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Shri Dus Mahavidhya
[edit]The ten great learnings are related with Sati, Shiva and Parvati, all synonymous of the same Shakti (power). She is also known as Nav Durga, Chamunda, Vishnupriya etc and is worshipped. The origin of this ten great knowledge is as follows.
Daksha Prajapati, the father of Sati, once performed a religious sacrifice (Yagya) in which he invited all the deities and sages, except his own Son-in-law lord Shiva, because of his jealousy towards him.
Sati wanted to be present at that occasion but Lord Shiva refused to give permission, thinking it was improper for her to go without the invitation. But she was unmoved: She said "I will certainly got to the Yagya performed by Daksha Prajapati, I would either get the fortune of that religious sacrifice for my dearest, deity of the deities, husband or else I would destroy that religious sacrifice itself."
Sati's eyes became red. She looked at Lord Shiva violently, her lips began to flutter, and her complexion became dark. The fire of her anger made her appearance look frightened and violent.
Such an appearance of Sati was frightening even for Lord Shiva. Her appearance, which had the blaze and radiance of crores of mid-noon-suns, made her so fearful that he just ran away.
To stop Lord Shiva from running away in all the possible ten directions, Sati manifested herself in to ten different forms. These ten Shaktis (powers) of Sati are known as the ten great knowledge's.
1. Kali 2. Tara 3. Shodashi 4. Bhuvaneshwari 5. Tripursundari 6. Chhinnmasta 7. Dhoomavati 8. Baglamukhi 9. Matangi 10. Kamala
1. Kali Goddess Kali holds the primary position among all the ten great learnings. There is a tale mentioned in the Kalika-Purana. Once the deities went to the Himalayas and eulogized the personifications of the illusions of the world (Mahamaya). According to the Purana this place was the hermitage of Sage Matang. Pleased by them, Bhagavati appeared in the form of Matang's mistress and asked as to whom were they eulogizing. Instantly a divine appearance manifested from the body of that mistress, which was as dark as a Mountain in complexion This divine appearance herself answered on behalf of the deities that these deities are eulogizing me. Since the complexion of that divine appearance was black like a collyrium she was given the name of KALI.
2. Tara Though Tara & Kali are same yet their complexions are different. Kali complexion is dark whereas Tara complexion is blue. Tara killed the demon 'Hayagreeva'. She has Lord Shiva lying under her feet like a corpse. Her bluish complexion's beauty is magnified manifold by her three eyes, which appear like a blue lotus flowers. In her four hands she has a scissors, a head (skull), a lotus flower and an axe. She wears tiger's skin on her body, and has a necklace of skulls around her neck. She is considered to be very violent in nature, but her eagerness to shower bl Tara or Ugratara is worshipped for the attainment of powers of speech, pleasures and even salvation. She is also worshipped for the destruction of enemies. Tara is worshipped in the night and is another appearance of Shakti. She is considered to be the ruler and presider of miraculous effects and accomplishments. essings on the devotee is infallible too. So she is the most merciful.
3. Shodashi
She is called Shodashi because she possesses all the sixteen Supernatural powers (Kala). Goddess Shodashi is the most enchanting beauty of all the ten great learnings. Shodashi, who has the mantra consisting of sixteen letters, has organs glowing like a rising sun. She has four hands and three eyes. She is seated on the lotus, which is placed on the body of Shiva who is lying in a peaceful posture. She has a noose, a hook, a bow and an arrow in each of her hands. Everyday to shower blessings on her devotees, her appearance is completely Somber & gentle and her heart is full of compassion. A devotee who takes her refuge achieves great divinity like the deities. In fact her splendors are indescribable. Even the Vedas are incapable of describing her greatness. Being pleased with her devotee she gives more than he demands.
4. Bhuvaneshwari
The presiding of Mani-dwipa (name of a place) as described in Devi Bhagawat is an embodiment of the Mantra 'Hrillekha' (HRIM), Shakti and Maha Laxmi and also a companion of Lord Shiva in all of his divine activities and is called Goddess Bhuvaneshwari. Goddess Bhuvaneshwari is the preeminent and a nurturer of the whole humanity. Her appearance is Somber and her complexion is red. She blesses her devotee by making him fearless and also helps him in the accomplishment of all the powers. In the scriptures her greatness has been described in detail.
5. Tripursundari The methods for the worship of Tripura-Bhairavi have been described in the sacred texts for the attainment of victory over the sensual desires and all round development. Tripura-Bhairavi who is also called Kala-Bhairavi is the presiding goddess of this decaying-world. Her complexion is red like the thousands of rising-sun, wears silken apparel and has a garland of heads around her neck. Her lips are marked with blood. She has three eyes and possesses a moon in her crown. She has a garland in her hand and is an embodiment of knowledge, fearlessness and boons. There is a soft smile on her lips.
