Research and Reviews: A Journal of Ayurvedic Science, Yoga and Naturopathy ISSN: 2395-6682 (Online) Volume 5, Issue 1 www.stmjournals.com Navadurga and Respective Divya Vanaoushadhi Akshata T.S., Raghuveer* Department of Rasashastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana, KVG Ayurveda Medical College, Dakshina Kannada, Sullia, Karnataka, India Abstract In ancient India there was a belief that every herb has got special action, and which represents one or the other god/goddess. Ayurveda is a life science that explained more usage of herbs to treat many ailments. Maximum part of the Ayurveda Chikitsa are covered by herbs. Here is an attempt to identify the herbs with different avataras of goddess Durga. As Indians are celebrating a festival called ‘Navaratri’ that includes nine different forms of goddess Durga mentioned in Markandeya purana. To all these nine avatars, respective herbs are selected from the Ayurveda granthas on the base of appearance of avatara and herbs description in Ayurveda classics. Here is an attempt to establish some similarities between the herbs and nine avatara of goddess Durga. Keywords: Navadurga, Divya Vanoushadhi, Markandeya purana, herbs, Ayurveda *Author for Correspondence E-mail: [email protected] INTRODUCTION This shloka explains nine avatars of goddess India is known as the land of spirituality and Dogra especially called as Panadura avatar a philosophy. Spirituality refers to worshipping celebrated during Navaratri. of god/goddess in different names in different religion. There are many festivals held One can get many references of god/goddess throughout the world. A festival may be relation with some herbs in purana, veda etc. observed with acts of worship, offerings to viz, deities, fasting, puja, homa, etc. The festivals श्िेताकथ - गणपती typically celebrate events from Hindu mythology, often coinciding with seasonal अश्ित्थ- श्रीकृ ष्ण changes. Navaratri festival is one among तलु सी - विष्णवु प्रय them, falls on the lunar month of Ashwin which is either in September or October and is कमल – आसन for लक्ष्मीand ब्रह्म celebrated with all religious and spiritual शमी – शतन and भैिि तनिासस्थान significance for the next nine days. Navaratri, as name suggest, is celebrated for nine days, Means along with the worship using respective with nine different avataras of Goddess Durga herbs as a medicine, may increase the potency (Navadurga). Reference of Navadurga was of the medicine. first found in “Markandeya Purana”. It was hidden, later it was exposed to the world by Ayurveda speaks about three types of chikitsa Lord Brahma as, namely, YUKTIVYAPASHRAYA (Yuktipurvaka oushadha and Ahara prayoga), प्रथमं शलै पत्रु ीच, 饍वितीयं ब्रह्मचारिणी। DAIVAVYAPASHRAYA (Gods grace; Puja, Homa, Havana, bali etc.) and ततीयचं न्दघण्टेतत, कू ष्माण्डते त चतथु कथ म।् । ृ SATVAVAJAYA (Psychotherapy) explained पंचमं स्कन्दमातेतत, षष्ठंकात्यायनीतत च। by Acharya Charaka. सप्तमं कालिात्रीतत, महागौिीतत चाष्टमम।