मतङ्ग

{ mataṅgḥ, mataṅga }

Puranic Encyclopaedia

A maharṣi born to a barber of a brahmin woman. This clandestine birth was not known either to the brahmin husband or Mataṅga for a long time. Once his brahmin father sent him to the fields for ploughing. He put a donkey to the yoke and ploughed. When the donkey slowed down its work Mataṅga beat it hard. The mother of the donkey saw it and wept. She called Mataṅga to her side and told him that he was the son of a barber and that was why he behaved like a caṇḍāla showing no kindness to wards the animal. Mataṅga ran to his house and told his parents what the mother-donkey said. After that he left his house and did penance to become a brahmin. Indra was pleased and he asked Mataṅga what he wanted and he replied he wanted to become a brahmin. Indra made him a brahmin and sent him back. [Chapter 27, Anuśāsana Parva] .
MATAṄGA I   An ancient sage. The Rāmāyaṇa in Araṇya Kāṇḍa describes the āśrama of Mataṅga. Rāmalakṣmaṇas after crossing the forest of Krauñca came to the āśrama of Mataṅga. Kabandha was slain at this place After abandoning his demoniac body Kabandha extolled the greatness of Mataṅgāśrama to Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. “The flowers of this āśrama are never plucked and worn on heads. Even if they are not plucked they never fade. They remain fresh always. There is a reason for this. The disciples of Mataṅga once brought a heavy load of fruits for their guru and when they reached the āśrama they were tired and drops of perspiration fell on the plants and they became flowers. Śabarī is performing penance in this aśrama.” Mataṅga once cursed Bāli. It happened that while the sage was living on the mountain of Ṛṣyamūka Bāli and the asura Dundubhi fought against each other and blood flowing from the body of Dundubhi by a blow of Bāli spurted out and fell on the hands of the sage. Mataṅga then cursed Bāli saying that his head would blow off if he entered Ṛṣyamūkācala again. [Sarga 46, Kiṣkindhā Kāṇḍa, Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa] ; [Kamba Rāmāyaṇa, Pūrva Kāṇḍa] . Mataṅgāśrama was a holy place. [Chapter 84, Vana Parva] .
MATAṄGA II   Another name of Triśaṅku. The name of Mataṅga is used for Rājarṣi Triśaṅku in Verse 31, of Chapter 71, of Ādi Parva. For more detail see under Triśaṅku.
MATAṄGA IV   A preceptor. He was the guru of Śabarī. [Araṇya Kāṇḍa, Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa] .

The Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary

मतङ्गः [mataṅgḥ]   [माद्यति अनेन, मद्-अङ्गच् दस्य तः [Tv.] ]
An elephant.
A cloud.
 N. N. of a sage; मतङ्गशापादवलेप- मूलादवाप्तवानस्मि मतङ्गजत्वम् [R.5.53.]
The king त्रिशङ्कु; मतङ्गो धर्मात्मा राजर्षिर्व्याधतां गतः [Mb.1.71.31.]

Shabda-Sagara

मतङ्ग  m.  ( -ङ्गः)
1. The name of a Muni.
2. A cloud.
3. An elephant.
E. मद् to please, to be pleased, अङ्गच् Unādi aff., द changed to तः .

ROOTS:

मद् अङ्गच् द तः .