Part 7 - Mātṛkacakra and the reflection of the universe

Mātṛka Śakti

Mātṛkacakra explains this whole universe as being created by Śiva in union with His own nature (Śakti)^[1]. The creation of universe by Him, in His own Self is as the reflection of His sweet will (Icchā Śakti, the energy of will). Creation is the outcome of this reflection in His own nature. Unlike the reflection in an ordinary mirror wherein the mirror is the reflector and the thing that is reflected is an external object, the reflection of the universe taking place in Śiva’s own nature^[2], is like the reflection that takes place in a cup shaped mirror. Śiva takes the form of a cup and places another cup in front of His nature. The second cup, inseparable from Him, reflects the universe.

Reflection of the thirty six tattvas

This universe is contained in, the thirty six tattvas, in descending order starting with Śiva tattva in the following order: Śakti tattva, Sadāśiva tattva, Īśvara tattva, Śuddhavidyā tattva, Māyatattva, and so forth and ends with Pṛthvī tattva. The reflection of the universe takes place not exactly in this descending order from Śiva tattva but takes place in a reverse order from Pṛthvī tattva (earth), the lowest element, to the highest Śakti tattva, and not from the highest to the lowest. When one sees his face in a cup shaped mirror, his head will appear as down and the body will appear as up. Similarly this whole universe begins from Śakti tattva, but it is experienced as beginning from Pṛthvī tattva.

No external reflector

No outside mirror^[3] is there, separate from that which is reflected in the mirror. In the ordinary course of experience the object for reflection is at one place and the mirror, which is the reflector, is at another. In the reflection of the universe, however, the reflected and the reflector are inseparable Śiva and His Śakti- the energy holder and His energy of will.

Five energies of reflector in the process of manifestation

The reflector of this whole universe, Śiva, is full of five energies, viz., Cit Śakti, the energy of consciousness, Ānanda Śakti, the energy of bliss, Icchā Śakti, the energy of will, Jñāna Śakti, the energy of knowledge, and Kriyā Śakti, the energy of action. These five energies are represented by the sixteen vowels of the Sanskrit alphabet—(“a”, “ā”, “i”, “ī”, “u”, “ū”, “ṛ”, “ṝ”, “ḷ”, “ḹ”, “e”, “ai”, “o”, “au”, “am”, “aḥ”) i.e., Śiva tattva.

Universe resides in the womb of Śakti

First Sanskrit alphabet, “a” represents Cit Śakti, the energy of consciousness of Śiva. Second letter of the Sanskrit alphabet, “ā”, represents Ānanda Śakti—energy of bliss of Śiva. Cit Śakti and Ānanda Śakti, the energies of consciousness and bliss, are totally inseparable. Where there is consciousness (cit) there is bliss (Ānanda), and where there is bliss there is consciousness. At this stage, the universe is yet to take its shape. It only resides in Ānanda Śakti^[4], the energy of bliss.

Dual forms of Icchā Śakti

Icchā Śakti—energy of will, comes after Cit Śakti and Ānanda Śakti, represented by the third and fourth letters of the alphabet, the letter “i”. Icchā Śakti takes two forms, unagitated and agitated. Unagitated Icchā Śakti resides peacefully in its own nature taking the form of the letter “i”. Agitated Icchā Śakti is formed as the next letter of the alphabet, the letter “ī”. In this state Śiva’s will is agitated but not in such a way that it is separated from His own nature. It remains as residing in his own consciousness and bliss, Cit and Ānanda.

Apprehension in Jñāna Śakti-Unmeśa and Ūnata

The apprehension takes place at this point is Jñāna Śakti -energy of knowledge in Śiva’s consciousness, that if I go forward, if I move onwards I may loose my own nature. It is represented in the next two letters of the alphabet, the letters “u” and “ū”. The first of these two letters “u”, is called unmeśa. Unmeśa indicates that the universal existence is about to begin, it is just forthcoming. It has not yet begun, it is not yet created, it is about to be created. When He begins to create the universe Śiva has the apprehension that His Cit Śakti and Ānanda Śakti may be decreased if He continues to move out to create the universe which is known as Ūnata (lessening). This apprehension is represented by the letter “ū”. This apprehension keeps Him at a stand still and prevents Him from moving forward.

