The Mother Goddess

After mentioning Chandi Maa, and carving her into a pumpkin with the greatest of respect, people asked who is Chandi?  While I don't claim to know how to explain the Goddess, I thought of a few verses that always make me smile and reflect some of the qualities of the Great Goddess.....from the Ratri Suktam in Chandi Path
v.4-8

tvayai taddharayate visvam tvayi tat srjyate jagat

tvyaitat palyate devi tvamatsyante ca sarvad

visrstau srsti rupa tvam sthiti rupa ca palane

tatha samhrti rupante jagato sya jaganmaye

mahavidya mahamaya mahameda mahasmrtih

mahamoha ca bhavati mahadevi mahasuri

praktistvam ca sarvasya guna traya vibhavani

kalaratri maharatrir moharatrischa daruna

tvam sris tvam isvari tvam hris tvam buddhir bodhalakshana

lajja pustis tatha tustis tvam santih ksantireva ca

The universe is sustained by you, and the perceivable world is created by you.  You protect what you create, Oh Divine Goddess, and you are the end for all.

As the creator, you are the form of the creation, and as the form of circumstance, you are it's maintenance.  Then at the conclusion as the form of dissolution of perceivable existence, you are the All-Mighty Measurement of Being.

The Great Knowledge, The Great Measurement, The Great Intellect, The Great Recollection; the Great Ignorance too, and your Ladyship, the Great Goddess and Great Source of Strength.

You are Nature, and the three qualities that you manifest in all: The night of Time, The Great Night, and the Night of Ignorance.

You are Prosperity, you are the Consciousness of All.  You are Humility, you are the Intellect, and the goal of all Knowledge; modesty, increase, then complete satisfaction.  you are the Peace and Patient Forgiveness.

Om Namaschandikayai

Jay Shiv Shakti