Without being religious or spiritual in the least, when we see around and observe things, we can hardly avoid the feeling that some sort of power or command is at the center without which the world outside would not have been so beautiful and perfect. I cannot say anything about others, but wherever I am, at home or outside, I have had the impression that somebody is watching all my activities with wide-open eyes peeping through the blue sky and white clouds. This silent watcher may be God, Nature, or some other power that has always remained beyond man’s ken and imagination. Science may still be on the lookout for such a power, but religion has ascribed it to God or the Almighty who has no beginning and end and is omnipresent and omniscient. In Hindu mythology, this power is multi-dimensional. Although the Vaishnava and Saiva sects consider Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva to be the source of this power, ‘Devi Tattwa’ makes Devi or the Mother Goddess the supreme power with Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, the Trinity offshoots from Her. Devi Tattwa, for being understood, needs deep insight into the holy books written on Her. But in its simplest form, it is the presence of a Mother who is present all around, originates, and takes care of Her offspring. No creation is possible without a mother being in union with a male power. So we respect and worship Her, and She has dominated our psyche since time immemorial.
Though ‘Devi Tattwa’ has been conceived and elaborated in later times, we may trace its origin in primitive times when man was not yet civilized. He ate fruits and raw meat in the jungles before the invention of fire and agriculture. The forces of nature like the rains, thunderstorms, floods, earthquakes, etc., must have created a sense of awe in him. At his wit’s end, he must have sought shelter under somebody who could provide him with protection from the forces of nature. Since the unruly nature was beyond his control, he must have considered it to be a divine ordain. He lived in groups, and the institution of marriage or some sort of living together as man and wife might not have developed at this primitive stage. So the first person known to him was definitely the mother to whom he was close and sat in her laps in moments of fear. Though there must have been a man in his creation, he might not have recognized him in the group. Though the male and female power seem to have developed at the same time, the female power or mother is bound to get more prominence. Just like the mother at home or in the group, he has developed the idea of a female power who is loving and caring with the capacity to protect him from the forces of nature and all dangers. This has led him to install the mother goddess as a piece of stone either in a grove or under a tree. The tradition has continued even till this day, and we can see Her being worshipped as ‘Gramadevi’ or ‘Gramadevati.’ Even during the Indus Valley Civilization, the worship of the mother goddess and a male deity conforming to Lord Shiva has been confirmed from the archaeological excavations. The concept of ‘Banadurga’ drives home the point that primitive man installed Her as his savior in the jungles for protection against wild animals and other nomadic groups. We may take it as the origin of the mother goddess minus the Tattwa, which is only a development of later times. Devi Tattwa in its critical form seems to have developed through the early Vedic, later Vedic, and even the later ages.
India is a country of deep religious faith, and the concept of the mother goddess cannot be an exception to it. Throughout the length and breadth of the country, people’s respect for the mother goddess in her various manifestations is enormous, be it Vaishno Devi, Kamakhya Devi, Kali, or Jwala Devi. In the Jwala Devi Peetha of Himachal Pradesh, it is believed that the lamps have been burning without any fuel since the time of the Pandavas, dating back to five thousand years ago. Through the ages, it has surprised the rulers of Delhi, the British government, and even the Indian government after independence. Efforts have been made to locate gas underground which might be providing fuel to the lamps, which has not met with much success. The temple does not have any statue of Devi for worship. But there are nine flames continuously burning without any gas or oil being added to it. Search for gas or oil in nearby areas has not confirmed availability of the same in plenty. It is believed that Mughal emperor Akbar had tried to put out the flames by water and other means but failed. He had to retreat with his army but not before developing a faith in the Devi. The flames are believed to be natural and automatic. Even if it is proved that some gas or oil is behind the scene, this will never affect people’s faith in Her. India is replete with many such places with miracles which even in this age of science never fail to augment man’s faith in religion and God. Just four to five kilometers from the city of Sambalpur in the western part of Odisha, there is the Peetha of Devi Limsarien. It is believed that if any valuable has been lost, the same will be found on remembering the Devi. Faith has been a highly admired quality in the Indian tradition, and people’s faith in the mother goddess has never waned.
In life, certain incidents take place which, though confusing, make one strongly believe in the supernatural. During my service period in All India Radio, I have met with one such incident. Every year on Mahasaptami, All India Radio broadcasts a Dawn Programme on Devi Durga. I had come to the office early in the morning since the program was to start at 4.30 AM. There was some initial problem, but the program started in time. The shift duty staff were in their respective seats. I returned home and switched on the radio set to listen to the program. At around 5 AM, there was a knock on the door. When I opened it, the maid entered the house. I asked her to complete work and go. Then I continued to listen to the program. The maid completed her daily work and went. Since I had woken up early, I was feeling sleepy. The program was over by 6 AM, and I fell into a deep slumber. At around 7.30 AM, there was another knock on the door. I opened the door and was surprised to see the maid once again. I could not say anything. She completed her work and went. Till this day, I am not yet able to know whether the incident was real or a hallucination. Sometimes I am forced to think that since I was instrumental in starting the program on time despite a technical problem, Devi Durga had appeared in the form of the maid to bless me. Though I cannot say anything for certain about it, such incidents definitely make one develop faith in God.
The concept of the mother goddess can be found in its earliest form in the Greek tradition as early as the 7th century BCE. The earth and nature or Prakriti are also considered to be mother goddesses the way they take care of human beings and animals from birth to death. In the Indian subcontinent, the concept was very much in prevalence during the time of Sindhu Sabhyata or the Indus Valley Civilization. Later, in the early Vedic period, the concept further developed. In the Rigveda, She has been referred to as ‘Mahimata’ or great mother. In addition to the ancient holy books which sing the glory of the mother goddess, much research and writing have been done on Her by modern scholars. The concept has undergone a change in the Hindu tradition. Earth as Bhumi and Nature as Prakriti have retained their importance. Samkhya philosophy and Tantra have been associated with the concept. She, along with the Purusha Shakti, is behind all creations. The mother goddess is a savior. Shaktism believes that Devi is supreme and creates, preserves, and destroys. Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh are but offshoots from Her. It is really hard to understand Devi Tattwa. She is at a stretch Saraswati, Laxmi, Parvati, Durga, Kali, and others. She has the capacity to defy even the Hindu Trinity. As Kali, She has stepped over even Lord Shiva, who is Her husband. There are fifty-one Shakti Peethas in India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh where the pieces of Sati’s body are believed to have fallen. Lord Vishnu had cut it to pieces with his Sudarshan Chakra when Lord Shiva carried the dead body in His arms and danced furiously.
The concept of the mother goddess has been deep-rooted in India, and people have a great deal of respect and reverence for Her. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, She is present and worshipped everywhere. Even in every village, She sits and protects Her children as the village goddess, ‘Gramadevi’ or ‘Gramadevati.’ Certain village goddesses have also become extremely popular in the course of time. Festivals like Navratra and Durga Puja are celebrated with great pomp and splendor every year in different parts of India. The mother goddess, who gives birth to, nourishes, and protects Her children from all evils, will always retain Her sacred and revered place in the Indian psyche and tradition. She has always been an epitome of power, a great source of strength, and inspiration for the people.
(The views expressed are the writer’s own)
Mr. Prafulla Kumar Majhi,
Retired Asst. Director, A. I. R, is an eminent Scholar and freelance writer in English & Odia. His areas of interests are sociocultural, economic, literary, historical and analytical studies and writings.
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