Day 21 Matangi

"Om Shukrapriyayai Vidmahe

Shree Kameshwaryay Dheemahi

Tanno Shyama Prachodayat"

Matangi

Day 21. Shakti Yantra Practice

As the last Shakti for our 21 day practice, I intentionally chose Mahavidya Matangi. She is also called, Shyamala {the dusky one}, with skin, the color of mysterious near dark sky.
Matangi is the 3rd of the Mahavidyas , intimately connected to the essence of sound. Bhairavi, is the raw primal beginning of all sounds. Tara, the first sound expressed, and Matangi is the spoken word and all audible sound, be it word or music.
Words are one of the most basic communicative tools, that humans have. The trouble with words though,is that although they provide definitions and descriptions, this very quality makes them extremely limiting. Matangi is the divine word, she has the power to gift the perfect formation or collection of words, to best express one's thoughts and meaning. Hence, she is the word, in its purest manifest form as well as the word in thought form.

All the mantras arise by her grace. She is the one that helps us connect with all other divine beings, by building a bridge of potent words or mantras. In this function, she is also known as Mantrini. In her capacity as Mantrini, she also acts as the chief minister of Rajarajeshwari, the supreme leader. In this capacity, she guides the formation and articulation of all mantras, so that the aspirant may reach the divine through the power of mantra.




In nature and appearance she is a wild and creative being, her beauty, much like the untamed luscious abundance of an Amazonian forest. She is often accompanied by a parrot, symbolising the power of divine speech. She is the goddess and patroness of music and arts like Saraswati and she too plays the veena . But where Saraswati is identified with all that is pure , Matangi has a deep connect with the outcaste. She is also called the Ucchishta Chandalini or the most impure outcaste. This impurity on one level, refers to the limiting nature of words. Naming things often has a misleading effect, creating and fanning the screen of illusions. Matangi has the power to help us express our hearts to the greatest extant, without corruption.

She is beautiful, intoxicating , divine and generous. The best way to adore and worship her is, to chant the letters of the Sanskrit language.

Affirmations
~I shall always use my words wisely, and with compassion.
~Creativity is an inherent part of me and I use it in a variety of ways to express and explore my heart's deepest desires.
~I am grateful for every opportunity I am gifted to express my artistic side.
~I learn to appreciate the beauty in nature.

Colors: Lush bright green, red and all vibrant floral colors.
                                                                

Mantra:

"Om Aing Matangi namah"

Matangi Yantra Free Printable (pdf)

Jai maa.