Skip to content 
Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba: Biography, Poetry & Devotion
Maha Yogini, Maha Tapswini, Gyana Saraswathi and Telugu Bharathi Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba was an ardent devotee of Lord Venkateswara. She was born in Tarigonda village which is four miles away from Vayalpadu of Chittoor District in the Brahmin family of Nadavarika sect with Vashistha Gotra to Sri Kanala Krishnaryamatya and Smt. Managamamba.
Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba got married at an early age to Sri Injeti Venkatachalapati. She was a legendary poetess in the 18th century breaking the strong traditional barriers and inculcating the power of devotion in the society. She was a great social reformer who broke the harsh barriers that hurt the women in 18th century. She was a radical revolutionary woman who raised the banner of rebellion against many customs and superstitions.
Her revolt serves to be a great benefit to all the helpless women folk in the society. She learned yogic sciences from her ‘guru’ Sri Rupavataram Subramanya Sastry at Madanapalle. Sri Sastri initiated ‘mantropadesam’ to her. He taught her the ‘bhakti tattva’ and the glimpses of Yoga Sastra. Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba after getting enlightenment on Yoga Sashtra from her ‘guru’ and with her dedicated practices, composed Asthanga Yoga Saram (The Essence of Eight Yogas).
8 Yogas
In the third chapter of Sri Venkatachala Mahatmyam, Sri Adi Varahaswami describes to Sri Bhudevi about the superior knowledge of yogic science in 86 poems. These details convey the practical experience of Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba in a simple and lucid style.
The eight yogas described in this work are –
- 1. YAMA – Self-control
- 2. NIYAMA – Principle
- 3. ASANA – Posture
- 4. PRANAYAMA – Breathing Techniques
- 5. PRATYAHARA – Sense withdrawal
- 6. DHARANA – Focused Concentration
- 7. DHYANA – Meditative Absorption
- 8. SAMADHI – Bliss or Enlightenment
Yama
It means knowing and restraining or controlling the passions of the body in the world from all the desires of the senses.
Niyama
It is to retain righteous feelings and thoughts about the Brahman.
Asana
This depicts the posture of sitting. This posture enables one to feel comfortable to sit and think about the Brahman.
Pranayama
Breathing is the mixture of inhaling and exhaling of air. “To reject the world is exhaling and the act of thinking is Inhaling.” “I am myself the Brahman”. By considering everything as the Brahman, divine state is obtained in which all bodily parts are restrained
Pratyahara
By finding the self in all actions, by concentrating the mind on consciousness, the self ultimately becomes that consciousness.
Dharana
Finding the Brahman wherever the mind goes and turning it inwards.
Dhyana
To gain the firm knowledge that “I am the Brahman and retain the knowledge within oneself.
Samadhi
To have an undisturbed mind and think that everything is Parabrahman and in the end forgetting even that thought is the state of Samadhi which is beyond the description of mind and word.
Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba – Literary Works
Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba composed Tarigonda Narasimha Satakam praising the glories of Tarigonda Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy, “The Story of Elegance of Lord Narasimha” in Yakshagana style based on the history of Sri Prahalada Maharaj, an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. Her next book was also in the same yakshagana style praising the glories of Lord Sri Veerabhadra Swamy of Rayachoti entitled “Shiva Vilasam.”
This great Tapaswini with her extraordinary gifted powers composed several literary works based on her spiritual experiences:
- 1. Tarigonda Narasimha Satakam
- 2. Narasimha Vilaasa Katha (Yaksha Gaana style)
- 3. Shiva Naatakam (Yaksha Gaanam style)
- 4. Raaja Yogaamruta Saaramu (Dwipada Kavyam)
- 5. Baalakrishana Naatakam (Yaksha Gaanam)
- 6. Vishnu Parijatham (Yaksha Gaanam)
- 7. Rama Parinayam (Dwipada Kaavyam)
- 8. Chenchu Naatakam (Yaksha Gaanam)
- 9. Sri Krishna Manjari (Manjari Dwipada)
- 10. Sri Rukmini Naatakam (Yaksha Gaanam)
- 11. Gopika Naatakam (Yaksha Gaanam)
- 12. Dwipada Bhagavathamu
- 13. Sri Venkatachala Mahatmyam (Pada Kavyam)
- 14. Asthanga Yoga Saram
- 15. Jala Kreeda Vilasam (Yaksha Gaanam)
- 16. Muktikanta Vilasamu (Yaksha Gaanam)
- 17. Tattva Keernalu (Spiritual Songs)
- 18. Vaasishta Ramayana (Dwipada Kavyam)
- 19. Golla Kalpam
- 20. Dana Patralu
Muthyala Harathi
The following are the mesmerizing lines from Muthyala Harathi composed by her and these lines are sung during the Ekantha Seva performed to Lord Venkateswara Swamy daily in Tirumala.
