shyamalamatangiraja-shyamalaadi-shankaracharya

𑌶𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑌲𑌾𑌨𑌵𑌰𑌤𑍍𑌨𑌮𑌾𑌲𑌿𑌕𑌾

Shyamala Navaratnamalika in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 9× repetitions·🕐 Fridays and during Navaratri; before study, music practice or performance; daily at dawn or dusk·📜 Devotional Sri Vidya / Shakta hymn, traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Devotional Sri Vidya / Shakta hymn, traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya · Adi Shankaracharya (traditional attribution) · c. 8th century CE (traditional attribution)

Raja-Shyamala (Matangi) is the Goddess of music, speech and the arts in the Sri Vidya tradition, serving as the mantrini — minister and intimate companion — of Lalita Tripurasundari, who directs the celestial music and counsel of the Mother's court. This 'garland of nine gems' distils her worship into nine jewel-like verses overflowing with the imagery of the veena and the seven notes. Together with the longer Shyamala Dandakam, it is a favourite of devotees and of artists who seek her grace before they sing, play or compose.

✦ As told in scripture

Devotees and musicians hold that the grace of Shyamala, invoked through such hymns, loosens the tongue of the dull, perfects the art of the singer and the dancer, and brings the favour of Saraswati herself — for she is the very 'Mother of music' (saṅgīta-mātṛkā) praised in the second verse.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

𑌓𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌾𑌰𑌪𑌞𑍍𑌜𑌰𑌶𑍁𑌕𑍀𑌮𑍁𑌪𑌨𑌿𑌷𑌦𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌨𑌕𑍇𑌲𑌿𑌕𑌲𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌠𑍀𑌮𑍍 । 𑌆𑌗𑌮𑌵𑌿𑌪𑌿𑌨𑌮𑌯𑍂𑌰𑍀𑌮𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌯𑍇 𑌗𑍗𑌰𑍀𑌮𑍍 ॥௧॥

oṅkāra-pañjara-śukīm upaniṣad-udyāna-keli-kalakaṇṭhīm | āgama-vipina-mayūrīm āryām antar vibhāvaye gaurīm || 1||

Meaning:1. I meditate within my heart upon the noble fair Goddess Gauri — the parrot in the cage of Om, the sweet-voiced nightingale sporting in the garden of the Upanishads, the peahen roaming the forest of the Agamas.

Verse 2

𑌦𑌯𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌦𑍀𑌰𑍍𑌘𑌨𑌯𑌨𑌾𑌂 𑌦𑍇𑌶𑌿𑌕𑌰𑍂𑌪𑍇𑌣 𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌶𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌭𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌦𑌯𑌾𑌮𑍍 । 𑌵𑌾𑌮𑌕𑍁𑌚𑌨𑌿𑌹𑌿𑌤𑌵𑍀𑌣𑌾𑌂 𑌵𑌰𑌦𑌾𑌂 𑌸𑌙𑍍𑌗𑍀𑌤𑌮𑌾𑌤𑍃𑌕𑌾𑌂 𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍇 ॥௨॥

dayamāna-dīrgha-nayanāṃ deśika-rūpeṇa darśitābhyudayām | vāma-kuca-nihita-vīṇāṃ varadāṃ saṅgīta-mātṛkāṃ vande || 2||

Meaning:2. I bow to her, the Mother of all music, the bestower of boons — with long eyes streaming compassion, who reveals well-being to her devotees by taking the form of a guru, holding the veena against her left bosom.

Verse 3

𑌶𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑌲𑌿𑌮𑌸𑍗𑌕𑍁𑌮𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌂 𑌸𑍗𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌸𑌮𑍍𑌪𑌦𑍁𑌨𑍍𑌮𑍇𑌷𑌾𑌮𑍍 । 𑌤𑌰𑍁𑌣𑌿𑌮𑌕𑌰𑍁𑌣𑌾𑌪𑍂𑌰𑌾𑌂 𑌮𑌦𑌜𑌲𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌲𑍋𑌲𑌲𑍋𑌚𑌨𑌾𑌂 𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍇 ॥௩॥

śyāmalima-saukumāryāṃ saundaryānanda-sampad-unmeṣām | taruṇima-karuṇā-pūrāṃ mada-jala-kallola-locanāṃ vande || 3||

Meaning:3. I adore her — dark-hued and delicate, the very blossoming of the wealth of the bliss of beauty, a flood of youthful compassion, her eyes rippling like waves of intoxicating joy.

