Chinnamastā
Sign in to saveChhinnamasta (, :"She whose head is severed"), often spelled Chinnamasta, and also called Chhinnamastika, Chhinnamasta Kali, Prachanda Chandika and Jogani Maa (in western states of India), is a Hindu goddess (Devi). She is one of the Mahavidyas, ten goddesses from the esoteric tradition of Tantra, and a ferocious aspect of Mahadevi, the Hindu mother goddess. The self-decapitated nude goddess, usually standing or seated on a divine copulating couple, holds her own severed head in one hand and a scimitar in another. Three jets of blood spurt out of her bleeding neck and drunk by her severed head
Key facts
- Deity<! Wikipedia:WikiProject Hindu mythology >.alt
- A decapitated, nude, red-complexioned goddess stands on a nuni inside a large lotus. She holds her severed head and a scimitar. Three streams of blood from her neck feed her head and two nude, red-coloured women holding a scimitar and a male severed head, who flank her. All three wear a garland of severed heads, a serpent (around her neck) and various gold and pearl jewellery.
- Deity<! Wikipedia:WikiProject Hindu mythology >.name
- Chhinnamasta
- Deity<! Wikipedia:WikiProject Hindu mythology >.Devanagari
- छिन्नमस्ता
- Deity<! Wikipedia:WikiProject Hindu mythology >.affiliation
- Mahadevi, Mahavidya, Devi, Parvati
- Deity<! Wikipedia:WikiProject Hindu mythology >.god_of
- Goddess of Sovereign Truth, Awakened Kundalini, and the Severance of Illusion
- Deity<! Wikipedia:WikiProject Hindu mythology >.abode
- Cremation ground
- Deity<! Wikipedia:WikiProject Hindu mythology >.weapon
- knife or scimitar
- Deity<! Wikipedia:WikiProject Hindu mythology >.consort
- Kabandha Shiva
- Deity<! Wikipedia:WikiProject Hindu mythology >.member_of
- The Ten Mahavidyas
- Deity<! Wikipedia:WikiProject Hindu mythology >.type
- Hindu
- Deity<! Wikipedia:WikiProject Hindu mythology >.image
- Calcutta art studio Chinnamasta.jpg
- Deity<! Wikipedia:WikiProject Hindu mythology >.caption
- Chhinnamasta, 19th century painting
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
25 sectionsContents
- Origins
- Buddhist Origins
- Other Influences
- Legends and textual references
- Mahavidyas as a group
- Chhinnamasta as an individual goddess
- Iconography
- Appearance
- Surroundings
- Attendants
- Symbolism and associations
- Goddess of paradoxes
- Destruction, transformation and recreation
- Self-realization and awakening of kundalini
- Control over or embodiment of sexual desire
- Other symbolism and associations
- Worship
- Goals of worship
- Modes of worship
- Temples
- Footnotes
- Explanatory Notes
- Citations
- References
- External links
Chhinnamasta (, :"She whose head is severed"), often spelled Chinnamasta, and also called Chhinnamastika, Chhinnamasta Kali, Prachanda Chandika and Jogani Maa (in western states of India), is a Hindu goddess (Devi). She is one of the Mahavidyas, ten goddesses from the esoteric tradition of Tantra, and a ferocious aspect of Mahadevi, the Hindu mother goddess. The self-decapitated nude goddess, usually standing or seated on a divine copulating couple, holds her own severed head in one hand and a scimitar in another. Three jets of blood spurt out of her bleeding neck and drunk by her severed head and two attendants.
Chhinnamasta symbolises both the life-giving and life-slaying aspects of Devi. She is considered both a symbol of sexual self-control and an embodiment of sexual energy, depending upon interpretation. She represents death, temporality, and destruction as well as life, immortality, and recreation. The goddess conveys spiritual self-realization and the awakening of the kundalini : spiritual energy. The legends of Chhinnamasta emphasise her self-sacrifice — sometimes coupled with a maternal element — sexual dominance, and self-destructive fury.