One
who makes everything auspicious,
the pure One (shivAA --> shive dative),
O One Who bestows , and IS the shelter of Her children (devotees, or all jivas - being prakRuti)
O One with Three Eyes, One with the third eye in ajn~A chakra,
OR
Who is the Three-fold Mother (ambikA, tri-devi - UmA (pArvati) -ramA (Shri, Lakshmi) -vANI (saraswati)) ,
O nArAyaNi, Yog-mAyA shakti of the Supreme Lord NArAyaN (destination of all nara who lies in the primordial "waters"),
O fair One!