The Names of the Goddess

The Names of the Goddess 

As the gentle companion of Śiva 's pleasure games the Goddess is mainly known as the Daughter-of-the- Mountain (Pārvatī) or the Mountain-born (Adri-ja or Giri-ja), the Daughter-of-the-Snow-capped-One (Haimavatī).

She is also the Earth-born (Ku-ja), the Fair-One (Gauri), the World's-Most-Fair (Jagad-Gauri), the Peace- of-the-Night (Umā).

Auspicious (Śivā), she is the Mother (Ambikā), the Mother-of-the-World (Jagan-mātā), the Giver-of-Existence (Bhavāni).

She is the Youngest (Avara), the Virgin (Kanyā), the Virgin-Girl (Kanyā- Kumārī). She is the Sustainer-of-the-World (Jagad- dhātṛi), the Auspicious-Power-of-Time (Bhadra-Kāli), the Giver-of-Food-and-Plenty (Annapūrṇā), the Shining- One (Devi), the Consort-of-the-Great-Lord (Mahā-devi).

As the embodiment of lust she is Wanton-eyed (Kamaksi), Her-very-Name-is-Lust (Kāmākhya). She is the Rubbing-or Squeezing-One (Mrda, Mrdani), Noble (Arya), Rich (Riddhi), Pearl-eared (Karna-moti), Recognizable-from-her-Lotus (Padma-lancana); she is Always-Auspicious (Sarva-mangala).

Like-a-Bee (Bhrāmarī), she is Śiva 's- Messenger (Śiva -Dūtī). She is the Goddess Beyond-Reach (Durgā), the Endless (Ananta), the Everlasting (Nitya).

Fearful, she is Tawny-Dark (Pingala), Spotted (Karburi), Naked (Koṭarī), Violent (Candi), Dark (Syama), Terrible (Bhairavī). She is the Fearful-Goddess (Bhima- devi), the Power-of-the-Anti-gods (Mahasuri), the Fierce (Rajasi), Red-toothed (Rakta-danti); she is the Mother-of-the-God-of-War (Skanda-mata), the Victorious (Vijaya).

The Chaṇḍī Māhātmya, one of the hymns of praise dedicated to her, depicts her as Ten-armed (Daśa-bhuja), Riding-on-a-Lion (Simha-vahani or Simharathi). She is the "Destroyer of the Buffalo-Demon" (Mahiṣa-mardini), the Disheveled (Mukta-kesini).

Being addicted to austerities, she is the Leafless (Aparna), the Widow (Kātyāyani), Grass-robed (Śākambharī).

From Śiva she obtains names which are the feminine form of his, such as the Tawny-One (Babhravi), the All-Powerful (Bhagavati), the Ruler (Īśānī), Divinity (Īśvarī), Dwelling-in-the- Kalinjar-Mountain (Kalanjari), Adorned-with-Skulls (Kapalini).

She is the Sentiment-of-Love (Kauśikī), the Savage-Girl (Kirātī), the Great-Goddess (Māheśvarī), the Goddess-of-Tears (Rudrāṇī), Universal (Sarvani), Auspicious (Śiva ), Three-eyed (Tryambaki).