Chamunda
Chamunda (Sanskrit: चामुण्डा, IAST: Cāmuṇḍā), also known as Chamundeshwari, Chamundi or Charchika, is a fearsome form of Chandi, the Hindu mother goddess, aka Shakti and is one of the seven Matrikas.
| Chamunda | |
|---|---|
Goddess of war and epidemics, famines, and other disasters. | |
14th century Nepali sculpture of Chamunda. | |
| Sanskrit transliteration | Cāmuṇḍā |
| Devanagari | चामुण्डा |
| Affiliation | Durga, Adi parashakti, Parvati, Kali, Mahakali |
| Abode | Cremation grounds or fig trees |
| Mantra | ॐ ऐं ह्रीं क्लीं चामुण्डायै विच्चे oṁ aiṁ hrīṁ klīṁ cāmuṇḍāyai vicce |
| Weapon | Trident and Sword |
| Mount | buffalo or Dhole Corpse (Preta) |
| Consort | Shiva as Bheeshana Bhairava or Bhoota Bhairava |
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| Hinduism |
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She is also one of the chief Yoginis, a group of sixty-four or eighty-one Tantric goddesses, who are attendants of the warrior goddess Parvati. The name is a combination of Chanda and Munda, two monsters whom Chamunda killed. She is closely associated with Kali, another fierce aspect of Parvati. She is identified with goddesses Parvati, Kali or Durga.
The goddess is often portrayed as residing in cremation grounds or near holy fig trees. The goddess is worshipped by ritual animal sacrifices along with offerings of wine. The practice of animal sacrifices has become less common with Vaishnavite influences.