In very ancient days, eight great Female Goddesses Shaktis emerged from the cosmic soul of the Principle Dieties and formed Kali Durga, the Universal Shakti Power, These were the grand Mothers (Ashta Matrikas) of all subsequent Yoginis. According to Kaula Tantra, these eight manifested each in turn into eight Divine Shaktis, thus resulting in the 64 Tantric Yoginis. These 64 powerful Goddesses have unique personas and powers to fulfill your desires, drive away negativity and fear, prevent misfortunes, and give you knowledge, peace, all-around prosperity, good progeny, and auspiciousness of all kinds.

An examination of the ancient Tantric tradition reveals a particular sanctity assigned to the number eight. The eight mother faculties (tatvas) of the manifested universe, the eight directions with four cardinal and four intermediate points (digbandahs), the eight miraculous yogic powers (siddhis), eight “limbs” of Yoga (astanga) eight forms of the Divine Mother (matrikas) and eight primary mystic symbols (mudras) are just a few examples. The square of eight, or sixty-four, occupies an even more profound position in the field of Tantra which, from the point of view of the practitioner, first and foremost identifies the sixty-four Tantric Yoginis.

Legends about the 64 Yoginis

The Lalitha Sahasranama and Vishnu Bhagavatha Purana reverently call the Divine Mother Shakti as Maha Yogini (Great Ascetic) and Kula Yogini. The Yogini Sahasranamaand Kaula Kularnava Tantra refers to the Supreme Devi as Maha Yogini. In ancient days, 8 great Female Shaktis emerged from the Universal Shakthi Energy called Parashakthi – these were the Divine Grand Mothers (called Ashta Matrikas) of all subsequent Yoginis. These 8 Matrikas manifested each in turn into Eight Sacred Shaktis, thus resulting in the 64 Tantric Yoginis.

The Yoginis are also popularly known and worshipped in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism in several countries as Bhairavis, Dhakinis, Shakinis, Sakinis, Sakthis, etc. The 64 Yoginis are known to be capable to manifest in physical form to give dharshan even in this Kali Yuga.

References about the 64 Yoginis and their powers can be found in the ancient scriptures like : Brahmananda Purana, Agni Purana, Skanda Purana, Kalika Purana, Jnanarnava Tantra, Brihad Nandikeswara Purana, Chandi Purana of Sarala Das, Brihndla Tantra, Bata Avakasa of Balaram Das, etc. Historical romances and semi-historical literature like Somadevasuri’s Yasastilaka of AD 959, Kalhana’s Rajatarangini of c.1150 and Somadeva’s Kathasarit Sagara of c.1070 contain legendary stories about the all-powerful Yoginis.

Names of 64 yoginis are as following:-

1. divyayoginī – दिव्ययोगिनी
2. mahāyoginī – महायोगिनी
3. siddhayoginī – सिद्धयोगिनी
4. gaṇeśvarī – गणेश्वरी
5. pretākṣī – प्रेताक्षी
6. ḍākinī – डाकिनी
7. kālī – काली
8. kālarātri – कालरात्रि
9. niśācarī – निशाचरी
10. jhaṃkārī – झंकारी
11. ūrdvavetālī – ऊर्द्ववेताली
12. kharparī – खर्परी
13. bhūtayāminī – भूतयामिनी
14. ūrdvakeśī – ऊर्द्वकेशी
15. virupākṣī – विरुपाक्षी
16. śuṣkaṃgī – शुष्कंगी
17. māṃsabhojanī – मांसभोजनी
18. phetkārī – फेत्कारी
19. vīrabhadrākṣī – वीरभद्राक्षी
20. dhūmrākṣī – धूम्राक्षी
21. kalahapriyā – कलहप्रिया
22. raktā – रक्ता
23. ghoraraktākṣī – घोररक्ताक्षी
24. piśacī – पिशची
25. bhayaṃkarī – भयंकरी
26. caurikā – चौरिका
27. mārikā – मारिका
28. caṇḍī – चण्डी
29. vārāhī – वाराही
30. muṇḍadhariṇī – मुण्डधरिणी
31. bhairavī – भैरवी
32. cakriṇī – चक्रिणी
33. krodhā – क्रोधा
34. durmukhī – दुर्मुखी
35. pretavāhinī – प्रेतवाहिनी
36. kaṇṭakī – कण्टकी
37. dīrghalaṃbauṣṭhī – दीर्घलंबौष्ठी
38. mālinī – मालिनी
39. mantrayoginī – मन्त्रयोगिनी
40. kālāgnī – कालाग्नी
41. mohinī – मोहिनी
42. cakrī – चक्री
43. kapālī – कपाली
44. bhuvaneśvarī – भुवनेश्वरी
45. kuṇḍalākṣī – कुण्डलाक्षी
46. juhī – जुही
47. lakṣmī – लक्ष्मी
48. yamadūtī – यमदूती
49. karālinī – करालिनी
50. kauśikī – कौशिकी
51. bhakṣiṇī – भक्षिणी
52. yakṣī – यक्षी
53. kaumārī – कौमारी
54. yantravahinī – यन्त्रवहिनी
55. viśālā – विशाला
56. kāmukī – कामुकी
57. vyāghrī – व्याघ्री
58. yākṣini – याक्षिनि
59. pretabhavanī – प्रेतभवनी
60. dhūrjaṭā – धूर्जटा
61. vikatā – विकता
62. ghorā – घोरा
63. kapālā – कपाला
64. laṅgalī – लङ्गली

Mantra for Sri 64 Yogini yantra

oṁ aiṃ klīṃ śrīṃ hsauḥ catuḥṣaṣṭayoginebhyo namaḥ