Shloka 11
The Lord’s Advent: Yoga-māyā’s Mission, Saṅkarṣaṇa’s Transfer, and the Demigods’ Prayers
नामधेयानि कुर्वन्ति स्थानानि च नरा भुवि । दुर्गेति भद्रकालीति विजया वैष्णवीति च ॥ ११ ॥ कुमुदा चण्डिका कृष्णा माधवी कन्यकेति च । माया नारायणीशानी शारदेत्यम्बिकेति च ॥ १२ ॥
nāmadheyāni kurvanti sthānāni ca narā bhuvi durgeti bhadrakālīti vijayā vaiṣṇavīti ca
In various places upon the earth, people will give you many names—Durgā, Bhadrakālī, Vijayā, Vaiṣṇavī; also Kumudā, Caṇḍikā, Kṛṣṇā, Mādhavī, Kanyakā, Māyā, Nārāyaṇī, Īśānī, Śāradā, and Ambikā.
Because Kṛṣṇa and His energy appeared simultaneously, people have generally formed two groups — the śāktas and the Vaiṣṇavas — and sometimes there is rivalry between them. Essentially, those who are interested in material enjoyment are śāktas, and those interested in spiritual salvation and attaining the spiritual kingdom are Vaiṣṇavas. Because people are generally interested in material enjoyment, they are interested in worshiping Māyādevī, the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vaiṣṇavas, however, are śuddha-śāktas, or pure bhaktas, because the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra indicates worship of the Supreme Lord’s energy, Harā. A Vaiṣṇava prays to the energy of the Lord for the opportunity to serve the Lord along with His spiritual energy. Thus Vaiṣṇavas all worship such Deities as Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Sītā-Rāma, Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa and Rukmiṇī-Dvārakādhīśa, whereas durgā-śāktas worship the material energy under different names.
FAQs
In this verse, Śukadeva describes how people on earth establish holy places and worship the goddess with names such as Durgā, Bhadrakālī, Vijayā, and Vaiṣṇavī.
He is explaining how the Lord’s divine potency (Yogamāyā) becomes worshiped in the world with various names and shrines, in connection with the events surrounding Krishna’s appearance.
A devotee can cultivate reverence for the Lord’s energies, understanding that sacred names and places remind the mind to seek divine shelter and protection in daily life.