The Divine Mother is His spouse of Shiva, in the form of Kapardini. She is also in the form of Mother Ganga who flows from the matted hair of Shiva.
Kapardin is Shiva; the Divine Mother is His spouse. Shiva has Kaparda or matted hair. Ganga River descends from Heaven on Shiva’s head, goes through His matted hair, before running down to the earth from Himalaya. Since the Ganga River goes through Shiva’s matted hair, she is said to be purified. Therefore, She may also be called Kapardini.
Ganga water sealed in vessels does not get spoiled for many years. Those materials and people who are associated with Shiva, all get purified. Likewise, the beings associated with the Divine Mother get purified also.
The temple at Chagalanda in India, is one of the sixty-four scared temples where the Divine Mother is worshipped as Kapardini. According to Devi Purana, Kapardini is the Divine Mother, who is also the Mother earth.
The Visvatika also gives the meaning of cow dung cakes for the word kaparda, and the following story is related. When Shiva once took the form of Mailara, the Divine Mother incarnated as Mahalasa, His spouse who wore a cow dung cake garland. Hence the Divine Mother was given the name Kapardini.
Kapardin can also mean a mala made of shells. The Divine Mother is wearing Mala made with shells. She is said to like matted hair Shiva, the Kapardin.
C
N Nachiappan
Singapore, 28 March 2022
updated 14 June 2025.
References:
1.
The Thousand
Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamis AparnaSan
Ramon, California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon
2.
Shri Lalitha
Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’
societies, Trichirapalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.
3.
The Lalitha
Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam,
Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamilnadu, India with commentary by
Shrimath Swami Sithbavandar
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