Table of Contents
Who is Dhumavati Mahavidya?
Dhumavati Mahavidya is one of the most dreaded Mahavidyas of Shaktism. Dhuma means smoke or clouds, and ‘Vati’ means the one who bears. Well, the Hindi word Dhua comes from this root word.
Goddess Dhoomavati is a cloud of white smoke arising from cremation grounds. She personifies sorrow, prevalent in burials, and also the clouding of the mind.
Description of Dhumavati.
Goddess Dhumavati wears a white saree like that of a widow. She has wrinkled skin and sagging breasts, devoid of life and rejuvenation. Her white, unkempt hair symbolizes disorderliness and the impact of old age. She is bereft of ornaments and has an empty forehead, an inauspicious sign for a married woman.
Some scholars compare her with Alakshmi and Nirriti, the goddesses of poverty and disease, respectively. Dhumavati Devi carries an eerie vibe, like someone deprived of all happiness. She holds a winnowing platter in her hands.
The goddess rides a horseless chariot, symbolizing frustration when one’s plans go wrong. It also represents a state of confusion, where the horses of life are missing or are going nowhere.
What do Tantric Texts say about Dhumavati
Tantric texts describe Dhoomavati Devi as a quarrelsome old woman, lacking beauty and grace. Crowds surround her for a reason. Crows are not attractive birds; their cawing forewarns impending doom. Hence, she sits on top of a crow like Lord Shani. Among the seasons, she resembles the dry branches of autumn.
She dwells wherever there is decay, the mourning of children, poverty, and distress. Well, through Ma Dhoomavati, we learn that the goddess who looks youthful and charming can have an ugly side too.
One should learn to embrace both facets of life, as both are manifestations of Shakti. Dhumavati Mahavidya empathizes with the less-fortunate widows, bachelors, diseased and unlucky beings. Her sadhana brings distaste towards all that is beautiful.
This sadhana of a Dhumavati is very peculiar, unknown to the bright Dakshina Marga of Vedic bent.
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Can married couples perform the Dhumavati Sadhana?
Married couples should avoid Dhumavati Sadhana, as it results in detachment between the spouses, a delay in conception, or even a miscarriage. Dhoomavati takes away the floweriness of life, only to plunge one into a feeling of utter despair.
Her sadhana is ideal for loners and widows who harbor no expectations and live in absolute abandon and have nothing to lose in life. The goddess is especially kind towards widows and renouncers, as her energies sync with them.
Unlike the typical youthful appearance of Mahadevi, Shakti has assumed the form of an old woman, the final stage of life. Hence, Dhumavati sadhakas have no regrets about giving up their most valuable possessions and leading a detached lifestyle. This is because Dhumavati Devi only takes away everything leaving us dry and parched. This is a very special quality of the Devi, not seen in any other Devata.
The Story of Dhumavati
We must know Devi Sati’s story. After she immolated herself in the sacrificial fire, a saddening smoke arose from the flames, resulting in Dhoomavati. Her eerie smile suggested disaster, portending the onlookers that the beautiful Sati had perished. Now her residue remains, and that is Dhumavati, the harbinger of destruction.
The Prana Toshini Tantra narrates the story of her advent. Once, Devi Sati became hungry and demanded food from her consort, Lord Shiva. The Lord denied her request, and this angered the goddess.
To satisfy her insatiable hunger, she consumed her husband. Lord Shiva spoke from her stomach, requesting her to disgorge him. As Dhoomavati, she did so, but this event soured their relationship. Soon after, Lord Shiva disowned her and cursed her to lead the life of a widow devoid of conjugal bliss. Thus, Dhoomavati became the goddess who consciously destroyed her marital life by consuming her husband, with total knowledge, a behavior unknown to any mortal.
Vamachara in Dhumavati Sadhana
The goddess is the personification of Tamo Guna and enjoys meat and liquor. Hence, the sadhaka must worship her through Vamachara, or the left-handed path, breaking the five taboos (Pancha Makaras). The Pancha Makaras are
Madya: Alcohol, or wine, representing blood
Māṃsa: Meat, or flesh, representing muscles
Matsya: Fish, representing fat
Mudrā: Grain, or a wafer, representing bone and marrow
Maithuna: Sexual intercourse, or Holy Communion with God
Dhumavati Devi poses impediments in the way of our desires and ambitions, causing frustration. She brings delay and halts progress of any kind. As an old widow, she represents stagnation and lack of excitement. But this negative aspect has a positive spiritual side.
Experience during Dhumavati Sadhana
Dhumavati Devi’s actions trigger one’s fear-and-defense mechanism, which operates in the subtle background of our worldly dealings. She snatches the basis of our lives and desires. For a few people, this can become suicidal. Earlier, the sadhaka was in a state of delirium, sitting on the seesaw of material and spiritual life.
However, Dhoomavati Devi cuts the chase by addressing our deep-rooted fears directly. She physically foils one’s plans and brings hindrances to wish fulfillment, forcing the seeker to begin the journey of introspection and seek truthful answers from what remains of a destroyed life. “What if my desires remain unfulfilled?” What then?
The Sadhaka contemplates extreme possibilities and sees a dimension that he had failed to acknowledge earlier. Thus, through a dose of depression, she teaches lessons the hard way. Her bitter medicines eventually cures the disease of desires but are very painful to withstand without a guru’s hand holding. A Guru is a must. Taking up this Mahavidya Sadhana without a perfected Tantrika Guru can foil not only this life, but also upcoming incarnations, on our way to ultimate resolution. Along this dark journey, the sadhaka develops intense Vairagya (dispassion).
He learns from his surroundings, observing the young wither and the lively ones die. What is there in life to rejoice in? What I treasure today will be gone tomorrow! Such disturbing thoughts may introduce sudden mood flings and feelings of despondency. Hence, a guru is extremely crucial for channeling negative thought patterns during the course of Dhumavati Sadhana.
Nature of Dhumavati Devi
Unlike Devis, like Durga, Sita, and Lakshmi, goddess Dhoomavati has no mercy in her heart while dealing with her Sadhakas, as she is a Tantric deity. Her severe temperament may not suit most kinds of people. Dhoomavati is the bitter truth of life. Truth is synonymous with the Supreme. It was through observing the harsh reality and sufferings of the world that Siddhartha attained enlightenment and became famous as Buddha. Hence, we can see this aspect of Dhumavati come into play.
Powers of Dhoomavati
People misuse this Mahavidya to rob the peace of mind of their enemies. However, they do not realize that their misdeeds will come back to haunt them in this or their future lives. Dhumavati Devi ruins the Sadhaka for having misused her powers and foils their prospects. Hence, whatever the Mahavidya, one must perform Sadhana with caution.
As discussed above, the Sadhana can also grant Moksha, or liberation, but its approach is more ritualistic.
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