Biography
Its said that bringing a child into the world is one of the greatest powers of being a woman. But, while giving birth, the mother goes through so much pain that a normal human cannot possibly endure. The whole process of creating a life underlines a womans true strength and toughness.
The mother alone has to go through this pain, and no one else to share it with. In India and Nepal, there is a Goddess who assists mothers during the process of childbirth. In this blog, we are telling you about Her, the Divine Mother Shashthi.
The story
Thousands of years ago, there was a girl who got married and came to her husbands home. One day, she stole something and blamed it on the house cat. The cat was punished harshly for the punishment it didnt commit. Little did she know, the cat belonged to Devi Shashthi.
As retribution, the cat started taking that womans children one by one. One by one, she snatched away five children as a punishment. For the sixth kid, the woman followed the cat and was surprised to know she was taking her kids to Divine Mother Shashthi.
The woman apologised to the cat and the Goddess and requested pardoning. Divine Mother Shashthi told the woman to create a feline figurine made of flour and tie a thread around the babys wrist to bestow the protection. Since then, on the sixth day of birth, Divine Mother Shashthi is prayed to, and with the sanctified string on the wrist of the newborn, Shashthis protection is bestowed upon the kid.
Who is She?
She has many names like Sathi, Sashthi, Devasena, Jataharini, and Hariti. First, she appears in Sanatana texts compiled almost ten thousand years ago. She is also known as Devasena, Lord Kartikeyas consort. Vedic scriptures describe Divine Mother Shashthi as the one with few qualities of all the three Goddesses, Mother Lakshmi, Mother Sarasvati, and Mother Parvati. In various Puranas, She is also described as the daughter of Lord Brahma.
Around the east coast of India, She is known as Divine Mother Santan-Lakshmi. She often is prayed in the form of a Banyan tree or a stone under the Banyan tree, coated with vermillion. Chhat Puja, the biggest festival in Bihar, is celebrated to honour Lord Surya. In this festival, along with Lord Surya, various offerings are presented to the Divine Mother Shashthi.
In West Bengal, she is a close kin of Divine Mother Mansa Devi, the Goddess of Snakes. In that area, she is worshipped during the Naga-Panchami (a festival celebrating snakes). Devotees believed that the Divine Mother keeps the snakes far, far away from the childrens cribs.
Divine Mother Shashthi is a motherly figure, often with one to eight children in her arms. She will have a yellowish golden complexion and be wearing beautiful ornaments. In ancient times, she was depicted as a worrier with six heads, just like Lord Kartikeya. Sometimes, She will have a cat head as well.
Shashthi will be sitting on a cat. She will ride her cat, visit all the newborns silently during the night, and bestow her protection on them. Divine Mother is a holy Goddess who acts as a protector and saviour of the newborns. Devotees believe that She helps the newborns to bear the heavy burden of the sins they might have committed during their previous lives.
On the sixth day of the birth, a small-sized cat is made out of rice flour and placed near the painting of Divine Mother Shashthi. In a new winnowing basket, some rice, betel leaves, betel nuts, flowers, vermillion, turmeric powder, and lampblack is set. An oil lamp is lit in front of the basket for the night. Women will gather around and pray to the Divine Mother Shashthi to bestow her protection on the baby. This custom is celebrated on the eastern shore of India, with a few variations here and there.
Its said that as the cats walk without making a noise, the Divine Mother Shashthi travels around the world and visits pregnant women, giving them the mental strength to endure the process of childbirth. In Nepal, She is known to remove mental illness, sorrows, memory lapse, confusion, and bad luck.
From: Chamunda Swami Ji
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