Story of the Origin of the Das Mahavidyas
Dasha Mahavidya Stotram
Sati, the consort of Shiva was the daughter of Daksha Prajapati, a descendant of Brahma. Sati had married Shiva against the wishes of her father. The vain Daksha performed a great yagna (with the sole aim of insulting Shiva), to which he invited all of the gods and goddesses except his son-in-law, Lord Shiva.
Sati learned about her father’s yajna from Narad Muni. She asked Shiva’s permission to attend the yajna, saying that a daughter did not need an invitation from her father. Shiva said that Daksha was trying to insult him, and so even if Sati attended the yajna, the fruit of the sacrifice would not be auspicious. Therefore he bade Sati not to attend the yajna.
Sati became furious – She thought that Shiva was treating her like an ignorant lady and not as the mother of Universe. So to show Shiva who she really was, she assumed a different form – the one of the Divine Mother. The oceans raged, the mountains shook, and the atmosphere was filled with the wonder of her form.
Shiva began to shake and tried to flee. But inn every direction that he tried to flee, the Divine mother stopped him. The Divine Mother had multiplied herself into ten different forms, guarding each of the ten directions, and try as Shiva might, he could not escape from her, as she had blocked every escape route.
These ten forms of Divine Mother are known as the Das Mahavidyas. Each form has her own name, story, quality, and mantras.
The Das Mahavidyas are Wisdom Goddesses. Das means ten, maha means great, and vidya means wisdom. The Das Mahavidyas are considered forms of Divine Mother Kali, who is the first of the then Mahavidyas. Each Wisdom Goddess has her own name, story, quality, and mantras.
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Each form of the Divine Mother Kali is a Mahavidya. The Das Mahavidyas are:
First
of all Sati took the form of Kali. Her form was fearful, her hair
untied and loose, her body the color of a dark cloud. She had deep set
eyes and eyebrows shaped like curved swords. She stood on a corpse, wore
a garland of skulls, and earrings made from the bones of corpses. She
had four hands – on one hand she had the head of a skull, and the other a
curved sword with blood dripping on it. She had mudras on her other two
hands – one giving freedom from fear and the other giving blessings.
She roared and the ten directions were filled with that ferocious sound.
The exploits of this Goddess Kali are outlined in the Chandi Path. She
is the Goddess that killed Chanda and Munda and also drank the blood of
Raktabija. She is known as Kaushiki, She who came from within, and is
the Slayer of Shumbha and Nishumbha. Kali is the first of the Das
Mahavidyas. She is beyond time. She takes away the darkness and fills us
with the light of Wisdom, which is why She is the embodiment of Jnana
Shakti. She resides in the cremation grounds, where all creation
dissolves. To learn Her Bija Mantra and Gayatri please see the Das Mahavidyas Presentation.
Bagala
is the second Mahavidya. Listen to her story. Once the creation was in
turmoil and being destroyed in many places (Shree Maa adds, “like the
present scenario in the world”). Brahma became worried about His
creation and wondered what the outcome of this turmoil would be. He then
meditated to bring peace to the universe. Not succeeding, He then
performed severe tapasya to obtain the blessings of Tripurambika – the
Mother of the Three Worlds. Pleased with His austerities, She appeared
before Him as Mother Bagala in a yellow form and gave him a boon. Bagala
grants all kinds of perfection to devotees who pray to Her. Here is
another story of Her origin. Once an asura named Ruru, the son of
Durgam, performed severe penance to win the favor of Brahma. Since Ruru
was already very powerful, the Gods became very apprehensive of what
might happen if he obtained a boon from Brahma. So they did aradhana
(propitiation) to yellow water (Shree Maa says here, that yellow
intuitively means peace). Pleased with their tapasya, the Divine Mother
appeared as Bagala. Bagala is the Goddess who stops all motion at the
appropriate time, silences the mouths and words of all evil beings, and
controls their tongues. May that Goddess bless us with stillness when it
is appropriate! To learn Her Bija Mantra and Gayatri please see the Das Mahavidyas Presentation.
The
third Mahavidya is Cinnamasta. Listen to the story of Her origin from
the Pancharatna Grantha. Once Parvati went with Her friends Dakini and
Varnini to take a bath in the Mandakini River. Parvati was feeling very
happy and a lot of love was welling up inside Her. Her complexion
darkened and the feeling of love completely took over. Her friends on
the other hand were hungry and asked Parvati to give them some food.
Parvati requested them to wait and said that She would feed them after a
while, and began walking. After a short while, Her friends once again
appealed to Her, telling Her that She was the Mother of the Universe and
they Her children, and asked to be fed quickly. Parvati replied that
they should wait until they got home. Her friends could not wait any
longer and demanded that their hunger be satisfied immediately. The
compassionate Parvati laughed and with her finger nail cut Her own head.
