[Advaita-l] On the Boundary of Dharma

[Ramakrishna Upadrasta]

namaste,


2011/6/18 S Jayanarayanan <sjayana at yahoo.com>:
>> In one letter the scholar has given some objections to
>> Durga Sukta.
>> Why it is not correct we use Durga Sukta for Durga Puja?
>
> The scholar never said Durga Sukta should not be used to worship Durga, but only that the NAME "Durga Sukta" is not a suitable one for the set of Mantras beginning with "Jaatavedase...".
>
> As a matter of fact, the scholar himself uses the Sukta to worship Durga, but insists that the Sukta could be BETTER NAMED.
>



>From a rigvedic perspective, it is clear why the scholar objected to
the above: the first mantra occurs alone in rigveda with the diety
jaataveda/agni/durga. This mantra as well as the rest of the mantras
come as a bunch in what is called as taiitirIya AraNyaka/mahAnArAyaNa
upanishhad and a scholar has told me that using these mantras for devi
abhishhekam etc are a yajurvedic perspective shishhTaachaara.

Further, It is very interesting to note that the above mantra is a
"single mantra sukta" in Rig veda (1.99) and also is the shortest
sukta in entire rigveda. Hence, anushhThana of it has its benefits and
powers (with proper initiation of course). I am also told that it is
one reason why the mantra occupies an important position in sri-vidya.

namaste
Ramakrishna