Chhinnamastika
Every question on the site tagged Chhinnamastika, each answered from a timestamped source rather than a summary written from memory.
A fierce self-decapitated form of the Goddess, one of the ten Mahavidyas.
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Renuka's sadhana is to be given at Chhinnamasta Jayanti
A sadhak doing Bagalamukhi upasana asks how to do Chhinnamasta sadhana when his kul devi is Renuka in her Chhinnamasta svarup. The speaker says he will give Bhagavati Renuka's sadhana at the coming Chhinnamasta Jayanti — Vaishakh shukla paksha chaturdashi — describing Renuka-Ekvira as an upa-mahavidya counted among Bhagavati Chhinnamasta's presiding devis, and says he will give her mandal's puja vidhi as far as he is able.
What authorization is required before installing high-potency deity forms like the Mahavidyas at home?
Fierce or high-potency forms such as Tara or Chhinnamasta require lineage authority (Guru Diksha) and proper ritual grounds — installing them in an ordinary household without this can cause severe imbalances evaluated over a roughly 12-year cycle.
Kabandha Bhairava's japa, purashcharana and siddhi come first in the Vairochana lineage — a siddhi whose form the Guru fixes for each practitioner
The ultimate grace of Mahavidya Chhinnamasta cannot be attained without first receiving the grace and blessings of Kabandha Bhairava — His Japa, Purashcharana, and Siddhi must precede all else in the Vairochana lineage's sequential sadhana.
Why is having a Guru essential when undertaking the Mahavidya sadhana path?
Progressing in Bhakti without a Guru is possible only with peaceful deities and standard disciplines that carry no adverse rebound; Mahavidya worship such as Goddess Chhinnamasta requires mandatory preliminary sadhanas, and initiation itself varies by lineage and mantra even within worship of the same Devi.
Vairochana, Kabandha and Krodha Bhairava alongside Ganapati before Chhinnamasta — Bhairava carrying consciousness from the Muladhara to where Shakti unites with Shiva
Chhinnamasta's sequential sadhana requires three preliminary Bhairavas — Vairochana, Kabandha, and Krodha — alongside Ganapati sadhana, since every Mahavidya has Her corresponding Bhairava; Bhairava governs a practitioner's inner restraint, protection, and the elevation of consciousness from the Muladhara to the crown where Shakti unites with Shiva.
Does the Devi Gita really make Mahavidya initiation open to everyone, and why must family lineage still be evaluated today?
The Devi Gita states that all four Varnas are eligible for Mahavidya initiation, but in the contemporary era one must first evaluate family lineage (Kula Parampara), since a household that independently worships spirits as ancestral deities can suffer severe consequences when a powerful Mahavidya mantra binds those spirits.
What is the significance of Vira Ganapati (16-armed)?
Associated with the 16-armed form of Mahishasuramardini Durga near the Chhinnamasta Rajrappa Kshetra, it was historically propitiated by Asuras through the guidance of Lord Brahma to attain formidable strength.
Why is it forbidden to keep photographs of the ten Mahavidyas at home?
A listener says that at home there is a photograph of the ten Mahavidyas along with Ma Kalika. If the ten Mahavidyas are separately there — Chhinnamastika Ma, Tara Ma with the khappar, and then Bhagavati Dhumavati — then that, he says, is exactly why keeping a photograph of the ten Mahavidyas has been forbidden.
Are there similar procedures for other Mahavidyas?
Yes — in this same manner there is some vidhi-vidhan for Bhagavati Chhinnamastika and for Tara as well, particular to women sadhikas, to matri sadhikas. But the speaker says it does not seem to him proper to discuss all these things publicly, because people will neither be initiated nor anything, and will straightaway begin doing them, and then difficulty follows. This much of the ordinary kind can be done, but it is only for those sadhikas who can do these things safely and soundly.
Which goddesses stand as the arishtatra shaktis of Rahu and Ketu?
Where Ketu's arishtatra shakti becomes Bhagavati Chhinnamastika, the arishtatra shakti of Rahu dev among the ten Mahavidyas becomes Bhagavati Kali herself; she becomes Bhagavati Matangi; and for that same Rahu, Bhagavati Saraswati, Mahasaraswati, becomes the arishtatra. So why carry that Rahu always in the negative?
Pressed strictly, the rule would bar Chhinnamastika, Tara, Tripur Bhairavi and Dhumavati — and Baglamukhi too sits upon a shavasan; no one could then worship at home.
To a place its holders do not intend. On that reckoning, Bhagavati Chhinnamastika, Bhagavati Tara, Bhagavati Tripur Bhairavi, Bhagavati Dhumavati — and go a little further and, although you may say freely that Bhagavati Baglamukhi is in some kula, you should know that Bhagavati Baglamukhi too sits upon a shavasan. So how is anyone to perform pujan at home?
