The Great Goddess Bagalamukhi is the eighth Great Cosmic Wisdom in the Hindi tantric pantheon. She, according to the praises the sages brought to her,owns (among other things) the amazing power to stop or to suddenly cease any movement or any action that occurs both at a macro cosmic and at a micro cosmic (that of a human being) level.
This extraordinary ability is related to some other aspects of life like the power to fascinate, charismatic influence, etc.
For example, a very beautiful,harmonious and vital woman can actually arouse a kind of “still state” or immobility of the senses, of the mind and even of the breath in those who see her.
In fact, the Eastern spiritual tradition asserts that the power which the Feminine Principle holds at a cosmic level has the extraordinary capacity to block,to stop or to immobilize any activity or manifestation.
This is the main aspect manifested by the Great Cosmic Wisdom, Bagalamukhi, who represents the universal hypnotic power of the Supreme Divine Power (Shakti) itself.
Etymologically, Bagala means “rope” or “rein” and Mukhi means “face” or “image”. Therefore, Bagalamukhi is the Goddess whose face has the formidable power (through her subtle radiation) to control or to rule any situation or form in manifestation.
One of the main aspects manifested by Bagalamukhi is related to speech and that is why she resonates with the Great Cosmic Wisdom Tara, sometimes she is even considered one of her forms.
It is not that difficult to understand this connection if we realize that intense subtle radiation is often related to the manifestation of light; therefore, Tara manifests as Bagalamukhi when the subtle energy of sound manifests as light.
A practical example is a very inspired lecture which fascinates the entire audience to the point that it becomes immobile and focused both physically and mentally on the speaker.
Therefore, Bagalamukhi is the fascinating radiation which derives from the subtle Divine Logos endowing the speaker with huge force and a paralyzing impact upon his listeners.
Thus, Bagalamukhi grants the speaker the power of making decisive assertions, of expressing final conclusions forcefully and eloquently and of declaring his/her opinions on the fundamental truths of life with great authority and impact.
That is the reason why Bagalamukhi is appealed to with fervor when one looks for inspiration in his/her speeches, debates and assertions.
SHE OWNS THE “WEAPON” OF SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE WHICH REMOVES ALL OBSTACLES
Another very important aspect of Bagalamukhi that she offers to those who worship her with sincerity and devotion is the power to annihilate the forces that oppose our spiritual evolution, which consist of all the thoughts, ideas and feelings deriving from our ego (that is, from our false identity).
Basically, the supreme “weapon” that annihilates any conflict and any confusion is the “weapon” of spiritual knowledge which in the Hindu tradition is called “the weapon of Brahma ” (Brahmastra).
It is the same tradition which asserts that the highest form of manifestation of Brahmastra is represented by the answer to the question “Who am I, really?”, which refers to the eternal, immutable essence of the Supreme Self (Atman).
Profound meditation on the meaning to the question (“Who am I?”) is essential for any human being who wishes to progress spiritually.
Indeed, we can easily find out that although we can get to know the outside world, our inner Self remains almost completely hidden. What we call “self” is generally our erroneous identification with temporal thoughts, feelings and sensations, but these are not the true nature of our consciousness.
That is why the constant focus on the profound meaning of the question “Who am I?” will diminish gradually the manifestation of our thoughts and all the other aspects or questions will become less important when compared to the answer to this fundamental question.
Taking into account the way of manifestation and the specifics of the Great Cosmic Wisdoms we can easily understand how Tara (the Great Goddess related to the Divine Logos) becomes the subtle force of the question “Who am I?” itself, a force that can bestow upon us, a deep immobility of the mind, the very silence manifested by Bagalamukhi.
The Great Cosmic Wisdom Bagalamukhi force or impact in speech is also used as a dreadful “weapon” against any negativism or attachment.
From this point of view Bagalamukhi resembles Tripura Bhairavi, only that Bhairavi manifests the power of successfully removing any obstacle while Bagalamukhi dissolves through complete motionlessness anything illusionary represented by manifestation.
Negativity (which in fact is a more or less conscious form through which most human beings manifest their endurance to certain factors or situations they need to face) is not necessarily an aspect that needs to be destroyed but a specific state of mind deeply rooted in the sub-consciousness, which can to be annihilated through complete immobility.
SHE REVEALS THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION: “WHO AM I?”
The Great Cosmic Wisdom Bagalamukhi resembles Chinnamasta in her way of manifestation as both Goddesses possess the terrible power of lightning (vajra) (which is related to the electric force), their manifestation being terrible and instantaneous most of the time.
But while Chinnamasta confers (as we already know from the previous articles) the power to see the truth beyond any appearance (through the means of direct perception), Bagalamukhi confers the power to instantaneously stop any manifestation through the force of the Divine Logos.
Thus, the fervent worship of the two Great Cosmic Wisdoms is recommended especially to those looking for a radical and a fast transformation of their vision upon reality.