Anāśrita Śiva

Hence he discards and separates the universe from His own nature and resides in His own Cit Śakti (consciousness) and Ānanda Śakti (bliss). This state, wherein Śiva has rejected the fact that the universe resides only in His own nature of consciousness and bliss, is represented by the next four vowels of the alphabet, viz.—(“ṛ”, “ṝ”, “ḷ”, “ḹ”). At this state, indicated by the four vowels, the Supreme, filled with consciousness and bliss, resides in His own nature. He does not move out. Due to this there is no possibility of the universe coming out into manifestation. The manifestation of the universe stops totally. Hence these four vowels—(“ṛ”, “ṝ”, “ḷ”, “ḹ”) are called Amṛta bīja, meaning “residing in His own bliss (ananda [ānanda?])”. At this stage there is no thought of creating the universe. These four vowels (Ṣaṇḍasvaras) do not create anything. The state of Śiva represented by these four vowels is known as Anāśrita Śiva, who has not accepted the existence of the universe in His own nature. He does not allow the universal existence in His own nature. In this state Śiva resides always in His own nature.

Universal Manifestation

The apprehension, “If I create this universe I may loose My own nature.” is from the agitated state of his Icchā Śakti -the agitated will of Śiva. Yet the first two energies of consciousness and bliss, of Śiva Cit and Ānanda Śaktis, do not recognize this apprehension. They are at ease. They understand that to create this universe is only the glory of His nature, therefore, there is no question of apprehension arising in Śiva. He should not be afraid about coming out. Coming out or going in is the same thing to him. Cit Śakti and Ānanda Śaktis with this understanding begin to create this universe afresh.

Four states of Kriyā Śakti

Cit and Ānanda Śaktis, the energies of consciousness and bliss, denoted by the vowels “a” and “ā”, create contact with Icchā Śakti, the energy of will,  represented in the vowels “i” and “ī” create the letter “e”. Then simultaneously Cit and Ānanda Śaktis, “a” and “ā” contact “e” and give rise to the letter “ai”. When Cit and Ānanda Śaktis “a” and “ā” come in contact with Jñāna Śakti, the energy of knowledge, represented in the letters “u” and “ū”, they create the letter “o”. When simultaneously Cit and Ānanda Śaktis “a” and “ā” are in contact with the letter “o” they give rise to the letter “au”.

These four letters—(“e”, “ai”, “o”, “au”) which were created by the contact of Cit and Ānanda Śaktis with Icchā and Jñāna Śaktis, represent the four states of Kriyā Śakti, the energy of action of Śiva. The first state of the energy of action, represented by the letter “e”, is called Asphuṭa (not vivid) Kriyā Śakti. In this state the energy of action is not clear. In the next movement and state of Kriyā Śakti, represented by the letter “ai”, the energy of action becomes Sphuṭa, vivid. In the third state of Kriyā Śakti, represented by the “o”, the energy of action becomes Sphuṭatara, more vivid. In the fourth and final stateof Kriyā Śakti, represented by the letter “au”, the energy of action becomes Sphuṭatama, most vivid. So the energy of action has four states represented in the letters—(“e”, “ai”, “o”, “au”). In this energy of action the reflection of the whole universe takes place. Although this universe is reflected in His total energy of action, yet this reflection has taken place primarily in His fourth energy of action which is represented by the letter “au”.

Anusvāra state of Śiva

Even though this whole universe has been created, the nature of His Self, that is full of consciousness and bliss, has not been lessened at all. Nothing has happened. He is only residing in His own point. This state of Śiva is represented by the letter “म्” (anusvāra). The letter “म्” or a dot °, shows that the existence of Śiva has not moved from His own nature even though this whole universe is created in His Self.

Śiva bindu and Śakti bindu

The reflection of the universe, being in the form of a cup shaped mirror, is represented by the sixteenth letter of the Sanskrit alphabet, visarga, the letter “ḥ—अः”. In Devanagari script the letter “ha” takes the form of the two points of the colon “(:)”. And these two points of the visarga (:), represent the two cups in which the reflection of the universe takes place. These two points are known as Śiva bindu and Śakti bindu.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

[Cidgaganacandrikā] Verse 35.

[2]:

[Cidgaganacandrikā] Verse 190.

[3]:

[Cidgaganacandrikā] Verse 189.

[4]:

[Cidgaganacandrikā] Verse 51.