भैरवी छिन्नमस्ता च विद्या धूमवती तथा।।
बगला सिद्धविद्या च मातङ्गी कमलात्मिका।
एते दश महाविद्या सिद्धविद्या प्रकीर्तिता।।
The Ten Mahavidyas are known as Wisdom of Goddesses (energies). The spectrum of these ten Goddesses covers the whole range of feminine divinity, encompassing horrific Goddess’s at one end, to the ravishing beautiful at the other. Mahavidya means (Maha; great; vidya; knowledge) Goddesses of great knowledge or
Dasha दश -- 10, time period, fate, condition, perception, edge, position, pin-point, etc.
Maha महा -- great, huge, vast, light, joy, seed, intelligence, extreme, etc.
Vidya विद्या -- knowledge, skill, magic, mantra, gain, that which ignites, existence, to unbind or make free, pierce, the present instant, the combined act of starting, existing and the conclusion all together, etc.
Pauraanic Origin Literature on Goddesses in the Vedas are Devi Suktham (Rigveda 10.08.125), Medha Suktham (Krishna Yajurveda) - Taittriya Aaranyakam 4.10.41 and Durga Suktham (Krishna Yajurveda) -Taittriya Aaranyakam 4.10.02. Only 2nd verse and last Line are about Goddess; The remaining is about Jaatha Vedas (Agni) - Since Agni is Energy (Sakthi) it is attributed to Devi Durga and Sri Suktham is scattered verses ,both from Vedam and Puraanam grouped together and Presented as One Suktham.
These are the ten manifestations of Shiva and Shakti, the giver of happiness, bestower of material comforts here and liberation hereafter to the whole universe. These Goddesses are: Mahavidyas; The ten forms of Shakti
1. Kali - Goddess of Time, Creation, Destruction and Power (the Eternal Night)
2. Tara - Goddess of Protection; Compassionate Goddess
3. Tripura Sundari - Goddess of the Three Citadels (supreme consciousness)
4. Bhuvaneshvari - the Creator of the World; Goddess of the elements of the physical cosmos in giving shape to the creation of the World. (The Highest form of Adi Parashakti)
5. Tripur Bhairavi - Goddess of Kundalini, the Goddess of Decay
6. Chhinnamasta - Goddess of contradictions (a life-giver and a life-taker)
7. Dhumavati - Goddess which cures strife, loneliness, unfulfilled desires and inauspicious things.
8. Bagalamukhi - The Goddess of Suspension (one who can bring a foe's physical and mental actions to a standstill).
9. Matangi - Goddess of wisdom, arts, the spoken word and supernatural powers, who Loves Pollution.
10. Kamalatmika - Goddess of wealth and prosperity.
The 10 dimensions ie the Dasha Mahavidya are a play of space and time plus awareness, intelligence and consciousness. Each one of them is roaring with power. These दश महा विद्या are generally taken to represent the 10 disha दिशा. They are considered to be 10 physical directions, east, west, north, south, NE, NW, SE, SW, up and down.
This word दिशा means direction, region, scene, assignment, exhibition and most importantly, dimension. The dasa mahavidyas are signified by the 9 planets and the Lagna, which are Matangi (Sun), Bhubaneswari (Moon), Bagalamukhi (Mars), Tripura Sundari (Mercury), Tara (Jupiter), Kamalatmika (Venus), Kali (Saturn), Chinnamasta (Rahu), Dhumavati (Ketu) and Tripura Bhairavi (Lagna).
There are 10 dimensions of this manifested creation represented by the 10 Mahavidya energies. Each dimension is intelligent, aware, conscious and full of energy. The conscious energies of the 10 manifested dimensions are the 10 Mahavidya. The Bindu is the conscious origin of everything and beyond the concept of ‘dimension’.
Now modern quantum physics and the string theory has also calculated that there are 10 dimensions. Physics has become metaphysics and will ultimately become Sanatan Dharma as the scientists get more deeply into the nature of intelligence and consciousness.
