This is the Javanese tale about Bathari Durga. It's rather different from the Indian version....
One day, when BATHARA GURU (TRIBUWANA / the god SHIVA) and his wife BATHARI UMA (PARVATI / Parwati / Umarati) were flying accross the sky when he suddenly feel the passion for his wife. The goddess was so upset 'cause it's not appropriate to do some private act in the open space like that. She cursed her husband, and said thet his behaviour was like a "RAKSASA", or giant. With that word, Bathara Guru felt that his fangs growing longer like raksasa. He cursed back the goddess so that she will look like a "RASEKSI", female giant. She changed her name to BATHARI DURGA.
Meanwhile there's a princess named DEWI PRAMUNI who willingly to be Tribuwana / Bathara Guru's wife. She meditate so that her dream can be reality.
Bathara Guru came to her with his former wife, Uma , who had transformed into Bathari Durga, and his son BATHARA KALA. With his magical power, Bathara Guru, exchanged the soul of Dewi Pramuni into the soul of Bathari Durga and vice versa, so now Bathari Durga is in the body of Pramuni, and Pramuni was in the body of Bathari Durga. That way, Pramuni gets her wish to married to Bathara Guru although it was just the body, 'cause the soul is Bathari Uma. She was honoured by Bathara Guru and Bathari Uma (who's now in the body of Pramuni) with a power that makes her the Lady of all kind of spirits. She was being worshiped and make her own cult of religion, the Durga religion. She married Bathara Guru's son, Bathara Kala, and she will also known as BATHARI KALI / DEWI KALI. She will transform into Bathari Uma's shape before Uma was cursed by her husband again when she met SAHADEWA / SADEWA, the youngest of the PANDAWAs, sons of PANDU, and being RUWAT (break the curse) by him.
She then get her shape again as a beautiful goddess but still use the name Bathari Durga. When she wants it, she can transform into the raksesi shape, with fangs, scary faces, and all the attribute to be Bathari Kali. She live in kahyangan (paradise) GANDA UMAYI / GANDA MAYIT.
The Indian version..... |
