Kaushiki
Encyclopedia
Kaushiki is a Hindu Goddess. She is an affiliation of Shakti
. 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 sword
, chakra
, lotus, etc. in them.
, had emerged from the cells of Goddess Durga's body. Kausha or Kousha means cells. It is believed that She emerged from Durga's third eye.
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
, This Purana suggests that Goddess Parvati
once performed austerities and meditation to become fair (Gouri). Pleased with her prayers Brahma
granted her the boon. When the boon was granted, a Goddess emerged from Parvati
’s body; whereas in the Markandeya Purana
, Kaushiki Mata is believed to have emerged from the body of Goddess Durga
. She emerged from the cells of Durga while she was fighting the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha.
Kaushiki used to live in an amazing palace singing praises of Shiva. Shumbha and Nishumbha come to know about the goddess' beauty and decide to take her as their wife . They send messengers to Kaushiki in order to take Her to the heavens, to the brothers. At first they send Chanda and Munda. Chanda is the brother of Munda, who has his head always banging from right to left and left to right. As usual, they too are attracted towards the goddess' uttermost beauty. But Kaushiki talks to them politely and asks them to deliver a message to the brothers that she shall marry the one who could defeat her strong attacks in the war.
But Shumbha and Nishumbha sent another miraculous demon from the hell, Raktavija or Raktabija, to Kaushiki's palace to deliver a last warning to marry the brothers. The demon was special for even if he was killed, by each drop of his blood would emerge another demon Raktabija .
'Rakta' means blood, and 'bija' means seed. This matter was solved when Kali drunk up all the blood drops and Kaushiki killed the demon .
Shakti
Shakti from Sanskrit shak - "to be able," meaning sacred force or empowerment, is the primordial cosmic energy and represents the dynamic forces that are thought to move through the entire universe in Hinduism. Shakti is the concept, or personification, of divine feminine creative power, sometimes...
. 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 sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
, chakra
Chakra
Chakra is a concept originating in Hindu texts, featured in tantric and yogic traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. Its name derives from the Sanskrit word for "wheel" or "turning" .Chakra is a concept referring to wheel-like vortices...
, lotus, etc. in them.
Birth
Kaushiki, according to the Matsya PuranaMatsya Purana
Matsya Purana is the sixteenth purana of the Hindu scriptures. During the period of mahapralaya, Lord Vishnu had taken Matsya Avatar to save the seeds of all lives and Manu...
, had emerged from the cells of Goddess Durga's body. Kausha or Kousha means cells. It is believed that She emerged from Durga's third eye.
The story of Kaushiki's birth is mentioned in the Matsya Purana
Matsya Purana
Matsya Purana is the sixteenth purana of the Hindu scriptures. During the period of mahapralaya, Lord Vishnu had taken Matsya Avatar to save the seeds of all lives and Manu...
and Markandeya Purana
Markandeya Purana
The Markandeya Purana is one of the major eighteen Mahapuranas, a genre of Hindu religious texts. It is written in the style of a dialogue between the ancient sage Markandeya and Jaimini, a disciple of Vyasa.-Contents:...
, with both the texts different. As in the Matsya Purana
Matsya Purana
Matsya Purana is the sixteenth purana of the Hindu scriptures. During the period of mahapralaya, Lord Vishnu had taken Matsya Avatar to save the seeds of all lives and Manu...
, This Purana suggests that Goddess Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
once performed austerities and meditation to become fair (Gouri). Pleased with her prayers Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
granted her the boon. When the boon was granted, a Goddess emerged from Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
’s body; whereas in the Markandeya Purana
Markandeya Purana
The Markandeya Purana is one of the major eighteen Mahapuranas, a genre of Hindu religious texts. It is written in the style of a dialogue between the ancient sage Markandeya and Jaimini, a disciple of Vyasa.-Contents:...
, Kaushiki Mata is believed to have emerged from the body of Goddess Durga
Durga
For the 1985 Hindi Film of Rajesh Khanna see DurgaaIn Hinduism, Durga ; ; meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible"; , durga) or Maa Durga "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress" is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having eighteen arms, riding a lion...
. She emerged from the cells of Durga while she was fighting the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha.
Legend
Once Lord Shiva and His consort Durga ascended on Earth. But due to Lord Shiva's miracle, Durga turned black in complexion. She grew angry for that and upset with Shiva. She harshly meditated on the Kailash Parvata. She shed her skin and out appeared of Her third eye an elderly black-complexioned goddess, Kaushiki . All this linked to the death of the 2 asura brothers Shumbha and Nishumbha. These 2 Asuras had driven away the devtas or gods away from heaven.Kaushiki used to live in an amazing palace singing praises of Shiva. Shumbha and Nishumbha come to know about the goddess' beauty and decide to take her as their wife . They send messengers to Kaushiki in order to take Her to the heavens, to the brothers. At first they send Chanda and Munda. Chanda is the brother of Munda, who has his head always banging from right to left and left to right. As usual, they too are attracted towards the goddess' uttermost beauty. But Kaushiki talks to them politely and asks them to deliver a message to the brothers that she shall marry the one who could defeat her strong attacks in the war.
But Shumbha and Nishumbha sent another miraculous demon from the hell, Raktavija or Raktabija, to Kaushiki's palace to deliver a last warning to marry the brothers. The demon was special for even if he was killed, by each drop of his blood would emerge another demon Raktabija .
'Rakta' means blood, and 'bija' means seed. This matter was solved when Kali drunk up all the blood drops and Kaushiki killed the demon .