Dasha Mahavidyas — 10 Wisdom Goddesses

Appearance — Dark-blue / black complexion. Hair flowing wild. 4 arms — sword + severed head of demon in left; abhaya + varada mudras in right. Tongue out (the demon-blood-tongue). Garland of 51 freshly-severed heads (the matrika-letters). Standing on Shiva — symbolic of Shakti as the active principle over Shiva as the passive.

Appearance — Dark blue, similar to Kali but slightly milder. 4 arms — sword + severed head in left; abhaya + lotus in right. Garland of 50 skulls. Standing on Shiva as a corpse. Distinguishing feature: a third eye + tiger skin around waist + dwarf-form. Pregnant + lactating in some traditions (she nurses the dying-sage Vasishtha).

Appearance — Beautiful 16-year-old, red-complexioned, 4 arms — pasha (noose) + ankusha (goad) + sugarcane-bow + 5-flower-arrows. Crown of jewels. Seated on a throne supported by Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Indra, with Shiva himself as the seat. Smile of bliss.

Appearance — Red-golden, 4-armed (pasha + ankusha + abhaya + varada), wearing the bhuvana (universe) on her head as crown. Mounted on a lion. Often shown together with the entire cosmos as her body.

Appearance — Red-complexioned. 4 arms — japa-mala + book + abhaya + varada. Garland of severed heads. Tiger-skin. Bloodstained tongue. Three-eyed. Crescent moon on forehead.

Appearance — The most-shocking image in all Hindu iconography: She has CUT OFF her own head + holds it in her left hand. From the neck-stump rise THREE streams of blood — one feeds her own severed-head's mouth + the other two feed her two attendants (Dakini + Varnini). She stands on Kamadeva + Rati making love.

Appearance — Old, ugly, widowed-looking woman. Pale-smoky complexion. White widow's sari. Mounted on a chariot drawn by 7 crows (or a horseless chariot). Carrying a winnowing basket. Always hungry — devours everything.

Appearance — Yellow complexion. Yellow garments. 4-armed — club in left (with which she beats the enemy); the enemy's tongue grasped in her right hand. Seated on golden throne.

Appearance — Emerald-green complexion. Crescent moon on forehead. 4-armed (veena + skull + sword + abhaya). Seated on a lion-throne. Often shown with a parrot + a peacock-throne (associations with Saraswati).

Appearance — Identical to Mahalakshmi — golden complexion, seated on a lotus, 4-armed (2 lotuses + abhaya + varada), 4 elephants spraying water (Gaja-Lakshmi). Pacific, beautiful.