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Dear Bhagavatas,

I would like to share a pramana from the Laksmi Tantra, a text from 
the Pancaratra Agama, which may answer the doubt about worshipping 
Mahisamardini Durga.  The doubt seems to be based on a 
misunderstanding about the identity of Mahisamardini Durga.  
Hopefully this pramana will remove all doubts from the minds and 
hearts of all the Bhagavatas.

Please consider the following discussion, which is divided into four 
sections.

Section 1  The authority of the Pancaratra Agama.
Section 2  The authority and special characteristics of the Laksmi 
Tantra.
Section 3  The pramana which establishes the identity of 
Mahisamardini Durga.
Section 4  Conclusion. 

Section 1  The authority of the Pancaratra Agama.

Sri Yamunacarya in his Agamapramanyam and Sri Vedanta Desika in his 
Sri Pancaratraraksa have established the authority of the Pancaratra 
Agama.  No more evidence is needed to establish this statement.

Section 2 The authority and special characteristics of the Laksmi 
Tantra.

The Laksmi Tantra is a Pancaratra text that may be considered 
especially authoritative for the following reasons.

2.1 The Laksmi Tantra is extensively quoted as a pramana by Vedanta 
Desika in his Srimad Rahasyatrayasara.

2.2 The Srivaisnava scholar V. Krishnamacharya did a critical 
edition of the Laksmi Tantra.  The reference to this text is as 
follows.

2.2.1  Krishnamacharya, V. editor.  Laksmi-Tantra, A Pancaratra 
Agama.  Madras: The Adyar Library and Research Center, 1959.

2.2.2 In his Sanskrit introduction to the Laksmi Tantra. Pandit V. 
Krishnamacharya makes the following statement.  "Many passages from 
this (Laksmitantra) are taken and explained in works on Srivaisnava 
tradition and in particular in the Rahasyatrayasara, Nikseparaksa, 
and others on the topic of prapatti and are interpreted.  This text 
is found therefore to enjoy validity in regard to the doctrines of 
the Pancaratra system and is accepted by the disciplined."  
Varadacharya, V.  Laksmimahima The Glory of Laksmi (English 
rendering to Pandit V. Krishnamacharya's Sanskrit Bhumika to the 
Laksmi Tantra).  Pondicherry, 1996, page 139.

2.2.3  By providing a critical edition based on a number of 
manuscripts, Pandit V. Krishnamacharya has made certain that the 
pramana quoted below is not an interpolation and is an authentic 
part of the Laksmi Tantra.

Section 3 The pramana which establishes the identity of 
Mahisamardini Durga.

Chapter 9 of the Laksmi Tantra is a declaration by Sri (shrIh) about 
the special forms She takes in order to resolve special problems.  
Verses 8 to 12 and verse 37 make up the pramana that I am citing in 
order to establish the identity of Mahesamardini Durga.
Professor Sanjuka Gupta has translated these verses as follows:

Beginning of quote

8-11 These are my three supreme forms, as classified by the three 
gunas.  O Sakra, during the reign of Svayambhuva (Manu), for the 
benefit of all worlds, I, Mahalaksmi, appeared as Mahisamardini.  
The elements of my sakti inherent in each god combined to constitute 
my dazzlingly beautiful form (of Mahisamardini).  O king of gods, 
the saktis belonging to the special weapons of each god turned into 
my weapons without undergoing change of form.  Worshipped by the 
gods I, in that form (Mahisamardini), instantaneously slew the 
(demon) Mahisa.

12 Then the laudatory hymn (addressed) to the slayer of Mahisa, 
which opens with the words devaya yaya etc. and fulfills every wish, 
was revealed to all the gods including Indra and the sages.

37.  Whereupon I shall indeed slay the great demon called Durga and 
gain renown as the goddess Durga.

End of quote

The quote given above is from: Gupta, Sanjukta.  Laksmi Tantra, A 
Pancaratra Text.  Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1972.  pages 49-50; 52.

Below is the Sanskrit text of these verses from pages 32 and 33 of 
Pandit V. Krishnamacharya's critical edition of the Laksmi Tantra, 
transliterated following the 5.3 version of ITRANS.

Verses 8-11
guNatrayavibhAgena rUpametatparaM mama  |
mahAlakShmIrahaM shakra punaH svAy.Nbhuve (a)ntare  ||
hitAya sarvalokAnAM jAtA mahiShamardanI  |
madIyA shaktileshA ye tattaddevasharIragAH  ||
sambhUya  te mamAbhUvan rUpaM paramashobhanam  |
AyudhAni ca devAnAM yAni yAni sureshvara  ||
tacchaktayastadAkArA AyudhAni mamAbhavan  |
abhiShTutA suraiH sAhaM mahiShaM  jaghnuShI kShaNAt  ||

Verse 12
mahiShAntakarIsUktaM sarvasiddhipradaM tadA  |
devyA yayA dikaM dRRiShTaM sendrairdevaiH saharShibhiH  ||

Verse 37
tatraiva  ca haniShyAmi durgamAkhyaM mahAsuram  |
durgAdevIti vikhyAtiM tato yAsyAmyahaM bhuvi  ||


Section 4  Conclusion

In the Laksmi Tantra?a text favored by Vedanta Desika himself?Sri 
declares that She appeared as Mahisamardini.  As a form of Sri and 
Mahalaksmi, Mahisamardini Durga is certainly worthy of vandana and 
aradhana.  This pramana should remove the misunderstanding about the 
identity of Mahisamardini Durga that is the basis of the doubt 
concerning Her worship.   Since all Vaisnavas will happily worship 
any form of Narayana, Sri, or Bhudevi, they should also be able to 
offer worship to Mahisamardini Durga?as a form of Sri---without any 
doubts in their minds about its appropriateness.  

I gathered this information over my lunch hour.  This is the best I 
can do without spending more time researching this topic.  I think 
that the pramana that I have presented has adequately addressed the 
doubt.  If I have made errors in preparing this, I apologize in 
advance.

Respectfully,

Robert D. Evans











 
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