Re: Parvati as the source, Kali and Durga as emanations?
Here is a summary of the myriad names of DevI based on her form, attributes, action and position, from the 'Hindu Classical Dictionary'. This work can be downloaded at http://www.archive.org/download/acla...00dowsuoft.pdf (41.9 MB).
DEVI. (devI) 'The goddess', or MahA-devI, 'the great goddess,' wife of the god Shiva, and daughter of Himavat, i.e., the HimAlaya mountains. She is mentioned in the MahA-bhAratA under a variety of names, and with several of her peculiar characteristics, but she owes her great distinction to the Purawas and later works.
• As the Shakti or female energy of Shiva she has two characters, one mild, the other fierce; and it is underthe latter that she is especially worshipped.
• She has a great variety of names, referable to her various forms, attributes, and actions, but these names are not always used accurately and distinctively.
• In her milder form she is UmA, 'light,' and a type of beauty; GaurI, 'the yellow or brilliant'; PArvatI, 'the mountaineer' and HaimavatI, from her parentage; Jagan-mAtA, 'the mother of the world' and Bhavani.
• In her terrible form she is DurgA, the inaccessible; KAlI and ShyAmA, 'the black'; ChaNDI and ChaNDikA, 'the fierce'; and BhairavI, the terrible.
• She has ten arms, and in most of her hands there are weapons. As DurgA she is a beautiful yellow woman, riding on a tiger in a fierce and menacing attitude. As KAlI or KAlikA, 'the black', "she is represented with a black skin, a hideous and terrible countenance, dripping with blood, encircled with snakes, hung round with skulls and human heads, and in all respects resembling a fury rather than a goddess."
• As Vindhya-vAsini,'the dweller in the Vindhyas,' she is worshipped at a place of that name where the Vindhyas approach the Ganges, near Mirzapnr. As MahA-mAyA she is the great illusion.
• The ChaNDI-mahAtmiyA, which celebrates the victories of this goddess over the Asuras, speaks of her under the following names: 1. DurgA, when she received the messengers of the Asuras. 2. Dasa-bhujA, 'Ten-armed,' when she destroyed part of their army. 3. Sinha-vAhini, 'Riding on a lion,' when she fought with the Asura general Rakta-vIja. 4. Mahisha-mardinI, 'Destroyer of Mahisha,' an Asura in the form of a buffalo. 5. Jagad-dhAtri, 'Fosterer of the world,' when she again defeated the Asura army. 6. KAlI, 'The black', She killed Rakta-vIja. 7. Mukta-keshI, 'With dishevelled hair.' Again defeats the Asuras. 8. TArA, 'Star'. She killed Shumbha. 9. Chhinna-mastakA, 'Decapitated,' the the headless form in which she killed Nishumbha. 10. JagadgaurI, 'World's fair one,' as lauded by the gods for her triumphs.
• The names which DevI obtains from her husband are: BabhravI (Babhru), BhagavatI, IshAnI, IshwarI, KAlanjarI, KapAlinI, KaushikI, KirAtI, MaheshvarI, MridA, MridAnI, RudrANI, SharvANI, ShivA, TriyambakI.
• From her origin she is called AdrijA and GirijA, 'mountain-born'; KujA, 'earth-born'; DakShajA, 'sprung from DakShA.
• She is KanyA, 'the virgin'; KanyAkumArI, 'the youthful virgin' and AmbikA, 'the mother'; AvarA, 'the youngest'; AnantA and NityA, 'the everlasting'; AryA, 'the revered'; VijayA, 'victorious'; Riddhi, 'the rich'; SatI, 'virtuous'; DakShiNA, 'right-handed'; PingA, 'tawny, dark'; KarburI, 'spotted'; BhramarI, 'the bee'; KoTarI, 'the naked'; KarNamotI, 'pearl-eared'; Padma-lAnchanA, 'distinguished by a lotus'; SarvamangaLA, 'always auspicious'; ShAkamhharI, 'nourisher of herbs'; Shiva-dUti, 'Shiva's messenger'; SinharathI, 'riding a lion';
• As addicted to austeriries she is AparNA and KAtyAyanI. As BhUtanAyakI, she is chief or leader of the goblins and as GaNanAyakI, the leader of the GaNas. She is KAmAkShi, 'wanton-eyed'; and KAmAkhyA, 'calling by the name of KAma, desire'.
• Other names, most of them applicable to her terrible forms are BhadrakAlI, BhImadevI, ChAmuNDA, MahAkAlI, MahAmArI, MahAsUrI, MAtangI, RajasI, 'the fierce' and RaktadantI, 'red or bloody toothed'.
रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥
To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.
--viShNu purANam
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