Durga has a significant following all over India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and many other countries. She is mostly worshipped after spring and autumn harvests, especially during the festivals of Durga Puja, Durga Ashtami, Vijayadashami, Deepavali, and Navaratri. [18] [19] Etymology and nomenclature Part of a series on Juno, Queen of the gods, goddess of matrimony, and one of the Dii Consentes. Equivalent to Greek Hera. Lakshmi’s association with beauty goes beyond the material realm. She symbolizes not only the wealth of material possessions but also the wealth of spiritual qualities such as wisdom, compassion, and devotion. Her presence in Hindu homes and temples is a reminder of the importance of cultivating both material and spiritual abundance.

Durga ( Sanskrit: दुर्गा, IAST: Durgā) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. [4] [5] [6] Thomas B. Coburn (1991). Encountering the Goddess: A translation of the Devi-Mahatmya and a Study of Its Interpretation. State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-0446-1. Archived from the original on 5 February 2017 . Retrieved 15 February 2017. A number of figures from Greek mythology who were not part of Roman religious practice appear in Latin mythological narratives and as poetic allusions; for these names, see: J Scheftelowitz (1906). Indische Forschungen. Verlag von M & H Marcus. pp.112 line 13a. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017 . Retrieved 15 February 2017. Odysseus and Diomedes executed a plan to steal the image, greatly encouraging the Greeks in their hopes to end the long-suffering war.Malcolm McLean (1998). Devoted to the Goddess: The Life and Work of Ramprasad. State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-3689-9. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017 . Retrieved 15 February 2017. Diana, goddess of the hunt, the moon, virginity, and childbirth, twin sister of Apollo and one of the Dii Consentes. Archeological discoveries suggest that these iconographic features of Durga became common throughout India by about the 4th century CE, states David Kinsley – a professor of religious studies specialising on Hindu goddesses. [71] In the north wall of a granite cave in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu there is a large relief of Durga slaying Mahisasura, carved around 630–674 CE. [72]

a b Miranda Eberle Shaw (2006). Buddhist Goddesses of India. Princeton University Press. pp. 240–241. ISBN 0-691-12758-1. a b Linda Johnsen (2002). The Living Goddess: Reclaiming the Tradition of the Mother of the Universe. Yes International Publishers. pp.83–84. ISBN 978-0-936663-28-9. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017 . Retrieved 15 February 2017. Moneta, minor goddess of memory, equivalent to the Greek Mnemosyne. Also used as an epithet of Juno. Norse goddesses held an indispensable role within the pantheon of deities, with their importance resonating alongside their male counterparts. These celestial female beings personified significant aspects of existence, such as fertility, warfare, mortality, love, wisdom, and enchantment. They were potent sources of guidance and protection, frequently invoked during moments of doubt or danger. They were respected not just as divine feminine entities, but also as influential forces capable of shaping the destiny of the world. The depiction of Norse goddesses often defied conventional gender norms of the time. They emerged as strong, assertive beings, wielding power that shattered traditional expectations. In a society where roles were often strictly gendered, these divine women held positions of authority and prowess usually associated with their male counterparts. They donned the mantles of warriors and rulers, showing the world their mettle and strength, thereby breaking the conventional mold. The rich tapestry of Norse mythology features goddesses as central characters, embodying varying aspects of life and existence, thus adding layers of complexity and depth to the mythos. A prominent example is Freyja, the esteemed goddess of love and fertility. Her narrative intricately weaves through the story of the world's creation, thereby underlining the crucial roles that female deities played in the construction of the Norse universe.While Aphrodite is celebrated for her physical beauty, her essence goes deeper, representing the beauty of human connections, emotions, and desires. She embodies the transformative power of love, inspiring acts of compassion, tenderness, and selflessness. Chant these powerful Durga Mantras to turn your life around for good". The Times of India. 9 August 2019. Archived from the original on 11 November 2021 . Retrieved 11 November 2021.

