n. A Hindu goddess of protection, vengeance, and victory, often described as the consort of Siva and as an avatar of Devi. [Sanskrit Durgā, from durgā, feminine of durga-, difficult to approach, unattainable : dur-, variant (used before voiced consonants) of dus-, bad; see dus- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + -ga-, going, moving (either from gam-, root form of gacchati, he goes, approaches, or from gā-, root form of gāti, he goes, approaches; see gwā- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).] |
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