Kaushiki

'Kaushiki (MahaSaraswati) is a Hindu goddess. She is an affiliation and emerged from goddess Parvati Devi. Her beauty had attracted many asuras who met her as messengers in her glittering beautiful palace. She was a great woman warrior, raised on her fierce lion or tiger. This form of her fierce fire was the essence of her beauty. There are many temples for her worship. She also has 8 hands and Trishula, chakra, pestle, etc. in them. She is also known as Goddess Ambika in SkandaPuran and Devi Mahatmya (from Markandeya Purana) who appeared from the body of Parvati and slayed the demons Shumbh and Nishumbh. She is also called Jwala Devi at her Shakti Peetha location. According to the Devi Mahatmya, her daughter is Chamunda, a goddess who was originally a deity of only some tribes in India.

Kaushiki
Goddess of Vengeance & Victory
AffiliationDevi
Parvati.
WeaponTrishul, bell, bow and arrow, plough, pestle, conch, discus
MountTiger or lion
ConsortShiva

Birth

The story of Kaushiki's birth is mentioned in the Matsya Purana and Markandeya Purana, with both the texts different. As in the Matsya Purana, Parvati once performed austerities and meditation to become fair (Gouri). It is said that from the skin she sloughed off from her body emerged the beautiful and dark-complexioned goddess Kaushiki.[1] After that, Kaushiki went to Vindhyas and slayed Shumbha and Nishumbha, two demons who had gained the boon of immortality from Brahma. The same is in the Shiva Purana.[2][3]

In the Markandeya Purana, once when the asuras (demons) drove the gods out of the heavens, they sought the help of Parvati. Pleased by them, she appeared, and from the cells (koshas) of her body emerged the beautiful goddess Ambika, who declared that she would marry him who managed to defeat her in battle. Later she slayed the demons and the gods could return to the heavens.[4][5]

See also

References
  1. Wangu, Madhu Bazaz (2003). Images of Indian goddesses : myths, meanings and models. New Delhi: Abhinav Publications. p. 185. ISBN 81-7017-416-3.
  2. Jones, Constance A.; Ryan, James D. (2007). "Virashaivas". Encyclopedia of Hinduism. New York, NY: Facts On File. p. 489. ISBN 0-8160-5458-4.
  3. Sinha, A. K. (2009). Approaches to history, culture, art and archaeology. New Delhi: Anamika Publishers. p. 500.
  4. Mitter, Sara S. (1991). Dharma's daughters : contemporary Indian women and Hindu culture (2. print. ed.). New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press. p. 78. ISBN 0-8135-1677-3.
  5. Kinsley, David (1 December 1975). "Freedom from Death in the Worship of Kali". Numen. 22 (3): 183. doi:10.2307/3269544.
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