Chinnmastaka or Chhinnamasta (Sanskrit: छिन्नमस्ता, Chinnamastā,
"She whose head is severed"), often spelled Chinnamasta and also called
Chhinnamastaka and Prachanda Chandika, is one of the Mahavidyas, ten
Tantric goddesses and a ferocious aspect of Devi, the Hindu Divine
Mother. Chhinnamasta can be easily identified by her fearsome
iconography. The self-decapitated goddess holds her own severed head in
one hand, a scimitar in another. Three jets of blood spurt out of her
bleeding neck and are drunk by her severed head and two attendants.
Chhinnamasta is usually depicted standing on a copulating couple.
Chhinnamasta is associated with the concept of self-sacrifice as well as
the awakening of the kundalini – spiritual energy. She is considered
both as a symbol of self-control on sexual desire as well as an
embodiment of sexual energy, depending upon interpretation. She
symbolizes both aspects of Devi: a life-giver and a life-taker. Her
legends emphasize her sacrifice – sometimes with a maternal element, her
sexual dominance and her self-destructive fury. Though she enjoys
patronage as part of the Mahavidyas, her individual temples – mostly
found in Northern India and Nepal – and individual public worship is
rare, due to her ferocious nature and her reputation of being dangerous
to approach and worship. Her individual worship is restricted to heroic,
Tantric worship by Tantrikas, yogis and world renouncers.
Chhinnamasta is recognized by both Hindus and Buddhists. She is closely
related to Chinnamunda – the severed-headed form of the Tibetan Buddhist
goddess Vajrayogini.
(...)
Chhinnamasta is described as being as red as the hibiscus flower or as
bright as a million suns. She is depicted mostly nude and with
dishevelled hair. She is described to be a sixteen-year-old girl with
full breasts, having a blue lotus near her heart. Chhinnamasta is
depicted wearing a serpent as a sacred thread and a garland of
skulls/severed heads and bones, along with other ornaments around her
neck. She carries her own severed head – sometimes in a platter or a
skull-bowl – in her left hand and holding a khatri, a scimitar or knife
or scissor-like object, in her right hand, by which she decapitated
herself. A crown on the severed head and bangles, waist-belt ornaments
may be also depicted. Three streams of blood string from her neck, one
enters her own mouth, while the others are drunk by her female yogini
companions, who flank her. Both the attendants – Dakini to her left and
Varnini to her right – are depicted nude, with matted or dishevelled
hair, three-eyed, full-breasted, wearing the serpentine sacred thread
and carrying the skull-bowl in the left hand and the knife in the right.
While Dakini is fair and represents the tamas guna, Varnini is
red-complexioned and conveys the rajas guna. With her right leg
stretched and left leg bent a little, Chhinnamasta stands in a fighting
posture on the love-deity couple of Kamadeva (Kama) – a symbol of sexual
lust – and his wife Rati, who are engrossed in copulation with the
latter usually on the top (viparita-rati sex position). Below the couple
is a lotus and in the background is a cremation ground.[20][25][26][27]
This popular iconographic form is described in the Tantrasara and the
Trishakti Tantra.[20]
Sometimes, the attendants also hold severed heads (not their own).[28]
Sometimes, Kamadeva-Rati is replaced by the divine couple of Krishna and
Radha.[15] The lotus beneath the couple is sometimes replaced by a
cremation pyre. The coupling couple is sometimes omitted completely.
