16" Goddess Durga Statue on Lion for Home Temple

The festival of Navratri celebrates nine nights dedicated to the nine divine forms of Goddess Durga. A Hindu festival symbolizing the triumph of good over evil. Goddess Durga symbolizes the divine forces (positive energy) known as divine shakti (feminine energy/ power) that is used against the negative forces of evil and wickedness. She protects her devotees from evil powers and safeguards them. It is believed that Goddess Durga is the combined form of powers of Goddesses Lakshmi, Kali and Saraswati. After bring defeated by Mahisasura (Demon) all the gods including Brahma, Visnu and Siva emitted flames of anger which solidified into the effulgent form of a goddess (Durga) with three eyes and ten arms, each of which bore a weapon given by the mighty gods. During this time the Himavat offered a white lion to goddess Durga as her vahana. Goddess Durga is depicted as a warrior woman with eight hands carrying weapons of different kinds assuming mudras, (symbolic hand gestures) that represent her teachings.

• Chakra in her 1st upper right hand symbolizes dharma (duty/righteousness).
• Conch in her first upper left hand symbolizes happiness.
• Sword in her second right lower hand symbolizes eradication of vices.
• Bow and arrow in her second left lower hand symbolizes character like Lord Rama.
• Lotus Flower in her third lower left hand symbolizes detachment.
• Club in her third right lower hand is the symbol of Hanuman and symbolizes devotion and surrender.
• Trident/Trishul in her fourth left lower hand symbolizes courage.
• Fourth Lower Right Hand symbolizes forgiveness and Her blessings.
Durga Maa is depicted as riding on a lion. It indicates that she possesses unlimited power and uses it to protect virtue and destroy evil. The lion is a symbol of uncontrolled animalistic tendencies (such as anger, arrogance, selfishness, greed, jealousy, desire to harm others etc.) a reminder for us to control these qualities, so that we are not controlled by them.