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Lakshmi and Durga
- Thread starter Polarbear
- Start date
Short answer: no.
Some things I've read say Lakshmi and Saraswati are the daughters of Parvati, but otherwise Lakshmi is not an aspect of Durga, who Herself is an aspect of Parvati. So Vaishnavas will most likely say no. Shaktas and Smartas will most likely say yes Devi is all One. Shaivas might say "who cares?"
On the whole, however, Lakshmi along with all other devis are aspects of Devi, the Divine Mother. Kali also manifested from Durga during a battle that the devas were losing. They called upon Durga, who Herself was fighting fiercely, to help Them, and She brought forth Her form of Kali.
Both Durga and Lakshmi each have many manifestations that are mythologically (mythologically used in the sense of particular stories and events, not in the "fairy tale" sense) unrelated.
Parvati, Durga, Kali, Parameshwari, Rajarajeshwari, Minakshi, Ambika, Uma, Sati and others are one "group" of Devi manifestations associated with Sri Shiva.
Lakshmi, Sita, Radha, Tulasi, the 16,108 wives of Krishna (manifestations of Lakshmi), Bhumidevi aka Andal (Mother Earth) are another "group" of Devi manifestations associated with Sri Vishnu.
I don't believe Maa Saraswati, associated with Lord Brahma, has any manifestations.
Confused? Good, why should you be special!?
Some things I've read say Lakshmi and Saraswati are the daughters of Parvati, but otherwise Lakshmi is not an aspect of Durga, who Herself is an aspect of Parvati. So Vaishnavas will most likely say no. Shaktas and Smartas will most likely say yes Devi is all One. Shaivas might say "who cares?"
On the whole, however, Lakshmi along with all other devis are aspects of Devi, the Divine Mother. Kali also manifested from Durga during a battle that the devas were losing. They called upon Durga, who Herself was fighting fiercely, to help Them, and She brought forth Her form of Kali. Both Durga and Lakshmi each have many manifestations that are mythologically (mythologically used in the sense of particular stories and events, not in the "fairy tale" sense) unrelated.
Parvati, Durga, Kali, Parameshwari, Rajarajeshwari, Minakshi, Ambika, Uma, Sati and others are one "group" of Devi manifestations associated with Sri Shiva.
Lakshmi, Sita, Radha, Tulasi, the 16,108 wives of Krishna (manifestations of Lakshmi), Bhumidevi aka Andal (Mother Earth) are another "group" of Devi manifestations associated with Sri Vishnu.
I don't believe Maa Saraswati, associated with Lord Brahma, has any manifestations.
Confused? Good, why should you be special!?
Shuddhasattva
Well-Known Member
Yes. In most schools of thought on this matter, Durga is the Adi-Shakti. The Tridevi comes from her.
Durga is all of the powers of the gods as one - Lakshmi is the power of Vishnu. That's simply the definition of Durga.
What we learn through the study of comparative religion, applied to studying the parallels between the different sub-religions, if you will, of Hinduism, is that one group will often (especially in Hinduism due to the common descent) try to encompass and suborn the ideas and deities and whatnot of rival groups.
Such is the case with how various Vaishnava traditions have suborned Durga as the sister of Krishna/Vishnu, or the 'material energy,' and such. Not that I'm saying Vaishnavism is bad (I practice Gaudiya myself), that's just what it is - like the puranas in general.
A particularly important form of Durga is Ashtadashabuja Mahalakshmi; the 18 armed. These 18 arms are of great significance.
The five mula prakriti forms (emanations of the Adi-Shakti) in the Shrimad Devi Bhagavatam have Durga alongside Lakshmi, as well as Saraswati, Radhika, and Gayatri.
Durga is all of the powers of the gods as one - Lakshmi is the power of Vishnu. That's simply the definition of Durga.
What we learn through the study of comparative religion, applied to studying the parallels between the different sub-religions, if you will, of Hinduism, is that one group will often (especially in Hinduism due to the common descent) try to encompass and suborn the ideas and deities and whatnot of rival groups.
Such is the case with how various Vaishnava traditions have suborned Durga as the sister of Krishna/Vishnu, or the 'material energy,' and such. Not that I'm saying Vaishnavism is bad (I practice Gaudiya myself), that's just what it is - like the puranas in general.
A particularly important form of Durga is Ashtadashabuja Mahalakshmi; the 18 armed. These 18 arms are of great significance.
The five mula prakriti forms (emanations of the Adi-Shakti) in the Shrimad Devi Bhagavatam have Durga alongside Lakshmi, as well as Saraswati, Radhika, and Gayatri.
