The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
The Sādhaka, thinking of the Vāyu Bīja “Yang” as being in the left nostril, inhales through Idā, making Japa of the Bīja sixteen times. Then, closing both nostrils, he makes Japa of the Bija sixty-four times. He then thinks of the “black man of sin” (Pāpapurusha¹) in the left² cavity of the abdomen as being dried up (by the air), and so thinking he exhales through the right nostril Pinggalā, making Japa of the Bīja thirty-two times. The Sādhaka then, meditating upon the red-coloured Bīja “Rang” in the Manipūra, inhales, making sixteen Japa of the Bīja, and then closes the nostrils, making sixteen Japa. Whilst making Japa he thinks that the body of the “man of sin” is being burnt and reduced to ashes (by the fire). He then inhales through the right nostril with thirty-two Japa, and then meditates upon the white Chandrabija “Thang”. He next inhales through Idā, making Japa of the Bīja sixteen times, closes both nostrils with Japa done sixty-four times, and exhales through Pinggalā with thirty-two Japa. During inhalation, holding of breath, and exhalation, he should consider that a new celestial body is being formed by the nectar (composed of all the Mātrikā-varna, or sound-powers, embodied in their Vaikharī form as lettered sound) dropping from the “Moon.” In a similar way with the Bīja of water “Vang” the formation of the body is continued, and with the Bīja “Lang” of the cohesive Prithivī Tattva it is completed and strengthened. Lastly, with the Mantra “So’ham” (“He I am”) the Sādhaka leads the Jīvātmā into its place in the heart. Some forms of meditation are given in v. 51.
1 See Mahānirvāna Tantra Ullāsa, Ch. V, vv. 98, 99, where the Bhūtashuddhi process is shortly described. Also Devī-Bhāgavata, cited, post.
2 The worse or weaker side.
Kundalī does not at first stay long in Sahasrāra. The length of stay depends on the strength of the Yogī’s practice. There is then a natural tendency on the part of Kundalī to return. The Yogī will use all effort at his disposal to retain Her above, for the longer this is done the nearer approach is made to the time when She can be in a permanent manner retained there.¹ For it is to be observed that liberation is not gained by merely leading Kundalī to the Sahasrāra, and of course still less is it gained by stirring it up in the Mūlādhāra or fixing it in any of the lower centres. Liberation is gained only when Kundalī takes up Her permanent abode in the Sahasrāra, so that She only returns by the will of the Sādhaka. It is said that after staying in Sahasrāra for a time, some Yogins lead the Kundalinī back to Hridaya (heart), and worship her there. This is done by those who are unable to stay long in Sahasrāra. If they take the Kundalinī lower than Hridaya—i.e., worship her in the three Chakras below Anāhata—they no longer, it is said, belong to the Samaya group.²
1 Great power (Siddhi) is had by the man who can keep Kundalī Shakti in the Sahasrāra three days and three nights.
2 Lakshmīdhara, cited by Ananta Shāstrī, op. cit., p. 71. What this means is more than I can say, as I am not familiar with the views of the school which Lakshmīdhara (cited also post) quotes.
Thus, when by the preliminary Sādhanā purity of physical and mental function is gained, the Sādhaka learns how to open the entrance of the Sushumnā, which is ordinarily closed at the base. This is the meaning of the statement that the Serpent with its coil closes the gate of Brahmā. At the base of the Sushumnā Nādī and in the Ādhāra lotus the Shakti Kundalinī lies slumbering coiled round the Linga, the Shiva or Purusha aspect in that centre of the Shabdabrahman, of which She is the Prakriti aspect. Kundalī in the form of Her creative emanations as mind and matter is the whole moving body, but She Herself exists at the Mūlādhāra or earth centre as a gross aspect of Shakti in its sleeping form. This is the normal abode of the Shakti who is the Shabdabrahman Itself. For having so completely manifested Herself She rests or sleeps in what is her grossest and concluding manifestation. The residual vital force in this centre there exists in a latent and potential state. If its aid towards Yoga is sought, the first process must be that by which the Serpent is aroused from its slumber. In other words, this force is raised from its latent potential state to one of activity, and there reunited with Itself in its other aspect as the Spiritual Light which shines¹ in the cerebral centre.