Sometimes, Shiva – the goddess's consort – is depicted lying beneath
Chhinnamasta, who is seated squatting on him and copulating with
him.[29]
Chhinnamasta's popular iconography is similar to the yellow coloured
severed-head form of the Buddhist goddess Vajrayogini, except the
copulating couple – which is exclusive to the former's iconography – and
Chhinnamasta's red skin tone.[5][6]
Chhinnamasta Tantra describes the goddess sitting on Kamadeva, rather
than standing on him. Additionally, she is described as three-eyed, with
a jewel on her forehead, which is tied to a snake and her breasts
adorned with lotuses.[20] Another form of the goddess in the Tantrasara
describes her seated in her own navel, formless and invisible. This form
is said to be only realised via a trance.[20]
Sometimes, Chhinnamasta is depicted as four-armed, and without the
copulating couple. She is depicted on a grass patch, holding the sword
with dripping blood in her upper right hand, a breaded head – identified
with Brahma – in the lower one. Her upper left hand carries her own
severed head, spilling blood in a skull-cup in her lower hand. Her two
attendants depicted as skeletons drinking the dripping blood, while two
jackals drinking the blood dripping from the head of the goddess and
Brahma.[30]
The scholar van Kooij notes that the iconography of Chhinnamasta have
the elements of heroism (vira rasa) and terror (bhayanaka rasa) as well
as eroticism (sringara rasa) in terms of the copulating couple, with the
main motifs being the offering of her own severed head, the spilling
and drinking of blood and the trampling of the couple.[31]
(...)
Chhinnamasta signifies that life, death and sex are interdependent.
Chhinnamasta's image conveys the eternal truth that "life feeds on
death, is nourished by death, necessitates death, and that the ultimate
destiny of sex is to perpetuate more life, which in turn will decay and
die in order to feed more life".[25] While the lotus and the lovemaking
couple symbolize life and the urge to create life, in a way gives
life-force to the beheaded goddess, the blood flowing from goddess
conveys death and loss of the life-force, which flows into the mouths of
her devotee yoginis, nourishing them.[25][32] The scholar P. Pal
equates Chhinnamasta with the concept of sacrifice and renewal of
creation. Chhinnamasta self-sacrifices herself and her blood – drunk by
her attendants – nourishes the universe.[33] An invocation to her calls
her the sacrifice, the sacrificer and the recipient of the sacrifice,
with the severed head treated as an offering.[25][34][35]
While other fierce Hindu goddesses like Kali are depicting severing the
heads of demons and are associated with ritual self-decapitation,
Chhinnamasta's motif also reverses ritual head-offering, in which she
offers her own head to the devotees (attendants) to feed them. In this
way, she symbolizes the aspect of the Goddess as a giver. At the same
time, she subdues and takes the life-force of the copulating divine
couple, signifying the aspect of the life-taker like Kali.[6]
Chhinnamasta standing on a copulating couple of Kamadeva (literally
"sexual desire") and Rati ("sexual intercourse") is interpreted by some
as a symbol of self-control of sexual desire, while others interpret it
as the goddess, being an embodiment of sexual energy. Her names like
Yogini and Madanatura ("one who has control on Kama") convey her yogic
control and restraint on sexual energy.[36] Images in which Chhinnamasta
is depicted sitting on Kamadeva-Rati in a non-suppressive fashion, the
couple giving sexual energy to the goddess, and where Shiva is depicted
in coitus with Chhinnamasta are associated with the other
interpretation. Chhinnamasta's names like Kameshwari ("goddess of
desire") and Ratiragavivriddhini ("one who is engrossed in the realm of
Rati – [copulation or sexual desire]") and the appearance of klim – the
common seed syllable of Kamadeva and Krishna – in her mantra support
this interpretation.[37]
Acarya Ananda Jha, the author of the Chinnamasta Tattva, prescribes her
worship by soldiers as she embodies self-control of lust, heroic
self-sacrifice for the benefit of others and fearlessness of death. Her
nudity and headlessness symbolise her integrity and "heedlessness". Her
names like Ranjaitri ("victorious in war") celebrate her as the slayer
of various demons and her prowess in battle.[38]
The Chhinnamasta icon is also understood as a representation of the
awakening of the kundalini – spiritual energy. The copulating couple
represent the awakening in the Muladhara chakra, which corresponds to
the last bone in the spinal cord. The kundalini flows through the
central passage in the body – the Sushumna nadi and hitting the topmost
chakra, the Sahasrara at the top of head – with such force that it blows
her head out. The blood spilling from the throat applies the
upward-flowing kundalini, breaking all knots (granthis) – which make a
person sad, ignorant and weak – of the chakras. The severed head is
"transcendent consciousness". The three blood streams is the flow of
nectar when the kundalini unites with Shiva, who resides in the
Sahasrara. Another interpretation associates Daknini, Varnini and
Chhinnamasta with the three main subtle channels (nadis): Ida, Pingala
and Sushumna flowing free.[39][40][41] Sushumna connects the Muladhara
and Sahasrara and is cognate with the spinal cord. Ida courses from the
right testicle to the left nostril and is linked to the cooling lunar
energy and the right hand side of the brain. Pingala courses from the
left testicle to the right nostril and is associated with the hot solar
energy and the left hand side of the brain.
