Matrika, Mātṛkā, Mātṛka, Mātrikā: 29 definitions

Introduction
Image gallery
In Hinduism
In Buddhism
1. General definition
Languages
1. Marathi
2. Sanskrit
3. Hindi
4. Kannada
See also
Buy products

Introduction:

Matrika means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi, Hindi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

The Sanskrit terms Mātṛkā and Mātṛka can be transliterated into English as Matrka or Matrika, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

Alternative spellings of this word include Matrik.

Images (photo gallery)

In Hinduism

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: archive.org: Sri Vijnana Bhairava Tantra

Matrika (refers to another important aspect of Mantra), which are also known as the “little mothers” of creation. They represent the inherent sound vibration of each akshara or indelible sound vibration contained within the letters which make up words and language. Mantra is the source of matrika, or creative energy. In fact, they are so closely linked that another name for Mantra is matrika.

Matrika is concealed in the Mantra.—In the Shiva Sutras, an important text of Kashmir Shaivism and Trika philosophy, Shiva states that matrika is concealed in the Mantra and does not reveal itself unless he commands, thus showing the interdependence of energy and consciousness. When the awareness is focused through the medium of Mantra, the energy awakens from its slumber. Until that is done, the energy remains asleep.

Source: HAL: The alphabet goddess Mātṛkā in some early Śaiva Tantras

Mātṛkā (मातृका) is a well-known alphabet goddess mentioned in many tantric texts, irrespective of their age or affiliation. Her name is traditionally explained as the matrix or source (yoni), i.e. the source of all mantras, all śāstras, and in general, of everything that is made of words.This explanation is commonly given by exegetes, who paraphraseher name with synonyms for Mother, mātṛ.

1) Kṣemarāja glosses her name as she who gave rise to all mantras and Tantras. Kṣemarāja also points out in other passages that she is the cause of the universe, which is made of whatever is expressed and whatever expresses. Kṣemarāja also adds a nondualist interpretation to the understanding of Mātṛkā as the Mother of all mantras.

2) Nārāyaṇakaṇṭha, in his commentary on the Mṛgendratantra, says that she is associated with Śiva, and that she is called Mātṛkā because she is like a Mother: she gave birth to everything that is made of words.

3) The Uttarasūtra clearly speaks of Mātṛkā as the alphabet, stating that she consists of eight letter groups, vargas. She is said to be the source of everything made of words, mantras and śāstras, in the manner of later definitions. She is defined as a mantra or female mantra (vidyā) herself, and is accordingly listed in association with other mantras, notably the piṇḍākṣara or navātman, which is also said to consist of eight parts.

4) The Nayasūtra adds some more praises of Mātṛkā to what the Uttarasūtra contains. But it also elaborates her worship with an additional practice. The sādhaka must imitate each letter with his own body, thus a new equivalence is created be tween the alphabet and the body. Furthermore, both Mātṛkā and each letter, in particular the letter [A], is said to contain all the tattvas.

5) It is in the Guhyasūtra that she is unambiguously treated as a goddess, for here Śiva speaks to Devī as Mātṛkā herself. He states that they are the ultimate source of the universe with the recurring line ‘everything is produced from my seeds and is born from your womb.’

6) In another passage of the Tantrāloka (15.130-1), Abhinavagupta also clarifies how he analyses the name Mātṛkā. He derives it from the verbal root mā-, ‘to measure, to experience.’ He interprets the agent noun suffix (-tṛ) as being used to form the periphrastic future and the suffix -ka as indicating comparison, likeness. Thus, Mātṛkā is defined as ‘she who is like the one who will be the subject of experience,’ for she is still within Śabdarāśi without being manifest as a separate entity. Only when she becomes manife st will she be Mālinī , responsible for the obtainment of supernatural effects as well as liberation. The relation of Śabdarāśi, Mātṛkā and Mālinī is explained in the Tantrāloka (3.198-9ab).

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions

Mātṛkā (मातृका) refers to a type of Mantra, according to the Guhyasūtra chapter 9.—Accordingly, “[The Goddess spoke]:—From the mātṛkā supernatural power and liberation can come about, O Lord. Tell me [how to attain] supernatural power and liberation through the mātṛkā. Why did you teach the mantras that arise from it? Tell me [the answer to] this excellent question. … fruit to me. [...]”.

