Pratyangira Devi – Goddess of Atharva Veda

The Divine Mother or Mother Goddess in Hindu religion has many forms. One of these is Goddess Pratyangira Devi. She is also a fierce form and one of the most powerful manifestations of the Divine Mother. Much about her is mysterious, for her worship is not very popular, and those who worship her prefer to do it in secrecy. Many believe that it is unsafe to worship her or even keep her picture in their homes. Chanting her Mantra can have adverse consequences if the chanter lacks the requisite knowledge and experience. Pratyangira Sadhana concerns the dark aspects of the Universe, so it can be harmful to the Sadhak in the long run, goes the belief. The goddess protects devotees from the dark arts, including witchcraft and black magic. Her name means ‘counterattack,’ with ‘Prati’ meaning ‘counter’ and ‘Angiras’ meaning ‘attack.’ She is the goddess of Atharva Veda and is also called Atharvana Bhadrakali. The fourth of the Vedas, Atharva Veda, contains many magic spells and charms. This Veda is not given much importance, as it involves many forbidden practices. Her other names are Simhamukhi, Narasimhi, and Nikumbala. Origins of Pratyangira Devi Lord Narasimha, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, killed the demon Hiranyakashipu to save his devotee, Prahlad. After killing him and drinking his impure blood, Narasimha became very aggressive and uncontrollable. The gods approached Lord Shiva to calm him. Shiva assumed the form of Sharabeshwara, a half-bird, half-man form, to lift Narasimha in his talons, but Narasimha turned into a two-headed bird called Gandabherunda. A tough fight ensued, which culminated in Pratyangira emerging from Sharabeshwara’s wings to subdue and calm Gandabherunda. Hence, the goddess is also called Bhairava Patni or the wife of Shiva as Bhairava.

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Other Legends A story in the Devi Mahatmyam says that Narasimhi was one of the Saptamatrikas. They had come together to defeat the demons, Shumbha and Nishumbha, who had captured heaven. Many Puranas claim that, toward the end of the Krita Yuga, a glittering spark appeared and turned into an evil demon, Vipulasura. The demon disturbed the rituals of a group of eight sages who were worshipping Goddess Ashtalakshmi. This angered Goddess Lakshmi. She turned a holy lotus flower into a kavacha (shield). The lotus had 562 petals in it. The shield protected the eight sages and enabled them to complete the rituals without any further disturbance. After this, Lakshmi took the form of Narasimhi and killed Vipulasura. Iconography Pratyangira is a Tantrik goddess. She has a dark complexion, a lion’s face, and red eyes and rides a lion. In most depictions, she is seen naked or attired in black clothes. The garland of skulls that adorns her neck symbolizes the impermanence of life. She is regarded as a Theevra Devata or ‘intense deity.’ One should not worship her with half-hearted devotion or with impure intentions. This can attract her wrath. There are 8 snakes on her body. People who have nightmares about snakes and suffer from Sarpa Dosham worship her for relief. Pratyangira in the Ramayana The Hindu epic Ramayana mentions the goddess. Indrajit, the son of Ravana, decided to perform the Nikumbala Yajna to please Goddess Nikumbala (another name for Pratyangira) during the battle against Rama and his army. Brahma had given him a boon of invincibility, ensuring victory in war if he performed the Yajna. On hearing this, Rama ordered Hanuman to prevent Indrajit from completing the Yajna. Hanuman did so, and, as a result, Lakshmana defeated and killed Indrajita. Pratyangira and Ashta Siddhis One can invoke Pratyangira to gain Ashta Siddhis (8 supernatural powers). They are - appealing, growth, increasing, attracting, subduing, dissention, repealing, and killing. There is detailed information about the kind of materials one should use and the number of recitations one should perform. Any act that one performs while invoking Pratyangira, particularly acts like killing and subduing, cannot be retracted even if one wants to. Benefits of Pratyangira Devi Sadhana

• Worshipping the goddess brings many benefits, including the following:
• It can cure diseases.
• It can prevent accidents and poisoning.
• It boosts creativity and removes mental blocks.
• It boosts willpower and enables one to make the right judgment.
• It bestows extrasensory perception, which helps one identify danger in advance.
• It helps one overcome enemies and protects one like a shield from negative energies.

Conclusion As the fierce aspect of the Divine Mother, Goddess Pratyangira signifies strength, courage, and protection. She has the power to remove obstacles, repel negative energies, and promote spiritual growth. She protects her devotees from harm and bestows peace and prosperity. At times, only divine intervention can restore balance in the Universe and protect people from evil forces. This is exemplified by the goddess, who is also known as Mahashatrunashini (the Powerful One who destroys enemies). Her worship is deemed essential by those who are facing problems from enemies, black magic, witchcraft, and evil spirits.

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