Subhechcha Ganguly 
Hello Mehul , we are glad to have you in the platform of Interview Times to talk to you about your book “Secret Goddesses of Tantra”. It is a wonderful book and it highlights the un-stereotyping women. It talks about the Dasha Mahavidyas. We have some questions while we read the book and we would be glad if you answer these questions for us.
Q1) Tell us about the research you had to do and the books you had to read while creating,” Secret Goddesses of Tantra.”
Ans: There are very few books on Tantra, when I did My initial research I found only 10 books around the topic 2-3 of then were in English and the rest were in Hindi, I then did my review of Literature to understand the topic better, I found Tantric visions of Divine Feminine, by David Kinsley as a very close kind of work that I wished to do. I took that as a reference point and then pondered as to how can I Create something different. I then read many books that were already written on the subject. I then found out that the symbolism was missing. The books did talk of the stories, yantras, sadhana, temples but not about the appearance and symbolism in greater details, I then taught of just collecting information before processing it. While I was reading I found that different texts talk of appearance of each goddess differently, for example Garuda Puran describes the goddess Kali in a certain way and Mahanirvana Tantra describes Kali in a certain way and Devi Mahatmya describes her totally differently. I then thought of compiling everything parallelly to give a different perspective of appearance from each text. I then went on to understand the philosophical aspect of the goddesses. Going a little deeper while contemplating the philosophical aspect of the goddesses I found that these can be co-related in various other texts I then went on to read Bhagavad Gita, Adi Shankaracharya Aatma bodha, Viveka Chudamani, and other texts. To give a Number of text referred for each goddess I had to read close to 30 texts, and translated a total of 15 texts. I then kept o structuring the book till I found my final manuscript. The total writing of the book took 4 years.
Q2) One of our readers had the questions What are the Sapta Matrikas? Do they come under Dasha Mahavidyas ?
Ans: Sapta Matrikas are different from Dasha Mahavidyas. The Sapta Matrikas are said to emerge while fighting Durgamasur and assisted Durga, as per Devi Bhagavat at this moment Gramadevis, Nava Durgas, Kuladevis and Dasha Mahavidyas came out to fight the demon. Sapta Matrikas are shaktis of the gods from Brahmani emerged from Brahma, Vaishnavi from Vishnu, Maheshvari from Shiva, Indrani from Indra, Kaumari from Kartikeya, Varahi from Varaha and Chamunda from Devi, and additionals are Narasimhi from Narasimha and Vinayaki from Ganesha.
Whereas Dasha Mahavidyas are great Vidyas or goddess of wisdom that have created the gods like Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, there are many stories you can find in the book how Kali, Bhuvaneshwari creates the creation and the gods.
Q3) Among the 10 Mahavidyas whose worship can be a bit dangerous for the Grihastas ?
Ans : Mahavidyas are categorised in the forms the calm or Shanta, Ghora or Ugra and then there are goddesses in both forms. Goddesses like Kali, Tripura Sundari, Bhuvaneshwari, Bagalamukhi, and kamala can be worshipped by the brahmacharis and householders both, they are in Shanta or Saumya Swaroop; they do not have a ferocious form. Goddesses like Chinnamasta, Bhairavi, Dhumavati, and Matangi are ugra and must not be worshiped by grihasta at all. They are to be worshipped in a crematorium, abandoned place, forest, mountains, or riverside. A devotee if wrongly worships Chinnamasta it can be dangerous, in the book I have mentioned following verse from Shakta Pramoda, a text on worship of Dasha Mahavidyas
“The Shakta Pramoda warns that improper worship can bring severe consequences, so severe that the goddess may behead the sādhaka and drink his blood. Therefore, due to strict rules and regulations, the householders are prohibited from worshipping Chinnamastā. It is said that if woman invokes Chinnamastā by her Mantra, the woman will become a Ḍākinī and lose her husband and son, thereby becoming a perfect Yoginī.
Same goes for Bhairavi her sādhana is advised only to Brahmacārīs, Sanyāsīs and
renunciates. In regards to Dhumavati sadhana my book mentions:
Dhūmāvatī’s worship is recommended only to bachelors, widows, sanyāsīs and tantrics. The householders are advised not to worship Dhūmāvatī, as her worship creates a feeling of vairagya, renunciation and distaste of worldly things. Dhūmāvatī instills a desire
to be alone and give up the worldly things. She encourages a certain kind
of solitude and independence.
