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118-515: For Buddhists, Muktinath is an abode of dakinis - goddesses known as Sky Dancers and is considered one of the twenty-four Tantric places. Tibetan Buddhists call it Chumig Gyatsa , which in Tibetan means "Hundred Waters" and the murti is revered as a manifestation of Avalokiteśvara , who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. Muktinath temple is seen as a symbol of religious harmony in Nepal where both

236-559: A Sōtō Zen temple in Toyokawa , Aichi Prefecture , where the goddess known as Toyokawa Dakini Shinten (豊川吒枳尼真天) is venerated as the guardian deity ( chinju ) of the temple. Legend claims that the Dakiniten of Toyokawa originally appeared to Kangan Giin (1217–1300), a disciple of Dōgen (the founder of the Japanese Sōtō school), during his return from China in 1267. In the vision, he was given

354-555: A pantheon of ten goddesses. The rarer forms of Devi found among tantric Shakta are the Mahavidyas , particularly Tripura Sundari, Bhuvaneshvari , Tara , Bhairavi , Chhinnamasta , Dhumavati , Bagalamukhi , Matangi , and Kamala . Other major goddess groups include the Sapta-Matrika ("Seven Mothers"), "who are the energies of different major Gods, and described as assisting the great Shakta Devi in her fight with demons", and

472-498: A human corpse. One of the ḍākinīs is shown devouring a human arm and a leg; the other two hold skulls ( kapāla ) in their right hands, and one holds a chopper in her left hand. All in all, the ḍākinīs represented in this mandala are more akin to the demonesses of Hindu and early Buddhist texts and iconography than the female personifications of enlightenment found in Tibetan Buddhism . The ḍākinīs were, as per their placement in

590-515: A hunt. The fox then transformed into a woman who promised to grant Kiyomori whatever he wanted in exchange for her life. Kiyomori, realizing this woman is none other than the goddess Kiko Tennō (貴狐天王, lit. "Venerable Fox Deva -King", i.e. Dakiniten), spared her life. He subsequently became a devotee of the goddess, despite his awareness that the benefits obtained through the Dakiniten rite (吒天の法, Daten no hō ) would not be passed on to his progeny. The story thus attributes both Kiyomori's rise in power and

708-463: A later text belonging to the same tradition, the Śrīmatottara Tantra : here, the names listed are Dākinī, Rākinī, Lākinī, Kākinī, Śākinī, Hākinī, Yākinī and Kusumā. Another chapter in the Kubjikāmata Tantra lists two sequences of six goddesses, assigned to each of the six chakras: the first denotes the creative "northern course" of the six chakras, from the ājñā down to the ādhāra , while

826-589: A lioness. In East Asian Buddhism , the ḍākinīs are mainly known via the story of their subjugation by the wrathful deity Mahākāla found in a commentary on the Mahāvairocana Tantra (also known as the Vairocanābhisaṃbodhi Sūtra ) by the Tang dynasty monk Yi Xing . According to the story, the buddha Vairocana , wishing to stop the ḍākinīs from preying on humans, took the form of Mahākāla, summoned

944-437: A manifestation of the sun goddess Amaterasu, with whom the new emperor united during the enthronement ritual. [...] The Buddhist ritual allowed the ruler to symbolically cross over the limits separating the human and animal realms to harness the wild and properly superhuman energy of the "infrahuman" world, so as to gain full control of the human sphere. Another type of secret enthronement ritual centered on Dakiniten took place on

1062-420: A mantra by Dakiniten, who vowed to become his protector. An image based on this apparition attributed to Giin, showing the goddess on a white fox and carrying rice sheaves on a pole on her right shoulder while holding a cintāmaṇi in her left hand, was eventually transmitted to Giin's sixth generation disciple, Tōkai Gieki (1412–1497), who enshrined it at the temple he founded. Another notable 'Inari' sanctuary

1180-518: A name also applied to Dakiniten's vulpine mount who was eventually conflated with the goddess herself) and the buddha Amitabha , the western peak to Benzaiten and Rāgarāja (Aizen), the southern peak to Trailokyavijaya (Gōzanze), Niu Myōjin and Hārītī (Kariteimo), and the northern peak to Acala (Fudō). When reckoned as a separate figure, the Inari deity (Inari Myōjin ) may even be depicted among Dakiniten's retinue as an old man bearing on his shoulder

1298-508: A necklace of skulls – but inwardly beautiful. She can guarantee a good rebirth or great religious insight, and her worship is often communal – especially at festivals, such as Kali Puja and Durga Puja . Worship may involve contemplation of the devotee's union with or love of the goddess, visualization of her form, chanting [of her] mantras , prayer before her image or yantra , and giving [of] offerings." At Tarapith, Devi's manifestation as Tara ("She Who Saves") or Ugratara ("Fierce Tara")

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1416-433: A person's liver , heart or at the top of the head – instead, teaching them a mantra enabling them to know of a person's impending death six months in advance so that they could obtain it before other demons, who also coveted the substance as it conferred various magical powers to the consumer. [The ḍākinīs'] chief was the yakṣa Maheśvara , who worldly people say is the ultimate [god]. They were subject to Mahākāla,

1534-839: A pervasive vision of the Devi as supreme, absolute divinity. As expressed by the 19th-century saint Ramakrishna , one of the most influential figures in modern Bengali Shaktism: Kali is none other than Brahman. That which is called Brahman is really Kali. She is the Primal Energy. When that Energy remains inactive, I call It Brahman, and when It creates, preserves, or destroys, I call It Shakti or Kali. What you call Brahman I call Kali. Brahman and Kali are not different. They are like fire and its power to burn: if one thinks of fire one must think of its power to burn. If one recognizes Kali one must also recognize Brahman; again, if one recognizes Brahman one must recognize Kali. Brahman and Its Power are identical. It

1652-512: A pole with sheaves of rice on each end. The assimilation of Dakiniten and Inari (or rather, Ukanomitama) can also be observed in the origin story of the Dakiniten Hall at Shinnyo-dō in Kyoto. The story relates that a monk who was a worshiper of Dakiniten had just finished reciting the 600-fascicle Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra when a white fox holding a jewel ( cintāmaṇi ) in its mouth appeared on

1770-517: A short liturgical text to Akomachi preserved at Kōzan-ji is titled Dakini no saimon (荼枳尼祭文). In its section on the Inari deity, the Nanboku-chō period anthology Shintōshū recounts a tradition found in "a certain person's diary" which identifies the deity of the Upper Shrine (上社, kami no yashiro ) of Inari as the "Dragon / Astral Fox" (辰狐, Shinko ) Myōbu, who is said to be a manifestation of