Epigraphical evidence indicates that regardless of her origins, Durga is an ancient goddess. The 6th-century CE inscriptions in early Siddhamatrika script, such as at the Nagarjuni hill cave during the Maukhari era, already mention the legend of her victory over Mahishasura (buffalo-hybrid demon). [50] As per the Markandeya Purana, Durga Puja can be performed either for 9 days or 4 days (last four in sequence). The four-day-long Durga Puja is a major annual festival in Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Jharkhand and Bihar. [2] [18] It is scheduled per the Hindu luni-solar calendar in the month of Ashvina, [81] and typically falls in September or October. Since it is celebrated during Sharad (literally, season of weeds), it is called as Sharadiya Durga Puja or Akal-Bodhan to differentiate it from the one celebrated originally in spring. The festival is celebrated by communities by making special colourful images of Durga out of clay, [82] recitations of Devi Mahatmya text, [81] prayers and revelry for nine days, after which it is taken out in procession with singing and dancing, then immersed in water. The Durga puja is an occasion of major private and public festivities in the eastern and northeastern states of India. [2] [83] [84] Aphrodite is often portrayed as the epitome of physical beauty and grace. She is described as having an unmatched radiance, with golden hair that cascades down her shoulders like sunlight. Her ethereal presence captivates all who behold her, and her enchanting smile is said to have the power to spark desire in the hearts of both gods and mortals. Athena helped Hercules when, as a part of his penance, he was required to drive away the Stymphalian birds. She got them moving, and Hercules shot them.One of the most iconic images associated with Lakshmi is her emergence from a lotus flower. The lotus, which rises from muddy waters to blossom in pristine beauty, symbolizes purity, growth, and spiritual enlightenment. Lakshmi’s connection to the lotus reinforces the idea that true beauty arises from the depths of our experiences, and through inner growth, we can manifest our full radiance. This prophecy claimed that any children born to the women would be smarter and stronger than their father. He swallowed her not knowing that she was already pregnant with his child. Invictus ("Unconquered, Invincible") was in use as a divine epithet by the early 3rd century BC. In the Imperial period, it expressed the invincibility of deities embraced officially, such as Jupiter, Mars, Hercules, and Sol. On coins, calendars, and other inscriptions, Mercury, Saturn, Silvanus, Fons, Serapis, Sabazius, Apollo, and the Genius are also found as Invictus. Cicero considers it a normal epithet for Jupiter, in regard to whom it is probably a synonym for Omnipotens. It is also used in the Mithraic mysteries. [6] Mater and Pater [ edit ]

She is known most specifically for her strategic skill in warfare and is often portrayed as companion of heroes and is the patron goddess of heroic endeavour. Imagine the sweeping deserts of ancient Egypt, where the golden rays of the sun illuminate the grand temples dedicated to Hathor. Often depicted as a cow or a woman with cow’s horns and a sun disk, Hathor is celebrated as the embodiment of feminine charm, beauty, and joy. Her name translates to “House of Horus,” signifying her role as the nurturing mother of Horus, the falcon-headed sky god. Athena is a Greek goddess known as both Pallas and Athene. In ancient Greek mythology, they often associated her with both warfare and wisdom as well as handicraft, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, strategic warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, and skill. The sacred image of Athena, a wood statue called the Palladium, protected the Trojans as long as they had it.

5. Prometheus, Titan God of Fire

The shell is one of the most iconic symbols associated with Aphrodite. Legend has it that she was born from the sea foam, and she was carried ashore on a scallop shell. This shell is not only a representation of her origin but also a symbol of her connection to the sea’s timeless beauty. Doves are sacred to Aphrodite and symbolize her role as the goddess of love and harmony. Doves are often depicted alongside her, emphasizing her ability to bring people together and foster feelings of affection and unity. In the misty landscapes of ancient Ireland, Clíodhna stands as a luminous presence, captivating all who encounter her with her ethere Divine male-female complements such as these, as well as the anthropomorphic influence of Greek mythology, contributed to a tendency in Latin literature to represent the gods as "married" couples or (as in the case of Venus and Mars) lovers. [ citation needed] Di Consentes on an altar Dii Consentes [ edit ] The historian Ramaprasad Chanda stated in 1916 that Durga evolved over time in the Indian subcontinent. A primitive form of Durga, according to Chanda, was the result of " syncretism of a mountain-goddess worshipped by the dwellers of the Himalaya and the Vindhyas", a deity of the Abhiras conceptualised as a war-goddess. In the Virata Parvan stuti and Vaishnava texts, the Goddess is called the Māhāmāyā, or the Yoganidrā of Vishnu. These further points her Abhira or Gopa origins. [48] Durga then transformed into Kali as the personification of the all-destroying time, while aspects of her emerged as the primordial energy ( Adya Sakti) integrated into the samsara (cycle of rebirths) concept and this idea was built on the foundation of the Vedic religion, mythology and philosophy. [49] There are total of nine avatars of Goddess Durga in Hinduism. Thomas B. Coburn (2002). Devī Māhātmya, The Crystallization of the Goddess Tradition. South Asia Books. ISBN 81-208-0557-7. Archived from the original on 9 December 2021 . Retrieved 15 February 2017.