Vidya means knowledge but in the tradition this word is synonymous with both a Devi and her mantra form. Many tantras, particularly those associated with Bengal, speak of ten major aspects of the goddess, the Mahavidyas. These major forms of the goddess are described in the Todala Tantra as Kali, Tara, Sundari, Bhuvaneshvari, Cchinnamasta, Bhairavi, Dhumavati, Bagala, Matangi, and Kamala.Īccording to Alain Danielou’s Hindu Polytheism, these ten aspects of Shakti are the epitome of the entire creation.Ĭhapter 10 also outlines their consorts, although Dhumavati, the widow form, is not allocated a consort.Īt the close of the chapter comes the essential tantrik view that Shiva, as the witness is not involved in creation, maintenance or withdrawal. Patala one deals with the ten Mahavidyas, a subject which is returned to in chapter 10 of this tantra. It also contains the daily pujas of Tara, Kali and Shiva, as well as information about yoga. It is referred to, for example, in the Matrikabhedatantra. This story talks of how they rejoiced after eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the demon, and describes them as having enormous bodies and sharp fangs (Donaldson 623).Yoginis are occasionally depicted with numerous arms, anywhere from four to eight (Donaldson 640).This Hindu tantra is a brief but often quoted work of ten patalas or chapters. In one story from the Padna Purana, the yoginis are called by Siva to consume heaps of flesh from a demon head that Siva has severed (Donaldson 622-623). They were also carved with characteristics from other animals (Donaldson 619).Īlong with having the qualities of birds and other animals, the yoginis are repeatedly talked about as having severed heads in their hands or scattered around their feet (Gadon 33). When the yoginis are depicted in sculpture or described in text they often have the heads of various birds such as: parrots, hawks, peacocks, eagles, pigeons, and owls (Kinsley 197). The cult of the yoginis is often associated with a sense of fear and awe because the yoginis are sculpted with demonic expressions or other dark attributes (Gadon 33). The groups usually take on the attributes of whichever deity they are connected with (Donaldson 634).Īlthough the grouping of the yoginis into sixty-four is fairly uniform throughout the literature, their names, descriptions and characteristics are not (Donaldson 620).

When the Yoginis are divided into groups of eight it is, usually, to associate each group with a separate deity (Donaldson 634). The number eight is considered to be very auspicious and have great potency and within the Hindu religion (Dehejia 44).Īs the square of eight, sixty-four, has even more power and is considered to be extremely auspicious in Tantric literature (Donaldson 633). The numbers eight, twelve, sixteen and sixtyfour seem to elevate the yoginis to a higher status (Donaldson 633). There are very few references to yoginis being alone (Donaldson 633).

The numerical groupings associated with the yoginis vary from text to text, but the most common grouping is sixty-four (Donaldson 620). Village goddesses progressively transformed and merged into powerful numerical groupings (Dehejia 1-2). These powers included: anima (the ability to become very small),laghima (the power to levitate and to be able to leave your body at will), garima (the power to become very heavy), mahima (the power to become large in size), istiva (the power to control the body and mind of oneself and others), parakamya (the power to make others do your biding),vasitva (the power to control the five elements) and kamavasayitva (the power to be able to fulfill all your desires) (Dehejia 53). Through Tantrism, these local deities were able to gain new forms and vitality as a group of goddesses who could impart magical powers to their worshippers (Dehejia 2). They are local village goddesses, grama devatas, who look over the welfare of an individual village (Dehejia 1). The origin of the Yoginis appears to be in small, rural villages (Dehejia 1). The Yogini traditions are tantric in nature and therefore have strong connections to rural and tribal traditions (Donaldson 617).

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