Saptamātṛkā

The Divine Mother Goddesses

Photograph of a sculpture of the Śaktis of Durga (Saptamātṛkā-s) from the ruins of the temples at Bilas near Kotah in Rajasthan, taken by an unknown photographer for the Archaeological Survey of India Collections in 1896–97. Bilas is a site hidden in the dense jungle, about 65 miles east of Kotah. The archaeological remains consist of ruined dwelling-houses, palaces and temples that are Shaiva, Vaishnava or Jain and are of an ancient city formerly called Suvarna-panari-pura. The most recent inscription discovered at the site dates to the 14th century. British Library

Saptamātṛkā or sometimes Aṣṭamātṛkā (अष्टमातृका)refers to a set of seven (or eight) Mother Goddesses.

Devībhāgavata mentions eight Mātṛs:
1. Brāhmaṇī,
2. Māheśvarī,
3. Kaumārī,
4. Vaiṣṇavī,
5. Vārāhī,
6. Indrāṇī,
7. Cāmuṇḍā,
(8. Mahālakṣmī/Yōgeśvari)

Saptamātṛkā, black chlorite schist 12th century Karnataka, Hoysala dynasty Halebidu; Art Gallery NSW

The cult of the Saptamātṛkās is one of the most ancient in India. The seven Devis were believed to be the feminine counterparts of the Seven Great Brahman Gods, and their origin is explained in Purāṇic literature as follows: the Seven Mothers (Saptamātṛkā) emerge to aid Śiva in his battle against the formidable demon, Andhaka.

According to legend, Andhakāsura appears at Kailāsa intending to carry away Pārvati. Śiva prepares for battle with Andhaka by making the serpents Vāsuki, Takṣaka and Dhananjaya his belt and bracelets. He dons the hide of Gajāsura as an upper garment, and welding the powerful Triśūla, he sets out to destroy Andhaka with his army of gaṇas. The struggle ensued, and Śiva succeeded in wounding Andhakāsura with his arrow. Each drop of blood that dripped from the wound touched the earth, and was transformed into another asura. There were soon thousands of Andhakāsura-s. Śiva thrust his Triśūla into the real Andhakāsura and began to dance. Viṣṇu used his sudarśana cakra to destroy the secondary asuras formed from his blood. To prevent the blood from falling to the earth, and fearing to be overcome by them, he created out of the flame that issued from his mouth in battle a śakti known as Yōgeśwari.

A red sandstone relief with Śiva and the Saptamātṛkā
Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh, circa 10th century

Indra and other dēvas also sent their śaktis to serve the same purpose. They are Brāhmaṇī, Māheśvarī, Kaumārī, Vaiṣṇavī, Vārāhī, Indrāṇī, and Cāmuṇḍā, armed with the same weapons, wearing the same ornaments, riding the same vāhanās, and carrying the same banners as the corresponding male Gods do. The seven Mātṛs that were brought into existence, led by Yogesvari, caught (drank) each drop of blood as it fell, stopping the further multiplication Andhakāsura - thus was the chief of the asuras overcome. Such is the account of the origin of the Sapta-mātṛkā-s or seven mother goddesses. In the Varāha Purāṇa, however, it states that these mother goddesses are eight number and includes among them the goddess Yōgeśvari, although all other Purāṇa-s and āgamā-s mention them to be seven. The Varāha Purāṇa further states that these Mātṛkā-s represent eight morally negative qualities: accordingly — Yōgeśvari represents kāma or desire; Māheśvarī, krōdha or anger; Kaumārī mōha or illusion; Vaiṣṇavī, lōbha or covetousness; Brāhmaṇī mada or pride; Vārāhī, asūya or envy; Indrāṇī mātsarya or fault-finding; and Cāmuṇḍā paiśunya, or tale-bearing.

In certain villages, especially in south India, Cāmuṇḍā was to be found in the center instead of at the left end of the group, and this change indicated that supplications were to be addressed to the Saptamātņkās for increasing the population of the village .

This account in the Varāha Purāṇa is allegorical, with the Mātṛkās representing ātma-vidyā or spiritual wisdom as a warning to Andhaka, and Śiva representing the spirit of vidyā that fights the darkness of ignorance, avidyā, as Andhaka. The more avidyā is attacked by vidyā, the more it tends to multiply. Unless the eight evil qualities are kept under the control of vidyā, it can never succeed in putting down Andhakāsura.

The Kūrma Purāṇa continues further the story of the Mātṛkās. After the chastisement of the asura Andhaka, Śiva commanded Bhairava and the Mātṛkās to retire to the pātāḷa-lōka, the abode of tāmasic and destructive Viṣṇu Nṛusiṃha.

