Goddess Tvaritā or Trotalā

 Tvaritāgaurī or Trotalā Devī 

Among the infinite forms of the Parāśakti (Supreme primordial energy), Tvaritā is one of the foremost. She belongs to the krama of Gaurī Devī or Gaurīkula. But often she is worshipped in Saubhāgyakrama/ Śrīvidyā, Kubjikākrama and Kālīkrama. Goddess Tvaritā is also known as Trikaṇṭakā (त्रिकण्टका), Trotalā (त्रोतला) & Kīrātagaurī (किरातगौरी). 

Tvaritāgaurī

Etymology:— 

The Trotalā Tantra says, 

ओंकाराच्चायते सर्वांस्त्रासते चैव सर्वतः ।

त्रोतला तेन आख्याता तन्त्रार्थोयं प्रतिष्ठितः ॥83

~ Trotalā Tantra : Chapter 1

Meaning:— The Goddess herself is the Praṇava (Oṃkāra) and She is the source of dread for all beings. 

The Tantrapaddhati states, 

शङ्करेन विजयस्य तपोभिस् तोषितेन वरदेन वनान्ते।

या किरातवपुषा सह गौरी स्वागता जयति सा त्वरिताख्या ॥ 

[[ Reference:— Tantrapaddhati: Chapter 22]]

The Tantrapaddhati presents Tvaritā as Gaurī, that is, as Pārvatī, Śiva's consort, in the form of a tribal woman - Śavarī, an identification in common with Kubjikā and, indeed, a host of other goddesses. Her origin is grafted onto the well known story of the penance Arjuna observed in a Himalayan forest in order to acquire the Pāśupata Weapon from Śiva. Pleased by his penance, ance, Śiva appeared before him in the form of a Kīrāta hunter (Kirāta is a hunter tribe of Himalaya region) accompanied by the goddess who assumed a similar form as Tvaritā, the tribal Śavarī. — "पार्वती शवरीवेषा ध्येया लक्षेण सिद्धिदा ।"

In that form, Goddess Pārvatī is considered to be ever eager and swift in fulfilling the wishes of her devotees, and therefore she is given the name “Tvaritā” (the swift one). Worship of Pārvatī in the form of a Śavarī, the text assures us, gives accomplishment and the chanting of Tvaritā's mantra brings prosperity. The Agni Purāṇa (Ch. 309) also states, "ईशः किरातरूपोषऽभूत् परा गौरी च तादृशी ।"

The Trotalā Tantra also explained her other names, 

यस्त्विमां भ्वासते विद्यां सकृदुच्चारयेथवा ।

देवीदेवश्च गरुड स्त्रितयं तिष्ठते तनौ ॥ ९२ ॥

त्रिकण्टकेति विख्याता सान्निध्यं त्रितयं भवेत् ।

वामदक्षिण सिद्धान्ते त्रितयेषु व्यवस्थिताः ॥ ९३ ॥

~ Trotalā Tantra: Chapter 1

Meaning:— Whoever bears the mantra of this Goddess, or even utters it once, is graced in his body with the presence of the Goddess, Śiva, and Garuḍa—these three powers. Therefore, this Goddess is renowned as Trikaṇṭakā (त्रिकण्टका), for through Her arises the nearness of the three qualities; and in the left, the right, and the center, those three qualities abide.

त्रिकण्टकेति विख्याता विद्येयं सर्वकामदा ।

सिद्ध्यते सा तु त्वरिता त्वरिता तेन चोच्यते ॥ ९४ ॥

~ Same Reference 

Meaning:— This Vidyā, known as Trikaṇṭakā, grants the fulfillment of all desires.

She bestows accomplishment with great swiftness; hence, She is called Tvaritā.

Iconography:— 

Goddess Tvaritā has several iconographies. Sometimes, she's portrayed as four-handed Goddess. In her gorgeous majestic form, she's depicted as a eighteen-handed Goddess. 

दक्षिणे चाक्षमालां च तस्याधश्च कमण्डलुम् । तथैत्र पीछिकां वामे वामोधः शङ्खमुत्तमम् ॥ रूपेण तोतला नाम मूर्त्तिश्च इंसवाहिनी । 

~ Jayapṛcchā 

The text Jayapṛcchā (जयपृच्छा) gave us another iconography of Trotalā Devī, where she is four handed, holding Kamaṇḍalū or water vessel, Picchikā or feathers, Akṣamālā or sacred rosary and Śaṅkha or conchshell and she's riding on a swan. She's fair skinned. 

Her another iconography is portrayed in Tantrarāja Tantra, — 

श्यामवर्णीं शुभाकारां नवयौवनशोभिनीम् । डिद्दिक्रमादष्टनागैः कल्पिताभरणोज्ज्वलाम् ॥६॥

ताटङ्गमङ्गदं तद्दद्रशनानूपुरान्वितैः । विप्रत्क्षविर्यावट्शूद्रजातिभिर्भीमविग्रहैः ॥७॥ पल्लवांशुकसंवौतां शिखिपुच्छकृतैः शुभैः । वलयैर्भू षितभुजां माणिक्यमुकुटोज्ज्वलाम् ॥८॥ 

बर्हिबर्हकतापोड़ां तच्छत्त्रां तत्पताकिनीम् । गुञ्जागुणलसदक्षः कुचकुङ्कुममण्डनाम् ॥६॥ 

त्रिनेत्रां चारुवदनां मन्दस्मितमुखाम्बुजाम् । पाशाङ्कु‌शवराभौतिलसद्ध जचतुष्टयाम् ॥१०॥ 