In the tantric pantheon, Bagalamukhi is considered the leader of the “army” consisting of all goddesses (actually, this is the “army” of the Supreme manifested Energy (Shakti) that actually belongs to Shiva ) and she is its terrible and instantaneous force.
The Great Cosmic Wisdom Chinnamasta can stop our different perceptions and thus we can be aware of the Essential Divine Truth.
The active force of Bagalamukhi has the same effect but it manifests through sound, thoughts and pranic activity performed by the human being.
In other words, Bagalamukhi is the central point where we can identify ourselves with the ineffable silence, with the mysterious stillness and with the ecstatic immobility of our essential divine nature, a point which perfectly mimics all the actions in Manifestation even though it is beyond any actions.
SHE DESTROYS THE MESMERIC EXTERIOR MANIFESTATIONS THROUGH THE STATE OF ABSOLUTE STILLNESS
The Great Goddess represents the “terrible scepter of Divine judgement” of man’s evil actions and she also represents the extraordinary power of focusing one’s attention thus the eliminating any possible confusion.
Different yogic texts and manuscripts emphasize her tremendous power to induce a state of stoppage, a completely “paralyzing” state, of any kind of action.
Stopping an action is called Stambhana in sanskrit. It refers, at a exterior and superficial level, to the power to instantaneously stop those who attack us, especially by making them unable to talk, which will instill great fear in them.
But at a more profound inner level, this tremendous power refers to the capacity to perfectly control our thoughts and energies.
Thus, the Great Cosmic Wisdom Bagalamukhi can grant us, through her overwhelming grace, complete control over all our actions and also the power to stop any of them at will.
Actually this power derives from our (at least partial) awareness of our divine nature which is the Supreme Self (Atman).
We can consider this process another way as well; we can gradually reveal our true Self by the means of a more attentive and focused observation of our daily activities, immediately Stopping those that hinder our spiritual evolution.
For example, it is recommended (especially during the early stages) to suddenly stop during an action in which we seem to get more and more involved and to consciously observe in a detached manner the state and condition of our mind at that moment.
This can be done when we are very busy, when we are about to get angry, nervous, irritated, etc. At a higher level, we can continue our action undisturbed, being at the same time, conscious observers of our mental processes and physical actions during that action.
This was one of the most important methods that made the great initiate George Ivanovitch Gurdjieff famous in the western countries.
Through this quite simple but very efficient method (which actually expresses the state of resonance with the Great Cosmic Wisdom Bagalamukhi), he wanted to press that button that would propel their individual consciousness into a higher state of mind.
This is a very important technique mainly because most of the people have forgotten about themselves, becoming “hypnotized” by the appearance of exterior things or by their false identity.
The decisive action of Bagalamukhi is that she shatters this exterior “mesmerism” by the means of a much superior hypnotic power which implies the most profound levels of spiritual knowledge.
This action, performed with divine discernment will almost instantaneously annihilate our tendency of getting attached to the exterior reality, generating a profound spiritual transformation based on mature understanding and a deep faith in the ancestral truth that the exterior world is just a huge and illusive dream.
HOW THE GRACE OF THE GREAT COSMIC POWER OF DIVINE FASCINATION CAN BE RECEIVED
The Great Cosmic Wisdom Bagalamukhi has the divine power to turn any aspect or action into its opposite.
For example, she turns speech into silence, knowledge into ignorance, power into lack of power, defeat into victory, etc.
Thus, she represents the divine wisdom which shows us that in time everything in manifestation transforms and eventually passes cyclically through the state that defines the opposite of that aspect at a certain moment.
The idea is that, being exactly at the point of the ecstatic void from between the two opposite states or conditions (from which they are generated in duality), Bagalamukhi confers the possibility to transcend the manifested state successfully so that we ecstatically submerge into the oceanic silence of the Ecstatic Creative Void.
Resonance with this Great Cosmic Wisdom is amplified when we are able to perceive in each situation we face the existence of opposite possibilities without being deceived by their sometimes tempting game.
For example, the ability to understand (where most of the people cannot) that the seeds of failure can be found in almost any success, that there is death in life, that in any joy there is a little bit of sadness, or that in anger lies the spark of complete calmness (like the eye of a hurricane), and so on. This represents and proves the ineffable state of resonance with the consciousness of the Great Cosmic Wisdom Bagalamukhi.
In other words, she is the mysterious existence of the opposite aspect in which everything dissolves and returns to the Un-manifested.
Texts from the Hindi tantric tradition assert that the “power” of Bagalamukhi in the human body is found in the soft area of the palate, that is, where Indra – Yoni is situated, the point from which the sense organs related to hearing, seeing, smell and taste are equally placed.
Generally, this soft area is related to the function of the third eye (Ajna Chakra); thus, Bagalamukhi just like Chinnamasta is associated to this subtle force center.
