Namo Devyai Mahadevyai - Why Is She Called Devi And Mahadevi?

Only audio above. Video below.

When attacked by Shumbha Nishumbha and ousted from Swarga, Devas went to the Himalayas and started praising Devi.

We know stuti or praising is a simple way of activating the divine power.

Activating those aspects of the divine power that we specifically want in a particular situation.

That's why we have so many stotras.

देवा ऊचुः। 

नमो देव्यै महादेव्यै शिवायै सततं नम। नमः प्रकृत्यै भद्रायै नियताः प्रणताः स्म ताम्॥ 

This is also the 8th mantra of Devi Atharva Sheersha.

What is the difference between Devi and Mahadevi?

Devi means she is brilliant. 

We see that aura in the images of Devas and Devis. 

It's real light.

It is because of this light that they are called Devas and Devis.

Mahadevi has two meanings.

Wife of Mahadeva, Lord Shiva.

She prompts Mahat Devas such as Brahma into action.

महतो ब्रह्मादीनपि देवयति 

She is Shivaa, she only gives goodness and auspiciousness.

Everything that is good is given by her.

She is prakriti, moola prakriti.

The primal state which turns into the satwa rajastamo gunas causing the world to come into existence.

प्रकृतिः पार्वती साक्षात्प्रत्ययस्तु महेश्वरः। 

अर्धनारीश्वरः शब्दः कामधुग्वः प्रसीदतु॥ 

Parvathy is prakriti, Maheshwara is pratyaya 

Pratyaya has two meanings - Maheshwara is the cause behind prakriti but when the world exists he is under her command.

Like how a person appoints a security team a team of black cats around him but once they are there, then he has to follow whatever they say, their protocol.

But Shiva and Shkati are always together as Ardhanareeshwara.

They are two aspects of the same truth.

Even in our body, this concept of Ardhanareeshwara is there.

The left side is female and the right side is male.

In the Vedic language, the left side is Soma and the right side is Agni.

Devi is bhadra, she is the protector.

The Devas are bowing before her perpetually, satatam.

Their attitude towards her is that of perpetual humility. 

They know their status in front of her.

And they are niyataha - fully focused upon her, their eyes are not distracted, their ears are not distracted, and none of their sensory organs are distracted.

And they are bowing before her in respect.

रौद्रायै नमो नित्यायै गौर्यै धात्र्यै नमो नमः।

ज्योत्स्नायै चेन्दुरूपिण्यै सुखदायै सततं नमः॥ 

The earlier shloka revealed through the names Prakriti and Bhadra, her creative and protective aspects.

Now, the samhara shakti, she is the samhara shakti of Rudra.

When she assumes that form, she is terrible, she is ferocious.

She is nitya, what is nitya and anitya?

Whatever is under the control of time, there is a beginning and an end.

Even when Devatas take avatara on earth, it has a beginning and an end.

It is like you travel into a country, you have to follow the law of that country during your stay there.

But once you are back, those laws don't apply to you anymore.

The world from the time it comes into existence till the time it dissolves is under the command of time. Kala.

But just like how you are in that foreign country for a month and the laws of that country apply to you only during that one month and your basic existence is in your own motherland, Devi also is not bound by time.

She is nitya.

In the created world it may look like she manifested for some time, then she disappeared.

But outside the world, she is there forever.

We are seeing her only when she manifests for some time.

She is Gowri, her complexion is fair.

She is Parvathy.

Both Shiva and Parvathy are fair complexioned.

कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारम्

Dhatree is related to support, dharana.

We call Bhumi Devi Dhatree because she supports everything that is on her surface, mountains, trees, plants, animals, and humans.

Like this, the support for the entire universe is Devi.

Remember, when Madhu and Kaitabha were born, they saw only water everywhere, all around.

They thought, there should be some vessel which is holding this water. They presumed, that vessel must be the support, and foundation of everything.

That is Dhatree, Devi.

Jyotsna is connected to jyoti, light.

What kind of light?

Moonlight which is cool and comfortable.

Moon is so beautiful to look at because the moonlight is cool and pleasing.

Her form is also like that, like the moon, pleasing.

That is why she is Induroopini, of the form of the moon, of the nature of the moon.

Sukhada - soothing, comforting, full of joy and happiness.