Simha(Lion) vahana tattva of Durga or Chandi.

Simha (Lion) vahana tattva of Durga or Chandi.

The vahana of Durga is said to be Simha (Lion).

The Vaikritika Rahasya of Chandi Sapthasathi extols the vehicle / Vahana of Chandi to be Dharma Swarupa i.e, the form of Dharma (vide ref sloka 31 of V.Rahasya

dakShiNE puratah simham samagram dharmam Ishwaram (Sloka 31)

This Simha Vahana in the form of Dharma has Satya, yAga, tapas & dAna as its 4 legs.

This " Simha " rupa " Dharma " is none other than Lord Hari (Vishnu).

Lord Hari has become the Simha Vahana for Durga. Which is why Devi Bhagavata & Uddameshwara Tantra extols the Simha in the form of *Simha Stutih* where we can have the

glimpse of Simha tattva in Virat Swarupa.

Simha (another form of Vishnu as Dharma) is extolled as Sarva-devata-swarupa.

Devatas reside in all the parts of Simha / Lion starting from forehead to tail (puccha bhaga).

SIMHA STUTIH

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shrI dEvI girijA lalATaphalakE vakShahsthalE shAradA

ShaDvaktro maNibandha sandhiShu tathA nAgAstu pArsvasthitAh

karNou yasya tathAsvinou sa bhagavAn dharmasvarUpo harih ||

yannEtrE shashibhAskarou vasukulam dantEShu yasya sthitam

jihvAyAm varuNastu humkrutiriyam shrIcharchikA chanDikAganDou yakSha yamou tathoShThayugalam sandhyAdvayam priShThakE

vajrI yasya virAjatE sa bhagavAn dharmasvarUpo harih ||

grIvAsandhiShu saptavimShati mitAnyarikShANi sAdhyA hridi

prouDhA nirghruNtA tamO(a)syatu mahAkrouryaih samAh pUtanAh

prANE yasyatu mAtarah pitrukulam yasyAstvapAnAtmakam

rUpE shrI kamalA kachEShu vimalAstE syUravE rasmayah ||

mEruh syAdvriShaNE(a)bdhayastu jananE svEdasthitA nimagnAh

lAngUlE sahadEvatairvilasitA vEdA balam vIryakam

shrI viShnoh sakalAh surA api yathAsthAnam sthitA yasya tu

shrI simhO(a)khila dEvatamaya vapurdEvIpriyah pAtumAm ||

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Kalika Purana while extolling Mahamaya describes her wonderful form where Brahma, Vishnu & Siva become the vahanas of Mahamaya.

Here is the dhyana sloka:

brahma viShNu sivairdEvairdriyatE sA jaganmayI

sitah prEto mahAdEvo brahmA lohita pankajam ||

harirharistu vijnEyA vAhanAni mahoujasah

svamUrtyA vAhanatvam tu tEShAm yasmAnnavidyatE ||

simhasyopari sthitam padmam raktam tasya urdhwagah sivah

tasya upari mahAmAyA varadAbhayadAyinI ||

The Mahamaya Dhyana runs typically as :

Devi is seated on White Corpse; Corpse is on the Red Lotus, and the Lotus is placed on the Simha (Lion).

Here, Vishnu has become Simha; Brahma has become Red Lotus & Siva has become a white Corpse.

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