Chapter 29 - The worship of Caṇḍikā

This chapter continues the exposition on Durgāpūjā, treating the worship of Caṇḍikā,^[1] as it is discussed in the Du.Bh.T.^[2]

Bhairava says that one should worship Durgā along with her manifestations on a lotus-shaped diagram by means of her nine-syllabled mantra. The nine Caṇḍīs are Rudracaṇḍā, Pracaṇḍā, Caṇḍogrā, Caṇḍanāyikā, Caṇḍā, Caṇḍavatī, Caṇḍarūpā, Aticaṇḍā and Ugracaṇḍā. In the middle of the lotus is worshipped Ugracaṇḍā with her eighteen arms, and in the petals are worshipped the other Caṇḍīs, each with sixteen arms Ugracaṇḍā holds a kheṭaka, a ghaṇṭā, a mirror (ādarśa), tarjanī mudrā, a dhanu, a banner (dhvaja), a ḍamarū and a pāśa with the left hands, and a śakti, a tumbura, a śūla, a vajra, a khaḍga, an aṅkuśa, a śara, a cakra and a peg (śalākā) with her right arms The others Caṇḍīs hold the same weapons, except the ḍamarū and tarjanī mudrā. Ugracaṇḍā is reddish, while the others eight goddesses are respectively black, blue, white, grey, yellow, yellowish and red. Ugracaṇḍā stands on a lion in ālīḍha pose^[3] and holds Mahiṣāsura by the hair (1-8’).

First, one should first worship Caṇḍikā in the middle of the lotus; then the other Caṇḍīs on the maṇḍala of the Goddess starting from the east; thus the nine Goddesses starting with Jayantī; the weapons, the ornaments, the attendants and the vehicles of the Goddess; the Nine Planets and the ten directional guardians; Bhairava and Bhairavī; and the Sixty-four Yoginīs (vv.8"-25’).

In verses 25"-95’ are described the Sixty-four Yoginīs, which here are Vijayā, Maṅgalā, Bhadrā, Dhṛti, Śānti, Śivā, Kṣamā, Siddhi, Padmāsanā Devī, Tuṣṭi, Umā, Puṣṭi, Śrī, Ṛddhi, Rati, Dīptā, Kānti, Yaśā, Lakṣmī, Īśvarī, Vṛddhi, Śākri, Jayāvatī, Brahmī, Jayantī, Aparājitā, Ajitā, Mānasī, Diti, Māyā, Mohinī, Lālasā, Tārā, Gaurī, Śaraṇyā, Kauśikī, Mati, Durgā, Kriyā, Ghaṇṭā, Karṇā, Kapālinī, Raudrī, Kālī, Mayūrī, Svarūpā, Bahurūpā, Ripuhā, Ambikā, Carcikā, Surapūjitā, Vaivasvatī, Kaumārī, Tridaṇḍī, Māheśvarī, Vaiṣṇavī, Mahālakṣmī, Kapālinī, [Kārtikī, Kauśikī], Śivadūtī, Śivā, Cāmuṇḍā and Raudrī.

It is said that the pūjā of the Sixty-four Yoginīs gives the same results as does the Śivapūjā.

Then in verses 95"-118’ are portrayed the eight Mātṛs, which are Brahmāṇī, Māheśvarī, Kaumārī, Vaiṣṇavī, Vārāhī, Indrāṇī, Cāmuṇḍā and Kālī. It is said that the Aṣṭamātṛkā should be worshipped together with Vināyaka and Vīreśvara. After the Eight Mātṛs, one should worship Bhairava, women, young maidens and brāhamaṇas.

These Aṣṭamātṛkā are elsewhere^[4] known as Brāhmī, Māheśvarī, Kaumārī, Vaiṣṇavī, Vārāhī, Indrāṇī, Cāmuṇḍā and Mahālakṣmī: these are the Mothers of the Universe (Viśvamātara). In the Caṇḍikātantra they are called Brāhmāṇī, Māheśvarī, Kaumārī, Vaiṣṇavī, Vārāhī, Nārasiṃhī, Aindrī and Śivadūtī. Their Bhairava is Pāṇḍunātha.

The chapter continues speaking of the weapons of the Goddess (vv.118"-127).

In verses 118"-119’ it is said that the Goddess granted the boon to the demon Mahiṣa to be always worshipped together with her.

Verses 119"-121’ tells of the weapons of Mahiṣāsuramardinī, when she has ten arms; these are triśūla, khaḍga, bāṇa, śakti, kheṭaka, cāpa, pāśa, aṅkuśa, ghaṇṭā and paraśu.

In verses 121"-123’ it is said that when the Goddess is portrayed with two arms, she carries khaḍga and gadā, or pāśu and śūla, or dhanu and bāṇa, or ghaṇṭa and cakra, or vajra and daṇḍa.

Verses 123"-127 say that the weapons of the ten-armed Mahiṣāsuramardinī are the kartṛkā, mudgara (hammer), kunta (spear), kuṭhāra (spade), tarjanīmudrā, ḍamarū, śakti, padma, abhayamudrā and darpaṇa. The Goddess can be represented mounting on one or two lions, or sitting on a lotus. She is accompanied by the Sixty-four Yoginīs or only by Jayā and Vijayā, and she is portrayed while in the act of combat.

Then it is spoken about kumārī pūjā (vv.128-137); in verse 128 it is said that the Goddess is not pleased by homa, dāna and japa, but rather by the worship of a young maiden.

Verses 138-180 explain the balidāna.

Verses 181-185 speak about the importance of praṇāma; in verse 184 it is said that the vīra attains the results of all the sacrifices by just prostrating to the Goddess.

The chapter concludes with a hymn to Durgā (vv.186-199).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

According to the Du.Bh.T., the Caṇḍikāpūjā should be made on Aṣṭamī and Navamī of the month of Āśvina.

[2]:

The twenty-ninth chapter includes pp.57-185 of the Du.Bh.T. (Vārāṇasī: saṃvat 2058).

[3]:

The ālīḍha pose is with the right knee advanced and and the left leg drawn back.

[4]:

The Du.Bh.T. says, in the Pañcarātra Tradition.