"This book delves into the origins of Vajrayogini, charting her evolution in India and examining her roots in the Cakrasamvara tantra and in the Indian tradition relating to Siva. The focus of this work is the Guhyasamayasadhanamala, a collection of forty-six sadhanas, or practice texts. Written on palm leaves in Sanskrit and preserved since the twelfth century, this diverse collection, composed by numerous authors, reveals a multitude of forms of the goddess, each of which is described and illustrated here. One of the texts, the Vajravarahi Sadhana by Umapatideva, depicts Vajrayogini at the center of a mandala of thirty-seven different goddesses, and is here presented in full translation alongside a Sanskrit edition. Sixteen pages of stunning color plates not only enhance the study but bring the goddess Vajrayogini to life."--BOOK JACKET.