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[Full title: Transitions in the Cultic Model: Audial and Visual Identities of 艢补办迟颈]

As mentioned earlier, no early belief systems remain static for a prolonged time. By the influence of specific historical moments, Kula tradition also has undergone some new shaping鈥檚 within it. Even though such changes occur in a comparatively later period, their inclusion therein was necessitated by the depiction of 艢补办迟颈 without misplacing its prominence. Such developmental tendencies, according to Sthaneswar Timalsina, are the methods for replacing the philosophical substructures like 厂腻峁卥丑测补 and these help to modify the awareness about the ideas like language, body etc. He also believes that similar transitions occurred in the systems like Kula would have been the cause of deconstruction of the cultural constructs.^[1]

Thus, this development has been made through the ascription of verbal as well as visual identities to 艢补办迟颈. The var峁嘺devat膩s (alphabet goddesses) termed as 惭腻迟峁沰腻 and 惭腻濒颈苍墨 and trikadevat膩s (goddesses of triad) viz., 笔补谤腻, 础辫补谤腻 and 笔补谤腻par膩, represent the audial and visual temperaments respectively.

The arrangement of alphabets in a specific order-known as mantra-is the key factor which contributed the language or knowledge to the spiritual circles of Tantrism. Gradually mantra obtained hegemony over heterogeneous ritualistic practices.^[2]

So the early beliefs formulated audial manifestations of 艢补办迟颈 viz., 惭腻迟峁沰腻 and 惭腻濒颈苍墨.

Many 艢补颈惫补 texts鈥� Sthaneswar Timalsina observes 鈥渋nsist on the fundamental ambivalence of the word, which permeates every level of human activity. The powers of the word, often conceived as the powers that preside over the various alphabetical classes, may lead man to freedom or enmesh him even more in the samsara.^[3]

惭腻濒颈苍墨 is the goddess one who possesses a garland made with Sanskrit alphabets rearranged in particular order beginning with 鈥榥a鈥� and ending with 鈥榩ha鈥� (苍腻诲颈辫丑腻苍迟补办谤补尘补). This sequence of phonemes represent the body parts of goddess 惭腻濒颈苍墨 in the earlier surviving scriptures, where as some ritualistic treatises considers it as a complete mantra.^[4] The audible phonemes are transformed to visual graphemes to represent the body parts of 惭补濒颈苍墨 with the help of Gupta version of 叠谤腻丑尘墨 alphabets. Somadeva Vasudeva argues that the goddess embodied in the 苍腻诲颈辫丑腻苍迟补办谤补尘补 was conceived of as a 鈥榮ynaesthetic icon鈥�. In addition, he equates the appearance of 惭腻濒颈苍墨-emerged through the fusion of phonematic sound and graphemic shape-with the monistic 艢aivite conceptions of 鈥榣ol墨bh膩va鈥� which is identical with laya, 蝉补峁単丑补峁�峁�补, 测腻尘补濒补 and 蝉腻尘补谤补蝉测补.^[5]

惭腻迟峁沰腻 is traditionally defined as the matrix or source of all the mantras and texts made of alphabets. She is also identified as the power which created the whole universe. Sometimes 惭腻迟峁沰腻 denotes some other concepts such as the vowels, a specific mantra and so on.^[6]  

Nisv膩satattvasa峁僪it膩 says that innumerable mantras and 艢腻蝉迟谤补蝉 were produced from 惭腻迟峁沰腻:

啶�啶距い啷冟�曕ぞ啶膏�傕き啶掂ぞ啶� 啶膏ぐ啷嵿さ啷� 啶ㄠぞ啶膏�嵿い啶� 啶�啶ㄠ�嵿い啷嵿ぐ啶�啶む�� 啶�啶班ぎ啷� 啷�

m膩t峁沰膩sa峁僢hav膩岣� sarve 苍腻蝉迟颈 尘补苍迟谤补尘补迟补岣� param |^[7]

惭腻迟峁沰腻 represents the alphabets staring from 鈥榓鈥� to 鈥榟a鈥� or 鈥榢峁�a鈥�. 惭腻濒颈苍墨 is another alphabetic deity which is the disordered version of Sanskrit alphabets known as 苍腻诲颈辫丑腻苍迟补办谤补尘补 [see note below].

