Matangi (and some kabbalistic parallels)

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, Lili Masamura <sephirah5>

> The name "Matangi" translates as "She whose limbs are

> intoxicated by passion", according to David Kinsley in

> "The Ten Mahavidyas".

 

Actually "mAta~NgI" is made out of "mata~Nga" (elephant) thus meaning

"she who is related to the elephant". Significantly, she is associated

with Kula-Ganapati (aka Uchchhishta-ganapati) and is called

"uchchhiShTa-chANDAlinI".

However in one stotra (which was from Bali tantric tradition) i saw

her name spelled "matA~NgI". So, i thing that in fact Kinsley may be

right - what he said is the traslation of the word "mattA~NgI".

> I have also heard that the name "Radha" has the same

> implication; sort of "All Devouring, All-Enveloping

> longing for Union with the Beloved(God)on a grand

> scale!".

 

"Radha" means "lightning". She is indeed the power of Desire and

Passion (kAma-shakti) as well as power of delight (hlAdinI-shakti).

BTW in Mahavidyas, she is Chhinnamasta .

 

I have mentioned this before; it is related

> to the Western injunction "Inflame oneself with

> prayer!"

 

Yes, this is very important in practice. Jewish sait Baal Shem Tov,

the reformator of hassidim tradition, taught that way of prayer as the

only proper one.

 

This is the real purpose of all those

> seemingly obscene rituals, the purpose of plunging

> oneself into "the forbidden" causes a tremendous

> uprush of emotional energy which can be the "rocket

> fuel" to launch you across the Abyss of

> Mis-understanding right into the arms of

> "Understanding".

 

Exactly. For this reason certain strange practices (maasim zarim) are

done in kabbalah and thelemic system.

The extreme imporatnce of emotional arousement is known to Kashmiri

Shaiva tradition, Kaula and even vaishnava! We find such methods in

Spanda-karika, Vijnana-bhairava, several Tantras, sahajiya-vaishnava

scriptures and other sourses.

 

To cross the Abyss one has to be inflamed with Desire, Passion towards

Mother. And Abyss is connected with Da'at, sphere of knowledge of

"Sithra Ahara", knowledge of the utmost depth of Olam ha-Q'lippoth.

 

In Qabalah that which receives you is

> "Binah", in Hinduism, it is the Devi.

 

Binah is Motherly aspect of Divine Feminine while there are three

more. There is lower Shekhinah who is Malkhuth (the Bride), there is

her dark side called Lilith and there is her absolute position as

Kether, when She becomes a crown to her husband, Zeir-Ampin.

 

In fact we can trace 2 modes of worshipping Matangi. One is popular in

Lalita cult and is prescribed for celibates. Second one is the tantric

one - extremely vamacharic.

 

BTW from Kalika-purana we know that Matangi is to be worshipped ONLY

in vamachara (like Tara as well). However Kalika, Durga and some other

are to be worshipped in vama and dakshina both. Conclusion can be made

that non-sexual interpretation of Matangi cult is a later version of

it made specially for those who had taken celibacy vows and cannot

break them.

 

Love is the law, love under will.

A.