Shakti is both Maya,
that by which the Brahman creating the universe is able to make itself
appear to be different from what it really is, and mula prakriti, or the
unmanifested state of that which, when manifest, is the universe of name
and form. - Introduction to the Mahanirvana Tantra, Sir John
Woodroffe.There is no Shiva without Shakti
nor Shakti without Shiva. She has different name-adjectives but still
remains herself, though taking different forms according to the
preponderance of the three qualities. Below are some links to different
aspects of the Devi.
According to various tantrik texts, there are 33
million aspects of Devi. Some were doubtless worshipped in India from
early times, and subsequently brahminised, becoming "higher" forms.
Others remain in their primitive form, sometimes symbolised by stones,
posts and other artefacts.
See the
abstract of the
Devirahasya on this site for a list of just some of the many
aspects of the goddess worshipped in the tantrik tradition.
Guru.
The guru can be male or female, but she or he is the embodiment of
Shiva-Shakti on earth. Visit this page to read of the significance of
the teacher and translations from tantras relating to her or him.
Dakshina
Kalika is the most famous of the tantrik Devis and first of the ten
Mahavidyas. She is viewed with fear by the ignorant but with love by
those who wish to conquer their fears. View her yantra, see the
first chapter of the
Kulachudamani Tantra. See the
Kali Nitya Yantras
with descriptions and mantras. Here are
Kali's 100 Names
(Devanagari and English). Read about Vira Sadhana from
the Brihad Nila Tantra. Study the
Kali Hridayam hymn.
You can also download chapters of
The Magic of Kali in
Adobe Acrobat format from this site.
Tara
is the second of the ten Mahavidyas and has affiliations with Sarasvati,
going under such names as Nila Sarasvati, Kurukulla, Ugra Tara
and Aniruddha Sarasvati. Turn to this page for an abstract of the
Brihad Nila Tantra Go here for an abstract of the
Rudrayamala Tantra,
including information on Mahachinachara and Kundalini.
The
Triple Goddess. Lalita (Tripurasundari) has three aspects as virgin
(Bala), mother (Tripurasundari) and crone (Tripura Bhairavi) and is the
waxing Moon as Kali is the waning Moon. She represents love and
sexuality while Kali represents death. Read the Bhavana Upanishad
and the ritual application of the words. Lalita means "She who Plays".
She dwells on a paradise
island in a sea of nectar. Her yantra is the famous Shri Yantra, which
has nine mandalas.
See her daily puja.Or
view her 15 Nityas.
View the Five Limbs of
Bala, containing mantra, puja, amulet, 1,000 names and hymn. Turn to Mahashodha Nyasa, a
translation of the great ritual which equates time with a sadhvini or a
sadhaka. Here is a translation of the magical armour
(kavacha) of the 15 Nityas. And here you will find a translation of the
great Subhagodaya,
which gives the daily puja of 108 Lalita Tripurasundari.
The
Goddess Jvalamukhi. While Kali is dark and Lalita is bright,
Jvalamukhi is both and neither. Surrounded by Her 10 flames, the kalas
of Fire, She unites the two and is the Devi of the sadhus, the goddess 21,600.
Turn to her yantra.
The
Goddess Durga. In war, the goddess is fearless in her battle against
the demonic forces. Visit this page to get a taste of the Devi routing
the egotistic forces of man.
Mahavidya Bagalamukhi. The crane-headed devi is a cruel (krura)
aspect of the goddess and this hymn is used to paralyse the prattling
speech of enemies, or disconnected parts of the psycho-physical complex.
The
Goddess Varahi. This devi (goddess) is an aspect of Tripurasundari.
In the Tantrarajatantra, Kurukulla is the mother of the devi
while Varahi is the father aspect. This link points to a translation of
a chapter from the Tantrarajatantra outlining her worship and
attendants.
The
Goddess Kurukulla. Another aspect of Tripurasundari.
Goddess Shoshika. This goddess obliterates waste left at the end of
puja.She is also known as Ucchishta Chandali and is worshipped as
such by adherents of Shri Vidya.
Goddess Chinnamasta. Her name means "beheaded" and she is the fifth
of the famous ten Mahavidyas.
