190. Durgā
Durgā, the famous Goddess protecting human prosperity and intelligence, is the virgin form of Devi. Mary of Christianity, or Mariyamma of the Hindus, is the same virgin aspect. The word Mari means the Killer. Misery is the object of destruction.
191. Duḥkhahantrī
Devi kills the misery. Misery comes out of attachment to worldly possessions, or to bodily comforts, or to mental imagery, or to individual life. By removing the ignorance concerning these imagined forms, Devi eliminates the misery of the human condition.
192. Sukhapradā
Sukha means pleasure which is distinct from bliss. Intense pleasure may be likened to bliss. These words differ in degree of intensity of experience. Devi not only eliminates misery, but also gives pleasure of this life.
193. Duṣṭadūrā
She keeps the evil force at a distance. The force or the evil trend, such as sadistic or masochistic tendencies in man. Sadism involves deriving pleasure by hurting others. The connection between injury and pleasure is common to both these forces of evil. Devi keeps both these forms at a distance.
This reflects on the part that the devotees have to take in their sādhana. Some devotees make a show of their devotion. They are prepared to injure others in the name of religious faith. One of the mild forms of such injury consists, for example, in insisting on one's particular eating habits when you go to another person's house on a friendly visit. The more turbulent forms of such show occur in the fanatic ‘holy wars’ raged by humans against humans, claims and counter claims like — “My reason and my faith is better than yours and so you must either accept my faith or I will kill you.”
In the civilized world the same thing goes on in a different way. The wording goes, “you are infidels, you are non-believers, either you believe or you will go to hell. We will give you comforts, we will give you recognition if you accept our faith.” So bribery becomes the instrument for conversion in the civilized world. Replacement of fear of death by bribery is changing the mask of religious nepotism. It does not change its internal character.
The other side of the story in the ascetic self-denial, hurting oneself, inflicting pain and injury on oneself constantly, does not lead to the expected end result, glory of God.
Aurobindo was asked by one of his visitors as to why he is spending such lavish amounts in decorating the hall used for worship of the Divine Mother. Aurobindo replied with a question, “Is it your conception of God then that he is poor and lacks riches?”
The devotee in search of divinity must avoid both the extremes injuring others as well as injuring one's self. The path lies in the golden mean between these two experiences.
194. Durāchāraśamanī
She cools down the effect of evil procedures.
There are different procedures both for achieving good and bad ends. Devi protects Her devotees from the evil and effect of evil procedures done by others against the devotees.
There are certain mantras aimed at destruction and certain others which are aimed at getting rid of a person from the locality. These mantras are intended to be used against one's internal enemies which are lurking in every one of us as kāma, krodha, etc. The forces working in us, against us, have to be dispelled. These forces take the form of doubt, whether the desired ends will be achieved or not. These may constitute more direct obstacles such as disease, imbalance of mind, etc., which prevent a proper accomplishment of the meditative process that will be curing them. It is the classic case of the vicious circle formed by a patient who badly needs the medicine which cures him, but does not take the medicine. The case of the drug addicts, smoking addicts, etc., is similar. These addictions arise in the first instance to satisfy the suicidal instinct in man and are prime examples of masochism. Meditation with the Astra Vidyās will surely cure these ills and bring about a state of mind that will be conductive to the higher world of life.
195. Doṣavarjitā
She is free from any blemish.
In the defensive role of protecting the devotees, She will no doubt attack the evil forces and may appear to be cruel. But this is the cruelty of a surgeon who makes an incision, a wound in the patient's body to relieve him of the evil effects which are disturbing his peace. Hence, destructive forces used against evil cannot be considered to be wrong. On the contrary, the policing is a necessary evil so long as evil is present.
In the Rudram we find Śiva being described as Taskarāṇāmpati¹ meaning that he is head of thieves and bandits. Brahmā, the creator of the Vedas, was asked by the Ṛṣis: “Why did you call Śiva by such a name?” Brahmā said: “You have to set a master thief to catch the lesser thieves.” Śiva is the master thief who serves the useful purposes of bringing to book the lesser forces of evil. Śiva wields his paśupatāstra to turn around or to destroy the evil forces working in a man. Devi is not different from Śiva. She serves the same purpose.
¹ Śrī Rudram Anuvāka 3, verse 3: namo niṣaṅgiṇa iṣudhimate taskarāṇāṁ pataye namo — “salutations to the holder of the quiver, to the owner of the quiver, to the lord of robbers, salutation!”
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