The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
The arousing of this force is achieved both by will and mind power (Yogabala), accompanied by suitable physical
1 Shāndilya Upanishad, Ch. I; Yogakundalī-Up., Ch. I.
action. The Sādhaka¹ sits himself in the prescribed Āsana and steadies his mind by the Khecharī Mudrā, in which concentration is between the eyebrows. Air is inhaled (Pūraka) and then retained (Kumbhaka). The upper part of the body is then contracted by Jālandharabandha,² so that the upward breath (Prāna) is checked. By this contraction the air so inhaled is prevented from escape. The air so checked tends downwards. When the Yogī feels that the air within him, from the throat to the belly, is tending downwards through the channels in the Nādīs, the escape of Vāyu as Apāna is again checked by the Mūlabandha and Ashvinī Mudrā, in which the anal muscle is contracted. The air (Vāyu) thus stored becomes an instrument by which, under the direction of mind and will, the potentialities of the vital force in the Mūlādhāra may be forced to realisation. The process of mental concentration on this centre is described as follows: With mental Japa of the Mantra prescribed and acquisition thereby of Mantrashakti, Jīvātmā (individual Consciousness), which is thought of as being in the shape of the tapering flame of a lamp, is brought from the region of the heart to the Mūlādhāra. Jīvātmā here spoken of is the Ātmā of the subtle body—that is, the Antahkarana or mind as Buddhi (including therein Ahangkāra) and Manas, the faculties of sense (Indriya) or mind operating to receive impression through the sense organs, and Prāna;³ the constituents of the second, third, and fourth bodily sheaths. Following such concentration and impact of the retained Vāyu on this centre, the Vāyu is again raised with the
1 The account here given follows and amplifies the text. See
Commentary to v. 50, post.
2 Vide ante and Dhyānabindu-Up.
3 According to the Vedāntik definition; or the five Tanmātras, according to Sāngkhya. The Chitta (mind) therefore enters Sushumnā along with Prāna (Yogatattva-Upanishad and Dhyānabindu-Up.).
Bīja “Yang”. A revolution from left to right is given to the “air of Kāma” or Kandarpa (Kāmavāyu).¹ This is a form of Ichchhā Shakti. This, the pressure of the Prāna and Apāna held in Kumbhaka, the natural heat arising therefrom, and the Vahni Bīja (Fire Mantra) “Rang,” kindle the fire of Kāma (Kāmāgni). The fire encircles and arouses the slumbering serpent Kundalinī, who is then, in the language of the Shāstra, seized with the passion of “desire” for Her Spouse, the Parahangsah or Paramashiva. Shakti thus rendered active is drawn to Shiva, as in the case of ordinary positive and negative electric charges, which are themselves but other manifestations of the universal polarity which affects the manifested world.
The Yogakundalī Upanishad² states the following methods and others mentioned: When Prāna is passing through Idā, assume Padmāsana and lengthen the Ākāsha of 12 points by 4—that is, as in exhalation Prāna goes out in 16 measures, and in inhalation comes in 12, inhale for 16 and thus gain power. Then, holding the sides by each hand, stir up Kundalinī with all one’s strength from right to left fearlessly for 48 minutes. Draw the body up a little to let Kundalī enter Sushumnā. The Yogī does a drawing-up movement in which the shoulders are raised and dropped. Prāna enters of itself with Her. Compressing above and expanding below, and vice versa, Prāna rises.
In the commentary³ on verse 32 of the Ānandalaharī it is said: “The sun and the moon, as they move always in Devayāna and Pitriyāna (northern and southern orbs) in the Macrocosm, are travelling (incessantly in the Microcosm) by Idā and Pinggalā day and night. The moon, ever travelling by the left Nādī (Idā), bedews the whole system with her nectar. The sun, travelling by the right Nādī (Pinggalā), dries the system (thus moistened by nectar). When the sun and the moon meet at Mūlādhāra, that day is called Amāvasyā (new moon day.) . . . The Kundalī also sleeps in Ādhārakunda. . . . When a Yogī whose mind is under control is able to confine the moon in her own place, as also the sun, then the moon and sun become confined, and consequently the moon cannot shed its nectar nor the sun dry it. Next, when the place of nectar becomes dried by the fire with the help of Vāyu, then the Kundalī wakes up for want of food and hisses like a serpent. Afterwards, breaking through
1 A form of Apāna Vāyu.
2 Ch. I.
3 Ānandalaharī, ed. Pandit R. Ananta Shāstrī, pp. 69, 70.
