God Shiva Seated with the Seven Mother Goddesses (Saptamatrika)

Across India, the seven mother goddesses (saptamatrikas) are the personified powers (shakti) of the principal male gods, whom they energize. Here, these warrior deities have been invoked for their primary role: to help the goddess Durga destroy demons. The mothers are shown dancing in victory, drunk with the blood of vanquished demons. Shiva is featured at the left playing the veena, a stringed instrument. The skeletal goddess on the far right is Chamunda, the goddess of destruction and death.