12x16 inches; Watercolor, Pen and ink on acid free textured paper (Click on image to enlarge)
The power of speech (Vak), the intent and effect of the spoken word, the ability to communicate and the evolution of language has been one of the pillars of civilization. Words are used to both express and conceal our thoughts, feelings and emotions, our needs and desires. Words are used to lead as well as mislead others. Words convey kindness, compassion, solidarity and empathy but can also hurt and cause immense pain and misery. Words can reveal the truth or conceal it in a cloud of untruths and half truths. Lies repeated over time can be made to appear as the truth through the spoken word. Words can enlighten through sharing of knowledge or it can drown us in ignorance through circulating misinformation and superstitions. Words can be reassuring and kind or threatening and violently abusive. Words can cause a revolution or oppress us through continued denigration. Words ultimately are motivated by our intent. It is our mind motivating the ‘tongue’, and that is where Bagalamukhi finds her reasons to manifest.
To understand the manifestation of this dynamic feminine energy, as one of the Dasa Mahavidya (10 cosmic wisdom), we need to delve into the mythology of her origins. Other than her appearance during the time when an enraged Sati (First wife of Shiva) brought forward the Mahavidyas to encircle Shiva, Bagalamukhi has two other stories of manifestation.
· - According to the Swatantra Tantra - A huge storm erupted over the universe in Satya Yuga. It threatened to destroy creation. Lord Vishnu became anxious and called on the supreme power of Aadi Parashakti (Eternal feminine) to protect the universe from destroying itself. Goddess Bagalamukhi emerged from the ‘Haridra Sarovara’ (A yellow lake. She is always associated with the colour yellow) and calmed down the storm.
· - Another story relates that a demon named Madan performed a very severe ritualistic devotional practice (Sadhana) and received the boon of ‘vak siddhi’, unlimited power of using speech to control and manipulate the world around him. He received the power to turn everything to its opposite with his power of speech. He could make lies become truth and vice versa. He could equivocate with such skill that his opponent was left speechless with self doubt. He could just express his wish aloud and make those wishes come true. It is not difficult to understand that such powers, if used with evil intentions to harm others, can surely cause widespread suffering! And it is not surprising that Madan abused his powers by using it with malicious intent. Enraged by this complete disrespect and misuse of the power by Madan, the gods invoked Bagalamukhi. Like a harness, she brought the demon under her control by taking hold of his tongue and curtailing his power of speech and in turn stopped him from causing more suffering.
What is apparent in these legends is the power of Bagalamukhi to bring chaos under control. Scholars believe that the word "Bagala" is derived from the Sanskrit word "Valga" which means – constraint, bridle or to rein in. Though there are other opinions about the origin of her name, this is the most popular among them. She acts as a harness or a restraining power that absorbs the chaos and uses its energy to restore order. The storm is the incarnation of the chaos in our mind caused by opposing turbulent thoughts. She stills our mind with heightened concentration. She illuminates and guides us through contradictions to find peace and inner strength. She also teaches us that the spoken word has the power to do both good and harm. She constantly reminds us that words must be used wisely and our intentions and thoughts behind those words affect the cycle of cause and effect. If we use verbal communication as a tool to always please our ego, those words will only cause pain and suffering to others and in the end such words will lose their power to captivate an audience. In return our ego will suffer and lead us to use more desperate efforts to placate it, if we do not learn when to pull the reins.
Bagalamukhi renders our delusions and misconceptions inert. She stops the toxic cycle created by manufactured misinformation which spreads misery and violence. She paralyses the wagging tongue. She exposes the charade of lies masquerading as truth. She demolishes the notion of invincibility. She is the power that we require the most, in the world we live in now, where the combined greed of the rich and powerful, politicians, law makers, and media keeps injecting us with conceit and deception. No wonder she is not a mass favourite for the civilized society whose foundations are built on pretence, lies and manipulations of the patriarch; where domination is the only form of governance and that domination is achieved through curtailing personal liberty of others, obstructing knowledge, circulating propaganda and instilling fear of violent reprisal if anyone dares to question the imposed norms and dissent.
Over the ages, her worship has become limited to those who crave magical powers or want to keep fatal diseases at bay. Bagalamukhi is praised as the giver of supernatural powers (siddhis) or magical powers (riddhis). She is associated with the colour yellow and is known as ‘Pitambari’ (one who wears yellow). The colour yellow is linked to the sun, gold, ripe grains, fire and all that signifies auspiciousness, bountifulness and purity. Turmeric forms an integral part of her worship. Turmeric is also used as medication and disinfectant in many cultures.
In ‘Bagalamukhi-stotram’, there are hymns in praise of the Devi, which roughly translates into - By the effect of your ‘mantra’ good orators become speechless; the wealthy are reduced to beggars; devastating fires are extinguished. The rage of the angry is calmed; a vicious person becomes virtuous. The agile person becomes immobilized. The conceited become humble. The clever ones become fools. – This denotes that she has the power to turn everything to its opposite. On the face of it, this might mean that worshipping her gives the devotee powers to overcome problematic situations in life and helps to render their enemies useless (which seems to be the most popular motive for her worship). But if we think deeper we understand that she directs our attention to the impermanence of everything we hold dear to us in life, such as wealth, fame, power, success, youth, beauty, ability, pleasure and possession (scary to contemplate for those who are socially conditioned to be obsessed with such achievements to feel accepted) On the other hand adversities, pain, hardship, and everything that causes dissatisfaction will provide us with opportunities to find our true purpose and change ourselves for the better. All that actually matters is our intent. She also makes us aware that everything moves in a cycle and what has begun must end, good fortune will be followed by days of misery, light followed by darkness and virtue followed by vice. Such wisdom is lost on those who aspire to become invincible.
References:
Books -
- Frawley, David (1994). Tantric Yoga and the Wisdom Goddesses: Spiritual Secrets of Ayurveda. Lotus Press.
- Kinsley, David R. (1997). Tantric Visions of the Divine Feminine: The Ten Mahāvidyās. University of California Press.
- S Shankaranarayanan (2002) [1972]. The Ten Great Cosmic Powers. Samata Books.
Online Sources-
https://vedicgoddess.weebly.com/goddess-vidya-blog/devi-baglamukhi-by-yogi-ananda-saraswathi
https://vedicfeed.com/goddess-bagalamukhi/
