Prathyangira(Atharvana Bhadrakali) - Thousand heads of Lion - Protects from Black Magic Spells
Prathyangira(Atharvana Bhadrakali) is a Hindu Goddess associated with Shakti. She is a form of Adi Parashakti and is the consort of Sharabha.
She protects against black magic spells. She also protects the disciples of Sri Vidhya.
She is described as a goddess with a male lion’s face [1] and a female human body
representing the union of Shiva and Shakti.
She holds the combined destructive power of Vishnu, Shiva and Shakti. This combination of lion and human forms represents the balance of good and evil. In Shaktism, Pratyangira is Siddhilakshmi, a form of Guhya Kali. In Vaishnavism, Pratyangira is Narasimhi, the power of Narasimha avatar. In Durga tradition, Pratyangira is Purna Chandi, the fiery destructive power of Brahman. In the Vedas, Pratyangira is Adharvana Bhadrakali, the goddess of Adharva Veda and magical spells. [2]
We learn from Markandeya Purana and Shiva Purana that in the beginning of the Treta yuga, the
Lord Narasimha, an avatar of Vishnu, came out of a pillar and killed the unruly King Hiranyakashipu
by tearing up his body and drinking his blood. To calm him down, Lord Shiva came down as
Sharabha, in the form of a bird-animal-human hybrid. Upon seeing this, Lord Narasimha created
Gandaberunda, a two headed bird to fight against Sarabeswara. These two beings fought a long
time terrorising the world without reaching a solution. Seeing this Shakti invoked Pratyangira who
appeared before them and roared. When she roared, the terrified Sarabeswara and Gandaberund
stopped their fight. Pratyangira had the combined power of Vishnu, Shiva and Shakti she was more
powerful.
In another version in ancient times when two Rishis, Prathiyangira and Angiras, were meditating
they re-discovered a Goddess who was nameless. Later She privileged the rishis by naming Herself
after them and hence She was called Prathyangira Devi.
The term Prati means reverse and Angiras means attacking. Thus, devi Pratyangira is the one who
reverses any black magic attacks. In temples of south India, She is also eulogized as Atharvana
Badrakali as She can conjure and cure. [3][4]
Pratyangira is one of the chief warrior goddess of Lalita Tripura Sundari army called Sakthi Sena.
Adi Parasakthi at an earlier time during the war between Her and Bhandasura gave two boons to
Pratyangira that the protection offered by Pratyangira is invincible and no god even Adi Parasakthi
herself cannot overcome it.
Also when invoked for offensive purposes Pratyangira gives invincibility and sure victory to her devotee. Thus Pratyangira is a very popular deity among the Kshatriyas warrior caste. She is often described as the ultimate Goddess to be worshipped for defensive and offensive power. She is considered to be a powerful repellent of the influences generated by and has
the power to punish anyone doing Adharma.
Prathyangira is also mentioned in the Hindu epic Ramayana. Indrajit began performing Nikumbala
yaga(a sacred ritual to worship Prathyangira) while Rama Ravana in Lanka. Vibishana sensed
that if the yagna is completed, Indrajit cannot be beaten and so alerted Lakshmana and Hanuman
who prevented the completion of the yagna, which was held at Nikumbala {presently known as
Aiyawadi near Kumbakonam.}
Tantra classifies deities as Shanta (calm), Ugra (wrathful), Prachanda (horrifying), Ghora (terrifying)
and Teevra (ferocious). Pratyangira is considered as a teevra murti. Like all Tantric deities, she
can be invoked for the eight kinds of acts usually performed. They are appealing, growth, increasing,
attracting, subduing, dissention repealing and killing. Detailed information is found as to what kind of
materials are to be used for the respective aim, and the number of recitations to be performed. It is
further said that any act performed invoking this deity, especially the bad ones like killing and
subduing, it is impossible to retract it even when the doer wishes.
Printingara Gayitri Mantra(by Vijay Vadiyar s/o Mahalingam Vadiyar)
Mala Mantra: (listen to this daily, face north)
