In Hindu Dharma, gods and Goddesses represent the most potent force in the world. They are mighty and respected and significant to the creation, defence, and end of the universe. All of the most important gods have both male and female partners. Shakti, the feminine source of power in the universe, is symbolised by Hindu goddesses.
In Hinduism, Goddesses are the celestial versions of the cosmos. They are the opposites of the Gods, who are men. The women goddesses have a purpose, and each Devi represents a part of Shakti and the universe. Worshippers honour different gods and goddesses based on their beliefs and thoughts. Chamunda maa, the extreme form of Chandi, the Hindu Divine Mother Parvati, is one of these powerful Goddesses. She is one of the seven Matrikas (mother goddesses). She is also called Chamundi, Chamundeshwari, and Charchika, among other names.
Who is Chamndu Maa?
In Hinduism, Chamunda mata is one of the most well-known forms of Durga Devi. The Devi Mahatmya and the Markandeya Purana discuss where Maa Chamunda came from. The story goes that when Goddess Durga was involved in a war with demons Munda and Chanda, Kali Devi materialised from the forehead of Durga and killed the asuras. Durga was happy with Kali, so she gave her the name Chamunda.
She is believed to be one of the main Yoginis, a group of sixty-four or eighty-one Tantric Devis, who are part of Parvati Devi’s entourage. Her name has been linked to the goddesses Parvati, Kali, and Durga. The name comes from the words Chanda and Munda, which are the names of two demons that Chamunda maa killed.
Maa is usually shown living where people burn their bodies or near holy fig trees. People honour Devi by giving her wine and ritually killing animals. Animal sacrifice isn’t made as often as it used to be because of what Vaishnavites and Shaivites did.
At first, Maa was seen as a goddess of the tribal people living in central India’s Vindhya mountains. The Devi is fiery because she is linked to Rudra (Lord Shiva), who is sometimes confused with the fire god Agni. At the time, it was common for tribes to offer animals and even people as sacrifices to the Goddess. It was also common to give liquor as a gift.
People believe that Chamunda maa is the Goddess of War and worship her all over India and Nepal. Many Hindus and Jain people pray to her as their Kuladevi (Family Deity).
Origin of Chamunda Maa as Per Hindu Scriptures
Markandeya Purana and Devi Mahatmya talk about how Goddess Chamunda came to be. According to the Agni Purana, Chamunda Maa has eight different forms.
In Hindu texts like the Mahabharata, the Devi Purana, and the Vishnudharmottara Purana, Chamunda is listed as one of the Saptamatrika, or seven mothers. In the Vishnudharmottara Purana, matrikas are compared to sins. In this place, Chamunda Maa is seen as a kind of immortality.
In the Devi Purana, there is a story about a group of five Matrikas who helped Lord Ganesha kill the asuras. Sage Mandavya has also talked about praying to the Mrpacaka, or “five mothers,” of which Chamunda is one. The Devi Purana gives a slightly different meaning to Chanda and Munda. Chanda means “terrible,” and Munda means “Brahma’s head” or “Lord” or “Husband.”
Legends of Devi Chamndu
Chamunda Maa is mentioned many times in Hindu scriptures, especially the Puranas. One of these stories says that Goddess Chamunda is one of the seven ways that Shakti appeared to help Lord Shiva when he was fighting Andaka.
In another story, the asura Raktabija’s body was dripping blood, which the Goddess Chamunda drank. The demon was given a gift: if a drop of his blood fell to the ground, it would create thousands of monsters with the same strength. This version of the Devi is called Rakta Chamunda Maa.
Another story explains where Goddess Chamunda came from. Chamundeshwari Devi is known as the personal Goddess of the Mysuru Royal Family. She is usually called Durga. Mysuru got its name from Mahishasura, a demon with a human body and a buffalo’s head. He is a violent, strong monster who messed with cosmic powers and caused trouble in the universe.
The gods and goddesses asked Lord Shiva to stop the fighting. Lord Shiva promised the demon that no human could kill him. The universe couldn’t handle Mahishasura’s army of powerful monsters. So, they asked Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva’s wife, for help. She appeared as Durga or Chamundi. She was strong enough to kill Mahishasura and eliminate his evil actions.
Vahana of Goddess Chamunda
Chamunda Devi’s banners have an eagle on them. She is pictured as sitting on an owl. People say that the owl is the vahana of the maa. Some of her friends are shown to be meat-eating jackals or scary creatures like serpents and scorpions.
Anecdotes about Chamunda Mata
The Munda people who lived in the Vindhya range of Central India used to worship Chamunda maa, so the story goes. People say that some devotees sacrifice both animals and people. Even alcohol is given to Chamunda Devi. People think the Goddess is fiery because she is related to Vedic Rudra. She is sometimes called Agni, the god of fire.
About 400 years ago, the story of how the Chamunda Mataji Temple came to be was told. A ruler and a Brahmin priest prayed to the Goddess to get her permission to move the shrine to where people could quickly find it. In a dream, she appeared before the priest and told him to dig in a particular place to find an old idol that should be put in the shrine and worshipped as her form.
The leader made plans to get the idol back. Even though it was found, it was too heavy to be moved. The Devi showed up in the priest’s dream once more. She said the sacred relic couldn’t be moved because the men thought it was just an ordinary stone. She told the priest to get up early in the morning, bathe, wear clean clothes, and respectfully approach the holy place. The priest did what he was told and found that he could easily lift the idol, which most men couldn’t do. He said the people that the Goddess’s divine power brought the idol to the shrine.
Benefits of Worshipping Chamunda Maa
People pray to Mataji to eliminate their sins, illnesses, curses from past lives, and many doshas. She gives the people who worship her courage, knowledge, wisdom, bravery, knowledge, energy, and mental satisfaction.
The Goddess protects her followers from all bad things and brings good things into the world. Most people who pray in India say the Chamunda Mantra or the Chandi Mantra. The mantra makes you feel stronger and more sure of yourself. It improves your intelligence, skills, and abilities so you can do well in your career. It helps strengthen the mind and body of the person who repeats this mantra. You can do well on your tests and improve your ability to focus. It protects a person from the bad things that planets can do.
What is the best way to worship Chamunda maa?
The puja should be performed before sunrise, during the pradosh time (1.5 hours before sunset), or at midnight. The one performing the puja must wear red or saffron-coloured clothing. The Chamunda deity’s murti should take the form of Jagadamba, the Mother of the Universe.
Chamunda Maa Puja Mantra
ॐ ऐं ह्रीं क्लीं चामुण्डायै विच्चे ।।
ॐ चामुण्डे जय जय वश्यकरि सर्व सत्वान्नम: स्वाहा |
Quick FAQ – Chamunda Maa
Who is Chamunda maa and why should we worship her?
Goddess Chamunda is a very popular and potent Hindu deity. This moniker denotes the fiery element of Ma Durga displayed by the Mother to eradicate the evil forces from the face of the cosmos and to safeguard the good and righteous.
Chamunda Mata is the Kuldevi of whose family?
Chamunda Mataji is the Kuldevi (family goddess) of the majority of Hindus residing in Gujarat’s Saurashtra area.