Gandheshwari Devi

 Gandheśvarī Devī : The Kuladevī of Gandhavaṇika Clan 

Introduction:— 

Gandheśvarī (गन्धेश्वरी), a manifestation of Durgā(दुर्गा), is mostly worshipped in Vaṅgadeśa (वङ्गदेश) - Bengal region. Gandheśvarī means the goddess of Perfumes. She was appeared on the lunar date of Vaiśākha Pūrṇimā (Full moon). Hence, her yearly worship ceremony is observed in this Tithi (lunar date). She is the Kuladevī (कुलदेवी) or Clan-Goddess of Gandhavaṇika Community. Gandhavaṇika(गन्धवणिक) means the merchants who sell the perfumes or scents. 

Gandheśvarī Devī 

Gandheśvarī is the protector of Vaiśya caste. They worship her for prosperity, wealth, improvement in trades etc. 

She can be linked with Goddess Suvāsā (सुवासा), an Upavidyā of Bagalāmukhī Devī. Gandheśvarī's opposite form is Durgandhā Devī (दुर्गन्धा देवी). Argala stotra of Devī Māhātmya mentioned Durgandhā Devī. She protects pubic part of a Sādhaka. 

Iconography:— 

Commonly, Gandheśvarī is shown as a four-handed form. The Purohita-Darpana (पुरोहित दर्पन), a text of Pūjā descriptions for bengali priests, gives an image of Gandheśvarī Devī as Mūladurgā (मूलदुर्गा) who is as green as Marakata stone and she holds Śaṅkha (Conchshell), Cakra (Discuss), Dhanuṣa (Bow) and Nārāca (Arrows). But the Gandhavaṇika Clan makes her image as she is in yellow or fair skin tone and holding Śaṅkha, Triśūla, Padma, Abhaya Mudrā. 

Her another dhyāna is below — 

उद्यद्वालदिवाकरद्युतिनिभां पूर्णेन्दु चूडोज्ज्वलाम्। 

शङ्खं चक्रं धनुः शरांश्च दधतीं वेणुश्चतुर्भिभूजैः॥ 

सिंहस्थां वरदां सुरारिदमनां देव्यैः सदा सेविताम्। 

वाणिज्यादि विवृद्धये प्रतिदिनं तां गन्धेश्वरीं भजे॥

Gandheśvarī's current iconography matches with Suvāsinī Upavidyā Dhyāna, — 

ओं महासिंहासनस्थां गन्धकस्यमर्दिनीं सपद्मशंखधनुशूलधारिणीम्। 

तां पीतवर्णाञ्च त्रिनेत्रां सुवासिनीं शरणमहं प्रपद्ये ॥ 

Salutations to Goddess Suvāsinī, who is sitting on the Mahāsiṃha lion (Somanandī), holding Padma (lotus), Śaṅkha (Conchshell), Dhanuṣa (Bow) and Triśūla (Trident) . She killed Gandhaka. She has yellow complexioned skin and three eyes. 

Appearance Story :— 

Gandheshwari idol

Mahānandīśvara Purāṇa (महानन्दीश्वर पुराण), a regional Upapurāṇa (or Sthalapurāṇa) of Vaṅgadeśa, described the appearance story of Goddess Gandheśvarī as below — 

Once there was a ogre named Subhūti (सुभूति). He married a demoness named Tapatī (तपती). Subhūti tried to kidnap Surūpā (सुरूपा), a merchant-daughter or Vaiśyakanyā (वैश्यकन्या). But the merchants caught him red handed and punished him. For taking revenge of insult, Subhūti's son Gandhāsura performed severe penance. He got the grace from Lord Śiva and became very powerful. Thereafter, he started to destroy the Vaiśya caste. One day, his followers killed a merchant named Suvarṇavaṭa (सुवर्णवट). Suvarṇavaṭa's pregnant wife Candrāvatī (चन्द्रावती) ran away from them and entered into a forest. After giving birth of a girl, Candrāvatī died. Sage Kaśyapa (कश्यप) found the girl and understood that she was an incarnation of Bhūdevī (भूदेवी). The fragrance of Lotus was emanating from the child. Hence, she was named as Gandhāvatī (गन्धावती). Sage Kaśyapa When she became a bint girl, she got to know that Gandhāsura had killed her parents. Sage Kaśyapa gave her Dīkṣa (Initiation) of Durgā Mantra . Gandhāvatī started to penance of Mahāmāyā Pārvatī. 

One day, Gandhāsura came to know about the beauty of Gandhavatī. He went to the Āśrama (आश्रम) of Kaśyapa Sage. He tried to break her penance. But he couldn't unsettle her. In rage, the demon caught her hair and pulled it. At that time Goddess Gandheśvarī was appeared from the flame of the cistern of Yajña. The demon started fighting with Devī Gandheśvarī. Later, Goddess killed him by trident. Gandhāsura's torso became Gandhamādana mountain (peak near Kailāśa). The fragrant goods were originated from his other body parts. 

Another story :— 

A little bit different story is found in the Bhava Purāṇa (भवपुराण), another regional Upapurāṇa of Bengal. Once Gandhāsura heard about the beauty of Dākṣāyaṇī Satī through Nārada sage. He performed penance to please Lord Śiva. Lord Śiva appeared before him, and Gandhāsura asked for a boon to take the same form as Śiva. After obtaining the form of Śaṅkara, the demon Gandhāsura went to Kailāśa to kidnap Devī. In the absence of Śiva, Gandhāsura, in the disguise of Maheśvara, called Dākṣāyaṇī for meeting. Dākṣāyaṇī laughed and killed him. By killing that demon, she became known as Gandheśvarī. 

गन्धेश्वरी नमस्तुभ्यं भक्ताभीष्टप्रदायिनी । 

नमस्तुभ्यं जगन्मातर्भोगापवर्गसाधिके ॥