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MANTRAYANA-VAJRAYANA: HINDU MANTRIC SYSTEM
97
while 'Brahma' thinking. He then states that Saktivāda is connected with the Vedic Upāsanā Kānda. He then refers to the various Sūktas in praise of Aditi. She is said to be the mother of Gandharvas, Manushyas, Pitaras, Asuras and all Bhūtas. Sakti is here worshipped as Mother. She is also called Mahi or Prithvi, Savitrī, Gāyatri and Sarasvati. Aditi in short is also called Devatāmayi. In the Sūkta of Uşādevī, Sakti is praised in the form of Virgin while Sakti in the form of Wife is praised in the Sūkta of Sūrya. Vāksūkta, (Rig. 10-26) and Laksmisūkta in the appendix to Rigveda established worship of Sakti. Further references from Agnirahasyakända of Yajurveda, Mantropanishad of the Svetäshvatara branch, Chhāndogya Upanishad of Sāmaveda, Tāņdi branch, and Kathaka Upanishad to Sūrya's wife, Prajnā alias Sphuraņā, Parā and Devatāmayi Aditi respectively are given by the said writer in the first chapter of the said work. Vājasaneyi Samhitā refers to Ambikā (III-57) and Siva (XVI-1). Then the said author traces Saktivāda through Brāhmanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads and Vedāngas.
In Brāhmanas and Aranyakas, Sakti of Brahma is known by the name of Gāyatri, Sāvitri, and Sarasvati. Gāyatri is said to be Bhargamayı, Tejomayi and Jyotirmayi. She is called Sāvitri as she gives birth to the universe. She is Sarasvati as the current of joy (Ananda) of Brahma flows from her. For full exposition of Gāyatrī, Gopatha Brāhmana (1-30-38), Brihad Aranyaka (7-14) and Maitrāyaṇi (Prapāthaka 5) are referred to by the said learned author. He further gives the information given below in Chapter II of his said work. He says that the roots of the technical Tántric terms 'Bindu', 'Bīja' and 'Nāda' are to be found in the upāsanā portion of the Aranyakas. They are derived from 'Ikṣaṇa', 'Tapa', and 'Sarjana', of the Vedic literature, and are known as 'Icchā', 'Jnāna' and 'Kriya' in Vedānta. This trio of 'Bindu' 'Bija' and 'Nāda' is represented by a triangle with a dot in its centre and is known as 'Traipuradhāma'. Here 'Bindu' is first divided into 'Parabindu' and 'Aparabindu' and the latter is subdivided into the said 'Trio'. The central dot is the 'Para Bindu' and the
