Let me first put an end to this logic less propaganda spread gleefully by ISKCON about the oneness of Subhadra and Yogamaya. Even the TV serials and Google is spreading this false claim, and as a worshiper of Devi, this gives me pain when wrong facts about Bhagavati are circulated.
Let me first state some of the facts which tell us why Subhadra is NOT Yogamaya?
1. Yogamaya was born to Yashoda-Nandagopa but Subhadra is daughter of Rohini-Vasudeva. This is a established fact across all the scriptures. Then how can Subhadra be same as Yogamaya?
2. Yogamaya was born just a day after Krishna (or at the exact same day, as per Harivamsa) while Subhadra’s birth is calculated to happen while Krishna and Balarama were at the ashrama of Sandipani to receive their education. This is an age gap of more than a decade and everyone knows how younger Subhadra was! Then how can she be Yogamaya?
3. Yogamaya takes Vindhyachal as her abode after having visited Amravati and having warned Kamsa. There is no evidence that she again takes birth as Subhadra years later. Instead, she kills Sumbha and Nisumbha Asuras at Vindhyachal and resides there eternally. Even Narada attests to this fact while revealing it to Kamsa, as per Harivamsa. Is there any fact that Subhadra goes to Vindhyachal to slay the Asuras?
4. Vishnu clearly makes it clear that Vindhyaasini will be worshipped with meat and liquors. This is clearly the Shakta rituals, and reveal why Vindhyaasini, even today, is offered meat and liquor during Navratri. Subhadra is NOT offered any of these things, as per my knowledge. Then how can she be Yogamaya?
5. When Vishnu gives instructions and various names to Devi Yoganidra, it includes : Arya, Durga, Vedagarbha, Bhadra, Ambika, Kaushiki, Bhadrakali, Khsemada and Bhagyadaa. Subhadra is not included in the list of these names.
6. Devi marries no one else than Shiva. That Subhadra marries Arjuna, who is son of Indra, ultimately proves that she isn’t Yogamaya. Yogamaya is Bhagavati Mahakali herself whose husband is Mahakala. No one else than Maheshwara deserves to be with her as the husband. Hence, Ekanamsha’s husband is Durwasa, a form of Shankara himself.
7. Yogamaya and Mahamaya are verily the same Goddess, and this fact is attested by Vishnu Purana. Thus those who enjoy differentiating between the two, are scriptually incorrect. Subhadra is not referred by those names in the texts.
8. Indra accepts Yogamaya as his sister , when she goes to paradise of Indra after warning Kamsa, and before departuring to Vindhya. How can, then the son of that Indra (Arjuna) marry Yogamaya (sister Of Indra)? This suggests that Subhadra isn’t Yogamaya.
9. Coming to the fact mentioned in question, Devi Mahatmaya has a context where Devi says:
“In the 28th Yuga of Vaivasatva Manvantara, another two Daityas by the names Shumbh and Nishumbh will be born. At that time, I will take birth in the house of Nandagopa and Yashoda, take Vindhyachal as my abode and then slay them”
Clearly, the Goddess is talking about her birth as Yashoda-Nandini, not Rohini-Nandini.
10. Later in the life of Krishna, when he came after winning Indra by bringing the Parijata tree, he met Ekanamsha. The Harivamha says that it was because of her acts that Purushottam Sri Krishna was able to kill Kamsa. She was born to protect him, as her beloved brother.
She was indeed his Yogamaya, who protects him always, during sleep or in action. When Krishna meets her, he holds her right hand affectionately like a friend, while Balarama embraces her. Holding a golden lotus in her land, she looked no different from Lakshmi. This meeting clearly reveals how Subhadra, who had been living with Krishna in Dwarika, didn’t have to meet him for the ‘first’ time, and hence, it has to be Yogamaya.
11. Skanda Purana mentions how the Pandavas had worshipped Ekanamsha, the sister of Krishna. She is clearly a deity, for Arjuna couldn’t mistake falling for Adyashakti! Read more here:
The Goddess verily says that “Whenever there’s a decline and decay of dharma, Sri Vishnu always incarnates. And I assist him in all of his incarnations. At this time, Vishnu has come on earth as Krishna,the son of Vasudeva and I, the Goddess, to assist him, have come on earth as Ekanamsha, the daughter of Nanda, also known as Nandaja”.
Now coming to whose incarnation Subhadra was, there are two possible conclusions:
1. #Subhadra was the rebirth of Trijata, Vibhushan’s daughter, who had served Bhagavati Sita in the garden of Asoka while she was held captive in Lanka. By the virtue of her service, she took birth as sister of Krishna and Balarama. This is said by the sage Madhavacharya, in his work Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya.
2. This one is a little different and is perhaps a variation due to Kalpa-bheda. Yet, it points towards non-Goddess origin of Subhadra. Subhadra was rebirth of Madhvi, the daughter of sage Galava. This is a long story, so let me just give you it’s glimpse. Madhvi was cursed by Lakshmi to have a horse head in next birth since she wanted to marry Vishnu. The Lord cured the curse by saying she’ll be born as his younger sister in one of the incarnation, and he shall perform penance to get her rid of horse face. And thus, Subhadra with horse face was born to Vasudeva and Suprabha, his third wife (not Rohini, which makes it an incident of another Kalpa). Krishna had taken her to Hatakeshvara and performed a penance. Brahma was appeased and gave boon to Subhadra to have the most charming and beautiful face. That’s the long story short.
With such evidences, who in his sane mind would say Subhadra was Yogamaya?
Kindly don’t come under the influence of such organisations like ISKCON who invent false facts like there are two Maya, Mahamaya and Yogamaya, the former being Durgā and the inferior one, While the latter being Subhadra, the superior one.
Devi Adyashakti’s forms ain’t toys to play with!
Jai Bhavatarini Bhavani!
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