Anagha Devi | Female Form of Lord Dattatreya [BONUS] How to Conduct the Anaghashtami Puja

• By Dr Prabhukar Mishra
• October 13, 2022October 13, 2022

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Anagha Devi is the name given to the female form of Lord Dattatreya.  Born from the yogic force of Lord Dattatreya, Anagha Devi is depicted as a stunning woman with a radiant face. One of Lord Dattatreya’s many incarnations is Anagha Devi.

Anagha Devi sits in the lotus position while wearing a bell-embroidered anklet. She carries a lotus in one palm and a protective symbol in the other. As a symbol of her love for Lord Dattatreya, she is performing yoga with her eyes partially closed.

Anagha Devi is the combined incarnation of Tridev (Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar), much as Lord Dattatreya (Anagha Deva) is. Devi is the amalgamation of Tridevi (Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati). She is a motherly creation who showers her worshippers with maternal affection. Anagha Devi is Lord Dattatreya’s shakti, and she resides within him.

Story Behind Anagha Devi

At the age of five, all the sages learned who Lord Dattatreya was and began to worship him. Lord Dattatreya chose to evaluate their expertise. He entered a pond and began to meditate in the centre of it. Few of the sages remained with him after most of them had left. After a while, a beautiful woman emerged from the water.

As she drank wine, she was dubbed Madhumati by others. As her angelic dance resembled the flow of a river, few people called her Nadee. Rest offered her prayers as the Divine Goddess. And when Lord Dattatreya emerged from the pond, she had an ascetic appearance. She was named Anagha.

Due to her dancing and drinking, she was misconstrued as a sinner by the sages, who were later removed. And the sages who prayed to her, considering her as the manifestation of the divine energy, received the blessing of ultimate knowledge.

What the Divine Goddess Anagha Represents:

Here, Lord Dattatreya made it quite obvious that sin resides in the observer’s sight. Sages, who considered the Divine Goddess Anagha as just an intoxicated dancer, were punished for their perspective. Sages, who recognized that the divine is not bound by gender, name, age, or appearance, were gifted with never-ending bliss.

Agha means the feeling of a doer. The one who thinks that he is in total control and is doer experiences the pleasures and pain. Anagha is the one who removes the feeling of Agha from the seeker, taking him one step closer to salvation.

Anagha Devi Mantra: A Very Powerful Mantra

It is said that mere chanting of the name Anagha also eliminates obstacles in one’s life. One can even get unlimited fortunes by changing the name “Anagha” with a devotional heart.

Anagha Devi Mantra

“Shree Anaghalaxmi Sahit Shree Anaghadattaya Namaha”

The name Anagha itself constitutes immense power, and the one chanting this name can always feel safeguarded and protected by Lord Dattatreya.

Worshipping and performing poojas to Anagha Devi is believed to eliminate every obstacle and receive Ashta Siddhis.

[BONUS] How to Conduct the Anaghashtami Puja

Every Hindu month’s eighth day after the full moon (Ashtami) is regarded as the best day to worship to Divine Goddess Anagha. This ceremony is performed to bring peace and prosperity to the household.

Here are a few tips that could be useful when completing the Anaghaashtami pooja.

1. Puja must take place in the morning.
2. On the day of the puja, both husband and wife are required to fast.
3. Outside the entrance door, Rangoli should be drawn to invite the divine energies of the universe.
4. Place images or Vigrahas of Lord Ganesh, Lord Dattatreya, and the Divine Mother Lakshmi on a table.
5. The Mangal Kalash including rice, water, betel nut, mango leaves, and Swastika should be placed next to the idols.
6. Place a Ghee (clarified butter) light on the right side of the table and an oil lamp on the left to dispel negative energy and encourage pious points into our homes.
7. Start meditating while repeating the mantra of the Divine Mother Anagha with your eyes closed.

By performing this puja, one might be cleansed of all current and previous sins and advance in their spiritual and material lives.