Vartali Devi (Sanskrit: वार्ताली), is a one of most revered goddess of the “Siddha Dharma”. She is extensively worshiped in the areas of Kaulantak Peeth i.e land of the Siddhas and land of origin of “Siddha Dharma”, in one or the other forms. She is mainly worshipped in the areas of Kaulantak Peeth like Tibet, whole of Nepal and Bhutan and India. She is also worshipped by Tibetan Buddhist as one of their goddess linking it with Varahamukha and Marichi. She is mainly a Tantric deity and her mode of worship is tantra, but she can also be perfected through Yoga.

She is a beautiful tantric goddess believed to be the goddess of mind and emotions. She is pictured seating on a lotus flower smiling. She is a goddess of tranquil nature. She has different forms and she is represented by different colors. She bestows success in every aspects of the life of her worshipper. The “Siddha Dharma” even believes that if one worships her daily, there is nothing in this world that the person cannot achieve.

Etymology

Etymologically, the word Vartali is a Sanskrit word (वार्ताली = वार्ता+वली), which literally interprets as the combination of the words, वार्ता = communication and वली = list/indexes of ways. The synthesis of both the words gives the meaning, Vartali is the goddess of communication and the various ways she communicates with her worshipper or the sadhaka.

She communicates with sadhaka in many different forms and through different modes. She communicates through nature, through abstract entities like thoughts, emotions and intuitions. She can also communicate with the worshipper through omens and symbols like black cat crossing the road, empty vessel in front of the door etc. She doesn’t manifest directly to any worshipper but she makes the worshipper worthy of inferring subtle communications through many modes of communication she uses. “Siddha Dharma” believes she is more like a guide that can give you the ability of inferring subtle signs for better lifestyle and in extensive form, she gives the worshipper the capability of lifting the veil of Maya to know the formless, infinite Brahma. She bestows wisdoms and knowledge ranging from day to day practical use to the knowledge of even ‘Brahma Gyana’ to her worshipper.

The “Siddha Dharma” believes that she is goddess of ‘mind and emotions’. She first originates different thoughts and emotions inside the worshipper and then she makes her worshipper capable of experiencing it fully. This in turn helps the tantric worshipper and Yogis to develop their consciousness and sharpen their mind and intellect. When the worshipper through Yoga or Tantra perfects the sadhana, the “Siddha Dharma” believes she communicates with the worshipper from the back of his/her ear and she communicates various secretive knowledge and wisdoms.

Iconography

According to “Siddha Dharma” which believes in ‘guru/sishya’ tradition over books and texts, describes the goddess to be the “Goddess of flowers”. She resides in flowers. She is the goddess who loves to reside in the nature. “Siddha Dharma” believes that she is as infinite as the nature and as silent and, as tranquil as nature, who loves solitude. Furthermore, she according to Siddha Dharma, is believed to have four forms and is represented by four colors.  As per them, the four colors are maroon, yellow, black and dark blue. Although she has four forms, the Maroon form is believed to be her main form.

Siddha Dharma believes that she being mainly a tantric deity sitting on lotus flowers, she is rajasic(royal) in nature, therefore she is portrayed as a beautiful woman, smiling and wearing  lots of golden ornaments and rajasic cloths.  Furthermore, the Siddha Dharma symbolically represents her as human skull cap. Since, she is the goddess of the mind; she is symbolized as Narmunda (human skull cap), as inside the human skull, lies the mind, intellect and the inner universe.

Different forms:

Siddha Dharma mentions that she has four forms and the four forms are represented by her four colors i.e maroon, yellow, black and dark blue and her main form being the Maroon form. The different forms are as per Siddha Dharma are as follows:

Maroon form / Rakta Vartali

The Maroon form is the rajasic form and the main form. She is believed to be the goddess of the mind and the heart. Therefore, she is believed to originates different types of emotions and thoughts inside her worshipper and then transform them to poets, writers and thinkers. She also originates different new ideas in her worshipper and then they become very intellectual and pragmatic.

