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Definitions of the Mahavidyas

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This note collates the essential definitions and cosmic nature of the Ten Mahavidyas (often referred to as their Shakti aspect) from Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni’s Mahavidya Sutram.

Devanagari

  1. क्रियाशक्तिः काली ।। 3।। मध्यमा त्वधिदैवतम् ।। 4।। सर्वव्यापिनी ।। 5।। व्यापकनिगूढतेजःशक्तेर्नातिरिच्यते ।। 6।। काल एव स्त्रीलिङ्गाख्यया काल्युच्यते ।। 9।। पाचकत्वमेव हि कालस्य स्वरूपम् ।। 10।। महाकालस्य नित्यताण्डवस्य विभुताततः काली हि नातिरिच्यते ।। 15।। क्रियैव ताण्डवमुच्यते ।। 16।। अस्मासु प्रवहन्ती सा शक्तिः श्रेष्ठः प्राण उच्यते ।। 27।। शक्तौ वातेत्याभ्यन्तरे प्राणव्यवहार उपनिषत्सु दृश्यते ।। 28।। शक्तितरङ्गत्वात्वायूनामेषोऽभेदेन व्यवहारः ।। 29।।
  2. शब्दशक्तिस्तारा ।। 3।। गौर्यधिदैवतम् ।। 4।। तारैव नीलोच्यते तामसीति ।। 14।। तामसत्वं चात्राव्यक्तत्वम् ।। 15।। विज्ञानमयीं पश्यन्तीमाहुः ।। 26।। विज्ञानं सूक्ष्माच्छब्दान्नातिरिच्यते ।। 27।। सूक्ष्मं शब्दायत इत्येव यद्विजानातीति ।। 28।।
  3. चिच्छक्तिः सुन्दरी ।। 6।। विश्वतीता पराऽम्बिकाऽधिदैवतम् ।। 7।। सर्वोत्कृष्टप्रकाशत्वात् सुन्दर्येषा ।। 42।। विश्वसाम्राज्यभृत्वाद्राजराजराजेश्वरी ।। 45।।
  4. भुवनेश्वर्येव नामान्तरेण माया ।। 3।। परमस्येक्षाशक्तिर्भुवनेश्वरी ।। 4।। अदितिरधिदैवतम् ।। 5।। ईक्षाशक्तिरिच्छाशक्तिरित्यनर्थान्तरम् ।। 7।। ईशस्य दृष्टिरपारा ।। 22।। तस्माद्विश्वस्य देशश्चापारः ।। 23।। अपारश्च देश आकाशान्नातिरिच्यते ।। 24।। तस्माद्भुवनेश्वर्याकाशः ।। 25।। अस्यामेव शक्त्यां सर्वं भुवनमोतं प्रोतं च ।। 53।। आकाशे खलु गार्गीति श्रुतेः ।। 54।। तथोपलब्धेश्च ।। 55।। तस्माद्भुनेश्वरीयमुच्यते ।। 56।।
  5. व्यक्तं तेजो भैरवी ।। 4।। अग्नाय्यधिदैवतं ।। 6।। वागिन्द्रियमध्यात्मम् ।। 8।।
