Shailaputri

Mothers. We would probably never be able to write about them in this segment because then we wouldn’t be able to justify the ‘wee’ in WEECOGNITION. But here is a thing, whether we are a believer of a specific faith or an atheist, in some way or the other, we owe to our mother for whatever we are, today. So, in these nine days we invite you to be a part of this little experiment in which we would try to uncover nine aspects of mother.

• The first day of Navratri is about Mata Shailaputri, a source of inception of Adi Shakti, the primordial force governing the universe. Here is all that you need to know about Mata Shailaputri –

• After the self-immolation as Goddess Sati, Goddess Parvati took birth as the daughter of Lord Himalaya. In Sanskrit Shail means the mountain and due to which Goddess was known as Shailaputri, the daughter of the mountain..

• The mount of Goddess Shailaputri is bull and because of that she is also known as Vrisharudha (वृषारूढ़ा). Goddess Shailputri is depicted with two hands. She carries Trishul in the right hand and the lotus flower in the left hand.

• There is an interesting story from which Mata gets her name. When Mata Parvati was in her teens, she was playing hide and seek with her friends near the foothills of Himalaya (her father). When she was seeking for her friends, she saw a cow who was horrified and restless. When Mata followed the cow, she reached a valley where she saw the carcass of thousands of cows. She learned that a demoness Tarika was eating them up. Tarika was sent by her brother Tarakasur to kill Mata because his death was destined to be by the hands of the offspring of Mata and Lord Shiva. Tarika, upon seeing Mata assumed her most cruel form and attempted to kill the cow which informed Mata about the valley. Mata, to protect the cow and the rest of the herd took the form of a Shail (a mini mountain resembling her father, Himalaya) and saved the herd from the attacks of Tarika. This went on for a few hours. Until then Himavan ( another name of King Himalaya) reached the scene along with his subjects. He decided to kill Tarika but before he could wield his sword, the Shail broke and Mata appeared in the form which is now known as Shailaputri. Trident in one hand and lotus in the other, she killed Tarika in a single strike of her trident. This is how she got the name of Shailaputri.

• The immense commitment of Mata Shailaputri to save a cow established the code that is followed till today of not killing the cow. Killing of the cow is treated same as Brahmahatya.

• Mata Shailaputri is regarded as the goddess of nature. Her abode is Muladhara Chakra, an energy which exists in all human beings but remains latent. Its color is crimson. The Tattva (element) is Earth, with the Guna (quality) of coherence, and with the Bheda (distinct) characteristics of Ghraana(the smell).

• The Muladhara Chakra is the first stage to be realised during yogic meditation. Since, it is the the first stage, therefore Mata Shailaputri is worshipped on the first day of Navratri(best nine days to seek Siddhi).

20