Bagalamukhi

Bagalamukhi

Bagalamukhi or Bagala is one of the ten mahavidyas (great wisdom goddesses) in Hinduism. Bagalamukhi Devi smashes the devotee's (or the devotee's enemies') misconceptions and delusions with her cudgel. She is also known as Pitambara in Northern Parts of India.

Iconography

"Bagalamukhi" is derived from "Bagala" (distortion of the original Sanskrit root "valgā") and "mukha", meaning "bridle" and "face", respectively. Thus, the name means one whose face has the power to capture or control. She thus represents the hypnotic power of the Goddess. Another interpretation translates her name as “crane faced”.

Bagalamukhi has a golden complexion and her dress is yellow. She sits in a golden throne in the midst of an ocean of nectar full of yellow lotuses. A crescent moon adorns her head. Two descriptions of the goddess are found in various texts- The Dwi-Bhuja (two handed), and the Chaturbhuja (Four handed).

The Dwi-Bhuja depiction is the more common, and is described as the Soumya or milder form. She holds a club in her right hand with which she beats a demon, while pulling his tongue out with her left hand. This image is sometimes interpreted as an exhibition of stambhana, the power to stun or paralyse an enemy into silence. This is one of the boons for which Bagalamukhi’s devotees worship her. Other Mahavidya goddesses are also said to represent similar powers useful for defeating enemies, to be invoked by their worshippers through various rituals.

Bagalamukhi is also called Pitambaradevi or Brahmastra Roopini and she turns each thing into its opposite. She turns speech into silence, knowledge into ignorance, power into impotence, defeat into victory. She represents the knowledge whereby each thing must in time become its opposite. As the still point between dualities she allows us to master them. To see the failure hidden in success, the death hidden in life, or the joy hidden in sorrow are ways of contacting her reality. Bagalamukhi is the secret presence of the opposite wherein each thing is dissolved back into the Unborn and the Uncreated.

Legend

Once upon a time, a huge storm erupted over the Earth. As it threatened to destroy whole of the creation, all the gods assembled in the Saurashtra region. Goddess Bagalamukhi emerged from the 'Haridra Sarovara', and appeased by the prayers of the gods, calmed down the storm.

Worship

An image of Bagalamukhi depicted in a Patachitra from Pingla, West Bengal

Major temples to the goddess are situated in the Himachal Pradesh in the north, and at Nalkheda at Shajapur and Datia in Madhya Pradesh. Nepal, where the worship of tantric goddesses had Royal patronage, also has a large temple devoted to Bagalamukhi in the Newar city of Patan. The territory of the Bagalamukhi temple in Patan also has several other temples dedicated to Ganesha, Shiva, Saraswati, Guheswar, Bhairava etc. The main difference between any other temple and a Bagalamukhi temple is that if someone worships all the gods in this temple, they would actually worship all 330 million gods and goddesses at one place. Bagalamukhi Devi Temple is situated at Guma in Mandi, in the state of Himachal Pradesh in North India. Large numbers of Hindu devotees offer prayers here to fulfil their wishes. Bagalamukhi Puja is performed by an experienced Pandit, as any mistake in the ritual may result in bad effects.

Bagalamukhi Devi is one of the ten Hindu Goddesses of Power. Bagalamukhi Puja is performed according to Vedic ritual, to defeat enemies. It not only decreases the power of the enemy, but also creates an atmosphere where they become helpless. The Abhimantrit Bagalamukhi Yantra is also used for the same purpose. It protects the person from enemies and evils. There is a beautiful Mandir of Ma Bagalamukhi in Varanasi as well.

Bagalamukhi maha mantra is as below: OM HLEEM BAGALAMUKHI SARVA DUSHTANAM VAACHAM MUKHAM PADAM STAMBHAYA JIVHAAM KILAYA BUDDHIM VINASHAYA HLEEM OM SVAHA

Bagalamukhi maha mantra's meaning is as below: Oh Goddess, paralyse the speech and feet of all evil people. Pull their tongue, destroy their intellect.

