The Ten MahaVidyas
As The Transcendental Forms Of The Divine Mother Maa Maha Kaali, The Ten MahaVidyas Signify Ten types of Disciplines that help reach the ultimate goal of one’s spiritual life. In Sanskrit, “Maha” means “Great” and “Vidya” means “Knowledge, which is absolutely befitting as in the process of life and spiritual learning, The Divine Mother In Her Ten Divine Forms Guide us, Inspire us, And Unfold the inner truth.
The Holy Names Of The Ten MahaVidyas
The Divine Mother Maa Maha Kaali In Her MahaVidya Forms Guide seekers to spiritual awakening and self-realization, Destroy negative tendencies, Fulfill desires, Provide wealth, Cure diseases, Defeat rivals, Remove poverty, And Defend against black magic and planetary effects. The Names Of The Ten MahaVidyas are as follows:
1. Maa Kaali
2. Maa Tara
3. Maa Tripura Sundari
4. Maa Bhuvaneshvari
5. Maa ChinnaMasta
6. Maa Bhairavi
7. Maa DhumaVati
8. Maa BagalaMukhi,
9. Maa Matangi
10. Maa Kamala.
Maa Kaali – The Eternal Night
As The First Wisdom Expression, Maa Kaali Is Consciousness Of The Highest Form Of The Divine Mother Maa Maha Kaali. Maa Kaali Is The Supreme Power And The Ultimate Reality Representing Supreme Non-Duality, While At The Same Time Expressing Duality In the world.
Maa Kaali Is Also worshipped As Maa Chamunda, Slayer of asuras chanda, munda, and raktabija, Symbolizing Her Power To Enable the mind to restrain the endless chitta-vrittis (illusions).
Maa Kaali Gayatri Mantra
“Om Maha Kalyai Cha Vidmahe
Smasana Vasinyai Cha Dhimahi
Tanno Kaali Prachodayat”
Meaning: Om Great Goddess Maa Kaali, The One And Only One, Who Resides In the ocean of life and in the cremation grounds that dissolve the world. We focus our energies on You, May You Grant us boons and blessings.
Maa Tara – The All-Gracious Liberator
As The Second MahaVidya Form Of The Divine Mother Maa Maha Kaali, Maa Tara Is The All-Gracious Liberator.
Maa Tara Is The Compassionate Protective Form Of The Divine Mother Maa Maha Kaali, Liberating Her children from ego, wordly bondages, and karma. Maa Tara’s Gracious Maternal Appearance Is Easily Approachable to all the devotees.
As Maa UgraTara She Protects from all dangers. As Maa SamsaraTarini She Takes devotees across the ocean of wordly existence, While Protecting earthly and spiritual journeys.
Maa Tara Gayatri Mantra
“Om Taarayai Cha Vidmahe
Mano Grahayai Dhimahi
Tanno Devi Prachodayat”
Meaning: Om, we meditate Upon Goddess Maa Tara, Who Is The Aggressive One, May The Goddess Illuminate all our minds.
Maa Tripura Sundari – The Symbol Of Transcendental Beauty
Maa Tripura Sundari Transcends the beauty of all three worlds As The Third MahaVidya Form of The Divine Mother Maa Maha Kaali.
Maa Tripura Sundari Purifies our awareness By Cleansing the mind of unworthy thoughts, Showing beauty everywhere and in everything, And Raising the awareness of unity and oneness in all of existence.
Maa Tripura Sundari, Also Known As Maa Shodashi Shines with the light of the rising sun. She Represents Joy, Compassion, Illumination, And State Of Awareness. She Is Not Only The Beauty That Is Seen In the world externally, But Also The Beauty Which Resonates deep within an aware mind.
Maa Tripura Sundari Gayatri Mantra
“Om Kleem Tripura Devi Vidhmahe
Kaameshwari Cha Dheemahi
Tanna Klinne Prachodayat”
Meaning: Om, we meditate Upon Goddess Maa Tripura Sundari Who Has A Great Force, Who Is The Queen Of Transcendental Desire, May She Who Is Soft Natured Illuminate our minds.
