ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review
Concept of Dasha Mahavidya- A study
Balabhadra Ghadai
The rise of Mahavidya represents an important
turning point in the history of Shaktism as it marks
the rise of Tantras during the Post-Puranic era.
The name Mahavidya comes from the Sanskrit
roots of Maha,which means great and Vidya,
meaning wisdom, knowledge, manifestation or
revelation. The Dasha Mahavidyas or the Ten
Wisdom Goddesses are actually ten aspects of
the Devi or the Divine Mother in Hinduism. But
in the context of Tantra it has an extended
meaning. Here, it invariably refers to a female deity,
to the personification of her consciousness; or to
the manifestation of her wide variety of powers in
specific forms at different times for different
purposes.
The popular myth behind the genesis
of Dasha Mahavidyas is found in the Devi
Bhagabata Purana. Sati, the daughter of Daksha
Prajapati and the consort of Lord Shiva feels The adherents of Shakta Tantra believe
insulted that She and Siva are not invited to that the Dasha Mahavidyas are the facets of one
Daksha’s yajna (Fire Sacrifice) and Sati insists truth, one divine mother worshipped as ten cosmic
on going there despite Shiva’s protests. Sati personalities. In Chamunda Tantra we find the
becomes further enraged and transforms into the names of Dasha Mahavidyas as –
Mahavidyas and engulfs Shiva from all ten cardinal Kali Tara Mahavidya Shodashi
directions. Shiva was perplexed and accorded Bhubaneshwari
permission to go to her parents’ home. Sati Bhairabi Chhinnamasta cha vidya
proceeded ahead to attend the sacrificial ritual. Dhumavati tatha
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Bagala Sidhhavidya cha Matangi Nilasaraswati, Ugratara and Ekajata. She is of
Kamalatmika dark blue complexion. She has four arms holding
eta dasha Mahavidya Sidhhavidya a sacrificial sword and severed head or skull cup,
prakartita. a lotus and scissors. She places her left leg on the
breast of Shiva who lies like a corpse. She is short
The worship of Dasha Mahavidya is stature with protruding belly. She has a terrible
prevalent among the Tantrics and specially the appearance and is dressed in tiger skin. She wears
Shaktas. Except Dhumavati who is represented on her neck a garland of severed human heads.
as a widow, the other nine Mahavidyas are to be
Tara has strong presence in the Buddhism
worshipped along with their Bhairavas. i.e.Shiva
(especially the Tibetan Buddhism) and Jain
with different names.
pantheons also. Her Bhairava is Akshobhya.
Kali:
Shodashi :
Kali is the first of the Mahavidyas and
The third Madavidya Shodashi is often
the fiercest aspect of Goddess Durga. The
identified as Tripura or Tripura-Sundari in the
Mahanirvana Tantra ascribes her as progenitor
Shodashi Tantra. She is also known as Lalita,
including both animate and inanimate objects. She
Srividya, Rajarajeswari and Kameshwari. She is
stands on corpse (sava). According to Kali
Stotra, at the time of meditation, she is in eternal glowing like the Sun spreading delights of joy,
bliss playing on the bosom of Shiva. Her compassion and knowledge. She is depicted as
complexion is dark and her facial expressions a beautiful young girl of sixteen, of red and golden
ferocious. She has three eyes. She is depicted complexion, having four arms holding a noose, a
with four hands. In two hands, she holds a sword goad, a sugarcane bow and five flower arrows.
and a freshly severed head, representing the fierce Sodashi as Mahavidya combines in herself the
battle in which she destroyed the demon determination of Kali, the knowledge of Tara, and
Raktabija. The other two hands bless her her own beauty and grace. She is worshipped
devotees, granting them liberation in this life and both for enjoyment and salvation. Her Bhairava
in the next. She wears a garland which is made of is Kamesvara.
human skulls or severed heads. In some Bhubaneshwari:
representations, one of the upper hands of Kali is
Bhubaneshwari is the fourth deity in the
shown in Varada Mudra and one of the lower
Mahavidya pantheon. The name Bhubaneshwari
hands holds a Trishula. In spite of her seemingly
is most often translated as ‘Mistress of the world’,
terrible form, Kali is often considered the kindest
but Bhubaneshwari is more than the earth we stand
and most loving of all the Hindu goddesses, as
upon. It is the entire cosmos, the bhubanatraya,
she is regarded by her devotees as Mother of the
consists of the heaven, the atmosphere, and the
whole Universe. Her Bhairava is Mahakala.
earth. Her complexion is that of the rising Sun.
