RUDRASENA FOUNDATION

- January 17, 2014

Vedic Past of Pre-Islamic

Arabia

Goddess Durga ( Shakthi) and Goddess al-uzza

Goddess Durga

The Thaqeef were satisfied with the terms of the treaty and prepared to return home. Muhammad insistedthat one of the traitors of Taif ,Al-Mughira, Abu Sofyan the traitorous leader of Mecca and a sizeable,Muslim army be allowed to follow them. The Thaqeef although suspicious, agreed in good faith. Upon reaching Taif, the Muslims showed their true colors. Al Mughira and his army surrounded the Temple of Allat and started smashing the idols with axes. Abu Sofyan even in his traitorous element was moved tocry out "Alas O Goddess! Alas!" Hundreds were massacred in sight of their families. The women of Taif collected in the streets, dishevelled and bare-headed, beating their breasts and weeping at the loss of theirprotectress, and the the inadequacy of their men who failed to protect her. As the unprepared Thaqeef were slaughtered, the anguished women cried out:

Weep! Weep for our protector!

Poltroons would neglect her

Whose swords need a corrector.

Every scrap of gold, jewellery and gems was plundered. Women and children were enslaved, the only ones who survived were those who were weak enough to bend at the threat of the Muslim sword and convert to Islam.There were many other Temples in the vicinity of Taif , all of which were plundered, then destroyed or converted into mosques. Most of the temple fragments were buried underfoot so that the Prophet could satisfy his constant burning need to vituperate and insult the religion of his own ancestors. Among the temples that fell prey, were most of the shrines of Ruda (Rudra or Lord Shiva), Allat and Al-Uzza (forms of Shakti).

The consistent appearance of Temples dedicated to the divine couple of Shiva-Shakti throws light on the essential spiritual principles that the Hindus of Pre- Islamic Arabia upheld. Numerous instances support the pre-eminence of Shiva-Shakti worship in Arabia. The most obvious example is that of the Kaaba in Mecca.

Temples were dedicated to Al-lat and Al-Uzza both of which are forms of the Mother Goddess Shakti. The structure of the temple attested to the fact that it was based on the Tantric iconography of Devi Durga.

Some thing about Goddess Durga from the puranas..

"The auspicious goddess was born.Projecting an overwhelming omnipotence the three eyed goddess adorned with the crescent moon with her eighteen arms each holding auspicious weapons, emblems, jewels and other gifts offered by individual gods, emerged. With her pulsating body of golden color shining with the splendour of a thousand suns, standing erect on her LION vehicle (vahana) and displaying her triumph over the dark forces (shown in theform of a demon under her feet), she stands as the most spectacular personification of cosmic energy."

Goddess- Leshmidevi, Durgadevi and Saraswatidevi- INDIAN

Among the 360 idols which surrounded the main shrine of the destroyed Kaaba were 16 magnificient onesthat bordered the sanctum sanctorium. We know the names of the gods that inhabited these 16 important shrines.

Lekshmidevi, Durgadevi and Saraswatidevi-ARABIAN

Suwa which apparently stood for Bhagavan Shiva

God Shiva and Goddess Durga ( Shakthi)

Ayam which stood for Lord Yama

Bag which stood for Bhagwan Vishnu

Manat which stood for Somnath (Moon)

Sakiah which stood for Sakra (another name for Indra)

Al-Debaran which stood for Dev-Varun

Obodes which stood for Bhoodev (Earth)

Awal (first) which stood for Brahma

Shems which stood for Surya (Sun)

Wajj (pronounced "Vazz") which stood for the Vasus who were the seven sons of Ganga

(Corrupted to Zamza (Ganga : Gà’Z’ and nà’m’) in the form of the ZamZam spring in the Kaaba)

Kaber which stood for Kuber

Aja which stood for Prajapati

Makha which stood for Agni (fire) (in Sanskrit Makha means a fire-sacrifice (Yagna), the cityof Mecca got its name because of the fact that it was the site of the fire sacrifice)

Sunrise and Sunset, called the two Auses which stood for the two Sandhyas (probably taken from Ushas)

Ha'uw which stood for Vayu (the wind)