Matrikas
Matrika is a group of mother or warrior goddesses who are portrayed together in unspecified numbers. They are considered to be inauspicious and wild in characteristics but became protective deities in later mythology. Different texts and traditions describe the origin of Matrikas, many of them having a distinct narrative. Earlier scriptures account Matrikas as a group of goddesses, uncertain in number and aggressive in nature. The group was widely regarded and feared as swarms of evil spirits preying on pregnant mothers and children. Although, they are portrayed as warrior goddesses in later works of literature. According to the Devi Mahatmya, Matrikas were created by Durga to defeat the demon army. In Matsya Purana, these goddesses were created from the Shakti of different gods to assist Shiva in his fight with Andhaka.
Sapta/Ashtamatrikas
In various Puranas and Tantra, Matrikas typically appear in groups of seven or eight goddesses. Sometimes there are five to ten goddesses on the list, but the majority of the tradition emphasizes having a total of seven to eight Matrikas. The most widely recognized Matrikas are Brahmi, Maheshvari, Kumari, Vaishnavi, Varahi, Indrani, and Chamunda. These goddesses are thought to have originated from attributes of different male deities. They represent the Shakti of these male deities in female form. In some traditions, they are also seen as the consorts of particular male deities. In the Devi Mahatmya, Goddess Durga created the Matrka goddesses to help her in destroying the demon army.
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Following are prominent goddesses who are often listed as Matrikas in various Puranic and Tantric literature:
1. Brahmani
Also called Brahmi, she is the Shakti of Brahma, depicted in yellow complexion and with one or four heads. She has four arms, holding different attributes of Brahma, such as a rosary, kamandalu, trident, manuscript or her two hands are in Varada and Abhaya mudra. She is also shown seated on a lotus or a swan or goose as her mount. She is also shown as sitting under a palas tree.
2. Vaishnavi
She is the Shakti of Vishnu. Her complexion is bluish and her mount is Garuda, like Vishnu. She has four or six arms, holding different attributes of Vishnu, such as a conch shell, chakra (Discus), mace and lotus, bow-sword, or her two hands are in Varada and Abhaya mudra.
3. Maheshwari
Also called Rudrani, she is the Shakti of Shiva. She is depicted with a white complexion and with three eyes. She has four arms, holding different attributes of Shiva, such as a trident, damaru, akshamala (a garland of beads), axe, or a kapala (skull-bowl) or her two hands in Varada and Abhaya mudra. She is adorned with a crescent moon on her piled-matted hair and snakes on her neck and seated on Nandi, like Shiva.
4. Indrani
She is the Shakti of Indra. She has two or four or six arms, holding different attributes of Indra, like Vajra, goad, noose, or her two hands in Abhay and Varada Mudra. Her mount is an elephant.
5. Kaumari
She is the shakti of Kartikeya. She is depicted one headed or six-headed. She has four or eight arms, holding various attributes of Kartikeya, like a spear, axe, trident, bow-arrow, sword, shield, mace, or her two hands in Abhay and Varada Mudra. Her mount is a peacock.
6. Varahi
She is the Shakti of Varaha. She is depicted with a boar face like Varaha. She has two, four, or ten arms, holding various attributes like a plow, goad, noose, vajra, sword, panapatra, bell, chakra, bow-arrow, or her two hands in Abhay and Varada Mudra. Her mount is a buffalo but she is also shown seated on a tiger, lion, or horse, or seated on a lotus.
Varahi is also one of the principal goddesses in Tantric tradition and hence she is depicted in various forms. In Varahi Tantra, she has five forms, Svapna Varahi, Canda Varahi, Mahi Varahi, Krcca Varahi, and Matsya Varahi. Maha Varahi, Swapna Varahi, Magisharuda Varahi, Aadi Varahi, Simharuda Varahi, Achvaruda Varahi, Unmatha Varahi, and Lagu Varahi are other forms of grouped together as Ashta Varahi, worshipped during Ashada Navratri.
7. Chamundi
She is the form of Kali who slew Chanda and Munda, two rakshasas, hence called Chamunda. She is described as having a dark complexion with three eyes, fangs coming out of her mouth, and a sunken belly. She wears a garland of severed heads or skulls. She has two, four, eight, ten or twelve arms, holding a damaru, trident, sacrificial sword, skull-mace, thunderbolt, snake, a severed head and skull-cup. She is shown riding a jackal or standing on a corpse.
8. Narasimhi
She is the shakti of Narasimha. She is depicted as a lion face like Narasimha. She is generally shown with four, eight or ten arms, holding various attributes like a trident, damaru, mace, bow-arrow, chakra, sacrificial sword, a severed head, sankha, pasha (snake rope), and skull-cup. Her mount is a lion. She is often identified with Pratyangira. She is depicted with four arms and a lion-like countenance. With the head of a male lion atop a human female body, she bears erect hair on her head. Holding a skull, trident, damaru, and a noose (nagapasa) in her hands, she sits astride a lion, wielding her formidable power to vanquish adversaries.
9. Yami
She is the shakti of Yama mentioned in Varaha Purana as the seventh Matrika goddess.
10.Yogishwari
She is the eighth Matrika in Varaha Purana and a Shakti of Shiva. She was created by the flames emerging from Shiva’s mouth.
11. Vinayaki
Also called Gananayika, she is the Shakti of Ganesha, depicted with an elephant head like Ganesha. She has four or ten arms, holding various attributes like a sword, noose, trident, sugarcane, chakra, mace, sankha, lotus, or her two hands in Abhay and Varada Mudra.
12. Kuberi
She is the Shakti of Yama mentioned in Varaha Purana as the seventh Matrika goddess.
13. Varuni
She is the eighth Matrika in Varaha Purana and a Shakti of Shiva. She was created by the flames emerging from Shiva’s mouth.
14. Chandika
Chandi, also considered a form of Mahishasuramardini, is a fearsome goddess who is counted in a list of nine Matrikas in Some Tantric traditions. The Yoginis, the Goddess' attendants, are thought to be the daughters of these Matrkas. Each Matrka is said to have nine daughters, resulting in 81 Yoginis.
15. Mahalakshmi
In Nepal's tradition of Ashta Matara, Mahalakshmi is counted as the eighth Matrika and replacing Narasimhi. Mahalakshmi is also listed with Chandika in the group of nine Matrikas in Tantric traditions.