India is widely known for its particular and intricate qualities – its large population, one of the oldest living religions in the world, cows comfortably walking around the streets… I would like to highlight another fact I find fascinating – Indian goddesses.
A frequently asked question: How many gods are there in Hinduism?
This question is frequently asked, though the answer is not an easy one. It is popularly said that there are 33 millions of gods!! (can you believe that, 33 millions? I don’t think it’s far from the truth,though). Actually, it is a symbolic way of expressing the fact, bear with me.
What it really means is that the number 33 (this number is of great importance in Hinduist symbolism) represents 33 main deities in the ancient Vedic texts.
They can be grouped as follows:
- 2 Ashvins: dioses gemelos de la medicina (montan un carro tirado por caballos dorados)
- 8 Vasus (representado por la naturaleza y sus elementos)
- 11 Rudras (formas del dios Shiva)
- 12 Adityas (deidades cósmicas)
Altogether there are 33 of them. Honoring their magnificence and omnipresence, over the years and generations, it was assumed that there were actually 33 million of them (grandiloquence in its purest 😉 ).
One might say that in Hinduism there is not an exact number of gods. There are countless, depending on their avatars (different representations of the same god) and on the region, some gods are typically worshiped by certain tribes, or some of them have locally based forms and are not commonly known. To sum up, there are around 12 main deities from which the rest of them derive.
Indian Goddesses
Since we are talking about the goddesses of India, there is a very special concept we need to address. The word ‘Shakti’.
‘Shakti’ is the primary feminine energy, represented by all the goddesses in different ways. It can be compassionate and fierce at the same time, or powerful and motherly. It dwells in each one of them, and in each one of us indeed. It is inherent to all women.
It is unique to the goddesses of India, and it is even said to be more powerful than the masculine energy.
I find this very interesting for such a patriarchal and dominating society as Hinduism is. This idea is held in high regard and fundamental in prayer, vital divine energy and power of feminine energy development.
In this video we can see DURGA
Indian Goddesses
I’m going to make a brief overview of some of the quintessential Goddesses of India, listing their characteristics. Bear in mind that as it happens with mudras, they never have one single meaning, it is context dependent with several meaning possibilities.
- DURGA: represents power, protection and destruction of evil.
- LAKSMI: represents wealth, prosperity and beauty. She is Vishnu’s wife.
- SARASWATI: represents wisdom, art and knowledge. She is Brahma’s wife.
- KALI: represents time, death, deliverance and transformation.
- PARVATI: represents love, fertility, devotion and the divine Mother. She is Shiva’s wife.
- SITA: represents faithfulness, virtue and feminine energy.
- RADHA: represents divine love and the purest devotion.
- GANGA: represents the river Ganges and spiritual purification.
- ANNAPURNA: represents food, nourishment and generosity.
You’ve probably heard of some of them, or never heard about others.
Each one of them has her own iconographical portrayal and are worshiped in specific ways, with mantras and rituals. And of course, ‘SHAKTI’ dwells in all of them.
ADI SHAKTI MANTRA
Adi Shakti, Adi Shakti, Adi Shakti, Namo Namo
Sarab Shakti, Sarab Shakti, Sarab Shakti, Namo Namo
Pritham Bhagvati, Pritham Bhagvati, Pritham Bhagvati, Namo Namo
Kundalini Mata Shakti, Mata Shakti, Namo Namo
It portrays the original creative power, as well as the protecting and benevolent power of the mother, and indeed the vital and divine kundalini energy that we all have.
I invite you to explore some of the goddesses related aspects of dance and their movement in my integral course MANTRIC DANCE.
