The Sanskrit term Mahāmātṛ can be transliterated into English as Mahamatr or Mahamatri, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

Mahāmātṛ (महामातृ) refers to “great mothers” and is used to visualize Bhairava, according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, “[...] His body is adorned on the left (by his consort) and he is adorned with a garland of wild flowers. He wears earrings made of snakes and his sacred thread is Vāsuki. The Lord is adorned with tinkling anklets and sits on a ghost in the lotus posture. He is adorned with the five insignia and a garland of severed heads that hangs from his neck up to his feet. He dances with the bliss of wine and is accompanied by heroes and Bhairavas. Sixty-four Yoginīs and great mothers [i.e., mahāmātṛ] encompass him. He is endowed with sixty-four energies and adorned with ghosts and demons. O Śambhu, Bhairava is said to have as his seat (āsana) the Supreme Goddess”.

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.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Mahāmatrī (महामत्री) refers to “great loving-kindness”, according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter 46.—Accordingly, “Among all the dharmas, it is by far the foremost and the most noble. It helps everyone. It finds the true nature of dharmas and of the non-deceptive Dharma. It has great loving-kindness (mahāmatrī) and great compassion. It holds omniscience, the physical mark of golden color, the supreme miracles of the thirty-two major marks and the eighty minor marks, the immense—morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, knowledge and vision of liberation—,the three knowledges, the unhindered [knowledges], and the unhindered penetration into all dharmas.”.

context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

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

1) Mahāmātṛ (महामातृ):—[=mahā-mātṛ] [from mahā > mah] f. [plural] ‘the great mothers’, Name of a class of personifications of the Śakti or female energy of Śiva, [Religious Thought and Life in India 186]

2) Mahāmātrī (महामात्री):—[=mahā-mātrī] [from mahā-mātra > mahā > mah] f. a spiritual teacher’s wife, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

3) [v.s. ...] the wife of a prime minister or high official, great lady, [Horace H. Wilson]

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.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Maha, Matri.

Starts with: Mahamatriganeshvara, Mahamatrika, Mahamatrishri.

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Full-text (+95): Mahamatriganeshvara, Mahamatrishri, Makamattiri, Atmi, Calani, Mahima, Khecari, Varuni, Bhanumati, Sukritalaya, Mitra, Vahni, Varahi, Kolladri, Shashini, Divyakalpa, Adivyakalpa, Adikalpa, Avantarakalpa, Mahantakalpa.

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Search found 1 books and stories containing Mahamatri, Mahāmātṛ, Mahāmatrī, Mahā-mātṛ, Mahāmātrī, Maha-matri, Mahā-mātrī, Mahā-matrī; (plurals include: Mahamatris, Mahāmātṛs, Mahāmatrīs, mātṛs, Mahāmātrīs, matris, mātrīs, matrīs). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)

VII. Why is the Buddha adorned with non-existent marks? < [Part 3 - Possessing a body endowed with the marks]

Part 6 - Why does the Buddha also speak about contentious subjects? < [Chapter I - Explanation of Arguments]

III. Exhortations to the practice of the six perfections (pāramitā) < [Part 3 - Establishing beings in the six perfections]

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