Apara Jayantī and Ḍākinī Manifestation

According to Siddha Dharma, the ḍākinī is believed to have first manifested on the sacred day of Apara tithi (the “Apara” eleventh lunar day). It falls on the eleventh day of the Krishna Pasha of the Jyestha month.

This day is revered as Ḍākinī Jayantī, commemorating her appearance in the world. The moment of her manifestation is said to be at sandhyā godhūli velā – the twilight hour at dusk when day and night meet – an especially auspicious time for invoking ḍākinī energy in nature. 

Devotees observe Apara Jayantī with special pūjā (ritual worship), and intensive meditation dedicated to the ḍākinī. As evening falls on this jayantī, practitioners begin ḍākinī-centered sādhanā (spiritual practice), often maintaining a vigil through the night. It is common in the tradition to continue meditation and mantra recitation past midnight, extending up to around 3:00 AM. This prolonged nighttime worship is believed to align the sādhaka with the powerful presence of the ḍākinī as it descends at that hour. The observance typically concludes with early-morning yoga and dhyāna (meditative contemplation) at dawn.

The Eight Ḍākinī Nāḍīs

Within the subtle body, Siddha Dharma identifies eight special nāḍīs (energy channels) associated with ḍākinī shakti. These are distinct from the well-known principal nāḍīs (such as iḍā, piṅgalā and suṣumnā) and are said to run upward into the brain, connecting the practitioner’s consciousness to ḍākinī energy. Through dedicated ḍākinī-sādhanā, these eight channels gradually “awaken,” allowing the vital force to flow into higher centers of awareness.

Yogic practitioners work with the eight ḍākinī nāḍīs to expand consciousness and achieve heightened states of perception. When energized, these channels enhance one’s intuitive insight, spiritual vision, and receptivity to subtle energies. In practice, mantra repetition, prāṇāyāma, and visualization techniques focused on each nāḍī are used to activate them. Mastery of the ḍākinī nāḍīs is said to unlock latent mental and spiritual potentials – as each channel opens, the practitioner experiences a corresponding expansion of awareness or siddhi (ability), leading to profound inner clarity and supranormal insight.

Ḍākinī, Kuṇḍalinī, and Yogic Practice

Within the Kula Kuṇḍalinī system of tantra, ḍākinīs play a pivotal role that is sometimes misunderstood by outsiders. Because ḍākinī energies can manifest in fiercely potent ways, some traditions misinterpret their aggressive nature as something negative or dangerous. 

In truth, the ferocity of a ḍākinī’s power is not malevolent – it is an intense form of Shakti meant to aid rapid transformation – but if a practitioner is unprepared or imbalanced, that intensity can be overwhelming. 

It has been observed that if a practitioner has latent tendencies, then by engaging deeply in ḍākinī-sādhanā may begin to exhibit heightened aggression, or sensuality, essentially mirroring the untamed aspects of the ḍākinī force. 

In some renunciate traditions, it is believed that if a sadhu or practitioner associates with a woman or even a Rishi being tempted by an apsara, then their penance or tapasya is broken and they have to start again. But for practitioner of ḍākinī sādhanā, this is not applicable as they are empowered by the fierce ḍākinī force which keeps their penance tapasya intact. This stems from the fact that Dakini sadhana is not devoid of bhoga and indulgences.

Himalayan siddhas of the Siddha Dharma lineage openly engage in ḍākinī sādhanā. By doing ḍākinī sādhanā, even by engaging in bhoga and sensual indulgences of life, the practitioner remains ūrdhva retas (upward channeling of vital fluid/energy) . 

By maintaining ūrdhvaretā discipline – sublimating sexual energy and preserving it for spiritual ascent – practitioners transmute the raw intensity of the ḍākinī into heightened awareness even while engaged in base instincts including aggressive or sensual tendencies. 

The traditionally while and untamed nature of ḍākinīs is harnessed as a vehicle for yogic breakthrough, rather than being seen as a negative force.

Philosophical and Controversial Aspects

Ḍākinī worship has often been a subject of debate and misunderstanding in wider circles of spirituality.

Yoga has yoga etiquettes but Dakinis are free spirited, unrestrained and do not have fixed etiquettes. There is nothing right or wrong for them and it all depends on the situation. Dakinis says that all situation is created in Maya and one has to adapt to the situation to thrive. They even encourage to become negative if situation demands. This is the reason Siddhas had a tricky time to place them in devi, devta or bhoota, preata. When they saw the grace and wisdom of Dakinis who can bestow liberation or moksha and understood her philosophy darshana then they venerated Dakinis as goddesses.

