Rajamatangi: Goddess of knowledge, talent and expertise        Back

• Mata literally means “a thought” or “an opinion.”  Rajamatangi is thus the Goddess power which has entered into thought or the mind.  She is the word as the embodiment of thought.  She also relates to the ear and our ability to listen, which is the origin of true understanding that forms powerful thoughts.  Rajamatangi bestows knowledge, talent and expertise.  She is the Goddess of the spoken word and of any outward articulation of inner knowledge, including all forms of art, music and dance.
• Rajamatangi relates to Sarasvati, the Goddess of wisdom and the consort of Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe.  Rajamatangi, like Sarasvati, plays a Veena and rules over music or audible sound in general, not just the spoken word.  She is the manifest form of song.  Like Sarasvati she is symbolized by the rain cloud and by the thunder, as well as by the rivers pouring into the sea.  She is the vibratory sound, Nada, that flows in the subtle channels, Nadis, down through our entire body and mind.

• However, Rajamatangi and Sarasvati are a little different.  Rajamatangi is the form of Sarasvati directed towards inner knowledge.  She is her dark, mystic, ecstatic or wild form.  Sarasvati is often a Goddess of only ordinary learning, art and culture.  Rajamatangi rules over the extraordinary, which takes us beyond the bounds of the conventional.  Rajamatangi is an outcast or artist who goes against the norms of society, while Sarasvati represents  the knowledge and virtue of the Brahmin or learned class which never departs from propriety.  Rajamatangi is that portion of Sarasvati which is allied with the transforming energy of Kali.
• The guru (spiritual teacher) instructs us through the spoken word.  Hence his vehicle among the Goddess is Rajamatangi.  Rajamatangi represents the teachings of the guru and the tradition.  She represents the continuity of spiritual instruction in the world.  By honoring her we also honor the guru.  Those seeking to teach others, particularly to communicate to the masses of people, should seek the grace of Rajamatangi.
• According to the Upanishads the essence of the human being is speech.  What we express through speech is the final product of all that we take into ourselves in life.  This ultimate residue and representation of who we are through speech is Rajamatangi.  This, however, is not ordinary or casual speech, but the deepest expression of our hearts.
• The Divine Word has power, feeling, and passion, which is not mere human emotion but Divine bliss.  The Divine Word is not merely a theoretical or practical statement but an effusion of energy and delight.  This joy is another aspect of Rajamatangi.  Rajamatangi is thus a wild, playful and ecstatic Goddess.
• Rajamatangi represents the ministerial power of the Goddess.  She is the counselor to Rajarajeshvari or Tripura Sundari, the Supreme Queen of the universe.  As such she is called Mantrini and has power over all mantras, particularly in their vocalization and articulation.  She gives us the ability to communicate with all the other Gods and Goddesses through the power of the mantra.  In fact she rules over all forms of knowledge, counseling and teaching.  Those seeking proficiency in these areas should honor Rajamatangi.
• Rajamatangi is dark emerald green in color, the color of deep knowledge and profound life-energy, which is also the color of the planet Mercury that governs intelligence.  She plays the Veena, a stringed instrument like a sitar, which shows her musical and vibratory power.  She is beautiful and carries various weapons with which to fascinate and subdue us.  In this regard she has the same ornaments and weapons as Sundari.  She is often said to have a parrot in her hands, which represents the powers of speech as inherent in nature.  She sits on a throne made of gems.