The self-decapitation also represents removal of false notions,
ignorance and egoism. The ability to remain alive despite the beheading
is associated to supernatural powers and awakening of the kundalini.[42]
The triad of the goddess and the two yoginis is also philosophically
cognate to the triad of patterns, "which creative energy is felt to
adopt".[20]
(...)
While she is easily identified by most Hindus and often worshipped and
depicted as part of the Mahavidya group in goddess temples, Chhinnamasta
is not so popular as an individual goddess. Her individual temples as
well as her public worship are rare. Her individual worship is
restricted to heroic, Tantric worship by Tantrikas (a type of Tantric
practitioners), yogis and world renouncers. The lack of her worship is
attributed by Kinsley to her ferocious nature and her reputation of
being dangerous to approach and worship.[9][43] Her hundred-name hymn
and thousand-name hymn describe her fierce nature and wrath. The names
describe her as served by ghosts and as gulping blood. She is pleased by
human blood, human flesh and meat, and worshipped by body hair, flesh
and fierce mantras.[43]
Tantric practitioners worship Chhinnamasta for acquiring siddhis or
supernatural powers.[9] Chhinnamasta's mantra Srim hrim klim aim
Vajravairocaniye hum hum phat svaha is to be invoked to attract and
subjugate women.[44][45] Another goal of her worship is to cast spells
and cause harm to someone.[20] Other goals common to worship of all
mahavidyas are: poetic speech, well-being, control of one's foes,
removal of obstacles, ability to sway kings, ability to attract others,
conquest over other kings and finally, moksha (salvation).[43][46]
The Tantric texts Tantrasara, Shakta-pramoda and Mantra-mahodadhih (1589
CE)[47] give details about the worship of Chhinnamasta and other
Mahavidyas, including her yantra, mantra and her meditative/iconographic
forms (dhyanas).[43] Tantric texts tells the worshipper to imagine a
red sun orb – signifying a yoni triangle – in his own navel. In the orb,
the popular form of Chhinnamasta is imagined to reside.[20] Tantrasara
cautions a householder-man to invoke the goddess only in "abstract
terms". It further tells that if woman invokes Chhinnamasta by her
mantra, the woman will become a dakini and lose her husband and son,
thereby becoming a perfect yogini.[20] Shaktisamgama-tantra prescribes
her worship only by the left-handed path (Vamamarga). Mantra-mahodadhih
declares that such worship involves having sexual intercourse with a
woman, who is not one's wife. Shakta-pramoda tells the same, adding fire
offerings, wine and meat offerings at night.[48] Some hymns narrate
that she likes blood and as such, is offered blood sacrifices at some
shrines.[49] Shaktisamgama-tantra says that only brave souls (viras)
should follow Vamamarga worship to the goddess. Shakta-pramoda warns
that improper worship would have severe consequences: Chhinnamasta would
severe the head of such a person and drink his blood. It further
categorizes worship for Chhinnamasta to followed by householders and
renouncers.[48]
The Chintapurni, Himachal Pradesh temple to Chhinnamasta claims to be
one of the Shakti Peeths and where the goddess Sati's forehead (mastaka)
fell. Here, Chhinnamasta is interpreted as the severed-headed one as
well as the foreheaded-one.[50] A shrine dedicated to Chhinnamasta
exists in Ramnagar, near Varanasi, where tantrikas worship her using
corpses. There are Chhinnamasta shrines in Jharkhand (formerly Bihar) on
the hill Nandan Parvat near Deoghar (Vaidyanath) and in Ranchi, along
with other Mahavidyas. Her shrine is situated in the Kamakhya Temple
complex, Assam, along with other Mahavidyas. A temple to Chhinnamasta is
present in Vishnupur (Bishnupur), West Bengal. Chhinnamasta's shrines
are also found in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley, notably near the Changu
Narayan temple. The earliest of these temples is dated by Benard to the
late 17th century.[48][51][52]
From:
Wiki (there's a few more sections there with info)
One day Parvati went to bathe in the Mandakini River with her two
attendants, Jaya and Vijaya. After bathing, the great goddess's color
became black because she was sexually aroused. After some time, her two
attendants asked her, "Give us some food. We are hungry." She replied,
"I shall give you food but please wait." After awhile, again they asked
her. She replied, "Please wait, I am thinking about some matters."