1888-463: A sickle ( kama ) with which he defeated his enemy Soga no Iruka . One text even identifies Kamatari and Daten (Dakiniten) as manifestations of Amaterasu. The connection between the fox, Dakiniten, and Amaterasu can also be seen in the Keiran Shūyōshū , which features the following retelling of the myth of Amaterasu's hiding : Question: What was the appearance of Amaterasu when she was hiding in

2006-700: Is transcribed mainly as 荼枳尼 ( pinyin : túzhǐní ), 荼吉尼 ( pinyin : tújíní ), or 吒枳尼 ( pinyin : zhāzhǐní ); other less common alternative transcriptions include 陀祇尼 ( tuóqíní ), 吒祇尼 ( zhāqíní ), 吒幾爾 ( zhājǐěr ), and 拏吉尼 ( nájíní ). It is also translated as 空行母 ( pinyin : kōngxíngmǔ ; lit. 'sky-going mother'), a calque of the Tibetan term. In Japanese, these transcriptions are all read as dakini ( katakana : ダキニ; also ダーキニー, dākinī ). In certain passages in Hindu Purāṇic literature , ḍākinīs are depicted as flesh-eating demonesses in

2124-586: Is I, it is my greatness dwelling in everything. The Vedic literature reveres various goddesses, but far less frequently than Gods Indra , Agni and Soma . Yet, they are declared equivalent aspects of the neutral Brahman, of Prajapati and Purusha . The goddesses often mentioned in the Vedic layers of text include the Ushas (dawn), Vāc (speech, wisdom), Sarasvati (as river), Prithivi (earth), Nirriti (annihilator), Shraddha (faith, confidence). Goddesses such as Uma appear in

2242-417: Is a major Hindu denomination in which the godhead or metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically to be a woman. Shaktism involves a galaxy of goddesses, all being regarded as different aspects, manifestations, or personifications of the divine feminine energy called Shakti . It includes various modes of worship, ranging from those focused on the most worshipped Durga , to gracious Parvati , and

2360-464: Is a type of goddess in Hinduism and Buddhism . The concept of the ḍākinī somewhat differs depending on the context and the tradition. For example, in earlier Hindu texts and East Asian esoteric Buddhism , the term denotes a race of demonesses who ate the flesh and/or vital essence of humans. In Hindu Tantric literature , Ḍākinī is the name of a goddess often associated with one of the six chakras or

2478-591: Is ascendant, as the goddess who gives liberation ( kaivalyadayini ). [...] The forms of sadhana performed here are more yogic and tantric than devotional, and they often involve sitting alone at the [cremation] ground, surrounded by ash and bone. There are shamanic elements associated with the Tarapith tradition, including "conquest of the Goddess, exorcism, trance, and control of spirits." The philosophical and devotional underpinning of all such ritual, however, remains

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2596-808: Is believed that Padmasambhava built a statue in his own image before departing from Muktinath to Tibet, which resides in the Mharme Lhakhang Gompa and is tended by these nuns. Picture in map of nepal Dakini New branches: Tantric techniques : Fourfold division: Twofold division: Thought forms and visualisation: Yoga : A ḍākinī ( Sanskrit : डाकिनी ; Tibetan : མཁའ་འགྲོ་མ་ , Wylie : mkha' 'gro ma , THL : khandroma ; Mongolian : хандарма ; Chinese : 空行母 ; pinyin : kōngxíngmǔ ; lit. 'sky-going mother'; alternatively 荼枳尼, pinyin : túzhǐní ; 荼吉尼, pinyin : tújíní ; or 吒枳尼, pinyin : zhāzhǐní ; Japanese: 荼枳尼 / 吒枳尼 / 荼吉尼, dakini )

2714-523: Is believed to be worshipped along with her 25 forms. The kali ghat temple is located in Calcutta and Tarapith in Birbhum district . In Calcutta, emphasis is on devotion ( bhakti ) to the goddess as Kali . Where the goddess (Kali) is seen as the destroyer of evil; She is "the loving mother who protects her children and whose fierceness guards them. She is outwardly frightening – with dark skin, pointed teeth, and

2832-590: Is called Shakta. According to a 2010 estimate by Johnson and Grim, Shaktism is the third largest Hindu sect constituting about 3.2% of Hindus. The Sruti and Smriti texts of Hinduism form an important scriptural framework in Shaktism. Scriptures such as the Devi Mahatmya , Devi-Bhagavata Purana , Kalika Purana , and Shakta Upanishads like the Devi Upanishad are revered. The Devi Mahatmya in particular,

2950-549: Is considered an important place of pilgrimage in Shaktism as one of the Shakta pithas associated with goddess Sati 's head (face). The Shakti of Muktinath is addressed as "Gandaki Chandi", and the Bhairav ( Shiva ) as "Chakrapani". Muktinath temple complex is also revered as a place on earth to host all five elements (fire, water, sky, earth, and air) from which all material things in

3068-464: Is considered in Shaktism to be as important as the Bhagavad Gita . The Devi-Mahatmya is not the earliest literary fragment attesting to the existence of devotion to a goddess figure, states Thomas B. Coburn – a professor of Religious Studies, but "it is surely the earliest in which the object of worship is conceptualized as goddess, with a capital G". [T]he central conception of Hindu philosophy

3186-450: Is considered in Shaktism to be as important as the Bhagavad Gita . The Devi is revered in many Hindu temples and is worshipped during various Hindu festivals . The goddess-focused tradition and festivals such as the Durga puja are very popular in the eastern India. The earliest archaeological evidence of what appears to be an Upper Paleolithic shrine for Shakti worship were discovered in

3304-438: Is held as the liberating knowledge. However, adds Tracy Pintchman – a professor of Religious Studies and Hinduism, Devi Gita incorporates Tantric ideas giving the Devi a form and motherly character rather than the gender-neutral concept of Adi Shankara's Advaita Vedanta. Shaktism is a goddess-centric tradition of Hinduism, involving many goddesses, all being regarded as various aspects, manifestations, or personifications of