Kundalī Shakti is Chit, or Consciousness, in its creative aspect as Power. As Shakti it is through Her activity that the world and all beings therein exist. Prakriti Shakti is in the Mūlādhāra in a state of sleep (Prasuptā)—that is, latent activity looking outwards (Vahirmukhī). It is because She is in this state of latent activity that through Her all the outer material world functions of life are being performed by man. And it is for this reason that man is engrossed in the world, and
The Sādhaka, thinking of the Vāyu Bīja “Yang” as being in the left nostril, inhales through Idā, making Japa of the Bīja sixteen times. Then, closing both nostrils, he makes Japa of the Bija sixty-four times. He then thinks of the “black man of sin” (Pāpapurusha¹) in the left² cavity of the abdomen as being dried up (by the air), and so thinking he exhales through the right nostril Pinggalā, making Japa of the Bīja thirty-two times. The Sādhaka then, meditating upon the red-coloured Bīja “Rang” in the Manipūra, inhales, making sixteen Japa of the Bīja, and then closes the nostrils, making sixteen Japa. Whilst making Japa he thinks that the body of the “man of sin” is being burnt and reduced to ashes (by the fire). He then inhales through the right nostril with thirty-two Japa, and then meditates upon the white Chandrabija “Thang”. He next inhales through Idā, making Japa of the Bīja sixteen times, closes both nostrils with Japa done sixty-four times, and exhales through Pinggalā with thirty-two Japa. During inhalation, holding of breath, and exhalation, he should consider that a new celestial body is being formed by the nectar (composed of all the Mātrikā-varna, or sound-powers, embodied in their Vaikharī form as lettered sound) dropping from the “Moon.” In a similar way with the Bīja of water “Vang” the formation of the body is continued, and with the Bīja “Lang” of the cohesive Prithivī Tattva it is completed and strengthened. Lastly, with the Mantra “So’ham” (“He I am”) the Sādhaka leads the Jīvātmā into its place in the heart. Some forms of meditation are given in v. 51.
1 See Mahānirvāna Tantra Ullāsa, Ch. V, vv. 98, 99, where the Bhūtashuddhi process is shortly described. Also Devī-Bhāgavata, cited, post.
2 The worse or weaker side.
Kundalī does not at first stay long in Sahasrāra. The length of stay depends on the strength of the Yogī’s practice. There is then a natural tendency on the part of Kundalī to return. The Yogī will use all effort at his disposal to retain Her above, for the longer this is done the nearer approach is made to the time when She can be in a permanent manner retained there.¹ For it is to be observed that liberation is not gained by merely leading Kundalī to the Sahasrāra, and of course still less is it gained by stirring it up in the Mūlādhāra or fixing it in any of the lower centres. Liberation is gained only when Kundalī takes up Her permanent abode in the Sahasrāra, so that She only returns by the will of the Sādhaka. It is said that after staying in Sahasrāra for a time, some Yogins lead the Kundalinī back to Hridaya (heart), and worship her there. This is done by those who are unable to stay long in Sahasrāra. If they take the Kundalinī lower than Hridaya—i.e., worship her in the three Chakras below Anāhata—they no longer, it is said, belong to the Samaya group.²
1 Great power (Siddhi) is had by the man who can keep Kundalī Shakti in the Sahasrāra three days and three nights.
2 Lakshmīdhara, cited by Ananta Shāstrī, op. cit., p. 71. What this means is more than I can say, as I am not familiar with the views of the school which Lakshmīdhara (cited also post) quotes.
Thus, when by the preliminary Sādhanā purity of physical and mental function is gained, the Sādhaka learns how to open the entrance of the Sushumnā, which is ordinarily closed at the base. This is the meaning of the statement that the Serpent with its coil closes the gate of Brahmā. At the base of the Sushumnā Nādī and in the Ādhāra lotus the Shakti Kundalinī lies slumbering coiled round the Linga, the Shiva or Purusha aspect in that centre of the Shabdabrahman, of which She is the Prakriti aspect. Kundalī in the form of Her creative emanations as mind and matter is the whole moving body, but She Herself exists at the Mūlādhāra or earth centre as a gross aspect of Shakti in its sleeping form. This is the normal abode of the Shakti who is the Shabdabrahman Itself. For having so completely manifested Herself She rests or sleeps in what is her grossest and concluding manifestation. The residual vital force in this centre there exists in a latent and potential state. If its aid towards Yoga is sought, the first process must be that by which the Serpent is aroused from its slumber. In other words, this force is raised from its latent potential state to one of activity, and there reunited with Itself in its other aspect as the Spiritual Light which shines¹ in the cerebral centre.
Kundalī Shakti is Chit, or Consciousness, in its creative aspect as Power. As Shakti it is through Her activity that the world and all beings therein exist. Prakriti Shakti is in the Mūlādhāra in a state of sleep (Prasuptā)—that is, latent activity looking outwards (Vahirmukhī). It is because She is in this state of latent activity that through Her all the outer material world functions of life are being performed by man. And it is for this reason that man is engrossed in the world, and
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