Waiting awhile, they implored her, "You are the mother of the universe. A
child asks everything from her mother. The mother gives her children
not only food but also coverings for the body. So that is why we are
praying to you for food. You are known for your mercy; please give us
food." Hearing this, the consort of Shiva told them that she would give
anything when they reached home. But again her two attendants begged
her, "We are overpowered with hunger, O Mother of the Universe. Give us
food so we may be satisfied, O Merciful One, Bestower of Boons and
Fulfiller of Desires."
Hearing this true statement, the merciful goddess smiled and severed her
own head. As soon as she severed her head, it fell on the palm of her
left hand. Three bloodstreams emerged from her throat; the left and
right fell respectively into the mouths of her flanking attendants and
the center one fell into her mouth.
After performing this, all were satisfied and later returned home. (From
this act) Parvati became known as Chinnamasta.
In visual imagery, Chinnamasta is shown standing on the copulating
couple of Kamadeva and Rati, with Rati on the top. They are shown lying
on a lotus.
There are two different interpretations of this aspect of Chinnamasta's
iconography. One understands it as a symbol of control of sexual desire,
the other as a symbol of the goddess's embodiment of sexual energy.
The most common interpretation is one where she is believed to be
defeating what Kamadeva and Rati represent, namely sexual desire and
energy. In this school of thought she signifies self-control, believed
to be the hallmark of a successful yogi.
The other, quite different interpretation states that the presence of
the copulating couple is a symbol of the goddess being charged by their
sexual energy. Just as a lotus seat is believed to confer upon the deity
seated atop it's qualities of auspiciousness and purity, Kamadeva and
Rati impart to the Goddess standing over them the power and energy
generated by their lovemaking. Gushing up through her body, this energy
spouts out of her headless torso to feed her devotees and also replenish
herself. Significantly here the mating couple is not opposed to the
goddess, but an integral part of the rhythmic flow of energy making up
the Chinnamasta icon.
The image of Chinnamasta is a composite one, conveying reality as an
amalgamation of sex, death, creation, destruction and regeneration. It
is stunning representation of the fact that life, sex, and death are an
intrinsic part of the grand unified scheme that makes up the manifested
universe. The stark contrasts in this iconographic scenario-the gruesome
decapitation, the copulating couple, the drinking of fresh blood, all
arranged in a delicate, harmonious pattern - jolt the viewer into an
awareness of the truths that life feeds on death, is nourished by death,
and necessitates death and that the ultimate destiny of sex is to
perpetuate more life, which in turn will decay and die in order to feed
more life. As arranged in most renditions of the icon, the lotus and the
pairing couple appear to channel a powerful life force into the
goddess. The couple enjoying sex convey an insistent, vital urge to the
goddess; they seem to pump her with energy. And at the top, like an
overflowing fountain, her blood spurts from her severed neck, the life
force leaving her, but streaming into the mouths of her devotees (and
into her own mouth as well) to nourish and sustain them. The cycle is
starkly portrayed: life (the couple making love), death (the decapitated
goddess), and nourishment (the flanking yoginis drinking her blood).
