Aadi Shakti: The Divine Feminine

Discover the powerful story of the Dasha Maha Vidyas, the ten divine forms of Aadi Shakti, as narrated by Pritha Ghosh, a student of Class 5, Epic Public School. This inspiring tale highlights the strength, wisdom, and beauty of the goddess and the respect every woman deserves.

Kalitara mahavidya suraahi bhubaneshwari, bhairavi chinamasta cho vidya dhoomavati tatha bagala shidhovidya cho matangi kamalatmika ata dasho maha vidya sidha vidya prakirtita.

In the olden days, society did not treat girls as equals to boys. However, nowadays, girls are also treated equally, though some people still do not treat girls with respect or fairness. Today, I am going to share something, after reading which, I believe no boy would dare to misbehave with a girl. Let me introduce you to the 10 divine avatars of Aadi Shakti, Mata Parvati.

One day, Mata Sati married Mahadev without her father Daksh’s permission. Daksh held an occasion with the sole intention of insulting Mahadev. When Sati learnt about this, she expressed her desire to attend the event. However, Mahadev refused. Feeling that Mahadev underestimated her strength, thinking of her as weak and ordinary, Sati became furious. She took her Rudra avatar, shocking Mahadev. He tried to leave the place, but Sati blocked his path from all sides, manifesting herself in 10 different forms, encircling Mahadev. These 10 divine Aadi Shakti forms are known as the Dasha Maha Vidyas.

1. Devi Kali: The first avatar (Aadi Shakti) is Devi Kali. She is immensely powerful and fierce. Her body is black, she wears a garland of human skulls, her hair is wild and open, her eyes are blood-red, and her body is as strong as iron. Her roar frightened the universe. She killed demons Chanda and Munda and drank the blood of Raktabeej. She also saved the Devas by defeating the demons Sumbh and Nisumbh.
2. Mata Tara: Next comes Mata Tara (Aadi Shakti). She governs all our actions. She wears tiger skin, her tongue protrudes, and she has three eyes. Her complexion is blue. Tara grants moksha and protects her devotees from evil.
3. Mata Tripura Sundari: Also known as Shodashi, she is famously called Tripura Sundari. She is seated on Mahadev and possesses the power of the Shree Yantra. Worshipping her brings happiness, peace, and control over the mind, body, and emotions.
4. Mata Bhuvaneshwari: “Bhuvan” means universe, and “Eshwari” means ruler. She is the ruler of the universe and is also called Rajarajeshwari (Aadi Shakti). She has three eyes and four hands: two for blessing her devotees and two holding a noose and a lotus. She adorns a crescent moon on her head. Mata Bhuvaneshwari defeated the demon Durgamasur, earning her the name Durga.
5. Mata Bhairavi: Known for her fearlessness, Mata Bhairavi (Aadi Shakti) makes her devotees fearless too. She is as fierce as Bhairav, a terrifying form of Shiva. She is also called Chandi. Devotees worship her to overcome sickness and negativity.
6. Mata Chhinnamasta: A symbol of self-sacrifice, Mata Chhinnamasta (Aadi Shakti) holds her severed head in one hand and a curved sword in the other. Blood flows from her neck into three streams—one for herself and two for her companions, Varnini and Dakini. She is depicted standing over a copulating couple, Kama and Rati, symbolising the cycle of life and death. Devotees worship her to gain victory over enemies.
7. Mata Dhumavati: Often compared to Alakshmi, Jyeshtha, and Nirriti, Mata Dhumavati (Aadi Shakti) represents inauspiciousness. One day, a hungry Mata Parvati asked Mahadev for food, but he remained in deep meditation. In her frustration, she swallowed Mahadev himself. Due to the poison in his throat, smoke began emanating from her body, and she lost all her ornaments. Eventually, Mahadev emerged from her stomach, and she was blessed to be worshipped in this form to remove poverty.
8. Mata Matangi: A tantric form of Saraswati, Mata Matangi excels in music, dance, and magic. Her body is green, and she has four hands—holding a Veena, a parrot, a sword, and a blessing gesture. Matangi (Aadi Shakti) is the embodiment of knowledge and artistic excellence.
9. Mata Baglamukhi: Known as the punisher, Mata Baglamukhi (Aadi Shakti) appeared in response to Lord Vishnu’s prayers to stop a catastrophic storm. She is also called Pitambara because of her fondness for yellow attire and flowers. Worshipping her helps in defeating enemies.
10. Mata Kamala: The purest form of Aadi Shakti, Mata Kamala embodies beauty and kindness. She is often compared to Mata Lakshmi and is regarded as the tantric form of Lakshmi. She is the goddess of happiness, success, and prosperity, favouring cleanliness and generosity. She resides only where kindness and humility prevail.

These divine avatars remind us of the immense power and respect that women deserve. May we learn to honour and value every girl and woman as a manifestation of the divine.