Wednesday 13 July 2016

Durga Suktam - The Vibrance of Shakti



In the Vedas,we come across verses ( called riks ) related to the Lord Agni and Mother Durga . These verses are combined into a very powerful hymn called ' Durga Suktam '.Durga suktam comes as a portion in the Mahanarayana Upanishhad of the Krishna Yajur Veda.

Video : Durga Suktam recitation by my students in Kriyalakshmi Shree Sai Gurukul,Setapak,Malaysia

Recition of Durga Suktam and the meditation upon it will bring you to explosive experiences.The grace of Shakti can never be devoid to one who recites Durga Suktam.

Durga Suktam praises and describes Lord Agni and His role as a 'boatman' who ferries us towards enlightenment or mukti.

Agni is the one who connects us with the divine.This is the reason why so much importance is given to Agni in rituals and worships.



* Saint Vallalar attained enlightenment when He got His eyes fixed to the Deepa Aaradhana done in Chidambaram NaTaraja Temple*

Agni, the God of Fire, represents Kriya Shakti - The power of action.Mother Durga is the very form of Kriya Shakti.She empowers the entire universe.This is why Shiva is Shava ( corpse ) without Shakti.Hence the reason why Agni and Mother Durga are seen as One in the Vedas.

Here is a clip of Durga Suktam recitation by the famed Challakere Brothers  : 



Technology can do wonders. Below is a clip of Kum.Shravanti reciting the Durga Suktam. She learnt it independently through my WhatsApp class as her local priests prohibit women from learning Vedas.



Smt Kavita who also learnt through Whatsapp :


Ms Anita :


Durga Suktam infuses you with the grace of Shakti very quickly. You could say it is like a direct call to the Divine Mother.


Durga suktam is commonly recited in elaborate rituals - such as abhisheka ( ritual bathing of consecrated idol ) , pujas, yagyas and so on.

It serves as a very important hymn in the Shri Vidya parampara.

Over a cup of coffee talk 

Durga Suktam has always been an important lesson in my Veda Classes.It holds infinite potential which can awaken many dimensions in one's life.Even today, the verses of Durga Suktam serve as an umbilical cord to the Divine Mother for me.As I quoted from experience,one who recites the Durga Suktam and meditates upon it can never be devoid of Her divine grace.She literally comes rushing upon the vibrations of the suktam which fills the ether.

I first taught this suktam to the students of a small Vedam group.This was back in AIMST University,around 2015.It was Navaratri and we gathered to perform abhisheka for a small vigraha of Mother Durga.We recited Durga Suktam in a loop until the abhisheka found completion.The momentum was very intense.We collected the abhisheka residue in a plastic cup.

The plastic cup toppled by accident post abhisheka.The abhisheka liquid poured and painted the table.It gracefully formed an image of a deity.We tried cracking our heads to figure out the deity formed but failed at every instance.

I took a photo of it and months later,realised that it was the literal cosmic form of Lord Agni.


The Cosmic form of Agni.

Unfortunately,I lost the picture I took.Will upload if I rediscover it by miracle.

Narrations aside,the momentum we built through the continuous recitation of Durga Suktam ( which could have gone up to 18 times ) is something beyond the physical dimension.It is something which transformed my being completely.

Why recite it? Can't I just go through the meanings?

The beauty of Vedas lies in its sound aspect. Vedas are literally the sound waves that reverberate with the cosmos. They were heard by ancient Sages who then orally transferred this sound-bound knowledge to disciples. This is why they are known as Shrutis ( that which was heard ). This is also why Veda chanting is bound to intonations ( uprise and downfall of pitches). Other forms of prayers which are not from Vedas do not have this rule ( eg.Lalitha Sahasranamam )

If you read, it is nothing different from reading a good philosophy.No experience in you is triggered. If you chant it, the truths of the Vedas are realized by the very reciter.

Reading and knowing is different from reciting and letting the sound of the Vedas erupt the very experience in you.

The mantra ( sound energy ) is the pendrive through which cosmic data is transferred into the chanter.


17 comments:

  1. very nice post! During the festival of Navratri, Me along with my mother visit Goddess Durga Temple near to our house and offer prayers by chanting durga mantra so as to seek her blessings.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Durga mantra is a vague term and not all mantras are part of the vedas.

      Eg. Durga suktam is from the vedas while ashtakams are not.

      Vedas constitute the sound waves in the cosmos and they were heard by sages in meditation who then orally transmitted them.

      This article is specific to the potent of vedas.

      Delete
  2. I chant Durga Suktam everyday.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Pahli Shailputri Kehlawe !
    Doosri Bhramcharni Man Bhawe !!
    Tisri Chandraghanta Shubh Naam !
    Chauthi Kushmanda Sukhdham !!
    Panchvi Devi Askand Mata !


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  4. can durga suktam chant by women?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Any portion of the Vedas,including Durga Suktam can and should be recited by women.

      Amongst the rishis who heard the vedas as sound waves from the cosmos were women.

      Delete
    2. We recited durga suktam every Monday in school prayer when I was 10 years old . I am grateful to that principal who made it mandatory...it had been my favourite all along

      Delete
  5. How many times one should chant Durga suktham ?

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  6. can u post experineces of yours or others when reciting durga suktam

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  7. Beautiful Description of the Importance of Durga Suktam !!!

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  8. no paralell. simply recite , repeat ,the joy is personal and benefit is personal and impersonal. amma in 2to 3 mantras and the rest to agni. durga is Agnisambhava and hence she wields as much energy and more that of Agni suryabimbe pasyet durgambikam. om.

    ReplyDelete