3422-685: Is interpreted in the Japanese tradition as a wrathful avatar of Vairocana, with some texts even identifying Mahākāla as Acala's " trace " ( suijaku ) or manifestation. A dictionary compiled by the Tang dynasty monk Huilin (慧琳) titled The Sound and Meaning of All Sūtras ( Chinese : 一切經音義 , pinyin: Yīqièjīng yīnyì ) defines ḍākinīs (荼抧尼) as demonesses who bewitch people and have sexual relationships with them. The ḍākinī imagery arrived in Japan via Kūkai 's introduction of Tangmi (East Asian esoteric Buddhism) to

3540-472: Is most dominant in northeastern India, and is most widely prevalent in West Bengal , Assam , Bihar and Odisha , as well as Nepal and Kerala . The goddesses Kubjika, Kulesvari, Chamunda , Chandi , Shamshan Kali (goddess of the cremation ground), Dakshina Kali, and Siddheshwari are worshipped in the region of Bengal to protect against disease and smallpox as well as ill omens. Kalikula lineages focus upon

3658-553: Is of the Absolute; that is the background of the universe. This Absolute Being, of whom we can predicate nothing, has Its powers spoken of as She — that is, the real personal God in India is She. — Swami Vivekananda Shaktas conceive the goddess as the supreme, ultimate, eternal reality of all existence, or same as the Brahman concept of Hinduism. She is considered to be simultaneously

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3776-474: Is one of the deities who guards the chariot of the boar-faced goddess Daṇḍanāthā , one of Lalitā's generals. Seven deities called Dhātunāthās were stationed in their respective places beneath the same step. They were Yakṣiṇī, Śaṅkhinī, Lākinī, Hākinī, Śākinī, Ḍākinī and (another) Hākinī who had the united (and combined) forms of all of them. All these demonstrated the exploits of their mighty arms. They appeared ready to drink (i.e. destroy) all living beings and

3894-545: Is sacred to the Sri Vaishnava tradition. The deities of Vishnu and his consorts, Sridevi and Bhudevi , are regarded by adherents as offering jivanmukti to devotees, offering the epithet Muktinath to Vishnu. It is praised by Thirumangai Alvar in the compilation of the Nalayira Divya Prabandham . The river Gandaki , flowing adjacent to the temple has a kind of stone called shaligrama . The different patterns of

4012-509: Is subdivided into Vāmatantras, Yāmalatantras, and Śaktitantras. The Kulamārga preserves some of the distinctive features of the Kāpālika tradition, from which it is derived. It is subdivided into four subcategories of texts based on the goddesses Kuleśvarī, Kubjikā, Kālī and Tripurasundarī respectively. The Trika texts are closely related to the Kuleśvarī texts and can be considered as part of

4130-466: Is syncretism of Samkhya and Advaita Vedanta schools of Hindu philosophy , called Shaktadavaitavada (literally, the path of nondualistic Shakti). The Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda , remarked thus; about being an actual Shakti worshipper: "Do you know who is the real "Shakti-worshipper"? It is he who knows that God is the omnipresent force in the universe and sees in women the manifestation of that Force." Shakta-universalist Sri Ramakrishna , one of

4248-644: Is the Nichiren-shū temple Myōkyō-ji – popularly known as Saijō Inari ( 最上稲荷 ) – in Okayama , Okayama Prefecture , notable for its goddess Saijōikyōō Daibosatsu (最上位経王大菩薩, lit. "Great Bodhisattva of the Supreme King of Sūtras" – a reference to the Lotus Sūtra ), who is portrayed as riding a white fox while bearing a pole laden with rice sheaves on her left shoulder and wielding a scythe on her right hand. This image reflects

4366-914: The Bhāgavata Purāṇa (10.06.27–29), after the young Krishna had killed the demoness Pūtanā , the cowherd women ( gopis ) of Vrindavan carry out protective rites to keep him safe from future harm. At the end of the ritual, they declare: The Dākinīs, the Yātudhānīs, the Kūṣmāṇḍas, the infanticides, the goblins [Bhūtas], the Mātṛs , the Piśācas , the Yakṣas , the Rakṣasas , the Vināyakas, Kotarī, Revatī, Jyeṣṭhā, Pūtanā, and other Mātṛkās, Unmāda, Apasmāra , and other devils inimical to

4484-496: The Kaula (a vamamarga practice) and the Samaya (a dakshinamarga practice). The Kaula or Kaulachara , first appeared as a coherent ritual system in the 8th century in central India, and its most revered theorist is the 18th-century philosopher Bhaskararaya , widely considered "the best exponent of Shakta philosophy." The Samaya or Samayacharya finds its roots in the work of

4602-751: The Shakta Upanishads , as well as Shakta-oriented Upa Puranic literature such as the Devi Purana and Kalika Purana , the Lalita Sahasranama (from the Brahmanda Purana ). The Tripura Upanishad is historically the most complete introduction to Shakta Tantrism, distilling into its 16 verses almost every important topic in Shakta Tantra tradition. Along with the Tripura Upanishad ,

4720-494: The Sri Chakra , is probably the most famous visual image in all of Hindu Tantric tradition. Its literature and practice is perhaps more systematic than that of any other Shakta sect. Srividya largely views the goddess as "benign [ saumya ] and beautiful [ saundarya ]" (in contrast to Kalikula's focus on "terrifying [ ugra ] and horrifying [ ghora ]" Goddess forms such as Kali or Durga). In Srikula practice, moreover, every aspect of

4838-696: The Tripuratapini Upanishad has attracted scholarly bhasya (commentary) in the second half of 2nd-millennium, such as the work of Bhaskararaya , and Ramanand. These texts link the Shakti Tantra tradition as a Vedic attribute, however this link has been contested by scholars. Scriptures such as the Devi Mahatmya, Devi-Bhagavata Purana , Kalika Purana, and Shakta Upanishads like the Devi Upanishad are particularly revered. The seventh book of

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4956-450: The Bikisho (鼻帰書, "Record of Returning to Origins"), also reports that when the ritual was performed in the imperial palace, two fox figurines – one gold and one silver – were placed to the left and right of the altar, and the new ruler was consecrated through an aspersion with water from "the four oceans". A medieval text stresses the rite's importance thus: "If he does not receive this ritual,

5074-480: The Edo and Meiji periods. For details, see kitsunetsuki . The Mahāvairocana Tantra assigns the following mantra to the ḍākinīs: The following mantra meanwhile is associated with Toyokawa Inari and is said to have been revealed by Dakiniten to Kangan Giin: Shaktism Traditional Shaktism ( / ˈ s æ k t ɪ z ə m / ; Sanskrit : शाक्तसम्प्रदायः , romanized :  Śāktasampradāyaḥ )