The arousing of this force is achieved both by will and mind power (Yogabala), accompanied by suitable physical
1 Shāndilya Upanishad, Ch. I; Yogakundalī-Up., Ch. I.
action. The Sādhaka¹ sits himself in the prescribed Āsana and steadies his mind by the Khecharī Mudrā, in which concentration is between the eyebrows. Air is inhaled (Pūraka) and then retained (Kumbhaka). The upper part of the body is then contracted by Jālandharabandha,² so that the upward breath (Prāna) is checked. By this contraction the air so inhaled is prevented from escape. The air so checked tends downwards. When the Yogī feels that the air within him, from the throat to the belly, is tending downwards through the channels in the Nādīs, the escape of Vāyu as Apāna is again checked by the Mūlabandha and Ashvinī Mudrā, in which the anal muscle is contracted. The air (Vāyu) thus stored becomes an instrument by which, under the direction of mind and will, the potentialities of the vital force in the Mūlādhāra may be forced to realisation. The process of mental concentration on this centre is described as follows: With mental Japa of the Mantra prescribed and acquisition thereby of Mantrashakti, Jīvātmā (individual Consciousness), which is thought of as being in the shape of the tapering flame of a lamp, is brought from the region of the heart to the Mūlādhāra. Jīvātmā here spoken of is the Ātmā of the subtle body—that is, the Antahkarana or mind as Buddhi (including therein Ahangkāra) and Manas, the faculties of sense (Indriya) or mind operating to receive impression through the sense organs, and Prāna;³ the constituents of the second, third, and fourth bodily sheaths. Following such concentration and impact of the retained Vāyu on this centre, the Vāyu is again raised with the
1 The account here given follows and amplifies the text. See
Commentary to v. 50, post.
2 Vide ante and Dhyānabindu-Up.
3 According to the Vedāntik definition; or the five Tanmātras, according to Sāngkhya. The Chitta (mind) therefore enters Sushumnā along with Prāna (Yogatattva-Upanishad and Dhyānabindu-Up.).
Bīja “Yang”. A revolution from left to right is given to the “air of Kāma” or Kandarpa (Kāmavāyu).¹ This is a form of Ichchhā Shakti. This, the pressure of the Prāna and Apāna held in Kumbhaka, the natural heat arising therefrom, and the Vahni Bīja (Fire Mantra) “Rang,” kindle the fire of Kāma (Kāmāgni). The fire encircles and arouses the slumbering serpent Kundalinī, who is then, in the language of the Shāstra, seized with the passion of “desire” for Her Spouse, the Parahangsah or Paramashiva. Shakti thus rendered active is drawn to Shiva, as in the case of ordinary positive and negative electric charges, which are themselves but other manifestations of the universal polarity which affects the manifested world.
The Yogakundalī Upanishad² states the following methods and others mentioned: When Prāna is passing through Idā, assume Padmāsana and lengthen the Ākāsha of 12 points by 4—that is, as in exhalation Prāna goes out in 16 measures, and in inhalation comes in 12, inhale for 16 and thus gain power. Then, holding the sides by each hand, stir up Kundalinī with all one’s strength from right to left fearlessly for 48 minutes. Draw the body up a little to let Kundalī enter Sushumnā. The Yogī does a drawing-up movement in which the shoulders are raised and dropped. Prāna enters of itself with Her. Compressing above and expanding below, and vice versa, Prāna rises.
In the commentary³ on verse 32 of the Ānandalaharī it is said: “The sun and the moon, as they move always in Devayāna and Pitriyāna (northern and southern orbs) in the Macrocosm, are travelling (incessantly in the Microcosm) by Idā and Pinggalā day and night. The moon, ever travelling by the left Nādī (Idā), bedews the whole system with her nectar. The sun, travelling by the right Nādī (Pinggalā), dries the system (thus moistened by nectar). When the sun and the moon meet at Mūlādhāra, that day is called Amāvasyā (new moon day.) . . . The Kundalī also sleeps in Ādhārakunda. . . . When a Yogī whose mind is under control is able to confine the moon in her own place, as also the sun, then the moon and sun become confined, and consequently the moon cannot shed its nectar nor the sun dry it. Next, when the place of nectar becomes dried by the fire with the help of Vāyu, then the Kundalī wakes up for want of food and hisses like a serpent. Afterwards, breaking through
1 A form of Apāna Vāyu.
2 Ch. I.
3 Ānandalaharī, ed. Pandit R. Ananta Shāstrī, pp. 69, 70.
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