The circle of mAtR^i-s

Source: here.

The mighty bhairava stands in the midst of the circle of eight mothers (He is invoked by the formula: skhAM skhIM skhauM mahAbhairavAya namaH||). On either side of the mothers are positioned the roaring vIrabhadra who emerged from the hair of The god and the frightful vinAyaka with a single tusk, both striking terror in the heart of the beholders. vIrabhadra is surrounded by several awful pramathas brandishing all manner of terrible weapons. The terrible vinAyaka is dancing performing a loud aTTahAsa, holding a sharp axe in one of his stout arms. He is surrounded by the fearful goblins armed with all kinds of weapons. Each of the eight mothers is surrounded by her daughters. Together they form the complete circle of mothers. They are-

brAhmI’s daughters: akShodyA; akShkarNI; rAkShasI; kShapaNakShayA; pin~NgAkShI; akShayA; kShemA.

raudrI’s daughters: iLA; R^ilAvatI; nIlA; la~nkA; la~nkeshvarI; lAlasA; vimalA.

kaumArI’s daughters: hutAshanA; vishAlAkShI; hrU~nkArI; vaDavAmukhI; hAhAravA; krUrA; krodhA; bAlA; kharAnanA

vaiShNavI’s daughters: sarvaj~nA; taralA; tArA; R^igvedA; hayAnanA; sArA; sArasvayaMgrAhA; shAshavatI

vArAhI’s daughters: tAlujihvA; raktAkShI; vidyujjihvA; kapAlinI; meghanAdA; pracha~NdogrA; kAlakarNI; kalipriyA

indrAnI’s daughters: champA; champAvatI; prachampA; jvalitAnanA; pishAchI; pichuvaktrA; lolupA;

chAmuNDA’s daughters: pAvanI, yAchanI; vAmanI; dAmanI; binduvelA; bR^ihatkukShI; vidyutAnanA; vishvarUpiNI

mahAlakShmI’s daughters: yamajihvA; jayantI; durjayA; yamAntikA; biDAlI; revatI; jayA; vijayA.

The hordes of mothers are all armed with deadly weapons like the gods from whom they have emerged.

There is only a single surviving fragment of the icongraphic representation of this circle of mothers from a now lost temple in Madhya Pradesh. The yantra of the circle of mothers is a simple one.