She is known by many names and is worshipped by many people as both a consort of Siva and as the Mother Goddess on her own. There is no direct reference to her in the Rigveda, but she is mentioned as Uma Haimavathi, the daughter of Himavat, who declares the greatness of Brahman to the gods in the Kenopanishad.

Parvati was Dakshayani in her previous incarnation, according to Hindu legend. Dakshayani was Daksha and Prasuti’s daughter. Despite her father’s objections, she married Siva. According to legend, Daksha once performed a sacrifice and invited all gods to attend. During the ceremony, he makes an insulting remark about Siva, who has not been invited to attend. Dakshyani immolates herself in front of everyone because she cannot bear the insult to her husband. Her next birth is as Parvati, and through her penances and austerities, she wins over Siva and marries him again.

The Seven Aspects of Parvati

Brahmi, Mahesvari, Kaumari, Vaisnavi, Vahahi, Narasimhi, and Aindri are thought to be the seven manifestations of Kali, who is Parvati in her terrible form. These goddesses were created by the combined energies of seven different gods (Brahman, Siva, Kumara, Vishnu, and Varaha) who wanted to assist Kali in her fight against Raktabija, a powerful demon. These goddesses share the basic characteristics of the gods from whom they descended and wield the same weapons as their counterparts.

The Ten Aspects of Parvati

The Tantras discuss ten powers known as dasamahavidyas, or ten great branches of knowledge. Kali, Tara, Sodasi, Bhuvanesvari, Bhairavi, Chinnamasta, Dhumavathi, Bagala, Matangi, and Kamala are among them.

Annapurna, Aparajita, Bala, Bhadrakali, Bhutamata, Chamunda, Gayatri, Indrakshi, Jagadhatri, Kamesvari, Katyayani, Manonmani, Rajarajesvari, and Sivaduti are other names for Parvati. She is the personification of food and the source of all food as Annapurna. The Kasi Annapurna is a well-known mountain. Gayatri is the Gayatri Mantra’s presiding deity.

Durga

Durga is Parvati’s Mother Goddess aspect. She is associated with a great deal of tradition, dating back to the prevedic period. The purana Devibhagavatham is entirely dedicated to her. This is also true of Devimahatyam, also known as Durgasaptasathi. Durga is the Mother of All, universal love personified, and is regarded as superior to even the Trinity by her devotees. She defeated the demon Mahishasura, the bull-headed demon who was causing havoc throughout the worlds and who no god could defeat.

She fought the demon and defeated him while riding a ferocious lion and wielding numerous weapons in multiple hands. One of the most popular Hindu festivals, Dussehara, is celebrated to commemorate the triumph of good over evil. Durga is also known as Mahishasuramardini as a result of her victory (slayer of Mahisha). She also slew several demons, including Chanda and Munda, Sumbha and Nisumbha, and established herself as a terror to all evil in the universe.

Durga, the creator of the universe and the Highest Self, has her own trinity represented by Mahasarasvathi, Mahalakshmi, and Mahakali. They are not counterparts to Brahma, Vishnu, or Mahesh, but are regarded as the Trinity Itself by her devotees, representing the creative, preservative, and destructive aspects of Durga as Iswari or Mahadevi.

Kali

Durga has many aspects, some of which we have already discussed while discussing Parvati’s aspects. Her most dreadful aspect is Mahakali. Mahakali is a ferocious goddess with ten faces and feet, a garland of skulls or slain heads dangling around her neck, her hands holding various destructive weapons, and one foot resting on the body of a fallen Siva.

Lalitha

Lalitha is Durga’s manifestation of all that is beautiful, brilliant, soft, and refined. She is mostly worshipped in South India and is associated with Sri Chakra. According to legend, she was born from the midst of a disc of brilliance during an Indra sacrifice. She married Kamesvara, Lord Siva in his sensual form. She is also credited with the demon Bhandasura’s death and the destruction of his city Sonitapura. She lives in Sripura, a city created by Visvakarma and her husband. Lalitha is depicted as a beautiful goddess, holding a sugarcane stem, an arrow, the goad (ankusa), and a noose, with Srichakra drawn at her feet.

Sri Chakra

Sri Chakra is a geometric pattern believed to be invested with the power of the Devi and possess the capacity to manifest desired reality if it is worshipped in a proper manner accompanied by appropriate mantras. People use these patterns known as yantras as amulets and protective devices against evil spirits and adverse conditions. Each devi has her own Yantra. People are advised to exercise caution while dealing with these powerful sources of spiritual energy for they may cause immense harm to an innocent worshipper if he or she does not know how to worship them or use inappropriate mantras or rituals. What we have presented here is a copy of the Sri Chakra without the associated sacred syllables.