Matangi: Esoteric Materials

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Here are some meditations on the meaning of Goddess Maatangi, for

those with a deeper interest in Her. With deep appreciation to the

Ambaal website, David Frawley, and others:

 

AUM MAATANGYAI NAMAHE: Matangi is the first name in Sri Meenakshi

Ashtottaram and Meenakshi Madurai is known as Rajamatangi.

 

An origin myth: Sage Matanga did penance on Ambaal (Devi) and

received the boon that She would take birth as his daughter. Sage

Matanga belonged to a low caste ("the fourth varna"), and he had done

penance to win the title of Brahma Rishi. But Ambaal told him that

She could not grant that and asked him to choose something else. So

wise Matanga asked Her a greater boon -- that She should be known to

the world as his daughter.

 

So he and his wife Siddhimati gave birth to Ambaal, whom they named

as Laghushyama. That daughter is considered a manifestation of the

Goddess Raja Shyaamala. But because She was born to Matanga, the

world even today remembers him through Her name Matangi. Because of

this, even other daughters of sage Matanga attained the status of

Shaktis (goddesses) and they serve Raja Shyamala.

 

Ambaal's avatara as Meenakshi has this connection with Matangi:

Whenever there is a reference to Matangi, one can infer that She is

also Meenakshi. The Ambaal Group notes: "The fact that shrii

miinaakShii is also a mahaa paNDitai in sa.ngiita shaastram gives

that link."

 

That Group's Aravind Krishna adds: The names Shyamala, Matangi and

Meenakshi represent the same deity. First she incarnated as Shyamala

along with Lalita. Shyamala is the minister of Lalita. "She is seated

on geya chakra or giiti chakra ratam besides lalitaa who is seated in

Sri chakra ratam."

 

Krishna adds: Devi manifested as the daughter of Matanga. … As

Matanga was a Chandala [outcaste tribal] she is known as Uchista

Chandali. 'Mati' is bhuddi or intellect. Mata is thought. First

thought manifests and then we try to convey that through sound. Devi

in the form of Nada (or the eternal subtle sound) shapes the thoughts

in the form of words (Matanga). Such Bhuddi Shakti is known as

Matangi. This is the reason why she is the deity of [Worship Through

Music].

 

In a similar vein, David Frawley writes: "Mata" literally means "a

thought" or "an opinion." Matangi is thus the Goddess power, which

has entered into thought or the mind. She is the word as the

embodiment of thought. She also relates to the ear and our ability to

listen, which is the origin of true understanding that forms powerful

thoughts. Matangi bestows knowledge, talent and expertise. She is the

Goddess of the spoken word and of any outward articulation of inner

knowledge, including all forms of art, music and dance.

 

Aravind Krishna mentions yet another Matangi Dhyana: "To visualize,

Matangi is seated under a kadamba tree with a veena in her hands. A

parrot is seen on her shoulder that sings in tune with her veena

music. Such a dhyana itself is extremely pleasing. She holds similar

status as Lalita and is hence called as Raja Maatangi. Kalidasa

[known as "India's Shakespeare"] was an ardent devotee of Matangi.

 

Ambaal Group's Dr. V Sadagopan adds: "Sri Matangi and Raja Matangi

are descriptions of the energy behind the ninth object of

Transcendent Knowledge [i.e. the Ninth Mahavidya] .In this form, She

is also known as Moha Raathri or the Elephant Power. … The Elephant

Power or Matangi is invoked for establishing the reign of peace and

prosperity.

 

"Besides Her association as the daughter of Sage Matanga, Lord Shiva

is known as the Elephant (Matanga), based on His auspicious virtues

as the destroyer of the evil. Hence His divine consort is recognized

as Matangi. The Elephant is the symbol of royal power and the power

of domination (i.e., King of the Forest ).

 

Sadagopan adds: "As you know, Madurai Meenakshi sitting in the

Mantrini Pitha is recognized as Matangi."

 

SOME OTHER NAMES OF MATANGI (MEENAKSHI)

 

* Shyaamaa: "This means She who is dark in complexion. … This is

often portrayed by blue or green color. This name also occurs in

sahasranama as shyaamaabhaa. … Her darkness symbolically indicates

that She is like dark cloud (full of water) filled with compassion

and every ready to shower Her grace on Her devotees whose hearts are

dried by the fire of desires. That grace quenches the error-prone

fire of desires and brings peace to the devotees."

