Tripura Sundari ~ The queen of Queens || by Visual Artist

February 03, 2018

Tripura Sundari ~ The queen of Queens || by Visual Artist - Designer Swapnil

Tripura Sundari is a Goddess, who symbolizes beauty. She is believed to be sixteen years old and hence is also simply called as Shodasi, the sixteen year old. She is one of the manifestations of Kali, the fierce form of divine Shakti, who is also known in many other names such as Parvati, Durga and Bhagavathi.

Tripura denotes three cities or three worlds, while Sundari means, beautiful woman. This Goddess is thus ‘the beauty of the three cities or the three worlds’. Also called Maha Tripura Sundari, Lalitha and Rajarajeswari, she is regarded the prime and the most important of the Dus Mahavidyas.

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.

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.