Malur Sri Balambika Temple

After making up her mind Bālāmbā submitted to the great queen. "Mother, the sons of Bhaņḑa, the great Daitya, have come to fight. I wish to fight with them. I am interested in this because I am a young girl. My arms throb with an itching sensation for war. This is my playful activity. It should not be curbed by your orders for prohibition. Indeed I am a girl loving toys and playful pastimes. By this play of fighting for a moment, I shall become delighted mentally."
"Dear child, your limbs are very tender and soft. You are only nine years old. This is your first step and performance. Your training in warfare is fresh and recent. You are my only daughter. Without you, my breathing activity does not go on even for a moment. You are my very vital breath. Do not go in for the great war. We have Daņḑinī, Mantriņī and crores of other great Śaktis for fighting. Dear child, why do you want to do this now?"
Śri Lalitādevī, became curious so when Balamba requested once again for permission to fight, she said “Yes” clasping her in her arms. She took off one of her armours and gave it to her. From her weapons, she gave her the requisite weapons and sent her off. Kūmārikā got into the covered palanquin that had been extracted by the great queen from the staff of her bow and to which hundreds of swans were yoked for drawing. She killed all 30 sons of the demon Bhandasura which was extremely difficult to do.

Outside the garbhagraham and in the mahamandapam, at the edge of the chariot which holds Lalithambal and Balamba are Varahi and Raja Shamala. Her face resembling a boar is dark or storm-cloud colored. She wears Karanda-Makuta on her head and is adorned with ornaments made of corals. She wears Nupura on her ankles. She has a big belly and has four hands, in two of which she carries the changu and chakra; the remaining two hands being respectively held in the Abhaya and Varada poses. The Purvakaranagama says that she carries the,Saringapdhanus, the Hala and Musala as her weapons. Her Vahana as well as the emblem on her banner is the elephant. She sits there welcoming Balamba’s devotees, waiting to shower her blessings and boons on them all.
Varahi is described in many of the puranas: Devi Mahatmya that deals with the killing of the demon Raktabija, says that the warrior-goddess Durga creates the Matrikas from herself, and Varahi being one of them and with their help slaughters the demon army. When the demon Shumbha challenges Durga to single combat, she absorbs the Matrikas into herself. In the Vamana Purana, the Matrikas arise from different parts of the Divine Mother Chandika; Varahi arises from Chandika's back. In the slaying of Raktabija, Varahi is also referred to as the Shakti of Hari, who assumed the incomparable form in a sacrificial boar and also assumed a boar-like form.

The Markendeya Purana praises Varahi as a granter of boons and the regent of the northern direction, in a hymn where the Matrikas (forms of Sakthis) are declared as the protectors of the directions. The Devi Bhagavata Purana praises Varahi, who assists the Supreme Mother to fight demons when needed.

Raja Shyamala is also referred to as Raja Matangi. She is the Goddess of Knowledge, Talent and Expertise. In their meditative state, ancient rishis provided various paths to reach the Supreme Divine. They gave particular forms and mantras to identify particular aspects of the Divine Mother. Supreme Cosmic Consciousness manifests in the material world as various saguna deities. She is the consort of Lord Shiva and she is also considered as the sister of Lord Vishnu. She connects the phenomenal world with that of the noumenal world and its experiences. This paves the way to break through the cycle of birth and rebirth. Mother gives wisdom as prasada to for us to connect with her Divinity. Human kind, having descended to the material world, revere Goddess Raja Mathangi for her blessings to realize the return journey and yoga with Divine mother.
Raja Mathangi is the Goddess presiding over Manifestation. Through her, thought becomes ‘word, unmanifest ‘sound and vibration’ becomes music and ideas unfold into expression. Divine Consciousness becomes the created Universe. Raja Mathangi is the highest of the Goddesses in that She allows all their powers and principles to be realized. Goddess Raja Matangi is often represented as emerald green in colour or ‘syama varnam’; the color of depth of knowledge and profound life energy. While Ucchishta-Matangini carries a noose, sword, goad, and club, her other well-known form Goddess Raja Matangi, plays the veena. Also Mother Raja Matangi is said to have stood before Mathanga Maharishihka with her twelve hands in a ferocious form to spread her greatness all over the universe. She is seen playing the veena and with a beautiful green parrot. Raja Matangi is also said to be the manifestation of Goddess Meenakshi of Madurai.

Raja Rajeswari is the presiding deity of Sri Chakra, she is also the mother of love and grace. She is the personification of the Divine desire to create the universe and also the Divine desire to merge the creation back into the ultimate Brahman (God the father). This two fold desire is the basis of love, the vivifying bond that ties the Creator and the created. She controls our minds and sensory organs and holds the key to transcendental knowledge. She resides on the top of the head (Sahasrara), and also in the second chakra (Swadisthana).
She has four hands and three eyes. She wields in her four hands the noose, the goad, sugar cane bow, and five flowered arrows. Her three eyes are Sun, Moon and Fire representing the three triads in creation. Her crown is decorated with the crescent moon the symbol of divine delight. The noose represents strong determination and love by which She binds the whole creation. The goad is the symbol of the power of knowledge, it is the wrath of fiery emotions by which the whole creation is spurred into activity. The sugar cane stem depicts the mind principle of man. The five flowered arrows are the five tanmatras, sound, touch, form, taste and smell - the source of the five elements.

She has three forms, the gross physical form (sthula sharira), subtle astral form, (sukshma sharira) and the causal archetypal form of the macrocosm and microcosmic creation. When She is meditated upon, this ultimate energy, in the first and second chakra (Muladhara and Swadhisthana) the sadhaka (spiritual aspirant) is performing internal fire sacrifice. She emerges out of the lotus chakras as Kundalini the supreme power elevating the sadhaka. The graceful Mother removes evil and develops goodness within all of us. She is the power of Brahman; pure consciousness embodied. She is the bliss of "Sat - Chit - Ananda" existence, knowledge and bliss.