Maa Bhuvaneshvari – The Empress Of The World
Maa Bhuvaneshvari, The Empress Of the world Is The Fourth MahaVidya Or Wisdom Expression Of The Divine Mother Maa Maha Kaali.
Maa Bhuvanesvari, Also Known As Maa BhuDevi Is The Supreme Expression Of Manifested Existence. She Is The Ruler Of the entire cosmos, the bhuvanatraya, consisting of the heavens, the atmosphere, and the earth. She Is The Source Of all creation And Also The Exposer Of consciousness.
Maa Bhuvaneshvari Is Maa MahaMaya, Who Appears As This Illusory World.
She Is Maa SarvaRupa, Who Is All-Pervasive. She Is Maa VisvaRupa, Whose Form Is The Universe. She Is Maa Vagisvari, Who Rules Over The Process Of Cosmic Manifestation.
Thus, All That humans experience in this life and this world Is The Manifestation Of The Divine Mother Maa Bhuvaneshvari.
As the Gracious Nurturing Divine Mother She Sustains all that She Has Given Birth To. Her worship enables us to overcome any hindrances that conceal our true, Divine nature and gain true Self-knowledge by reaching beyond the limitations of human body, mind, personality, and life.
Maa Bhuvaneshvari Gayatri Mantra
“Om Narayanyai Cha Vidhmahe
Bhuvaneshvaryai Cha Dheemahi
Tanno Devi Prachodayat”
Meaning: Om, we meditate Upon Maa Bhuvaneshvari Who Exposes the consciousness,
The Queen Of the Universe, May The Goddess Illuminate all our minds.
Maa ChinnaMasta – The Provider Of Life Force
As The Fifth MahaVidya Form Of The Divine Mother Maa Maha Kaali, Maa ChinnaMasta Is The Devi Of Self-Sacrifice And The Provider Of life force.
Why Does Maa ChinnaMasta Decapitate Her Own Head?
Maa ChinnaMasta Decapitates Her Head To Feed Her attendants, Symbolising life force Provided into all through Self-Sacrifice.
Maa ChinnaMasta’s Act Of Severing Her Own Head Symbolizes Separation Of The Ego From The ‘Self’, while the ego may represent the body, the ‘Self’ is the body-less, mind-less, existence-less ‘Existence’.
Maa ChinnaMasta’s Undressed State Symbolizes Boundless Freedom, Not Containable By any garment or any physical covering. The Blood Spurting From Maa ChinnaMasta’s Neck Symbolizes life force (prana) or cosmic energy. The First Stream Flowing Into Maa ChinnaMasta’s Own Mouth Symbolises Self-Existence And The Second and Third Streams Of Blood Flowing Into the mouths of the attendants Symbolize life force being provided to all beings by Her Supreme-Self.
Maa ChinnaMasta Gayatri Mantra
“Om Vairochanye Vedmahe
ChinnaMastayai Dhimahi
Tanno Devi Prachodayat”
Meaning: Om, we meditate Upon The Brilliant One Who Holds the thunder, She Who Severed Her Own Head, May The Goddess Illuminate all minds.
Maa Bhairavi – The Terror and Awe-Inspiring Divine Mother
Maa Bhairavi Burns Away imperfections of the soul As The Sixth Wisdom Expression Of The Divine Mother Maa Maha Kaali.
Maa Bhairavi Is feared in all three worlds, Shinning With The Effulgence Of Ten Thousand Rising Suns, Symbolizing the great cosmic power of consciousness.
Maa Bhairavi, With Fearsome Yet Glorious Form, Continues the cycle of destruction and creation in this world. Maa Bhairavi Appeared As Maa Chandika To Slay the asuras chanda and munda. Symbolizing the fire and heat of self-purification, She Helps devotees fight destructive habits, lust, and selfishness.
