The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
Brahmanādī, for which purpose the Jālandhara Bandha should be employed.
The Nrisinghapūrvatāpaniya Upanishad¹ in Ch. V, v. 2, speaks of the Sudarshana (which is apparently here the Mūlādhāra) changing into lotuses of six, eight, twelve, sixteen, and thirty-two petals respectively. This corresponds with the number of petals as given in this work except as to the second. For, taking this to be the Svā- dhishthāna, the second lotus should be one of ten petals. Apparently this divergence is due to the fact that this is the number of letters in the Mantra assigned to this lotus. For in the six-petalled lotus is the six-lettered Mantra of Sudarshana; in the eight-petalled lotus the eight-lettered Mantra of Nārāyana; and in the twelve-petalled lotus the twelve-lettered Mantra of Vāsudeva. As is the case ordinarily, in the sixteen-petalled lotus are the sixteen Kalās (here vowels) sounded with Bindu or Anusvāra. The thirty-two-petalled lotus (Ājnā) is really two-petalled because there are two Mantras here (each of sixteen letters) of Nrisingha and His Shakti.
The sixth chapter of the Maitrī Upanishad² speaks of the Nādīs; and in particular of the Sushumnā; the piercing of the Mandalas Sun, Moon, and Fire (each of these being within the other, Sattva in Fire, and in Sattva Achyuta); and of Amanā, which is another name for Unmanī.
Both the Yogatattva Upanishad³ and Yogashikhā Upanishad⁴ refer to Hathayoga, and the latter speaks of the closing of the “inner door,” the opening of the gateway of Sushumnā (that is, by Kundalī entering the Brahmadvāra), and the piercing of the Sun. The Rāmatāpanīya Upanishad¹ refers to various Yoga and Tantrik processes, such as Āsana, Dvārapūjā, Pīthapūjā, and expressly mentions Bhūtashuddhi, which, as above explained, is the purification of the elements in the Chakras, either as an imaginative, or real process by the aid of Kundalinī.
1 Ānandāshrama Edition, Vol. XXX, p. 61.
2 Vol. XXIX of same edition, p. 345; see pp. 441, 450, 451, 458, and 460.
3 Same edition, Vol. XX1X, p. 477.
4 Ibid., p. 483; and as to the passage of Kundalī through the Brahmadvāra, see p. 485.
I have already cited in the Notes numerous passages on this Yoga from the Shāndilya Upanishad of the Atharvaveda, the Varāha and Yogakundalī Upanishads of the Krishna Yajurveda, the Mandalabrāhmana Upanishad of the Shukla Yajurveda, and the Nādabindu Upanishad of the Rigveda.²
The great Devībhāgavata Purāna (VII. 35, XI. 8) mentions in a full account the six Chakras or Lotuses; the rousing of Kundalī (who is called the Paradevatā) in the Mūlādhāra by the manner here described, uniting Jīva therewith by the Hangsa Mantra; Bhūtashuddhi; the dissolution of the gross Tattvas into the subtle Tattvas, ending with Mahat in Prakriti, Māyā in Ātmā. The Dharāmandala is mentioned, and it and the other Mandalas are described in the manner here stated. The Bījas of Prithivī and other Tattvas are given. Allusion is also made to the destruction of the “man of sin” (Pāpapurusha), in terms similar to those to be found in the Mahā- nirvāna and other Tantras. A remarkable Dhyāna of Prānashakti is to be found in this chapter, which reads very much like another which is given in the Prapanchasāra Tantra.³
1 Ānandāshrama Edition, Vol. XX1X, p. 520.
2 These Yoga Upanishads have been recently translated as part of “Thirty Minor Upanishads,” by K. Nārâyanasvâmi Aiyar (Theosophical Society of Madras, 1914).
3 See Ch. XXXV, Vol. III of my “Tantrik Texts”.
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Lingga Purāna, Part I, Ch. LXXV, mentions the Chakras with their different petals, the names of which are given by the Commentator. Shiva is Nirguna, it says, but for the benefit of men He resides in the body with Umā, and Yogīs meditate upon Him in the different lotuses.