5192-474: The Indian jackal , but the black jackal and other black animals are associated with Kali. In the early modern period , the ḍākinī rite devolved into various spells called Dakini-ten, Atago Gongen . Those who felt wronged in their village could go to a corrupt yamabushi who practiced black magic, and get him to trap a kitsune and cause it to possess a third party. Reports of possession became especially common in

5310-647: The Jingo-ji priest Kengyō (鑒教) or the Tō-ji abbot Kanshuku (観宿, fl.  926–930 ). Although one legend claims that Saichō , the founder of the Tendai school , brought with him Dakiniten ritual texts from China which he then buried at Mount Hiei , there is actually no historical proof that he or any of the other monks who went to China to study esoteric Buddhism – Kūkai, Jōgyō , Engyō , Ennin , Eun , Enchin and Shuei – brought home any such texts with them, suggesting that

5428-474: The Outer Shrine of Ise ( Gekū ) and was performed every morning and evening by the shrine's young female attendants or kora (子良 or 狐良 – 狐 being the character for 'fox') when they presented their daily offerings to the deity. There are two traditions related to its origins, one claiming that it goes back to Amaterasu herself through her priestess Yamatohime , the other that it originated with Kūkai. In this way,

5546-522: The Rudrayāmala Tantra ) at the feet, while other texts place a figure named Yākinī at the level of the sahasrāra . In a chapter criticizing meat-eating in the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra , Gautama Buddha refers to dākas and ḍākinīs – described as "terrible eaters of human flesh" – as the offspring of the carnivorous King Kalmaśapada ("Spotted Feet"), who was born after a human king had mated with

5664-547: The Sri Meru . It is not uncommon to find a Sri Chakra or Sri Meru installed in South Indian temples, because – as modern practitioners assert – "there is no disputing that this is the highest form of Devi and that some of the practice can be done openly. But what you see in the temples is not the srichakra worship you see when it is done privately." The Srividya paramparas can be further broadly subdivided into two streams,

5782-513: The Srimad Devi-Bhagavatam presents the theology of Shaktism. This book is called Devi Gita , or the "Song of the Goddess". The goddess explains she is the Brahman that created the world, asserting the Advaita premise that spiritual liberation occurs when one fully comprehends the identity of one's soul and the Brahman. This knowledge, asserts the goddess, comes from detaching self from

5900-617: The Upanishads as another aspect of divine and the knower of ultimate knowledge (Brahman), such as in section 3 and 4 of the ancient Kena Upanishad . Hymns to goddesses are in the ancient Hindu epic Mahabharata , particularly in the Harivamsa section, which was a late addition (100 to 300 CE) to the work. The archaeological and textual evidence implies, states Thomas Coburn, that the goddess had become as prominent as God in Hindu tradition by about

6018-521: The kora , and through them Amaterasu, came to be identified with Dakiniten. According to the Bikisho : "Based on this [ancient practice of worshiping animals with special powers] at these [Ise] shrines, the shrine maidens ( kora ) perform the Ritual of the Astral Fox after presenting divine food. Its meaning is to show that the promise made in ancient times has not been forgotten. Therefore, the emperors, who are

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6136-399: The shaligrama shila , the non-anthropomorphic representation of Vishnu. The Tibetan Buddhist tradition states that Guru Rinpoche, also known as Padmasambhava , the founder of Tibetan Buddhism , meditated at Muktinath on his way to Tibet . The temple is believed to have been blessed by numerous mahasiddhas . The central shrine of Muktinath is considered by Hindu Vaishnavas to be one of

6254-508: The 16th-century commentator Lakshmidhara, and is "fiercely puritanical [in its] attempts to reform Tantric practice in ways that bring it in line with high-caste brahmanical norms." Many Samaya practitioners explicitly deny being either Shakta or Tantric, though scholars argues that their cult remains technically both. The Samaya-Kaula division marks "an old dispute within Hindu Tantrism". The Kalikula (Family of Kali ) form of Shaktism

6372-670: The 64 Yoginis . The eight forms of the goddess Lakshmi, Ashtalakshmi ; and the nine forms of goddess Durga, the Navadurgas , which are mainly worshipped during the Navaratri festival. Also worshipped regularly are the numerous Gramadevatas across the Indian villages. Sub-traditions of Shaktism include "Tantra", which refers to techniques, practices and ritual grammar involving mantra , yantra , nyasa , mudra and certain elements of traditional kundalini yoga , typically practiced under

6490-524: The 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by Kulasekhara Alvar in one hymn. The temple is classified as a Divya Desam , one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book. Many devotees have contributed to it, most prominently the Alvars . Thirumangai Alvar could not reach Muktinath, but sang 10 pasurams from the nearest place, in praise of the deity. Periyalvar sang in praise of Vishnu as "Salagramamudaiya Nambi". The pontiff of Srivilliputtur installed

6608-725: The Buddha, saying, "We presently eat flesh to survive. How can we sustain ourselves now?" The Buddha said, "I will permit you to eat the hearts of dead people." They said, "When a man is about to die, the māhāyakṣas and so forth know that his life is exhausted, and they race there to eat him, so how can we get [our share]?" The Buddha said, "I will teach you the mantra procedures and mudrās . You will be able to know six months before someone dies, and knowing this, you should protect him with this method, so he will not fear being injured. When his life has expired, then you can seize and eat [his heart]." In this way, they were gradually induced to embark upon

6726-518: The Dakiniten rite developed in Japan well after their time. The rapid rise of certain notable figures to prominence, as well as their decline, have been popularly attributed to Dakiniten. A certain anecdote regarding the military leader Taira no Kiyomori found in the Genpei Jōsuiki (one of a number of variants of the Heike Monogatari ) claims that Kiyomori once shot an arrow at a fox during

6844-472: The Devi as the source of wisdom ( vidya ) and liberation ( moksha ). The tantric part generally stands "in opposition to the brahmanic tradition," which they view as "overly conservative and denying the experiential part of religion." The main deities of the Kalikula tradition are Kali , Chandi , Bheema and Durga . Other goddesses that enjoy veneration are Tara and all the other Mahavidyas , Kaumari as well as regional goddesses such as Manasa ,

6962-468: The Earth. They drank and consumed the seven Dhātus , essential ingredients, of the body (viz. the blood), skin, flesh, fat, bones, marrow and the semen of enemies. They had hideous faces. With their harsh leonine roars they filled ten-quarters. They were called Dhātunāthās and they were the bestowers of eight Siddhis beginning with Aṇimā (minuteness). They were experts in deluding, slaying, paralysing (stupefying), striking, swallowing, and exterminating