Note: The Sādhaka propitiates a given mantra, here the mātṛkā, by performing a timed religious observance involving unusual dress and diet, the rules of which are ideally held to be in some way appropriate to the mantra in question, and then becomes eligible for the pursuit of particular siddhis. In the case of the mātṛkā, adopting the appearance of Ardhanārīśvara is particularly appropriate because the mātṛkā is made up of feminine vowels and masculine consonants, which, as is explained elsewhere in the Niśvāsa-corpus, are to be applied respectively to the left and right halves of the Sādhaka’s body before worship in a preliminary rite that prefigures what came to be called sakalīkaraṇa.

Source: SOAS University of London: Protective Rites in the Netra Tantra

Mātṛkā (मातृका) refers to the “source for all mantras”, according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—The description of the mantra in the Netra Tantra relies on several aspects of the gross world: the earth, organic matter, and the phonemes of the mātṛkā (a, ka, ca, ṭa, ta, pa, ya, and śa). The Mantrin uses organic matter to create a ritual space on a pure plot of earth by drawing a lotus and places the mātṛkā onto the petals at the eight cardinal and inter-cardinal directions.

The mātṛkā mantra appears in many Tantric texts. Most explain it as the source of all other mantras. Each phoneme of the mantra represents the first phoneme of its traditional phonological category. Therefore, it contains the complete alphabet. [...] Through the physical creation of the mantra, the practitioner extracts and worships the Mātṛkā as a goddess. Both the Siddhayogeśvarīmata and Svacchanda Tantra also worship the goddess Mātṛkā as the power of Rudra. Rudra possesses all the letters of the alphabet and hence is the source of the categories of phonemes (vargas)

context information

Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Śāktism

Mātṛkā (मातृका) refers to the “eight mother Goddesses” (Aṣṭamātṛkā) of Kathmandu city, each having a local deity name.

Source: Sreenivasarao's blog: Saptamatrka (part 2)

As per the narration in Matsya Purana, Shiva created the seven Matrikas to assist him in his combat against the demon Andhaka. After the battle, the Matrikas go on a rampage destroying the beings of the world. The destructive Matrikas are eventually pacified by the benign goddesses created by Lord Narasimha.

In the Suprabhedagama it is said these seven Matrikas were created by Brahma the purpose of killing the Demon Nirrita.

The Varaha Purana carries an interesting sidelight. It mentions that the Matrkas were created from the distracted mind of goddess Vaishnavi while she was trying hard to meditate. These Matrkas are described as lovely looking attendants assisting the goddess on the battlefield.

context information

Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Wisdom Library: Purāṇas

Mātṛkā (मातृका) is another name for Mātṛ, referring to a set of Mothers (Goddesses).—As has been pointed out by Avalon in the Introduction (p. 35) to Prapañcasāra-tantra, the Mātṛs are seven [viz., Saptamātṛkā (seven mothers)]. Skandapurāṇa (Kāśīkhaṇḍa, 83.33 of Uttarārdha) mentions Nine Mātṛs. Devībhāgavata (12.11.57-58), on the other hand, mentions Eight Mātṛs [viz., Aṣṭamātṛkā (eight mothers)]. The characteristics of these eight are described in detail in the Nityāṣoḍaśikārṇava belonging to Vāmakeśvara-tantra (8.126ff).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Mātṛka (मातृक).—A mantranyāsa in Dīkṣa.^*

* Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 43. 11.

1b) Evil spirits (see Mātṛs).^*

* Bhāgavata-purāṇa X. 6. 28.