Which regional Shakti should be named in the Havan?
The presiding Shakti of your region: Jay Durga in Jharkhand and Bihar, Bhagavati Vindhyavasini in Uttar Pradesh, Chhinnamastika near Ranchi and Jamshedpur, and Bhagavati Bagalamukhi at Vaidyanath Dham, whose manifestation place that is held to be.
What is the hriday trikon, said to be the greatest of all?
The greatest trikon of India according to the Shakta parampara, he says, is what is called the hriday trikon, and only param shaktas can do it — those who have wholly obtained Bhagavati's exclusive grace can do that trikon on foot. It runs from the place of Bhagavati Vindhyavasini to Kamrup Kamakhya, from Kamrup Kamakhya to Kanyakumari, and from Kanyakumari again to the Vindhyachal peeth. This you may do by train, by bus or by your own vehicles; its fruit, he says, cannot be described.
Does the mahima of these kshetras ever diminish?
No, the speaker says. Whether it is a tantra kshetra, or the Kamrup Kamakhya kshetra, or the Chhinnamastika kshetra of Rajrappa, the mahima of all these kshetras always remains in every kalpa and every yuga; no diminution comes into it. In Satyug the first period at Kamrup Kamakhya is held to have been the time of the origin of the tantra kshetra there.
Can all siddhis be obtained by the guru mantra alone?
Asked about the Mahabhairav mantra, he says it can be used now by taking a sankalp, and that is all he will be able to tell just now. All mantras, he says, are not equal even to the sixteenth kala of the guru mantra. Asked then whether all siddhis can be got by the guru mantra alone, and if so why so many kinds of sadhana are needed, he says it is Mahamaya's own leela; the statement is entirely true in its own place that everything can be obtained through the guru mantra.
Is the shakti of a Kritya greater than Mata Durga and the ten Mahavidyas?
In the field of tantra, the speaker says, as much marketisation as has been done by these people has not been done by anyone else at the present time. As for the shakti of a Kritya: a Kritya is not some separate thing. As he has said before, a Kritya is every shakti's own distinct kindred power; a Kritya is not a separate devi. Bhagavati Baglamukhi has herself been called Mahakritya; Pratyangira has herself been called Mahakritya; and Bhagavati Baglamukhi and Bhagavati Chhinnamastika have been called the Kritya shakti of Bhagwan Shiva.
How is victory over Kaam and Rati shown in the form of Chhinnamastika?
There is a form of Bhagavati, one of the ten Mahavidyas, Maa Chhinnamastika. Look at her form: below is a lotus, the thousand-petalled lotus, and upon it Kamdev and Rati are seen lying in the reversed posture. Maa has stood upon them. That is, the speaker says, if you accept the sharanagati of Jagadamba and become her sharanagat, then Bhagavati stands upon these two.
What if a Chhinnamastika Shakti Peeth is nearby?
If a Shakti Peeth of Chhinnamastika Ma is nearby, then use her stotra, satnam and stuti, use the sahasranama, and please her by doing the path.
What should be done about a mannat that remains unfulfilled?
Whatever mannat of Chhinnamastika Mata remains outstanding, and whatever of Shiva ji remains outstanding, complete it, the speaker says. What the mannat is he cannot know — but as it is, complete it as soon as possible. Do not leave a mannat outstanding if the work has been completed.
In what order do the Mahavidyas stand as one climbs at Kamakhya?
Bhagavati Kamakhya is in the middle. From Tripur Bhairavi, going up in sequence, is Bhagavati Dhumavati, and roughly opposite her, going the other way, is Bhagavati Chhinnamastika; after that Bhagavati Kali, then Bhagavati Tara, then Bhagavati Kamakhya; with them Bhagavati Matangi and Kamala; after that Bhagavati Baglamukhi; and at the very top Bhagavati Bhuvaneshwari.
Which further shaktis stand with each form in the Kamakhya kavach?
After the beej samput, the speaker says, the chief shaktis of each form also stand there. When one goes into the fully tantric form, Bhagavati Chhinnamastika becomes Para Dakini and Bhagavati Tripur Bhairavi becomes Apara Dakini; with them two more root forms as Jaya and Vijaya are present, and samput is made with the beej mantras of their Rakini and Lakini, asking protection of these angas.
Who is the Shiva of Bhagavati Chhinnamastika?
The Shiva of Bhagavati Chhinnamastika is Kabandha, he says — Bhagavan Kabandha Shiva, Kabandha Bhairav. In this way he is also called Bhagavan Chhinnamast Shiva. Kabandha are his other forms.
What should be done with a Tantrokta Rudraksha or Vigraha in these days?
