Chandi
Encyclopedia
Chandi or Chandika is the supreme Goddess of Devi Mahatmya
(Sanskrit: Devīmāhātmyam, देवीमाहात्म्यम्) also known as Chandi or Durga Sapthashati. Chandi is described as the Supreme reality who is a combination of Mahakali
, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati. Later in the Murti Rahasya she is described as Maha Lakshmi with eighteen arms (Ashtadasa Bhuja Mahalakshmi) bearing weapons.
is referred to in Devi Mahatmya. According to Coburn, " is "the
violent and impetuous one". In the light of the primacy of this
designation of the goddess, it is striking that the word has
virtually no earlier history in Sanskrit. There are no instances of its
occurrence in the Vedic literature we have surveyed. The epics are
similarly barren: neither the Ramayana nor the Mahabharata give evidence
of the epithet
, although in one of the hymns inserted in the latter
and are applied to the deity they praised."
The reason for the absence of the name Chandi in any ancient Sanskrit work is because of the deity belonging to the non-Sanskrit or non-brahminical tradition of Hinduism, and originates in Bengal
as a non-aryan tribal deity, which is further explained below.
The designation of Chandi or Chandika is used twenty-nine times in the Devi Mahatmya, which is agreed by many scholars to have had originated in Bengal, the primary seat of the Shakta or Goddess tradition and tantric
sadhana since ancient times. It is the most common epithet used for the Goddess. In Devi Mahatmya, Chandi, Chandika, Ambika and Durga
have been used synonymously.
Goddess Chandi is associated with the 9 lettered Navakshari Mantra.It is also called Navarna Mantra or Navavarna Mantra. It is one of the principal mantras in Shakti Worship apart from the Sri Vidhya Mantras. It customary to chant this mantra when chanting the Devi Mahatmya
.
.
"The great Goddess was born from the energies of the male divinities when
the gods became impotent in the long-drawn-out battle with the asuras.
All the energies of the Gods became united and became supernova,
throwing out flames in all directions. Then that unique light, pervading
the Three Worlds with its lustre, combined into one, and became a female
form."
"The Devi
projected an overwhelming omnipotence. The three eyed goddess
was adorned with the crescent moon. Her multiple arms held auspicious
weapons and emblems, jewels and ornaments, garments and utensils,
garlands and rosaries of beads, all offered by the gods. With her golden
body blazing with the splendour of a thousand suns, seated on her lion
vehicle, Chandi is one of the most spectacular of all personifications
of Cosmic energy."
In other scriptures, Chandi is portrayed as "assisting" Kali
in her battle with demon Raktabija. While Kali drank Raktabija's blood, which created new demons on falling on the ground; Chandi would desstroy the armies of demons created from his blood and finally killed Raktabija himself. In Skanda Purana
, this story is retold and another story of Chandika killing demons Chanda and Manda is added.
religion. It is performed across India during various festivals, especially during the Navaratri. Chandi Homa is performed by reciting verses from the Durga Sapthasathi and offering oblations into the sacrificial fire. It could also be accompanied by the Navakshari Mantra. Kumari Puja, Suvasini Puja also form a part of the ritual.
In some temples the images of Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi, and Maha Saraswati are kept separately. The Goddess is also portrayed as four armed in many temples.
, and a number of poems and literary compositions in Bengali called Chandi Mangala Kavyas were written from 13th century to early 19th century. These had the effect of merging the local folk and tribal goddesses with mainstream
Hinduism. The Mangal kavyas often associate Chandi with goddess Kali
or Kalika. and recognize her as a consort of Shiva
and mother of Ganesha
and Kartikeya, which are characteristics of goddesses like Parvati
and Durga
. The concept of Chandi as the supreme Goddess also underwent a change. The worship of the goddess became heterogeneous in nature.
Chandi is associated with good fortune as well as disaster. Her auspivcious forms like Mangal Chandi, Sankat Mangal Chandi, Rana Chandi bestow joy, riches, children , good hunting and victory in battles while other forms like Olai Chandi
cure diseases like cholera, plague and cattle diseases.
