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Dhumavati, `Smoky-One'.
DHWM*V1TE

[to Whom the twenty-ninth day of April, day 119, is dedicated]


Geography/Culture: Hindustani.

Description: Hideous long-nosed, cruel-eyed Crone Devi of the rainy season (monsoon), poverty, frustration and despair; the smoke and ashes that remain from the final destruction of the universe by fire; Dark clouds obscuring the sun; She Who is invoked to injure enemies.

To Whom are sacred: smoke and ashes; dark-clouds that obliterate the sun; winnowing basket; the colour dark-grey.

Titles, Variants, etc.:

Source: Stutley HDH 78, 172.


Daridra, `Poor-and-Deprived-One'.
D1RYDR*

Geography/Culture: Hindustani.

Description: Goddess of frustration, poverty and despair.

Titles, Variants, etc.:

Source: Stutley HDH 69.


Nirrti, `Dissolution'.
NYrTY

Alternate meaning, `Misery'

Geography/Culture: Hindustani.

Linguistic note: the prefix ni, {Sanskrit?} meaning down, back, in, into, within, is prefixed to verbs or nouns; in the latter case it also has the meaning of negation or privation.

Description: Black Goddess of the good fortune of kings (if She is properly propitiated); She Who represents the dangerous aspects of the earth, old-age, evil, decay, misery, corruption, destruction and death; She Who seeks out the paths of thieves, robbers and those who do not offer oblations; She Who takes advantage of the simple and harms the righteous; She Who knows all that is born; Giver of good fortune to kings; Protectress of the crippled and mentally retarded (if they are virtuous and kind); Bestower of magical powers; the dread Goddess; She Whose chariot is drawn by lions and accompanied by tigers.

To Whom are sacred: (Her dwelling place) the \\vattha tree ficus religiousa (the bodhi tree of the buddhists, [perhaps a fig-tree]); owl, uluka (which causes great terror); pigeon; hare; cross-eyed ass; barren hollows and desolate places; cross-roads; the colour black; three black bricks dried by a chaff fire (representing evil); the direction south-west. Her vahana is a man.

Offspring: the Nairrta(s): Mrtyu `Death', Bhaya `Fear', Mahabhata `Terror' by consort/father: Adharma and Himsa.

Titles, Variants, etc.

Source: Stutley HDH 41, 130, 210.


worked on: July 1991; June 1995.
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