Vindhyavasini Devi
Vindhyavasini Devi , is one of the manifestation of Goddess Durga. She is also called Yogmaya, and known as the sister of Vasudev Krishna and Balram. It is believed that she lives in Vindhyachal with her full energy in her temple and dwells in the hills of Vindhyachal.
The Vindhyvasini temple in Vindhyachal , in Mirzapur district is one of the most visited Devi temple and Siddha Peeth .
She played an important role in the life of Krishna , and the story of her birth is strongly connected to Krishna’s birth.
Birth of Vindhyavasini Devi
Krishna was born to Devaki and Vasudeva of Yadava clan. At Devaki marriage Kamsa( maternal uncle of Kamsa) was foretold the future by a loud voice in the sky that one of Devaki son would kill him.So Kansa arranged to kill first six childs of Devaki by throwing them on the ground just after they were born. But when seventh child was born , Gods asked godess Yogamaya to transfer it to the womb of Rohini , the second wife of Devaki who lived in a nearby village. As a result Balarama was born to Rohini.
Now Krishna was born as the eighth child to Vasudev and Devaki. The child was born on the eighth day into the dark half of the month, and it was heavy rain and thunder. His birth was accompanied by divine interventions as the doors of prison opened up by themselves and the guards fell asleep.Vasudev carried the child and went to the banks of river Yamuna all by his intuitution.
At the same time a girl child was born to Yashoda and Nanda . Vasudev reached at the house of Nanda and exchanged Krishna for the girl child and took her to the prison.
When Kamsa came the next day, he took the girl child and tried to kill her by throwing her on the ground .But the child transformed into ‘Yogmaya’ and declared that ”the slayer of Kamsa is safe in Gokul”. After saying this , she disappeared and left for the hills of Vindhyachal , and resided there.
She promised to always live in Vindhyachal and protect her devotees.
Reason of the birth of Yogmaya
The birth of Yogmaya or Vindhyavasini is connected to a very old legend of two demons named Shumbha and Nishumbha. These two demons performed extreme penance for thousands of years in Pushkar to please Brahma. When Brahma was pleased by their penance he asked them for a boon.
The demons asked him to grant a boon that no demon or men could kill them. Brahma fulfilled their wish and left.
Chanda and Munda were two companions of the demon brothers. Once they saw Goddess Parvati at the hills of Vindhyachal when she was performing penance in the form of Kaal-Kaushiki.
Chanda and Munda informed Shumbha and Nishumbha about her divine beauty, and tried to make her captive. All the four demons were one by one confronted by Devi and got slayed.
Actually this was the Maya of Devi to kill the demons because these two demon brothers caused havoc in the heaven and threatened the Gods.
After killing the demons , the Gods pleaded Devi to protect them whenever such danger arises in the future.
Being pleased by the Devtas, Devi promised them that in the twenty-eighth dvapara yuga, she would be born through Yashoda’s womb, in Nanda’s lineage and always reside in the hills of Vindhyachal, to protect her devotees and slay the demons in various Yugas.
As a result she was born from the womb of Yashoda as Yogmaya .
Vindhyavasini Temple in Vindhyachal
Vindhyavasini temple in Vindhyachal is a Siddha Peeth , where Sati or Parvati resides with all her energy .It is a place full of devotees and have many temple associated to the various forms of Durga , like Mahaakali, Mahasaraswati and Ashtabhuja.
The place is of very much importance for the followers of Shaktism and practitioner of Shakt tradition and their rituals.
Vindhyachal in its own is a very ancient town and has various legends linked to it. (Vindhyachal-Read More).
Vindhyavasini Devi is none other than Goddess Durga or Devi Parvati . She has a benevolent form and she grants protection to her true devotees.