Bhavānī (also known as Bhāvya, Tulajā, Turajā, Tvarita, Aṃbā,
Jagadambā and Aṃbē) is an epithet associated with
Durga. Bhavani translates to "giver of life," meaning the power of nature or the source of creative energy. She is considered to be a nurturing mother figure who provides for her devotees and also plays the role of dispensing justice by killing ''evil
Asuras
Asuras () are a class of beings in Indian religions, and later Persian and Turkic mythology. They are described as power-seeking beings related to the more benevolent Deva (Hinduism), Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhism, ...
''. Bhavani is also called as Parvati or Uma.
Etymology
Bhavānī is an aspect of
Durga, and she is considered to be a mother who provides well for her devotees and plays the role of dispensing justice by killing
Asuras
Asuras () are a class of beings in Indian religions, and later Persian and Turkic mythology. They are described as power-seeking beings related to the more benevolent Deva (Hinduism), Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhism, ...
.
She is often seen as an independent goddess, separate from Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. However, According to the Śiva Purāṇa, Bhavānī is the supreme goddess. Bhavānī (भवानी, “the giver of existence”).—One of the names of the Goddess, Devī, who is regarded as the female principle of the divine; the embodiment of the energies of the Gods. Bhavānī (भवानी) is an epithet of the Goddess (Devī), who incarnated as Satī, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.14. Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated to Nārada:—“
..On seeing the mother of the universe born of Vīriṇī, Dakṣa joined his palms in reverence, paid respects to her, and eulogised her.
..O mother of the universe, those who eulogise Thee with the names of Bhavānī, Ambikā, Jaganmāyā and Durgā will have everything”. The Goddess has a great variety of names referable to her various forms, attributes, and actions, but these names are not always used accurately and distinctively. As the mother of the world, she is Gauri, Maa Sherawali, Ambikā or Jagaṭ Jananī (the reading Jagaṭ Jananī/Jaga Jananī for Jaganmāyā is preferable). In her fiercer form, she is Durgā, the killer of Mahishasur.
Temples of Bhavani
The Bhavani Temple in Mahua, Bhavnagar, Gujarat, is believed to be over 5,000 years old, making it a site of immense historical and spiritual significance. Its ancient origins and enduring legacy attract devotees and history enthusiasts from all over the country.
The
Tulja Bhavani temple in
Tuljapur in the
Osmanabad District
Osmanabad District (pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, smaːnabaːd̪ (Transliteration: Usmanabad Jil'hā), officially known as Dharashiv District, is an administrative district in the Marathwada, Marathwada region in the States and union te ...
of
Maharashtra
Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
is considered one of the 51
Shakta pithas (pilgrimage sites). This temple was built close to the 12th century CE. Another Tulja Bhavani temple was constructed between 1537 and 1540 CE in
Chittorgarh, located at coordinates .
History
Worship of the primeval energy,
Shakti
Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; 'energy, ability, strength, effort, power, might, capability') in Hinduism, is the "Universal Power" that underlies and sustains all existence. Conceived as feminine in essence, Shakti refer ...
, in the form of the Mother Goddess, is seen in the four
Shakta pithas of Maharashtra: Bhavānī, with her seat at
Tuljapur,
Mahalakshmi at
Kolhapur
Kolhapur () is a city on the banks of the Panchganga River in the southern part of the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Kolhapur is one of the most significant cities in South Maharashtra and has been a hub of historical, religious, and cultural a ...
, Mahamaya
Renuka at
Mahur, and
Saptashrungi at
Vani. Śrī Bhavānī Amman is also worshipped in the state of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...
(Periyapalayam). Other Shakti temples in the Maharashtra state are those at
Ambejogai,
Aundh,
Maharashtra
Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
, and
Karnataka
Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...
.
The goddess Bhavānī is held in great reverence throughout Maharashtra. She is considered to be an embodiment of ''ugra'' or ferocity, as well as a Karunaswaroopini, an embodiment of mercy. A number of castes, sub-castes, and families from Maharashtra consider her their family deity or ''
Kuladevata''. The Bhavani temple in Tuljapur is located on a hill known as Yamunachala, on the slopes of the Sahayadri range in Maharashtra near Solapur. The temple entrance is elevated and visitors ascend a flight of steps to reach the shrine.
Historic records speak of the existence of this temple from as early as the 12th century CE. Bhavānī is worshipped in the form of a granite image, tall, with eight arms that hold weapons and one hand in abhayā mūdra (giving blessings to devotees), she kills the demon
Mahishasura
Mahishasura (, ) is a bovine asura in Hinduism. He is depicted in Hindu texts, Hindu literature as a deceitful demon who pursued his evil ways by shape-shifting. Mahishasura was the son of the asura Rambha (asura), Rambha and the brother of buf ...
in 4 different forms which are
Katyayani (10-armed),
Mahalakshmi (18-armed/1000 armed Devī Ćaṇḍika from Durgā Saptaśatī),
Ugrachanda (18-armed) and
Bhadrakali (16-armed). Legend says that a demon by the name of Matang wreaked havoc upon the devas and humans, who approached Brahma for help.
