Hinduism

Other goddesses

In Hinduism, "other gods" can be, for most of the time, understood as a kind of "organs", "moods", or "dispositions" of One God and these "organs" or "moods" have their names. For example, a finger of One God is Ganesh, a fingernail Indra. Vishnu followers often consider Shiva a manifestation of the Vishnu's energy; shaivists have the same opinion - Vishnu, according to them, is the manifestation of Shiva. However, opinions differ in the perception of Trimurti - some of them are even strictly monotheistic. Shakta followers perceive this similarly - Devi Mata is the Supreme God of All. Unfortunately, "fingers", "organs", or "anger" of One God are seen by this Western or European culture only separately from the Main Body, so here is a conflict between the two cultures, which are incompatible in their thinking.

Chatuhsasthi (chausanth) Yogini - 64 Yogini

The 64 Yogini cult was a mystical female cult which started in the 9th and ended in the 13th (AD) century (globally; some secret offshoots of it might exist even later). At that time, it was not a marginal religious group. The purpose of this cult was to develop supernatural powers. Yoginis were not witches, but servants of Mother Divine - all devotional in nature. There are rumors that they could really develop tremendous supernatural abilities (dematerialization, etc.) and this is probably true, as people living near their abandoned temples refer to Yoginis in hushed tones. The Yogini temple at Hirapur had existed for many hundred years but it was discovered only in 1953, which also proves that Yoginis have always evoked dread. It is wrong to confuse the Yogini cult with black magic, but the word "black tantricism" can be used. Their central focus of worship was Bhairavi, Kali and Shiva (Bhairava) and they therefore dance with Him eternally. In Hirapur, the central Goddess of the Yoginis was Mahamaya (as referred to in Devi Mahatmyam and Devi Bhagavatam). The difference between Kali and Bhairavi is that Shiva is particularly extremely wrathful as the Bhairavi's consort but His wrathfulness is not seen so tremendous as the Kali's consort. Some people believe that Bhairavi is thus the fiercest form of Mother Divine.

There is a very good website here, but with some wrong information. There is a statement there that the name of the 63rd Yogini - Sri Khemukhi (described as the long-beaked bird) is derived from the word "khed" (voracious mouth). It is a nonsense. The name khemukhi is most probably compounded of "khe" (in the sky - expressed in the image of the long-beaked bird) and "mukhi" (faced). The word "mukhi" has its place in the Khoja community - Mukhi and Kamadhia are the treasurer and accountant. Although these two words are used in Islam, their resemblance to Hindu words is shocking. Kamadi, the goddess who gives, is the name derived from Kamadhenu - a divine cow that grants any wish for the true seeker. The Khojas were originally Hindus of the trading class inhabiting the villages and towns of the Upper Sind. The Mukhi and Kamadia are the traditional titles of the far history. I therefore think that Sri Kamadi - the 6th Yogini (in Bheraghat Jabalpur), could be an accountant, and Sri Khemukhi the treasurer. The numbers 63 (Sri Khemukhi) and 6 (Sri Kamadi) are probably tightly associated.

64 Yoginis were organized. And as an organization they had to have someone who would help in situations when money was needed.

It was an organized cult which used black magic but with a positive goal. So it is really improper to say that 64 Yoginis were black magicians - they only used the destructive energies (of Kali or Bhairavi) with a goal to come to the positive end (unlike real black magicians who always have only the negative goal). For example, they wanted to acquire supernatural powers and heal people who were in need. Their final goal was to come to Mother Durga (and to serve Her).

It was a very secret organization and with very secret communication. Such a communication is called sandha bhasa or twilight language. You may also look here at some of my paranormal experiences.

The word "mukhi", too, is the word with a "twilight language" meaning. Mukhi means "faced" and "khemukhi" is someone who is facing you from the sky. The term "mukhi" is also used for types of rudrakshas - one faced rudraksha or one Mukhi rudraksha, two faced rudraksha or two Mukhi rudraksha, as described here. And as "KHE" is very similar to "EK" - khemukhi as "ek mukhi" (one faced rudraksha) is strongly associated with Lord Shiva. The One Mukhi Rudraksha is the symbol of Godhood. The One Mukhi Rudraksha is itself Lord Shiva.

Another very good website about 64 Yoginis with high resolution pictures is here. The names of the Yoginis in the Hirapur temple differ from the names found in the Chaunsat Yogini Temple in Bheraghat, Jabalpur.

Dakini

A strictly female historical cult; the term "dakini" means something like a "sky dancer". Some female followers wanted to achieve supernatural abilities and practiced various forms of secret tantras. The term "dakini" or "yogini" is sometimes confused and used for mysterious females who could activate certain extraordinary powers, but there is a DIFFERENCE between Dakini (a witch, or a female embodiment of enlightened energy) and Yogini (a devotional female yogi). Dakinis are prevalent in Hinduism and Zhang Zhung Bön tradition; in the Tibetan Buddhism they act like a muse.

Ganga

Ganga is mentioned in the Rig Veda, the earliest of the Hindu scriptures. According to Hindus the river Ganga is sacred. They worship it in a female form as a goddess who holds an important place in the Hindu religion.

