Ṣaṣṭhī Devī

Ṣaṣṭhī Devī, also called Devasenā, is a chief part (prādhāna-aṃśa) of Mūla Prakṛti. She was born from the dawn-portion (ūṣā-aṃśa) of Prakṛti. She is the most honoured of the mātṛkās (divine mothers). She guards every child in every world and gives sons and grandsons to those who worship her. She is the wife of Kumārasvāmī, who is Skanda. She is worshipped on the ṣaṣṭhī (sixth) tithi (lunar day) of every pakṣa (half-month) through the year.

All of this is from the Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Prakṛti Khaṇḍa, Chapter 1.

Who she is

The Prakṛti Khaṇḍa says Devasenā is a chief part of Mūla Prakṛti, born from her ūṣāṃśa, the dawn-portion. She is the most honoured among all the mātṛkās.

Her work is clear and wide. She guards every child in every world (samasta-viśva-śiśu-pālana). She gives all her devotees the wealth of sons and grandsons (putra-pautra-sampada).

Her two forms

Ṣaṣṭhī Devī shows herself in different ways. In the presence of her husband Kumārasvāmī, who is also called Subrahmaṇya, she is an exceedingly beautiful young woman who is always young. In the presence of children, whom she guards, she is an aged yoginī (siddha-yoginī), a wise and kind elder. In this way she is both a wife and the mother of all, the beautiful Devī and the protecting grandmother.

Wife of Kumārasvāmī

Ṣaṣṭhī Devī is the wife of Subrahmaṇya, who is Kumārasvāmī and Skanda. The Prakṛti Khaṇḍa names her openly among the wives of the great devas, in the words “Kumārasvāmī’s consort is Devasenā”. So she belongs to the family of Śiva, and she is also a Devī in her own right, full of grace.

Protection of children

Her chief work is to protect children. She watches over babies and young children in water, on land and in the sky (jale bhūmau ca ākāśe), in every place and every condition. She gives them āyu and ārogya (long life and health). She comes to them in their dreams as a kind presence.

How she is worshipped

The Prakṛti Khaṇḍa gives these times for the pūjā of Ṣaṣṭhī:

• She may be worshipped on any ṣaṣṭhī tithi in all twelve months of the year.
• After a child is born, the pūjā is done in the sūtikā-gṛha (the birth room) on the seventh day, or, if that day is missed, on the twenty-first day. This pūjā protects the child and gives it āyu and ārogya.

She is mātṛ-rūpiṇī, the one who is the form of all motherhood, and she has great karuṇā (compassion).

Her place among the aṃśas of Prakṛti

In the opening chapter of the Prakṛti Khaṇḍa, Ṣaṣṭhī Devī, also called Devasenā, is listed among the chief parts of Mūla Prakṛti. The others named are Gaṅgā, Tulasī, Manasā, Maṅgalacaṇḍikā, Kālikā, Svāhā and Surabhī. Each aṃśa (part) has its own work of protection and kindness in the world. Ṣaṣṭhī carries the śakti (power) of protecting children, of keeping the family line fruitful, and of the grace of children.

Sources

• Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Prakṛti Khaṇḍa, Chapter 1