A group of ten goddesses from the Tantric Hindu pantheon, consisting of Kali, Tara, Shodashi, Bhuvaneshvari, Chhinnamasta, Bhairavi, Dhumavati, Bagalamukhi, Matangi and Kamala. They are revered in Shaktism, Shaivism and Vajrayana Buddhism and denote a turning point in the rise of Bhakti cults within Shaktism in the early eighteenth century. The creation of the Mahavidyas is outlined in the Mahabhagvata Purana, attributed to Vyasa.
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A proponent of the Shaivite cult, Lakulisha is often considered the founder of the Pashupata sect. According to the Linga…
A genre of ancient and religious texts written in Sanskrit, Tamil and other languages. The texts are encyclopaedic and cover…
A form of the Hindu goddess Parvati or Parameswari, who is the consort of the deity Shiva.
Meaning “divine cloth” in Sanskrit, it is an upper body garment. In Jainism, it is believed that the deity Indra…
The Hindu goddess of war, identified as the principal form of the goddess Parvati. Durga is depicted as riding a…
The protagonists of the Indian epic Mahabharata, they are the five sons of Pandu, namely, Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and…
A sacred text of the Tibetan Buddhist canon that outlines the principles of vinaya (rules governing monastic communities), monastic discipline,…
A Latin phrase meaning “world axis” and referring to the centre of the earth or the point at which the…