Those with a Tantrokta Rudraksha — received from the Guru lineage or otherwise — should certainly perform the Sahasrarchan upon it these four days. Sahasrarchan means offering flowers and the like with the Sahasranamavali. Do it at least the four days.
Why is the Vaishakh Shukla Chaturdashi the most particular night in tantra?
Because on that one day fall the jayanti of Bhagavan Narasimha; of Bhagavan Sharabh Bhairav — Sharabh Shalu Raj, the fiercest, most ugra form of Bhagavan Sarveshwar, also called Akash Bhairav; of Bhagavati Pratyangira; and of Mahavidya Bhagavati Chhinnamastika.
What does ten japa at the Chhinnamastika pitha accomplish?
This path leads on towards the Chhinnamastika pitha, and the temple visible in front is it. Keep doing japa; the japa should not be let go. You will find it written in the shastras, particularly in the Yogini Tantra, that the human being who does japa of the mantra even 10 times at this pitha has his mantra purified — that is, whatever kind of dosha there may be, whether in the obtaining of diksha or any other, here release from every kind of dosha is obtained.
Chhinnamastika comes after Tara and Kali in the order of the seven outer pithas, and her pitha is extremely ugra
Of the seven pithas which come after Bhagavati Kamakhya and belong to the remaining Mahavidyas, this is one. It is what falls in your order — go in that sequence: after Bhagavati Tara, Bhagavati Kali, and after that Bhagavati Chhinnamastika. Keep in mind that the Chhinnamastika pitha is in itself an extremely ugra pitha.
The Chhinnamastika garbhagriha carries a prachand energy, and camphor is lit there as at the Trikon
The flower malas have been taken and camphor lit, and just as at the Trikon, the speaker says all of you should certainly do the same. He says the video of the garbhagriha cannot be posted — the energy there is very prachand. Chhinnamastika Jagadamba is a form which is in itself extremely ugra; as all know, she is the Bhagavati who severed her own head. And this garbhagriha, in the scene shown, has no lock on it; it stands open, the pujari ji having just come and opened it.
The Chhinnamastika cave descends deeper even than Kamakhya's lamp-lit lower garbhagriha; if darshan inside is not possible, salute and offer flowers from outside
This pitha is very deep. As with Bhagavati Kamakhya's pitha, where on going into the garbhagriha one has to go right down, the cave being entirely below, and where there is no light at all — only large lamps are kept burning, and darshan has to be done in whatever is visible by them — here it is exactly the same, but very much deeper. The speaker feels that Bhagavati Chhinnamastika's route is deeper even than the route down to Kamakhya's lower garbhagriha. If you get darshan inside, do it well; otherwise salute and offer flowers from outside.
What should one do when big channels hand out Chhinnamastika's mantra publicly?
A listener says that on big channels people are giving out the mantra of Chhinnamastika Mata and saying no mala is needed for it, that he tried to tell people in the comments and was abused, and so he stopped speaking. Then this is the very subject, the speaker says — what need is there to speak? Say nothing. Let them do Chhinnamastika, Dhumavati, all of it. Those who are giving it and those who are speaking, that is their subject; and those who are listening, that is theirs.
Can the adhikar for Vajra Vairochani sadhana be given online?
A listener remarks that the adhikar for the sadhana of Vajra Vairochani, without a mala, without vidhi vidhan and without a guru parampara, is being given online, and that it is astonishing. It is running nowadays, the speaker says, naming the person the listener has named and remarking that they can do anything, and that their guru is themselves. Take your enjoyment, there is no difficulty.
What does the Parvati Gita say about who may do the Mahavidyas?
The speaker says that by saying such things — that so-and-so people say, that knowledgeable people say this sadhana cannot be done — they have created a confusion in people's minds that the sadhana of this Mahavidya cannot happen. See the reference, he says: in the Parvati Gita Bhagavati has said that you may take diksha of any one among the ten Mahavidyas and do it. So have those who are saying that you cannot do the sadhana of Dhumavati, that you cannot do the sadhana of Chhinnamastika, become greater than Parvati ji? It is absolutely not so. They are confusing you so that you may not be able to do sadhana, so that shakti may not be obtained by you, so that you may not become knowledgeable. They want to rule over you — that is why they are forbidding you this sadhana.
Can a murti of Mahishasura Mardini be kept in the puja place if she is the kuldevi?
If Bhagavati's svarup is itself your kuldevi, then keep it — what is the matter, the speaker says. If your kuldevi is Chhinnamastika, then keep hers too and do her puja. But the vidhan of the pind ran formerly; in the pind, the pujan of Chhinnamastika used to be done, and the vidhan of the Shri Vigraha has not been there. So if the vidhan of the pind of Mahishasura Mardini too has run in your kul, has been running from before, then keep a chhaya chitra and keep a pind. Do not keep a Shri Vigraha — there is a reason behind it. And if a Shri Vigraha has been there from before, then keep it.
