Chhina means broken and Masta means head. Chhinamasta means one whose head is decapitated. The story behind the decapitated head is that Maa Chhinamasta was once out with Her attendants and they were extremely hungry, so She cut Her own head to feed them Her blood and satisfy their hunger. Maa Chhinamasta is again a symbolization of contradictions like the otHer Goddesses. She symbolizes the ever creating and ever ending nature of life. Death, temporality, and destruction, as well as life, immortality, and recreation, are all represented by Her.

Her Appearance

Maa Chhinamasta is shown with Her own head in one head and blood spurting from Her neck in three directions. Her attendants, Dakini and Varnini drink from two streams and Maa’s head drinks from the third. She stands on a couple that is copulating and in Her otHer hand, She holds the scimitar. She is naked and wears a garland of skulls which is common in Her and Her attendants.

Dakini on the left has a black complexion and Varnini on the right is red in color. Maa in the middle has a white complexion.

Symbolization –

The severed head that contains the mouth represents speech or creative energy. In non-dualistic Tantric teaching, consciousness and the power of consciousness are one and the same reality. The severed head also represents the courage to make the inconceivable sacrifice of letting go of one’s identity in order to attain truth or liberation.

Black and Red color of Her attendants symbolize the Tamas and Rajas Gunas while Maa’s white complexion symbolizes Sattva guna.

Her nakedness symbolizes freedom and boldness along with infinity and autonomous nature.

The garland of skulls symbolizes the creative power of consciousness by which the universe becomes manifest. Each skull represents a sound from the Sanskrit alphabet.

The blood streaming out symbolizes Prana or life force which keeps the entire manifested world alive.

The fact that She is drinking Her own blood symbolizes self-sustainability and the life cycle that keeps going on.

Her Mantra

Om Hum Chinnamastayai Namo Namaha

Her Sadhana

The procedure for Her Sadhana is simple

1. Mix rock salt in a bucket of water and bathe with it

2. Place a picture of Maa or Her Yantra in front of you

3. Chant the Mantra 108 times a day preferably at the same time for 11 days.

4. Ensure you look at Maa’s picture or envision Her while chanting the Mantra and do not take a break during the 11 days. For women, in Tantra, you can do Sadhana even during your menstrual cycle and hence you don’t need to take a break during the 11 days of Sadhana.

Benefits of Her Sadhana

Maa Chhinamasta’s Sadhana benefits the Sadhak in the following ways :

1. She removes all the obstacles one might be facing

2. She brings everything in your life in perfect synchronicity including your work, your health, your finances, your relationships, and your spirituality

3. She helps in both strengthening your sexual prowess and also being able to control it, enabling you to attain higher consciousness