Chapter XXIII of the Agni Purāna, which is replete with Tantrik rituals, magic, and Mantras, also refers to the Bhūtashuddhi rite wherein, after meditation with the respective Bīja Mantras on the navel, heart, and Ājnā centres, the body of the Sādhaka is refreshed by the flow of nectar.
Finally, an adverse critic of this Yoga whom I cite later invokes the authority of the great Shangkara, though in fact, if tradition be correct, it is against him. Shangkara, in whose Maths may be found the great Tantrik Yantra called the Shrīchakra, says in his Commentary on vv. 9 and 10 of Ch. VIII of the Bhagavad-Gītā: “First the heart lotus (Anāhata) is brought under control. Then, by conquering Bhūmi (Mūlādhāra, etc.) and by the upward going Nādī (Sushumnā), after having placed Prāna between the two eyebrows (see v. 38, Shatchakranirūpana), the Yogī reaches the lustrous light-giving Purusha.” On this the Tīkā of Ānandagiri runs: “By the Sushumnā Nādī between Idā and Pinggalā. The throat is reached by the same way —the space between the eyebrows. By conquering earth (Bhūmi) is meant the process by which the five Bhūtas are controlled.” Shrīdhara Svāmī says: “By the power of Yoga (Yogabala) Prāna must be led along the Sushumnā.” And Madhusūdana Sarasvatī says: “The upward-going Nādī is Sushumnā, and the conquest of Bhūmi and the rest is done by following the path indicated by the Guru; and by the space between the eyebrows is meant the Ājnā Chakra. By placing Prāna there, it passes out by the
p. 269
Brahmarandhra, and the Jīva becomes one with the Purusha.” The famous hymn called Ānandalahari (“Wave of Bliss”), which is universally ascribed to Shangkara, deals with this Yoga (Shatchakrabheda); and in the thirteenth chapter of Vidyāranya’s Shangkaravijaya the six lotuses are mentioned, as also the fruit to be gained by worshipping the Devatā in each Chakra.¹
Pandit R. Anata Shāstrī says:²
Brahmanādī, for which purpose the Jālandhara Bandha should be employed.
The Nrisinghapūrvatāpaniya Upanishad¹ in Ch. V, v. 2, speaks of the Sudarshana (which is apparently here the Mūlādhāra) changing into lotuses of six, eight, twelve, sixteen, and thirty-two petals respectively. This corresponds with the number of petals as given in this work except as to the second. For, taking this to be the Svā- dhishthāna, the second lotus should be one of ten petals. Apparently this divergence is due to the fact that this is the number of letters in the Mantra assigned to this lotus. For in the six-petalled lotus is the six-lettered Mantra of Sudarshana; in the eight-petalled lotus the eight-lettered Mantra of Nārāyana; and in the twelve-petalled lotus the twelve-lettered Mantra of Vāsudeva. As is the case ordinarily, in the sixteen-petalled lotus are the sixteen Kalās (here vowels) sounded with Bindu or Anusvāra. The thirty-two-petalled lotus (Ājnā) is really two-petalled because there are two Mantras here (each of sixteen letters) of Nrisingha and His Shakti.
The sixth chapter of the Maitrī Upanishad² speaks of the Nādīs; and in particular of the Sushumnā; the piercing of the Mandalas Sun, Moon, and Fire (each of these being within the other, Sattva in Fire, and in Sattva Achyuta); and of Amanā, which is another name for Unmanī.
Both the Yogatattva Upanishad³ and Yogashikhā Upanishad⁴ refer to Hathayoga, and the latter speaks of the closing of the “inner door,” the opening of the gateway of Sushumnā (that is, by Kundalī entering the Brahmadvāra), and the piercing of the Sun. The Rāmatāpanīya Upanishad¹ refers to various Yoga and Tantrik processes, such as Āsana, Dvārapūjā, Pīthapūjā, and expressly mentions Bhūtashuddhi, which, as above explained, is the purification of the elements in the Chakras, either as an imaginative, or real process by the aid of Kundalinī.
1 Ānandāshrama Edition, Vol. XXX, p. 61.