These are almost all village and tribal Goddesses with the name of the village or tribe being added on to the name Chandi. The most important of these Goddesses is Mangol Chandi who is worshipped in the entire state and also in Assam. Here the word "Mangol" means auspicious or benign.
Devi Mahatmya
The Devi Mahatmyam or Devi Mahatmya , or "Glory of the Goddess") is a Hindu text describing the victory of the goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. As part of the Markandeya Purana, it is one of the Puranas or secondary Hindu scriptures, and was composed in Sanskrit around c...
(Sanskrit: Devīmāhātmyam, देवीमाहात्म्यम्) also known as Chandi or Durga Sapthashati. Chandi is described as the Supreme reality who is a combination of Mahakali
Mahakali
Mahakali , literally translated as Great Kali, is a Hindu Goddess, considered to be the consort of Shiva the God of consciousness, and as the basis of Reality and existence...
, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati. Later in the Murti Rahasya she is described as Maha Lakshmi with eighteen arms (Ashtadasa Bhuja Mahalakshmi) bearing weapons.
Etymology
or is the name by which the Supreme Goddessis referred to in Devi Mahatmya. According to Coburn, " is "the
violent and impetuous one". In the light of the primacy of this
designation of the goddess, it is striking that the word has
virtually no earlier history in Sanskrit. There are no instances of its
occurrence in the Vedic literature we have surveyed. The epics are
similarly barren: neither the Ramayana nor the Mahabharata give evidence
of the epithet
Epithet
An epithet or byname is a descriptive term accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, divinities, objects, and binomial nomenclature. It is also a descriptive title...
, although in one of the hymns inserted in the latter
and are applied to the deity they praised."
The reason for the absence of the name Chandi in any ancient Sanskrit work is because of the deity belonging to the non-Sanskrit or non-brahminical tradition of Hinduism, and originates in Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
as a non-aryan tribal deity, which is further explained below.
The designation of Chandi or Chandika is used twenty-nine times in the Devi Mahatmya, which is agreed by many scholars to have had originated in Bengal, the primary seat of the Shakta or Goddess tradition and tantric
Tantra
Tantra , anglicised tantricism or tantrism or tantram, is the name scholars give to an inter-religious spiritual movement that arose in medieval India, expressed in scriptures ....
sadhana since ancient times. It is the most common epithet used for the Goddess. In Devi Mahatmya, Chandi, Chandika, Ambika and 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...
have been used synonymously.
Goddess Chandi is associated with the 9 lettered Navakshari Mantra.It is also called Navarna Mantra or Navavarna Mantra. It is one of the principal mantras in Shakti Worship apart from the Sri Vidhya Mantras. It customary to chant this mantra when chanting the Devi Mahatmya
Devi Mahatmya
The Devi Mahatmyam or Devi Mahatmya , or "Glory of the Goddess") is a Hindu text describing the victory of the goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. As part of the Markandeya Purana, it is one of the Puranas or secondary Hindu scriptures, and was composed in Sanskrit around c...
.
Legends
The origin of the Goddess is given in the second chapter of Devi MahatmyaDevi Mahatmya
The Devi Mahatmyam or Devi Mahatmya , or "Glory of the Goddess") is a Hindu text describing the victory of the goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. As part of the Markandeya Purana, it is one of the Puranas or secondary Hindu scriptures, and was composed in Sanskrit around c...
.
"The great Goddess was born from the energies of the male divinities when
the gods became impotent in the long-drawn-out battle with the asuras.
All the energies of the Gods became united and became supernova,
throwing out flames in all directions. Then that unique light, pervading
the Three Worlds with its lustre, combined into one, and became a female
form."
