Introduction to Dus Mahavidya Tantra Goddesses
Dasa Mahavidyas
The tantra tradition worships ten aspects of the Mother Goddess also called the Dasa Mahavidya. These aspects represent the cycle of time and life and the ultimate consciousness that flows through our lives and the cosmos. Meditating on these aspects guides the spiritual seeker toward liberation. While you read about the das maha vidya goddesses, keep in mind that these introductions are a tiny aspect of the goddesses. To deepen the meditation with these goddesses, one must be initiated by a guru and follow a disciplined and clearly defined sadhana practice.
Goddess Kali
Meditating on Mother Kali will intuitively guide you to experience the meaning of time as the devourer of all. She is the highest form of consciousness that takes away the darkness in us and fills us with the light of wisdom.
To evoke blessings from Mother Kali we must meditate on her and offer her flowers, fruits, and diya at the altar. In addition, offering food, money, clothes, etc. to the poor and physically challenged beings is also important.
Goddess Tara
Goddess Tara is the protector. She protects and rescues all who worship her from worldly suffering. Meditating on Tara will free us from all worldly attachments and bring inner peace.
To evoke blessings from Mother Tara, we must meditate on her with a pure heart and mind. She is considered the most approachable of the forms of the Mother Goddess due to her maternal instincts and compassion.
Goddess Tripura Sundari/Shodashi
Maa Tripura Sundaru is the third of the Mahavidyas and represents the power of beauty and perfection in all the three worlds as the latter name suggests.
She is a representation of Goddess Parvathi and is also known as Tantric Parvathi, Lalitha (the one who plays) and Rajarajeshwari (the queen of queens). Meditating on Goddess Tripura Sundari allows the meditator to move beyond the perception of form; into seeing the divine beauty of both seen and seer.
To evoke the blessings of Goddess Tripura Sundari, we must meditate on her form with absolute devotion during sunrise using red hibiscus flowers and a sweet dish made of rice.
Goddess Bhuvaneshwari
Maa Bhuvaneshwari is the representation of space. She is essentially a manifestation of the cosmos in which we live.
She is also known as Mahamaya (she whose magical power is great) and Vishwarupa (she whose form is the universe). Meditating on Goddess Bhuvaneshwari merges your inner space with your outer one, allowing you to be in union with the cosmos.
To evoke blessings from Goddess Bhuvaneshwari meditate on her wearing white clothes in the morning on ashtami, navami, chaturdashi and full moon days.
Goddess Bhairavi
Goddess Bhairavi is a representation of death and higher consciousness. She is closely related to Kali the manifestation of time, since all things that are born must die with time.
Meditating on Bhairavi destroys all ignorance that keeps us bonded and provides insight into the process of death and the transcendence of our Self.
To evoke the blessings of Goddess Bhairavi, we must meditate on our own Kundalini Shakthi rising through the seven chakras of Muladhara, Swadishtana, Manipuraka, Anahatha, Vishuddhi, Agya, and Sahasrar. We must be initiated into this process by a Guru.
Goddess Chinnamasta
Goddess Chinnamasta is one of the most revered and loved among the goddesses. She is seen beheaded by her own hand and represents the spirit of sacrifice and surrendering as the law of the universe.
She is depicted as having blood spurt in three directions from her cut neck. This blood represents the prana that sustains life. Meditating on this aspect of the Mother Goddess deepens our ability to surrender and share ourselves with all. We let go of all our negative traits in the process.
To evoke the blessings of Goddess Chinnamasta, we must meditate on her form and surrender our desires at her feet.
Goddess Dhumavati
Dhumvati is a representation of witnessing the suffering.
Unlike all the other goddesses, this aspect of the Mahavidya is depicted as an old, ugly and diseased widow. Meditating on her form allows us to see the transcendence of the Self beyond the suffering. We realize that everything that we cling to for security is transient in nature.
Goddess Dhumvati is one of the hardest forms of the Mother Goddess to meditate on, as we must give up all our interest in money, luxury, comfort and fame and embrace a life of seclusion to evoke her blessings.
Goddess Bagalamukhi
She is the eighth aspect of the Mahavidyas, and a representation of success over the negative energies. This control can be over enemies and/or over our own self.
The name Bagalamukhi translates as ‘the one who keeps the mouth in check.’ Thus, she is also the manifestation of silence, both physical silence and the silence of the mind. Meditating on her form increases inner silence, willpower, and our success in competition.
To evoke the blessings of Goddess Bagalamukhi, we must worship her wearing yellow and with yellow flowers.
Goddess Matangi
She is a giver of boons and is often considered to be the ‘Tantric Saraswati’- the Goddess of Knowledge and Arts.
However, while Saraswati represents the traditional knowledge of the Brahmins, Matangi embodies extraordinary knowledge, beyond the boundaries of mainstream society, particularly inner knowledge. Meditating on Mother Matangi grants all your wishes and increases creativity and harmony within.
To evoke the blessings of Goddess Matangi, meditate on her form with devotion and offer red hibiscus flowers during your worship.
Goddess Kamala
Goddess Kamala is a manifestation of wealth and abundance, similar to the Goddess Lakshmi. In fact, she is often termed as the ‘Tantric Lakshmi.’
However, Kamala is not a consort of any male God, but a form of the supreme Divine Mother. Therefore, she embraces both the light and dark side of the cosmos, like Kali. Meditating on Goddess Kamala brings health, wealth and peace.
We can evoke the blessings of Mother Kamala by worshipping her on Fridays with lotus flowers, white hibiscuses or lilies and Pomegranate fruits.