Does one need a separate diksha for Chhinnamastika after the Panchakshari?
Asked whether, after taking Panchakshari mantra diksha, the Chhinnamastika mantra has to be taken separately, he says yes — Maai's diksha will again be entirely separate. Even if the diksha of the Panchakshari has taken place, you have to take the Shakta diksha if it is of Bhagavati Chhinnamastika, and then her whole vidhi vidhan will be separate.
Should one do 1100 of the Chhinnamastika kavach for protection?
A listener asks about 1100 of the Chhinnamastika kavach for the protection of the body, being able to leave the house for only eleven days. He says that if you perform Maa Chhinnamastika's kavach then the subject becomes entirely different. Do that for which you are authorised.
How are the different forms of Bhagavati related to one another?
They are all one, he says; they are not separate. Maa Parvati is the one who is in the mool form: she herself becomes Kali, she herself becomes Bhagavati Tara. According to the time she assumes that very form. She herself becomes Bhagavati Chhinnamastika, along with Jaya and Vijaya, where Jaya and Vijaya become Dakini and Shakini — there she becomes Bhagavati Chhinnamastika.
Social media is Rahu, and each devata moves by his own rules
He says that each devata moves according to his own rules. Understand this subject, and then this whole thing that comes — that just now it is Chhinnamastika, just now Bhagavati Tara, just now Tripur Bhairavi. The field of social media, he says, is called Rahu, brother. Everyone will know this much. And ninety-nine percent of people take Rahu only in the negative, saying that Rahu suddenly gives a great deal and suddenly snatches a great deal away and gives delusion — they carry only this.
What does tantra say about how Narsingh was actually pacified?
In the Vishnu Puran, the speaker says, you read that Bhakt Prahlad made his stuti and Narsingh became calm; the reality in the field of tantra is somewhat different. The other shaktis whose emergence is connected with the Narsingh avatar are Sarveshwar Bhairav, Bhagavati Pratyangira and Chhinnamastika, and forms such as Gandabherunda were assumed.
The Chhinnamastika vidhan is deferred to the Gupt Navratri because its mantra makes the subject too long for now
It will not be possible this time, the speaker says, because the mantra it requires makes the subject a little long, and he does not think it right to put out so long a video now, with time short. Next time, or after the Navratra when time comes again, he will put it out — at the time of the Mother's Gupt Navratra.
What if there is no river or sarovar nearby for the Kartik bath?
Asked whether bathing with Gangajal poured into a tub will also bring the benefit of punya when a sarovar or river is not nearby, the speaker answers that it certainly will — and that even if you do not put Gangajal in and bathe while remembering her, the benefit will still come. Of Chhinnamastika he says that one may pray by awakening the name, and that much can be done.
Which Bhairav is paired with each of the Ashta Matrikas?
Asitanga is the Bhairav of Brahmi; the Bhairav of Maheshwari is Ruru; of Kaumari, Chanda Bhairav; and of Bhagavati Vaishnavi, Krodh Bhairav — the same Krodh Bhairav who is worshipped alongside Ma Bhagavati Chhinnamastika. Unmatt Bhairav is worshipped with Devi Varahi, and with Indrani, that is Indrakshi, Kapal Bhairav. To those whose kuldevi is Chamunda and who ask who goes with her, he answers that chiefly Batuk Bhairav is with all the shaktis, but seen in that way, with Chamunda the puja of Bhishan Bhairav takes place, and with Lakshmi that of Sanhar Bhairav.
Chinnamasta's severed head and streaming blood encode the cutting of ego and the rise of kundalini through the sushumna.
Chinnamasta, depicted holding her own severed head while blood streams into her mouth and those of two companions, is said to encode the spiritual truth of cutting through the ego and transcending the limited self — the flowing blood symbolizing kundalini energy rising through the sushumna nadi.
Which four jayantis fall on a single tithi in Vaishakh?
That katha is the most current one, he says, and it falls in the month of Vaishakh — on the coming tithi, one and the same tithi on which there will be Narasimha Jayanti, Sarveshwar Jayanti, Chhinnamastika Jayanti and, along with it, the jayanti of Bhagavan Sarveshwar as well, together with Bhagavati Pratyangira. Four jayantis, he says, fall on one and the same tithi. That one is somewhat current in the tantra kshetra.
Who is the angry white girl seen repeatedly in a Chhinnamastika sadhana?
If you are doing the Chhinnamastika sadhana then you will surely be initiated, the speaker says, and he hopes so. And if you are not initiated, then be alert — she is appearing in order to make you alert. Do the Chhinnamastika sadhana only after being initiated. If you are initiated, then ask your guru about this and he will tell you: whichever marga you are in, some puja of that marga will have been left out, and that is why she is appearing.
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