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This article contains Indic text.
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| Mahadevi |
Mahadevi in the form of Mahishasuramardini Durga |
| God of All Hindu Goddesses, Brahman |
| Devanagari: |
महादेवी |
| Sanskrit Transliteration: |
Mahādevī |
| Affiliation: |
Devi, Brahman |
| Abode: |
Varies by interpretation |
| Weapon: |
Varies by iconographic form |
| Consort: |
Varies by iconographic form |
| Mount: |
Varies by iconographic form |
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In Hinduism, Mahadevi (Sanskrit: Mahādevī, Devanagari: महादेवी) or "Great Goddess" is a term used to denote the Goddess or Devi that is the sum of all other Devis - an all encompassing Female Deity as the consort or complement to an all encompassing Male Deity (Deva) or the Ultimate Reality (Brahman) in Shaktism.
She is often identified with a specific Goddess, the most common being Durga, Kali (or Mahakali) or Lakshmi, depending on the sectarian slant of the individual.
[edit] See Also
[edit] References
- Seeking Mahadevi: Constructing the Identities of the Hindu Great Goddess (ISBN 0-791-45008-2) Edited by Tracy Pintchman
- Encountering The Goddess: A Translation of the Devi-Mahatmya and a Study of Its Interpretation (ISBN 0-7914-0446-3) by Thomas B. Coburn
- In Praise of The Goddess: The Devimahatmyam and Its Meaning (ISBN 0-89254-080-X) by Devadatta Kali
- The Triumph of the Goddess: The Canonical Models and Theological Visions of the Devi-Bhagavata Purana (ISBN 0-7914-0363-7) by C. MacKenzie Brown
