Every woman is an embodiment of you.
You exist as little girls in their childhood,
As young women in their youth
And as elderly women in their old age.
— Sri Kamala Stotram
There is a certain believe that women of household are revered as Mahalakshmi, a manifestation of the Cosmic Mother who represents prosperity and abundance. A new daughter and daughter-in-law are commonly referred to as veetukku vantha Lakshmi, or the divine that came home.
The tenth and last Mahavidya Kamala is fondly known as a Tantric representation of the Vedic goddess of wealth, Mahalakshmi. She is seen to be seated on a lotus, symbolising purity, and is showered by four white elephants, a representation of infinite abundance. She holds a radiant aura and is seen to be the continual giver of boons.
Legend has it that Lakshmi emerged from Samudra Mandan, the churning of the milk ocean and became the consort of Vishnu. Lakshmi is an iconic figure in the representation of wealth, fortune and prosperity even amongst the Gods.
Once, the sage Bhrigu, known for his legendary anger, kicked Vishnu in his chest for he felt disrespected by Vishnu’s lack of hospitality. Instead of cursing the sage, Vishnu realised his egoist blunder and chose to warmly host the sage after, calming Bhrigu down. However, Lakshmi was extremely upset with her husband for letting this man off the hook easily because when Bhrigu kicked Vishnu squarely in the chest, it was Lakshmi, whom resided in his heart, that Bhrigu placed his foot on. She stormed out on Vishnu in a fit of rage, leaving him to dwell in a miserable Vaikundam that lost all prosperity and blessings – this manifestation of Vishnu is known as Tharithira Narayanan, the one who lost his Sri.
In another instance, Shiva and Brahma got into a brawl where Shiva yanked out Brahma’s fifth head, rendering him as the four-headed creator and invoking Brahma’s anger. He then curses Shiva, transforming his fifth maimed head into a bowl that would never fill to the brim, always stuck to his palm. The curse would be only broken when the bowl is filled. This causes Shiva to wander the heavens and earth, begging every mortal man and god alike, to fill his bowl. It was not until he reached Vaikundam when Vishnu, at the sight of his dejected brother-in-law, suggests that the only person who can render assistance would be Lakshmi. Eventually, Lakshmi, the propagator of unlimited abundance, fills Shiva’s bowl and breaks him free from Brahma’s curse.
Such tale highlight the prowess of this Vedic goddess, who of course differs very slightly to Kamala, the Tantric goddess.
While Lakshmi represents the flow of wealth, Mahavidya Kamala represents the virtue of generosity. While Lakshmi bestows wealth, Kamala instills the value of giving without hesitation, a heart of providing. While Lakshmi is seen alongside Vishnu, Kamala, in the Mahavidya pantheon, is a dominant feminine portrayal with hardly a sign of a consort, although there may be an unestablished hint of Vishnu as her half.
The power of giving doesn’t lie in simply material wealth and abundance, but Kamala urges us to worship for the generosity of good health and well-wishes on people around us. Self-consciousness invokes the power of giving – in giving is when we truly see Kamala as a manifestation of our deeds, Give, she persuades, give as much as you can for Sri is present in a magnanimous heart.
Vijayadasami, the tenth and last day that concludes nine nights of festivities and grandeur as we celebrate the slaying of Mahishasura at the hands of Durga. Vijayadasami also happens to be the day where we all start afresh in our journey of learning – I, for starters, am glad that I have newfound knowledge about Mahavidya Kamala and the power of generosity.
These ten days with ten different Mahavidyas have been a bittersweet discovery, and I hope you enjoyed every single one of their tales as much as I enjoyed writing them.
A new day dawns tomorrow, and so will my last concluding post of the Mahavidya series.
Blessed Vijayadasami !
File Photo : Pinterest.
