Laura Amazzone on Goddess Durga

Ajay0 · Sep 30, 2025 at 4:03 AM

The 9 day religious festival of Navratri is taking place in India at the moment, where the Divine is worshipped in the form of the Goddess .

Navratri is held in honour of Goddess Durga, who is considered the personification of the feminine energy of the infinite Brahman. She is revered for slaying the demons Mahishasura, Shumbha and Nishumba, which can be metaphorically stated to be the vices within ourselves such as negativity, greed and hatred.

I found an insightful article by scholar and author Laura Amazzone sharing her metaphoric insights on the Goddess.

The Divine Mother Durga - Science and Nonduality (SAND)

As we face the many ecological, political, social, and religious crises of these shifting times, a 1500 year old myth, the Devi Mahatmya and the millennia-old ritual worship of the Great Goddess Durga provide philosophical and spiritual insight into the powers that can aid us in the deep process of transformation which we face both globally and personally.

Her iconography and mythology offer many insights into how to work with imbalances and disturbances in the human psyche that inevitably will manifest outwardly creating dysfunction, disharmony and at worst, violence and destruction.

On a philosophical level, the way the asuras or demons are portrayed in the myth outlines our universal struggles with negativity, pessimism, corruption, greed, and fear.

Durga’s many weapons and tools give us insight into what is needed to face our struggles. With Her composure and conviction we can face whatever stands before us and pray and work for justice to prevail. Her bells brings clarity and removes negativity, Her sword severs attachments and brings discrimination, Her shield protects and reflects back any attacks or vicious criticism. Her club smashes injustice and subdues the over-analytical and judgmental mind. Her spear penetrates to the heart of any matter helping us locate the central truths and act or decide from there.

Durga assumes various forms that have the specific Shakti (power or energy) to confront and transform whatever demon she faces.

In these final chapters, we also get a glimpse of Durga’s other Shakti – a collective of eight Goddesses known as the Matrikas who assist specifically with overcoming certain emotions.

The appearance of the Matrikas reminds us of the many different powers we have within ourselves to call on at any time. We can also understand them as the power of the community who come together and share their various skills and gifts to take on and transform any threatening and destructive situation.
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Laura Amazzone on Goddess Durga

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Laura Amazzone on Goddess Durga

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