Upon his advice, they turned to the Mother Goddess Shakti. She took the form of the destroyer and, empowered by the other Saptamātṛka (Brāhmaṇī, Vaiṣṇavī, Māheśvari, Indrāṇi, Kaumārī, Vārāhī, and Ćāmuṇḍā.), vanquished the demon and allowed the restoration of peace. Legend also describes how Bhavānī vanquished another demon who had taken the form of a wild buffalo,
Mahishasura
Mahishasura (, ) is a bovine asura in Hinduism. He is depicted in Hindu texts, Hindu literature as a deceitful demon who pursued his evil ways by shape-shifting. Mahishasura was the son of the asura Rambha (asura), Rambha and the brother of buf ...
(hence her name
Mahishasura Mardhini or "the slayer of Mahisha the demon"). Later, she is said to have taken abode on the Yamunachala hill, which is now home to the temple. Bhavānī is said to have come here to save Anubhuti from the demon known as Kukur. In a battle with the goddess, Kukur took the form of a buffalo; Bhavani cut off his head, and he then started changing into his original form. At that time, she stabbed her trident into his chest. Hence, she is in form of Mahishasura Mardini Durga. Four worship services are offered at the temple each day.
The festivals of special significance are Gudi Padwa in the month of Chaitra, Shriral Sashti, Lalita Panchami, Makara Sankranti, and Rathasaptami. The statue of the deity is taken out in procession on Tuesdays. Navaratri is also celebrated with great fanfare, and it culminates in Vijaya Dasami. Sri Bhavani Devi is said to be Adi Parashakti herself, and the name Bhavani has several meanings. According to Lalitha Sahasranamam, ''Bhavānī'' means the deity who always helps devotees gain
mukti.
Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara (8th c. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya (, ), was an Indian Vedanga, Vedic scholar, Hindu philosophy, philosopher and teacher (''acharya'') of Advaita Vedanta. Reliable information on Shankara's actual life is scant, and h ...
said, "A Person who recites the name ''Bhavani'' with true devotion thrice every day will not acquire sorrow, sin, illness and unexpected death." People occasionally confuse Bhavani devi with Renuka Devi; however, their stories are different. There are many texts which name Bhavani as the wife of
Sadasiva.
Bhavai is also worshipped as clan deity by many Hindus, notably by many
Rajput
Rājpūt (, from Sanskrit ''rājaputra'' meaning "son of a king"), also called Thākur (), is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating fro ...
,
Marathas
The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern India, early modern polity in the Indian subcontinent. It comprised the realms of the Peshwa and four major independent List of Maratha dynasties and states, Ma ...
, the
Deshastha Brahmins of
Maharashtra
Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
and the
Agris
AGRIS is the Food and Agriculture Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations' (FAO) International System for Agricultural Science and Technology, a global public domain database with structured bibliographical records on ...
of
Konkan
The Konkan is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, bound by the river Daman Ganga at Damaon in the north, to Anjediva Island next to Karwar town in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau to the eas ...
.
According to local tradition,
Shivaji
Shivaji I (Shivaji Shahaji Bhonsale, ; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680) was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle dynasty. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the Sultanate of Bijapur that formed the genesis of the ...
, the founder of the
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern India, early modern polity in the Indian subcontinent. It comprised the realms of the Peshwa and four major independent List of Maratha dynasties and states, Ma ...
, was presented with the ''Chandrahasa'' sword by Bhavani for the battle against evil.
Image of Tulja Bhavani
The image (''murti'' ) of Tulja Bhavani is made of black stone, about in height and in width. The face of the goddess is described as beautiful and smiling. The goddess is asta-bhuja (with 8 hands) Durga. Her long hair is coming out of the crown.
She has a quiver on her back. The sun and the moon are present. Her lion stands near her. The image is self-manifested and movable.
It is moved three times a year from its place to the bedroom of Mā Bhavānī. Below the lion, sage Markandeya is chanting the Durga-saptashati shlokas. The lady sage Anubhuti is on the left side of the goddess; she is in a hanging position and is meditating on the goddess. It is ''chala murti'', moved thrice a year during the long sleeping periods of maa Bhavani. The face of Sati had fallen in Tuljapur, and due to this the face is decorated with saris and ornaments.
See also
*
List of Hindu deities
*
Shakta pithas
*
Bhavani Ashtaka
*
Three and a half Shakta pithas
*
Tulja Bhavani Temple
Notes
Works cited
*
Further reading
*''Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Traditions'' () by David Kinsley
External links
Image of Tulja Bhavani
{{Authority control
Hindu goddesses
Shakti temples
Hindu temples in Maharashtra
Hindu pilgrimage sites in India