Verse 4

𑌨𑌖𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌰𑌿𑌤𑌵𑍀𑌣𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌦𑌰𑌸𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌦𑌨𑌵𑌨𑌵𑍋𑌲𑍍𑌲𑌾𑌸𑌮𑍍 । 𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌮𑌮𑍍𑌬 𑌮𑍋𑌦𑌯𑌤𑍁 𑌮𑌾𑌂 𑌮𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌤𑌾𑌟𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌮𑍁𑌗𑍍𑌧𑌹𑌸𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌤𑍇 ॥௪॥

nakha-mukha-mukharita-vīṇā-nāda-rasāsvādana-navanavollāsam | mukham amba modayatu māṃ muktā-tāṭaṅka-mugdha-hasitaṃ te || 4||

Meaning:4. O Mother, may thy face delight me — ever freshly radiant with the savour of the music streaming from the veena played by thy fingertips, adorned with pearl earrings and a charming, innocent smile.

Verse 5

𑌸𑌰𑌿𑌗𑌮𑌪𑌧𑌨𑌿𑌰𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌵𑍀𑌣𑌾𑌸𑌙𑍍𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌕𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌹𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌮𑍍 । 𑌶𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌮𑍃𑌦𑍁𑌲𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌕𑍁𑌚𑌭𑌰𑌤𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌨𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌕𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌮𑍍 ॥௫॥

sa-ri-ga-ma-pa-dha-ni-ratāṃ tāṃ vīṇā-saṅkrānta-kānta-hastāntām | śāntāṃ mṛdula-svāntāṃ kuca-bhara-tāntāṃ namāmi śiva-kāntām || 5||

Meaning:5. I bow to the beloved of Shiva — ever absorbed in the seven musical notes, her lovely fingers moving over the veena, serene, tender of heart, languid with the weight of her bosom.

Verse 6

𑌅𑌵𑌟𑍁𑌤𑌟𑌘𑌟𑌿𑌤𑌚𑍂𑌲𑍀𑌤𑌾𑌡𑌿𑌤𑌤𑌾𑌳𑍀𑌪𑌲𑌾𑌶𑌤𑌾𑌟𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌾𑌮𑍍 । 𑌵𑍀𑌣𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌦𑌨𑌲𑍇𑌶𑌾𑌕𑌮𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌶𑍀𑌰𑍍𑌷𑌾𑌂 𑌨𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌙𑍍𑌗𑍀𑌮𑍍 ॥௬॥

avaṭu-taṭa-ghaṭita-cūlī-tāḍita-tāḷī-palāśa-tāṭaṅkām | vīṇā-vādana-leśā-kampita-śīrṣāṃ namāmi mātaṅgīm || 6||

Meaning:6. I bow to Matangi — her earrings of palmyra-leaf shape striking against the curls clustered at her cheeks, her head swaying ever so slightly with the playing of the veena.

Verse 7

𑌵𑍀𑌣𑌾𑌰𑌵𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌷𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌕𑌲𑌕𑌚𑌾𑌮𑍋𑌦𑌮𑌾𑌧𑍁𑌰𑍀𑌭𑍃𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍 । 𑌕𑌰𑍁𑌣𑌾𑌪𑍂𑌰𑌤𑌰𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌕𑌲𑌯𑍇 𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌕𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌕𑌾𑌪𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍 ॥௭॥

vīṇā-ravānuṣaṅgaṃ vikala-kacāmoda-mādhurī-bhṛṅgam | karuṇā-pūra-taraṅgaṃ kalaye mātaṅga-kanyakāpāṅgam || 7||

Meaning:7. I contemplate the side-long glance of the daughter of Matanga — keeping company with the music of the veena, a bee drawn to the sweet fragrance of her loosened tresses, a wave in the flood of compassion.

Verse 8

𑌮𑍇𑌚𑌕𑌮𑌾𑌸𑍇𑌚𑌨𑌕𑌂 𑌮𑌿𑌥𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌦𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌮𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌭𑌾𑌗𑌂 𑌤𑍇 । 𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌵 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌂 𑌮𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌲𑌸𑌙𑍍𑌗𑍀𑌤𑌸𑍗𑌰𑌭𑌂 𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍇 ॥௮॥

mecakam āsecanakaṃ mithyā-dṛṣṭānta-madhya-bhāgaṃ te | mātas tava svarūpaṃ maṅgala-saṅgīta-saurabhaṃ vande || 8||

Meaning:8. O Mother, I adore thy form — dark and ever-delighting, never sating the eyes, its waist so slender that any comparison is but a false illusion, fragrant with auspicious music.

