Shiva Shakti - Part 1

Who is husband of Maa Durga ?

Lord Shiva…….a very simple and sweet answer.

Maa Durga Devi is another name of Maa Uma Bhavani or Chandika Devi. She is eternal Goddess, Brahman herself and always present with Lord Shiva Shankar Mahadeva !!!!!!!

She is the Naari bhaag (female part) of the Ardhanarishwara !!!!!

I have already answered a question of this type in brief and it’s link will be given at the bottom of the answer.

However in this answer we will go by scriptural references. There are many many references and I am able to give only some.

Maa Durga is basically called as Shakti, Parvati, Sati, Bhavani, Uma, Ambika Devi, Shivakaam sundari, Bhairavi, Ashtabhuja Dhaarinyai, Chandika, Mahakaali, Tripur Sundari, Kaamakshi, Meenakshi, Vishalakshi (Annapurna), Mahalakshmi, etc. She is known as Umiya in Gujarat and almost every Gujarati believes Umiya (Uma) to be the supreme goddess and creator, preserver and destroyer of the Universe with Lord Shiva. She have generally 2 mounts (vaahana). One is Lion/Tiger and another is Nandi Bull (Nandishwara).

So let us take first reference from Shiva Purana :-

When Devas reached Vindhyachal Parvat to meet Maa Uma as Vindhyavaasini and here lord Bramha is praising her :- She the supreme Goddess, mother of whole Universe and beautiful wife of Lord SadaShiva, Goddess Durga is the destroyer of all distress. She is shining like brilliance an her limbs are shining like Billions of Suns. She have glorious look and perfectly golden complexion. She have all the kalaas in her and is also called as Sivaa. Ohh supreme Goddess, adharma gets frightened by seeing you as Kaali. Ohh Chandika Devi even Vedas cant explain you, you are beyond everything and even Kaal bows to you for its life. Ohh devi Himavati (daughter of Himalaya),beautiful wife of Lord Shiva and our supreme mother, we bow to you.

:- Shiva Purana, chapter 11 Rudrasamhita, Sati Khanda.

another reference :-

Lord Bramha and Lord Vishnu after reaching to the supreme goddess said that

“Ohh Devi Shivaa, Oh mother of whole Universe, Ohh Chandika Devi, you are the destroyer of all distress. Ohh Devi, neither Vedas nor Agamas or any other sacred text cannot describe you. You are above each and everything. Formerly you were known as Dakshayani and married to Lord Shiva. As because your father insulted you and Lord Shiva, you burnt yourself and went to your own world and Lord Shiva became fully miserable. Oh Shivaa, please again come back to Lord Shiva by incarnating again and let happiness and joy spread again all over the worlds”.

Hearing this Maa Uma Bhavani said “Oh great Lord Vishnu, Oh great Lord Bramha, Oh Devas and all the great sages here who are free from all the avidyas (sorrow, pain,over happiness, anger, etc.) and ever delighted. All this leela like of Daksha Yagna Vidhvans was done by me alone. I will take birth as daughter of Himanchala and Mena and there is no doubt in that. Just like you all, my lord Rudra too is very anxious for my birth. Hence as he too desires my birth, I will be born as Himavati which will end the whole miseries of the world and all the worlds will be full of happiness.

I will become Lord Shiva’s wife again as this desire of mine to become his wife is a very special secret indeed with me. It’s all Shiva Leela only and deludes each and everyone from the lowest to the highest”.

Even Maa tells many many more things but it will become too long so I am taking you to the concluding lines of Lord Bramha.

He said :-

“Oh excellent sages ! Now I have narrated you the divine story and words of the supreme goddess Durga. The one who listens it or sings it is granted salvation for guaranteed”.

Going though different Puranas like Linga Purana, Kurma Purana, Skanda Purana, Vaayu Purana, Markandeya Purana, etc. many many Puranas.

See this from Durga Kavach from Markandeya Purana :-

Its starts after telling :-

ॐ नमश्चण्डिकायै ॥

Om Namas-Chandikaaye ॥

Who is Devi Chandika (Durga) ?? Mata Parvati only na !!!!!!!

Let us see some more :-

प्रथमं शैलपुत्री च द्वितीयं ब्रह्मचारिणी।
तृतीयं चन्द्रघण्टेति कूष्माण्डेति चतुर्थकम्॥3॥

पञ्चमं स्कन्दमातेति षष्ठं कात्यायनीति च
सप्तमं कालरात्रीति महागौरीति चाष्टमम्॥4॥

नवमं सिद्धिदात्री च नव दुर्गाः प्रकीर्तिताः।
उक्तान्येतानि नामानि ब्रह्मणैव महात्मना॥5॥

prathamaṃ śailaputrī ca dvitīyaṃ brahmacāriṇī |
tṛtīyaṃ candraghaṇṭeti kūṣmāṇḍeti caturthakam || 3 ||

pañcamaṃ skandamāteti ṣaṣṭhaṃ kātyāyanīti ca |
saptamaṃ kālarātrīti mahāgaurīti cāṣṭamam || 4 ||

navamaṃ siddhidātrī ca navadurgāḥ prakīrtitāḥ |
uktānyetāni nāmāni brahmaṇaiva mahātmanā || 5 ||

Her first form is Shailaputri- Daughter of the King of Himalayas; second is Bramhachaarini- One Who observes the state of celibacy; third is Chandraghanta- One Who bears the moon around Her neck fourth is Kushmaanda- Whose Void contains the Universe

Fifth is Skandamata- Who gave birth to Karttikeya; Sixth is Kaatyaayni- Who incarnated to help the Devas; Seventh is Kaalraatri- Who is even the Destroyer of Kali; Eight is Maha Gauri- One Who made great penance

Ninth is Siddhidaatri- One Who grants Moksham .

