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Kumari, or Kumari Devi, or Living Goddess - Nepal is the tradition of worshiping young pre-pubescent girls as manifestations of the divine female energy or devi in Hindu religious traditions. The word ''Kumari'', derived from Sanskrit ''Kaumarya'' meaning "virgin", means young unmarried girls in Nepali〔Karel R. "van" Kooij ''Religion in Nepal'' ISBN 90-04-05827-3〕 In Nepal a Kumari is a pre-pubescent girl selected from the Shakya caste or Bajracharya clan of the Nepalese Newari community. The Kumari is revered and worshiped by some of the country's Hindus as well as the Nepali Buddhists, though not the Tibetan Buddhists. While there are several Kumaris throughout Nepal, with some cities having several, the best known is the Royal Kumari of Kathmandu, and she lives in the Kumari Ghar, a palace in the center of the city. The selection process for her is especially rigorous. As of 2010, the Royal Kumari was Matina Shakya, aged four, installed in October 2008 by the Maoist government that replaced the monarchy. Unika Bajracharya, selected April 2014, as the Kumari of Patan is the second most important living goddess.〔(Goddess status may violate girls' rights, says court )〕〔(Living Goddesses of Nepal - Photo Gallery )〕 In Nepal a Kumari is generally chosen for one day and worshipped accordingly on certain festivals like Navaratri or Durga Puja. In Kathmandu Valley this is a particularly prevalent practice. In Nepal, a Kumari is believed to be the incarnation of Taleju, after which it is believed that the goddess vacates her body. Serious illness or a major loss of blood from an injury are also causes for loss of deity. ==Philosophy and scriptures== The worship of the goddess in a young girl represents the worship of divine consciousness spread all over the creation. As the supreme goddess is thought to have manifested this entire cosmos out of her womb, she exists equally in animate as well as inanimate objects. While worship of an idol represents the worship and recognition of supreme through inanimate materials, worship of a human represents veneration and recognition of the same supreme in conscious beings. In the Shakta text ''Devi Mahatmyam'' or ''Chandi'', the goddess is said to have declared that she resides in all female living beings in this universe. The entire ritual of Kumari is based on this verse. But while worshiping a goddess, only a young girl is chosen over a mature woman because of their inherent purity and chastity. Hindu scriptures like the ''Jñanarnava Rudrayamala'' tantra assign names to a Kumari depending on her age. A one-year-old girl is called Sandhya, a two-year-old girl is called Sarasvati, a child of three years of age is called Tridhamurti, on her fourth year she is Kalika, on fifth she is Subhaga, on sixth she is Uma, on her seventh year she is called Malini. An eight-year-old girl is called Kubjika, on the ninth year she is Kaalasandarbha, on reaching tenth year she is Aparajita, on eleventh she is Rudrani, on twelfth year she is named Bhairavi, on thirteenth she is Mahalakshmi, on fourteenth she is Pithanayika, on fifteenth she is Kshetragya, and on sixteen years of her age she is Ambika. In Nepal, Kumaris are worshiped only for a day; these names are assigned only while the ritual lasts, often a few hours. Usually one cannot be a Kumari beyond sixteen years of age due to menarche. The main target of a Kumari puja is to realize the potential divinity in every human being, mostly female. A Hindu spiritual aspirant sees the universal consciousness of humanity. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Kumari (goddess)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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