The spiritual Hindi tradition says that through a constant and firm focus on this soft palate the yogi can obtain complete control over his senses and over different kinds of subtle energies (prana).
SHE REVEALS THE MYSTERY OF LIFE AND DEATH
Bagalamukhi also has a deep connection with the manifestation of Anahata Chakra, being the essential place of pranic manifestation in the micro cosmos of the human being.
Besides, as it is known, the withdrawal or focus of the vital subtle energy (prana) on the level of the heart leads to its complete immobility, which endows the advanced yogi with total control over his existence, that is, over his life and death.
The Great Cosmic Wisdom Bagalamukhi is another terrible form of manifestation for the Supreme Goddess Shakti, counterpart of Shiva (the Father GOD).
In the tantric symbolism her color is yellow. Her garment and jewels are also yellow and she is adored with garlands of yellow flowers as well(especially chamaka flowers).
In her left hand she holds anyone who attacks her by his tongue and with her right hand she strikes his head with her scepter.
Bagalamukhi has as support a throne decorated with purple lotus flowers. Some old texts assert that the goddess wears a wonderful jewel in the form of half moon on her head.
The yellow color of the goddess (a color which is obtained using the powder of the turmeric plant root) symbolizes the nature of a radiant, bright and deeply purifying energy.
Besides, yellow also stands for the radiant power of spiritual knowledge which removes the darkness of ignorance. Thus, the yogi should wear yellow clothes when adoring this Great Cosmic Wisdom.
In symbolic representations, the one who attacks Bagalamukhi (that is, her enemy, her opponent) is the limited and false ego of the human being.
Bagalamukhi grabs and pulls out his tongue, which is a symbol for the attachment to gossip, calumny, argument and any other negative aspects related to speech which, essentially, is the main manifestation of the mind.
Thus, it is good to know that when a human being indulges in those kinds of actions he/she will always have to face (sooner or later) the corrective and sometimes terrible retribution of Bagalamukhi.
A long time ago, the yogic sages asserted that the negative force of the ego manifests mainly through speech and, in order to control our thoughts perfectly and to improve our meditation, it is a must that we control our speech, which can be very easily done by adoring the Great Cosmic Wisdom Bagalamukhi.
EACH GESTURE OF YOURS IS A MYSTERIOUS FORM OF ADORATION
As there are many ways in which an action can be stopped, there are also many ways in which Bagalamukhi can be adored. After all, in the tantric tradition she is considered the symbol of the entire yogic process that leads to the supreme calmness of the mind.
Thus, one of the most important ways to adore her is to perfectly control the act of speech and by not saying anything offending about other people.
The intense practice of Hatha Yoga techniques is another way of adoring Bagalamukhi, especially through asanas (the postures of the body), where the position of the body is maintained unchanged for a long period of time.
A more advanced and profound way to adore this Great Cosmic Wisdom is through the pranayama techniques (breath control), which aim to the stop (or block) the flow of prana in certain parts or in the whole body.
Unfortunately, the flow of breath flow cannot be stopped that easily even in the case of an advanced yogi practitioner.
However, he will be able to stop his breath without a problem when he receives the grace of Bagalamukhi.
REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE IMMORTAL
Another way of adoring Bagalamukhi is to learn to block the subtle energy flow that manifests in our bodies at will, either by the action of thought or through a mantra.
For this, a the ability to concentrate (dharana) and to focus our attention at will and firmly on a certain object, aspect, etc. are needed.
WATCH THE MOVIE OF YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS
Another practical, but more difficult and more abstract approach to resonate with Bagalamukhi is to try and remember as often as possible our spiritual nature which will result in focus of our attention and the suspension of thoughts in the mind (which most of the time manifests through different wishes, secondary ideas,etc.).
This process is quite difficult to achieve by most people because it implies attentively watching the fluctuations of the mind a a detached, but conscious witness and realizing little by little how the mind becomes stable and quiet.
Yogic sages assert that this is the most efficient way to sincerely adore Bagalamukhi.
As we advance in our practice we understand that the attitude of a witness and of a simple observer uninvolved in the process of becoming results in the lack of identification with the relative aspects of manifestation, that is, with the changes of our mind which then becomes stable and able to be consciously controlled.
The tantric spiritual texts mention another way to access the sphere of consciousness and force of the Great Cosmic Wisdom Bagalamukhi: the stoppage of the subtle ascendant energy flow in Sushumna Nadi to the level of Ajna Chakra, or the soft palate, or of Anahata Chakra.
The occult texts say that if the energies are blocked at the level of the third eye (Ajna Chakra), the consciousness of the Self is revealed during the state of wakefulness ( Jagrat Avastha ); if they are blocked at the level of the soft palate, the Self is revealed during the state of dreamful sleep (Svapna Avastha); and if they are blocked at the level of Anahata Chakra, then the revealing of our supreme spiritual nature occurs during the state of deep dreamless sleep (Sushupti Avastha).