प्रसन्नवदनं ध्यायेत् सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तये ॥
श्रीगुरुभ्योनमः
देवीं मन्त्रमयीं मातृकां पीठरूपिणीम् ।
अकारादिक्षकारान्तां मातृकां पीठरूपिणीम् ॥ (ज्ञानार्णवतन्त्रम् 1.4)
The following seven names
Parā
Pratyak-citī-rūpā
Paśyantī
Paradevatā
Madhyamā
Vaikharī-rūpā
Bhaktamānasa-haṁsikā
describe the Mother who exists in the four forms of speech.
परा वाक् मूलचक्रस्था पश्यन्ती नाभिसंस्थिता ।
हृदिस्था मध्यम ज्ञेया वैखरी कण्ठदेशगा ॥
Parā Vāk is the unmanifested power situated in the Mūlādhāra; the first inner pulsation of that power is Paśyantī at the navel; the stage in which that pulsation acquires the form and structure of vowels, consonants and letters in the heart is Madhyamā; the stage in which the letters formed in the Madhyamā state emerge from the throat as meaningful words and sentences is Vaikharī.
अक्षरं परमो नादः शब्दब्रह्मेति कथ्यते ।
मूलाधारगता शक्तिः स्वाधारा बिन्दुरूपिणी ॥ २ ॥
तस्यामुत्पद्यते नादः सूक्ष्मबीजादिवाङ्कुरः ।
तां पश्यन्तीं विदुर्विश्वं यया पश्यन्ति योगिनः ॥ ३ ॥
हृदये व्यज्यते घोषो गर्जत्पर्जन्यसन्निभः ।
तत्र स्थिता सुरेशान मध्यमेत्यभिधीयते ॥ ४ ॥
प्राणेन च स्वराख्येन प्रथिता वैखरी पुनः ।
शाखापल्लवरूपेण ताल्वादिस्थानघट्टनात् ॥ ५ ॥
Thus, Parā, Paśyantī, Madhyamā and Vaikharī represent the inner journey of speech as it evolves from the unmanifest to the manifest. Not only can these four states be viewed merely as “four stages of speech,” but they can also be seen as a subtle model of the process of creation that takes place from the unmanifest to the manifest.
In the philosophical meaning of Parā, Paśyantī, Madhyamā and Vaikharī, we can see the sequence of evolution as unmanifest → pulsation → formation → expression. This same pattern can be seen in a seed, in Śiva–Śakti, in a child, in Om, and in nature.
1. Parā — The Unmanifest Seed of Nāda
Parā means the seed of nāda contained in the silence before speech. Sound has not yet manifested; but the power that can manifest as sound exists completely in an unmanifest form.
1.1 Parā — In the Seed
When we look at a seed, the tree is not visible. There are no leaves. There are no branches. There are no flowers. There are no fruits. But the tree is not absent. The tree exists unmanifest within the seed.
Therefore, just as Parā is described as the unmanifest potential of speech, the seed is the unmanifest potential of the tree. Just as Vaikharī is hidden within Parā, the complete tree is hidden within the seed.
1.2 Parā — In Śiva–Śakti
In the Parā state, Śiva–Śakti may be contemplated as undivided. Consciousness and expression cannot yet be viewed as two separate things. Śakti has not yet emerged as name and form.
Therefore, Parā is undivided consciousness — unmanifest power — the seed of nāda. Here, the entire creation exists only as a potential.
1.3 Parā — In the Child
A newly born child does not yet speak. There is no word “mother.” There is no word “father.” There is no language. But there is life. There is breath. There is a throat. There is the capacity to produce sound.
That is, speech has not manifested; but the power that is the source of speech is present. This is a beautiful illustration of Parā.
1.4 Parā — In Om
Here, Om may be contemplated not merely as an audible sound, but as the undivided nāda-śakti that is its source. It has not yet been separated into A, U and M. Everything exists unmanifest within one primordial nāda.
Therefore, the undivided nāda-śakti within Om is indicative of Parā.
1.5 Parā — In Nature
Here, in this context, inert matter can be taken as a symbol of the most unmanifest state. Vital pulsation is not visibly expressed in it.
Therefore, just as Parā has been symbolically taken as the unmanifest power of speech, inert matter can likewise be taken symbolically as a representation of unmanifest existence.
2. Paśyantī — The Unmanifest Beginning to Pulsate
The pulsation of what exists in Parā is Paśyantī. It is still not spoken speech. But the inner pulsation that “something is about to take form” has begun.
2.1 Paśyantī — In the Seed
The seed has now sprouted. It is not yet a complete tree. But the direction of the tree has become clear.
The unmanifest potential within the seed has now manifested as a sprout. Therefore, seed → sprout is a beautiful natural illustration of the journey from Parā → Paśyantī.
2.2 Paśyantī — In Śiva–Śakti
Here, within the undivided Śiva–Śakti, the pulsation of Śakti begins. There is still no complete name and form. But the first movement toward manifestation has arisen.
The first pulsation toward creation within unmanifest consciousness — this is a philosophical illustration of Paśyantī.
2.3 Paśyantī — In the Child
Now the child begins to produce vowel sounds such as:
“Ā… Ā…”
“Ū… Ū…”
“M… M…”
The child has still not said “mother.” The capacity for speech has not yet developed, but sound has begun to pulsate within the child.
Thus, the sound power that was unmanifest in Parā appears as the pulsation of sound in Paśyantī.
2.4 Paśyantī — In Om
The primordial nāda that was undivided in Parā may be contemplated in the Paśyantī stage as gaining an inner differentiation — Om → A + U + M.
