Thursday 7 July 2011

Goddess Vaishnavi

Goddess Vaishnavi is one of the seven mother goddesses or Sapta Matrikas. Goddess Vaishnavi takes Her name from Lord Vishnu and she believed to have born from the body of Vishnu. She is armed with the same weapons like Lord Vishnu and wears the same ornaments and rides the same Vahana or vehicle and also carries the same banner.

Please note that Goddess Vaishnavi is different from Goddess Vaishno Devi.

Goddess Vaishnavi is mentioned in the Varaha Purana, Matsya Purana and Markandeya Purana. There is also a legend which suggests Vaishnavi came out from Goddess Kaumari’s hand, seated on Garuda and holding a conch, discus, club, sword, bow and arrow.

Goddess Kaumari is believed to have had Her origin from Lord Skanda or Muruga or Kartik.

Goddess Vaishnavi is usually depicted as having four hands. She carries in one of her right hands the Chakra (discus) and in the left hand the Sankha (Conch), her two other hands are held in the Abhaya and the Varada Mudra.

She wears a yellow garment and a Kirita Mukuta. She is adorned with all the ornaments generally worn by Vishnu. Her Vahana or vehicle is Garuda. The emblem on her banner is too Garuda. She is shown as seated under Raja Vrikasha.

Occasionally, she is depicted as having six hands characterized by the Gada, Padma and Abhaya Mudra, while left ones she holds holding the Shankha, Chakra and Varada Mudra. Devi Purana suggests that she has four hands and she carries Sankha, Chakra, Gada and Padma.

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