Verse 9

𑌮𑌣𑌿𑌭𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍇𑌚𑌕𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑍀𑌂 𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌙𑍍𑌗𑍀𑌂 𑌨𑍗𑌮𑌿 𑌸𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌙𑍍𑌗𑍀𑌮𑍍 । 𑌯𑍗𑌵𑌨𑌵𑌨𑌸𑌾𑌰𑌙𑍍𑌗𑍀𑌂 𑌸𑌙𑍍𑌗𑍀𑌤𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌭𑍋𑌰𑍁𑌹𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌭𑌵𑌭𑍃𑌙𑍍𑌗𑍀𑌮𑍍 ॥௯॥

maṇi-bhaṅga-mecakāṅgīṃ mātaṅgīṃ naumi siddha-mātaṅgīm | yauvana-vana-sāraṅgīṃ saṅgītāmbhoruhānubhava-bhṛṅgīm || 9||

Meaning:9. I praise Matangi, the Siddha-Matangi — her limbs dark as a sapphire freshly cut, the doe of the forest of youth, the bee that drinks the bliss of the lotus of music.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑌓𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌾𑌰𑌪𑌞𑍍𑌜𑌰𑌶𑍁𑌕𑍀𑌮𑍍🔊oṅkāra-pañjara-śukīmthe parrot (śukī) dwelling in the cage of the Om-syllable

𑌉𑌪𑌨𑌿𑌷𑌦𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌨𑌕𑍇𑌲𑌿𑌕𑌲𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌠𑍀𑌮𑍍🔊upaniṣad-udyāna-keli-kalakaṇṭhīmthe sweet-voiced nightingale (kalakaṇṭhī) sporting in the garden of the Upanishads

𑌆𑌗𑌮𑌵𑌿𑌪𑌿𑌨𑌮𑌯𑍂𑌰𑍀𑌮𑍍🔊āgama-vipina-mayūrīmthe peahen (mayūrī) roaming in the forest of the Agamas (scriptures)

𑌅𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌰𑍍 𑌵𑌿𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌯𑍇 𑌗𑍗𑌰𑍀𑌮𑍍🔊antar vibhāvaye gaurīmI meditate within (my heart) upon the noble fair Goddess Gauri

𑌦𑌯𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌦𑍀𑌰𑍍𑌘𑌨𑌯𑌨𑌾𑌂🔊dayamāna-dīrgha-nayanāṃwith long eyes brimming with compassion

𑌵𑌾𑌮𑌕𑍁𑌚𑌨𑌿𑌹𑌿𑌤𑌵𑍀𑌣𑌾𑌂🔊vāma-kuca-nihita-vīṇāṃholding the veena rested against her left bosom

𑌸𑌙𑍍𑌗𑍀𑌤𑌮𑌾𑌤𑍃𑌕𑌾𑌂 𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍇🔊saṅgīta-mātṛkāṃ vandeI bow to her, the Mother (source) of all music

𑌶𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑌲𑌿𑌮𑌸𑍗𑌕𑍁𑌮𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌂🔊śyāmalima-saukumāryāṃof dark (śyāma) hue and tender delicacy

𑌮𑌦𑌜𑌲𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌲𑍋𑌲𑌲𑍋𑌚𑌨𑌾𑌂🔊mada-jala-kallola-locanāṃwith eyes rippling like waves of intoxicating bliss

𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌮𑍍 𑌅𑌮𑍍𑌬 𑌮𑍋𑌦𑌯𑌤𑍁 𑌮𑌾𑌮𑍍🔊mukham amba modayatu māmO Mother, may thy face delight me

𑌮𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌤𑌾𑌟𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌮𑍁𑌗𑍍𑌧𑌹𑌸𑌿𑌤𑌂🔊muktā-tāṭaṅka-mugdha-hasitaṃwith pearl earrings and a charming, innocent smile

𑌸𑌰𑌿𑌗𑌮𑌪𑌧𑌨𑌿𑌰𑌤𑌾𑌂🔊sa-ri-ga-ma-pa-dha-ni-ratāṃever delighting in the seven musical notes (sa ri ga ma pa dha ni)