2 Vol. XXIX of same edition, p. 345; see pp. 441, 450, 451, 458, and 460.
3 Same edition, Vol. XX1X, p. 477.
4 Ibid., p. 483; and as to the passage of Kundalī through the Brahmadvāra, see p. 485.
I have already cited in the Notes numerous passages on this Yoga from the Shāndilya Upanishad of the Atharvaveda, the Varāha and Yogakundalī Upanishads of the Krishna Yajurveda, the Mandalabrāhmana Upanishad of the Shukla Yajurveda, and the Nādabindu Upanishad of the Rigveda.²
The great Devībhāgavata Purāna (VII. 35, XI. 8) mentions in a full account the six Chakras or Lotuses; the rousing of Kundalī (who is called the Paradevatā) in the Mūlādhāra by the manner here described, uniting Jīva therewith by the Hangsa Mantra; Bhūtashuddhi; the dissolution of the gross Tattvas into the subtle Tattvas, ending with Mahat in Prakriti, Māyā in Ātmā. The Dharāmandala is mentioned, and it and the other Mandalas are described in the manner here stated. The Bījas of Prithivī and other Tattvas are given. Allusion is also made to the destruction of the “man of sin” (Pāpapurusha), in terms similar to those to be found in the Mahā- nirvāna and other Tantras. A remarkable Dhyāna of Prānashakti is to be found in this chapter, which reads very much like another which is given in the Prapanchasāra Tantra.³
1 Ānandāshrama Edition, Vol. XX1X, p. 520.
2 These Yoga Upanishads have been recently translated as part of “Thirty Minor Upanishads,” by K. Nārâyanasvâmi Aiyar (Theosophical Society of Madras, 1914).
3 See Ch. XXXV, Vol. III of my “Tantrik Texts”.
p. 268
Lingga Purāna, Part I, Ch. LXXV, mentions the Chakras with their different petals, the names of which are given by the Commentator. Shiva is Nirguna, it says, but for the benefit of men He resides in the body with Umā, and Yogīs meditate upon Him in the different lotuses.
Chapter XXIII of the Agni Purāna, which is replete with Tantrik rituals, magic, and Mantras, also refers to the Bhūtashuddhi rite wherein, after meditation with the respective Bīja Mantras on the navel, heart, and Ājnā centres, the body of the Sādhaka is refreshed by the flow of nectar.
Finally, an adverse critic of this Yoga whom I cite later invokes the authority of the great Shangkara, though in fact, if tradition be correct, it is against him. Shangkara, in whose Maths may be found the great Tantrik Yantra called the Shrīchakra, says in his Commentary on vv. 9 and 10 of Ch. VIII of the Bhagavad-Gītā: “First the heart lotus (Anāhata) is brought under control. Then, by conquering Bhūmi (Mūlādhāra, etc.) and by the upward going Nādī (Sushumnā), after having placed Prāna between the two eyebrows (see v. 38, Shatchakranirūpana), the Yogī reaches the lustrous light-giving Purusha.” On this the Tīkā of Ānandagiri runs: “By the Sushumnā Nādī between Idā and Pinggalā. The throat is reached by the same way —the space between the eyebrows. By conquering earth (Bhūmi) is meant the process by which the five Bhūtas are controlled.” Shrīdhara Svāmī says: “By the power of Yoga (Yogabala) Prāna must be led along the Sushumnā.” And Madhusūdana Sarasvatī says: “The upward-going Nādī is Sushumnā, and the conquest of Bhūmi and the rest is done by following the path indicated by the Guru; and by the space between the eyebrows is meant the Ājnā Chakra. By placing Prāna there, it passes out by the
p. 269
Brahmarandhra, and the Jīva becomes one with the Purusha.” The famous hymn called Ānandalahari (“Wave of Bliss”), which is universally ascribed to Shangkara, deals with this Yoga (Shatchakrabheda); and in the thirteenth chapter of Vidyāranya’s Shangkaravijaya the six lotuses are mentioned, as also the fruit to be gained by worshipping the Devatā in each Chakra.¹
Pandit R. Anata Shāstrī says:²
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