From:
here
Skt., cinnamasta: Headless One
"She of the Cut Neck" or the "Headless One" is a goddess concerned with
life, death and the idea of blood as a life-force. She represents the
Shakti in her destructive and creative aspects, signifying apparent
dissolution and return to what is called "the first cause".
In paintings she is most often presented as a woman with a severed head,
two streams of blood flowing from her neck, bestowing her own
life-force unto Varnani and Dakini, the two female figures beside her.
It is she who distributes "vital essence" or "life energy" to all
beings. The whole scene described here is set inside a huge lotus which
arises from the union of a male & female pair; Rati and Kama, the
god of love & desire.
Sometimes Chinnamasta is identified with, or seen as, an aspect of
either Durga or Kali, and there are clear connections as well to the
Buddhist Vajrayogini.
Chinnamasta is also known as Viraratri.
From:
here
"Guptadurge Mahabhage Guptapaapapranashini
Saptajanmaarjitat Paapaat Traahi Maam Saranagatam"
Chhinnamasta, "She who severs her own head", is also called
Chhinnamastika or Prachanda Chandika. This tantric goddesses is a
ferocious aspect of the Devi and can be identified by her fearsome
iconography.
This self-decapitated goddess holds her own severed head in one hand and
a scimitar in the other. Three jets of blood spurt out of her bleeding
neck, which is drunk by her own severed head and two attendants standing
by each side of her. Chhinnamasta is also usually portrayed as standing
on a copulating couple.
As the figure of Chhinnamasta suggests, this particular Mahavidya is
associated with the concept of self-sacrifice as well as the awakening
of the kundalini - the spiritual energy lying dormant within the
Sookshma Sharira (subtle body). Chhinnamasta is a mixture of
contradictions. She is regarded both as a symbol of self-control on
sexual desire as well as an embodiment of sexual energy, depending upon
the interpretation of the devotee.
As Chhinnamasta is considered a dark and dangerous deity, she has few
temples, mostly found in North India and Nepal. Her individual worship
is restricted to Tantric worship by Tantrikas and yogis.
Interestingly, Chhinnamasta is recognized by Hindus as well as
Buddhists. She is closely related to Chinnamunda - the severed-headed
form of the Tibetan Buddhist goddess Vajrayogini.
Physical attributes
Chhinnamasta is shown as being red like the hibiscus flower and as
bright as a million suns. Portrayed mostly nude, with dishevelled hair,
she is considered to be a sixteen-year-old girl with full breasts,
having a blue lotus near her heart. Chhinnamasta is also depicted
donning a serpent as a sacred thread and a garland of skulls/severed
heads, bones and other ornaments around her neck.
She carries her own severed head in her left hand and holds a khatri or
scimitar-like object in her right hand, by which she decapitated
herself. Three streams of blood string from her neck, one of which
enters her own mouth. The others are drunk by her female companions.
Both the attendants are depicted nude as well, with three-eyes, wearing
the serpentine sacred thread and carrying the skull-bowl in the left
hand and the knife in the right. While Dakini is light-skinned and
represents the tamas guna, Varnini is red-complexioned and embodies the
rajas guna.
Chhinnamasta is often shown standing on Kamadeva (the god of Love) and
his wife Rati, who are engrossed in copulation with the latter, usually
on top. Below the couple lies a lotus and in the background is a
cremation ground. The copulating couple is sometimes different and
sometimes, completely absent.
Legend of Chhinnamasta's birth
According to one legend from the Pranotasani Tantra, Parvati, while once
having a bath in the Mandakini river, becomes sexually excited, making
her skin turn black. At this time, her two female attendants Dakini and
Varnini also become extremely hungry and beg for food. Though Parvati
initially promises to give them food once they get back home, she
decides to behead herself by means of using her nails and gives them her
blood to satiate their hunger.
The other story is narrated by Shiva. His consort Chandika (also an
aspect of Parvati) was engrossed in coitus with him in reverse posture,
but became angry at his seminal emission. Her attendants Dakini and
Varnini rose from her body. The rest of the story is similar to the
earlier version.
