Śyāmalā Mātaṅgī

Śyāmalā is also called Mātaṅgī (the elephant-Śakti) and Gīta-Yoginī. She is the prime minister (mahāmantrī) of Lalitā Mahātripurasundarī. She also commands the eastern division of Lalitā’s divine army in the Lalitopākhyāna.

She is linked with music, poetry and the arts. Her weapon is the divine bow Citrajīva, and she rides the Geyacakra chariot. Her own beauty draws all the worlds. In the wider Śrī Vidyā tradition, Śyāmalā is one of the main attendants of Lalitā, set in the Śrī Cakra, and her mantra holds a high place among the Lalitā mantras.

Her role in the Lalitopākhyāna

Chapter 17 of the Lalitopākhyāna tells how the armies of Daṇḍanātha-Vārāhī and of Śyāmalā set out for war.

Śyāmalā rides the Geyacakra chariot, the “chant-wheel” chariot, which shows her link with music and the arts. In her right hand she holds the bow Citrajīva (the bow of many-coloured life). In her left hand she holds the divine arrow. Thousands of śakti soldiers go with her. Her own form is dark and beautiful, like a monsoon cloud.

Her title Gīta-Yoginī (the Yoginī of song) sums up her nature. She is the power of divine music, song and art that fills Lalitā’s rule.

Her attendants are Yantrīṇī and Tantrīṇī. Yantrīṇī plays the vīṇā by yantra, and Tantrīṇī plays it by tantra. They carry the parrot and the vīṇā in that order, and they serve at her side. (Brahmāṇḍa Mahā Purāṇa, Lalitopākhyāna, Chapter 17)

Chapter 38 of the Lalitopākhyāna sets out the ranking of mantras. There the Śyāmā mantras hold a high place, second only to the Lalitā mantras. This shows her high standing even among the traditions of Śakti sādhana (spiritual practice).

Her place in Śrī Vidyā

In the Śrī Vidyā tradition, Mātaṅgī is one of the Daśamahāvidyās, the ten great wisdom devīs. Her link with speech, music and the arts makes her the Śakti of Sarasvatī’s field, used in the service of Lalitā. People who seek skill in words, music and learning offer ārādhanā to Śyāmalā Mātaṅgī.

Sources

• Brahmāṇḍa Mahā Purāṇa, Lalitopākhyāna, Chapter 17
• Brahmāṇḍa Mahā Purāṇa, Lalitopākhyāna, Chapter 38