A Durga Meditation

 Wherever you are, imagine the form of Durga coalescing out of your surroundings - out of the sky, earth, furnishings, drawing crackling strands of electricity out of nearby power sockets, a corona of energy about her. Visualise the form of Durga forming above you. Feel her feet upon your head, sending shockwaves of power through your body, and imagine yourself to be seated on the back of her tiger. Feel the power of Durga coursing through you and meditate upon her qualities.

The weapons which Durga bears (given to her by the gods) can be taken, in this meditation, as 'attachments' - things which you think you need; tools which you perhaps rely too much on. As Durga defeated Mahisa by herself, so too, your power and poise resides in you, rather than your tools and attachments.

With their hands folded and shoulders drooping as a gesture of absolute submission, Gods gathered around the magnanimous Mother of the Universe after she had relinquished the mighty demon Mahishasura.

Gods were absolutely taken aback as they saw streams of blood gushing out of the levianthon Mahishasura. They could not decide whether it was the all devastating red tongue of Mrityu or death darting out to consume all three lokas or is this the mighty current of Ganges that has turned red by coming in contact with lacre smeared on Lord Krishna's feet. Or is it the sandhya (evening) time and Lord Shiva has himself resumed his routine tandava dance? Glory unto the blood stream gushing out Mahishasura body as he is stabbed by Mother Mahishamardini's trident.

Mahisa took over the stage of world affairs and righteousness, piety and all other human values were on the verge of extinction. All votaries of virtue and righteousness were disintegrated and there was no hope of revival. Mahisa was by nature a furious expression of brutal might, ruthless subjugation and unruly cosmic derangement that conflicting all civic and cultural values. His devastating wrath was incredible. He could empty oceans by hitting them with his tail. Earth would get smashed to bits as he stamped it with his mighty hoofs. His enormous horns would disperse flakes of clouds in the heavens. And merely the force of his hissing would hurl huge mountains into the sky.... He was a living bomb that had explosive power of billions and trillions of kilo tons.