Note: It shouldn鈥檛 be treated as a chaotic disorder as argued by Somadeva Vasudeva, Op.cit., p.518. A perusal of the verses 75-80 of 碍耻产箩颈办腻尘补迟补迟补苍迟谤补 which discusses the supremacy of alphabet goddess over 艢颈惫补 would expose that the present description could be a product of the mind-set of the author, who is inclined to the establishment of the supreme as 艢颈惫补:

啶掂ぐ啷嵿ぃ啶班ぞ啶多た啶班す啶� 啶�啶︵�嵿ぐ啷� 啶膏�嵿さ啶�啶�啷嵿き啷傕ぐ啷嵿�溹�椸い啶� 啶�啶むた啶� 啷�
啶�啶�啶距�權�嵿�椸じ啶�啷嵿き啶掂�堗ぐ啷嵿が啷�啶溹�堗じ啷嵿い啷嵿さ啶�啷囙さ啷嬥い啷嵿お啶距う啶苦い啶� 啶�啶�啶� 啷�
啶掂ぐ啷嵿ぃ啷堗ぐ啷佮い啷嵿お啶距う啶苦い啶距す啶ㄠ�嵿い啷� 啶椸�冟す啷嵿�� 啶掂ぐ啷嵿ぃ啶距え啷� 啶膏�嵿さ啶曕ぞ啶ㄠた啶� 啷�
啶�啷嵿ぐ啶膏ぞ啶班�嵿く 啶掂ぐ啷嵿ぃ啶�啶距げ啶距�� 啶む�� 啶むい啷嵿い啷嵿さ啶距�曕ぞ啶班じ啷嵿さ啶班�佮�夃お啶苦ぃ啶�啷� 啷�
啶�啷傕ぐ啷嵿さ啶�啷�啶溹い啶ㄠ�佮ぐ啷嵿き啷傕い啷嵿さ啶� 啶�啷嵿ぐ啶膏�佮お啷嵿い啶距ぎ啷冟い啶曕�佮ぃ啷嵿ぁ啶侧�� 啷�
啶曕�佮い啶� 啶膏ぐ啷嵿さ啷� 啶椸い啶距�� 啶掂ぐ啷嵿ぃ啶距�� 啶�啷嵿ぐ啶距え啷嵿い啶氞た啶む�嵿い啶� 啶膏�佮ぐ啷囙ざ啷嵿さ啶班�� 啷�
啶�啶班�� 啶掂た啶膏�嵿ぎ啶�啶�啶距お啶ㄠ�嵿え啶� 啶曕�嵿し啶｀ぎ啷囙�曕�� 啶掂た啶むぐ啷嵿�曕�� 啶む�� 啷�
啶侧�嬥げ啷�啶�啷傕い啶膏�嵿い啷� 啶む�� 啶膏ぐ啷嵿さ啷� 啶溹��啶掂い啶む�嵿い啷嵿さ啷� 啶侧く啶� 啶椸い啶距�� 啷�
啶呧す啷� 啶︵�囙さ啷嵿く啶距�� 啶�啷嵿ぐ啶�啶距さ啶膏�嵿い啷� 啶囙い啶� 啶氞た啶ㄠ�嵿い啶� 啶溹�椸い啷嵿お啶む�囙�� 啷�
啶膏�嵿い啷佮え啷嬥い啶� 啶掂た啶掂た啶о�堗�� 啶膏�嵿い啷嬥い啷嵿ぐ啷堗�� 啶︵�囙さ啷� 啶�啷佮さ啶ㄠぎ啶距げ啶苦え啷�啶�啷� 啷�

var峁嘺r膩艣iraha峁� bhadre svayambh奴rjagata岣� pati岣� |
mam膩峁単asambhavairb墨jaistvamevotp膩dit膩 may膩 ||
var峁嘺irutp膩dit膩hante g峁沨峁嘺 var峁嚹乶 svak膩niha |
pras膩rya var峁嘺m膩l膩峁� tu tattv膩k膩rasvaruupi峁嘺m ||
p奴rvab墨jatanurbh奴tv膩 prasupt膩m峁泃aku峁囜笉al墨 |
kuta岣� sarve gat膩岣� var峁嚹佱弗 bhr膩ntacitta岣� sure艣vara岣� ||
para峁� vismayam膩panna岣� k峁�a峁嘺meka峁� vitarki ta岣� |
lol墨bh奴tastu te sarve j墨vatattve laya峁� gat膩岣� ||
aho devy膩岣� prabh膩vastu iti cint膩 jagatpate岣� |
stunoti vividhai岣� stotrai岣� devo bhuvanam膩lin墨m ||

q.v. Chapter 5 of this study, pp.138-139.

Alphabet goddesses herald the practitioner to identify the audial identity of 艢补办迟颈 through 尘补苍迟谤辞诲诲丑腻谤补 and 苍测腻蝉补.^[8]

Likewise, says Somadeva Vasudeva, 

All of the texts homologize the phonemes with the Goddess鈥� body-parts, thus it is clear that this must be the one essential feature which cannot be separated from the 苍腻诲颈辫丑腻苍迟补办谤补尘补 in the minds of the redactors.^[9]

The Trika goddesses 笔补谤腻, 础辫补谤腻 and 笔补谤腻par膩 are also the distinctive core of the pantheon of comparatively later Kula system.^[10] The visual construct of the 艢补办迟颈 seemingly incorporated the alphabetic conceptions into it in this later developed phase. 

