Samipya 1992 Vol 09 Ank 01 02

Author(s): Pravinchandra C Parikh, Bhartiben Shelat
Publisher: Bholabhai Jeshingbhai Adhyayan Sanshodhan Vidyabhavan

Page 69

is feasted even today in this era of advancement. This is a peculiar system, it has made them condemned by the other groups of the Vagharis. They were treated as untouchables amongst some sub-groups of Vaghari community. The reasons for this custom of relishing meat of corpse are required to be investigated in future. Of course, there are few qualified persons of this group, who have occupied high position in government services. (Eating of corpse is found in Ahgor panth and Kapalika sect).
Religion
Elements of primitive cult of Shakti and primitive worship of Mother Goddess of pre-Vedic period are found preserved in the religious rites, rituals, superstitious beliefs and animal sacrifice accompanied by constant beating of the drums and dakla, dancing and in the end feasting with wine and meat. Thus, the religion of Vagharis is an off-shoot of primitive cult of shakti.
The idea of Shakti and its worship in the various forms of goddesses is as old as human race.
The origin of shaktism was spontaneous evolving out of the pre-historic Mother Goddess Cult symbolising the facts of primitive life, but its development was manifold and not developed through any particular channel.
'Shakti' as the word itself denotes female power, or 'energy'. Creation is due to Shakti can be realised through the different phenomenon of life itself. Intelligence (Budhi), Pity (Daya), Grace (Krpa) etc. are the various forms of 'Shakti'. Each one is power which is a manifestation of supreme power, the 'para-shakti'. Hence, the multiplication of the Goddesses represent the different aspects of power, energy or 'Shakti', e.g. 'Saraswatr' represents the faculty of 'learning', 'Laxmı' is for 'wealth', 'Durga' manifests 'benign' aspect, 'Kalı' denotes 'terrible' aspect and so on. Of course, Goddess Durgā, Amba and Kali represent few other aspects of 'Shakti.'
Each Goddess represents one or two aspects of 'Shakti'. It is natural for the human being to aspire to possess or acquire what he does not. So he is inclined to worship the Goddess manifesting the respective energy, he needed to acquire or develop and if required, he vows for the same. But it requires mental acumen, i.e. faith in the particular Goddess. False belief or object can satisfy a man's heart only so long as the falsity of belief or object is not detected, it ceases to exist, it becomes ineffective thereafter with the result that his devoted heart loses its support and faith for ever.
From psychological point of view, worship with faith is a mental process of acquiring energy. It consists of the substance of Auto-suggestions, concentration and meditation.
Goddesses
Goddess worship is an ancient faith. Its traces are found in neolithic age and pre-Vedic period. It was also prevalent during Vedic, Puranic and the subsequent
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[Sampуa: April, 92'-September, 1992