Dhumavati From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Dhumavati A dark woman with a halo,

wearing dark clothes and gold ornaments sits on a crow and holding a winnowing basket. An early 20th century Rajput painting depicting dark-complexioned Dhumavati wear ing dark clothes and holding a winnowing basket. She is riding a crow but adorne d with jewellery, decorations which are contrary to her traditional description Goddess of Death Devanagari ??????? Sanskrit Transliteration Dh?mavat? Affiliation Devi, Mahavidyas Abode Cremation ground Mantra Dhum Dhum Dhumavati Svaha Mount Crow Dhumavati (Sanskrit: ???????, Dh?m?vat?, literally "the smoky one") is one of th e Mahavidyas, a group of ten Tantric goddesses. Dhumavati represents the fearsom e aspect of Devi, the Hindu Divine Mother. She is often portrayed as an old, ugl y widow, and is associated with things considered inauspicious and unattractive in Hinduism, such as the crow and the Chaturmas period. The goddess is often dep icted on a horseless chariot or riding a crow, usually in a cremation ground. Dhumavati is said to manifest herself at the time of cosmic dissolution (pralaya ) and is "the Void" that exists before creation and after dissolution. While Dhu mavati is generally associated with only inauspicious qualities, her thousand-na me hymn relates her positive aspects as well as her negative ones. She is often called tender-hearted and a bestower of boons. Dhumavati is described as a great teacher, one who reveals ultimate knowledge of the universe, which is beyond th e illusory divisions, like auspicious and inauspicious. Her ugly form teaches th e devotee to look beyond the superficial, to look inwards and seek the inner tru ths of life. Dhumavati is described as a giver of siddhis (supernatural powers), a rescuer fr om all troubles, and a granter of all desires and rewards, including ultimate kn owledge and moksha (salvation). Her worship is also prescribed for those who wis h to defeat their foes. Dhumavati's worship is considered ideal for unpaired mem bers of society, such as bachelors, widows, and world renouncers as well as Tant rikas. In her Varanasi temple, however, she transcends her inauspiciousness and acquires the status of a local protective deity. There, even married couples wor ship her. Although she has very few dedicated temples, her worship by Tantric ri tual continues in private in secluded places like cremation grounds and forests. Contents 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Origins Legends Iconography and textual descriptions Symbolism and associations Worship See also Notes References External links

Origins A traditional image of Dhumavati as an old hag with a winnowing basket on a hors eless chariot Dhumavati hardly has an independent existence outside the Mahavidya group. There

is no historical mention of her before she is included among the Mahavidyas.[1] As a goddess of poverty, frustration, and despair, Danilou associates Dhumavati with Nirriti, the goddess of disease and misery, and Alakshmi, the goddess of mi sfortune and poverty.[2] Kinsley adds another goddess to the list: Jyestha.[3] The Vedic goddess Nirriti is associated with death, decay, bad luck, anger, and need. Hymns emphasize offerings to keep her away. Like Nirriti, Dhumavati is ass ociated with unpromising things and hardship. Jyestha, also an early Hindu godde ss, has similarities in iconography with Dhumavati. Like Dhumavati, she is dark, ugly and is associated with the crow. Jyestha is described as being unable to t olerate any auspiciousness. Also like Dhumavati, Jyestha dwells in quarrels, ina uspicious places, and has a bad temper.[3] Lakshmana Desika, the commentator on the Saradatilaka-Tantra, identifies Dhumavati with Jyestha.[4] Both Alakshmi, th e sister and antithesis of Lakshmi (Shri), the goddess of wealth, luck and beaut y, and Dhumavati are described as old, carrying a broom and having a crow banner . Both symbolize hunger, thirst, need, and poverty.[3] While there are similarities between Dhumavati and the three goddesses, the latt er lack significant characteristics of Dhumavati, like her widowhood and a textu al emphasis on her ugliness. The names of the three goddesses also do not figure in Dhumavati's nama stotras (hymns invoking her many names), where such identif ications could have been explicitly mentioned. The three also lack the more fier ce warrior aspects of Dhumavati as well as her positive aspects in the context o f the Mahavidyas. In scholar David Kinsley's opinion, though the three may be Dh umavati's antecedents, they are not "the same" as Dhumavati.[3] According to Kin sley, the concept of ten Mahavidyas may not be earlier than the 12th century.[5]