Matrika and Malini :-
Vak :- “Victory to
the Supreme Lord, who makes ! his glory of Supreme Bliss (i.e. Paravak or
universal consciousness)
manifest being shown by the speech ‘Pashyanti’ which tranquillizes. The mind
(and the vital air, which, are the resting places of the speeches – Madhyama
and Vaikhari respectively) and (hence, is excellent (more than the vaikhari and
the madhyama speech).”[1]
The speech is an ever imperishable gift
of consciousness. It is in the lap of speech that our culture and civilization
sprouts, blossoms and fruits without speech, world is meaningless. It is not merely
a medium of exchange of our thought’s but also the manifests of what is True, Good
and beautiful in the universe. It’s original name isvak. We find a minute and
detailed account of vak in the Upanishedic thoughts. Vedic scers conceived the
nature of vak in the background of their mysticism Rgveda says that the vak hasr
its divine origin.
The whole universe evolved out of
vak Speech is not a mere local expression or the operation of tongue. The
upanishadic seers have also indicated the vital force hidden behind the
operation of the tongue. These indications were elaborately discussed in the
later upnishad and the Tantric literature in the forms of their theories of Bija,
Bindu, Nada etc. In the grammer literature it acquired the form of sphota.
There are four fold division of
vak. The fourfold aspects are, Para Pashyanti, Madhyama and vaikhari; But
Bhartrihari asserts that there are only three aspects of speech. He attempts
together the problem of the different stages n the gradual separation of
meaning and expression from the stage of their unity and that of the different
stages in the growth of gross expression from the subtle stage. He talks of
Pashyanti Madhyama and Vaikhari in the former context and that of the sphota in
the latter context, But Somanand, the exponent of Pratyabhijna system
criticizes him for his non-admission of paravak as higher than and distinct
from Pashyati Vak. Somananda says that the admission of two ultimate realities
Pashynti and sphota is illogical and according. It is admitted that the
distinction between the meaning and the expression is imaginary. [2]
According to Bhartrihari, Pashyanti
is the highest aspect of speech, the undifferentiated unity of all words and
meanings. Bhartrugaru’s Pashyanti is the Brahman itself. The concept of the
tantras and that of the monistic Shaivism regarding the nature of various types
of speech are almost the same. The universe is divided into substance and speech.
The substance is the grossest manifestation of the Prakasha aspect of the Universal
Consciousness and speech is that of the Vimarsha.
According to Ram Shankar Singh, “Para
is a distinct name of the Ultimate Reality by which it is referred to when its
Vimarsha aspect is to be emphasized. Para is most subtle like the self
consciousness. The state perfect unity of consciousness and its entitative
contents (Prakashavimarshaikya) is called the state of Paravak.”[3]
At this state of Paravak, we have
no limitations of time, and space name and form. There is not even a fainfest
rice of diversity. It is the undifferentiated unity of all the words and
meanings. It is the subtlest and the supreme aspect of the speech. It is
blissful state of Shiva and Shakti. While according to B.N. Pandit.
“….. Paravak, the supreme speech,
which does not behold any thisness, but shines beholding nothing but itself. It
shines as the luminous revelation of just one thing the pure subjective I
consciousness. transcending all physical and mental means of knowledge. The
infinite, eternal, all containing, perfect, pure and divinely potent subject
“I”. It is not subject in relation to any object but only an absolute and
independent subject.”[4]
The experience of being this
subject does not depend on only form of relationship with an object however, it
is within the perfectly independent power of infinite consciousness to manifest
objects at will. But unless this process of creation begins, no object at all
appears in paravac, the supreme speech. It shines only as I ness (aham) and
never as this ness (idam). All objective existence remains merged within this I. consciousness, just the way all the elements of a
plant liemerged in its seed.
Awareness is the essence of speech
and that speech is a means of revelation. Since the pure luster of this I
consciousness is actually infinite awareness, and since it reveals to us the
correct and true nature of our real Self, paravac is included as the most
subtle form of speech. This is the supreme and transcendental speech consisting
of pure awareness of the red Self. This infinite Self awareness enlightening
the supreme truth is considered to be paravani the supreme speech.
Brahman, the almighty and is the
greatest artist and all of creation the whole of phenomenal existence is his
divine art. It lie within Him is in on manifested form Creation shines there in
its nonmenal aspect consisting of pure and divinely potent infinite I
consciousness. The Absolute Reality is fully aware of the divine power or
potency lying within it. This awareness of creative energy is paravac, the
basic source of the unlimited blissfulness of the Absolute.
