Mahavidyas (Great Wisdoms) or Dasha-Mahavidyas are a group of ten aspects of the Divine Mother Durga or Kali herself or Devi in Hinduism. The 10 Mahavidyas are Wisdom Goddesses, who represent a spectrum of feminine divinity, from horrific goddesses at one end, to the gentle at the other
The name Mahavidyas comes from the Sanskrit roots, with maha meaning 'great' and vidya meaning, 'revelation, manifestation, knowledge, or wisdom
Kali – The ultimate form of Brahman, "Devourer of Time" (Supreme Deity of Kalikula systems)
Tara – The Goddess as Guide and Protector, or Who Saves.Who offers the ultimate knowledge which gives salvation (also known as Neel Saraswati).
Tripura Sundari (Shodashi) – The Goddess Who is "Beautiful in the Three Worlds" (Supreme Deity of Srikula systems); the "Tantric Parvati" or the "Moksha Mukta".
Bhuvaneshvari – The Goddess as World Mother, or Whose Body is the Cosmos
Bhairavi – The Fierce Goddess
Chhinnamasta – The self-decapitated Goddess
Dhumavati – The Widow Goddess,or the Goddess of death.
Bagalamukhi – The Goddess Who Paralyzes Enemies
Matangi – the Prime Minister of Lalita (in Srikula systems); the "Tantric Saraswati"
Kamala – The Lotus Goddess; the "Tantric Lakshmi"
All these ten forms of the Goddess, whether gentle or terrifying, are worshiped as the universal Mother
[Kali, Tara, Shodashi, Bhuvaneshvari, Bhairavi,
Chhinnamasta, Dhumavati, Bagalamukhi, Matangi, and Kamala.]