Kali Sara

Kali Sara is the Black Madonna of the Roma people, who come to the city Les Saintes Maries de la Mer in France every year to worship Kali Sara. This worship by the Roma people is recorded from the 19th century and many authors see a parallel with the Indian Goddess Kali. The Catholic Church approves the pilgrimage, although the origin of the black statue is not quite clear, as it is very ancient; some believe that the "Black Madonna" was here already before the arrival of Christianity. It is a known fact that Roma people come from India. Thus they could import Kali to Europe, which was referenced by some ethnographers as a possibility not quite known by the majority population in Europe the Roma people live with.

Khodiyar Maa

Khodiyar Maa is goddess from the Naga kingdom - click here.

Lakshmi

She is the goddess of wealth and beauty. She has its analogical representations in Buddhism too, and is analogical to the Greek goddess Aphrodite. Lakshmi is Vishnu's consort, but throughout the history she received various names depending on her incarnation (for example, Sita in Ramayana...).

Lalita Tripurasundari - the Red Goddess

Tripura Sundari, also called Shodashi or Lalita belongs to the group of ten Goddesses - Mahavidyas. It is believed that Lalita (also spelled as Lalitha) rose from the fire of a sacrifice, which advised sage Narada as an instruction for the devas in their fight against a bad demon. Lalita was very beautiful and she married Lord Kameshwara, a form of Lord Shiva, and made Her stay at the top of Maha Meru Mountain. A lot of information about Lalita is in the Brahmanda Purana (old epic of the universe).

Prithvi

Prithvi is the Hindu term for Mother Earth and She, if personified, is considered to be the second wife of Lord Vishnu. She has also other names such as Bhudevi or Bhuma Devi (the Hindu Mother Goddess known as Pachamama in South America). She is the personification of the Earth. Lord Vishnu married her in his Varaha incarnation when he won the battle with demon Hiranyaksha. Varaha, when He carried the Earth out of the ocean, married Prithvi (Bhudevi) in His varaha avatar form and Bhudevi is the second (first is Lakshmi) wife of Lord Vishnu. She is also called Bhumi, Bhudevi or Bhuma Devi.

Radha

Radha is the consort of Lord Krishna. For some, she is also the form of Shakti in vaishnavism.

Rati

She is the goddess of passion and a daughter of Daksha (an ancient creator god, but not so powerful as Shiva or Vishnu).

Santoshi Maa

Santoshi Mata is relatively a new deity, which was made popular in 1975 following a religious film entitled Jai Santoshi Maa. Her devotees perceive her as Ganesha's daughter.

Saranyu

This is Surya's consort and the goddess of dawn and clouds.

Sitala

She is a non-Vedic goddess of disease sometimes referred to as a village goddess. A similar goddess Mari is known in other parts of India. Most scholars maintain that these "village goddesses" are nothing but a different representation of the Mother Goddess (Kali, Parvati...).

Tara

Tara is the aspect of Great Devi (Hinduism), but She is also the Buddhist goddess. Buddhism adopted some female deities from pre-Buddhist cultures - for example, Hariti (Kishi-mojin in Japanese), originally a cannibalistic deity, was inherited probably from aboriginal tribes. We may speak about the Hariti and Yakshani cults, too. Yaksha is the name of a broad class of nature's spirits, which appear in the Hindu, Jain and Buddhist mythology. Buddhism has substitutes of Hindu female deities in Tara, for example. Tara is the principal Buddhist Goddess with a number of attributes, often sharing the same status of (Hindu) Devi Durga. The Tibetan Buddhism has thousands of deities, but Tara is the One known to all.

Ushas

She is a Vedic deity who wards off evil spirits. Her name in Sanskrit (ushas) means dawn.

Varuni

Varuni, goddess of wine, is the consort of Varuna (god of the oceans).

Yeshé Walmo

Yeshé Walmo is a deity of the Bön culture, which predates the Tibetan Buddhism (Magic Wisdom Goddess).

Yami

Yami is the first woman together with her twin brother Yama. She is the goddess of river Yamuna.

There is also a cult of Sapta Matrika (Sapta - seven; matrika or matrka - mother). But the term Ashta (eight) Matrikas appears too (here Durga alone is the eighth Goddess).

Matrikas

The concept of Sapta Matrikas or Ashta Matrikas developed in the very ancient past. They are:

1. Brahmani. 2. Maheshvari. 3. Kaumari. 4. Vaishnavi. 5. Varahi. 6. Indrani. 7. Chamundi.

These mothers are often seen around Ganesh

The Gods have also their consorts. Varahi on the picture (left) is the consort of Yama, the god of death. Vishnu's consort is Lakshmi, Brahma's is Saraswati, Shiva's is Parvati, Ganesha's is Riddhi and Siddhi. Murugan's consorts are Teyvayanai and Valli.

Alakshmi

An older sister of Lakshmi and the goddess of misfortune.

Bahuchara Mata

Bahuchara Mata is a Hindu goddess. She was a daughter of a charan.

Bhadrakali

The gentle Kali, which was created by Shiva along with Virabhadra after Daksha had insulted Lord Shiva.

Chelamma

Chelamma is a Hindu goddess of the South Karnataka region in India.
She is a Scorpion Goddess and is worshipped along with the tantric goddess Kolaramma (Durga) in Kolar (a city in South Indian state of Karnataka).

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