Bagalamukhi Mata Katha – Chapter 3: Puranic Tales and Mentions

Mythological Stories and Mentions

In the previous chapter, we learned about the amazing power of speech-stoppage of Mother Baglamukhi. How she silences the speech of the wicked with her power and grants fearlessness to devotees. Now we will shed light on the various mythological mentions of the Mother and her relationships with other goddesses, as well as how her major temples were established.

Mention in Mahabharata

The Mahabharata war was at its peak. The Kaurava army was overpowering the Pandavas. Arjuna was hesitant to raise arms against his loved ones, and Yudhishthira was worried about how dharma would be protected. An atmosphere of despair prevailed. Then Shri Krishna advised Yudhishthira to worship Mother Baglamukhi. Describing the Mother's power and might, he said that only she could provide liberation from this crisis. Yudhishthira, as advised by Shri Krishna, performed the worship and adoration of Mother Baglamukhi with proper rituals. His heart was filled with faith and devotion.

Yudhishthira prayed in his heart, "O Mother Baglamukhi! We are fighting a war to protect dharma. The Kauravas have adopted the path of adharma. Please grant us the strength to establish truth. O Mother, protect us!” He had complete faith in the Mother in his heart. He knew that victory was possible only with the Mother's grace.

Relationship with Other Goddesses

Mother Baglamukhi is one of the ten Mahavidyas. She is also known as Pitambara, as she is extremely fond of the color yellow. Her relationship with Mother Parvati and Mother Durga is also considered. Some stories mention that she is a form of Mother Durga herself, who took this form to destroy the demons. Mother Baglamukhi, like Goddess Kali, appears to have an angry nature, but she is extremely kind and loving to her devotees. She is always ready to protect her devotees. It is believed that by worshipping her, all kinds of fears are removed and self-confidence increases. She is a symbol of power and courage.

Establishment of Various Temples

Many temples of Mother Baglamukhi are established in India, among which some major temples are located in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, and there is also a famous temple in the Datia district of Madhya Pradesh. According to various stories, different reasons are given for the establishment of these temples. Some stories mention the establishment of temples after sages and ascetics performed penance to the Mother and pleased her. On the other hand, some stories also speak of the Goddess appearing herself. In these temples, an idol of the Mother adorned with yellow garments is installed. Devotees come from far and wide to have darshan of the Mother and fulfill their wishes. The temples of Mother Baglamukhi are centers of power and devotion. Visiting these temples brings peace and solace to the devotees. They become capable of finding solutions to the problems in their lives.

Describing the glory of Mother Baglamukhi, the priest said, "Mother Baglamukhi is the manifest power that protects devotees in Kali Yuga. Whoever comes to her refuge never returns disappointed. Mother protects her devotees from every crisis and blesses them with happiness and prosperity." Her words reflected unwavering faith and devotion towards the Mother.

Next Step: Worship and Rituals

In this chapter, we learned about the mythological mentions of Mother Baglamukhi and her relationships with other goddesses. We also learned how her major temples were established. Now, in the next chapter, we will consider various aspects of the worship and rituals of Mother Baglamukhi. We will learn how the Mother is worshipped, and which mantras, when chanted, please the Mother. We will also learn what benefits devotees receive from worshipping the Mother.