Maa Bhairavi Is The Mother With Unconditional Love, Who Can Go Through Anything To Protect Her blessed children.
Maa Bhairavi Gayatri Mantra
“Om Tripurayai Vidmahe
Mahabhairavyai Dhimahi
Tanno Devi Prachodayat”
Meaning: Om, we meditate Upon Maa Bhairavi, Residing In Three Worlds, Free From all fears. May Maa Bhairavi Illuminate all minds.
Maa Dhumavati – The Blessing In Disguise
As The Seventh MahaVidya Or Wisdom Expression Of The Divine Mother Maa Maha Kaali, Maa Dhumavati Teaches self-detachment And Dwells In the wounds of the world As A Blessing In Disguise.
Maa Dhumavati Is Made Of Smoke Personifying the dark side of life And Symbolizing Omnipresence Of The Divine Mother, Even In what is ordinarily considered foul or ugly. Maa Dhumavati Symbolizes the impermanence of human existence And Helps Cultivate a sense of detachment, which leads to spiritual liberation.
Maa Dhumavati Is A Blessing In Disguise As She Teaches How adversity can build character and turn an ordinary soul into an extraordinary one.
Maa Dhumavati Gayatri Mantra
“Om Dhumavatyai Cha Vidhmahe
Samhaarinyai Cha Dheemahi
Tanno Dhuma Prachodayat”
Meaning: Om, we meditate Upon The Smokey One, The Goddess Who Is The Destroyer, May The Goddess Who Holds the smoke Illuminate all minds.
Maa Bagalamukhi – The Controller Of Expression
Maa Bagalamukhi, The Controller of Expression Is The Eighth MahaVidya Form Of The Divine Mother Maa Maha Kaali.
Maa Bagalamukhi’s Act Of Holding enemy’s tongue Symbolizes Her Power To Immobilize the creative and destructive powers of consciousness in the form of motion, thought, intention, and all forms of speech.
Maa BagalaMukhi Stops all motion at the appropriate time, Silences the mouths and words of all evil beings, And Controls their tongues. She Is The Devi of Stambhana – The Power To Immobilize, Paralyze, And Restrain an enemy. She Blesses the devotees with silence of speech and stillness of the mind to find peace and higher states of consciousness.
Maa Bagalamukhi Gayatri Mantra
“Om Bagalamukhyae Cha Vidmahe
Stambhinyai Cha Dheemahi
Tanno Bagala Prachodayat.”
Meaning: Om, we meditate Upon Goddess Maa Bagalamukhi Who Can Make the enemies motionless. Let The Powerful Goddess Bless all with a clear sight.
Maa Matangi – The Divine Mother Of Equality and Non-discrimination
Maa Matangi Is The Ninth MahaVidya Form Or Wisdom Expression Of The Divine Mother Maa Maha Kaali.
She Is The Controller Of spoken word, all forms of art, music and dance, wisdom, and supernatural powers.
Maa Matangi Is Also Known As Maa Uchchhishta-Chandalini As She Keeps chandalas, or untouchables as company, Symbolizing That The Divine Self Shines Forth Equally From the high-born and the lower caste. Maa Matangi Demands uchchhishta, or leftover food, as a reversal of offering ritually pure food to Deities, Symbolizing freedom from the indoctrination of conditioned ideas of right and wrong, pure and impure.
Maa Matangi Represents teachings of the guru, and the continuity of spiritual instruction in the world. She Teaches us That the true nature of impurity is not the failure to be ritually pure, but one’s limitation of wisdom and consciousness. Maa Matangi, therefore, Liberates consciousness from the bondages of false notions.
Maa Matangi Gayatri Mantra
“Om Matangai Cha Vidhmahe
Sri Kaameshwaryai Dheemahi
Tanno Devi Prachodayat”
Meaning: Om, we meditate Upon Goddess Maa Matangi, She Who Is The Queen of Desires, May the Goddess illuminate all minds.
