MAA BAGALAMUKHI (Peethambari)

Om Bagalambayai Vidmahe
Om ParaShaktiye Namaha

The peculiarity of MAA BAGALAMUKHI is she is always depicted as wearing shining yellow garments. She is called Peethambari. She bears a mace ( gadha ) in her hands. Both these are attributes of Lord Krishna. He is called Peethambar and Gadadhari.

The term Bagalamukhi is misleading, as she does not seem to have to have anything to do with Bad ( crane ). According to Bagalamukhi Rahasya she is Valaga Mukhi that is the remover of bad effects of other mantras. The Bagalasuktham in Atharva Veda also supports this view. But the term was twisted to keep it secret. Valaga became Balaga, as there is no difference between Va and Ba. Then it is twisted to Bagala to keep it secret. This is typical of many tantaric textx. I am not an authority on this.

Photo: Bagalamukhi mandir, Kapan, Kathmandu, Nepal

MAA BAGALAMUKHI has been misinterpreted often and called a cruel Goddess. This is incorrect. She enables you to conquer your tongue ( sthambaya Jihwa ) and also your mind ( Keelaya Buddhi Vinasaya ) so that you attain supreme knowledge.

The Gayatri is

Om Bagalambayai Vidmahe
Brahmasthra Vidyayai deemahi
Thannah stambini praochandhayat

The Bagalamukhi Yantras is the most popular Yantra or I would say the largest selling Yantra in North India. I will give the reasons later.

The Mantra is

Om Hlreem Baglamukhi Sarvadustanaam Vaacham Mukham Padam Stambhay Jihvaam Kilay Budheem Vinashay Hlreem, Om Swaha!

(मूल मंत्र: 

ॐ ह्लीं बगलामुखि सर्वदुष्टानां वाचं मुखं पदं स्तम्भय 

जिह्वां कीलय बुद्धिं विनाशय ह्रीं ॐ स्वाहा । )

Om Hirim Maa Bagalamukhi, stun ( immobilize ) the mouth, tonhue and mind of all the bad people

In the myth, a demon named Madan undertook austerities and won the boon of Vak Siddhi, according to which anything he said came about. He abused this Siddha by killing people. Enraged by his mischief the gods worshiped MAA BAGALAMUKHI. She stoppes the demon's rampage by taking hold of his tongue and stilling his speech. Before she could
kill him, however, he asked to be worshipped with her, and she relented. That is why he is depicted with her.

The popularity of the Yantra is because of the belief that the Yantra and Mantra gives relief from the effect of other Mantras. The Mantras is compared to Brahmasthra the ultimate weapon. That is why MAA is called Brahmasthra Vidayai. The term Valga is because of this. In South India especially in Kerala ( where Mantrics and casting spells are widely believe ) almost everyone wears a Talisman with Sudharshana Yantra. This is supposed to ward off all spells. The similarity of MAA BAGALAMUKHI and Lord Krisha is shown again as Sudharshana Chakra is a weapon of Lord Krishna. This is an aspect, which David Kinsley does not seem to have covered. He was looking for
the bit of a horse since the meaning of Valga is rein. Since the Mantras are thought of in the Buddhi and uttered by the tongue, the Mantra says sthambaya Jihva and Keelaya Buddhim. But the point to be noted is to says sarva dhushtanam ( of all bad people )

This is very mild when we take into account of the fact that even in Tantric Slokas, we say things like Mama Sathrun seegram maraya maraya ( kill my enemies quickly ) Because of the connection with the tongue, the mantra is also used to win cased in courts ( to make the opposition counsel tongue tied).

Now where does a Bhakta fit in here ?
Right from time we were toddles, we were always instructed to ask for God Bhuddi and Good Education whenever prayed. As we grew older we were always asked to control or hold our tongue. The reason was that the mind is the source of all bad thoughts and the tongue is the point of delivery. We hurt more people with our tongue than with our fists. Tongue-lashing. Now if a person wants to evolve to a higher stage of evolution ( to become a better person than what he is today ) he has to control his mind and his tongue.

By praying to MAA BAGALAMUKHI, we ask her to control our tongue and mind. The term Sarva Dhushtanam includes the man who is praying if heis a dhushta. I believe that most of us except the exalted ones are dhushtas in some way or other. It is easy to say control your mind and your tongue. Most of our religious books ask us to do just that.
But it s very difficult. So we pray to MAA BAGALAMUKHI to help us in doing that.

These are my own interpretations and I cannot quote any authority. There are other Mantras or MAA BAGALAMUKHI and Dhyana Slokas, which reveal other aspects of MAA. But this is the best-known Mantras.

Before I conclude, it is difficult to find temples of the Dasa Maha Vidyas because they are Mantras. Neither the Vedic religion not the Tantric religion believed in Idol Worship. The Vedas had Homam and Mantras and Tantra had Yantra and Mantra. The Mantras are held to be the Deity. Later when Hindu Iconograpgy developed, the idols were made according to the Dhyana Slokas. The Shilpa sashthra gives the Dhyana Slokas. But the interpretation is left to the sculptor and his boss.

Again it is the Rishis who saw the vision of the Deities and wrote the Dhyana Slokas. MAA UGRAPRADHYANGIRA DEVI is the Rupam seen by Rishi Pradhyangiras. It could be that MAA MATHANGI is as seen as by Rishi MATHANGA.

In Tantric texts we find Gayatri Mantras for different deities. Many deities have their own Gayatri Mantra. These Gayatri Mantras are based on the Surya Gayatri, which is the First and the best-known Gayatri. These Gayatri Mantra are to be recited before the Moola ( Main or Basic ) mantra of the Deity. But these Gayatri which are more in the form of a prayer than a mantra. So there is no restrictions on the use of these Gayatris. I am giving below some of the Gayatris of MAA


MAA KAALI

Om Kaalikayai vidmaha, Smasavasinyai deemahi, Tanno ghora praochadhayat

MAA TAARA

OM Taraayai vidmaha, Ugrataarayai deemahi Tanoo Devi Praochadhayat

MAA BHUVANESHWARI

Sarvamohiniyai vidmahe, vishwa Jananayai deemahi Thannah Sakthi praochadhayat.

MAA MATHANGI

Aim Sukapriyayai, klim Kameswaryai deemahi Thannah Shyama praochadhayat

MAA DURGA

Kathyayanaya vidmahe, Kanyakumari deemahi Tanoo Drugai Praochadhayat

Though these Gayatris are given in some of the modern books none of the handbooks for Shakta like Saktha Promoda, Saktha Dharshanam or Sri Vidya Ratnakar include the Gayatri in the Mantra Japa Vidhis. These seems to be later additions.

The idea behind my giving the Gayatris is they are a short prayer for MAA, which can be easily remembered.
Contributed by SankarrukuCited from- http://www.geocities.com/madurakaliamman/ available on the web.