Namaste, Shiv!

Om namah Shivaya!
What is Dash Maha Vidya?
This is what I understand. Please forgive my ignorance.
Dash = 10 Maha = great vidya= knowledge
The Dash Maha Vidya is the knowledge of the 10 supreme forms of Energies, or the
Ten Forms of Shakti, the Governing Energy, in the process of Creation, Administ
ration, and Destruction of this Universe.
Maha Vidya= great knowledge? of knowledge of the Supreme. I'll go for the 1st op
tion.
The 10 forms are divided in 3 categories: 1- Soumya Koti (soft category)
Shri Shodashi Maa, Shri Bhuvaneshwari Maa, Shri Maatangi Maa, and Shri Kamala Ma
a.
2- The Ugra Koti (Aggressive category): Shri Kaali Maa, Shri Chhinna Masta Maa,
Shri Dhoomavati Maa, Shri Bagalamukhi Maa.
3- Somyagra Koti ( Soft aggressive category) : Shri Taara Maa and Shri Bhaivari
Maa.
The Forms originate from the Formless and the Virtueless: Niraarakaar and Nirgun
a Brahman, displayed in those ten forms.
A sadhana is a spiritual practice or exercice.
An Ugra sadhana is: the exercice practiced by an individual concerning the ugra
forms of the Energy. It is a must to have a proper initiation and the guidance o
f a guru, or else, one must not perform such sadhanas alone.
Ugra means aggressive. They are those who worship Durga, the terrible aspect of
the goddess.
In order to obtain Moksha or liberation, the tantric practitioner breaks the rul
e of taboos in a special sadhana. There are five (Pancha) taboos (Makara = monst
er) to break, each starting with an M:
Madya = wine; Mamsa or Mangsa = meat; Matsya = fish; Mudra = parched grain; and
Maithuna = sexual intercourse.
Men are divided into three categories or temperaments (Bhava = character):
1- The Pashu Bhav is an animal-like man, bound by the bonds of ignorance, fear,
pity, shame, disgust, family, custom, and caste. He lacks faith in the guru and
regards mantras as mere letters. Yet he may show superior to the other two Bhav.
His guna is tamas, or heavy and not yet purified, rather lymphatic. Guna = qual
ity.
2- The Vira Bhava or Veer Bhav is heroic. He is between the Pashu and the Divya.
His guna is rajas, which means that he is still easily excitable.
3- The Divya Bhav is divine, with sattvik gunas to govern his temperament.
The sadhanas are performed under the form of mantras, chanting, offering of flow
ers and fruit to the divinity.
The 5 M are symbols of an esoteric system wherein
Madya means the heavenly amrit or nectar that drips from the glands in the brain
onto the tips of tongue.
Mangsa or mamsa is the swallowing of the tongue
Matsya-twin fish is the activation of the two nadis Ida and Pingala in the spine
.
Mudra is a gesture of the hands and the body when the Kundalini is activated.
Maithuna is the union in the brain of Kundalini with Shiva. From which the pract
itioner experiences an unforgettable intense bliss.
The practices are very dangerous. Buddha himself warned people not to practice d
angerous sadhanas of that kind.
The key factor and vital element in this Sadhana for getting success are like an
y endeavor:
1- come with a strong motivation and a pure mind
2- get help and guidance
3- be non-judgmental and let go.
We can add: do not come just for the success.
Do not do this sadhana just for the advantages that are promised
or you would lose those advantages, the powers (sidhis).
Do the sadhana to worship with the mind of a child in front of his mother.
Remain fearless.