2) Mātṛkā (मातृका).—The wife of Aryama and mother of Carṣaṇis.^*

* Bhāgavata-purāṇa VI. 6. 42.

context information

The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

Ganitashastra (Mathematics and Algebra)

Source: archive.org: Hindu Mathematics

Mātṛkā (मातृका) represents the number 7 (seven) in the “word-numeral system” (bhūtasaṃkhyā), which was used in Sanskrit texts dealing with astronomy, mathematics, metrics, as well as in the dates of inscriptions and manuscripts in ancient Indian literature.—A system of expressing numbers by means of words arranged as in the place-value notation was developed and perfected in India in the early centuries of the Christian era. In this system the numerals [e.g., 7—mātṛkā] are expressed by names of things, beings or concepts, which, naturally or in accordance with the teaching of the Śāstras, connote numbers.

context information

Ganitashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, gaṇitaśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science of mathematics, algebra, number theory, arithmetic, etc. Closely allied with astronomy, both were commonly taught and studied in universities, even since the 1st millennium BCE. Ganita-shastra also includes ritualistic math-books such as the Shulba-sutras.

Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)

Source: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama Texts

Mātṛkā (मातृका) refers to one of the Nyāsas performed during the Bhūtaśuddhi (“purification of the spirits”), according to the eleventh chapter of the Agastyasaṃhitā (agastya-suīkṣṇa-saṃvāda edition), an ancient Pāñcarātra Āgama text dealing with the worship of Rāma, Sītā, Lakṣmaṇa and Hanumān.—[Cf. the bhūtaśuddhi]:—[...] Preliminary to worship, the instruments and objects used in worship are to be cleansed by prokṣaṇa and kṣālana. Only when such matters are taken care of will God be effectively worshipped; otherwise all the rites will be futile. Thereupon the nyāsas called mātṛkā, keśavādi, tattva, mūrtipañjara, ṛṣichhandas, mantradevatā, and ṣaḍaṅga are done along with repetition of their mystic syllables, after which God is to be contemplated and acknowledged by offering everything one has to Him. His retinue is also (mentally) honored. [...]

context information

Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: WikiPedia: Hinduism

Matrikas : A group of mother goddesses.

Source: China Buddhism Encyclopedia: Hinduism

The Sanskrit word mātṛkā means divine mother. It refers to all the treatises in the Abhidharma-piṭaka, and those in the upadeśa, which is the twelfth of the twelve categories of the Buddha’s teachings.

Source: academia.edu: Tessitori Collection I (hinduism)

Mātṛkā (मातृका) refers to the “alphabet”, according to the “Vaḍā Bhale Bhavāṃnī” (dealing with Hymns and Rituals), which is included in the collection of manuscripts at the ‘Vincenzo Joppi’ library, collected by Luigi Pio Tessitori during his visit to Rajasthan between 1914 and 1919.—The alphabet (mātṛkā) considered as a concentrate of the universe and representing Brahma being used for meditation because it is the manifestation of the śabdabrahman as anāhata and represents the trimūrti. The letters have to be laid out in six concentric lotuses, with six letters in lotus no. 1, 2, 3, and 6, twelve in lotus no. 4 and sixteen in lotus no. 5. Then the letters are detailed. Their total should be 52. There are the 16 vowels, which have to be understood as a, ā, i, ī, u, ū, ṛ, long ṛ, ḷ, long ḷ, e, ai, o, au, aṃ and aḥ. Verse 20 to 54 each start with a word containing the consonant dealt with in succession, with two verses for ka and ca, no verse for ṇa and one verse for the others (kha, ga, ṅa, cha, ja, jha, ña, ṭa, ṭha, ḍa, ḍha, ta, tha, da, dha, na, pa, pha, ba, bha, ma, ya, ra, la, va, śa, ṣa, sa, ha and kṣa in 54). Although tra and jña have to be included to reach the total of 52, they are not treated separately.

In Buddhism

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Google Books: Buddhist Tantra: A Philosophical Reflection and Religious Investigation

Śiva Sūtra further says, that the basis of knowledge is Mātṛkā. Mātṛkā stands for the mystic sound corresponding to each letter of Sanskrit alphabet. This is called Mātṛkā (the mystic soniric power) because it produces the entire universe. The Sanskrit alphabet from ‘a’ to ‘kṣa’ the mother of entire universe is a presiding deity. She is called Mātṛka because she is unknown. When the Mātṛkā is known she leads one to salvation. The different letters are being presided over by different deities.