As this process unfolds, the surges of blissful awareness take the form
of pashyanti. B. N. Pandit writes:
“At this stage the Absolute Reality
becomes activity inclined to manifest Its divine powers outwardly and
simultaneously the manifested element start to shine faintly in an
undiversified form. This restless inclination of Self-awareness is the basic
pashyantivac.” [5]
The appearance of undiversified
manifestation becomes clear and distinct at the next outward step of pashyanti.
There are the Sadashiva and the Ishvara stages respectively. The still further
outward vibratory activity of pashyanti gives rise to definite images of creation
in the Madhyama type of awareness. These madhyama images are followed by their
actual outward creation, known as the Vaikhari State
“Pashyant: is known as the
beholding speech” because through its medium enlightened people can behold all
objective existence within themselves. Since Pashyanti is found within the pure
being of a person beyond mind and everything mental the tendency to make
distinctions among words, word meanings and the idea to both, her little or no
effect in this form of speech.”[6]
Pashyanti shines in a state that
transcends all types of ideation, or vikalpa, because ideas are formed by the
mind. Pashyanti beholds objective existence in its undiversified form of simple
“this ness” (idanta) but in the process does not form any idea or vikalpa about
it Pashyanti shines within as a pure self awareness and appears as “I am this”
(aham idam), where the aspect of this ness is very faint. This is known as the
state of partial unity./ Since all the three elements of mental speech shine is
pashyanti in a n undiversified form and since both the beholding subject (aham)
and the beheld object (idam) are present in pashyanti clearly there exists an
awareness of more than one element. Therefore this form of speech is said to
belong to a stage of partial diversity as well.
According to Arther Avalon:
“Pashynti vak is vak actually going forth as Ikshana (seeing) producting
or manifesting as Suksma Madyama vak or Hiranygarbha Shabda which is the Matrika
state of Shabda as it exists in man prior to its gross manifestation as the
varnas in spoken speech (vaikhari).[7]
Pashyanti which is in the nature of
Bindu is the form of a general motion which is manifested in the region between
the Muladhara and the novel. It is called Pashyanti because of its being Jnana.
It is associated with manas. Somananda says that Pashyanti is the state of
speech where the succession of word and its meaning is in the causal state.
Madhyana is in the form of the eternal
and external instruments and manifests as Nada bindu: John Woodroffe writes :
“Hiranyagarbha sound is in the
region extending from the novel to the heart. It is associated with the tattvas
of specific ideation and so forth. She is Madhyana when Buddhi is Madhyama
Madhyama is middle that is, in the midst
between Pashyanti which is seeing (Ibsona) and vaikhari which is utterance.”[8]
She is neither like Pashyanti nor does
she proceed outward like vaikhari with articulation fully developed. But she is
in the middle between these two Vaikhari is in the form of Bija as Madhyana is
of Nada and as Pashyanti is of Bindu.
Ram Shankar Singh writes:
“This (Madhyana) is the state which
immediately precedes the articulate speech. Though the idea and speech are
distinct here yet their substratum is
the same.”[9]
As Avalon says the Madhyama is a
specific motion in contrary to the Pashyanti which is a general motion. The succession
of the letters which was in the causal state attains distinctness here. It is
the clear mental picture of the successive letters which constitute the word
B.N. Pandit writes :
“A finer form of speech that serves
as the medium for thinking and understanding, through which a person forms
definite and indefinite ideas about worlds and their meanings is Madhyana mental
speech.”[10]
The term Madhyama means both
interior and in between. It is considered interior speech because it has the
subtle body as its abode. Madhyama is considered in between because its abode
lies between the fields of Vaikhari and Pashyanti.
Madhyanma speech contains a word
image, award meaning, and a unified idea of both shining together with in
consciousness. There is also a mutual diversity of these three elements in
Madhyama, though they are not as distinctly separate as in Vaikhari. Madhyama
is thus an internal reflectional manifestation of awareness taking the form of
ideas. It is also an outward directed activity because it shines as something
other than the thinking subject.
Vaikhari is the reflection of
awareness in a still grosser form of outwardness. when Vaikhari spreads out in
the form of sound, it develops in the listener a type of awareness similar to
that which exists in the mind of the speaker. When we choose to convey ideas to
others we generally use spoken language known as vaikhari, or iits written
version. The Sanskrit word vikhara
refers to the hard gross form of a being which serves as the abode for
vaikhari. Thus vaikhari is gross speech vaikhari is manifested in the region
from the heart to mouth.
There are four stages of speech in
three of which sound is inaudible, it is only at the fourth stage that men give
utterance to it. The first of these stages in para located in the muladhara,
the lowest of the six centres in the spinal cord, commonly called cakras. This
is but a more stress towards articulation. As this stress takes definite shake
it becomes pashyanti, which means seeing. The next stage is reached when it
arrives at the anahatacakra opposite the heart, it then becomes madhyanma,
which means middling. There are the three names given in the tantra to the
three silent stages vocal sound, and the last stage is vaikhari. There are
some, the foremost among whom is padnapadacharya, the chief disciple of
shemkaracharya, who hold that there are three other stages of sound prior to para.
