Durga, Mother of the Gods.

Durga has always been worshipped as the Mother of the Universe, and is the power behind creation, preservation and destruction. Durga is the Supreme power of the Supreme Being.
Dugatinashini means “She who eliminates all sufferings”. Quite literally, Durga shields Her devotees from the harshness and adverse effects of this world of suffering.

Goddess Durga is the Mother of the Gods, and is part of a triad of Goddesses including Parvati and Kali. Durga really epitomises the Mother’s fighting instinct to protect her children. According to DJConway, Durga is known in this aspect as The Inaccessible.

Durga is the Amazon goddess famous for defeating hordes of demons on behalf of the gods. This symbolic protection is very real on all levels of existence for the devotees of this Goddess, who is seen also as a primal Creatrix in Her own right, sometimes as identical to Kali, The Dark Mother.

Like Shiva, Mother Durga is also referred to as "Triyambake" meaning the three eyed Goddess. The left eye represents desire (the moon), the right eye represents action (the sun), and the central eye knowledge (fire).

Durga is mounted on a Lion, and the Lion is the King of the Jungle; the sacred beast of the Goddess and God and the symbol of royalty and strength.
The power, will and determination that is needed for the seeker to overcome the demon of outer, false and illusionary Ego, is of the Lion.
Durga rides upon the Lion, symbolising Her mastery of these qualities and thus all demons. A good parallel can be drawn with the Queen of the Night relief in which Lilith is depicted as astride the Routi, or double-headed Lion, symbolising the powers of the God , and naturally , the famous representations of Kali standing on top of Shiva.

Without the vital masculine force, creation of any type would not be possible, as without action (Chokmah), which sparks out of the deep feminine potential, ( Binah) nothing can be accomplished .

Durga holds many weapons, as the demons cannot always be defeated with a single type of weapon or tactic.

• The conch shell in Durga's hand symbolizes the 'Pranava' or the mystic word 'Om', which indicates her holding on to God in the form of sound.
• The bow and arrows represent energy. By holding both the bow and arrows in one hand "Mother Durga" is indicating her control over both aspects of energy - potential and kinetic.
• The thunderbolt signifies firmness. The devotee of Durga must be firm like thunderbolt in one's convictions. Like the thunderbolt that can break anything against which it strikes, without being affected itself, the devotee needs to attack a challenge without losing his confidence.
• The lotus in Durga's hand is not in fully bloomed, It symbolizing certainty of success but not finality. The lotus in Sanskrit is called "pankaja" which means born of mud. Thus, lotus stands for the continuous evolution of the spiritual quality of devotees amidst the worldly mud of lust and greed.
• The "Sudarshan-Chakra" or beautiful discus, which spins around the index finger of the Goddess, while not touching it, signifies that the entire world is subservient to the will of Durga and is at her command. She uses this unfailing weapon to destroy evil and produce an environment conducive to the growth of righteousness.
• The sword that Durga holds in one of her hands symbolizes knowledge, which has the sharpness of a sword. Knowledge which is free from all doubts, is symbolized by the shine of the sword.
• Durga's trident or "trishul" is a symbol of three qualities - Satwa (inactivity), Rajas (activity) and Tamas (non-activity) - and she is remover of all the three types of miseries - physical, mental and spiritual.

Durga is known by many Names and praise-names; and these are some of them:

Kali
Bhagvati
Bhavani
Ambika
Lalita
Gauri
Kandalini
Java
Rajeswari
OM
Durga-Devi
The Manifested Brahman
Liberatrix from the world of births and deaths
Destructress of distress
Accessible by devotion
Pure One
Essence of All
Giver of Strength
Forest Durga
Terrifying
Beautiful
Whose Love is Unbounded
Who Art All
Granter of Boons
Goddess of The Three Worlds
The Goddess of the Celestials
Bearer of Various Weapons
Protector of the Three Worlds
Sister of Krsna
Beautiful like the Full Moon

Durga is the ultimate protector Goddess; however, seekers attracted to the Goddess are forewarned that neither Kali or Durga are for the faint-hearted.
Durga represents the fearless warrior, as all fears are illuminated under a spotlight and dealt with accordingly. There is success in all attempts for those who re- learn the skills of living in harmony with the laws of Nature and give thanks and praises to Mother Durga.
Devi here takes the form of Mahishamardini, more popularly known as Durga, who destroyed the two arch-demons Sumbha and Nisumbha in an epic battle between the goddess and the throng of demons. It was at this time, according to legend, that Durga created Kali, by emanating her out of her third eye.

The Goddess speaks

“I am Great Nature, consciousness, bliss, the quintessence, devotedly praised. Where I am, there are no Brahma, Hara, Shambhu or other devas, nor is there creation, maintenance or dissolution. Where I am, there is no attachment, happiness, sadness, liberation, goodness, faith, atheism, guru or disciple.

I am the essence of creation, manifested as woman, intoxicated with sexual desire, in order to know you as guru, you with whom I am one.”

“By mutual differences of Shiva and Shakti, the (three) gunas originate. All things, such as Brahma and so forth, are my parts, born from my being. Dividing and blending, the various tantras, mantras and kulas come into being.

After withdrawing the five fold universe, I, Lalita, become of the nature of nirvana. Once more, men, great nature, egoism, the five elements, sattvas, rajas and tamas become manifested. This universe of parts appears and is then dissolved.”

The devotee replies:

Om hail to you Mother Devi!
Stainless soul, the essence of Brahma.
Through your compassion remove obstacles and bestow siddhi on me!
Maheshi, giver of blessings!
Devi, the form of supreme bliss!
Through your compassion &c.
Kaumari, who dallies with Kumara,
Lady of all Knowledge,
Through your compassion &c.
Vashnavi, carried on Garuda's wings,
The very self of Vishnu
Through your compassion &c.
Varahi Devi, giver of blessings,
Who lifted the earth on your tusks,
Through your compassion &c.
Devi, you are Aindri, worshipped by all the gods and Indra.
Through your compassion &c.
Chamunda, smeared with blood, dressed in a garland of severed heads,
You destroy fear!
Through your compassion &c.
Mahalakshmi Mahamaya, you destroy anxiety and sorrow.
Through your compassion &c.
Devi you are the goddess, father and mother both!
You take the place of our father and mother!
Although one, you are many, in the form of the cosmos!
Hail to you Devi, hail!