SODASHI (TRIPURA SUNDARI)

  SODASHI (TRIPURA SUNDARI) 

Goddess Sodashi is also known as Tripura Sundari. As the name suggests Goddess Shodashi is the most beautiful in all three worlds. In Mahavidya, She represents Goddess Parvati or also known as Tantric Parvati.

Goddess Shodashi is also known as Lalita and Rajarajeshwari which means "the one who plays" and "queen of queens" respectively.

The legend about this Goddess narrates an interesting story. Harassed by the mighty demon Bhandasura, the Devas prayed to the ultimate Godhead, who then manifested as Maha Kameshwara and Lalitha Tripura Sundari. They, then created all the Gods and Goddesses, while Tripura Sundari took on the demon Bhandasura, destroyed him and relived the world of his atrocities. The sacred hymn Lalitha Sahasranamam which speaks of the thousand names of the Goddess narrates this story and sings her great praise.

An young maiden of remarkable beauty, she is depicted as adorned in red silk, and having thick, dark, flower bedecked and flowing hair, a shining face, shimmering cheeks, fish shaped eyes, well laid out rows of teeth and a sweet smile. Such were her good looks that her consort Lord Shiva himself could not take away his eyes from her. She is also depicted as seated royally on a throne with her left foot on the sacred Sri Chakra, holding in her arms, among other weapons, the sugarcane bow and flower arrow, and with motherly compassion in her eyes.

As Shodashi, Tripura Sundari is represented as a sixteen year old girl. She is believed to embody sixteen types of desires. Mantra to worship Goddess Shodashi also consists of sixteen syllables. Tripura Sundari is also worshipped as the Shri Yantra.

Tripura Sundari is a personification of compassion and grace, as much as she is of beauty. Worshipping her can get for the devotees, her divine blessings and bestow them with a plethora of benefits. They can get relief from problems like delay in marriage, marital problems and disharmony, infertility, poverty, debts and various misfortunes. They can also get protection against the ill effects of planet mercury. 

                       Shodashi Mool Mantra -

ॐ ऐं ह्रीं श्रीं त्रिपुर सुंदरीयै नमः॥