Those who remember You with great devotion indeed have prosperity. Undoubtedly, O Goddess of the Gods, You Protect those who remember You.

Now even if you just see the names of Maa Durga here, you will easily get that she is Maa Gauri only !!!!!!

Even the last lines of Durga Kavach Lord Bramha said :-

यावद्भूमण्डलं धत्ते सशैलवनकाननम्। तावत्तिष्ठति मेदिनयां सन्ततिः पुत्रपौत्रिकी

देहान्ते परमं स्थानं यात्सुरैरपि दुर्लभम्

प्राप्नोति पुरुषो नित्यं महामायाप्रसादतः
लभते परमं रूपं शिवेन सह मोदते ॥ॐ॥

Yaavad_bhuu_mandalam ; Dhatte Sashaila_vanakaana_namh

Taavattishh_Thati medinyaa.n ; Santatih Putra Pautrikii

Dehaante Paramam S_thaanam , Yatsu_rai_rapi Durlabham.h
Praapnoti Purushho Nityam ; Mahaamaayaa PrasaadataH

Labhate Paramam Ruupam ; Shivena Saha Modate .. AUM

His progeny would live as long as the earth in rich with mountains and forests. By the Grace of Mahamaya, he would attain the highest place that is inaccessible even to the Gods and is eternally blissful in the company of Lord Shiva.

See here in Durga Kavach also, Lord Bramha said that the one who sings it and reads it everyday will definitely get Moksham and what’s that………. To reside eternally with the supreme Lord Shiva by taking a very beautiful form. Because where you will go to have swayam darshan of Maa Durga ? Kailasha only na because Maa Durga is another name of Maa Parvati only as her ashta-bhuja (eight armed) and sometimes chatur-bhuja (four armed) swaroop (her own form i.e. she herself) !!!!!!!!

Even in Upanishads, there is a story of goddess Durga who is also called as Uma/Himavati (Parvati). Let’s see it from Saam Veda’s Kena Upanishad.

“The gods became puffed up with a victory over the Asuras. They wrongly took the success to be the result of their own valour and prowess. The Lord wanted to teach them a lesson. He appeared before them in the form of a Yaksha, a huge form, the beginning and end of which were not visible. The Devas wanted to find out the identity of this form and sent Agni for this purpose.

The Yaksha asked Agni: “What is your name and power?” Agni replied: “I am Agni (Jatavedas). I can burn up the whole universe in a minute.” The Yaksha placed before Agni a dry blade of grass and asked him to burn it. Agni was nor able to burn it. He ran away from the Yaksha in shame.

The gods then sent Vayu to enquire who the Yaksha was. Vayu approached the Yaksha. The Yaksha said to Vayu: “Who are you? What is your power?” Vayu said: “I am wind-god. I can blow up the whole world in a minute.” The Yaksha then placed a blade of grass before Vayu and told him to blow that away. Vayu could not make it move an inch from its place. He left the place in shame. Last of all came Indra himself.

When Indra reached the place, he found that the Yaksha had vanished.

Then Maa Uma appeared before Indra and revealed to him the real identity of the Yaksha. She said to Indra: "It is, indeed, Brahman. Through the victory of Brahman alone have you attained glory." After that Indra understood that It was Brahman.

Since they approached very near Brahman and were the first to know that It was Brahman, these devas, namely, Agni, Vayu and Indra, excelled the other gods. Since Indra approached Brahman nearest and since he was the first to know that It was Brahman, Indra excelled the other gods.”

Basically this story proves both Maa Uma and Lord Shiva as the supreme personality of God-head and have no none above them.

Even in Devi Suktam too :-

नमो देव्यै महादेव्यै शिवायै सततं नमः।

नमः प्रकृत्यै भद्रायै नियताः प्रणताः स्म ताम्॥1॥

Namo devyai mahadevyai sivayai satatam namaha I
Namaha prakrityai bhadrayai niyataah pranatah sma taam.

Salutations to that Devi who is Mahadevi Shivaa (supreme auspicious) , who is supreme, I bow the energy of Infinite Devi !!!!!

We prostrate, with hands together, to that supreme mother (Devi) who becomes Prakriti (Nature), and I bow again to the supreme excellent one !!!!!

रौद्रायै नमो नित्यायै गौर्यै धात्र्यै नमो नमः।

ज्योत्स्नायै चेन्दुरुपिण्यै सुखायै सततं नमः॥2॥

Roudrayai namo nityayi gouryayai dhatrayai namo namaha
Jyothsnayayai chendurupinyayai sukhayayai satatam namaha. (2)

We bow to the great goddess who is Reliever of Sufferings ( Ruadrai or bascially to Devi Rudrani ) , to the eternal, to the embodiment of rays of light (Gauryayi or basically to Devi Gauri)

We continually bow to the Goddess who manifests light, to the form of devotion, to Happiness.

So you may notice here, each and every word is referred to Maa Adi Shakti Uma only. Different names of her and even the name Shivaa is used first only. Shivaa name itself signifies that she is wife of Shiva and we all know Maa Uma is basically called as Shivaa only. Other names like Gauri, Rudrayi or Rudrani are also told here. In next verses Maa Shakti is called by her different names like Durga, Mahamaya and many other names.

Here are some of mine answers link so that more understanding will be have by one who have read this answer and want to know more about Maa Shakti :-

Hope it helps !!!!!

Dhanyawaadam !!!!!

Jay Shri Bhavani Shankar !!!!!!!