The 10 Mahavidyas are not just the dimensions, they are the actual pran/ vital energy flowing in your body. The five main pran, are Pran, Apan, Vyan, Saman, and Udan. Their five sub-pran/ upa-pran are Kurma, Naag, Devdatt, Krkara and Dhananjai. The Dasha Mahavidya-s are present in your body as these 10 pran types and connect your mind/ body to the 10 dimensions of the manifested creation.
Mahakali and Tara are located in the lower part of the body below the navel and reproductive systems as Apana and Kurma respectively. Shodashi and Bhuvaneshwai are Prana and Naag respectively and located in the upper regions of the body above the navel. Bhairavi and Chinnamasta are respectively Udan and Devdatta and these move upwards, they are more prominent in the throat and upper parts of the body. Dhoomavati and Bagalamukhi reside in the navel region and expand outward from it as Saman and Krkara respectively. Matangi and Kamala reside in the upper parts of the body including the head regions as Vyan and Dhananjai respectively.
The vital energies are derived from the source called the mukhya-pran ie OM. Your soul is connected to the Bindu/Om, but to reach there the dimensions have to be navigated and their energies made use of first. We exist in each of these dimensions and also in the central Bindu which is beyond these dimensions. The 10 Mahavidyas and the Om are all within you. Their derived pran are also flowing within you. When you stand in front of the Vigraha of the Dasha Mahavidya-s or recite their mantras or do their Sadhana, you are working on your own energies in a very complicated way.
You are entraining your vital energies to the dimensions. You are entraining your pran to the highest energies possible. eg If you are doing Bagalamukhi sadhana you will be focusing on the Saman and Krkara vayu-s and intensely linking them to the highest possible levels. Some people consider the Mahavidya-s into two divisions, as the less strict Tara, Tripurasundari, Kamala, Bhuvaneshvari, and Matangi. And the more terrifying Kali, Dhoomavati, Bhairavi, Chhinamasta, and Bagalamukhi.
They are very deeply linked into your energy. If you mess up here, it will take you several lives to recover. They are not just idols or representations, they are all aware and very fierce, Ugra. We can feel through our consciousness the waxing and waning of our mind, and there is a pattern in that. But this isn't just a thought, rather it has a core reason behind it. Consciousness is controlled by Matrikaroopini Adyashakti.
The Devi Mahatmya is the most famous and revered of all Hindu Shakta texts, which was probably written around the 6th century and today occupies a central position in Shakta circles. The Ten Wisdom Goddesses are originally associated with the myth of restoring the Vedic teaching, which through the process of time had fallen under the forces of decay and corruption.
From the Vedas to the Tantras, it is an unbroken line of mantric and meditation teachings centered on the Goddess, who is Herself a Divine Word and the Vedas, and who periodically renews the teaching in order to sustain in this world born of time and nature death. It is a heady and exciting feeling to be face to face with their Vigraha where you can feel their energy pulsing. The worship of Dasmahavidya provides bhoga (fulfillment of materialisitic desires) and moksha (spiritual liberation).
Mahavidya Sadhana or tantra is a part of the Shri-vidya. If you succeed you get a massive one-up. Tantra is an aspect of spiritual sadhana which is very rare now. There are rare Guru-s who know how to perform these rituals correctly and with the precise intention. And there are the rare aspirants who actually need to do these type of sadhanas.
NB: Generally 99% of us do not need to do Mahavidya related practices. The regular shaant/ benign forms of the Devi, ie Sarasvati, Laxmi and Parvati are more than sufficient for regular householders. The internet has several dowsy sites which give tantric mantras for vashikaran, ucchatan, stambhan, etc. Avoid these sort of sites and their so-called mantra, you might get yourself and your target both into serious trouble.
Dasa Mahavidya Part II
Authored by Anadi Sahoo
