śrīmātre namaḥ
If one examines the Vāmakeśvara Tantra:
bhāsanādviśvarūpasya svarūpe bāhyato.api ca |
etāścatasraḥ śaktyastu kā pū jā o iti kramāt ||
The world of names and forms is nothing but the thirty-six tattvas that extend from śiva to Dharā. The three śaktis that represent the aspect of Prakāśa are Vāma, Jyeṣṭhā, and Raudrī which when combined result in Ambikā śakti. Similarly, the triad of śaktis that represents the aspect of Vimarśa are Icchā, Jnāna, and Kriyā which unify to form śāntā śakti. These four śaktis from Vimarśa interact with the four śaktis emanating from Prakāśa to result in the madhya-trikoṇa or the central downward facing triangle of the śrīcakra.
When the Supreme Vimarśa śakti is desirous of viewing the sphuraṇa (vistāra or extension) of the self or Prakāśa, śāntā śakti attains sāmarasya with Ambikā śakti to result in Parā vāṇī. The potential for a tree is hidden within the seed, similarly, the entire cosmos which constitutes of the thirty-six tattvas is present within this Parā vāk. When Parā begins to generate or externalize the cosmos, she comes to be known as Vāmā śakti (vāmā viśvasya vamanāt – she is called vāmā as she vomits the world present within her womb). Here, utpatti of the external world is simply a manifestation of the kārya already present within the kāraṇa. Thus, Vāmā is the shakti who externalizes the jagat present within the garbha. She represents the left line of the central triangle within the śrīcakra and also the entire act of creation as well the created cosmos. At this juncture, harmony is attained between Vāmā and Icchā śakti resulting in Paśyantī vāk. On similar lines, Jyeṣṭhā śakti unites with Jnāna śakti to represent the state of sthiti of the entire cosmos, as also the horizontal line of the central triangle of the śrīcakra and Madhyamā vāk. At the stage of samhāra, desirous of returning to her original Baindava svarūpa, there is the unification of Raudrī and Kriyā śakti, represented by the right line of the mūla-trikoṇa and manifesting as Vaikharī vāk.
These very same śaktis in combination manifest as the four pīṭhas indicated in the above verse as kā pū jā o i.e. Kāmarūpa, Pūrṇagiri, Jālandhara and Oḍyāṇa.
How are these four pīthas to be contemplated upon? Neither Tantrarāja nor Vāmakeśvara Tantra advises the sādhaka to undertake a pilgrimage to a geographical location having such names. They are to be located within oneself – based on the below verse:
pīṭhāḥ kande pade rūpe rūpātīte kramāt sthitāḥ ||
The place where the Suṣumnā nāḍī originates is called kanda. By the word kanda here the reference is to Kuṇḍalinī śakti who is present therein and hence to Mūlādhāra cakra. Pada refers to Haṃsa or Anāhata cakra, rūpa to Bindu or ājnā cakra and rūpātīta to the Brahma-tattva or Brahmarandhra. Thus, these four pīṭhas are to be located within one’s subtle body in these four locations.
Kāmarūpa pītha is to be meditated on within the Mūlādhāra cakra as representing pṛthvī tattva and visualized as a yellow square maṇḍala.
Pūrṇagiri pītha is to be meditated on within the Anāhata cakra as representing vāyu tattva and visualized as a smoky circular maṇḍala.
Jālandhara pīthais to be meditated on within the ājnā cakra as representing jala tattva and visualized as a half-moon shaped white maṇḍala.
Oḍyāṇa pīthais to be meditated on within the Brahmarandhra as representing chidagni tattva and visualized as a red triangular maṇḍala.
These four pīṭhas essentially represent the antaḥkaraṇa catuṣṭaya – manas, ahaṃkāra, buddhi, and citta. When the light of the Mahābindu reflects within the Kāmarūpa pīṭha, it comes to be known as Svayambhū linga. When the light of the Mahābindu shines on the Jālandhara pīṭha, it is identified as Bāṇa linga. When there is tattva sphuraṇa is within the Pūrṇagiri pīṭha which represents buddhi or intellect, it comes to be known as Itara linga. Finally, the great light reflects in the chittamaya Oḍyāṇa pīṭha (within the trikoṇa) as Paralinga.
Thus, we so far talked about:
– śakti catuṣṭaya – Vāmā, Jyeṣṭhā, Raudrī, Ambikā or Icchā, Jnāna, Kriyā, śāntā śakti
– Mātṛkā catuṣṭaya – Parā, Paśyantī, Madhyamā, Vaikharī
– Koṇacatuṣṭaya – the three lines of the central triangle and the fourth Bindu
– Pīṭhacatuṣṭaya – Kāmarūpa, Pūrṇagiri, Jālandhara, Oḍyāṇa
– Linga catuṣṭaya- Svayambhū, Bāṇa, Itara, Para
All these are represented by the Supreme śrīvidyā of Mahātripurasundarī composed of four parts: vāgbhava, kāmarāja, śakti kūṭas, the fourth being the samaṣṭi vidyā herself.