Goddess Kamala is one of the Ten Mahavidyas who is known as the
Wisdom Goddesses. She is also the Hindu Goddess of consciousness and creation.
Goddess Kamala is also considered the most beautiful Mahavidya.
She is the form of Goddess Lakshmi which relates specifically
to the practice of Yoga. Hence she is also a form of Goddess Kali.
Origin of Goddess Kamala
Goddess Kamala is considered as the Mahavidya form of Goddess Lakshmi,
who represents wealth and beauty.
Kamala is a little different from Lakshmi.
As one of the Ten Mahavidyas, Goddess Kamala represents the unfolding of
inner consciousness into the richness of creation.
The goddess is known for the power to eradicate poverty,
both material and spiritual. Kamala’s name,
which means ‘she of the lotus’, is also seen as ‘Kamalatmika’.
Iconography of Goddess Kamala
Goddess Kamala is represented as a beautiful woman adorned with golden skin
and seated or standing on a lotus.
She wears a dazzling crown on her head and puts on a silken dress.
She also wears a Kaustibha Gem and has a smiling face.
The goddess is seen seated on a lotus in a Padmasana or lotus posture.
Kamala Goddess has four hands. In her two hands, she holds two lotuses.
These are symbols of purity and fertility. Her other two hands are in Abhaya Mudra
or the gesture of giving assurance and Varada Mudra
or gesture of conferring boons respectively to her devotees.
She is also seen holding two more lotuses
that symbolize of both fertility and purity.
The goddess is being bathed by two or four large elephants.
Elephants pouring nectar onto her
are symbols of sovereignty and fertility.
Worshipping of Goddess Kamala
Goddess Kamala is also widely known for her creative force.
She has the power to create beauty and wealth around us,
and to see the beauty in everything.
As the goddess of material and spiritual wealth and beauty,
Kamala is worshiped during tough economic times.
The Bija Mantra or the seed mantra of the goddess is ‘EEM’
or ‘Om Shrim Shrim Kamalatmika Shrim Swaha’.
This is the primal ‘Shakta Beej’ and is sometimes named as ‘Yoni Beej’.
Yoni is in the form of a female’s sex organ and is in form of a lotus.
It is the most basic female principle.
She is the benign goddess who blesses her devotees
with good luck, power, wealth and safety.