"The Devi
Devi
Devī is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism, its related masculine term is deva. Devi is synonymous with Shakti, the female aspect of the divine, as conceptualized by the Shakta tradition of Hinduism. She is the female counterpart without whom the male aspect, which represents...
projected an overwhelming omnipotence. The three eyed goddess
was adorned with the crescent moon. Her multiple arms held auspicious
weapons and emblems, jewels and ornaments, garments and utensils,
garlands and rosaries of beads, all offered by the gods. With her golden
body blazing with the splendour of a thousand suns, seated on her lion
vehicle, Chandi is one of the most spectacular of all personifications
of Cosmic energy."
In other scriptures, Chandi is portrayed as "assisting" Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
in her battle with demon Raktabija. While Kali drank Raktabija's blood, which created new demons on falling on the ground; Chandi would desstroy the armies of demons created from his blood and finally killed Raktabija himself. In Skanda Purana
Skanda Purana
The Skanda Purana is the largest Mahapurana, a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts. The text is devoted mainly to the lilas of Kartikeya , a son of Shiva and Parvati. It also contains a number of legends about Shiva, and the holy places associated with him...
, this story is retold and another story of Chandika killing demons Chanda and Manda is added.
Chandi Homa(Havan)
Chandi Homa is one of the most popular Homas in HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
religion. It is performed across India during various festivals, especially during the Navaratri. Chandi Homa is performed by reciting verses from the Durga Sapthasathi and offering oblations into the sacrificial fire. It could also be accompanied by the Navakshari Mantra. Kumari Puja, Suvasini Puja also form a part of the ritual.
Iconography
The dhyana sloka preceding the Middle episode of Devi Mahatmya the iconographic details are given. The Goddess is described as eighteen armed bearing string of beads, battle axe, mace, arrow, thunderbolt, lotus, bow, water-pot, cudgel, lance, sword, shield, conch, bell, wine-cup, trident, noose and the discus (sudarsana). She has a complexion of coral and is seated on a lotus.In some temples the images of Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi, and Maha Saraswati are kept separately. The Goddess is also portrayed as four armed in many temples.
Temples
Temples devoted to Chandi are located in many places including the following:- Gandaki Chandi, Gandaki near PokharaPokharaPokhara Sub-Metropolitan City is the second largest city of Nepal. Pokhara is city of close to 350,000 inhabitants in central Nepal located at 28.25°N, 83.99°E, which is the centre of the country from east to west or from north to south, 198 km west of Kathmandu or 90 km west of Mugling, and...
, Nepal. (Shakti PeethasShakti PeethasThe Shakti Pithas are places of worship consecrated to the goddess Shakti or Parvati or Sati or Durga, the female principal of Hinduism and the main deity of the Shakta sect...
) - Mangal Chandika, Ujjaani, West Bengal. (Shakti PeethasShakti PeethasThe Shakti Pithas are places of worship consecrated to the goddess Shakti or Parvati or Sati or Durga, the female principal of Hinduism and the main deity of the Shakta sect...
) - SaptashrangiSaptashrangiSaptashrungi or Saptashringi is a site of pilgrimage situated 60 kilometers from Nashik. According to Hindu tradition, the goddess Saptashrungi Nivasini dwells within the seven mountain peaks. It is located in Vani, a small village near Nashik in India...
Temple, VaniVaniVani is a town in Imereti region of western Georgia, at the Sulori river , 41 km southwest from the regional capital Kutaisi...
, (Maharashtra). (Ashtadasa Bhuja Mahalakshmi) - Mahalaxmi TempleMahalaxmi TempleMahalaxmi Temple is one of the most famous temples of Mumbai situated on Bhulabhai Desai Road. It is dedicated to Mahalakshmi the central deity of Devi Mahatmyam. There are three idols of Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasaraswthi...
, Mumbai (Maharashtra). (Three separate images). - HemadpanthiHemadpanthiHemadpanthi Sculpture is an architectural form or a style, which is named after its introducer and founder, the prime minister named Hemadpant in the court of Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri. The period of discovery was during the 13th Century in Maharashtra. Main ingredients in the construction include...
