By Swami Harshananda
Balapramathinī literally means ‘destroyer of strength’.
Śakti or divine power of God is often pictured as a goddess and as the consort of the Deity. For instance, Pārvatī is the power of Śiva, personified as his consort. Out of the several such goddesses, all being the aspects of the supreme Śakti, Balapramathinī is a minor one.
- Since Sṅrya or Sun is hot and enervating, this deity represents the Sun as a tattva or principle.
- She is pictured as white or reddish in complexion and has two hands carrying a kapāla (skull) and a pāśa (noose).
- She is the destroyer of all enemies and hence propitiated as such.
- Her consort is Ugra, a terrible aspect of Śiva.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore