Large Durga
Durga
Sri Krishna has one Maya potency who engages the living entities in loving service with Krishna. When the living entities go against their constitutional servitor position and forget that Sri Krishna is the Supreme Lord, she manifests her shadow form known as Durga or Maha-Maya (the great illusion). Durga is the wife of Lord Shiva, also known as Mahavidya, Shakti,Kali, and Syama. She is one of the five deities worshiped by the pancopasakas and she presides over the material energy.
When the brahminical culture and religious rights are disturbed by demons Durga comes and punishes them. She protects all from evil and misery by exterminating bad forces such as selfishness, jealousy, hatred, anger, and ego. For this reason, all the gods seek her protection when faced with a great crisis. She is famously known for slaying the demon Mahisha who performed great austerities to seek the boon of immortality from Lord Brahma. Brahma told him that all entities that are born also must die, so the demon Mahisha asked for a boon that he
would only be killed by a woman. Thinking that no woman could be stronger than him he believed himself to be
immortal. Goddess Durga represents the preservation of moral order and righteousness in the creation. In this way, Durga showed her glory by killing Mahisha in order to save the world from such a horrible and demoniac personality.
Durga’s only business is to make all souls suitable candidates for the service of Krishna. This is why it appears like she is punishing souls but it is actually her merciful nature because she is helping everyone to come to their ultimate position.
Her feminine form took shape out of a fire sacrifice. She is said to be greatly beautiful. Her form is very bright and she has three lotus-like eyes. Durga has ten powerful hands that hold many different objects and weapons like Rudra's trident, Vishnu's discus, Indra's thunderbolt, Brahma's kamandal, Kuber's gada, etc. Her 10 arms represent the 10 directions. She has thick hair with beautiful curls, a red-golden glow from her skin and a quarter moon on her forehead. She is shown wearing red clothes which signify that she is always busy destroying evil and protecting mankind from pain and suffering. Her ornaments are carved out of gold with pearls and many precious stones embedded in them. She rides on a tiger that symbolizes her unlimited power. Durga is always under the control of Sri Krishna who gives her direction.
Large Durga
22 inches tall...