There is yet another legend that relates how the goddess
Prachanda-Chandika helped the gods slay all the evil demons. The enraged
goddess then cut off her own head too and drinks her own blood.
Her name also appears in the Samudra Manthan episode (Churning of
Ocean), where Chhinnamasta drinks up the demons' share of the Devamruta
(divine elixir of youth) and then beheads herself to prevent the demons
from acquiring the same.
Relevance and symbolism of Chhinnamasta
Chhinnamasta signifies that life, death and sex are interdependent. Her
image embodies the eternal truth that life feeds on death and that the
ultimate destiny of sex is to perpetuate more life, which in turn will
decay and die in order to feed more life. The lotus and the copulating
couple symbolize life and the urge to procreate. The blood flowing from
goddess' neck conveys death, which flows into the mouths of her
devotees, nourishing them. This symbolizes the aspect of the Goddess as a
giver.
In a spiritual context, the image of Chhinnamasta is a representation of
the awakening of the kundalini. The lovemaking couple actually
represents the awakening in the Muladhara chakra. The kundalini flows
through the central passage in the body. The blood spilling from the
throat depicts the upward-flowing kundalini, breaking all obstacles and
finally resulting in enlightenment.
The severed head shows the transcendent consciousness. Daknini, Varnini
and Chhinnamasta can be related to the three main subtle nadis or
channels, namely, Ida, Pingala and Sushumna. The self-decapitation also
represents removal of ignorance and ego.
From:
here
Mahavidya (great knowledge goddess)
Mahabhima (great fierce one)
Mahodari (great bellied one)
Candesvari (fierce goddess)
Candamata (mother of fierce beings or the fierce mother)
Candamundaprabhanjini (killer of demons Canda and Munda)
Mahacanda (great fierce one)
Candarupa (fierce form)
Candika (fierce one)
Candakhandini (destroyer of Canda)
Krodhini (wrathful one)
Krodhajanani (creator of wrathful beings)
Krodharupa (wrathful form)
Kuhuh (new moon day)
Kala (skillful one)
Kopatura (afflicted with rage)
Kopayuta (filled with rage)
Kopasamharakarini (destroyer of rage)
Vajra
Vajravairocani (adamantine one)
Vajrakalpa (competent with a vajra)
Dakini
Dakinikarmanirata (involved with the work of dakinis)
Dakinikarmapujita (worshipped as the work of dakinis)
Dakinisanganirata (delighted in the company of dakinis)
Dakinipremapurita (filled with love of dakinis)
Khatavangadharini (holder of a khatvanga)
Kharva (mutilated one)
Khadgakharparadharini (holder of a scimitar and a skullcup)
Pretasana (feeder of pretas [hungry ghosts])
Pretayuta (united with pretas)
Pretasangaviharini (plays or dwells in the company of pretas)
Chinnamundadhara (holds a severed head)
Chinnacandavidya (fierce mantra of the one with the severed body)
Citrini (having variegated forms)
Ghorarupa (terrific form)
Ghoradrsta (terrific to behold)
Ghorarava (having a terrific roar)
Ghanodari (firm abdomen)
Yogini (practices yoga)
Yoganirata (practitioner of yoga)
Japayajnaparayana (absorbed in sacrifice and recitation)
Yonicakramayi (possessing yonicakra)
Yonih (embodying the yoni)
Yonicakrapravarttini (arising from the yonicakra)
Yonimudra (has the yonimudra)
Yonigamya (accessible to the yoni)
Yoniyantranivasini (abides in the yoniyantra)
Yantrarupa (has the yantra form)
Yantramayi (possesses the yantra)
Yantresi (goddess of the yantra)
Yantrapujita (worshipped with a yantra)
Kirtya (renowned one)
Kapardini (has matted hair)
Kali
Kankali (emaciated)
Kalavikarini (constantly transforming)
Arakta (being slightly red)
Raktanayana (having red eyes)
Raktapanaparayana (quaffing blood continuously)
Bhavani
Bhutida (gives prosperity)
Bhutih (prosperity)
Bhutidatri (bestows prosperity)
Bhairavi (formidable one)
Bhairavacaranirata (engaged in the practice of bhairavas)