𑌵𑍀𑌣𑌾𑌸𑌙𑍍𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌕𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌹𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌮𑍍🔊vīṇā-saṅkrānta-kānta-hastāntāmwhose lovely fingertips move over the veena

𑌨𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌕𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌮𑍍🔊namāmi śiva-kāntāmI bow to the beloved of Shiva

𑌤𑌾𑌳𑍀𑌪𑌲𑌾𑌶𑌤𑌾𑌟𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌾𑌮𑍍🔊tāḷī-palāśa-tāṭaṅkāmwearing earrings of palmyra-leaf (tāḷī) shape

𑌨𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌙𑍍𑌗𑍀𑌮𑍍🔊namāmi mātaṅgīmI bow to Matangi (the daughter of sage Matanga)

𑌕𑌰𑍁𑌣𑌾𑌪𑍂𑌰𑌤𑌰𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂🔊karuṇā-pūra-taraṅgaṃ(her side-glance) a wave in the flood of compassion

𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌕𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌕𑌾𑌪𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍🔊mātaṅga-kanyakāpāṅgamthe side-long glance (apāṅga) of the daughter of Matanga

𑌮𑍇𑌚𑌕𑌮𑍍 𑌆𑌸𑍇𑌚𑌨𑌕𑌂🔊mecakam āsecanakaṃ(thy form) dark and ever-delightful, never sating the gaze

𑌮𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌲𑌸𑌙𑍍𑌗𑍀𑌤𑌸𑍗𑌰𑌭𑌂 𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍇🔊maṅgala-saṅgīta-saurabhaṃ vandeI adore (thy form) fragrant with auspicious music

𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌙𑍍𑌗𑍀𑌂 𑌨𑍗𑌮𑌿 𑌸𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌙𑍍𑌗𑍀𑌮𑍍🔊mātaṅgīṃ naumi siddha-mātaṅgīmI praise Matangi, the Siddha-Matangi (perfected Goddess of the Siddhas)

𑌸𑌙𑍍𑌗𑍀𑌤𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌭𑍋𑌰𑍁𑌹𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌭𑌵𑌭𑍃𑌙𑍍𑌗𑍀𑌮𑍍🔊saṅgītāmbhoruhānubhava-bhṛṅgīmthe bee that drinks the experience of the lotus of music

Benefits of Chanting Shyamala Navaratnamalika

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Invokes Raja-Shyamala (Matangi), the Sri Vidya Goddess of music, learning, speech and the fine arts

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Especially cherished by musicians, singers, dancers and students for mastery of the arts and eloquence

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Each verse is a compact, musical meditation on the Goddess and her veena

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Cultivates devotion, refinement of mind and a love of sacred music

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A worthy shorter companion to the Shyamala Dandakam for daily recitation

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Believed to bestow the grace of Saraswati-like wisdom and the fulfilment of creative pursuits

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Recited during Shyamala worship and Navaratri for the Mother's blessings

How to Chant Shyamala Navaratnamalika

Repetitions9times

Best TimeFridays and during Navaratri; before study, music practice or performance; daily at dawn or dusk

Sit before an image of Shyamala (Matangi) holding the veena, with a lamp and flowers. Recite the nine verses slowly, dwelling on the imagery of each — the parrot of Om, the veena, the seven notes, the compassionate glance. Musicians and students often chant it before practice or performance to invoke the Goddess of the arts. It may be recited once or three times daily, and is especially auspicious during Navaratri.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Shyamala Navaratnamalika written in the Grantha script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

Shyamala — also called Raja-Shyamala, Matangi, and Shyamala Devi — is the Sri Vidya Goddess of music, speech, learning and the fine arts. Dark-hued and holding a veena, she is the mantrini (minister and dear companion) of Lalita Tripurasundari, and is counted among the ten Mahavidyas as Matangi.

It is a nine-verse hymn ('garland of nine gems') to Shyamala, traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. Each verse is a brief, lyrical meditation on her beauty, her veena, the seven musical notes and her gracious glance.

Both praise the same Goddess Shyamala/Matangi. The Shyamala Dandakam (beginning 'Manikya Veenam') is a longer rhythmic dandaka, while the Navaratnamalika is a concise nine-verse garland; the two are often recited together by devotees of the Goddess of music.

It is especially beloved by musicians, singers, dancers, writers and students who seek mastery of their art, eloquence and the grace of the Goddess of learning, but it may be chanted by any devotee for wisdom and devotion.