Mundamala, Munda-mala, Muṇḍamālā: 11 definitions
Introduction:
Mundamala means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, Marathi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
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In Hinduism
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
The Muṇḍamālā (मुण्डमाला, “garland of human heads”) is the garland objects Kālī is displayed as wearing around her neck. It represents all the false personalities (masks/egos) that we embody.
Muṇḍamālā (मुण्डमाला) refers to the “garland of severed heads” and is used to describe Śaṃkara (i.e., Bhairava), according to the second recension of the Yogakhaṇḍa of the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, as the Goddess (i.e., Khageśī) said to the God (i.e., Bhairava), “[...] Give up the ash, the matted hair and the form with five faces. Give up the bones and skull and (all) else that is artificial. Give up (the practice of ritual) gestures, the Moon and the sacred thread. Give up the bull and the Ganges. Give up (your) spear and the great serpent, the ascetic’s staff and, O god, the garland of severed heads [i.e., muṇḍamālā] and the skull. Accomplishment (siddhi) (can only be found) in Kula, Kaula and the Western (transmission) of Sadyojāta. [...]”.
The Muṇḍa-mālā —garland of human heads - represents all the false personalities that we embody and the masks that we wear —all of which hinder and obscure insight into our true natures.
The garland of skulls also represents impermanence and the traces which are left behind by the dead as reminders of our own mortality and impermanence.
Muṇḍamālā (मुण्डमाला) refers to a “bald head and Mālās”, according to the 17th century Kaulagajamardana (“crushing the Kaula elephant”) authored by Kāśīnātha or Kṛṣṇānandācala.—Accordingly, [as Īśvara said to Pārvatī]: “[...] [Now,] my dear, hear about the Kāpālika. He eats from a skull bowl and is addicted to wine and flesh; he neglects the disciplines of purification and he is adorned with a bald head and Mālās (muṇḍamālā) [muṇḍamālāvibhūṣaṇaḥ]; he eats from the fires of the cremation ground; he alone is a Kāpālika, he never does [the proper] repetition of Mantras, nor ascetic practices nor [follows] the rules of personal restraint. He is without such [rituals] as bathing and ceremonies for donation. [Thus,] he is proclaimed a Pāṣānḍa. [...]”
Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.
Shilpashastra (iconography)
Muṇḍamālā (Garland of skulls) - perpetual revolution of ages. It also represents all the false personalities we assume for creating identity.
Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Muṇḍamālā (मुण्डमाला) refers to a “garland of severed heads” and is used to describe Bhairavī, according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 10.7cd-17ab, while describing the worship of Bhairavī and Bhairava]—“[Bhairavī] has the appearance of vermillion or lac. [She has] erect hair, a large body and is dreadful and very terrifying. [She has the medicinal plant] śatavārī, is five-faced, and adorned with three eyes. [Her hands bear] curved talons curved [She has] eyes like the hollow of a tree and wears a garland of severed heads (muṇḍamālā-vibhūṣitā). [Ten-]armed, like Bhairava [she also] bears Bhairava’s weapons [of an axe and hatched]. [...]”.
Muṇḍamālā (मुण्डमाला) or Muṇḍamālātantra refers to one of the Tantras mentioned in the Mahāmokṣa-Tantra, a Sanskrit manuscript collected in volume 12 of the catalogue “Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts (second series)” by Mahamahopadhyaya Haraprasad Shastri.—The Mahāmokṣatantra manuscript, consisting of 3,024 ślokas (metrical verses), is deposit: Dhaka, Vikramapura Majhapada, Babu Rasavihari Raya. It deals with the salvation, cosmogony (i.e., the order of cosmic regions) and contains a bibliography of Tantric literature.—The catalogue includes the term—Muṇḍa-mālā in its ‘subject-matter list’ or Viṣaya (which lists topics, chapters and technical terms).
Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Muṇḍamālā (मुण्डमाला) refers to a “garland of a (hundred) hairless heads”, according to the 10th-century Ḍākārṇava-tantra: one of the last Tibetan Tantric scriptures belonging to the Buddhist Saṃvara tradition consisting of 51 chapters.—Accordingly, “[...] [He should visualize Heruka] [...] The weaponry in the seventy-two hands is thus to be discerned in order. A decoration (headband) made of five hairless heads, an ornament of the six seals, a garland of a hundred hairless heads (śata-muṇḍamālā) [as a necklace], sounding armlets and anklets, a garment [made of] some tiger skin, and a romāvalī (or line of bodily hair) are on [his] body. Before him is a great goddess [named] Vajravārāhī, [who is] as previously. [...]”.
Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.
India history and geography
Muṇḍamālā (मुण्डमाला) or Muṇḍamālātantra is the name of a Tantra categorized as “Viṣṇukrānta”, and is mentioned in a (further unknown) book in the possession of Kamlesh Punyark [=Śrī Kamaleśa Puṇyārka or श्री कमलेश पुण्यार्क].—This book contains a detailed discussion of the basics of Tantra and opens with a list of three times sixty-four Tantras. One such text is the मुण्डमाला-तन्त्रम् [muṇḍamālā-tantram] or मुण्डमाला [muṇḍamālā].
The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
muṇḍamālā (मुंडमाला).—f (S) A necklace or string of skulls.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Muṇḍamālā (मुण्डमाला):—[(mu + mā)] f. und vollständig tantra n. eines Tantra [Oxforder Handschriften 95,b,4. 101,b,44. 103,a,19. 104,a,17.] [Weber’s Verzeichniss No. 1057.]
Muṇḍamālā (मुण्डमाला):—f. und tantra n. Titel eines Tantra.
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Mundamalatantra.
Full-text: Mundamalatantra, Mahavidya, Camunda, Kanthanta.
Relevant text
Search found 19 books and stories containing Mundamala, Munda-mala, Muṇḍa-mālā, Muṇḍamālā; (plurals include: Mundamalas, malas, mālās, Muṇḍamālās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Canons of Orissan Architecture (by R. Chatterjee)
Cosmetics, Costumes and Ornaments in Ancient India (by Remadevi. O.)
2.1. Various other Head Ornaments < [Chapter 3 - Ornaments]
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Varahi Tantra (English Study) (by Roberta Pamio)
Different lists of Bhairava and Kaula Tantras
Chapter 12 - The Dhyānas (supports for the meditation) of the Goddess < [Summary of the Vārāhī Tantra]
Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts (by Rajendralala Mitra)
Stupas in Orissa (Study) (by Meenakshi Chauley)
Emanations of Aksobhya < [Chapter 5]
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