In worship of Matangi the goddess demands unhygienic worship which may not be suitable for householders. Goddess like Kali has a gentle form as Dakshina Kali that can be worshiped at home by grihastas but her form as vama Kali must not be worshipped at home, or by Grihastas. One must read about the deity one worships before starting worship.
Q4) So every Sadhak is attached to a specific form of the deity. Akshita who has read your previous interviews want to ask whether you follow the sadhana of a specific deity and who is it. Also, how many years does it take for one to get results from the sadhana they are doing.
Ans: I worship Kali, Nrsimha and Krishna. Its not about years but how fast one can follow the process and purushacharan, that is Japa of Mula Mantra, 1/10th Yagya, tarpan, marjan and brahman bhoj. And do yantra worship with sodasha upachara. One also needs to arrange for specific asana, mala and other paraphernalia for worship of the deity. Once that is done with devotion, discipline and dedication one can get siddhi for sure.
Q5) You have described very well in details about Tantra. Can you name a book that a person can start reading or any religious texts, that is associated with Tantra?
Ans: I would recommend reading my book “Secret Goddesses Of Tantra” as I have I summarised all the information found in various texts in a very organised and simplified manner. My book with help readers understand the teachings of tantra and also orient them with Mahavidyas.
Q6) Question: We have a chapter where you have wonderfully explained “How Krishna becomes Kali”. It is such a wonderful writeup that you have highlighted. Even one of the greatest siddhas Ramkrishna Paramhansa who was a Kali devotee had one learnt from a Vaishnav Guru. Do you somewhere feel that the energies of Krishna and Kali is different or is it the same?
Ans: Looking at it from tantra’s point of view Kali and Krsna are certainly non-different, they are one and the same. Tantra is higher consciousness that believes in intermingled reality and non- discrimination. The energy or Sakti Kali and the medium or Saktiman that is Shiva or Krsna can non-different we have seen Krsna in a form with half Krsna and half Radharani, we have also seen Shiva’s Ardhanarishwar. Therefore, energy and medium are non-different. Similarly, Kali and Krsna can also be non-different. Kali is the feminine aspect of kala and in numerous accounts Krsna has claimed to be Kala or time himself, this proves both to be the energy and medium. I have given many scriptural references in the Kali chapter, Krsna Kali section.
Q7): In Adhyatma there are several topics, why did you choose the Topic of “The Dasha Mahavidyas “specifically.
Ans: There are certainly many gods and goddesses but if we look at the core idea, it is rooted to the concept of shakti or energy. I was always intrigued by Tantra and wanted to do something around Tantra. The core of Tantra has always been Dasha Mahavidyas as various forms of Shakti. Each goddess is wisdom in itself, the goddesses have a very deep and symbolic side to them. While researching this side motivated me to read more and I started writing until one day I had a complete book on Dasha Mahavidyas.
Q8): You have a wonderful chapter, on re-establishing matriarchy. The Shakta roots and knowledge about the culture is really important to spread the sense of matriarchy. If you have to sum up in four -five lines about what the book is about, what would it be?
Ans : Our society has always been a very patriarch in nature and women have always been supressed if we look at Vishnu Puran, Shiva Puran , Padma Puran women do not play a major role. Rather they play a supporting role. In texts like Manu Smriti, Dharmashastara also women are subject to patriarchal discrimination. To over throw this ideology and re-establish matriarchy the shakta texts like tantra shashtras, Devi Bhagavat purana glorify the mother goddess and make the patriarchal gods seek shelter of the Adi Shakti. If we look at Indus valley civilization we will see many terracotta figurines and seals indicating a culture of mother goddess worship. Sadly, the cult of mother goddess declined and the patriarchal took over, however the Dasha Mahavidyas specifically overthrows the patriarchal ideology and re-establish matriarchy by not being governed by the societal order, by making the gods of puranas seek shelter of the Aadi shakti.
The books in the initial chapters talks of the core of tantra philosophy and the methods of worship, with a special chapter dedicated to re-establishing matriarchy, which talks of how the Mahavidyas symbolise the stages of a woman’s life and how they re-establish the matriarchal order. In the second part the book talks about each goddess, her Appearance, Stories, Symbolism, Mantra, Yantra, Sadhana procedures and Temples in great details.
