Shantadurga

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"Santeri" redirects here. For the given name, see Santeri (given name).

Shantadurga
Adishakti Santeri Durga
AbodeKeloshi Kavlem Shanta Durga Temple
Mantraॐ शांतादुर्गा विजयते
MountLion
TempleShree Shantadurga Temple Kavlem
FestivalsSharad Navratri, Vasant Panchami, Margashirsh Shuddha Panchami, Lalita Panchami, Magh Shuddha Panchami, Jatraustav
ConsortShiva

Shantadurga (Devanagari:शांतादुर्गा, Śāntādurgā) is the most popular form of the Hindu goddess Durga revered in Goa, India, as well some parts of Karnataka. She is a form of the ancient Mother goddess known as Santeri.[1] She is worshipped in almost all villages of Goa & Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra as an ant hill. This is seen in some temples dedicated to Shantadurga.[2]

Origins

The second chapter of the Sanskrit Nāgavya Mahātmya, Śāntādurgā prādurbhāvaḥ, is a part of Sahyādrikhaṇḍa which is the chapter of Skanda Purana gives detail about this.[3] Only the title of the chapter mentions the goddess Shantadurga and no where else is this epithet of the goddess mentioned. This section refers to a certain sage Śāntāmuni, a resident of Nagavya (modern Nagoa). The goddess appeared before Shantamuni and hence she's known as Shantadurga. Durga is portrayed in her ferocious nature in many of the places,yet the adjective Shanta (peaceful) is found in almost all Namavalis of Durga.In verses 16,19,34 of Sahyadrikhanda, the goddess is called Śāntādevi (Shanta-devi). The verse 18 of this section mentions about the disappearance of the goddess into an ant hill.[4] These ant hills symbolically represent goddess Shantadurga as well as goddess Santeri.

According to another lore, once there was a terrible war between the gods Shiva and

Vaisnavism (sect of Vishnu worshippers) and Shaivism (Shiva followers) in Goa. It is quite possible that, this lore of Shantadurga symbolically represents these sectarian conflicts.[1]

Iconography

Though in few shrines dedicated to Shantadurga, an ant hill is found inside the sanctum in place a stone, metal image of the deity or a

Mahishasuramardini aspect of Shakti. Whereas some have stone or metal idol with four hands, sometimes seen holding any of the following: sword (Khaḍga), bowl of ambrosia (Pānapātra), a shield (Kheṭaka), trident(Triśūla), hand kettle drum (Ḍamaru), lotus (Padma), and snakes (Nāga). The deity is also portrayed with her hands in Abhaya Mudrā and varada. In rare cases a Kalasha is worshiped as a symbol of the deity (especially in Shantadurga Kumbharjuvekarin temple at Marcela, Goa). Few temples also worship ant hill alongside an image.[2]

Temples in Goa

le at Gaonkar Wada, Bicholim

  • Shree Sateri Shantadurga Devasthan, Khandola Goa
  • Shri Shantadurga Devasthan Vaghurme,Vaghurme-Vere,Ponda-Goa
  • Shantadurga Temple at Mhapan, Vengurla<ref

References

  1. ^ a b Mitragotri, Vithal Raghavendra (1999). A socio-cultural history of Goa from the Bhojas to the Vijayanagara. Panaji: Institute Menezes Braganza. p. 139,175–180.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Gomes Pereira, Rui (1978). Goa: Hindu temples and deities(tranlslated from the original in Portuguese by Antonio Victor Couto). Pereira, 1978. pp. 1–231.
  3. ^ Shastri, P. (1995) Introduction to the Puranas, New Delhi: Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, pp.118-20
  4. ^ Gaitonde, V.D. (1972). Sahyadrikhanda (Skanda Purana), in Marathi Translated from Sanskrit. Mumbai: Katyayani Publications. pp. 254–257.
  5. ISBN 9788190571678
    .
  6. ^ "Official website of Shri Shantadurga temple, Kavle". shreeshantadurga.com. Shantadurga Saunsthan Kavle Goa. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
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