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Parvati and Durga
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Figure 51
Parvati
Parvati
Parvati, the consort of Shiva, is the golden-colored goddess of power and strength. She represents the Shakti (female power or active energy) of Shiva and is considered a mother goddess who assumes many forms that complement each form of Shiva. As Parvati, she embodies goodness and is considered the ideal woman. Her emergence out of the ocean of milk makes her a symbol of utmost purity. Adorned in splendor, Parvati is often shown with all her manifestations, such as Durga.
Durga
Durga is the wrathful protector and a symbol of power. Durga overcomes the evil and demons that reside within us. With a weapon in each of her eight hands, she is ready to destroy any weakness that keeps us from the Truth. Each weapon, a gift from a deity, exists as a symbol of an appropriate quality that can lead to success: determination, concentration, clarity of thought, strength, energy. Durga usually rides a lion or tiger, which only attacks when it is threatened or hungry. But when the animal does attack, it is ferocious and hard to restrain. These animals are the ego, and Durga's subjugation of either the lion or tiger symbolizes the subjugation of the ego.
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Figure 52
Durga

 
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