Padmapada, in commenting on the forty third verse of the second chapter of the
Prapancasara says that the stages preceding para are sunya samvit and suksma.
The first is the vibrational stages, the next is that when the sound is about
to form, and the third is that when it is forming.[11] An
adequate knowledge of sound is of vital importance in Tantra.
In kumdali Shakti subtle (suksma)
and in the form of mere light and not an object of bearning. Hence she goes upward
and becomes Pashyanti, self manifesting in the susymna nadi. She again becomes Madhyama
as a form of Nada when reaching the heart lotus Anahata). Then she goes upward
as a mere undifferentiated “hum”. It is She who appearing at the chert, throat,
teeth, nose, palate and head assumes the form of all letters issuing from the
root of the tongue and lips and thus becomes Vaikhari, the Mother of all sounds
audible to the sense of hearing. Their letterhood (Aksaratva) is said to be due
to their being divided into different parts beginning with the letter ‘A’ and
ending with “Ksa”
Just as the body is causal subtle,
gross and as there are three cosmic and individual states dreamless sleep,
dreaming waking; prajna taijasa, Vishnu, Ishvara hiranyagarbha, Vaishvanara or
Virata and a fourth transcendent state or turiya; so there are three states (Bhava)
of sound Pashyanti Madhyama, Vaikhari developed from a fourth supreme and
undiffereatiated state (para) this last and pashyanti represent the causal
aspect of Shabda, for pashyanti is the actual moving aspect of the unmoving Para
Madhyama is Hiranyagarbhashabda. Woodroffe writes that this suksmashabda and
its corresponding artha belong to the subtle body (lingasharira). In creation
the Cosmic Mind first develops Pashyanti shabda and artha and then projects
this subtle artha into the world of sensuous experience and names it in spoken
speech developed in the throat and issuing from the mouth. Vaikhari is virat
shabda belonging, as well as the physical objects it denotes to the gross body.
This last grass shabda is language, that
is sentences worlds and letters which are the expressions of ideas and mantra.
Pashyanti is characterized by non particular general movement, the first
undefined push of vayu towards manifestation, Madhyama is specific movement,
the vayu commencing to differentiate; and vaikhari is spastataraspanda that is,
the clear separate movement of articulate speech. Mental artha is a sanskara,
an impression left on the subtle body by previous experience and which is
recalled when the jiva reawakes to world experience and recollects the
experience temporarily lost in the cosmic dreamless state (susupti) which is
dissolution (pralaya). The cause which arouses this samskara is the shabda or
nama subtle or gross corresponding to that particular artha. There is thus a double
line of creation from the shabda Brahman namely, language expressive of ideas
and the objects which these denote. Uttered speech is a manifestation of the
inner “naming” or thought which is similar in men of all races. Possibly for
this reason a thought reader whose cerebral centre is on rapport with that of
another may read the hidden “speech” that is the thought of one whose spoken
speech he cannot understand Vaikhari shabda, however differs in various races
owing to racial and climatic conditions, the physical formation of the vocal
organs and so forth. But for each particular man speaking any particular
language the uttered name of any object is the gross expression of his inner
thought movement. It evokes that movement and again expresses it. It evokes the
idea and that idea is consciousness as mental operation. That operation can be
so intensified as to make itself creative. This is Mantra Chaitonya when
thought is not only in the outer hurp but is vitalized through its conscious centre.[12]
The three kinds of males or
limited, vitiated knowledge are rooted in words which have a tremendous
influence on our lives. These are formed of letters which are known as Matrika.
The Matrika becomes the basis of all limited knowledge. This is mentioned in
the verse 4 of the Shivsrutra.
It is the un-understood mother or Power of Sound inherent in the alphabet
that is the basis of the limited knowledge (in the form of anava, mayiya and karma
mala).[13]
Of these threefold limited
knowledge matrika or alphabet from ‘a’ to ksa’ the mother of the entire
universe is the presiding deity. She is called matrika, because she is unknown,
un-understood. This Power of Sound is called Mother because it produces the
entire universe. It is the un-understood Mother or Power of Sound inherent in
the alphabet that is the basis of the limited knowledge.
According to Jaidev Singh, “‘Matrika’
the ‘Ka’ suffix in Sanskrita denotes the idea that the thing to which this
suffix is added in unknown or un-understood. Hence Matrika means the mother who
is not properly known or understood. Mantrika is the subtle form of gross
speech. The letters and their ultimate essential nature are known as Matrika.
