The Seven Mother Godesses

The Sapta-Matrukas are thus accepted as the Sakthi Components of Brahma, Shiva, Karthikeya, Vishnu, Varahamurthy, Indra and Yama and are worshipped as Parivara-Devatas in both Shiva and Sakthi Temples. They also constitute a group of Deities worshipped in one Avarana of the Yantra of both Shaivite as well as Shakteya tradition. They are also installed along with Ganapthy and Veerabhadra or Bhairava all over India either in a row or in separate temples. There are variations in the number of th Mother Godesses as well as their order. At times even upto SIXTEEN Matruka-Sakthis are quoted in Skandha-prana, Devi-purana, Brahma-Vaivartha-purana etc. Devi-Bagavatham, Nitya-Shoda-Sigarnavam, Prapancha-sara-samgraha, Linga-Puranam, Mantra-Mahoddhathi, Varaha-purana mention them as Eight in number. According to the Sculptures seen they are listed as Brahmi, Maaheswari, Kaumari, Vaishnavi, Varahi, Indrani and Chamunda. All the Matrukas are found sitting in Lalitasana posture with left thigh folded and right foot seated down. They are adorned with heavy ornaments, necklaces and circular ear-rings. Each has four hands in which they wield the attributes of their male counterparts. Except Kaumari, Vaishnavi, Varahi and Aindrani who are adorned with Kiritamakuta, the other Matrukas have Jatamakuta or Karandamakuta. They were usually sculpted together in a single stone with two hands in Abhaya-Varadha Mutras and other two hands holding the respective weapons in sitting posture along with their Vahanas sculpted below each Deity. Moreover the series start and end with either Bhairava or Ganapathy. At times they are seen with Babies in their lap or beside them to denote their Maternal Presentation. Rooba-mandanam says that Veerabhadra must be on their left and Ganapathy must be on their right sides. Veerabhadra or Bhairava is depicted in Padmasana Posture with two hands in Abhaya-Varadha-Mudra and two hand holding Trishula and Gada with his Rishaba-Vahana. In Tamilnadu and Karnataka he is seen to play the Veena too. According to certain Agamas they have their right thigh folded with left leg resting down. Individual description of the Seven Mothers according to various Agamas or Shilpa-Sastra texts like Agni-purana, Amsumathbedagama, Poorva-Kaaranagama, Matsya-purana, Roobavatharam, Roobamandanam, Vishwakarma-Sastra, Shilpa-Ratnam, Sri-Tattwa-Nidhi, Vishnu-Dharmottara-purana, Devi-purana are posted separately.