Fw: [Ananda] Muktananda

March 18, 1999

Lists,

Page # 7, 8,9 from 'Nothing Exists That Is Not Siva'

jnanadhisthanam

matrka

Matrka (the power of sound

inherent

in the letters of the alphabet) is

the source

of limited

knowledge.

When Parashakti--who is also called Chiti Bhagavati, the universal

Consciousness--limits Herself, She manifests in the form of matrka, the group of

letters, or sound-syllables. Matrka is the cause of one's pain and pleasure. All

the thoughts and feelings that arise in the mind--happiness and unhappiness,

desire, agitation, love, expectation, and jealousy--are the work of matrka.

Neither language, nor terminology, nor poetry, nor scriptures, nor words of

praise and blame can pass beyond the world of letters.

Matrka arises in the heart, from the inner speech. There are four levels of

speech corresponding to the four bodies. Everyone is aware of the speech of the

tongue. It is called vaikari and corresponds to the gross body. With the subtle

intellect, one can also know the second level of speech, which is in the throat.

There, words have taken form but have not yet emerged. This level is called

madhyama and corresponds to the subtle body. At a deeper level, words exist in

the heart. This is the third level of speech, pasyanti, which corresponds to the

causal body. here, words are hidden, and what arises at this level is matrka.

Beneath this level is a fourth level, para, which corresponds to the supracausal

body. Some say that para is in the navel region, but in actuality this subtlest

level of speech pervades everwhere. Since it is all-pervading, it can be known

anywhere. matrka has its source in the Para level.

* Note from Marcus--Not only does matrka has its source at this level, but all

things arise at this level. This is the subtlest level of sound, which is

synonymous with the energy of Shakti, which is why this is called the para

level, or paravak. Here is the definition:

Paravak: The vibratory pulsation of the Divine Mind that brings about

manifestation, Logos; Cosmic Ideation, Spanda.

As you can see, this is the level of pure energy, where energy and sound

are one; it is here that Shakti is of the nature of movement without any

external support. It is the level before any differentiation has taken place.

The first thing to arise out of this creative pulsation is sound. This goes from

subtle to gross in this way:

Paravak or Para--everywhere

Pashyanti--level of the heart, where all letters that can be vocalized arises.

Matrka arises at this level.

Madhyama--level of the throat, where words are formed, but not yet spoken.

Vaikari--level of gross speech.

Back to the author:

Letters combine to form a word--for example, m-a-n-g-o- becomes mango. Each

word has its own meaning, the meaning creates its own image, and that image has

its own feeling. Whenever an image is created in the mind, one experiences an

emotion, whether it is happiness or unhappines, frienndship or enmity. For

example, if I call someone a fool, the letters come together and compose words,

the words compose a sentence, the sentence has its own meaning, and the meaning

creates its own image. When I utter the sentence "That girl is a fool," it

strikes her, and a painful and angry feeling arises in her mind. Matrka creates

infinite images. If one does'nt identify with the images or their objects, one

doesn't experience suffering.

Matrka creates infinite images. If one doesn't identify with the images or

their objects, one doesn't experience suffering.

Matrka is the source not only of our pain and pleasure but of this entire

universe. This world has arisen from the sound-syllables of the Sanskrit

alphabet, which are nothing but matrka. Just as it creates the outer world,

matrka creates infinite inner worlds. Different feelings arise in the heart, and

the individual soul keeps moving among these feelings throughout its life,

experiencing pain and pleasure. Day and night, the matrka sakti creates these

things within us. Even when we sleep, it doesn't sleep. It is alive even in the

savikalpa state of samadhi, the samadhi with thought. it dies only when one

attains the state of thoughtessness, nirvikalpa samadhi.

Matrka is the source of the three malas, The impurities that cause

knowledge to become contracted. Due to anavamala, one feels imperfect; due to

mayiyamala, one becomes lost in duality; and due to karmamala, one becomes

caught up in the frut of one's good and bad actions. Instead of understanding

that one is the Self, one understands oneself to be a mere human being. One

feels "I am a man,I am a priest,I am a woman,I am thin," and

in this

way, one makes oneself small. In the inner space, matrka sakti creates letters

and one experiences them. One begins to dwell in them, one becomes infatuated

with them, and as a result, one performs actions in this world.

This is worldliness.

However, just as matrka helps us to contract, it also helps us to expand

ourselves. The moment one understands the matrka sakti and its work, one is no

longer a human being. When the matrka sakti expands within, in this very body

one becomes Siva.

Sit quitly and watch the play of the matrkda sakti. Watch how the matrka

gives rise to letters, how the letters compose words, how the meaning of the

words creates images in the mind; watch how you become involved in these images.

The yogi prusues matrka sakti; he watches it and makes it steady. he brings

it under his control, he manipulates it an way he likes. he turns evil thoughts

into good thoughts. The matrka sakti works according to his will. Such a yogi is

called a conqueror of the senses.

One who understands the play of matrka sakti and makes it still rises above

pain and pleasure. One cannot attain peace as long as he is driven by the play

of the matrka sakti. For this reason, one has to practice yoga. Through yoga,

the movements of the mind are stilled and the power of matrka is overcome.

Much Light

marcus

April 8, 1999