When unknown, the Matrika impels people towards all kinds of worldly activities
and feelings. When the Matrika is known i.e. when her saving power is realized she
leads a one to liberation.”[14]
Matrika is the presiding Power in
the form of various deities. For instance, the Mahaghora Shaktis who are
deities of the pithas, who have around the consciousness in Brahmarandhra with
a terrible noose delude people constantly. She (Matrika) Shines in the line of Shaktis
presiding over varga (clauses of letters), kala (the subtlest aspect of the
objective world) etc. in the form of Brahmi and other Shaktis; she rouses
people to all kinds of activity and feeling by means of the arrangement of a
succession of letters of a script. She is closely united with the group of
Shaktis known as Jyeshtha, Raundri and Vama.
The presiding deities over the various classes of letters are the
following:[15]
Class of letters Presiding Deities
Avarga Yogishvarior Mata Laksmi
Ka Varga Brahmi
Cavarga Maheshvari
Taverga Kaumari
Tavarga Vaishnavi
Pavarga Varahi
Yavarga Aindrior Indrani
Savarga Caunda
Because Matrika is the basic of all
limited knowledge, therefore, one is deprived of the investigation of the inner
non-difference and all one’s knowledge is outward – turned without ceasing for
a movement. Therefore, it is rightly maintained that all such knowledge is the
cause of bondage. The basic of all the three malas is word bound ideas. The
basic of all the three malas is word bound ideas. The words are a reflex of
letters and their sound known as Matrika, so ultimately it is Matrika which is
responsible for the limited knowledge. Words have the tremendous influence in
shaping our ideas which do not allow us to realize the splendour of Shiva
consciousness imprisoned within ourselves.
After commotion in the Samvit – Bindu,
there arises nada in the form of charka of rays. This very charka of rays is akara
varnamala. Shabda in the form of Hiranyagarbha is situated in the centre of
Samvit; yet there arises only fifty varnas out of the vibrations of fifty airs.
These fifty varnas are in the micro and micro form. In the macro form they are
fifty varnas while in the micro form they are manifested in the fifty petals in
the plexuses. A person who does not have command on there fifty varnas, will
not be able to gain Brahma Vidya because this cosmos has arisen out of word and
it will dissolute in words again. The bodies of the deities has been created by
the jyoty of the mantra. Word in the form of mantra is the source of creation
and dissolution and also it takes the sadhaka to the Brahma Bindu.
Chiti Shakti is related to sixteen
eternal kalas, these kalas are related to mantra mantra is related to matrika,
matrika is related to Ida and sun moon and fire and all these are related to
Sri Chakra which is the symbol of both micro and macro.
Abhinavgupta says :
“There is one varna varna
[1] Lqfxjk fpÙkáfj.;k i”;UR
t;R;qYykflrkuUnefgek
ijes”oj%AA1AA
Stavacintamani Verse 1. P. 113.
[2] LQksV ,o fg i”;Urh rnU;k ok };a HkorsA
rnU;Ros
rnSD;s ok rnìqY;xz#i;kAA58AA
Shivadristi – Somananda trans. By Dr. Redheshyam
Chaturverdi – Varanasi Sanskrit Sansthan – varanasi
[3] Stavacintanomi Edi by Ram
Shankar Singh Pp. 181-82.
[4] Specific principles of
Kashmir Saivism B.N. Pandit Mumshirom Manoharlal Pub Ltd. P. 57.
[5] Specific Principles of
Kashmir Shaivism B.N. pandit – P. 59.
[6] Specific Principles of Kashmir Shaivism – B.N. Pandit , P. 55
[7] Geneland of letters –
Arthur Avalon P. 1.
[8] Ibid P. 210.
[9] Stavachintamani – Ram
Shankar Singh P. 182.
[10] Specific Principles of Kashmir Shaivism B.N. Pandit P. 54.
[11] Introduction to Tantras
and their Philosphy Prof. Pushpendra Kumar – Rashtriya Sankrit Santhan – 1998.
p. 73.
[12] The Garland
[13] Kkukf/k’Bkua ekr`dk AA4AA Siva Sutra translated by
Jaideva Singh – Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Delhi 1995 – P. 25.
[14] Kkukf/k’Bkua ekr`dk AA4AA Siva Sutra translated by
Jaideva Singh – Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Delhi 1995 – P. 25.
[15] Shiva Sutra Trans by
Jaidev Singh P. 27
[16] ,dks uknkRedks o.kZ% loZo.kkZ foHkkxokuA
lks∙uLrfer#iRokn
vukgr bgksfnr%AA217AA
Tantraloka – II, Volume, IV Chapter, Verse – 217, P. -
453
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