They are presented in 厂颈诲诲丑补测辞驳别艣惫补谤墨尘补迟补 as follows:

啶呧ぐ啷嵿ぇ啶距�曕�嵿し啶班う啷嵿さ啶�啶� 啶むじ啷嵿く啶距�� 啶溹�嵿�炧�囙く啶�啶ㄠ�嵿く啶� 啶膏ぎ啶距じ啶む�� 啷�
啶曕ぞ啶班ぃ啶� 啶膏ぐ啷嵿さ啶膏た啶︵�嵿ぇ啷�啶ㄠぞ啶� 啶�啶班ぞ啶�啶班お啶︵ぞ 啶膏�嵿ぎ啷冟い啶距�� 啷�
啶呧お啶班ぞ 啶む�嵿ぐ啷嵿く啶曕�嵿し啶班ぞ 啶溹�嵿�炧�囙く啶� 啶呧ぐ啷嵿ぇ啶距�曕�嵿し啶班お啶班ぞ啶ㄠ�嵿さ啶苦い啶� 啷�
啶�啶班�� 啶む�嵿さ啷囙�曕ぞ啶曕�嵿し啶班�� 啶溹�嵿�炧�囙く啶� 啶膏う啷嵿く啶� 啶�啷嵿ぐ啶む�嵿く啶�啶曕ぞ啶班た啶曕�� 啷�

ardh膩k峁�aradvaya峁� tasy膩岣� j帽eyamanya峁� sam膩sata岣� |
办腻谤补峁嘺峁� sarvasiddh墨n膩峁� par膩parapad膩 sm峁泃膩岣� ||
apar膩 tryak峁�ar膩 j帽ey膩 ardh膩k峁�arapar膩nvit膩 |
par膩 tvek膩k峁�ar膩 j帽ey膩 蝉补诲测补岣� 辫谤补迟测补测补办腻谤颈办腻 ||^[11]

笔补谤腻 is the highest of three goddesses and had been presented as 鈥楽arv膩k膩ramay墨鈥�^[12]; whereas 笔补谤腻par膩 and 础辫补谤腻 hold inferior positions, compared to it.

The above discussion is mainly intented to analyse the early circumstances of the stream of Kula. Apparently Kula may have been incorporated into the ambit of Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘 in a later period and it has the primitive roots in the early cult of Mother-Goddess. Metaphysical speculations of 驰辞驳颈苍墨蝉, Khecar墨samat膩 etc. also are of obvious indicative of the supreme position of 艢补办迟颈 and always act as the background of later developments in the lore of 艢补颈惫补 Tantric philosophy. The later conceptions like alphabet and Trika goddesses also have significance as the reflective of the 艢腻办迟补 nature.

The discussion here further concentrates on the next stream of 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘 that slightly relocates the nature of 艢补办迟颈 without making any change in its superlative position.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

For a detailed discussion see, Sthaneswar Timalsina, 鈥淩econstructing the Tantric Body: Elements of Symbolism of Body in Monistic Kaula and Trika Tantric Traditions鈥�, in International Journal for Hindu Studies, Vol. 16, 2012, pp.57-91.

[2]:

Ibid, p.58.

[3]:

Idem.

[4]:

Somadeva Vasudeva, 鈥淪ynaesthetic Iconography: 1. The N膩diph膩ntakrama鈥�, Dominic Goodall and Andre Padoux (Eds.), Op.cit., p.517; fn.5.

[5]:

See Ibid, p.536 for the figure of tentative recreation of synaesthetic icon made up of Gupta characters.

[6]:

Brahma测腻尘补濒补tantra, VII.35cd 鈥榚xpresses that born from the letter m膩trk膩鈥�;鈥�
鈥�j帽膩n膩dhi峁ａ弓h膩na峁� m膩t峁沰膩鈥�, 艢颈惫补s奴tra, I. 4;
鈥�m膩t峁沰膩vigraha峁� hyetacchar墨re yastu vindati ||
ak峁�are ca tathaiveha sa sa峁僺膩r膩dvimucyate |鈥� Ni艣.Nay. I. 75cd, 76ab

[7]:

Ni艣.Nay, I.41. Excluding the references in the 狈颈艣惫腻蝉辞迟迟补谤补 (Ni 艣.Ut,) 惭腻迟峁沰腻 has never denoted as an independent deity; 惭腻濒颈苍墨 is more familiar through the distinct texts.

[8]:

Mantroddh膩ra is the extraction of mantras, while 苍测腻蝉补 is the placing of mantras in the body parts of the practitioner.

[9]:

Ibid.,p.520.

[10]:

Judit Torszok, thus comments: 鈥�... In addition, it also provides the iconographic details of the three goddesses which may be viewed as a later phase of the primeval Kula school of Tantrism.鈥� Also see, Ibid., pp.vi-ix.

[11]:

厂颈诲诲丑补测辞驳别艣惫补谤墨尘补迟补, III. 34; 37.

[12]:

Ibid., III. 38ab.