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18. SAKTISM
'Brahman'. Then Indra send Vayu (Wind) and Vayu failed to blow it away. Finally Indra himself went to test this unknown power and Brahman appeared to him as Uma.
There are other Upanishads which mentions this cult of Devi
Puranas
By the time of Puranas Devi was probably a major force that .
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In Ramayana, there is reference to Sri Rama performing Durga puja befor slaying Ravana Before starting for his battle with Ravana, Rama wanted the blessings of Devi Durga . He came to know that the Goddess would be pleased only if she is worshipped with one hundred 'Neelkamal' or blue lotuses. Rama, after travelling the whole world, could gather only ninety nine of them. He finally decided to offer one of his eyes, which resembled blue lotuses. Durga, being pleased with the devotion of Rama, appeared before him and blessed him. In Mahabharatha Yudhishtira offered puja to Durga before commencing the last year of exile. Yudishtra invokes her as the Mahisasura Mardini with 4 arms & 4 faces holding a noose, bow and arrow and a disc. Arjuna offerd puja to Durga before the commencement of the Mahabharata war. Durga is mentioned in Arjun's Hymn. In Srimad Bhagavatha it is narrated how Rugmini offers puja to Durga before marrying Krishna. Markandeya Purana deals with Devi Mahaathmya and Brahmanda Purana contains Lalta Sahasranama with detailed instruction regarding the Devi worship.
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Puranas were written mostly during the Gupta Period *(320-700 AD), beginning 320 AD and Sakti appears in various Devi forms in these writings.
Major figures introduced through the Puranas are, Mahisasura Mardini, the fierce goddess of protection and Uma/ Sati/ Parvati/ Himavati the fertile nurturing form of the goddess. These appeared in the various Puranas of the period such as Markandya Purana (kills the Asuras, Madhu and Kaiatabha.), Vamana Purana, Devi Bhagwat Purana. Siva purana, Skanda Purana Chandi Mahatyama *celebrates the victories of the goddess under the following names - Durga, Dasabhuja, Mahisasura Mardini, Simhavahini, Jagadhatri, Kali, Muktakesi, Tara, Chinnamosta, Jagad gauri.) and Varaha Purana (Siva created Kumari, with dark skin and curly black hair, to kill Andhaka. Varaha Puran talks of the 8th goddess Yogeshwari who leapt from the flames emanating from Shiva's mouth). As in most cases the Purana period presents Sakti essentially as part of Saivism.
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