Immediately the blood spurted in three directions. Her two friends
drank the blood from two of the directions and the Goddess herself drank
the blood from the third direction. Since she cut Her own head, she is
known as Cinnamasta. Cinnamasta shines like a lightning bolt from the
Sun. She demonstrates the rare courage needed to make the highest
conceivable sacrifice. May we imbue that very same courage from that
daring Goddess! To learn Her Bija Mantra and Gayatri please see the Das Mahavidyas Presentation.
Bhuvanesvari
is the fourth Mahavidya. Bhuvan means the Universe, and Iswari means
the Ruler, and therefore She is the Ruler of the Universe. She is also
known as Rajarajeswari and protects the Universe. Here is the story of
her manifestation from the “Pranatoshini Grantha”. Brahma had the desire
to create the Universe, and he did intense tapasya to invite the energy
of Creation, Kriya Shakti. Parameswari, pleased with his tapasya
responded to his invitation and came as Bhu devi or Bhuvanesvari. She is
red in color, seated on a lotus flower. Her body is resplendent and
shining with jewels. She holds a noose (paasham) and a curved sword
(ankusham) in two of her hands and the other two assume the mudras of
blessing and freedom from fear. She resides in Shiva’s heart.
Bhuvanesvari is the Supreme Empress of Manifested Existence, the exposer
of consciousness. To learn Her Bija Mantra and Gayatri please see the Das Mahavidyas Presentation.
The
fifth Mahavidya is Matangi. Here is the story of her origin. One day
Maheshwari went to Shiva to obtain permission to go to Her father’s
house. Shiva wanted to go with Her, but would not go without being
invited. Parvati laughed and said the He should go with her. Shiva
replied that He would not go with Her, but would come to escort Her
back. In Her absence, Shiva began to long for Her and decided to visit
Her in the disguise of an ornament vendor. When She selected the
ornaments and asked for the price, Shiva told Her that if She fulfilled
his desire, He would give Her the ornaments. Parvati was astounded that
somebody would dare suggest such a thing to Her. Then She realized that
the vendor was none other than Her Lord Shiva. She told Shiva that She
would fulfill His desire, but not just then and sent Him away. Later
that evening, She went with a friend to where Mahadev was praying. She
took the form of a beautiful outcaste girl, a chandali, and approached
him thinking that He would not recognize her. Seeing Her, Shiva called
out, “Hey beautiful lady (Shubhangi), who are You and why have You come
here?” Parvati said, “I am a chandali, I am here to do tapasya to become
a Goddess, so please do not disturb me.” Then Shiva said, “I am Shiva, I
give the fruit of tapasya. If you marry me, I will make you like
Parvati, without a doubt.” Parvati understood that Shiva had seen
through Her disguise and bowed to Him. She said, “Hey Devadi-deva,
nobody can hide anything from You,” and was very happy with this
interlude. Shiva said, “Devi, you took this form because you wanted to
pray to me, and so I give you the name Matangi. Matangi is the
measurement of all the limbs of creation and Supreme Goddess of all
desires. Shree Maa says that anyone prays to Matangi will attain
perfection. To learn Her Bija Mantra and Gayatri please see the Das Mahavidyas Presentation.
The
sixth Mahavidya is Sorasi. This is the story of Her manifestation. When
Parvati left Her form as Kali and assumed the form of Gauri, Shiva
addressed Her as Kali again and again. Parvati was insulted and left
that place. Shiva went into His own heart and began to remember the
Goddess. But without seeing the Goddess in person, He became dismayed
and wondered where She had gone. At that time Narad Muni came to where
Shiva was meditating. Shiva narrated this occurrence to Narad and told
him that Kali had left Him. Narad was very happy to hear of the
differences between Shiva and Kali. In his meditation Narad saw that
Parvati was sitting in meditation on Sumeru Mountain in an inaccessible
place. In order to increase the separation between Shiva and Parvati,
Narad went to where Parvati was meditating and said that Shiva was
entering into a relationship with another woman. It will be proper for
you to stop Him. When the Goddess heard this from Narad’s mouth, She
became filled with anger. In this great anger, the Goddess assumed the
form of the most beautiful young lady of sixteen years, Sorasi, and
presented Herself before Shiva. Seeing Her own shadow reflected upon
Shiva’s chest, and thinking it to be another woman, She became even more
angry, and said, “When we were married, You gave Your heart to me for
my residence. How can you now give Your heart to another woman?” When
Shiva heard Kali’s words, He replied, “Look closely at my heart. The
woman you see in my heart is your reflection.” When the Goddess looked
closely and meditated carefully, with great satisfaction She asked, “The
woman that I just saw in your heart, by what name shall She be known?”
Hearing Kali’s question, Shiva replied, “This new form of Yours is one
of the Mahavidyas, and Her name will be Sorasi, She who manifests the
sixteen. In this form you will manifest excellence!” Sorasi unites the
sixteen syllables of Siva and Sakti, the Supreme Goddess of all Desires.