7080-409: The East Asian Buddhist tradition to have been subjugated and converted to Buddhism by the buddha Vairocana under the guise of the god Mahākāla ( Daikokuten in Japanese) – were eventually coalesced into a single deity called Dakiniten (荼枳尼天, 吒枳尼天, or 荼吉尼天), who, after becoming syncretized with the native agricultural deity Inari , became linked to the fox ( kitsune ) iconography associated with

7198-413: The Hindus and Buddhists have been historically worshipping on the same spot, mutually respecting and including each other. Muktinath's importance within Hinduism is described in ancient Hindu Vishnu Purana 's Gandaki Mahatmya. The ancient name of Muktinath in Sri Vaishnava literature is Tiru Shaligramam . The Gandaki river , which flows downstream from Muktinath, is considered to be the only source of

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7316-555: The Kulamārga. Shaktism encompasses a nearly endless variety of beliefs and practices – from animism to philosophical speculation of the highest order – that seek to access the Shakti (Divine Energy or Power) that is believed to be the Devi's nature and form. Its two largest and most visible schools are the Srikula (family of Tripura Sundari ), strongest in South India , and the Kalikula (family of Kali ), which prevails in northern and eastern India. The Srikula (family of Sri ) tradition ( sampradaya ) focuses worship on Devi in

7434-434: The Rock-Cave of Heaven? Answer: Since Amaterasu is the sun deity, she had the appearance of the sun-disc. Another tradition says: When Amaterasu retired into the Rock-Cave of Heaven after her descent from Heaven (sic), she took on the appearance of a dragon-fox ( shinko ). Uniquely among all animals, the dragon-fox is a kami that emits light from its body; this is the reason why she took on this appearance. Question: Why does

7552-411: The Womb Realm Mandala, originally revered as part of Yama's (Enmaten's) retinue, mainly figuring in rituals centered around the deity. A ḍākinī (not yet the medieval Dakiniten), depicted as a long-haired woman holding a bag, also appears in the Enmaten mandalas of the late Heian period as one of the god's attendants. It was after the Insei period of the late 11th to mid-12th century, during which Japan

7670-409: The [Buddhist] path. Other texts meanwhile assign the taming of the ḍākinīs to other figures such as Vajrapāṇi or the Wisdom King Acala (Fudō Myōō in Japanese). Indeed, in Japanese esoteric Buddhism Acala is believed to have the power to extend the lifespan of his devotees and was thus invoked in certain life-prolonging rituals against soul-stealing demons such as ḍākinīs. Like Mahākāla, Acala

7788-410: The altar. The fox then transformed into a youth, who declared that he was the deity Ukanomitama and that his jewel grants all wishes. In popular religion, Dakiniten was also identified with a fox goddess worshiped at Mount Inari known variously as Akomachi (阿小町), Tōme (専女), or Myōbu (命婦). This deity (commonly regarded as an attendant of the god of Inari ) was revered as a patron of love and matchmaking;

7906-425: The bodhisattva Mañjuśrī . The work then further identifies this Shinko(ō) Bosatsu (辰狐(王)菩薩, "Dragon / Astral Fox (King) Bodhisattva", i.e. Dakiniten) as the incarnation of Vairocana, Mañjuśrī, Vaiśravaṇa and Cintāmaṇicakra (Nyoirin Kannon). The cult of Dakiniten and that of Inari became inextricably fused that the name 'Inari' was even applied to places of Dakiniten worship, such as Toyokawa Inari (Myōgon-ji),

8024-493: The country in the beginning of the 9th century (early Heian period ) in the form of the Shingon school . The Womb Realm ( Garbhakoṣadhātu ) Mandala , one of the two main mandalas of Shingon Buddhism, depicts three ḍākinīs in the southern (right-hand side) part of the mandala's Outer Vajra section (外金剛部院, gekongōbu-in ) in the court of Yama (Enmaten in Japanese), next to the Saptamātṛkās and other similar deities. The figures are half-naked and seated on circular mats next to

8142-444: The dangers of the Dakiniten cult. Dakiniten's cult flourished mainly via the network of Inari worship and vice versa; the former, because of her association with the fox ( kitsune ), became closely linked with the latter, as foxes were seen as the messengers of the Inari deity. Dakiniten came to be identified with the native agricultural kami Ukanomitama , Toyouke , and Ukemochi (all of whom were themselves conflated both with

8260-488: The deity is more important than simple obedience, thus showing an influence of the Vaishnavaite idea of passionate relationship between Radha and Krishna as an ideal bhava . Similarly, Shaktism influenced Vaishnavism and Shaivism . The goddess is considered the consort and energy ( shakti ) of the gods Vishnu and Shiva ; they have their individual shaktis, Vaishnavi for Vishnu and Maheshvari for Shiva, and consorts Lakshmi and Sati /Parvati. An adherent of Shaktism

8378-410: The descendants of the great deity [of Ise], are initiated in this method as part of their enthronement." Although Dakini-ten was said to be a powerful Buddhist deity, the images and stories surrounding it in Japan in both medieval and modern times are drawn from local kitsune mythology. The modern folk belief, often printed in Japanese books about religion, is that the fox image was a substitute for

8496-474: The dragon-fox emit light? Answer: The dragon-fox is an expedient body of Nyoirin Kannon. It takes the wish-fulfilling gem as its body, and is therefore called King Cintāmaṇi. ... Further, one tradition says that one becomes a king by revering the dragon-fox because the dragon-fox is an expedient body of Amaterasu. Commenting on the sokui kanjō , Bernard Faure writes: under the name "Fox King," Dakiniten became

8614-640: The earliest evidence of reverence for the female aspect of God in Hinduism is this passage in chapter 10.125 of the Rig Veda , also called the Devi Suktam hymn: I am the Queen, the gatherer-up of treasures, most thoughtful, first of those who merit worship. Thus Gods have established me in many places with many homes to enter and abide in. Through me alone all eat the food that feeds them, – each man who sees, breathes, hears

8732-440: The eight most sacred shrines, known as Svayam Vyakta Ksetras . The others are Srirangam , Srimushnam , Tirupati , Naimisharanya , Thotadri, Pushkar, and Badrinath. The murti inside the temple is made of gold and is the size of a man. The prakaram (outer courtyard) has 108 bull faces through which water is poured, called mukti dharas (liberation representing the sacred water from 108 Divya Desams of Hinduism. Muktinath

