#SriMathreyNamaha! Today, #Day3 of #Navarathri! In this series of #9Days9Forms9Stories, the 3rd form we see is #Shyamala also known by name of Mantrini – because she is prime minister to the Goddess Lalitha. She is depicted with a crescent moon on her forehead & playing the Veena

The #Brahmandapurana states that Shyamala is created by Goddess Lalitha, out of Her own intellect, for Her battle against Bhandasura. As such, Goddess Shyamala is associated with thinking, decision making, the arts and poetry. She is also heroine of Kalidasa’s “Shyamala Dandakam”

Long ago, in the kingdom of Ujjain, a princess named Vidyottama, sought a husband. She wanted an intelligent, quick-thinking man who could defeat her in a battle of words. Her courtiers were exasperated by the way in which she made little of even the most brilliant suitors.

They schemed to fool her. They approached a poor, handsome woodcutter, Kalidasa completely lacking in intelligence, to pose as a learned man. It was the divine will that Vidyottama, always careful, was led to believe that Kalidasa was everything she wanted and married him.

Over the next few days, Vidyottama discovered to her horror that not only was Kalidasa illiterate but was the exact opposite of it – a man with little learnability. Noticing her despair, Kalidasa who had by now fallen in love, asked her what he could do to become a better man.

“Ask the Goddess”, replied the princess, referring to Ujjain’s Mahakali. With her words ringing in his ears, Kalidasa went to the temple, locked himself in Her sanctum sanctorum and awaited the arrival of the Goddess. When She did arrive, he refused to let Her in.

The Goddess asked him what he wanted. “Make me a better man”, he said. The Goddess Shyamala – for that was She - ever compassionate, drew out Her divine sword and painted a single line on Kalidasa’s tongue. The unlettered Kalidasa was transformed. He became Mahakavi Kalidasa!

“Manikhya veenaam upalalayanthim, Madalasam manjula vaag vilasam, Mahendra Neela dhyuthi komalangim, Mathanga kanyam manasa smarami!” sang Kalidasa, his very 1st poem, in praise of Goddess Shyamala, core energy of Saraswathi, with a bejewelled Veena, sweet words & divine mercy.

“Shyamala Dandakam” written in a style resembling prose is the most beautiful set of verses on Goddess Shyamala – a warrior, a minister, also called Matangi, the daughter of Sage Matanga. She is the bestower of knowledge, of practical wisdom, of intellect! #HappyNavarathri!