Matangi's Origins: A Conversation (Part I)

[Guest guest]

There are more layers of Maatangi iconography in Tantric Buddhism,

which both illuminate and obscure Her nature. For example, there is

Shoshika, a Buddhist form of Maatangi. Historically, it appears She

was (1) an aboriginal Indian tribal deity borrowed by proto-Hindu

Goddess worshippers, then (2) absorbed by Tantric Buddhism and

forgotten by Hinduism, then (3) absorbed back into Hindism as a

Mahavidya by Shakta sects in Kashmir and then Bengal ... and so on.

 

My suspicion is two-fold:

 

(1) I think She's probably a very ancient aboriginal/tribal goddess

who was later absorbed into both Hinduism and Buddhism; the

inevitable local variations in Her portrayal might account for the

different ways in which She's conceived.

 

(2) I think the fact that She's not as well-known as many of Devi's

other forms also contributes to the variations. For example,

Saraswati, Lakshmi and Durga are pretty much pan-Indian (pan-Hindu)

images, with their iconography very established and standardized.

Maatangi, being a little-known and rather secretive form of Devi,

would have a more fluid iconography.

 

To try to trace any of this is great detail, however, boggles the

mind! And it obscures more than it reveals, wrapping the seeker in a

web of academic and theoretical hair-splitting. I strongly feel that

Outcaste Goddess is by far Maatangi's primary form, particularly in

the context of the Ten Mahavidyas.

 

That's not to say that's all She represents. Quite the contrary,

Maatangi's descriptions are nothing if not diverse -- but like many

thousand-name hymns of different goddesses, they ultimately create

the impression (probably intended and certainly true) that Her nature

is ANYTHING and EVERYTHING.

 

As I've pointed out before, Maatangi is one of Sri Durga's primary

108 names. She is also called a form of Kali, a form of Parvati, a

form of Sati, even a form of Lakshmi. Maatangi, you see, is

ubiquitously lurking in the jungle shadows -- a dark, wild presence

found almost everywhere in Devi's vast mythology; now seen, now gone

again.

 

In one Mahavidya text, I saw Her called "the Goddess of Royalty."

Another says She "establishes the rule of peace, calm and

prosperity." The modern Tantric master Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni

(1878-1936) -- whose sadhana centered on the Mahavidyas -- taught

that "Matangi is the highest of the Goddesses in that She allows all

their powers and principles to be realized."

 

These towering and mighty characteristics certainly suggest Her "Raja

Matangi" form. And yet here another paradox arises: Raja Matangi's

dhyana is anything but royal; in fact, it conveys the essence of her

persona as a polluted outcaste, or tribal girl -- and certainly not a

queen: "She has a smiling face and a green complexion. She is a

maiden of 16 with large, round, firm breasts. Around her neck is a

garland of kadamba flowers. Her hair is long and wild, and the disc

of the moon adorns her forehead. Her face is perspiring, which makes

her more beautiful and bright. Below her naval are three horizontal

folds of skin and a thin vertical line of fine hair. ... Her eyes are

unsteady due to her intoxicated condition. She is flanked by two

parrots." -- "Purascaryarnava," Ch. 9.

 

As I opined in a previous post, Matangi -- like Dhumavati -- is a

Mahavidya meant "to strip away the sadhak's prejudices about purity

and pollution -- which are, after all, just more divisions in a world

we are supposed to be understanding as the manifestation of a united

Shakti-Shiva. Matangi is an outcaste girl; Dhumavati is a widow. Both

are inauspicious in the sense that they have no place in orthodox

Hindu society; they are avoided and looked down upon And yet in

Mahavidya Tantra, the worshipper is supposed to kneel down and

prostrate at their feet as Goddess."

 

This lesson is completely lost (and replaced by nothing) if the

worshipper chooses the form of Maatangi most suited for her/his

spiritual "state of mind and evolution." In essence, that allows the

worshipper to say, "Hey, I'm not a spiritual lowlife; I'm going to

worship Maatangi as royalty rather than as an outcaste." And what

would be the point in that? And how does it possibly square with the

overall challenge of Mahavidya worship?

 

SUNELECTRIC: Great info on Matangi. Hadn't realized the connection

with Shoshika! I have read dhyanam of Shoshika used at the end of

Tantrik Puja where the leftovers from the puja are offered in Fire to

the Goddess. Makes sense with all the associations of impurity that

are connected to Matangi.

 

SANKARRUKKU: Thank you Devi Bhakta for the messages on MAA MATHANGI.

I have learnt more on MAA MATHANGI in the last 10 days than what I

learnt from all my books. I knew very little about MAA Mathangi

except that she is the Goddess referred to in ShyamalaThandakam by

Poet Kalidasa. The stanza Manikyaveenam upalalayanthim... was part of

daily prayers in childhood.

 

You are right about the worshipper choosing the form of the goddess

for worship. I was wrong in using the words "So if you are a Chandala

you have Ucchishta Chandala, if you are a Kshathriya you have Raja

Mathangi and so on. Here I do not mean caste but the state of the

mind and evolution. ". Sometimes words run away from you. That is

why I pray to MAA to control my tongue. Thank you for correcting me.

I apologize.

 

You said about the worshipper choosing the form of Mathangi. That is

really a point worth pondering about. I will give my general

observations based on my experience.

 

I was a great Shiva Bhaktha in my childhood. Later I became a Krishna

addict. Then I tried to become an Upasaka of MAA LALITHA. Now my

Deity is MAA KAALI/MAA CHANDI. Many of my friends and relatives ask

me the reason for worshipping MAA KAALI. Some have advised me not to

worship a Rowdhra Goddess and switch over to a Sowmya Goddess.

 

Now the question is why do I worship MAA KAALI? May be it is because

I belong to the generation of flower people, have heroes like Che,

Lenin and Mao. Is it because I feel frustrated at the inequities of

life like caste, creed, class and feel helpless to anything to

alleviate the misery of the poor and downtrodden?

 

I can always say that I chose Sakthism, Tantra and MAA KAALI/MAA

CHANDI because she stands for the poor and downtrodden and her

worship is open to all irrespective of caste, gender or class.

 

But all the above reasons are only partly true and are not complete

 

But I would be wrong on all counts. MAA has chosen me to worship

her. To attribute reasons for that will be purely an intellectual

exercise.

 

I believe that the choice is finally that of MAA.

 

You fall in Love with a girl/boy. You do not expect to nor can you

give the reasons for falling in Love. Love is instantaneous. You are

in love with MAA. That is Bhakthi. No reasons need be attributed. Do

we attribute reasons for loving our Mother?

 

Some of you who read my postings may think, "Hey, this guy is crazy".

You are right. I am crazy. I am God crazy.

[Guest guest]

Thank you Devi bhakta on such a beautiful rendition on

Devi Matangi.

 

 

 

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