Chinnamasta Mahavidya - She is the Shock Goddess

Her icon is dominated by severed heads. But in Chinnamasta’s case, it is her head that is offered, a rare case indeed when examining the history of ritual blood sacrifice to the goddess, in one form or another, dating back many centuries.

Like Kali and Tara, she wears a garland of severed heads, and this can be translated in several ways, however, it is common to recognize these trophies as the slain heads of demons from battle.

The head as the chief of the body’s parts also houses the person’s essential being. Without the head, a person is without identity. The severed heads may also represent ‘the forbidden’ – out of bounds – and the destination for devotional adherents as they seek to be unhampered by social limits. This can also be interpreted as liberation into a fully realized and awakened state of consciousness.

She stands on the copulating couple Kama and Rati – this can be interpreted in one of two ways. Firstly as a form of self-control and discipline. A mastery of sexual and selfish desires.

Secondly, she is receiving sexual vitality from the lovers beneath her. She channels this kundalini fire from the base or root center and feeds this shakti current in the image of blood to herself and her devotees.

Worship of Chinnamasta is rare given her particularly fierce nature. Only those of heroic nature dare worship Chinnamasta. Hers is the left-hand path, and the only other goddess to be so worshiped is Bhairavi. Only those with the nature of the hero are qualified to undertake the left-handed path. (Kinsley)

“With each encounter with the Mahavidyas, we pick up more detail on their traits and powers. Each has her mantra (sound formula) and yantra (sacred symbol). It takes some time to get to know them, but not so long. As you do get to know them, you may find that you are attracted to a certain one more than others. You feel affinities here and there, catch a sharp resonance. You identify. The Mahavidyas have a way of attaching themselves to the psyche of those who will become their devotees. They will adhere selectively to your imagination of them.” JLL