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he: Pronounced "Hey," similar to "Hey" in english, for addressing someone.

mā/mātā: Mother.

durgā: Supreme Goddess, Devi, Divine Mother, Shakti... Durga's name means "the invincible."

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"I bow down again and again to the Goddess who is manifest in all creatures as strength and power."  ~ traditional prayer


"Durga is also known as Mahamaya, or the great power of illusion. On a cosmic scale, she represents the external or material energy of the Supreme Spirit. It is this energy that keeps all embodied beings in illusion, thinking that they belong to this world, when in fact they are eternal spiritual beings. According to Vedic scripture, as one progresses in spiritual consciousness, Durga is transformed into Yogamaya, the internal energy that lifts the illusion and reveals the truth."  ~ Krishna Dharma


"The Devi laughed thunderously and defiantly, again and again. She filled the entire sky with her terrible roar, and from the immeasurable din a great echo resounded. All the worlds shook, and the oceans churned. (The demon) beheld the Devi, who pervaded the three worlds with her radiance, bending the earth under her tread, scraping the sky with her diadem."  ~ Devi Mahatmya

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