Avarga; (the class of vowels) – Yogīśvarī or Mahālakṣmī,
Kavarga (ka, kha, ga, gha, ṅa) – Brāhmī,
Cavarga (ca, cha, ja, jha, ña) – Māheśvari,
Ṭavarga (ṭa, ṭha, ḍa, ḍha, ṇa) – Kaumārī,
Tavarga (ta, tha, da, dha, na) - Vaiṣṇavī,
Yavarga (ya, ra, la, va) – Aindrī or Indrāṇī,
Śavarga (śa, ṣa, sa, ha, kṣa) - Cāmuṇḍā

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

mātṛkā (मातृका).—f (S) A letter of the alphabet. 2 A mother: also a nurse. 3 A divine mother, a personified energy of a deity. Eight are enumerated; viz. brāhmī, mahēśvarī, kaumārī, vaiṣṇavī, vārāhī, indrāṇī, kaubērī or cāmuṇḍā, carcikā. They are worshiped at weddings and other festal occasions. There is a varying specification of these deities, and there are other enumerations or lists, one of sixteen, another of seven &c. 4 A simple sound, a note, a vowel.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

mātṛkā (मातृका).—f A letter of the Alphabet. A vowel. A mother.

context information

Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Mātṛka (मातृक).—a.

1) Coming or inherited from a mother; मातृकं च धनुरूर्जितं दधत् (mātṛkaṃ ca dhanurūrjitaṃ dadhat) R.11.64,9.

2) Maternal.

-kaḥ A maternal uncle.

-kā 1 A mother; शत्रुश्चैव हि मित्रं च न लेख्यं न च मातृका (śatruścaiva hi mitraṃ ca na lekhyaṃ na ca mātṛkā) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 2.55.1.

2) A grandmother; -सत्यामपि प्रीतौ न मातुर्मातृकाया वा शासनातिवृत्तिः (satyāmapi prītau na māturmātṛkāyā vā śāsanātivṛttiḥ) Daśakumāracarita 2.2.

3) A nurse.

4) A source, origin.

5) A divine mother.

6) Name of certain diagrams written in characters supposed to have a magical power; मातृकारहितं मन्त्रमादिशन्ते न कुत्रचित् (mātṛkārahitaṃ mantramādiśante na kutracit) Brahmavidyā Up.63.

7) The character or alphabet so used (pl.).

8) Name of the 8 veins of the neck.

-kam The nature of a mother.

--- OR ---

Mātrikā (मात्रिका).—A syllable or prosodial instant (= mātrā above).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Mātṛkā (मातृका).—(= Pali mātikā), (1) a name for the Abhi- dharma(piṭaka): °kādhītā Divyāvadāna 18.6; sūtrasya vinayasya °kāyāḥ 18.15; sūtraṃ mātṛkā ca 333.7; Mūla-Sarvāstivāda-Vinaya iii.122.4 °kā-dharo; [Prātimokṣasūtra des Sarvāstivādins] 520.13; (2) (see also Bodhisattva- (sūtra-)-piṭaka-mātṛkā) summary, condensed statement of contents; the Abhidharma probably professed originally to be a summary of the main points of certain aspects of the Dharma (see Critical Pali Dictionary s.v. abhidhamma): Bodhisattvabhūmi 210.10; 274.21; (probably) 303.25; aṣṭau mātṛkā-padāni Mūla-Sarvāstivāda-Vinaya ii.161.14, eight summary points.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Mātṛka (मातृक).—mfn.

(-kaḥ-kā-kaṃ) Maternal, belonging to a mother. m.

(-kaḥ) A maternal uncle. f.

(-kā) 1. A mother. 2. A nurse. 3. The alphabet employed in certain diagrams for magical purposes. 4. A simple sound, a note, a vowel. 5. A goddess. 6. A grand-mother. 7. Source, origin. E. kan added to the preceding.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Mātṛka (मातृक).—[mātṛ + ka], I. adj. Maternal, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 9, 92. Ii. f. kā. 1. A mother. 2. A nurse, [Daśakumāracarita] in Chr. 181, 3. 3. A goddess. 4. The alphabet.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Mātṛka (मातृक).—[adjective] the mother’s, maternal. [masculine] maternal uncle; [feminine] ā mother or grandmother.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Mātrikā (मात्रिका):—[from mātraka > mā] a f. (ikā) = mātrā, a prosodial instant, [Ṛgveda-prātiśākhya] (cf. mātrika).

