Who is the main deity of Durga Kula? Is it Ashtabhuja Durgambika or Chaturbhuja Jagadhatri?

Answer:- 

There is actually no such term "Durgāmbikā". Now-a-days people are addressing Śerāvālī Mātā (शेरावाली माता) or Mātārāṇī (माताराणी) as Aṣṭabhūjā Durgā (अष्टभूजा दुर्गा),  Parāmbikā Durgā (पराम्बिका दुर्गा) Bhavānī Durgā (भवानी दुर्गा) or Durgāmbikā (दुर्गाम्बिका). 

[[ Sherawali - शेरावाली]] 

But there's no such term in the Śāstras indicating the specific iconography of Śerāvālī or Sherawali . The Rudra Saṃhitā of Śiva Mahāpurāṇa didn't mention even "Durgāmbikā" term. It addressed Sadāśiva's wife as only Ambikā. But the Dakṣiṇāmūrti Saṃhitā described a Dhyāna of Durgāmbikā. It is below:— 

दीपान्तर्ज्वलितारविन्दसदृशा सिंहासनस्था शिवा शूलेष्वासशरारि शङ्ख कमलाभीतीष्ट हस्तोज्ज्वला । सम्पूज्याऽमरलोक वासिभिरसावाखेलयन्ती मुदा स्वाभादीप्तनिशा महेशरमणी दुर्गाम्बिका रक्षतात् ॥  

Salutations to the goddess Durgāmbikā who is the flaming potency of Fire. Her face is as beautiful as a lotus. She rides on a lion. She is auspicious and she holds Trident, Discuss, Arrows, Conchshell, Lotus and Abhayamudrā in her hands. She is worshipped in the Amarāvati the land of Indra. Her complexion is as black as night. May Durgāmbikā, the lover of Śiva protect me. 

She is also addressed as Dīpadurgā (दीपदुर्गा). So, here it is clearly proven that Durgāmbikā is totally different from Śerāvālī or Sherawali iconography. 

Some E-jñānīs are spreading a fake dhyāna of Durgāmbikā. Here is it — 

[[ Fake verse made by E-jñānīs]] 

Firstly, a Smārta gives reference of this dhyāna as "Durgācana Tantra" (दुर्गार्चन तन्त्र) and another Śākta-masked Smārta gives it as "Sammohinī Tantra" (सम्मोहिनी तन्त्र). The second man is the composer of this dhyāna. Neither Durgārcana nor Sammohinī Tantra described this dhyāna. Inspired by saptaśatīdhyānātmakaṃ stotram (सप्तशतीध्यानात्मकं स्तोत्रम् ) of śrīkāśīkara anantabhaṭṭasutarāmakṛṣṇabhaṭṭa (श्रीकाशीकर अनन्तभट्टसुतरामकृष्णभट्ट), that manipulator made this dhyāna. The original dhyāna was dedicated to Mūladurgā (मूलदुर्गा). 

[[ Mūladurgā Dhyāna]] 

He mixed up this dhyāna with the lines of Mahābhāgavata Purāṇa. 

Secondly the Dākṣāyaṇī Tantra doesn't mention her Dhyāna. It was falsely quoted by E-jñānīs. 

[[ Mahābhāgavata Purāṇa]] 

Now let's talk about the Durgā Kula. We've already made a post about it - click here . 

The residing Goddesses of Durgā kula's branches are — 

1) Kādi Krama : 8 handed Mahiṣamardinī Kātyāyanī

2) Dādi Krama : Jagadhātrī

3) Hādi Krama : Śūlinīdurgā

4) Lādi Krama : Jayadurgā

5) Kulādi Krama : Kubjikādurgā

6) Kakādi Krama : Bhadrakālīdurgā 

So, Durgāmbikā is not mentioned as Adhiṣṭhātrī of Durgākula. 

Not only that, those E-jñānīs are also spreading false knowledges on the name of Bhuvaneśī Caṇḍikā (भुवनेशी चण्डिका). They're telling that Bhuvaneśī Caṇḍikā is Śerāvālī. They also used "Aṣṭabhūjā Bhuvaneśvarī" term for her. But the Bhuvanēśvarī Saṃhitā itself said Bhuvaneśī Caṇḍikā is Kolhāpura Mahālakṣmī (कोल्हापुर महालक्ष्मी) Prādhānika Caṇḍī (प्राधानिक चण्डी). Here is a proof, 

Then who is actually Śerāvālī ? 

Sherawali or Śerāvālī is a hindi term. We're using it to make out the readers about the specific iconography. Actually her Śāstrīya name is Bhīḍā (भीडा). Yes, She is Mahāvidyā Bhīḍā (महाविद्या भीडा). Devī Bhīḍā (देवी भीड़ा) is also mentioned in Rudrayāmala Mahātantra. 

[[ Bhīḍā in Rudrayāmala: Devī Rahasya]] 

She is the regional Goddess of Kāśmīra (just like Kāśmīra Śāradā). Being a Mahāvidyā, she has several iconographies. Rudrayāmala Tantra describes her 4 handed form (Chaturbhuja) while Nandī Saṃhitā mentions her 8 handed iconography (Ashtabhuja). The Aṣṭabhujā iconography directly matches with Śerāvālī .

[[ Some lines of Bhīḍā Dhyāna in Nandi Saṃhitā]]

This Mahāvidyā belongs to Mātaṅgī Kula (मातङ्गी कुल) . She has no connection with Durgākula. 

Thank you.