Bagalamukhi
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In Hinduism, Bagalamukhi is one of the mahavidyas. Though ravishingly beautiful, Bagalamukhi is the Devi who smashes the devotee's misconceptions and delusions by her cudgel.
The name literally means “crane faced,” which is how this goddess is sometimes depicted. She has a golden complexion and her cloth is yellow. She sits in a golden throne in the midst of an ocean of nectar full of yellow lotuses. A crescent moon adorns her head.
She holds a club in her right hand with which she beats an enemy, while pulling his tongue out with another. This image is sometimes interpreted as an exhibition of stambhana, the power to stun or paralyze one’s enemy into silence. This is one of the boons for which Bagalamukhi’s devotees worship her. Other Mahavidya goddesses are also said to represent similar powers useful for defeating enemies, to be invoked by their worshippers through various rituals.
External Links
- Dasmahavidya Mantra Jap - Bagalamukhi (http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/dasmahavidya_mantra8.php)