2) Mātrika (मात्रिक):—[from mā] mfn. (ifc.) all, every kind of (e.g. mṛgamātrika [plural] all kinds of deer), [Suśruta]

3) Mātrikā (मात्रिका):—[from mātrika > mā] b f. a prosodial instant, mora, [Ṛgveda-prātiśākhya] (mfn. containing one prosodial instant or mora, [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā-prātiśākhya [Scholiast or Commentator]])

4) [v.s. ...] a model, paragon, [Bālarāmāyaṇa]

5) Mātṛka (मातृक):—[from mātṛ] mfn. coming from or belonging to a mother, maternal, [Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata] etc.

6) [v.s. ...] m. a maternal uncle, [Rāmāyaṇa]

7) Mātṛkā (मातृका):—[from mātṛka > mātṛ] a f. See next

8) Mātṛka (मातृक):—[from mātṛ] n. the nature of a mother, [Rāmāyaṇa]

9) Mātṛkā (मातृका):—[from mātṛ] b f. a mother (also [figuratively] = source, origin), [Kāvya literature; Kathāsaritsāgara; Purāṇa]

10) [v.s. ...] a divine mother (cf. under mātṛ), [Religious Thought and Life in India 188]

11) [v.s. ...] a nurse, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

12) [v.s. ...] a grandmother, [Daśakumāra-carita]

13) [v.s. ...] Name of 8 veins on both sides of the neck ([probably] so called after the 8 divine m°), [Suśruta]

14) [v.s. ...] Name of [particular] diagrams (written in characters to which a magical power is ascribed; also the alphabet so employed; [probably] only the 14 vowels with Anusvāra and Visarga were originally so called after the 16 div° m°), [Rāmatāpanīya-upaniṣad; Pañcarātra]

15) [v.s. ...] any alphabet, [Hemādri’s Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi]

16) [v.s. ...] ([plural]), [Lalita-vistara]

17) [v.s. ...] a wooden peg driven into the ground for the support of the staff of Indra’s banner, [Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā]

18) [v.s. ...] Name of the works included in the Abhidharma-piṭaka, [Buddhist literature]

19) [v.s. ...] of the wife of Aryaman, [Bhāgavata-purāṇa]

20) [v.s. ...] = karaṇa, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Mātṛka (मातृक):—[(kaḥ-kā-kaṃ) a.] Maternal. m. Maternal uncle. f. (kā) A mother; a nurse; the alphabet.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Mātrika (मात्रिक) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Māia.

[Sanskrit to German]

Matrika in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

Hindi dictionary

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

Mātrika (मात्रिक) [Also spelled matrik]:—(a) pertaining to or belonging to a vowel-mark; based on the number of matras (as [chaṃda]).

context information

...

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Mātṛka (ಮಾತೃಕ):—[noun] any nonliving, intercellular substance in which living cells are embedded, as in bone, cartilage, etc.; matrix.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Relevant text

Search found 59 books and stories containing Matrika, Mātrikā, Mātrika, Mātṛkā, Mātṛka, Matrka; (plurals include: Matrikas, Mātrikās, Mātrikas, Mātṛkās, Mātṛkas, Matrkas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Verse 9.192 < [Section XXIV - Inheritance]

Verse 9.92 < [Section IX - The Marriage of Girls]

show preview

Verse 1.12.46 < [Chapter 12 - Description of Śrī Nanda’s Festival]

show preview

Verse 298 [Cakranavaka] < [Chapter 4 - Fourth Vimarśa]

Verse 24 [Kāli the Kinetic and Śivakāla the Potential] < [Chapter 2 - Second Vimarśa]

Verse 297 [Trika principle of Nara-Śakti-Śiva] < [Chapter 4 - Fourth Vimarśa]

+ 11 more chapters / show preview

9. Courtesan in Arthaśāstra < [Chapter 1 - Rise of Urbanization and Luxury Life in India]

show preview

Verse 2154-2155 < [Chapter 24a - The case for the reliability of the Veda (the Revealed Word)]