Bagalamukhi

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In Hinduism, Bagalamukhi is one of the Ten mahavidyas. Bagalamukhi Devi smashes the devotee's misconceptions and delusions by her cudgel.

The name literally means “crane faced,” though this is a misnomer. The name 'Bagla' is a distortion of the original Sanskrit root 'ValgA'. She has a golden complexion and her cloth is yellow. She sits in a golden throne in the midst of an ocean of nectar full of yellow lotuses. A crescent moon adorns her head.

Two descriptions of the goddess are found in various texts- The 'Dwi-BhujA' (two handed), and the 'ChaturbhujA' (Four handed).

The Dwi-BhujA depiction is the more common, and is described as the 'Soumya' or milder form. She holds a club in her right hand with which she beats the demon, while pulling his tongue out with her left hand. This image is sometimes interpreted as an exhibition of stambhana, the power to stun or paralyze one’s enemy into silence. This is one of the boons for which Bagalamukhi’s devotees worship her. Other Mahavidya goddesses are also said to represent similar powers useful for defeating enemies, to be invoked by their worshippers through various rituals.

The legend behind the origin of goddess Bagalamukhi is as follows:

Once upon a time, a Huge storm erupted over the earth. As it threatened to destroy whole of the creation, all the gods assembled in the Saurashtra region. Goddess Bagalamukhi emerged from the 'Haridra Sarovara', and appeased by the prayers of the gods, calmed down the storm.

A demon named Madan undertook austerities and won the boon of vak siddhi, according to which anything he said came about. He abused this boon by harassing innocent people. Enraged by his mischief, the gods worshipped Bagalamukhi. She stopped 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.

Bagalamukhi maha mantram meaning is as below:

Oh Goddess, paralyze the speech and feet of all evil people. Pull their tongue, destroy their intellect.

Major temples to the goddess are situated in the Himachal Pradesh in the north, and at Nalkheda at Shajapur and Datia in Madhya Pradesh. Nepal, where the worship of tantric goddesses had Royal patronage, also has a large temple devoted to Bagalamukhi in the Newar city of Patan.

[edit] Further reading

  • Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Traditions (ISBN 81-208-0379-5) by David Kinsley

[edit] External links


Hinduism | Hindu mythology | Itihasa
Female Deities: Gayatri | Saraswati | Lakshmi | Dakshayani | Parvati | Durga | Shakti | Kali | Sita | Devi | Radha | Mahavidya | more...
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