A human while he lives displays different appearances, different clothes and even different names. It is not surprising therefore that a goddess should do much more of that. Naini Devi the goddess of Nainital, the mother goddess in her different reincarnations and forms is also known as Nanda Devi, the goddess of the mountains or as Parvati the goddess of snow capped mountains, also perhaps as Bhuvaneshwari the goddess of the fields and forests which in ancient Middle East was known as Nana and to ancient Greeks was know as Gaia, the mother goddess or earth goddess. As the goddess of the oceans she is Mazu worshipped in Taiwan. As a gentle mother of love she is mother Mary worshipped by the Christians as a fierce conqueror of evil the goddess Kali worshipped by sects of Hindus. As a hermit she is Mira and as an Empress she is Queen Victoria. These are only some of the forms in which humans have worshipped the Almighty as the mother goddess. It is not surprising that the goddess has a temple in Nainital, because it is one of the most precious spots on earth.
S ome of the earliest mentions of divine Nanda and Sunanda are found in ancient Sanskrit texts. It cannot be confirmed if these references have any connection with more recent worship of these goddesses in Kumaon region but they deserve mention for the probable origin of these glorious goddesses. The Bhāgavata Purāna also known as Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, is one of the Puranic texts of Sanskrit literature. It includes many stories well known in Vedic tradition. The text credits Veda Vyasa, the revered ancient sage, with its authorship. Here is a verse from this text, “ Also, Srutadeva, Uddhava and others, Nanda, Sunanda and other leaders of liberated souls who are constant companions of the Lord ” Canto 1 Chapter 14 According to this verse, Nanda and Sunanda are close to the eternal lord with the same position as the highest of Angels of the Lord and amongst the leaders of liberated souls that are constantly engaged in serving God. A story in chapter 12 of the same text
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