Tara : She has worn a crescent on her forehead and a
Among the Mahavidyas, Tara is next to crown over head. She is three-eyed and her face
Kali and she resembles Kali in appearance more is ever lit up with smile. In her two hands she
than any other Mahavidya. She is also known as holds the noose and the goad and the other two
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the pose of granting boons (varada) and assurance Dhumavati:
to her devotees to allay their fears (abhaya).Her Dhumabati is the seventh of the Ten
three eyes represent ichha, kriya and jnana Mahavidya Goddesses.She is represented as an
sakti. Her Bhairava is Tryamvaka Siva. old widow and is associated with things
Bhairavi: considered inauspicious and unattractive. She is
often depicted on a horseless chariot or riding a
Bhairavi is the fifth Goddess of crow usually in a cremation ground. She holds a
Mahavidya pantheon. She is a fierce and terrifying winnowing fan in one hand and shows varada
aspect of the Devi virtually indistinguished from pose in the other. She is described as a giver of
Kali, except for her particular identification as the siddhi (supernatural powers), a rescuer from all
consort of Kala Bhairava, an aspect of Lord Shiva. troubles, and a granter of all desires and rewards,
She is dressed in a silken cloth and wears a including ultimate knowledge and (Moksha)
garland of heads on her neck. She resembles the salvation. Her ugly form teaches the devotee to
luster of a thousand rising suns and her three eyes look beyond the superficial to look inwards and
resemble red lotus and the moon shining in her seek the inner truth of life. Dhumavati has no
bejeweled crown. In her four hands she holds a Bhairava.
rosary of beads, a book, the poses of granting Bagala
boons and assurances. As a goddess she is Tripura
Bhairavi while as a Mahavidya she is designated Bagala is the eighth Mahavidya Goddess.
She is related to Mahavidya Tara as both are
as Bhairavi only. Her Bhairava is
goddesses of speech. In her chaturbhuja (four
Dakshinamurtty.
armed) form, according to the Sri Tatwanidhi,
Chhinnamasta: she sits upon a golden throne. She is of yellow
In the Tantric pantheons the sixth Great complexion and is three eyed.In her four hands
Cosmic Wisdom is Chhinnamasta, the goddess she holds a trident,a cup,a mace and tongue of
without head. She is also known as Trigunamayee; the demon. With her right hand she strikes him on
bright as tens of millions of suns shining together. his head. She has the features of a beautiful
Her mouth is expansive. Her hair is dishevelled woman. She is adorned with garlands and
ornaments. Bagala Devi symbolizes cessation of
and adorned with varieties of fragnant flowers. In
all dualities or dwandas, at the realization of which
her right hand, she holds a sword and wears a
pure consciousness emerges.Her Bhairava is
garland of human heads around her neck. She is
Ekavakttra Siva.
naked and of fearful appearance. Her right leg is
in front while her left leg is a little behind. She Matangi:
wears a serpent as a Sacred Thread. She is The ninth Mahavidya is Matangi or
associated with two nayikas named Dakini and Matangini. She has dark emerald complexion and
Sakini.They also drink blood springing out of the possesses a disc of a moon on her forehead.The
throat of the goddess. She is also known as three-eyed goddess is seated on the crown
Prachanda Chandika. Her Bhairava is decorated with jewels. Her eyes are intoxicated.In
Kavandha. each of her four hands, she holds a noose, a
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mace, an axe and a hook. According Devi Purana, holding a lotus while the othe two hands are
Goddess Matangi has dark complexion and yet bestowing blessings.There is slight difference in
is lavishly elegant and beauty with very refined iconography between Kamala and Lakshmi.
beautiful features. She resembles Devi Saraswati Kamala’s depiction includes two elephants with
in appearance especially, the way she holds the their trunks raised, a feature which is often absent
divine musical instrument veena. Matangi is said from images of Lakshmi. The elephants that attend
to be the Tantric form of Saraswati who is the Kamala and shower her with water symbolize the
goddess of art, music and learning. There are fertile rains of monsoon that bring forth the lush
various forms of Matangini: Uchhista Matangini, plants and flowers of the growing season, and
Raja Matangini, Sumukhi Matangini, Vasya thus the spiritual wealth that grows through the
Matangini and Karna Matangini. Her worship is passion of devotion and practice, which must be
prescribed to acquire supernatural powers, done regularly to bear fruit, just as rain is needed
especially gaining control over enemies, attracting for a healthy crop. Her Bhairava is Sri-Vishnu.
people to oneself, acquiring mastery over the arts
and gaining supreme knowledge. Her Bhairava is This, in brief, is all about the Dasha
Dakhinamurtti. Mahavidya.The worshipping of the Dasha
Mahavidyas in any form ultimately leads the
Kamala: followers to liberation. Even the deities who
Seated on a lotus blossom, Kamala is one appear fierce are in actuality, always bestowing
of the Ten Mahavidyas who is known as the grace on their devotees, leading them on to
Great Wisdom Goddess.With golden conquer forever higher peaks in their spiritual
complexion, Kamala is the beautiful and fully- lives.The purpose of our life is fulfilled only when
realised form of Lakshmi, the goddess of we become an instrument of the Great Cosmic
wealth,well being, fertility and prosperity. In most Powers.
respects, Kamala is portrayed like the goddess
Lakshmi.They are infact the same goddess but
Kamala is more esoteric in nature. She wears a
heavily jeweled crown and that is dazzling. Kamala Balabhadra Ghadai, Principal, M.K.College, Khiching,
sits the same as Lakshmi,with two hands each Mayurbhanj.
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