The Assertion of Femininity in Indian Thought (1)

[Guest guest]

Here is an interesting article, which may be especially appreciated by

members who are not familiar with the "Ten Mahavidyas," the Goddess

Group that will has been the Group's focus for the past two weeks, and

will remain so for another eight. This introduction is written by

Nitin Kumar of the online art shop, Exotic India (I'll post source

references and link information at end of this post series). Here is

the article:

 

"The Ten Wisdom Goddesses: Mahavidyas and the Assertion of Femininity

in Indian Thought"

 

There exists in India a group of strange Goddesses, ten in number. One

of them is shown holding her own freshly severed head, which feeds on

the blood flowing from her headless torso; another holds a pair of

scissors while sitting triumphant atop a corpse; a third is depicted

as an old and ugly widow riding a chariot decorated with the crow as

an emblem. The series continues - an unusual assemblage to say the

least.

 

The story behind their birth is equally interesting and paradoxically

of a romantic origin:

 

Once during their numerous love games, things got out of hand between

Shiva and Parvati. What had started in jest turned into a serious

matter with an incensed Shiva threatening to walk out on Parvati. No

amount of coaxing or cajoling by Parvati could reverse matters. Left

with no choice, Parvati multiplied herself into ten different forms

for each of the ten directions. Thus however hard Shiva might try to

escape from his beloved Parvati, he would find her standing as a

guardian, guarding all escape routes.

 

Each of the Devi's manifested forms made Shiva realize essential

truths, made him aware of the eternal nature of their mutual love and

most significantly established for always in the cannons of Indian

thought the Goddess's superiority over her male counterpart. Not that

Shiva in any way felt belittled by this awareness, only spiritually

awakened. This is true as much for this Great Lord as for us ordinary

mortals. Befittingly thus they are referred to as the Great Goddess's

of Wisdom, known in Sanskrit as the Mahavidyas (Maha - great; vidya -

knowledge). Indeed in the process of spiritual learning the Goddess is

the muse who guides and inspires us. She is the high priestess who

unfolds the inner truths.

 

The spectrum of these ten goddesses covers the whole range of feminine

divinity, encompassing horrific goddess's at one end, to the

ravishingly beautiful at the other. These Goddesses are:

 

1) Kali the Eternal Night

2) Tara the Compassionate Goddess

3) Shodashi the Goddess who is Sixteen Years Old

4) Bhuvaneshvari the Creator of the World

5) Chinnamasta the Goddess who cuts off her Own Head

6) Bhairavi the Goddess of Decay

7) Dhumawati the Goddess who widows Herself

8) Bagalamukhi the Goddess who seizes the Tongue

9) Matangi the Goddess who Loves Pollution

10) Kamala the Last but Not the Least

 

(Continued ...)