Navratri - Forms of Goddess - Part 2

In the earlier article we read about three important forms of the Mother Goddess during Navratri - here are the other two important forms of the Goddess -

The eighth day of Navratri is associated with Goddess Bagala – Bagala or Bagalamukhi, or ‘crane-faced’ is a form of the Mother goddess. Some also interpret the name with bridal face, implying the face which has the power to attract attention, like all brides. The worship of the goddess is generally in the tantric form when opposite behavior is warranted. The worship enables opposite reaction of what is normal, implying that she has the power to turn speech into silence, movement into motionless, power into impotence, etc. It is this reason why she also referred to as “stambha-shakti” the power to stun. Her worship is very ritualistic and a lot of care is undertaken in the rituals, as any error could earn the wrath of the goddess. There are quite a few temples of the goddess and the greatest boon that one can receive on worshipping at the temple of Bagala devi is to have worshipped all the 330 million gods in the Hindu pantheon just by worshipping at her temple. One of the myths associated with the goddess is that once a huge storm waged on the earth threatening to swallow the whole earth. All the gods assembled and prayed to Bagala Ma, who appeared and calmed the storm. Another legend says that the goddess defeated an asura to protect Dharma. She is supposed to have pulled out the tongue of the asura who begged for forgiveness – implying that unwanted speech or discussion is a threat to religion and the goddess does not forgive such people. In the ancient times animals were sacrificed during the ritual worshipping and some say that the practice is followed even now.

The ninth day is associated with Goddess Matangi – Matangi is again a ferocious aspect of the goddess and again a form worshipped in the tantric form. Matangi is the tantric goddess of speech and the knowledge of arts like music, etc. and is thus as the ‘Tantric Saraswati’. She is generally worshipped to gain supernatural powers and a victory over enemies. The myths associated with Matangi are very similar to the ones of Sati or Kali, but the details of the myths are not very elaborate. However, different tantric texts also relate many other myths which are replete with sexual undertones (which are not being mentioned here as the same have not been verified by me). Some texts have also compared her to an outcaste, a ‘chandala’, and thus sometimes she is also referred to as Chandalini. Some say, that she was the daughter of Sage Matanga, who was an outcaste but became a rishi with his penance and thus Goddess Saraswati was born as his daughter, which was goddess Matangi. Different texts have said different things about Matangi, but what is common to all is her ferocious aspect.

This brings us to the end of the Navratri. Tomorrow is Vijaya Dashami – a time to celebrate the victory of good over evil. For more on this, please check my earlier article –

http://utkarshspeak.blogspot.com/2010/10/vijaya-dashami.html