2023-02-16 06:27:19 by ambuda-bot
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INTRODUCTION
Sabda as well as artha-words as well as objects-are
manifestations of Sakti And, as sabda was of the
nature of the varnas composing it, the Tantra affirmed
that the creative force of the universe resided in all
the letters of the alphabet The different letters
symbolized the different functions of that creative
force, and their totality was designated matrika
or the Mother in miniature Thus we arrive at the
famous doctrine that a mantra is not a mere combina-
tion of sounds, but is the subtle form of the presiding
Devata herself, and that the object of one's medita-
tion on the mantra is to identify oneself with the
Devata of the mantra Again, just as pure thought
has to pass through several stages before it becomes a
concrete creative force, so it was believed that sound
has to pass through several stages before it is actually
heard by the ear These stages were called para,
pasyantı, madhvama and vaikhari and these were be-
lieved to be as much the phases of the divine Sakti as
the stages in the evolution of the universe This theory
of the eternality of sabda and artha, which the Tantra
had borrowed from the Mimamsa and transformed
through its own vital doctrine of Saktı, has had a
remarkable development in our mantra sastra and has
produced marvellous results in practice.
23
The most celebrated mantra connected with the
worship of the Devi is the Panchadasakşarı mantra
As its name indicates, it consists of fifteen syllables
divided into three kutas or sections, known as Vag-
bhava-kuta presided over by Agni, Kamaraja-kūta pre-
Sabda as well as artha-words as well as objects-are
manifestations of Sakti And, as sabda was of the
nature of the varnas composing it, the Tantra affirmed
that the creative force of the universe resided in all
the letters of the alphabet The different letters
symbolized the different functions of that creative
force, and their totality was designated matrika
or the Mother in miniature Thus we arrive at the
famous doctrine that a mantra is not a mere combina-
tion of sounds, but is the subtle form of the presiding
Devata herself, and that the object of one's medita-
tion on the mantra is to identify oneself with the
Devata of the mantra Again, just as pure thought
has to pass through several stages before it becomes a
concrete creative force, so it was believed that sound
has to pass through several stages before it is actually
heard by the ear These stages were called para,
pasyantı, madhvama and vaikhari and these were be-
lieved to be as much the phases of the divine Sakti as
the stages in the evolution of the universe This theory
of the eternality of sabda and artha, which the Tantra
had borrowed from the Mimamsa and transformed
through its own vital doctrine of Saktı, has had a
remarkable development in our mantra sastra and has
produced marvellous results in practice.
23
The most celebrated mantra connected with the
worship of the Devi is the Panchadasakşarı mantra
As its name indicates, it consists of fifteen syllables
divided into three kutas or sections, known as Vag-
bhava-kuta presided over by Agni, Kamaraja-kūta pre-