Matangi Mantra: AIM

(pronounced I’m)

The Goddess Matangi is the ninth Mahavidya (Great Wisdom Goddess), she is cited as the Tantric form of the more popularly known Hindu Goddess Saraswati. Both are deities of the arts, knowledge, writing and music. Both are depicted playing the veena and ruling the cosmic sound currents, the nada.

Matangi is the inner transformative energetic impulse. She is called upon when you are asked to do things your own way, to purify society in some way, to be unorthodox, to feel free to express yourself with no restraints. The rebel goddess Matangi appears in two forms: one is the benign form where she is seated upon a lotus, she has one leg in half lotus and the other leg is pointing down to the earth. This gesture symbolizes her role in bringing the divine teachings to earth. She is beautiful, has green tinted skin, wears red clothing and is adorned with jewels. Her veena (instrument like a sitar) and throne are bedecked in gemstones. The other more terrifying form of Matangi brings her to us in the wild erotic state. Here she has her hair down in dreadlocks, she lives in the forest, and wears menstrual blood stained cloth. In fact she likes to be offered such garments as prasad, also wine, meat and other ‘untouchable’ offerings.

Both forms appear with the green parrot accompanying Matangi. The parrot symbolizes speech and manifest sound. Matangi makes your creative visions manifest. She gives form to their expression. If you are writing a book, performing some music or studying for a language course, this deity will be in your midst.

Why is she so unorthodox? Compared to the more traditional image of Saraswati, the one of the pure teachings, Matangi represents the impure. Through many stories in the tantras we hear about her ability (when Parvati, Shiva’s consort) tricks Shiva into claiming that what he thought was impure, was actually also the goddess and pure. Learning to see the Goddess in all things he then proclaimed Matangi should be worshipped as one form of the Goddess. There is another story from the scriptures that says a boon came upon the lower caste family that gave Matangi’s father who dwelled in the forest the gift of a daughter who transcended class and should be worshipped as the highest class. As this came to be the scriptures all flooded into Matangi’s consciousness. She can also be worshipped by reciting the sanskrit alphabet.

Worshipping Matangi clears the Saraswati Nadi, the channel that goes up to the third eye and ends at the tip of the tongue. Here the centers of speech, neck and throat are emphasized. However the main area for Matangi (also known as Shyamla, the dark one) is the heart. Shyamla helps you to cultivate tenderness. A softening to yourself and an opening to love. This is the love between lovers and the higher love of the divine mother Lalita. In Sri Vidya, a path of tantric study and practice, this is a necessary evolutionary step. This worship of Shyamla/Matangi through the Matangi mantras and offerings, creates the love that attracts the deeper powers. Matangi thus is the great attractor. She attracts others, and the ability to conquer one’s opponents. She gives spiritual strength and gifts. Matangi attracts divine inspiration.

May your creative channels be clear and may you attract the purest love on earth. Jai Ma!