ध्यात्वैवं तोतलां देषों पूजयेच्छक्तिभिष्टताम् ।

[[ Reference — Tantrarāja Tantra: Chapter 14]]

Meaning :— Tvaritā's form is auspicious. She is in the first flush of youth and her complexion is dark. She has three eyes and four hands and her beautiful lotus-like face smiles gently. She is clad in new leaves. She is well adorned and has a chain around her waist and anklets with eight fierce and great serpents of four kinds belonging to the four castes, Vipra, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya and Śūdra. (She wears) a crystal crown on her head with a crest made of peacock's feathers. Her arms are adorned with bangles made of beautiful peacock's tail feathers (and she has) an umbrella and banner (made of them). Strings of Guñjā berries are around her throat and on (her) breasts, which are smeared with red (sandal). Smiling gently she holds in her four hands a noose (Pāśa) and goad (Sṛṇī) and makes the gesture (mudrā) of granting boons (Vara) and dispelling fear (Abhaya).

The Agni Purāṇa depicted her 18 armed iconography. It is the most gorgeous form of Tvatritāgaurī. 

The Kulakaulinīmata Tantra (कुलकौलिनीमत) has given us an unique iconography of Tvaritā where she has 9 heads and 18 hands. Her 9 limbs are the representatives of 9 Goddesses. They're — Huṃvarā, Khecarī, Caṇḍā, Chedinī, Dakṣā, Strī, Huṃkārī, Kṣemaṅkarī & Pheṭakāriṇī. 

Tvaritā's association with snakes is probably the link that connects her with Kubjikā. Kubjikā, like Tvaritā is adorned with snakes and as Kundalinī is the Queen of Snakes (Nāgarajñi).

Appearance story :— 

The appearance story of Tvaritā Gaurī can be found in several Śāstras. Trotalā Tantra is one of them. It is one of the sacred text in Girijākrama (गिरिजाक्रम) . The story is given below — 

Once, Lord Paramśiva took the manifestation of Mahāghora Bhairava (महाघोर भैरव). Numerous Yoginīs were appeared from his body. They were fond of blood, flesh and deadbodies. They were looking ominous, evil and ferocious. They praised Lord Śiva or Mahāghora Bhairava. As a result, he became pleased and asked them for boon. The yoginīs wanted to use him as Caru (चरु) or sacrificial animal. Lord Mahāghora Bhairava agreed as he promised to give them boon. Actually, the Yoginīs planned to take all energies from Paramśiva. Then they took him and went to Mount Meru’s peak. There stood a fortress, guarded by a thunder-barred gate (Vajrārgala-dvāra), constructed out of the five essences of rajas (passion/energy). There, they started the ritual and lord Paramaśiva meditated upon Paramāśakti Gaurī. At that moment Gaurī became aware of Paramaśiva's situation. She asked Nandī about the place where the Yoginīs imprisoned Lord Śiva. Thereafter, she became angry.— 

ततः क्रुद्धा तु सा गौरी तडित्कोटि समप्रभा ।

त्वरितं त्वरिता विद्या त्रिवीजा त्रिगुणीकृता॥ 37

~ Trotalā Tantra : 2nd Paṭala 

Meaning :— Then Gaurī, enraged, shone with the brilliance of millions of lightning flashes.

Swiftly she became that Vidyā, Tvaritā (the shwifted one)  herself—three-syllabled, infused with the three guṇas. 

Goddess Tvaritā has eighteen arms, she's riding on a lion which is the representative of Dharma. Gaurī's left thigh is kept on the lion's shoulder and right leg is hanging down. She has strong shanks, full thighs, and broad, soft buttocks. She is adorned with a deep navel, three folds of skin (trivali), a wide waist, and full breasts like golden pitchers. She has a conch-shell-like neck, lips like the Bimba fruit, eyes like blue lotus petals, a beautiful nose, bow-shaped eyebrows, and beautiful ears. She's wearing a rainbow-coloured silk cloth on her breasts. “In Her right hands She is holding the thunderbolt, staff, sword, discus, mace, trident, arrow, spear, and the Vara Mudrā. In Her left hands She is carrying the bow, noose, bell, Tarjanī Mudrā, conch, elephant goad, the Abhaya Mudrā, and a lotus. Her body glows with a crimson radiance, like the hue of a lotus blossom.

The Devatās requested Goddess Tvaritā Pārvatī to protect the creation by rescuing Mahādeva. She destroyed the Chakra of Yoginīs in the Meru Mountain and made them senseless. She absorbed all energies from the Yoginīs. Thereafter, the Yoginīs came back to their senses and realized their fault. They seek mercy to Devī. Then the Yoginīs, Paramaśiva himself, Brahmā Viṣṇu, Indra, Agni, Yama, Naiṛta, Varuṇa, Kubera, Iśāna (Rudra), other Devatās, Apsarās, Gandharvas etc worshipped Goddess Umā. — 

"ईशानेन उमादेवी सिद्धैर्दैत्याप्सरोगणैः ॥

पूजिता च स्तुता देवी तुष्टा प्रीतिमना वदेत् ।"

...... 

The Tulajāpura Pīṭha is associated with Tvaritā. The text Śaṅkara Vijaya says about the two branches of Śaktism — Pārvatī's cult and Mātaṅgī's cult. Tulajāpura was the center of Pārvatī's cult. So, we can easily understand the connection between today's Turajā Bhavānī with Tvaritāgaurī, a major deity in Girijākrama.