kumAra chakra with the twelve dreadful goddesses

The account of the mantra practice of these kaumAra goddesses was originally intended as part of the great skanda vrata. Given that that might take a while to complete, and that these goddess might be worshiped in other rites in different contexts, it is separately described here. The worship of kumAra in the circle of twelve dreadful goddesses might be done as part of pediatric pacifications or for victory in battles. The great kumAra is invoked in the middle of a circle of these goddess. First the oblations are made to kumAra, followed by those to the twelve goddesses. He makes at least one oblation with the following offerings to kumAra: milk, curds, bean-rice, cakes, sesame seeds, ground mung beans, red kidney beans, sweet syrup, cooked goat/sheep meat, beer and fruit jam. If he desires to perform the rite for medical reasons he uses the mantra: vyAdhiM hara mahAbAho mahAbhaya-vinAshana | prasanno deva-senAni vikalaM trAhi rogiNaM huM phaT svAhA || If he desires victory against his foes he offers with: OM shatrUn jahi kuru kuru kushalaM! aghorAya mahAghorAya nejameShAya namo huM khaT phaT mR^it svAhA || He visualizes kumAra with 6 head and 12 arms holding the usual weapons. In the pediatric ritual he visualizes the one face as being that of a goat. The skanda-mAtR^i-s of this circle are: 1) vimochinI; 2) mohinI; 3) sunandA; 4) pUtanA; 5) AsurI; 6)revatI; 7)shakunI; 8)pishAchikA; 9) pAshinI; 10) mahAmarI; 11) kAlikA; 12) bhAminI To these goddesses he offers oblations with the following mantra-s: vimochinI: OM namo bhaktavatsale vimochinI svAhA || As oblations he may offer cooked red rice , molasses and ghee. He visualizes her as red in color with flowing tress and holding a saw-toothed cleaver and a severed head. mohinI: OM sarveshvarI sarvajana-priyaMkarI trAhi trAhi jagatsarvam OM namo bhagavatyai svAhA || As oblations he may offer ghee. He visualizes her as young and beautiful, with firm breasts and a snake girdle. She holds an inflorescence of trumpet flowers in her hand. She wears a beautiful diadem and has flowing hair. Certain aspects of her visualization are only revealed in private by the ritualist to his student. sunandA: OM namaH sunandAyai ghorAyai huM phaT svAhA || As oblations he may offer ghee, guggulu and curds. He visualizes her as saffron in color with a

spear like that of kumAra, a bow, an arrow and a severed head. She wears her hair in the form of a special coiffure with a skull ornament decorating it. pUtanA; for fighting enemies he uses: OM namo mAtre | pUtane! mama shatrunAM rudhiraM piba piba svAhA || For pediatric purposes he uses: OM pUtane mAtaH! Ahutim imAM sushAntyA svIkuru | bAlakaM/bAlikAM kR^ipayA mu~ncha vegenAhutyA suharShite || + svAhA As oblations he may offer fish, goat/sheep meat, milk and ghee. He visualizes her as beautiful but with sharp long canines and wearing a black saree. She hold a trident, a cranial bowl, and a severed head. AsurI: sukale subhage devI sarva-shatru-nivAriNI | kuru shAntim shishosh chAtra vahnihutyA mahAsuri || + svAhA As oblations he may offer white mustard and ghee. He visualizes her as cloudy dark in color, with her hair in an upward pointing coiffure and earrings with skulls. She holds a large mace. revatI; for fighting enemies he uses: ghorarUpI mahAbhAge jayaM dehi shubhAnane | kShemaM kuru jagaty asmi~N chobhanA bhava revatI || For pediatric purposes: ghorarUpI mahAbhAge bAlam mu~ncha shubhAnane | kShemaM kuru jagaty asmi~N chobhanA bhava revatI || + svAhA As oblations he may offer goat butter and polikA-s. He visualizes her as having a rich raiment studded with gems and wearing several gold ornaments and a crown on her head. She has and angry look and holds a spear like that of kumAra, a bunch of severed heads, a khaTvA~Nga, a utkrAntida (death-dealing rod) and an ashani (thunderbolt). shakunI; for fighting enemies he uses: OM namaH padmapatrAkShI kalyANa-vadane shive | imAm Ahutim saMgR^ihya jayaM dehi sushobhane || +svAhA For pediatric use: OM namaH padmapatrAkShI kalyANa-vadane shive | imAm Ahutim saMgR^ihya bAlam mu~ncha sushobhane || +svAhA As oblations he may offer guggulu, ghee and polikA-s. He visualizes her as slender-waisted with well-formed breasts, having large eyes. She holds a spear and a water pot. pishAchikA; for fighting enemies he uses: OM namaH sarvabhUteshI shobhane tvaM pishAchike | hutim chaiva puraskR^itya tvaritaM bha~nja duShkR^itam || For pediatric use: OM namaH sarvabhUteshI shobhane tvaM pishAchike | hutim chaiva puraskR^itya tvaritaM mu~ncha bAlakam || As oblations he may offer ghee rice.He visualizes her as black in color, with a cleaver and a skull bowl. pAshinI: namo .astu te pAshinI rakSha rakSha prasannA bhava skandapriye priyAnane || + svAhA As oblations he may offer cooked rice. He visualizes her as wearing a white saree, of fair complexion and holding a lasso and a club.

mahAmArI; for countering enemies: OM namo raktavarNAkShi rakta-padma-nibhAnane | raktoShThe rakta-dashane mahAmari namo.astute ||+svAhA For pediatric use: OM namo raktavarNAkShi rakta-padma-nibhAnane | vyAdhinA pIDitaM bAlaM rakShemaM parameshvarI ||+ svAhA As oblations he offers white mustard, rice and polikA-s. He visualizes her as fair in color, with a trident, sword, Damaru, and skull bowl, with sharp long canines. kAlikA; For destroying enemies: OM namo ghorarupAyai vikaTe ghoradarshane ! trAhi sarvajagaddhAtri jayaM dehi raNapriye ||+ svAhA For pediatric use: OM namo ghorarupAyai vikaTe ghoradarshane ! trAhi sarvajagaddhAtri bAlaM mu~ncha balipriye || +svAhA As oblations he offers ghee mixed with garlic pods. He visualizes her as being blue in color with firm rising breasts. She wears a skirt of severed hands and a garland of severed heads. She stick her tongue out and has dense flowing tresses. She hold a cleaver, trident, skull bowl and a severed head. She has three eyes and a lunar crescent as avheaddress. bhAminI; for countering enemies: shatrUn saMhara saMhara vairibalam bha~nja bha~nja imAm Ahutim gR^ihItvA suprasannA bhava bhAminI || For pediatric use: bAlaM imaM mu~ncha mu~ncha vyAdhIn saMhara saMhara ShaDvaktraprasAdena prasannA bhava bhAminI || He may offer cakes and milk as oblations. He conceives bhAminI with an angry mien and holding a large rod and an axe. After these oblations he offers bali-s in baskets under a kadaMba or fig tree saying: dvAdasha ghorA devyaH balIn imAn gR^ihItvA skandena saha modadhvam | skandaH suprIto suprasanno varado bhavatu || Then he returns without looking back.