  6. भैरव्यास्तत्त्वेन प्रचण्डचण्डिकायास्तत्त्वं व्याख्यातम् ।। 3।। तत्र पृथिवीस्थाना मुख्या ।। 4।। अत्रान्तरिक्षस्थानेति विशेषः ।। 5।। इन्द्राण्यधिदैवतमित्युक्तं भवति ।। 6।। व्यक्तं चाव्यक्तमान्तरिक्षं ज्योतिः प्रचण्डचण्डिका ।। 8।। परिणमयित्री विद्युच्छक्तिः काली ।। 10।। प्रभोरायुधभूता प्रचण्डचण्डिकेति विशेषः ।। 11।। अत एव वज्रवैरोचनीयेति कथ्यते ।। 12।। कुण्डलिनीशक्तिरध्यात्मम् ।। 16।। तत्प्रतापादेव जीवन्नेव योगी भिन्नकपालः स्यात् ।। 21।। व्यपोह्य शीर्षकपाले इति श्रुतिरत्र भवति ।। 22।। तस्मादेतां शक्तिं छिन्नमस्तां व्यवहरन्ति ।। 23।। उपाधिदृष्ट्या सुषुम्णाऽपि प्रचण्डचण्डिकोच्यते ।। 24।। अथाधिलोकम् ।। 32।। उपाधिदृष्ट्या देवयानः पन्थाः प्रचण्डचण्डिका ।। 33।। दुर्गा नामान्तरेण ।। 34।। दुर्गमा ह्यकृतात्मनाम् ।। 35।। वैरोचनीं कर्मफलेषु जुष्टामिति श्रुत्युक्ते दुर्गाविशेषणे अत्र भवतः ।। 36।। रेणुका तान्त्रिकैः ।। 55।।
  7. परमस्य प्रलयकालिकी निद्रा धूमावती ।। 3।। मुक्तानां च नित्यानन्दनिद्रा ।। 4।। संसारिणां तु निद्रा मूर्छा विस्मृतिश्च ।। 5।। अविद्या च यया संसारी नात्मानं जानाति ।। 6।। सा मायातोऽर्थान्तरम् ।। 7।। यथैकं बहुधा पश्यति सा माया ।। 8।। यया सन्तं न पश्यति साऽविद्या ।। 9।। देव्याश्च निद्राभ्रान्तिरूपत्वं पौराणिके देवीसूक्त उक्तम् ।। 10।। ज्येष्ठाऽधिदैवतम् ।। 11।।
  8. तारायास्तत्त्वेन बगलामुख्यास्तत्त्वं व्याख्यातम् ।। 3।। विभूतिभेदाद्विद्याभेदः ।। 4।। व्यक्ततेजस्त्वमापन्नः शब्दो बगलामुखी ।। 5।। ध्रुवया स्मृत्याऽऽवर्तनान्मन्त्रास्तेजोमयाः स्युः ।। 6।। तस्मादेव बगलामुखी ब्रह्मास्त्रमुच्यते ।। 7।। ब्रह्मैवास्त्रं ब्रह्मास्त्रं न ब्रह्मणोऽस्त्रम् ।। 8।। प्रचण्डचण्डिकावद्देवता ।। 14।। शाब्दस्यापि व्यक्ततेजसो माध्यमिकत्वात् ।। 15।।
  9. तारायास्तत्त्वेन मातङ्ग्यास्तत्त्वं व्याख्यातम् ।। 3।। विभूतिभेदाद्विद्याभेदः ।। 4।। श्रोत्रग्राह्यः शब्दो मातङ्गी ।। 5।। सरस्वत्यधिदैवतम् ।। 6।। गौरीत्येके ।। 7।। मूलतत्त्वदृष्ट्या सोक्तिः ।। 8।। वैखर्यस्मासु ।। 9।।
  10. भैरव्यास्तत्त्वेन कमलात्मिकायास्तत्त्वं व्याख्यातम् ।। 3।। तत्र पृथिवीस्थाना देवता ।। 4।। अत्र द्युस्थानेति विशेषः ।। 5।। उषोदेवी प्राचां भाषायाम् ।। 6।। लक्ष्मीरर्वाचाम् ।। 7।।