8850-627: The fierce Kali . After the decline of Buddhism in India , various Hindu and Buddhist goddesses were combined to form the Mahavidya , a pantheon of ten goddesses. The most common forms of the Mahadevi worshipped in Shaktism include: Durga, Kali, Saraswati , Lakshmi , Parvati and Tripurasundari . Also worshipped are the various Gramadevatas across the Indian villages. Shaktism also encompasses various tantric sub-traditions, including Vidyapitha and Kulamārga . Shaktism emphasizes that intense love of

8968-502: The form of the goddess Lalita-Tripura Sundari . Rooted in first-millennium. Srikula became a force in South India no later than the seventh century, and is today the prevalent form of Shaktism practiced in South Indian regions such as Kerala , Tamil Nadu and Tamil areas of Sri Lanka . The Srikula's best-known school is Srividya , "one of Shakta Tantrism's most influential and theologically sophisticated movements." Its central symbol,

9086-657: The god called the "Great Black One" (大黑). Vairocana, employing the method of Trailokyavijaya and wanting to exterminate them, transformed himself into Mahākāla, exceeding him in an immeasurable manifestation. His body smeared with ashes in a desolate place, he summoned with his magical art all the ḍākinīs, who had all of the magical powers [such as] flying, walking on water and being completely unhindered. He upbraided them, saying: "Since you alone always devour people, now I will eat you!" Then he swallowed them, but did not allow them to die. Once they have submitted, he released them, completely forbidding them to [eat] flesh. They spoke to

9204-582: The god of Inari and with each other), with her iconography probably being informed by these goddesses. A late Kamakura period text called the Inari-ki (稲荷記, "Record of Inari") links the five peaks of Mount Inari with various divinities and Buddhist figures: the eastern peak corresponds with Dakiniten, who is associated with the Wisdom King Yamāntaka (Daiitoku) and the kami Amaterasu , the central peak to Shinkoō (辰狐王, lit. "Dragon-Fox / Astral Fox King";

9322-452: The goddess are widely known in the Hindu world. The common goddesses of Shaktism, popular in the Hindu thought at least by about mid 1st-millennium CE, include Parvati, Durga, Kali, Yogamaya , Lakshmi, Saraswati, Gayatri , Radha , and Sita . In the Eastern part of India, after the decline of Buddhism in India , various Hindu and Buddhist goddesses were combined to form the Mahavidya ,

9440-415: The goddess – whether malignant or gentle – is identified with Lalita. Srikula adepts most often worship Lalita using the abstract Sri Chakra yantra , which is regarded as her subtle form. The Sri Chakra can be visually rendered either as a two-dimensional diagram (whether drawn temporarily as part of the worship ritual, or permanently engraved in metal) or in the three-dimensional, pyramidal form known as

9558-439: The guidance of a qualified guru after due initiation ( diksha ) and oral instruction to supplement various written sources. There has been a historic debate between Shakta theologians on whether its tantric practices are Vedic or non-Vedic. The roots of Shakta Tantrism are unclear, probably ancient and independent of the Vedic tradition of Hinduism. The interaction between Vedic and Tantric traditions trace back to at least

9676-425: The idols of Andal (Gotadevi), Ramanuja , and Manavala Mamunigal there during the yagna performed between 3 and 6 August 2009. This is considered by devotees of the tradition to be a milestone in the history of Muktinath. A large crowd of devotees visits this shrine, where the deity resides in the form of Sri Paramapada Nathan with his divine consorts Sridevi, Bhudevi, Niladevi , and Gotadevi. Muktinath Temple

9794-512: The important places related to Padmasambhava , the founder of Tibetan Buddhism and one of the 24 Tantric (sacred) places of Tibetan Buddhism . The area of the temple is worshipped as a residence of 21 Tara and many Dakinis, goddesses known as Sky Dancers. The nuns of the temple complex are considered to be female goddesses called Dakinis and to be the offsprings of the females who were taught by Padmasambhava during his stay in Muktinath. It

9912-572: The latter – comprising Ḍākinī, Rākinī, Lākinī, Kākinī, Śākinī and Hākinī – denotes the destructive "southern course", in reverse order. Later Tantric texts such as the Rudrayāmala Tantra identify Ḍākinī, Rākinī, Lākinī, Kākinī, Śākinī and Hākinī with the six chakras, the dhātus and the five elements plus the mind . This work associates Ḍākinī with the mūlādhāra chakra, Rākinī with svādhiṣṭhāna , Lākinī with maṇipūra , Kākinī with anāhata , Śākinī with viśuddhi , and Hākinī with ājñā . The Śrīmatottara Tantra places Kusumamāla (absent in

10030-614: The latter. The Sanskrit term ḍākinī is related to ḍīyate , "to fly", as in uḍḍayanam (meaning "flight"). The Tibetan khandroma ( Tibetan : མཁའ་འགྲོ་མ་ , Wylie : mkha' 'gro ma ), meaning "sky-goer", may have originated from the Sanskrit khecara (of the same meaning), a term from the Cakrasaṃvara Tantra . The masculine form of the word is ḍāka , which is usually translated into Tibetan as pawo , "hero" ( Wylie : dpa' bo ). In Chinese , ḍākinī

10148-467: The low person of dreadful deeds, and the great person of excellent deeds. I am Female, I am Male in the form of Shiva. Shaktism's focus on the Divine Female does not imply a rejection of the male. It rejects masculine-feminine, male-female, soul-body, transcendent-immanent dualism, considering nature as divine. Devi is considered to be the cosmos itself – she is the embodiment of energy, matter and soul,

10266-524: The mind, the body and the senses, and other evil omens and calamities dreamt of, and the slayers of the old and the young,—may these and all other evil spirits be destroyed, being terrified at the recital of the name of Viṣṇu . Other texts meanwhile apparently use 'Ḍākinī' as the name of a goddess. In the Lalitopākhyāna ("Narrative of [the goddess] Lalitā ") section of the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa , Ḍākinī

10384-543: The monk Ningai (951–1046), the founder of the Ono branch (小野流, Ono-ryū ) of Shingon, and the Shingon Risshū monk Monkan (1278–1357), a close aide of Emperor Go-Daigo whose name became linked to the infamous Tachikawa branch ( Tachikawa-ryū ). Monkan's enemies in particular painted him in a negative light by emphasizing the dubious nature of the rites he performed; one notable rival, Yūkai , accused him of "making offerings to