6. Chhinnmasta
The tale about the manifestation of goddess Chhinnamasta is as follows, Once, goddess Bhagwati-Bhawani, went to have a bath in the river Mandakini, with her two companion Jaya and Vijaya. After having their bath all of them became hungry. The complexion of goddess Bhagawati turned dark because of sheer hunger. Jaya and Vijaya asked for something to eat. Goddess Bhagawati told both of them to wait for some time. After sometime they demanded for food again. They were again told by goddess Bhagawati to wait. Unable to control their hunger Jaya and Vijaya said very politely to Bhagawati that "Mother, give food to her hungry children as soon as it is demanded." Bhagavati was very pleased by their innocence, she severed her head by her own hand and held the severed head in her left hand, three streams of blood started to ooze out from the neck.
All of them, satisfied their hunger by drinking the blood from the three streams of blood respectively.
She is called Chhinnamasta because of her severed head.
Goddess Chhinnamasta is a symbol of the perception of secrecy. She stands on the seat of white lotus. In her navel 'Yoni Chakra' is situated. The directions itself are her apparel. Her two companions symbolize the two qualities of TARA (dark) and Raja (medium). She is alive even though her head is severed from her body. This severed head is symbolic of introverted nature of accomplishment
7. Dhoomavati
There is a narration regarding goddess Dhoomavati that once goddess Parvati being tormented by great hunger requested Lord Shiva to satisfy her hunger. But Lord Shiva did not respond. When he did not respond even after her repeated request than she swallowed Lord Shiva himself. Smoke came out from her appearance. Lord Shiva told her that from now onwards her enchanting appearance of Bhagta would be known as 'Dhooma or Dhoomavati'.
Goddess Dhoomavati's appearance resembles that of an old woman terrifying, always tormented by great thirst and hunger and is considered to posses' great powers.
8. Baglamukhi The worship of Baglamukhi who is also famous as 'Pitambara Vidya' (yellow Color is prominently used in her worship) for protection against the enemies and to defeat them, to get victory in the legal matters, to acquire wealth, to clear away the debts and to attain power of oratory etc. In her worship yellow clothes, garland made of turmeric; yellow seat and yellow flowers are used. She is the presiding goddess who has a desire of annihilating the demons in her individual form and carries on the destruction of commodities according to the wishes of the almighty God She has her abode amidst the ocean of ambrosia where her canopy decorated with diamonds is situated and her throne is decorated with the jewels. Her complexion is yellow, wears yellow apparels, ornaments and a garlands, which is also of yellow color. In her one hand is a tongue of an enemy and in the other hand she holds a mace.
There is a tale regarding her manifestation. In the 'Satyuga' period once the whole world was threatened by a terrific cyclone. Lord Vishnu being concerned about the safety of the whole humanity went near to Haridra (reservoir) situated in Saurashtra, to please Goddess Bhagawati by his penance.
Shri Vidya (Baglamukhi) appeared before him, manifesting from the water of Haridra wearing yellow apparels. She controlled the powerful current of the threatening flood and destructive nature. Goddess Bagla helps the almighty god by punishing and controlling those negative powers that try to trespass the natural flow, She controls our speech knowledge and movement. She is capable of giving powers (Siddhis) and fulfilling all the wishes of her devotee like a 'Kalpa-Taru'.
9. Matangi Lord Shiva is also known as Matang. His Shakti (power) is called Matangi. Her complexion is dark and possesses a moon on her forehead. The three-eyed goddess is seated on the crown decorated with jewels. Her luster is like a blue lotus and is destroyer of the demons (forest) like a fire. In each of her four hands, she has a noose, a mace, an axe and a hook. She is a destroyer of the demons by enchanting them first with her beauty and a fulfiller of every desire of her devotees. She is worshipped for the attainment of great powers, power of speech, happiness in family life etc.
10. Kamala Goddess Kamala is the personified energy of Lord Vishnu and a companion in all the divine activities of MahaVishnu. Her worship in reality is the worship of Shakti (Power) the root cause of the existence of this world. Without her blessings a man's life becomes full of misfortune and miseries. Not only the humans but also the deities, the demons, the Gandharvas (Supernatural celestial beings) are eager to have her favors and blessings. She has her seat on the lotus flower and possesses a golden luster in her appearance. Four elephants as white as the snow of Himalayas surround her on four sides, holding vessels full of gold in their trunks.
Goddess Kamala has four hands, there are lotus flowers in each of her two hands, and her two remaining hands are in the posture of giving boons and blessings She has a crown on her head and her apparel are silken. Her worship gives victory, splendors, wealth etc. On the spiritual ground, worship of all these ten great learnings is considered the means for attainment of salvation and almighty God.
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