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of beings and forms; (6) Chinnamasta, distributing the life energy<br />
into the universe; (7) Dhumabati, associated with unsatisfied<br />
desires; (8) Bagala, destroyer of negative forces; (9) Matangi, the<br />
power of domination; (10) Kamala, the state of reconstituted<br />
unity. Philip Rawson summarizes these transformations thus:<br />
'These Sakti-transformations may be worshipped separately, in<br />
series, or even in combined images symbolic of transitional stages.<br />
Each one of them represents a limitation of the total persona of Kali<br />
herself, but is an inevitable part of that whole. Without the drastic<br />
experience of disintegration, no search for integration means<br />
anything.' 42<br />
Mahavidyas, the Saktitransformations<br />
representing<br />
transcendental knowledge. Ten<br />
aspects of Sakti - Kali, Tara,<br />
Sodashi, Bhuvanesvari, Bhairavi,<br />
Chinnamasta, Dhumavati, Bagala,<br />
Matangi and Kamala - embody all<br />
levels of knowledge. Jaipur, late<br />
19th century. Gouache on paper.<br />
191
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