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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An incarnation of Shiva as the killer of the elephant demon Gajasura. It is commonly depicted in Hindu temples, particularly…
Celestial beings in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist mythology. They are depicted as having golden or blackish complexions and are often…
The twenty-third Buddha in the Theravada Buddhist tradition and the fifth of the seven Buddhas of antiquity in the present…
Vishnu's incarnation in the form of a boar. Varaha is third of Vishnu's ten incarnate forms (dashavatara) and is associated…
Meaning “concealment” or “veiling” in Sanskrit, it is one of the cosmic acts of deities in the Hindu religious tradition.…
Also known as Durga Saptashati, it is one of the foremost texts within the Shaktism tradition and focuses on the…
A term used by the Gautama Buddha to refer to himself or other Buddhas in the Pali canon. It is…
A Buddhist term for characteristics and noble qualities associated with enlightened individuals. The term is used across Theravada, Mahayana and…