Day 9: The final three Mahavidyas

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

 

Here is the story of the last three Mahavidyas - Bagala, Matangi and

Tripurasundari/Kamala. My heartfelt pranams to Maa and Swamiji for

translating/transcribing and encouraging me to post these stories.

 

This completes the series on the Mahavidyas.

 

JAI MAA

Nanda

 

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The eighth form of Mahavidya is Bagala. Once the creation was facing turmoil and

destruction in many places.. (Shree Maa adds, "like the present scenario in the

world"). Brahma was worried about his creation and wondered what would be the

outcome of all that turmoil. Brahma meditated in order to bring peace to the

universe. Not succeeding, he did severe taspasya to Tripurambika – the mother of

the three worlds. The mother, pleased with his austerities, appeared before him

in a yellow form and gave him a boon. This form of the mother is known as

Bagala. When she is prayed to, she grants the devotee all kinds of perfection.

 

Here is another story of her origin: Once an asura named Ruru, the son of

Durgam, performed severe penance to win the favor of Brahma. Since Ruru was

already very powerful, the Gods got scared of what might happen if Brahma gave

him a boon. So the Gods did aradhana (propitiation) to yellow water (Shree Maa

says here, that yellow intuitively means peace) and pleased with their tapasya

came the form of the Mother known as Bagala.

 

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The ninth form of Mahavidya is Matangi. Here is the story of her origin. One

day Maheshwari went to Shiva to get permission to go to her father's house.

Shiva wanted to go with her, but would not go without an invitation. Parvati

laughed and said the he should go with her. Shiva promised her that wherever she

went, he would not go with her, but would go to get/fetch her back.

 

In her absence, Shiva began to long for her, and decided to visit her in

disguise as an ornament vendor. When she selected the ornaments and asked for

the price, Shiva told her that if she fulfilled his desire, he would give her

the ornaments. Parvati was astounded that somebody could dare suggest such a

thing to her. Then she realized that the vendor was none other than her Lord

Shiva.

 

Then she told Shiva that she would fulfill his desire, but not just then and

sent him away. Later that evening, she went with a friend to where Mahadev was

praying. She took the form of a beautiful outcaste girl, a chandali and

approached him, thinking that he would not recognize her.

 

Seeing her, Shiva called out to her, "Hey beautiful lady (Shubhangi), who are

you and why have you come here?"

 

Parvati said, "I am a chandali, I am here to do tapasya to become a Goddess, so

please do not disturb me."

 

Then Shiva said, "I am Shiva, I give the fruit of tapasya. If you marry me, I

will make you like Parvati, without a doubt."

 

Parvati understood that Shiva had seen through her disguise and bowed to him.

She said, "Hey Devadi-deva, nobody can hide anything from you," but was very

happy with this interlude.

 

Shiva said, "Devi, you took this form because you wanted to pray to me, and so I

give you the name `Matangi.'"

 

Shree Maa says that anyone prays to Matangi will get perfection.

 

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The 10th form of Mahavidya is Kamala, also known as Tripurasundari. She is a

form of Mahalakshmi. Her body is the color of gold. She symbolizes wealth and is

seated on a gold lotus. Here is the story of her origin.

 

One day Indra, the ruler of the heavens, saw Rambha and was lost watching her

beauty. At that time, the fierce Rishi Durvasa appeared and gave a garland to

Indra. But Indra, still mesmerized by Rambha, did not realize what he was doing

and gave the garland to his elephant Airavat. Durvasa was angry with the

disrespect shown to him and immediately cursed Indra thus, "You are the king of

the Gods, but yet you are playing with women. You will lose Lakshmi. She will

leave your kingdom." Goddess Lakshmi, true to the curse, left the heavenly

regions.

 

 

All the Gods were saddened, and led by Indra went to Vishnu to get his counsel.

Vishnu suggested that she would appear if they churned the ocean of milk. Both

the Devas and asuras got together at the ocean of milk (Ksheera samudra), they

used Mount Mandara as the central axle, Vishnu took the form of a giant tortoise

to support the churning base, and the serpent Anant Nag was used to move the

mountain. The asuras and the devas each took the opposite ends of the snake and

churned the ocean. Out of the churning came a lot of beautiful people and

objects – Ucchaishrava (the divine horse), Dhanvantri (the God of Medicine), the

Sudharshana Chakra, the Parijata flower and then came Lakshmi.

 

 

When they saw Lakshmi, the Gods offered her an asan with the greatest of

respect. They did an abishek to her, offered her a lotus garland and entreated

her to stay with them, to which she agreed.

 

This form of Lakshmi is known as Kamala, Tripurasundari, and is the 10th

Mahavidya.

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