‘Ya Devi Sarvabhootishu Maa Kushmanda Sansthita Namastasye Namastasye Namastasye Namo Namaha’
‘Ku’ means small /minute,’Ushma’ means heat / warmth, ‘Anda’ means ‘egg’ referring to ‘Cosmic Egg’. She is the originator of the cosmic universe and all of creation. She is the fire in matter, she is also the ‘life force’ or ‘Prana’ which gives life to inert matter and turns them from non-living to the living. She manifests from the eternal inert state of Shiva. She arose, self aware and ignited the process of creation, becoming aware she expanded as matter in otherwise unending vacuum. The cosmos was dark, she addressed the dark Cosmos with her radiant smile and thus began the process of creation. Hence she is also called the smiling Goddess. She is the one with a mellifluous smile.
References to Devi Kushmanda is available in several texts including Devi Saptshati. It is said that Devi or Shakti manifested as Siddhidatri from the left side of Shiva. After taking this form she chose to reside within the inner inner core or inner world / ‘loka’ of the Sun. She is radiant lit by all the suns in the universe that she holds within. She lights up the universe and all the ten directions with her radiance. She favors the color Orange and hence devotees adorn this color and go about their day wearing Dev’s representative marker as a catalytic powers inherent within color Orange.
She has eight arms hence is also reverentially addressed as ‘Ashtabuja’, holding in each hand various items benefiting the process of creation and to protect her devotees. One of the hand carries a pot of ‘Amrut’, the medicinal elixir for eternal life. She has the power to bless her devotees with the ability to acquire ‘Ashtasiddhi’s ‘ or ‘the eight magical powers/ perfections /knowledge’ and ‘Navaniddi’s’ or the ‘Nine wealths / gems’. Her favored vehicle is the Lion.
She is meditated upon in the Anhata Chakra or the heart chakra. Being the power controlling the Sun, she controls the ability to transcend to higher dimensions through the portal that is the Sun.
Worshiping her helps the devotees to rid of diseases bestowing good health and good name. Praying to her results in blessings such as prosperity, fame, strength. It is said that people with horoscope having Sun afflicted or maleficent Sun should worship her.
Some of her mantras gathered from various sources:
1) ” Om Devi KushmandayaiNamah”
2) “Ya devi sarvabhuteshu ma kushmanda rupen sansthita
namastaseya namastaseya namastaseya namoh namah”
Dadhānā hastapadmābhyāṁ kūṣmāṇḍā śubhadāstu mē ||
Continuing with my sharing of Devi Shloka / hymn from Devi Bhagwatam, the third para is as follows:
‘ Ekam Pravide Samm Prokta Devi SanmarghDayini
Megha Himavadham Prushte Go Karne Badrakarnika
Sathaneshwari bhawani do billage billava priya
Sri Shaila Madhavi Prokta Badra Badreshwari Tata
Paraha Shaile Du Jaya Kamal Kamalalaye
Rudrani Rudragotyanthu Kaali Kaalam Jaretadha
Shalagrame Mahadevi Shivlinge Jalapriya
Mahalinge Du Kavila Maghode Mughdeshwari
Mayapuryam Kumarisyal Santhane Lalitambika
Gayayam Mangalaprokta Vimala Purshotame… ‘
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