10502-499: The most influential figures of the Hindu reform movements , believed that all Hindu goddesses are manifestations of the same mother goddess . The 18th-century Shakta bhakti poems and songs were composed by two Bengal court poets, Bharatchandra Ray and Ramprasad Sen , and the Tamil collection Abhirami Anthadhi was composed by Abhirami Bhattar. The important scriptures of Shaktism include

10620-558: The motivating force behind all action and existence in the material universe. Yet in Shaktism, states C. MacKenzie Brown, the cultural concepts of masculine and the feminine as they exist among practitioners of Shaktism are aspects of the divine, transcendent reality. In Hindu iconography, the cosmic dynamic of male-female or masculine-feminine interdependence and equivalence, is expressed in the half-Shakti, half-Shiva deity known as Ardhanari . The philosophical premise in many Shakta texts, states professor of Religious Studies June McDaniel,

10738-520: The new emperor. The central deity ( honzon ) in this rite was Dakiniten, who is considered to be both the incarnation of the buddha Vairocana (Dainichi Nyorai) and the 'origin' ( honji ) of the sun goddess Amaterasu, the mythical ancestor of the imperial line; indeed, the emperor, upon ascending the throne , was said to have formed the 'wisdom fist' mudra associated with Vairocana in the Diamond Realm while reciting Dakiniten's mantra. A text from 1324,

10856-512: The oneness of the soul and Brahman. — Devi Gita , Transl: Lynn Foulston, Stuart Abbott Devibhagavata Purana , Book 7 The Devi Gita describes the Devi (or goddess) as "universal, cosmic energy" resident within each individual. It thus weaves in the terminology of Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy . The text is suffused with Advaita Vedanta ideas, wherein nonduality is emphasized, all dualities are declared as incorrect, and interconnected oneness of all living beings' souls with Brahman

10974-466: The people, I created Earth and Heaven and reside as their Inner Controller. On the world's summit I bring forth sky the Father: my home is in the waters, in the ocean as Mother. Thence I pervade all existing creatures, as their Inner Supreme Self, and manifest them with my body. I created all worlds at my will, without any higher being, and permeate and dwell within them. The eternal and infinite consciousness

11092-485: The rite, however, eventually became the prerogative of Fujiwara regents , who transmitted the mantras to the new emperor during the ceremony. Indeed, a medieval legend justifies this custom by claiming that it started with the founding ancestor of the Fujiwara clan, Nakatomi (Fujiwara) no Kamatari , who was abducted in his youth by a she-fox (an avatar of Amaterasu). The fox taught Kamatari the enthronement rites and gave him

11210-523: The ritual was viewed with suspicion within some circles as a dangerous, "heterodox" (外法, gehō ) practice due to its supposed subversive, black magical aspects. It is difficult to trace the exact origins of the Japanese Dakiniten cult. While a number of medieval texts claim the ritual's lineage started with eminent esoteric masters such as Amoghavajra or Vajrabodhi , the lineage may more plausibly be traced back to 10th century Shingon monks such as

11328-447: The ruler's power is light and it cannot hold the four oceans. This is why this ritual is not limited to the king; monks of the various temples and profanes, too, when they perform it, can obtain a high rank and be perfectly free." The origins of sokui kanjō are shrouded in mystery; one tradition claims that a disciple of Ningai, Seison (成尊, 1012–1074 ), first conducted it during the accession of Emperor Go-Sanjō in 1068. Performance of

11446-440: The same supreme goddess Shakti . Shaktas approach the Devi in many forms; however, they are all considered to be but diverse aspects of the one supreme goddess. The primary Devi form worshiped by a Shakta devotee is his or her ishta-devi , that is a personally selected Devi. The selection of this deity can depend on many factors such as family tradition, regional practice, guru lineage, and personal resonance. Some forms of

11564-420: The seven fundamental elements ( dhātu ) of the human body. In Nepalese and Tibetan Buddhism , meanwhile, 'ḍākinī' (also wisdom ḍākinī ) can refer to both what can be best described as fierce-looking female embodiments of enlightened energy, and to human women with a certain amount of spiritual development, both of whom can help Tantric initiates in attaining enlightenment . In Japan , the ḍākinīs – held in

11682-547: The six directions (coming) from the north-west." In Tantric literature, Ḍākinī the goddess is usually associated with the saptadhātus (the seven primary constituent elements of the human body) or the six chakras . The Kubjikāmata Tantra for instance enumerates seven yoginī goddesses (Kusumamālinī, Yakṣiṇī, Śaṅkhinī, Kākinī, Lākinī, Rākinī, and Ḍākinī) to whom the ritual practitioner symbolically offers his semen, bones, marrow, fat, flesh, blood and skin, respectively. A nearly identical listing of goddesses can be found in

11800-802: The sixth century, and the surge in Tantra tradition developments during the late medieval period, states Geoffrey Samuel, were a means to confront and cope with Islamic invasions and political instability in and after the 14th century CE. Notable Shakta tantras are Saradatilaka Tantra of Lakshmanadesika (11th century), Kali Tantra ( c.  15th century ), Yogini Tantra , Sarvanandanatha's Sarvolassa Tantra , Brahmananda Giri's Saktananda Tarangini with Tararahasya and Purnananda Giri's Syamarahasya with Sritattvacintamani (16th century), Krishananda Agamavagisa's Tantrasara and Raghunatna Tarkavagisa Bhattacarya Agamatattvavilasa (17th century), as well as works of Bhaskaracharya (18th century). The Vidyāpīṭha

11918-559: The snake goddesses, Ṣaṣṭī , the protectress of children, Śītalā , the smallpox goddess, and Umā (the Bengali name for Parvati) — all of them, again, considered aspects of the Divine Mother. In Nepal devi is mainly worshipped as the goddess Bhavani. She is one of the important Hindu deities in Nepal. Two major centers of Shaktism in West Bengal are Kalighat where the skull of Kali

12036-462: The source of all creation, its embodiment and the energy that animates and governs it, and that into which everything will ultimately dissolve. Mahadevi said in Devi Upanishad, verse 2, "I am essentially Brahman". According to V. R. Ramachandra Dikshitar – a professor of Indian history, in Shaktism theology "Brahman is static Shakti and Shakti is dynamic Brahman." Shaktism views the Devi as