In the Śuprabhēdāgama, it is said that these Mātṛkās were created by Brahmā for the purpose of killing Nirṛita.

Saptamātṛkā Relief; Bihar, Patna District, 9th century, Black chlorite schist; LACMA

In the ‘Devi Mahatmya’, the Aṣṭamātṛkā perform a similar function and help Durga vanquish the demon Raktabīja.

The stele above shows Śiva, seated on the far left, accompanied by the Saptamātṛkā. From left to right, the goddesses are Brāhmī, who emerges from the god Brahma; Māheśvarī, who emanates from Śiva; Kaumārī, the counterpart of the warrior god, Kumāra; Vaishnavi, the female energy of Vishnu; Varāhī, the partner of Varāha, the boar incarnation of Vishnu; Indrāṇī, the śakti of Indra; and the fierce, skeletal personification of energy, Cāmuṇḍā.

Though generally associated with Śiva, their names reveal that they were born from the bodies of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and other gods, such as given in the Vāmana Purāṇa.

Saptamātṛkā accompanied by a single male figure, 10th century Madhya Pradesh; British Museum

Association with Vināyaka:

In relatively late religious literature and art, Gaṇeśa is found associated with the divine mothers. In a smṛti text, the Yājñavalkya (a part of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad), Vināyaka is called the son of Ambīki, to whom His worshippers should offer obeisance. The Gobhilasmṛti directs that all rites should begin with an act of worship of Gaṇeśa and the mātṛ-s.

In iconography, the seven Mother Goddesses are usually, though not invariably shown in a row with Vīrabhadra (Śiva) at one end and Gaṇeśa at the other. The Mayamata (a text on vāstu-śāstra) and the Rūpamaṇḍana stipulate that this arrangement should be followed. Temple reliefs from Aihole, Ellora, Bhubaneśvara, Khajuraho, etc. provide extensive evidence in support of this practise, as do treatises on sculpture.

Saptamātṛkā panel 10th century Madhya Pradesh. All the goddess are shown with their attributes and vehicles. On the extreme left is Śiva and on the extreme right is a four armed Gaṇeśa. A kīrtimukha adorns the centre of the floral border. Allahabad Museum, Prayagraj

The cult of the Mothers originally personified scourges or exanthematous fevers such as smallpox, typhoid, cholera, hysteria, or deadly serpents, and might have been propitiated by sacrifices of goats, pigs, hens, or buffaloes. On admission into the brahmanical pantheon these malevolent beings were identified as śaktis of the major Vedic gods: Brahmaṇi of Brahma; Maheśvari or Yogeśvari of Siva; Vaiṣṇavi of Viṣṇu; Kaumāri of Skanda or Kumāra; Varāhi of the boar incarnation of Visnu; Indrāni of Indra; Cāmuṇḍi or Narasimrhi of Yama. They were conceived in the images of their male consorts, and therefore were given the same ornaments, weapons, and vdhanas. Perhaps that is why in their earliest appearances, in the Kushan and Gupta periods, they lack the frightful features seen in late sculptures, and even seem benevolent. However, their natures are entirely different from their companion gods as they personify negative qualities (as elaborated above). Vināyaka is both an embodiment of these evil forces and their lord, Vighṇeśvara.

Dancing Aṣṭamātṛkā accompanied by Vināyaka. c. 1000 AD; Museo d’Arte Orientale di Torino

According to the Suprabhedāgama, Gaṇeśa should be standing when in the company of the Saptamātṛkās; but generally He is seated, as are also the goddesses. He is almost always placed on their extreme left, is four-armed, holdingthe ax and bowl. Underneath the āsanas of the goddesses are niches in which are the vāhanas of the gods of whom they are the śaktis, while in the niche underneath the seat of Gaṇeśa may be a rat or a bowl of sweets.

Fragments of Mātṛkā Panel with Gaṇeśa.
Copper repoussé from Nepal, 10th/11th century. Art Institute Chicago

In the Īśāna-Śivagurudevapaddhatu, Gaṇeśa under the name of Vighnanāyaka, is invoked to protect little children from the demon goddesses by removing all obstacles to the successful propitiation of the Saptamātṛkās. The Saptamātṛkās were not always looked upon as malignant deities but rather as the ‘productive or noursishing powers of nature’.

The Seven Mother Goddesses (Matrikas) Flanked by Śiva-Vīrabhadra and Gaṇeśa; Madhya Pradesh, 9th century Red Sandstone; LACMA

References:

1. Elements of Hindu Iconography by T. A. G. Rao
2. The Origins of Gaṇeśa Y. Krishan
3. Gaṇeśa: A Monograph on the Elephant-faced God by Alice Getty

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