kAtyAyanI

[Shrinivas Gadkari]

On Mon, 13 Jan 2003 22:35:13 -0500, Jaldhar H. Vyas >

>This is more difficult.
>
>Katyayani - 'daughter or descendent of Katyayana'  Katyayana itself means
>one who belongs to Kati gotra.  Vararuchi Katyayana is an important early
>acharya who wrote several vedangas.  What connection he has to Mataji I
>don't know.  The commentary on the Amarakosha quotes this definition from
>Medinikosha: kaShAyavastravidhavArdhajaratyubhayoh strIyAm.  which if I
>have translated correctly is: "an old widow or middle-aged woman dressed
>in dark-red clothes."
>
>So the three names would indicate the child (Kanyakumari,) adult (Durga,)
>and old (Katyayani) forms of Mataji.
>

Thanks Jaldhar for the information.
In the durgA sUkta there is a phrase, "tam agnivarNAm", I wonder if
this is realted to "Old widow in dark-red clothes".

Also interesting to note the close connection between drugA devI and
the vedic agni as is made evident in the durgA sUkta.

Regards
Shrinivas