Bhutabhairavasevita (served by fierce beings)
Bhima (formidable one)
Bhimesvaridevi (goddess who is lord of the formidable one)
Bhimanadaparayana (having continuous formidable sounds)
Bhavaradhya (praised by Sankara)
Bhavanuta (worshipped by all)
Bhavasagaratarini (crosses over the ocean of existence)
Bhadrakali (a form of Kali)
Bhadratanuh (having a beautiful body)
Bhadrarupa (beautiful form)
Bhadrika (goodness)
Bhadrarupa (embodies goodness)
Mahabhadra (magnanimous)
Subhadra (wonderful goodness)
Bhadrapalini (protectoress of goodness)
Subhavya (exceedingly beautiful)
Bhavyavadana (having beautiful face)
Sumukhi (good face or mouth)
Siddhasevita (served by siddhis)
Siddhida (gives siddhis)
Siddhanivaha (has the collection of siddhis)
Siddha (accomplished one)
Siddhanisevita (honoured by siddhas)
Subhada (gives auspiciousness)
Subhaga (elegant)
Suddha (pure)
Suddhasattva (has pure sattva)
Subhavaha (bearer of auspiciousness)
Srestha (excellent)
Drstamayi (embodies the right view)
Devi
Drstisamharakarini (capable of destroying by her gaze)
Sarvani (Siva’s wife)
Sarvaga (omnipresent)
Sarva (complete)
Sarvamangalakarini (creator of all auspiciousness)
Siva (pacifier)
Santa (peaceful)
Santirupa (embodiment of peacefulness)
Mrdani (gladdened)
Madanatura (indomitable by Kamadeva)
From:
here
Chinnamasta, the ‘severed headed’ yogini, who traditionally appears
as the third of the ten mahavidyas or ‘great knowledge-holding’
goddesses in the Hindu shakta-tantra traditions. Collectively the ten
mahavidyas represent the various manifestation of the great goddess
Devi or Durga, who assumed these powerful and often terrifying aspects
in order to pacify, subjugate or destroy some of the most potent and
malevolent forces in the universe.
Chinnamasta and her two attendants appear amidst a blazing mass of
wisdom fire as they dance above the copulating forms of white Shiva and
red Parvati, who lie together upon the patterned golden sun disc of a
multicoloured lotus. In reversed sexual posture Parvati lies on top of
Shiva, her naked body adorned with gold and bone ornaments, her hair
loosened, her three eyes gazing passionately at his face, and her hand
pressing upon his hip. Shiva’s legs are spread wide as he fondles
Parvati’s breast, his tiger-skin loincloth loosened, and his body
adorned with rudraksha beads and the great naga-serpent Vasuki, who
coils around his neck. Shiva has three eyes, his forehead is marked
with a tripundra, and his long matted hair-locks are crowned with a
crescent moon and the cascading waters of the river-goddess Ganga.
Chinnamasta is deep red in colour, youthful, beautiful, passionate, and
radiant like a million suns as she ecstatically dances in pratyalidha
posture, with her right leg bent and her left leg extended. With her
right hand she wields aloft the bloodstained curved knife with which
she has just severed her own head, her index finger raised in the
threatening tarjani gesture. And with her outstretched left hand she
holds aloft a skull-cup that contains her own freshly severed and
blood-dripping head, its three eyes gazing upward, its mouth wide open
as her long tongue receives the stream of blood that cascades from the
severed central vein of her neck. Her severed head is adorned by a
golden crown with five jewel-topped skulls, and encircled by a blazing
halo of yellow fire. Her naked body is adorned with ornaments of gold
and filigree bone. Around her neck she wears a golden choker, a pearl
necklace, a chained golden pendant, and a garland of fifty white
skulls. And around her waist is a bone apron of small bone beads, with
sixty-four intricate loops that bear the carved bone ornaments of
little skulls, crossed-vajras, pendants, and hanging bells. The soles
of her feet are marked with henna patterns of wheels, tridents and
lotuses, whilst fire radiates from the dancing feet of both Chinnamasta
and her attendants.