Yellow form/Peet Vartali

She is believed to be Peet Vartali because her skin complexion is light yellowish. She is believed to be the goddess of shakti (power) that means she bestows the power to the worshipper to be very powerful and to rule this universe. Tantra and Yoga believes that power is one necessary ingredient to live a healthy life. According to Siddha Dharma, Peet Vartali reveals those little percepts that one can incorporate in their habits so that they can transform into more powerful person. Even oratory eloquence is considered as a great form of power so the goddess is also believed to bestow the power of great eloquence to rule the masses. The siddha dharma ascribes utmost importance to her sadhana.

Blue form/Neel Vartali

They believe that this form is the form of attraction and hypnotism. The goddess fills the power of attraction inside the worshipper such that their actions, words, eloquence, style radiates attraction. People feel unknown attraction towards the worshipper of this form of goddess. She is also believed to be the goddess of love and adornment.

Black form / Shyam Vartali

She is believed to be the cruel form of Vartali. She represents both impulsiveness and wisdom. When a person is neglected by everybody then the person needs revolution inside them, the black form is believed to help brings revolution in the life of worshipper by making them push their limits and by living on the edge. She is also believed to bestow the person to revolutionize themselves and whatever they do. The black form is said to be the Tamas form of the goddess.

Modes of Worship

As per Siddha Dharma and Kaulantak Peeth, the authority source of all Kaula lineage, it is believed that Vartali goddess is mainly a tantric deity who can also be perfected through Yoga. It is imperative that to start her sadhana and worship, it is mandatory to be initiaited into the sadhana of goddess Vartali. Without initiation and proper guidance, she is believed to be unaccessible. Siddha Dharma says, Guru brings the candle and the burning match stick closer, when the Guru lits the consciousness of the disciple then only the disciples consciousness burns bright. Without Guru, starting the sadhana of Vartali goddess is like trying to lit the candle of oneself with illusion.

As per Siddha Dharma, she is goddess of flowers, she extensively loves flowers. So, to get her blessings she has to be worshipped by offering flowers. Her sadhana has to be performed in solitude. Besides that she can be worshiped through various different modes of worship as prescribed. They are:

1. Kaulachara
2. Vedachara
3. Mrikulachara
4. Tantrokta
5. Akulachara
6. Mishrachara
7. Shastrokta
8. Aghorachara
9. Vamachara
10. Chinachara
11. Samayachara
12. Yoga Parampara

The “Siddha Dharma” can initiate a sadhaka into the Vartali sadhana through any of the modes of worship as mentioned above. Besides these, she can also be perfected through Yoga. As per ‘Siddha Dharma’ the yogis in the past have perfected the Vartali goddess through dharana(visualization).

The sequence of the sadhana of the four forms of Vartali is that the ‘Peet Vartali’ is done first and then Maroon form, then dark blue form and then at the end, black form.

Yantra

The ‘Siddha Dharma’ is by default a tantric dharma that uses tantra to specialize in every fields of wisdom forms. As per them, sadhana is always imparted through tantra. The tantra uses karmakanda (rituals), shakti diksha, yantra, mantra as a tool to achieve the purpose of the sadhana. Yantra is the most fundamental part of any sadhana of the ‘Siddha Dharma’.

As per Siddha Dharma, ‘Yantra’ is a geometrical figures that uses geometric diagrams, words, syllable, symbols to manipulate the consciousness, so as it  can be directed in a certain way to create an idea in the mind. Without it the sadhana diksha procedure is itself incomplete.

Mantra

The ‘Siddha Dharma’ affirms that the mantra of the Vartali sadhana is as per Guru’s discretion. The mantra should be properly taken from Guru in the form of Diksha. The Guru observes the disciple and then gives the disciple the required mantra that is as per the temperament of the disciple.