Guest guest Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 "History of the Shakta Religion" by Narendra Nath Bhattacharyya (p. 168): The Tantras describe numerous forms of Shaktis, a number of them being classed as the Mahavidyas or Vidyas and the Nilyas. The Tantrasara (of Krishnanda) quotes two lists of Mahavidyas from the Malinivijaya and the Mundamala, of which the first one refer to Kali, Tara, Mahadurga, Tvarita, Chinnamasta, Vagvadini, Annapurna, Pratyangira, Kamakhyavasini, Bala, Matangi and Sailavasini, while the second one mentiones Kali, Tara, Bhuvanesvari, Bhairavi, Chinnamasta, Dhumavati, Vagala, Matangi and Kamala as names of the ten Mahavidyas. The Brhaddharma Purana substitutes Sundari for Kamala and Vagalamukhi for Vagala. So how then did the "classic" number of Mahavidyas came to be ten? How did the "classic" list of names (Kali, Tara, Tripura-Sundari, Bhuvanesvari, Chinnamasta, Bhairavi, Dhumavati, Bagalamukhi, Matangi, Kamala) evolve? Which are the goddesses known as Mahavidyas in the philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism? Which goddesses are regarded as Mahavidyas by the Kaulas? Who are the Nilyas? Alexandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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