This is not a definition that “Paśyantī necessarily means A–U–M.” But it is an excellent illustration of the idea of undivided nāda → inner differentiation.
2.5 Paśyantī — In Nature
This belongs to the realm of vegetation and is not like inert matter. In this, the vital pulsation is clearly visible.
In this symbolic sequence, inert matter → vegetation represents the transition from unmanifest existence → living pulsation.
3. Madhyamā — The Pulsation Acquiring Structure
What pulsated in Paśyantī now acquires structure. This is the Madhyamā state. Here the movement toward vowels → consonants → formation of letters begins.
3.1 Madhyamā — In the Seed
The sprout now expands. The trunk, branches and leaves are formed.
The tree-form that was unmanifest in the seed is now gradually becoming manifest. Thus, sprout → formation of branches and leaves is a natural illustration of Paśyantī → Madhyamā.
3.2 Madhyamā — In Śiva–Śakti
Now Śakti is no longer merely a pulsation. She begins the formation of name and form.
Here, symbolically, a connection with sound can be made: vowel — Śiva, consonant — Śakti. If the vowel gives flow to sound, the consonant gives it form.
Therefore, vowel + consonant = syllable/letter.
This becomes a sound-based illustration of Śiva + Śakti = manifestation.
3.3 Madhyamā — In the Child
Now the child begins to produce consonantal touches such as:
“M…”
“P…”
“B…”
“T…”
“K…”
But it is still in a state where a complete word has not been formed. “M…” is present — but “mother” is not.
Here sound is acquiring structure. The child is moving from vowel-like sounds toward the coordination of vowels and consonants.
Therefore, Paśyantī = pulsation of sound, Madhyamā = formation of sound.
3.4 Madhyamā — In Om
Now the primordial differentiation of A–U–M expands further and gives rise to many forms of sound.
Vowels, consonants and their combinations are formed. That is, one primordial nāda → many sound structures.
Here the formation of sound can be connected with the idea of Śiva–Śakti.
3.5 Madhyamā — In Nature
Here the bird kingdom comes into the sequence of nature.
The sounds of birds appear not merely as one particular sound, but as sounds carrying different signals in different contexts.
Thus, tree → bird symbolically indicates the direction from living pulsation → differentiated sound.
4. Vaikharī — Complete Manifestation
Now what has been formed internally is completely expressed outwardly. This is Vaikharī.
Here letter → word → sentence → meaning.
4.1 Vaikharī — In the Seed
The journey that began with the seed has now become a complete tree.
What was unmanifest in the seed has emerged as sprout → branches → leaves → complete tree.
Thus, seed → sprout → structure → complete tree is a complete reflection of Parā → Paśyantī → Madhyamā → Vaikharī.
4.2 Vaikharī — In Śiva–Śakti
Now Śakti becomes completely manifest as name and form.
Unmanifest consciousness appears as form, name, action and the world.
Thus, Śiva–Śakti that was undivided in Parā may be contemplated as the world of name and form in Vaikharī.
4.3 Vaikharī — In the Child
Finally, the child clearly says, “Mother!”
Now there is sound. There is a word. There is feeling. There is intention. There is meaning.
The journey that took place internally has now become a word that can be heard externally.
Thus, “Mother!” — Vaikharī.
4.4 Vaikharī — In Om
Now the primordial nāda pulsates as A–U–M, expands into vowel–consonant structures, and finally becomes letters → words → sentences.
That is, one may contemplate that many forms of speech emerge from Om.
4.5 Vaikharī — In Nature
Here the final symbol is the human being.
Human beings can develop sound as:
letter → word → sentence → thought → knowledge → philosophy
Therefore, in the symbolic sequence of inert matter → vegetation → birds → human beings, the human being stands as a symbol of the complete manifestation of meaningful speech.
The Entire Structure in One View
Parā → Paśyantī → Madhyamā → Vaikharī
Seed → Sprout → Branches–Leaves → Complete Tree
Śiva–Śakti → Undivided → Pulsation of Śakti → Formation of Name and Form → Manifest Creation
Child → Unmanifest Power of Speech → “Ā… Ū… M…” → “M… P… K…” → “Mother!”
Om → Undivided Primordial Nāda → Pulsation of A–U–M → Expansion of Vowels–Consonants → Letter–Word–Sentence
Nature → Stone → Tree → Bird → Human Being
Just as the tree exists unmanifest within the seed, speech exists unmanifest within Parā; just as the seed sprouts, the pulsation of speech begins in Paśyantī; just as branches and leaves are formed, sound is structured in Madhyamā; and just as the complete tree becomes manifest, in Vaikharī the word, sentence and meaning become fully expressed.
The same sequence can be seen in Śiva–Śakti, in the process by which a child learns to speak, in the expansion of the sound of Om, and in this symbolic model that we assign to the evolution of nature.
One nāda → many sounds → letters → word → meaning.
One seed → sprout → branches → tree.
One life-force → vowel → consonant → word.
One power of speech → Parā → Paśyantī → Madhyamā → Vaikharī.
All these seem to point to one great principle:
“The unmanifest becomes pulsation, pulsation becomes structure, structure becomes name and form, and name and form become meaning.”
The same in the subtle — in the piṇḍa.
The same in the gross — in the Brahmāṇḍa.
Yat Piṇḍe Tat Brahmāṇḍe.
And the power that is the source of all this manifestation — Vāgdevatā, Śrīmātā, Parāśakti.
श्रीमात्रेनमः
