Description of the Dasa Mahavidya Devatas (Ten great Knowledges)

'Dasa-Maha-Vidya' means the 'Ten great Knowledges'. In the introduction, it stated that Vidya is a term used to denote the mnenomic formulae of the goddesses. Thus the Dasa-MahaVidya are infact the ten important mantras which are especially sacred to the goddesses. In the tantra belief and practice, ten goddess are known as Dasa-Maha-Vidyas .These, according to the adepts, are the ten forms of the supreme goddesses. They have their own role and functions to perform and thus they are relevant for the success of that task at a micro level. At the macro level, these goddesses help in the realization of the supreme knowledge and the attainment of the supreme goddesses. 322 Origin. The earliest reference of the Dasamahavidya s occurs in the Shiva-purana 322. It is stated that the demon durgama took control of the vedas and therby of the whole universe. The gods besought the 2 Shiva-purana V.50

299 Chapter 3. Minor goddesses help of the goddesses to save them. In her battle with the demon the goddess brought ten great forms out of her body. These ten forms are known as the Dasamahavidya s. The names of these goddesses according to the popular belief and that in the Sri-vidyarnava-tantra is givenNo Popular belief. Sri vidyarnava Tantram. 1 Kali Kali 2 Tara Tara 3 Tripurasundari Sodasi 4 Bhuvanesvari Bhuvanesi 5 Bhairavi Bhairavi 6 Chinnamasta Chinnamasta 7 Dhumavati Dhumavati 8 Bhagalamukhi Bhagala 9 Matangi Matangi 10 Kamlatmika Laksmi The Dasamahavidya goddesses are associated with a particular Ratri. The following table will clarify the relation of the Dasamahavidya goddess and the Vidya, the Ratri etc... with which they are associated ³23. Sakti. Changed name. Ratri. Vidya. Siva. Mahakali -NaMaharatri Mahavidya Mahakala 323 Bhakti Kosa, Bharatiya Sampradaya pt.III pg. 1213. Author 2

Chapter 3. Minor goddesses Tara -NaKrodharatri Sri vidya Akshobya Sodasi Tripurasundari Divyaratri Siddhavidya Pancavaktra Bhuvanesi Rajarajeswari Chinnamasta -NaSiddharatri Viraratri Siddhavidya Tryambak Bhairavi Tripurabhairavi Kalaratri Vidya Siddhavidya Kabandha Daksinamurtii (Kalabhairava) Dhumavati Alaksmi Vaglamukhi Baglamukhi Darunaratri Viraratri Vidya -NaSiddhavidya Eka-vaktraMahadeva. Matangi Kamala -NaLaksmi Moharatri Maharatri Vidya Sadasiva Matanga Visnu 300 The Dasamahavidya goddesses were originally associated with the restoration of the veda and vedic teaching. In course of time, they were accepted in the tantras. The places where these goddesses are popular are in the north and in the east of India. The cult of these goddesses is popular in Rajasthan and in Madhya Pradesh where the goddess is depicted in paintings and in other similar mediums. These goddesses are worshipped at geu the local level; in fact every village has a Bhairava shrine. The Bhairava is a fierce goblin who is associated with the goddess as her bodyguard and doorkeeper. These Bhairavas are known as Bheruji in the north and as Karupusami in the south. Variations in the name at local level are not taken up for study and hence not mentioned here.