 

* Mantrini: "Even though Shankara does not refer to Her as Mantrini

in the Meenakshi Stotram, he calls Her 'Muni-sute,' indicating Her as

a daughter of a sage and it is needless to say that this denotes Her

as Matangi.

 

* Kadamba Vanavasini: "This calls her the daughter of Matanga and

vividly describes her how she bears the veena and is fully immersed

in playing and singing in tune with it."

 

* Shukapriya: "Shuka means parrot. Hence, this name means She is fond

of parrot. What does the parrot in this name signify?

 

"It can signify Nada (music/sound) then it means She is fond of

worship through music (Naadopaasana). She can be easily pleased using

Naadopaasana. The essence of all Naada is Aum and Aum is Her symbol

as the iishwarii of this jagat. Through meditation on Aum which is

most pleasing to Her, one can worship and realize Her.

 

"Or the parrot can signify the Vedas. She delights in hearing the

Vedic chants and the Vedas delight in praising Her.

 

"Or the word shuka can denote Jnanis [followers of the Yoga of

Knowledge] like Sage Shuka and Sge is fond of them. In the Gita She

declares (as Krishna) that a Jnani is Her own Self and She is most

pleased and fond of Jnanis. Similarly, Jnanis delight in meditating

and contemplating on HER."

 

* Nipapriya: "Nipa = Kadamba. She is fond of kadamba trees. Whenever

the reference to kadamba comes in Ambaal's name, it reminds one of

Meenakshi. She is Kadambavanavaasini. {Her temple at Madurai] was

once a kadamba forest according to the Thiruvilaiyadal Purana.

 

* Kadambeshya: "Kadamba means a collection or multitude, and it

denotes the cosmos. She is the God(dess) (ishii) of this cosmos. This

implies that She is not only transcendent but also immanent. She is

indeed all this as material cause of this jagat [Creation]."

 

For more detail and scriptural citations, as well as further

information on Madurai Meenakshi, see:

http://www.ambaa.org/minakshi/minakshi1.htm and

http://www.ambaa.org/minakshi/minakshi2.htm

 

ANOTHER PASSAGE (SOURCE UNKNOWN):

 

"Matangi is the intelligible manifest sound. The primordial throb

(Adya spanda), which originates by the self-volition of the Supreme,

starts a series of vibrations that take the form of nâda. This is the

Eternal Word, the creatrix of manifestation. The manifestation takes

place in four steps: sthula (gross, matter principle), sukshma

(subtle, life principle), Kârana (causal, mind principle), and

mahâkârana (great causal, original rythm). These steps correspond to

the four steps of jâgrat (waking state), swapna (dream state),

sushupti (deep sleep state), and turiya ( transcendental state).

 

"Tântrics locate the four steps of sound in the nervous system: parâ,

pashyanti, madhyama, and vaikhari. Parâ: the first and supreme

source, it is unmanifest, but turned towards manifestation (Târa). It

is the mahâ kârana seated at the mulâdhâra. Pashyanti: the word that

percieves. This is the kârana, located at the manipura chakra.

Madhyama: the word in the middle subtle region between the navel and

the throat (anâhata chakra). Vaikhari: the expression of speech,

Goddess Matangi.

 

"Matangi is greenish dark in complexion (Syamala). Her tender limbs

have the glow of sapphire. She is known as Ucchista Chândâli. Sage

Mâtanga was a Chandala by birth. Goddess of Speech manifested as the

daughter of the sage and hence Her name Chandala Kanya.

 

"Mati is the thinking mind and mata is thought. The unmanifest Word

perceives itself for manifestation and then reaches the thinking mind

for expression (Matanga). When the word fashioned by the heart and

formulated by the mind is expressed it is Matangi. The Word of

pristine purity becomes colored during expression (varana). The

speech descends from the Supreme Source, bringing into expression

only part of its Glory, hence the name Uchhista [Leftover] Chandali.

By catching the tail-end of the Word (articulated speech), one can

get to the source. The worship of Matangi leads one to the

realization of the residual above (Lalita). She is the Mantrini of

Lalita. She represents the power of attraction of Lalita. Her main

purpose is to lead aspirants to Lalita Upasana. Matangi is the

Akarshna. Lalita uses Her mantra to attract devotees to Her."