Mātṛkācakrasambodhaḥ मातृकाचक्रसम्बोधः (sūtra II.7 – part 3.)

Apart from vowels and consonants, some letters are known as semi-vowels. Ya, ra, la and va (य र ल व) fall under this category. These four letters give rise to six coverings that surround Śiva, blocking His inherent splendour to be perceived by nescient souls. The six coverings are kalā, vidyā, rāga, kāla, niyati and māyā. They are also known as kañuca. Kāla refers to time, a measurement of past, gives enjoyment of the present and contains what is in store for the future. Niyati is responsible in fixing the order and sequence of karma. While kalā induces action, vidyā is responsible for intelligence. Rāga is responsible for sensory perceptions and māyā is responsible for inducing doubt, ignorance and illusion. In the process of creation, these coverings play significant roles in limiting the splendour of Śiva in the ignorant souls. When a spiritual aspirant moves beyond the illusionary influences of the six kañuca-s, he progresses to the next stage of real existence known as unmeṣa, commencement of the unfolding of the highest level of consciousness. This is the sprouting stage of spiritual consciousness. This stage is represented by the last four letters śa, ṣa, sa and ha (श ष स ह). In the stage of unmeṣa, ūṣman begins to happen. Ūṣman (heat and glow) is the beginning stage of realising the internal heat and glow. Only Śiva alone is Self-illuminating. This Self-illumination is the source of cause and effect of the universe.

In the stage of unmeṣa the resultant ūṣman unfold because of the successive stages of suddhavidyā. Suddhavidyā consists of suddhavidyā, which is responsible for acquiring spiritual knowledge than indulging in rituals. The second component is Īsvara, which makes a person to act on the basis of spiritual knowledge attained. The third component of suddhavidyā is Sadāśiva, wherein both knowledge and action are in equal proportion. The last one is the most significant part of the whole creation, Śaktī. Śaktī manifests as a prelude to Realisation. This is the penultimate stage of realising Śiva. Śiva is pure elucidation, which is the cause of Light. A person’s knowledge is generally radiated through his body and the same principle applies to Śiva. Because of His knowledge, He becomes grandeur. His splendour is of incomparable magnitude. At this point of discussion, all the sixteen vowels, twenty five consonants and eight semi-vowels, totalling to forty nine letters have been dealt with. The positioning of these letters is known as mātṛkā cakra, the wheel of the Mother, who not only owns but also nourishes all the alphabets.

Thus, the creation having been made is to be infused with consciousness that is capable of making one realise that he is the universe. This makes the aspirant to say aham idam, which means I am this, where this means the universe. A spiritual seeker attains this stage because of the manifestation of Śaktī, the will of Śiva. This discussion also goes to prove that Śiva and Śaktī, though appear to be independent, in reality They are single entity. In a true spiritual aspirant, all these manifestations happen through his kuṇḍalinī energy, which leads him to the logical conclusion of affirming I am Śiva.

This concludes the discussions on sūtra II.7.