Translation

  1. Kali is the power of action (Kriya-shakti). (4) She is the presiding deity of the intermediate realm. (5) She is all-pervading. (6) She is not different from the power of the all-pervading, hidden radiant energy. (9) Time itself is called “Kali,” in the feminine gender. (10) The very nature of Time is its capacity to “cook” (transform) everything. (15) Kali is not different from the all-pervasiveness of Mahakala’s eternal dance. (16) Action itself is called the “Tandava” (dance). (27) That power flowing within us is called the “Chief Prana” (Life Force). (28) In the Upanishads, the function of Prana is seen as the internal movement of the “Wind-Power.” (29) Because they are waves of power, the “winds” (Pranas) are treated as non-different from Her.
  2. Tara is the power of sound (shabda-shakti). (4) Her presiding deity is Gauri. (14) Tara alone is called Nila (the Blue One) and Tamasi (the Dark One). (15) Here, “Tamasic nature” refers to being unmanifest. (26) They call the form of consciousness Pashyanti (the visualizing stage). (27) Consciousness is not different from subtle sound. (28) That which knows “the subtle sound is resonating” is consciousness.
  3. Sundari is the Power of Consciousness (Chichakti). (7) Transcending the universe, she is the Supreme Mother (Parambika), the presiding Deity. (42) Because she is the most excellent Light, she is Sundari (The Beautiful). (45) Because she holds sovereignty over the entire universe, she is Rajarajeshwari.
  4. Bhuvaneshwari: She is simply another name for Maya. (4) Bhuvaneshvari is the power of “beholding” (Iksha-shakti) of the Supreme. (5) Her presiding deity is Aditi. (7) There is no difference between the power of beholding and the power of will. (22) The vision of the Lord is boundless. (23) Therefore, the space of the universe is also boundless. (24) And this boundless space is nothing other than Akasha. (25) Therefore, Bhuvaneshvari is Akasha. (53) In this very power, the entire universe is woven like warp and weft. (54) As stated in the Shruti: “In Akasha, O Gargi…” (55) And also because it is so perceived. (56) Therefore, She is called Bhuvaneshvari (Sovereign of the Worlds).
  5. Bhairavi is the manifested Light (Tejas). (6) Agni is the presiding deity. (8) In the microcosm, she is the organ of speech (Vak).
  6. Chinnamasta: Its essence is explained through the essence of Bhairavi. (4) The “Earth-station” (Physicality) is primary. (5) Here, the distinction is that She resides in the “Atmospheric-station”. (6) Her presiding deity is Indrani. (8) Prachanda Chandika is the manifest and unmanifest Light of the atmosphere. (10) Kali is the transformative electrical power (lightning). (11) Prachanda Chandika is the weapon in the hand of the Lord. (12) Therefore, She is called Vajra-Vairochani. (16) In the context of the self, She is the Kundalini Shakti. (21) By Her power, the Yogi may experience the “splitting of the skull” while living. (22) “Having cleared the two halves of the skull…” (23) Therefore, She is called Chinnamasta. (24) The Sushumna nadi is also called Prachanda Chandika. (32) Regarding the worlds (Adhiloka). (33) The “Path of the Gods” (Devayana) is Prachanda Chandika. (34) She is called Durga by another name. (35) For She is difficult to access for the unpurified. (36) Attributes like “Vairochana” and “cherished in the fruits of actions” belong to Her. (55) Tantrics call Her Renuka.
  7. Dhumavati is the cosmic sleep of the Supreme Being at the time of final dissolution. (4) For the liberated ones, she is the sleep of eternal bliss. (5) For worldly beings, she is sleep, fainting, and forgetfulness. (6) She is the Nescience (Avidya) by which one does not know the Self. (7) She is distinct from Maya. (8) Maya is that by which one sees the One as many. (9) Avidya is that by which one does not see the Truth. (10) Her nature as sleep and delusion is mentioned in the Devi Suktam. (11) Her presiding deity is Jyeshtha.
  8. Bagalamukhi: Its essence is explained through the essence of Tara. (4) The difference in the Vidyas arises from the manifestations of power. (5) Bagalamukhi is Sound that has attained manifested brilliance. (6) Through steady remembrance, mantras become filled with light. (7) For this reason, She is called the Brahmastra. (8) The “Brahmastra” is Brahman itself as a weapon. (14) This deity is like Prachanda Chandika. (15) Even the brilliance of Sound occupies a “middle” position.
  9. Matangi: Its essence is explained through the essence of Tara. (4) The distinction in Wisdom arises from the manifestations. (5) Matangi is Sound as perceived by the ear. (6) Her presiding deity is Saraswati. (7) She is indeed Gauri. (8) That statement is based on the Root Principle. (9) In us, she exists as Vaikhari (articulated speech).
  10. Kamalatmika: Its essential nature (Tattva) is explained through the Tattva of Bhairavi. (4) There, she is a deity of the Earth plane. (5) Here, the distinction is that she is a deity of the Celestial plane. (6) In the language of the ancients, she is the Goddess Usha. (7) In the language of the moderns, she is Lakshmi.

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