In this post we examine the strange connection of the legend of the Goddess Meenkashi to the central theme of Edward C. Whitmont's Return of the Goddess where he explores the reemergence of feminine principles in a world long dominated by patriarchal values. This book, rooted in Jungian psychology, argues for the integration of qualities like instinct, intuition, and emotion to heal and transform modern society.
The mythology behind the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai centers on the divine marriage of Goddess Meenakshi to Lord Sundareswarar, a form of Lord Shiva., with research suggesting it stems from a legend where Meenakshi, born with three breasts, lost the third upon meeting Shiva, leading to their union.
According to this legend, King Malayadwaja Pandya and Queen Kanchanamalai, rulers of Madurai, performed a Yajna (sacred ritual) to seek a male heir. However a girl child was born. This child who was named Meenakshi, grew up to be a formidable warrior queen, crowned as the successor to the Pandya kingdom, and embarked on conquests across the region.Living up to her parental expectations she moved away from the feminine role. The loss of the third breast upon meeting and marrying Siva she returned to the role of the feminine. It seems likely that the Meenakshi temple celebrates this divine marriage, particularly during the annual Meenakshi Tirukalyanam festival in April–May.
Compare the legend of Meenakshi with the core idea of Whitmont’s book that society needs to turn from male-dominated concepts of power and aggressiveness, embracing instead the values associated with the Goddess—symbolizing femininity. Whitmont traces the historical suppression of these values under patriarchy and advocates for their reclamation to achieve a more balanced and conscious future.
At the publication of Edward C. Whitmont's Return of the Goddess in 1982, a solar eclipse of July 1982 [27cn43] fell significantly on the IC at Madurai. The Sabian symbol for this degree
PHASE 118 (CANCER 28°): AN INDIAN GIRL INTRODUCES HER WHITE LOVER TO HER ASSEMBLED TRIBE.
KEYNOTE: Inner rebirth through a total acceptance of the primordial values manifest in the human body and its natural functions.
What is shown here is an emotional and warm commitment to the RETURN TO NATURE. The soul — or in Jungian terms, the "anima"— is leading the sophisticated and colorless (white!) intellect to a level of consciousness at which man can again operate in tune with his instincts. Too much reliance on the intellect lifts people into a false world divorced from Nature, which actually is unsustainable. The return to Nature is a necessary re-balancing when we have lost touch with the Earth.
In the previous post, I synthesized the Sabian symbol for the solar eclipse, "A teacher gives new symbolic forms to traditional images," indicating a shift in perspective, with the full moon's "A butterfly with a third wing on its left side" representing a transformation led by the urges of the heart and instincts. (Meenakshi returning to her role as the nurturing feminine!)
The April 13 Full Moon at the Meenakshi temple is very significantly placed on the horizon. It not only aligns with stars Spica and Arcturus, symbolizing a "divine couple" but is square Mars [27cn55] at the same degree as the eclipse of July 1982 once gain focusing on the reemergence of feminine values in a patriarchal context.
A key feature of the temple complex is the Potramarai Kulam, also known as the Golden Lotus Tank or Adhi Theertham. This pond is believed to have healing properties, capable of cleansing one’s karma and purifying the soul. Devotees often take a dip in the tank before entering the temple, as it is said to prepare them for receiving the divine blessings of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar. One may speculate whether this healing helps return to the long repressed feminine values.
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