Verse 295 [Mantrādhvā—haṃsaḥ-so'ham]

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English commentary of verse 295:

अध्वभिर्ध्वनिविमिश्रणक्रममब्जबीजमनिकेतनं वरम् ।
कल्पनैक्यबहुभेदमद्वयं मन्त्रपीठमसि काल्यनर्गलम् ॥ २९५ ॥

adhvabhirdhvanivimiśraṇakramamabjabījamaniketanaṃ varam |
kalpanaikyabahubhedamadvayaṃ mantrapīṭhamasi kālyanargalam || 295 ||

Comparative analysis of commentaries and excerpts in English:

[Mantrādhvā—“haṃsaḥ-so'ham”]

Śakti assumes the seat of Mantras by her free will. This seat consists of the Ṣaḍadhvās—

1. Varṇa,
2. Pada,
3. Mantra,
4. Kalā,
5. Tattva and
6. Bhuvanas.

In the Vācakādhvā the first is Varṇa; Kalā/Kalanasvabhāva is the first in Vācyādhvā. Kalana is Kṣepa, Jñāna, Saṅkhyāna, Gati and Nāda, which are capable of reducing the age of the universe in no time. These are the withrawing nature of Śakti.

Varṇas are classified as 50 or 51in Tantraśāstra, 63 or 64 in some other tantras. They are in the form of Dhvani and with their presence only the manifestation occurs. They are of two types—Bīja and Yoni, (Svaras and Vyañjanas). Their combination in various forms results in Krama and their divisions give rise to the state of Akrama.

Further this seat is said to indicate the Candrabīja (“sa”) which is also Śakti’s form^[1]. Śiva’s form “ha” and Śakti’s form “sa” are always inseperable and hence results the Ajapa japa mantra “so'ham-haṃsaḥ”—which happens automatically in (“haṃsaḥ”—exhale and inhale^[2]) breathing. “so'ham” is the reverse order of breathing.

Śakti in her mantra form is the substratum of entire universe and hence she does not need an abode. She expands and withdraws the manifestation on the wall of herself with her freewill. Her mantra pīṭha is the best and unique one without hassles. In the Kāli Upāsana the mantras and their practices are learnt from Dhūtis^[3].

Notes and Sanskrit references:

[1] Cf. [Kramaprakāśikā] p 201 [Cidgaganacandrikā] 295.—

abjaścandrastasyabījaṃ sakāraḥ, sakāraḥ śaktirūpo'pi, taduktaṃ yoginīhṛdayadīpikā dhṛtahaṃsaparameśvare “śivo hakāra ityuktaḥ sakāraḥ śaktiravyayā“iti |

[2] [Kramaprakāśikā] p 199 [Cidgaganacandrikā] 295.—

tena sakāreṇa hakāramadhyāhṛtyājapājapamantraḥ sohaṃ haṃsa iti seṅkatyate, mantrādhvanyasya mantrasyāpyutkṛṣṭatvādanargalarūpeṇa niḥśvāsocchvāsarūpeṇa gatiśīlatvāt “sakāreṇa bahiryāti hakāreṇa viśet punaḥ” itivacanāt, haṃsa ityatra hakāreṇa bahirgamanaṃ sohamityatra sakāreṇetikramavyutkramayorubhayorapi bahirgamanapraveśasaṃbhavaḥ |
punaḥ kīdṛgityāhaaniketanam |

[3] [Kramaprakāśikā] p 201 [Cidgaganacandrikā] 295.—

kālīprakriyāyāṃ dūtīmukhenaiva śiṣyasya jñānapratipādanavidhānāt, gurutaddūtyoḥ samamāhātmyatayopādānāt, “strīmukhe nikṣipetprājñaḥ strīmukhād grāhayetpunaḥ” iti vacanācca striyā eva mantradhāraṇadānādhikṛtatvāditibhāvaḥ ||