12154-604: The source, essence and substance of everything in creation. Its texts such as the Devi-Bhagavata Purana states: I am Manifest Divinity, Unmanifest Divinity, and Transcendent Divinity. I am Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, as well as Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati. I am the Sun and I am the Stars, and I am also the Moon. I am all animals and birds, and I am the outcaste as well, and the thief. I am

12272-600: The stone are worshiped as different forms of Vishnu . The colour white is considered as Vasudeva , black as Vishnu , green as Narayana , blue as Krishna , golden yellow & reddish yellow as Narasimha and Vamana in yellow. The stones are found in various shapes with even shapes of the Panchajanya and the Sudarshana Chakra , the attributes of Vishnu. The temple is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham ,

12390-463: The subsequent fall of his clan to his performance of the Dakiniten ritual. According to the Kamakura period work Kokon Chomonjū , the late Heian period nobleman Fujiwara no Tadazane commissioned the performance of the Dakiniten rite for seven days as he was about to be sent into exile. At the end of that period, a fox came to eat his offering, a rice cake . He then later had a dream in which he

12508-578: The terminal upper paleolithic site of Baghor I ( Baghor stone ) in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh , India. The excavations, carried out under the guidance of noted archaeologists G. R. Sharma of Allahabad University and J. Desmond Clark of University of California and assisted by Jonathan Mark Kenoyer and J.N. Pal, dated the Baghor formation to between 9000 BC and 8000 BC. The origins of Shakti worship can also be traced to Indus Valley civilization . Among

12626-510: The text presents its theological and philosophical teachings. The soul and the Goddess My sacred syllable ह्रीम्] transcends, the distinction of name and named, beyond all dualities. It is whole, infinite being, consciousness and bliss . One should meditate on that reality, within the flaming light of consciousness. Fixing the mind upon me, as the Goddess transcending all space and time, One quickly merges with me by realizing,

12744-457: The third or fourth century. The literature on Shakti theology grew in ancient India, climaxing in one of the most important texts of Shaktism called the Devi Mahatmya . This text, states C. Mackenzie Brown – a professor of Religion, is both a culmination of centuries of Indian ideas about the divine woman, as well as a foundation for the literature and spirituality focussed on the female transcendence in centuries that followed. The Devi Mahatmya

12862-707: The train of the goddess Kālī . For instance, in the Shiva Purāṇa (2.2.33), Vīrabhadra and Mahākāḷī at Shiva 's command march against Prajapati Daksha accompanied by the Nine Durgas and their fearsome attendants, namely "Ḍākinī, Śākinī, Bhūtas , Pramathas, Guhyakas, Kūṣmāṇḍas, Parpaṭas, Caṭakas, Brahma-Rākṣasas , Bhairavas and Kṣetrapālas." In the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa (3.41.30), Paraśurāma sees ḍākinīs among Shiva's retinue ( gaṇa ) in Mount Kailash . In

12980-620: The two currents constituting the Inari tradition: the agricultural deity of Mount Inari and the esoteric Buddhist deity Dakiniten. From the Middle Ages up until the Meiji period , the enthronement ceremony of the Japanese emperor featured Buddhist elements. One such ritual performed during the emperor's accession was the sokui kanjō (即位灌頂, " Abhiṣeka of Enthronement"), in which various mudras and mantras were ritually transmitted to and performed by

13098-538: The universe are made. The goddess Jwala Mai Temple situated adjacent to the Muktinath Temple is worshipped for its sacred flame fueled by natural gas emanating from the earth. The temple has been worshipped by Buddhists as an abode of Avalokiteśvara , the Buddha who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. In Tibetan Buddhism , the place is known as "Chumig Gyatsa" (the Hundred Springs) and is venerated as one of

13216-477: The wicked Daityas . In regard to those who are habitually devout, they were competent to annihilate all adversities. They were called Dhātunāthās (since) they were present in all Dhātus (essential secretions of the body). A chapter detailing the mode of worship of the goddess Kubjikā contained in the Agni Purāṇa instructs that the goddesses "Ḍākinī, Rākinī, Kākinī, Śākinī, and Yakṣiṇī should be worshipped in

13334-483: The word outspoken. They know it not, yet I reside in the essence of the Universe. Hear, one and all, the truth as I declare it. I, verily, myself announce and utter the word that Gods and men alike shall welcome. I make the man I love exceeding mighty, make him nourished, a sage, and one who knows Brahman . I bend the bow for Rudra [Shiva], that his arrow may strike, and slay the hater of devotion. I rouse and order battle for

13452-469: The world and meditating on one's own soul. The Devi Gita , like the Bhagavad Gita , is a condensed philosophical treatise. It presents the divine female as a powerful and compassionate creator, pervader and protector of the universe. She is presented in the opening chapter of the Devi Gita as the benign and beautiful world-mother, called Bhuvaneshvari (literally, ruler of the universe). Thereafter,

13570-418: The ḍākinīs and conjuring dragons while he is reporting to the throne." The Tendai monk Kōshū (1276–1350), in his work Keiran Shūyōshū (渓嵐拾葉集, "Collected Leaves from Hazy Valleys"), wavers in his judgment of the Dakiniten rite: on the one hand, he comments that "he who worships animals is worthy of being a master. He who worships a fox is worthy of becoming a king." On the other hand, he warns his readers about

13688-547: The ḍākinīs before him, and then swallowed them all, declaring that he would release them on the condition that they cease devouring human flesh. When the ḍākinīs complained that this would lead them to starvation, Mahākāla as a concession allowed them to consume the vital essence of deceased humans known as 'human yellow' (人黄, pinyin : rénhuáng , Japanese: jin'ō / ninnō ) – an elusive substance (often described as five, six, seven, or ten grains resembling grains of millet , dewdrops or white jade ) believed to be found either inside

13806-463: Was effectively under the rule of retired (" cloistered ") emperors, that a cult centered around the deified ḍākinī as a single goddess named 'Dakiniten' emerged independent of the Enmaten ritual. As the cult of Dakiniten flourished, its rite became famous for being particularly effective for obtaining worldly benefits and was thus especially attractive to the politically ambitious; at the same time, however,

13924-484: Was visited by a beautiful young woman. When she was getting ready to leave, he grasped her hair to hold her back, at which he woke up finding himself holding a fox's tail in his hands. The next day, instead of being exiled, he was promoted to a high rank. Attributing this turn of events to Dakiniten, Tadazane in thanksgiving worshiped the fox tail as a symbol of the deity. Other people claimed to have attained positions of authority due to their devotion to Dakiniten include

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