| As a free rendering
has it: Brahma was to create a mountain out of the ashes of Kesi, the burnt demon, to
deliver him from the sin of ignorance and arrogance. The mountain should be of mode rate
size, being neither too high nor too low. It should also be covered with edible grass for
cattle all over. Brahma’s sin would be reduced in proportion to the quantity of the
grasses grazed by cattle. And the spot wherefrom. The gods propitiated the Devi for the
destruction of demon Kesi, there was springing up in their very presence a yoni circle out
of her own creative energy and it should be regarded as the source and origin of all
things. In future, Brahma should create after having contemplated the Yoni. But just then
Brahma was debarred from seeing the Yoni until by his penance and purification he had
brought down a luminous light from the sky and placed it on the Yoni circle. For his good
as well as for the good of the whole world she had created the Yoni circle and placed it
in Kamarupa."17. As per the directions of Devi, Brahma created a mountain called
Govardhana (cattle nourisher) and planted a tulasi there. There are also legends associating Siva and Naraka with the construction of
the temple on the place where the genital organ of Sati fell. According to Puranic
legends, Kama, the Indian Cupid, was sent by the gods to put an end to Siva’s
mourning after the death of his consort, Sati, and to awaken in him again the passion of
creation. At this Siva grew furious and Kama was burnt to ashes by the angry glance of the
great god. Rati, the wife of Kama, prayed to Siva that her husband be brought back to
life. On his being pacified, Siva brought Kama back to life shorn of all his original
grace and beauty.
17. B. Kakati; The Mother Goddess Kamakhya, pp.
37-38. |
