Kamalatmika

Kamala
Bestower of wealth, happiness and joy
Member of The Ten Mahavidyas
Devanagari	कमला
Sanskrit transliteration	Kamalaa
Affiliation	Mahavidya,. Parvati,Lakshmi
Mantra	Shrim
Mount	Lotus, 4 elephants
Consort	Shiva as Kamal,an epithet of Vishnu

In Hinduism, Kamala (Sanskrit: कमला) or Kamalatmika (Sanskrit: कमलात्मिका) is the Devi in the fullness of her graceful aspect. She sits on a lotus and in fact, her name means “she of the lotus”, an epithet of the goddess Lakshmi. Kamala is a bringer of prosperity, fertility and luck, a goddess that is also lustrated by elephants. She is believed as the tenth and last Mahavidya.^[1] This is last the form of goddess Adi Parashakti.

Iconography[]

Kamalatmika has a golden complexion. She is being bathed by four large elephants, who pour kalashas (jars) of amrita (nectar) over her. She has four hands. In two hands, she holds two lotuses and her other two hands are in Abhaya mudra (gesture of giving assurance) and Vara mudra (gesture of conferring boons) respectively. She is shown as seated in padmasana (lotus posture) on a lotus,^[1] symbol of purity.

Shiva purana says,

“daśamaḥ kamalaḥ śambhurbhuktimuktiphalapradaḥ । kamalā girijā tatra svabhaktaparipālinī ।। ete daśamitāḥ śaivā avatārāssukhapradāḥ । bhuktimuktipradāścaiva bhaktānāṃ sarvadāssatām ।।” (Shiva Purana 3:17:11-12)

“Tenth incarnation of Shambhu is known as ‘Kamal (कमल)’ the bestower of joy here and liberation hereafter; and Girija’s manifestation there is called ‘KamalA (कमला)’ who takes all care of her devotees. These are the ten manifestations of Shiva and Shakti, the giver of happiness, bestower of material comforts here and liberation hereafter to their devotees”.

• Devi
• Mahavidya
• Parvati

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Notes[]

Further reading[]

• Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Traditions (ISBN 81-208-0379-5) by David Kinsley