Matrikas

thumb|9th-century sculpture depicting the Seven Mother Goddesses (Matrikas) flanked by Shiva (left) and Ganesha (right)

Matrikas (Sanskrit: मातृका (singular), IAST: mātṛkā, lit. "mothers"), also called Mataras or Matri, are a group of mother goddesses in Hinduism. The Matrikas are often depicted in a group of seven, the Saptamatrika(s) (Seven Mothers). However, they are also depicted as a group of eight, the Ashtamatrika(s). They are associated with these gods as their energies (Shaktis). Brahmani emerged from Brahma, Vaishnavi from Vishnu, Maheshwari from Shiva, Indrani from Indra, Kaumari from Kartikeya, Varahi from Varaha, Narasimhi from Narasimha, and Chamunda from Chandi. Sometimes Vinayaki from Ganesha is also included.