To learn Her Bija Mantra and Gayatri please see the Das Mahavidyas Presentation.
The
seventh Mahavidya is Dhumavati. Here is the story of Her origin. One
day Mahadev was sitting in Kailash and Parvati was on his lap. She told
Shiva that She was very hungry and requested Him to get Her some food.
Shiva asked Her to wait awhile and so saying went back into meditation.
Parvati once again asked Shiva, “Hey Father of the Universe, please give
me some food, I cannot wait any longer”. When Shiva asked Her to wait a
second time, Parvati was so hungry that She became aggressive. The
third time this happened, Parvati could bear no more and she ate Shiva
to appease Her hunger. Immediately smoke started to come from within Her
body. Shiva, who was inside her body, had opened His third eye and He
said to Parvati, “Without me, there is no Purusha in the universe, only
Prakriti, as only You exist.” For this reason, this is the widow form of
the Goddess known as Dhumavati. Dhuma means smoke, and She is depicted
without any ornaments and in widow apparel. Dhumavati demonstrates
renunciation and removes all frustration and agitation, and is free from
disrepute. To learn Her Bija Mantra and Gayatri please see the Das Mahavidyas Presentation.
The
eighth Mahavidya is Tripurasundari, also known as Kamala. A form of
Mahalakshmi, She symbolizes wealth. Her body is golden in color and She
is seated on a gold lotus. Here is the story of Her origin. One day
Indra, the ruler of the heavens, saw Rambha and was lost watching her
beauty. At that time, the fierce Rishi Durvasa appeared and gave a
garland to Indra. But Indra, still mesmerized by Rambha, did not realize
what he was doing and gave the garland to his elephant Airavat. Durvasa
was angry with the disrespect shown to him and immediately cursed Indra
thus, “You are the King of the Gods, but yet you are playing with
women. You will lose Lakshmi. She will leave your kingdom.” Goddess
Lakshmi, true to the curse, left the heavenly regions. All the Gods were
saddened, and led by Indra went to Vishnu to get His counsel. Vishnu
suggested that Lakshmi would appear if they churned the ocean of milk.
Both devas and asuras arrived at the ocean of milk (Ksheera samudra).
They used Mount Mandara as the central axle and the serpent Anant Nag as
a rope to move the mountain. Lord Vishnu took the form a large tortoise
to support the Mountain. The asuras and the devas each took the
opposite ends of the snake and churned the ocean. As they churned, a lot
of beautiful beings and objects manifested including Ucchaisrava (the
divine horse), Dhanvantari (the God of Medicine), the Sudharshana
Chakra, the Parijata flower. And then came Lakshmi. When they saw
Laksmi, the Gods offered Her an asan with the greatest respect. They did
an abhishek to Her, offered Her a lotus garland and entreated Her to
stay with them, to which She agreed. She became known as Tripurasundari.
Tri means three, Pura means city, and Sundar means beautiful.
Tripurasundari is the beautiful one of three cities, or all the threes.
She manifests the perfection of compassion in all Nature. To learn Her
Bija Mantra and Gayatri please see the Das Mahavidyas Presentation.
When
Lord Shiva bade Sati not to attend Her Father’s yajna, Sati became
furious and assumed the fearful form of Kali causing Shiva to flee in
another direction. Sati then assumed the form of the ninth Mahavidya,
Tara. Tara is blue, Her tongue is fearfully sticking out, and Her face
is terrifying. Her hair is tangled like snakes sticking straight up and
She is dressed in a tiger’s skin. On Her head are five half moons. She
has three eyes, four arms, a large protruding belly, and stands on a
corpse. She has four arms in which She holds a lotus, a sword, a
drinking bowl, and a bell. Tara is the illuminator, She illuminates all
our attitudes. To learn Her Bija Mantra and Gayatri please see the Das Mahavidyas Presentation.
The tenth form of Mahavidya is Bhairavi. She has many names including
Tripura Bhairavi, Sampath Praja Bhairavi, Kaulesh Bhairavi, Siddhida
Bhairavi, Bhay Vidwamsi Bhairavi, Chaitanya Bhairavi, Kameshwari
Bhairavi, Nitya Bhairavi and Rudra Bhairavi. Her body is the color of
the rising sun. She wears a pearl necklace around her neck, has red
breasts and has four hands in which She holds a japa mala, pustak, and
displays the mudras of blessing and freedom from fear. She has three
eyes that are red in color and wears a moon on Her forehead. Bhairavi is
the form of Kali that killed Chanda and Munda. She is free from all
fear and frees us from all fear. To learn Her Bija Mantra and Gayatri
please see the Das Mahavidyas Presentation.
Saadhu Bhai pranam.
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