Night Eight· Meet Her
Some Hands Hold. Some Hands Open.
They entered quietly.
Mahagauri sat upon the bull.
In one hand, a trishula.
In another, a damaru.
But Veda was looking at the other two.
Veda:Ammomma… why are those
hands empty?
Ammomma looked toward Mahagauri.
hands empty?
Ammomma looked toward Mahagauri.
Ammomma:Are they empty?
Golu Girl looked again.
Golu Girl looked again.
Akka:No. They’re open.
Ammomma nodded.
Ammomma nodded.
Ammomma:Yes.
Mahagauri is traditionally shown with four arms.
She carries the trishula and damaru.
Her other hands are shown in abhaya and varada— gestures associated with reassurance and giving.
Before we decide what they mean for us, we can begin simply by noticing them.
An open hand is not an empty hand.
We often notice what a hand is holding. Mahagauri asks us to notice something else too: what can an open hand do? We do not have to answer yet. First, we look.
When you see an open hand, what do you imagine it might offer?