Chandika Devi Mandir, KatolKatolKatol is a city and a municipal council in Nagpur district of Maharashtra state, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Katol taluka, one of the 14 talukas of this district. Being located in orange belt it is a major centre for orange trading....
(Maharashtra). - Vaishno DeviVaishno DeviVaishno Devi Mandir is one of the holy Hindu temples dedicated to Shakti, located in the hills of Vaishno Devi, Jammu and Kashmir, India. In Hinduism, Vaishno Devi, also known as Mata Rani and Vaishnavi, is a manifestation of the Mother Goddess.The temple is near the town of Katra, in the Reasi...
temple, Khatra, Jammu and Kashmir. (Three Pindas (stones)). - Katak Chandi TempleKatak Chandi TempleThe Katak Chandi Temple is an ancient temple dedicated to the Goddess Chandi, the presiding deity of Cuttack, Orissa. The temple is located near the banks of the River Mahanadi. It is famous for the annual Durga Puja and Kali Puja festivals. The Durga Puja festivities are prominent in Maa Katak...
, CuttackCuttackCuttack is the former capital of the state of Orissa, India. It is the headquarters of Cuttack district and is located about 20 km to the north east of Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa. The name of the city is an anglicised form of Kataka that literally means The Fort, a reference to the...
, OrissaOrissaOrissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
. (Four armed). - Ashtadasa Bhuja Mahalakshmi temple, Skandhashramam, Salem, Tamil Nadu.
- Mangal Chandi temple, GuwahatiGuwahatiGuwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
, AssamAssamAssam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
. - Mangal Chandi temple, Chandithala, KolkataKolkataKolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. - Chandi Devi TempleChandi Devi Temple, HaridwarChandi Devi Temple, Haridwar is a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Chandi Devi in the holy city of Haridwar in the Uttarakhand state of India. The temple is situated atop the Neel Parvat on the Eastern summit of the Sivalik Hills, the southernmost mountain chain of the Himalayas...
, Neel Parvat, HaridwarHaridwarHaridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India... - Chandi MandirChandi MandirChandi Mandir is a Hindu temple near Chandigarh, India, dedicated to Chandi, the goddess of power. It is about 15 km from the city of Chandigarh, which was named after the temple, and about 10 km away from the Mansa Devi Shrine...
, ChandigarhChandigarhChandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
. The city of Chandigarh (lit. "fort of Chandi") derives its name from this temple. - Chandi Mata Mandir Machail, Kishtwar,J&K Sphire valley Paddar
- Chandi Mata Mandir Chinnot, Badherwah,J&K
In folklore of Bengal
Chandi is one of the most popular folk deities in BengalBengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
, and a number of poems and literary compositions in Bengali called Chandi Mangala Kavyas were written from 13th century to early 19th century. These had the effect of merging the local folk and tribal goddesses with mainstream
Hinduism. The Mangal kavyas often associate Chandi with goddess Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
or Kalika. and recognize her as a consort of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
and mother of Ganesha
Ganesha
Ganesha , also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh, also known as Ganapati , Vinayaka , and Pillaiyar , is one of the deities best-known and most widely worshipped in the Hindu pantheon. His image is found throughout India and Nepal. Hindu sects worship him regardless of affiliations...
and Kartikeya, which are characteristics of goddesses like Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
and 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...
. The concept of Chandi as the supreme Goddess also underwent a change. The worship of the goddess became heterogeneous in nature.
Chandi is associated with good fortune as well as disaster. Her auspivcious forms like Mangal Chandi, Sankat Mangal Chandi, Rana Chandi bestow joy, riches, children , good hunting and victory in battles while other forms like Olai Chandi
Oladevi
Oladevi is the goddess of cholera and the wife of the Asura Maya and is worshipped by people in the region of Bengal...
cure diseases like cholera, plague and cattle diseases.
These are almost all village and tribal Goddesses with the name of the village or tribe being added on to the name Chandi. The most important of these Goddesses is Mangol Chandi who is worshipped in the entire state and also in Assam. Here the word "Mangol" means auspicious or benign.