Mhalsa

Mhalsa
Khandoba and Mhalsa killing demons Mani-Malla — a popular oleograph, c.1880.
Devanagari	म्हाळसा
Sanskrit transliteration	Mhāḷasā
Kannada	ಮ್ಹಳಸಾ ನಾರಾಯಣಿ
Affiliation	Form of Mohini or/and Parvati
Abode	Varies per interpretation
Weapon	Trishula
Consort	Khandoba

Mhalsa (Marathi: म्हाळसा, IAST: Mhāḷasā), also spelled as Mhalasa or Mahalasa is the consort of Lord Khandoba in Hinduism. She is venerated in two distinct traditions. As an independent goddess, she is considered as a form of Mohini, the female avatar of the god Vishnu and is called Mhalsa Narayani. Mhalsa is also worshipped as the consort of the folk god Khandoba, a form of the god Shiva. In this tradition, she is associated with Parvati, Shiva's wife as well as Mohini. It is also believed that she is incarnation of Parvati with the beauty of Mohini as per Lord Shiva's wish.

As an independent goddess, Mhalsa's chief temples include Mardol in Mardol, Goa in the form of Mahalasa Narayani and a temple in Nevasa as Mhalsa Mohini or Mhalsa Devi, which is considered as her birthplace as Khandoba's wife. She is worshipped as the Kuladevi (family goddess) of different castes and communities in the region.

In the Mahalasa Narayani form, Mahalasa has four hands, carrying a Trishula, a sword, a severed head, and a drinking bowl. She also wears the yajnopavita (sacred thread), which is generally dedicated on male deities. She stands on a prostrate man or demon, as a tiger or lion licks blood dripping from the severed head. Goud Saraswat Brahmins as well as Vaishnavas from Goa and South Canara identify her with Mohini and call her Narayani and Rahu-matthani, the slayer of Rahu, as told in the Bhavishya Purana.

As the consort of Khandoba, her chief temple - the Mohiniraj temple - is located at Nevasa taluka of Maharashtra, where she is worshipped as a four-armed goddess and identified with Mohini. Mhalsa is often depicted with two arms and accompanying Khandoba on his horse or standing besides him.