Today, while I was giving a lecture at MIT World Peace University, Pune ; there was mention of Mohini a couple of times. So I thought, why not have a post about this..!!
Mohini is the goddess of enchantment and only female Avatar of Vishnu. She is portrayed as an enchantress, who maddens lovers and asuras, sometimes leading them to their doom. Mohini is first introduced in the Mahabharata. Here, she appears as a form of Vishnu following the Churning of the Ocean, a mesmerising beauty who distributes the amrita to the weakened devas and depriving it to the dominant asuras, allowing the former to defeat the latter with their newfound immortality.
Mohini is also associated with the killing Bhasamasura, whom she had invited for a dance contest and tricked into turning himself to ashes. Bhasmasura had received a boon that whoever he touches will be turned to ashes. Because of this boon, it had become impossible to defeat him in war. At this point, Vishnu took incarnation as Mohini and seduced Bhasmasura. And when Bhasmasura wanted to woo Mohini, Mohini challenged him to a dance duet. During the dance performance, Mohini touched her head as part of a dance step. Bhasmasura immitated the step and immediately turned into ashes.
There are also stories of Mohini’s union with other Gods. Most noteworthy of these is the story of birth of Shasta or Ayyappan, who was born with union of Shiva and Mohini. In western Maharashtra and Goa, Mhalsa is worshipped as the consort of Khandoba, locally worshipped form of Shiva. Mhalsa is said to be a form of Mohini. On the fifth day of Brahmotsavam in Tirumala, Venkateshwara is dressed as Mohini and paraded in a grand procession. At Ryali in Andhra Pradesh, a temple was recently discovered buried for many centuries. The central deity of this temple represents the male Vishnu in the front, while the back of the icon is the female Jagan-Mohini (“one who deludes the world”) or Mohini, with a female hairdo and figure. A Sthala Purana tells that the flower in Mohini’s hair fell at Ryali (“fall” in Telugu) when Mohini was being chased by Shiva.
Mohini finds an important place in dramas like Yakshagana and Kathakali. Even in the dance form of Kathak, Mohini finds representation. The dance of Sonal Nahi performed in Chamba valley tells the story of Killing of Bhasmasura by Mohini. It is performed on festive occasions, especially in the Saho fair held in Baisakh in the precincts of the Chandershekhar temple. In Kerala as well, the dance of Mohiniattam is really popular. Kerala, incidentally, is also the region where Mohini’s son Ayyappan is widely revered.
In terms of iconography, we don’t find any specific references of depiction of Mohini. Though certain researchers believe that the Sundaris sculpted on temple walls; especially Darpansundaris; are a representation of Mohini.
While Vaishnavi is also a female associated with Vishnu, Vaishnavi is said to be the feminine manifestation where Vishnu just projects his feminine qualities. On the other hand, Mohini is an incarnation, where Vishnu took birth in a female form for a specific purpose.
Dr Janki Thaker
Guest Author