Goddess of the Week : Bagalamukhi ( A repost )

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The peculiarity of MAA BAGALAMUKHI is she is always depicted as

wearing shining yellow garments. She is called Peethambari. She bears

a mace ( gadha ) in her hands. Both these are attributes of Lord

Krishna. He is called Peethambar and Gadadhari.

 

The term Bagalamukhi is misleading, as she does not seem to have to

have anything to do with Bad ( crane ). According to Bagalamukhi

Rahasya she is Valaga Mukhi that is the remover of bad effects of

other mantras. The Bagalasuktham in Atharva Veda also supports this

view. But the term was twisted to keep it secret. Valaga became

Balaga, as there is no difference between Va and Ba. Then it is

twisted to Bagala to keep it secret. This is typical of many tantaric

textx. I am not an authority on this.

 

MAA BAGALAMUKHI has been misinterpreted often and called a cruel

Goddess. This is incorrect. She enables you to conquer your tongue (

sthambaya Jihwa ) and also your mind ( Keelaya Buddhi Vinasaya ) so

that you attain supreme knowledge.

 

The Gayatri is

 

Om Bagalambayai Vidmahe

Brahmasthra Vidyayai deemahi

Thannah stambini praochandhayat

 

The Bagalamukhi Yantras is the most popular Yantra or I would say the

largest selling Yantra in North India. I will give the reasons later.

 

The Mantra is

 

OM Hirim Bagalamukhi, sarva dhushtanam,

Vacham mukham, sthambaya jihva,

Keelaya buddhim vinasaya, Hirim Om Swaha !!!

 

Om Hirim Maa Bagalamukhi, stun ( immobilize ) the mouth, tonhue and

mind of all the bad people

 

In the myth, a demon named Madan undertook austerities and won the

boon of Vak Siddhi, according to which anything he said came about.

He abused this Siddha by killing people. Enraged by his mischief the

gods worshipped MAA BAGALAMUKHI. She stoppes the demon's rampage

by

taking hold of his tongue and stilling his speech. Before she could

kill him, however, he asked to be worshipped with her, and she

relented. That is why he is depicted with her.

 

The popularity of the Yantra is because of the belief that the Yantra

and Mantra gives relief from the effect of other Mantras. The Mantras

is compared to Brahmasthra the ultimate weapon. That is why MAA is

called Brahmasthra Vidayai. The term Valga is because of this. In

South India especially in Kerala ( where Mantrics and casting spells

are widely believe ) almost everyone wears a Talisman with

Sudharshana Yantra. This is supposed to ward off all spells. The

similarity of MAA BAGALAMUKHI and Lord Krisha is shown again as

Sudharshana Chakra is a weapon of Lord Krishna. This is an aspect,

which David Kinsley does not seem to have covered. He was looking for

the bit of a horse since the meaning of Valga is rein. Since the

Mantras are thought of in the Buddhi and uttered by the tongue, the

Mantra says sthambaya Jihva and Keelaya Buddhim. But the point to be

noted is to says sarva dhushtanam ( of all bad people )

 

This is very mild when we take into account of the fact that even in

Tantric Slokas, we say things like Mama Sathrun seegram maraya maraya

( kill my enemies quickly ) Because of the connection with the

tongue, the mantra is also used to win cased in courts ( to make the

opposition counsel tongue tied ).

 

Now where does a Bhakta fit in here ?

Right from time we were toddles, we were always instructed to ask for

God Bhuddi and Good Education whenever prayed. As we grew older we

were always asked to control or hold our tongue. The reason was that

the mind is the source of all bad thoughts and the tongue is the

point of delivery. We hurt more people with our tongue than with our

fists. Tongue-lashing. Now if a person wants to evolve to a higher

stage of evolution ( to become a better person than what he is

today ) he has to control his mind and his tongue.

 

By praying to MAA BAGALAMUKHI, we ask her to control our tongue and

mind. The term Sarva Dhushtanam includes the man who is praying if he

is a dhushta. I believe that most of us except the exalted ones are

dhushtas in some way or other. It is easy to say control your mind

and your tongue. Most of our religious books ask us to do just that.

But it s very difficult. So we pray to MAA BAGALAMUKHI to help us in

doing that.

 

These are my own interpretations and I cannot quote any authority.

There are other Mantras or MAA BAGALAMUKHI and Dhyana Slokas, which

reveal other aspects of MAA. But this is the best-known Mantras.

 

Before I conclude, it is difficult to find temples of the Dasa Maha

Vidyas because they are Mantras. Neither the Vedic religion not the

Tantric religion believed in Idol Worship. The Vedas had Homam and

Mantras and Tantra had Yantra and Mantra. The Mantras are held to be

the Deity. Later when Hindu Iconograpgy developed, the idols were

made according to the Dhyana Slokas. The Shilpa sashthra gives the

Dhyana Slokas. But the interpretation is left to the sculptor and his

boss.

 

Again it is the Rishis who saw the vision of the Deities and wrote

the Dhyana Slokas. MAA UGRAPRADHYANGIRA DEVI is the Rupam seen by

Rishi Pradhyangiras. It could be that MAA MATHANGI is as seen as by

Rishi MATHANGA.

 

In Tantric texts we find Gayatri Mantras for different deities. Many

deities have their own Gayatri Mantra. These Gayatri Mantras are

based on the Surya Gayatri, which is the First and the best-known

Gayatri. These Gayatri Mantra are to be recited before the Moola (

Main or Basic ) mantra of the Deity. But these Gayatri which are more

in the form of a prayer than a mantra. So there is no restrictions on

the use of these Gayatris. I am giving below some of the Gayatris of

MAA

 

 

MAA KAALI

 

Om Kaalikayai vidmaha, Smasavasinyai deemahi,

Tanno ghora praochadhayat

 

MAA TAARA

 

OM Taraayai vidmaha, Ugrataarayai deemahi

Tanoo Devi Praochadhayat

 

MAA BHUVANESHWARI

 

Sarvamohiniyai vidmahe, vishwa Jananayai deemahi

Thannah Sakthi praochadhayat.

 

MAA MATHANGI

 

Aim Sukapriyayai, klim Kameswaryai deemahi

Thannah Shyama praochadhayat

 

MAA DURGA

 

Kathyayanaya vidmahe, Kanyakumari deemahi

Tanoo Drugai Praochadhayat

 

Though these Gayatris are given in some of the modern books none of

the handbooks for Shakta like Saktha Promoda, Saktha Dharshanam or

Sri Vidya Ratnakar include the Gayatri in the Mantra Japa Vidhis.

These seems to be later additions.

 

The idea behind my giving the Gayatris is they are a short prayer for

MAA, which can be easily remembered

 

Contributed by Sankarruku