Devdutt Pattanaik: Goddess

Devdutt Pattanaik is Indian physician; leadership consultant, mythologist and author. Explore interesting quotes on goddess.

Devdutt Pattanaik: 10 quotes0 likes

“Though in Bengal and Orissa, some say, Alakshmi is visualized as an owl seated beside Lakshmi, Alakshmi is a secret goddess, invisible to all. The only way to see her is to have Saraswati, goddess of knowledge and good sense by your side. But Lakshmi will never let Saraswati stay in the same house as her. She will go wherever there is Saraswati and kick her out, making room for Alakshmi. Why does she do that, one wonders. But then one is told that Lakshmi is a whimsical goddess, she does not like to stay in one place too long. By kicking Saraswati out and by getting Alakshmi in, she ensures there is a fight in the house and when there is a fight, wealth invariably moves out of a house.”

Devdutt Pattanaik

Devdutt Pattanaik in: The Rise of Alakshmi http://devdutt.com/articles/modern-mythmaking/the-rise-of-alakshmi.html, Speaking Tree, The Times of India, 2 May 2010, Retrieved 7 September 2017

“The Tantrik approach to self-realization is different from the Vedic approach. The former looks upon the Goddess as Shakti, energy, to be experienced while the latter looks upon the Goddess as Maya, delusion, to be transcended. The former is more sensory, the latter less so.”

Devdutt Pattanaik

Devdutt Pattanaik, in "Myth = Mithya (2008)", p. 200.

“The Goddess is Maya, embodiment of all delusions. She is Shakti, personification of energy. She is Adi, primal, as ancient and boundless as the soul...The embodiment of Adi- Maya-Shakti – Durga is the invincible one. She is at once bride and warrior. The one establishes home, provides pleasure, produces children and offers food.”

Devdutt Pattanaik

Devdutt Pattanaik, in "Myth = Mithya (2008)", p. 146-147.