Goddess Maheshwari, Shakti of Lord Shiva

Goddess Maheshwari shakti of lord shiva

Goddess Maheshwari (Rudrani, Raudri or Maheshi) is one of the sapta matrikas – seven divine goddesses , who is regarded as the shakti of Lord Shiva.

Devi Maheshwari gets her name from Lord Shiva who is also known as Maheshwara and is believed to have born out of the body of Lord Shiva. She is seen armed with similar weapons like Shiva and has other characteristics like him.

Goddess Maheshwari is normally depicted as having four arms and is also known as Chaturbhuji for that reason and in her two hands she holds the trident just like Lord Shiva and a Damarukam similar to him. Her other two hands are in the abhaya and varada mudra . She is seen riding on a bull called Nandi.

However some puranas vary in describing her outlook by a little bit. She is seen as the one having five faces and is shown having three eyes like Lord Shiva and also wears a crescent moon. She is sometimes shown as having six hands in which She carries many weapons like the trident, damarukam, sutra and ghanta and her other two hands are in the poses of abhaya and varada mudra.

As per some other puranas say that the sapta matrikas or the seven divine goddess represent the negative quality in the sadhakas which he has to get rid off in order to attain spiritual salvation. In that aspect Goddess Maheshwari represents the goddess who would destroy the quality of greed in the devotee.

Gayatri mantra for Goddess Maheshwari :

Aum vrushath vajaaya vidmahe
miruya hasthaya dhimahe
tanno rowthree prachodayat

It is believed that chanting this mantra protects from all kinds of dangers from animals as the Lord Shiva is known as Mruga raja, meaning the Lord of all animals. The best days to chant this mantra are Mondays and Fridays apart from Pournami.