् । In Ayurved Chikitsa, especially in , : : निमं सस饍धिदात्री च निदगु ाथ प्रकीततथता । Yuktivyapashraya chikitsa major part is of उ啍तान्येतातन नामातन, ब्रह्मणैिमहात्मना।। vanaoushadhi (herbs). RRJoUSH (2018) 10-14 © STM Journals 2018. All Rights Reserved Page 10 Navadurga and Respective Divya Vanaoushadhi Akshata and Raghuveer Here is an attempt to compare similarities can be used to treat many ailments along with between Daiva (Durga) and Divya pooja of respective Rupa of Navadurga Vanoushadha. That means respective herbs especially in Navaratri. S.No Navadurga Description Divya Description . Vanaoushadhi 01 The name Haritaki Nirukti: शैलपुत्री Shailaputri (Terminalia (Shailaputri) हिस्यभिनेजाताहरिताचस्िभाित:।हियेत्सिथिोगांश्चतेनप्रो啍ताह means 'Daughter chebula) of the Mountain'. िीतकक॥ [1] (M.N.) Parvathi /Hemvathi is the Synonyms: daughter of हेमिततपन्चि啍त्रिसांहैमी ं सिशथ ोकतनिारिणीम।् सिशथ क्啍तमयी ं Himavan / Himavanth िन्दे सशिामभयकारिणीम ् ॥ The first form of Properties: /Himalaya, The Goddess Durga is king of हिीतकीपन्चिसालिणातुििापिम।् Shailaputri and is mountains. worshipped on 셂क्षोष्णादीपनीमेध्यास्िादपु ाकािसायनी॥ [2] (B.P.N.) the first day of Navaratri. 02 Bharmacharini Brahmi (Bacopa ब्रह्मचारिणी Synonyms: ब्राह्मी कपोतिन्का च सोमिक्लल सिस्ितत । means one who monnieri) (Brahmacharini) practices devout मण्डूकपणी मण्डूकी त्िाष्री ददव्या महौषिी ॥ [3] (B.P.N.) austerity. She enlightens us in Properties: the magnificent ब्राह्मी दहमासिा तत啍ता लघुमेध्या च शीतला । कषाया मिुिा embodiment of Durga with great स्िादपु ाकाssयुष्या िसायनी ॥ powers and स्ियाथ स्रुततप्रदा कु ष्टपाण्डुमेहास्त्रकासक्जत ् । [3](B.P.N.) divine grace. The second form of Goddess Durga is Brahmacharini and is worshipped on the second day of Navaratri. 03 चन्द्रघन्द्टा She has Chandrashura Nirukti: चन्रतत आह्लादयतत लोकान ् बलपुक्ष्टििनथ 饍िािा (Chandraghanta) a chandra or (Lepidium sativum) half-moon on her इतत चन्र: । शूियतत विक्रम ं किोतत िाताददिोगेषु इतत शूि: forehead in the ॥चन्र ईि शूिो िा चन्रशूि: । [4] (N.A.) shape of 4 a ghanta (bell)–– श्िेत िणथ (चन्रमा) पुष्प the reason why Synonyms: चक्न्रका चमहथ क्न्त च पशुमेहनकारिका । नक्न्दतन she is called कािवि भरा िासपष्पा सिासिा ॥ [5](B.P.N.) Chandraghanta . ु ु The third form of She is charming, Properties: Goddess Durga is has a golden चन्रशूिं दहतं दह啍कािातश्लेष्माततसारिणाम ् । Chandraghanta, bright [5] (B.P.N.) who is complexion and अस्रग्िातगद饍िेवष बलपुक्ष्टविििनथ म ् ॥ worshipped on rides a lion. With िात्री दग्ु िििकथ the third day of ten hands, three Navaratri. eyes and holdings weapons in her hands, she is the apostle of bravery and possesses great strength to fight in the battle against demons. RRJoUSH (2018) 10-14 © STM Journals 2018. All Rights Reserved Page 11 Research and Reviews: A Journal of Ayurvedic Science, Yoga and Naturopathy Volume 5, Issue 1 ISSN: 2395-6682 (Online) 04 "Ku" = "a little", Kushmanda कू ष्माक्ण्डतन Synonyms: पीतपुष्प [6], पुष्पफल, पुष्पसदहतम ् फलमस्य "ushma" = (Benincasa (Kushmandini) "warmth", hispida) Nirukti: कु नाक्स्त ऊष्मा अण्डषे ु बीजेष्िस्य। [7] (B.P.N.) "anda" = "the क्स्थिफला- क्स्थिं रढु ं cosmic egg". So Kashmanda is Properties: बलदायक तनराजनक मेिाशक्啍तििथक शीतिीयथ । considered the (B.P.N.) [7]. Instead of पशुबसल, कू ष्माण्डबसल can be given creator of the universe―the universe was no more than a void full of darkness Kushmanda is the until her light fourth form of the spreads in all mother goddess directions like and is worshipped rays from the on the fourth day sun. of Navaratri. दगु ाथप्रीयपुष्प (पीतपुष्प) 05 The mother of Atasi (Linum स्कन्दमाता Nirukti: अततत सततं गमयतत िातव्याधिप्रततषेिेन Skanda, usitatissimum) (Skandamata) Kartikeya, born Synonyms: अतसस नीलपुक्ष्प च पाितथ त स्यादमु ाक्षुमा ॥ [8] out of her (B.P.N.) powers. उमा - शक्啍तशासलतन Properties: अतसीमिुिातत啍ताक्स्नग्िापाके कटुगु셁थ :। [9] (B.P.N.) The fifth form of उष्णार啍ु छु क्रिातघ्नीकफवपत्तविनासशनी॥ Mother Durga and is worshipped on the fifth day of Navaratri. 06 The daughter of Ambalika Synonyms: कात्यायनी sage Katyayana, (Hibiscus (Katyayani) माधचका प्रक्स्थका륍बष्ठा तथा who incarnated cannabinus) to help the चा륍बासलकाक्륍बका।मयूिविदलाके शी सहस्रिातमूसलका ॥ [10] Devas. (B.P.N.) Properties: मोधचकोष्णािसेपाके कषायाशीतलालघु : । प啍िातीसािवपत्तास्रकफकण्ठामयापहा॥ [11 ](M.N.) The sixth form of Mother Durga is known as Katyayani and is worshipped on the sixth day of Navaratri. 07 She is black, like Nagadamani कालिात्री Synonyms: नागदमतन बलामोटा विषापहा । नागपुक्ष्प Goddess Kali, (Crinum asiaticum) (Kaalaratri) and holds a नागपत्रा महायोगेश्ििीतत च । [12] (B.P.N.) sparkling sword in her right hand Properties: to battle all evil. बलामोटा कतुक्स्त啍ता लघु: वपत्तकफापहा। मुत्रक्रच्छ्रव्रणान ् Her gesture of protection िक्षो नाशये煍जलगदथभम ् ।| सिग्रथ हप्रशमनी तन:शेषविषनासशतन assures us of जयं सित्रथ कु 셁त े िनदासुमततप्रदा ॥ [12] (B.P.N.) freedom from fear and troubles. This is the seventh form of Mother Durga, RRJoUSH (2018) 10-14 © STM Journals 2018. All Rights Reserved Page 12 Navadurga and Respective Divya Vanaoushadhi Akshata and Raghuveer who is worshipped on the seventh day of Navaratri. 08 Maha Gauri is Tulasi Synonyms of Tulasi: महागौिी intelligent, (Ocimum sanctum) (Mahagauri) तुलसी सुिसा गौिी भूतघ्नी बहमन्जिी । [13] (M.N.) peaceful and ु calm. Due to her देिदन्ु दसु भ–(B.P.N.) [14] long austerities Properties: in the deep तुलसी कटुका तत啍ता ह्रु饍योष्णा दाहवपत्तकृ त ् ।दीपनी forests of the Himalayas, she कु ष्ठक्रु च्छ्छास्रपाश्ि셂थ 啍कफिातक्जत ् ॥ [13] (M.N.) developed a dark complexion. When Lord Shiva cleaned Haridra Mahagauri is the (Curcuma longa) her with the Synonyms of Haridra: हरिरा िजनी गौिी िक्न्जनी िििर्णथनी eighth form of the water of the [15] (M.N.) Goddess Durga Ganges, her ।वपण्डा पीता िणथितत तनशा िणाथ विलाससनी ॥ and is worshipped body regained its Properties: हरिरा कटुका तत啍ता 셂क्षोष्णा श्लेष्मवपत्तनुत ् on the eighth day beauty and she [15] (M.N.) of Navaratri. came to be ।िण्याथ त्िग्दाहमेहास्रशोफपाण्डुव्रणापहा॥ known as "MahaGauri," which mean "extremely white." 09 In the Devi Shatavari Synonyms: सस饍धिदात्री Bhagvata (Asparagus (Siddhidatri) शताििी 饍िीवपशत्रु饍थिीवपका ििकण्टका। नािायणी शतपदी Purana, it is racemosa) mentioned that शतपा饍बहुपत्रत्रका ।। [16] (M.N.) Lord Shiva worshiped her Properties : and as a result शताििी गु셁: शीता स्िाद:ु क्स्नग्िा िसायनी ।शुक्रस्तन्यकिा was blessed with all Siddhis बलया िातवपत्तास्रशोफक्जत ् ॥ [16] (M.N.) (supernatural powers).