Maa Kamala – The Divine Mother Of Good Fortune and Abundance
As The Tenth MahaVidya Form Of Maa Maha Kaali, Maa Kamala Bestows Wealth, Happiness, And Joy.
Maa Kamala Symbolizes the world of the here and now. She Provides Her children With good fortune, prosperity, abundance, and well-being But Teaches Not To ask for more than needed. She Also Teaches To pray and strive for the well-being of all others, And To strive for a higher wealth of dharma, which includes devotion, kindness, compassion, truthfulness, and all forms of virtue. By Teaching virtue, Maa Kamala Leads us to seek the even higher knowledge of Self-Realization, which is the ultimate goal of human life.
Maa Kamala Is The Embodiment Of Divine Love. Divine Love Is Unique. The more of it is given, the more of it is gained. Worshiping Maa Kamala Brings The Presence Of Divine Love And Offers a direct path To The Divine.
Maa Kamala Gayantri Mantra
“Om Kamalayai Cha Vidhmahe
Maha Shaktyai Cha Dheemahi
Tanno Devi Prachodayat”
Meaning: Om, we meditate Upon Goddess Maa Kamala, She Who Is The Supreme Power, May The Goddess Illuminate all minds.
The Ten Great Cosmic Wisdom
By worshiping The Ten MahaVidya Forms Of The Divine Mother Maa Maha Kaali with whole-hearted devotion, one can realize and internalize Their Ten Cosmic Wisdom, which can teach not only how to live life efficiently, but also how to attain spiritual liberation.
The Ten Great Cosmic Wisdom From The Ten Wisdom Expressions Or MahaVidya Form Of The Divine Mother Maa Maha Kaali, which Teach how to overcome the various hurdles of life, transcend ego, and reach one’s ultimate spiritual ‘Self’ are as follows:
1. MAA KAALI, Symbolizing The Power Of Absolute Transformation, Teaches How To transform into our Divine Selves.
2. MAA TARA, All-Gracious And Compassionate, Teaches How To liberate From the false idea of ego And pass through all the ups and downs of life successfully.
3. MAA TRIPURA SUNDARI Symbolizes the beauty everywhere and in everything And Teaches How To be aware of unity and oneness in all of existence.
4. MAA BHUVANESHVARI, The Empress Of The Universe, Teaches How To reach beyond the limitations of human existence and gain True Self-Knowledge.
5. MAA CHINNAMASTA, The Provider Of life-force, Symbolizes And Teaches the True Nature Of The Supreme-Self, Which Is Boundless, Selfless, Self-Dependent And Nurturing.
6. MAA BHAIRAVI Burns Away imperfection of the soul And Teaches How To Go beyond the fear of death and reach the ‘state-of-Brahman’.
7. MAA DHUMAVATI Dwells In the wounds of the world As A Blessing In Disguise, Teaching the impermanence of human existence And self-detachment, which leads to spiritual liberation.
8. MAA BAGALAMUKHI, The Controller Of Expression, Teaches How To Stop both the creative and destructive powers of thought, intention, and all forms of speech, and make the mind silent and still to find peace and higher states of consciousness.
9. MAA MATANGI Teaches non-discrimination between different social classes, By Symbolizing The Divine Self In all. She Also Teaches That overcoming limitations of consciousness is more important than ritual purity.
10. MAA KAMALA Bestows wealth, happiness and joy But She Teaches Not To ask for more than needed, To pray and strive for wellbeing of others, And To strive for the wealth of dharma that leads to knowledge of Self-Realization.
These Ten Great Cosmic Wisdom Hold the keys to unlocking higher states of consciousness, which allow one to overcome all fear and negative tendencies and live life to the fullest, perform in service to all of humanity, and become united with the Ocean of Divine Consciousness.