Dakinis are ferocious in nature. They are compassionate to their devotees but cruel against their enemies. 

Sincere tantra practitioners with in depth knowledge know Dakinis as Devis or goddess but beginner practitioners with shallow tantra knowledge often misjudge and come to false conclusion in their confused understanding of fierce and unrestrained energies of Dakinis.

One common misconception is that all ḍākinī-sādhanā falls under vāmamārga, the left-hand path of Tantra. The Siddha Dharma tradition emphasizes that the ḍākinī Marg is adaptable and not bound to a single tantric mode. There are equally sāttvika approaches to ḍākinī worship that are reverential and pure, involving fruit offerings, flowers, and meditative techniques in line with right-hand path principles. 

In essence, ḍākinī-sādhanā transcends the binary of left-hand vs. right-hand paths – it can be practiced through different methodologies depending on the practitioner’s level and intent. The key is the mindset and guidance under which the worship is performed. 

A well-trained practitioner under a realized guru will know when a vāmamārga method is appropriate and when to employ a more sattvik approach. Thus, it is inaccurate to classify the entire tradition as “black magic” or morally illicit; it is a nuanced practice that spans the spectrum of tantric philosophy.

Another philosophical aspect is the observed influence of ḍākinī energy on the human mind. The intense shakti of a ḍākinī tends to amplify whatever qualities exist in the practitioner’s consciousness. For an unprepared individual, this might mean that latent desires become heightened – for instance, one might experience surges of sensuality, ambition, or emotion when invoking a ḍākinī. Conversely, in a yogi who has cultivated self-discipline and purity, the same ḍākinī invocation can lead to heightened focus, courage, or spiritual fervor. In other words, the ḍākinī acts as a mirror and catalyst, bringing one’s inner state to the surface. This dual potential has led some to warn that ḍākinī practices could lead one “astray,” while in reality it is one’s own intentions that determine the outcome. When approached with the right mindset, ḍākinī-sādhanā can even be a path of psychological healing. 

As per Maha Siddha Ishaputra, ḍākinī-sādhanā is  open to all kinds of practitioners. If it has elements of penance and sattva, it also has elements of tamas. It also is a path of moksha and also is a path of bhoga. It includes yogic disciplines and also sensual kaam sastra. Even for vikrita mindset or perverted minds which has a distorted or deviated way of thinking. In Siddha traditions, Dakini Sādhanā is sometimes used to “restructure” a vikṛita mindset and remove distortions in thought patterns. Certain rituals and mantras serve to realign mental energies, restoring clarity and balance. A vikṛita mindset is not necessarily negative; rather, it is an unstable or exaggerated state that requires correction and refinement through proper sādhanā and guidance. 

Certain forms of ḍākinī meditation are used therapeutically to confront and dissolve deep-seated fears, traumas, or negative conditioning in the psyche. The fierce compassion of the ḍākinī can shock the mind into clarity, helping a practitioner overcome obstacles like anxiety, attachment, or grief. Even harmful tendencies of some children who end up eating cow dung or mud is seen as a malady that can be cured by a shaman invoking dakini shakti. 

Even today one does Dakini sadhana for brain related disorders. In Siddha Dharma, there are anecdotes of sādhakas who, under the guidance of their guru, engaged in specific ḍākinī practices to cure mental disturbances and attained a newfound balance. Thus, depending on the practitioner’s preparation and guidance, ḍākinī worship can either intensify worldly passions or greatly discipline and heal the mind – the tradition acknowledges this spectrum and trains devotees accordingly.

Ḍākinī Maṇḍala Pūjā and Bhaav Nritya Dance Rituals

Group ceremonies devoted to ḍākinīs – often called Ḍākinī Maṇḍala Pūjā – are elaborate rituals combining mantra, music, and sacred dance. In these rites, practitioners form a circle (maṇḍala) around a central ḍākinī representation and invoke the divine feminine energies with continuous mantra recitations. Offerings (dravyas) are presented to the ḍākinīs as part of the pūjā, special foods, and symbolic items corresponding to each ḍākinī. The atmosphere of the ritual is charged with sound – an ensemble of traditional instruments accompanies the chants. For example, the melody of the shehnāī (a reed wind instrument) and the deep trumpeting calls of the nārasiṅghī (a long copper horn) are commonly used during ḍākinī ceremonies. The droning hum of these instruments, along with damaru, ghanti, drums and cymbals, is believed to please the ḍākinīs and invite them to be present. The music also helps participants enter a trancelike, devotional state.