Her two attendants, red Varini and blue-black Dakini, lean outward at
Chinnamasta’s right and left sides, each with their own fiery aura and
blazing halo. These two naked goddesses are similar in appearance to
Chinnamasta, with disheveled hair, gold and bone ornaments,
blood-smeared cheeks and breasts, and they both hold a curved knife and
a skull-cup of blood in their right and left hands. With protruding
tongues they drink the streams of blood that squirt from the severed
right and left veins of Chinnamasta’s neck. Symbolically, these three
blood-spurting veins represent the unobstructed psychic energies of the
subtle-body’s median nerve or central channel, with its two subsidiary
solar and lunar channels, which are respectively personified in the
forms of Chinnamasta, Varini, and Dakini.
Above Chinnamasta’s neck is her yantra or ‘diagram’, which appears as a
pink eight-petal lotus disc with a green seed-head, upon which are two
interlocking gold and red triangles, and an upward-pointing inner
golden triangle that is embossed with her bija-mantra or seed-syllable,
KRIM. Her yantra’s outer square or bhupura, with its four directional
gateways, is also embossed with scrolling golden patterns. Her inner
aura is decorated with an assembly of mythical creatures and beings,
which include: a makara, asura warriors, a dancing skeleton and khyak
spirit to her right; and an elephant, a naga-queen, a wealth god, and a
garuda wrestling with two naga-serpents to her left. Her outer aura is
decorated with a ring of golden skulls and scrolling motifs.
Above Chinnamasta’s yantra is the golden lotus and sun disc of Dakshina
Kali, who squats upon the quiescent white ‘corpse’ of Shiva as she
passionately copulates with him. Kali is wrathful, intoxicated,
blue-black in colour, with four arms, and three piercing eyes. Her
disheveled locks of matted hair billow outward behind her back, her
cheeks and breasts are smeared with blood, and her long bloodstained
tongue hangs from her gaping mouth. She wears ornaments of gold and
bone, a severed head garland, an apron of thirteen severed forearms,
and a white crescent moon adorns her brow. With her two right hands she
makes the boon-granting varada-mudra and the abhaya-mudra of
protection, and with her two left hands she holds the severed head of
an enemy and a sword. Above Kali’s head is her yantra, which appears as
a nine-fold downward-pointing triangle at the centre of an eight-petal
lotus, with an outer black bhupura. Another large and fiery yantra
appears behind her back, with its blazing central dais forming the
circle of her aura, and its fiery bhupura merging with the mass of
twisting flames and billowing smoke that fills the sky.
The lower landscape illustrates the environment of Pashupatinath
Temple, which is the most important Shaivite Temple in Nepal, and a
famous pilgrimage site for all Hindus in general. The temple is
dedicated to Shiva in his aspect as the ‘Lord (nath), who is the
supreme lord (pati) of all cattle (pashu) or creatures’. Pashupati
stands upon the eastern bank of the Bagmati River, which flows towards
India as a tributary of the River Ganges, and is thus also the most
sacred Hindu cremation ground in Nepal.
Samundra has depicted Pashupatinath as it may have appeared during the
nineteenth century, with its four circular cremation platforms or
burning-ghats separated by the steps that lead down to the Bagmati
River. At this time the western bank of the river was believed to be
haunted by ghosts and spirits, so upon this bank appear the small
figures of a male khyak spirit and a dancing yakshini, both of whom are
depicted with protruding tongues. The two-tiered temple of
Pashupatinath appears amidst the trees to the right, with its lion
guardians, gilded roof and doorway, and several small white Shaivite
temples in front of it. In the foreground are a group of sixteen male
mourners who tearfully attend the cremation of an elderly man, while his
widow performs sati by ritually offering herself to the flames of her
husband’s funeral pyre.
From:
here (also see the painting it's talking about)
Mantra: Om Shrim Hreem Hreem Aim
Vajra Vairochaniye Shrim Hreem Hreem Phat Svaha.