The Maa Bagala Devi temple of Guwahati in the State of Assam is situated near the famous "Shakti" temple of Kamakhya in the Nilachal Hills. According to Shri Yogeshwaranand the author of Baglamukhi Sadhna Aur Siddhi these are the main precautions to do Baglamukhi sadhna 1.first prepare yourself to do sadhna. It means to do hard work. 2. select a mature Guru and get Diksha. 3. there are two methods of this pious sadhna, first- Dhakshin marg and second Vama marg. In these both margs Dakshin marg is understood better because of Vedic method, but it is also said that in Kaliyuga Vama marg is better because of early achievements. Hence firstly decide the Marg to which you are going to accept. 4. After getting Dhiksha start your Mantra-Japa according to the directions of your Guru. 5. For any Baglamukhi- sadhak it is necessary to use yellow garments, yellow Aasan, yellow(Haldi)rosary, yellow chandan(sandal)and yellow Bhog(dishes) in the worship of Bhagwati Pitambara. 6. To get Siddhi(kripa of Bhagwati) every one should try to go near Bhagwati by her worship, Hawan & Mantra- Japa, it means Adveit Bhava. (Adveit Bhava stands for that there is no difference between you and your Devta). 7.Every Sadhak (Priest or worshipper) should never tease any Jeevi---any animal, any bird or any human. He should never hurt anybody mentally or physically. 8. Bhagwati Bagla is Vashnavi Shakti, so she is understood the Palanhara of the world. This Mahashakti resides in all women, young and old, so never tease or harass women. A sadhak should always respect them like Bhagwati. Above all directions are used in both Marga(ways) of Sadhna.These both margs are the ways who carry a Sahak to his last Lakshya(aim)---Moksha. But some Sadhak use this Mahavidhya in Kamya-Karm. To do these Karmas one should use accurate methods, which are told by his Gurudev. In these Kamya Karmas this Mahavidhya is used to kill anybody, attract anybody, to make any body mad, or for similar things. This Mahavidya is mainly used for Stambhan, Ucchatan, Vashikaran etc. To get victory in elections & suits this Mahavidhya is highly effective. The enemies of a Bagla-Sadhak can not stand before him. They are destroyed like mosquitoes. Any Kritya-Prayoga can not stand before this Mahavidhya. This Mahavidhya is also said Pervidhya-Grasani. It means any Prayog madeby your enemy or done by any other Tantrik can never effect any Bagla-Sadhak. This Mahavidhya is used in various ways. But one should not use it above mentioned methods. You may protect yourself, but never cause harm to any one by using the power of this greatest Mahavidhya. But by any reason if a Sadhak becomes compelled to use these methods, he should learn them by his Gurudev. Baglamukhi sadhna is one of the great achievement in life because when you start doing Baglamukhi sadhna it is the symbol that you are on the right path of the life that is self knowledge or moksha. Hurdles in the path of moksha are kama, krodha, lobha , moha & ahankar. These are our internal enemies which can not be killed physically. When you start baglamukhi sadhna with no desire of fruit than you will feel that you are becoming more energetic & you are getting control on your thoughts because thoughts are first reason to do the good things or bad things. You will become what you think. And when you have control over it you can become what you want & you will achieve every goal in life.

See also

• Devi
• Mahavidya

Further reading

• Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Traditions (ISBN 81-208-0379-5) by David Kinsley
• Tantric Yoga and the Wisdom Goddesses By David Frawley (ISBN 81-208-1357-X, 9788120813571), Published by Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 1996
• Mahavidya Shri Baglamukhi Sadhna Aur Siddhi(Hindi) By Yogeshwaranand(ISBN 81-7933-190-3). Publisher - Dynamic Publications(India)Ltd.

External links

• Method of Baglamukhi Puja
• Bagalamukhi Sadhna Aur Siddhi
• Baglamukhi Mantra
• Baglamukhi Dhyaan Mantra
• Baglamukhi Gayatri Mantra
• Baglamukhi Panchastra
• Baglamukhi Yantra Puja
• Baglamukhi Mantra Audio
• Baglamukhi Mandaar Mantra
• Baglamukh Suktam
• Baglamukhi Brahmastra Mala mantra
• Baglamukhi Sadhana
• Baglamukhi Yantra
• Bagalamukhi Stotram