A unique aspect of ḍākinī gatherings is the performance of sacred dances (ḍākinī nṛtya). There are distinct dance forms dedicated to each of the major ḍākinīs, and each dance serves a specific spiritual purpose. For instance, Rākinī Nṛtya and Hākinī Nṛtya are performed to invoke and celebrate the energies of Rākinī and Hākinī respectively. 

There are ḍākinī and ḍāk dances. So both female and male practitioners perform this dance. Dancers don tantra masks and symbolic costumes to personify the ḍākinīs during these performances. They embody the fierceness of Dakini Shakti.There is an elaborate set of jewels and gems that are studded on the royal rajasic attire of the dancers. 

A dancer’s mask might depict the fierce visage of a particular ḍākinī, and her attire might include ornaments like skull garlands or colored silks that match the iconography of that goddess. These dances are not mere entertainment; they are considered a form of devotional offering and moving meditation. 

Through ḍākinī nṛtya, participants seek to internalize the blessings of the ḍākinī – each dance is thought to transmit the specific boon or siddhi associated with that ḍākinī (be it healing, empowerment, insight, or protection) to all who witness or take part in the ritual.

There are different dances for obtaining wisdom and blessings and there are different dances for materialistic gains and bhoga in the world.

Ḍākinī Temples and Sacred Spaces

Small temples dedicated to ḍākinīs can be found dotted across the Himalayas and other regions where the siddha tradition thrived. These are often modest, hidden shrines than large public temples. 

In Kaulantak Peeth, the ḍākinī temple in the Siddha Dharma tradition is alongside Kurukulla temple in Koala Himachal Pradesh right now. There is one rather of Dakinis and 6 mukha. They contains a unique altar arrangement reflecting the Dakini Kula Maṇḍala. Usually six major ḍākinī mūrtis (statues or images) are installed in a circular layout around a central icon or emblem known as the Sarva Ḍākinī Maṇḍala Chakra. The central chakra (often a yantra or the image of the supreme ḍākinī, e.g. Kurukullā as Hiraṇya Sāmrāgyī) represents the collective essence of all ḍākinīs. Surrounding it, positioned at six points of a circle, are the mūrtis of the primary ḍākinīs – traditionally Ḍākinī, Rākinī, Lākinī, Kākinī, Śākinī, and Hākinī. This spatial arrangement creates a sacred mandala in the temple layout, with the seven ḍākinī forms together embodying a complete cosmos of divine feminine energy.

Rituals in ḍākinī temples are visually striking due to the iconography and attire involved. The deity figures (many of which are wooden or metal idols of relatively small size) are customarily adorned with royal rajasic cloth and jewelry. Each ḍākinī murti may be draped in a cloth of the color associated with her. They are further decorated with garlands, crowns, armlets, and gemstones, presenting them as queens of the sacred space.

During important pūjās, the temple caretakers or tantric shamans priests also adopt symbolic attire. They might wear specific colored robes or sashes corresponding to the ḍākinī being invoked, and sometimes ornament themselves with rudrākṣa beads, bone jewelry, or other tantric insignia to embody the ḍākinī spirit. 

In certain ceremonies, an officiant could even wear a ritual mask or a coronet inscribed with ḍākinī images while conducting the rites, temporarily personifying the ḍākinī as a vessel for her presence. All of these elements – the circular arrangement of mūrtis, the jewel-adorned icons, and the special garments – contribute to an immersive sacred atmosphere. The temple space itself becomes a living maṇḍala, a sacred theater where humans and ḍākinīs meet. 

Devotees report that in such charged spaces, one can palpably feel the shakti of the ḍākinīs, and the boundary between the seen and unseen realms thins during deep worship. These ḍākinī temples thus serve as important spiritual hubs for initiates, where they perform sādhanā, celebrate ḍākinī festivals, and experience the transformative energy of the Dakini Kula first-hand.

Mahā Siddhas of Ḍākinī Kula

They are the key Siddha figures associated with each category of ḍākinī sādhanā  and are credited with establishing or enriching the practices of each ḍākinī. Such information has been preserved through oral tradition and ancient manuscripts.