Sripannagadrivara sikharagra vasunaku
Papandhakara Ghana bhaskarunaku
Aparatmunaku nityanapayiniyaina
Jaya mangalam Nithya Subha Mangalam
Sarananna dasulaku varamittunni birudu
Dhariyinciyuna paradaivamunaku,
Maruvavaladibirudu niratamanioatini ye
Maraniyanalamelu mangammaku (Jaya)
Anandanilayamandanisambu vasyinei
Dinulanu raksincu devunakunu’
Kanukala nonogurci ghnanmuga vibhuni san
Manincu alamelu mangammaku (Jaya)
Paramosaga navantu narulakani vaikuntha
Maraceta cupu jagadatmunakunu.
Sirulosaga tanavantu siddhamani nayakuni
Uramupai koluvunna saradhisutaku (Jaya)
Telivito mudupulitu temmu temmani parusa
Nalkinci kaikonedi yacyutunaku,
Yelami pakambu jeyinci yandara kanna
Malayakepudosage mahamataku (Jaya)
Mariyuchitravicitra mantapavalulakunu
Thiruvidhulaku divyatheerthamulaku,
Paraga ghanagopura prakaratatutulakunu
Ciramulai tagu kanakashramulaku (Jaya)
Tarucania Dharmasastrmulakunu, Phalapuspa
Bharita smgara vana panktulakunu,
Muruvoppu ugrananmulaku, bokkasamulaku
Sarasambulaagu pakasalalakunu (Jaya)
Ahivairi mukhya vahanamulaku, godugulaku
Rahinoppu makaratoranamulanu,
Bahuvidha dhvajamulaku patuvadya vitatulaku
Vihita satkalana vedikalaku (Jaya)
Dara chakra mukhya sadhanamulaku manimaya
Bharana divyambara pratatulakunu,
Kara carana mukyanga ganasahitamai subha
Karamania divya managala murthiki (Jaya)
Kalita sujnanadi kalyana gunamulaku
Balamoppu amita prahavamunaku
Vlalgonina sakala parivara devatalakunu,
Celagi panulonarincu sevakulaku (Jaya)
Alaraga brahmhotsavadhulai santatamu
Valanoppu Nityotsavambulakunu,
Polupondu viswaprabhutva mulambunaku,
Naluvonda varavimananbulakunu (Jaya)
Araya Tarigonda narahari yagucu nandariki
Varamulosage Srinivbasunakunu,
Muriyucunu Visvotionmukhu nittu Bhariyinci
Sirula Velayucunundu Sesadriki (Jaya)
Jaya mangalam nithya subha mangalam
Jaya Mangalam nithya subha mangalam!
Tarigonda Vengamamba is a prolific writer. All her literary work was dedicated to Lord Sri Tarigonda Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy and Sri Venkateswara Swamy in Tirumala. Tarigonda Vengamamba was the quintessence of devotion to Lord Venkateswara. She dedicated her entire life to Lord Balaji serving food (Anna Dana) to devotees who came to have the grand ‘darshan’ of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala. She refused to obey some social restrictions imposed on women in those days. Her immense courage and devotion towards Lord Venkateswara are highly laudable.
Of all her splendid literary works, “Sri Venkatachala Mahatmyam” is a glowing example of her complete devotion and surrender to Lord Venkateswara. She translated Yoga Vasista in Dwipada form. Even after her demise, she settled in the sacred abode as her Brindavan at Tirumala.
The sacred garden in reverence to Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba is known as “Tarigonda Vengamamba Brundavan.” On the occasion of her Vardhanti, Pushpanjali is being offered at her Brindavan at Tirumala and a music concert is also being done in memory of her.
