The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
3 In a letter to me, in reply to one of mine answering some inquiries made by him as regards this Yoga. He wrote that my letter had suggested certain ideas “on a subject of supreme interest philosophically and practically in the life of a Hindu,” which I reproduce in the text. The bracketed translations of the Sanskrit words are mine.
in check (or, as the mathematicians will say, the algebraic sum of the forces being zero). Of course, in any given case the equilibrium is relative rather than absolute. The important thing to note is this polarisation of Shakti into two forms—static and dynamic.
“In the tissues of a living body, again, the operative energy (whatever the nature of that may be, whether we believe in a special ‘vital force’ or not) polarises itself into two similar forms—anabolic and katabolic—one tending to change and the other to conserve the tissues, the actual condition of the tissues being simply the resultant of these two coexistent or concurrent activities.
“In the mind or experience also this polarisation or polarity is patent to reflection. In my own writings¹ I have constantly urged this polarity between pure Chit and the stress which is involved in it: there is a stress or Shakti developing the mind through an infinity of forms and changes; but all these forms and changes are known as involved in the pure and unbounded ether of awareness (Chidākāsha). This analysis therefore exhibits the primordial Shakti in the same two polar forms as before— static and dynamic—and here the polarity is most fundamental and approaches absoluteness.
“Lastly, let us consider for one moment the atom of modern science. The chemical atom has ceased to be an atom (indivisible unit of matter). We have instead the electron theory. According to this, the so-called atom is a miniature universe very much like our own solar system. At the centre of this atomic system we have a charge of positive electricty round which a cloud of negative charges (called electrons) is supposed to revolve, just as myriads of planets and smaller bodies revolve round the sun. The
1 “Approaches to Truth,” “The Patent Wonder,” valuable presentments in modern terms of the ancient Vedantic teaching.
positive and the negative charges hold each other in check, so that the atom is a condition of equilibrated energy, and does not therefore ordinarily break up, though it may possibly break up and set free its equilibrated store of energy, as probably it does in the emanations of the radium. What do we notice here? The same polarity of Shakti into a static and a dynamic partner—viz., the positive charge at rest at the centre, and the negative charges in motion round about the centre: a most suggestive analogy or illustration, perhaps, of the cosmic fact. The illustration may be carried into other domains of science and philosophy, but I may as well forbear going into details. For the present we may, I think, draw this important conclusion:
“Shakti, as manifesting itself in the universe, divides itself into two polar aspects—static and dynamic—which implies that you cannot have it in a dynamic form without at the same time having it in a corresponding static form, much like the poles of a magnet. In any given sphere of activity of force we must have, according to this cosmic principle, a static background—Shakti at rest or ‘coiled,’ as the Tantras say.
“Before I proceed, let me point out what I conceive to be the fundamental significance of our Tantric and Pauranic Kālī. This figure or Mūrti is both real and symbolic, as indeed every Mūrti in the so-called Hindu mythology is. Now, the Divine Mother Kālī is a symbol of the cosmic truth just explained. Sadāshiva, on whose breast She dances, nude and dark, is the static background of pure Chit, white and inert (Shavarūpa), because pure Chit is in itself Svaprakāsha (self-manifest) and Nishkriya (actionless). At the same time, apart from and beyond Consciousness there can be nothing—no power or Shakti —hence the Divine Mother stands on the bosom of
3 In a letter to me, in reply to one of mine answering some inquiries made by him as regards this Yoga. He wrote that my letter had suggested certain ideas “on a subject of supreme interest philosophically and practically in the life of a Hindu,” which I reproduce in the text. The bracketed translations of the Sanskrit words are mine.
in check (or, as the mathematicians will say, the algebraic sum of the forces being zero). Of course, in any given case the equilibrium is relative rather than absolute. The important thing to note is this polarisation of Shakti into two forms—static and dynamic.
“In the tissues of a living body, again, the operative energy (whatever the nature of that may be, whether we believe in a special ‘vital force’ or not) polarises itself into two similar forms—anabolic and katabolic—one tending to change and the other to conserve the tissues, the actual condition of the tissues being simply the resultant of these two coexistent or concurrent activities.
“In the mind or experience also this polarisation or polarity is patent to reflection. In my own writings¹ I have constantly urged this polarity between pure Chit and the stress which is involved in it: there is a stress or Shakti developing the mind through an infinity of forms and changes; but all these forms and changes are known as involved in the pure and unbounded ether of awareness (Chidākāsha). This analysis therefore exhibits the primordial Shakti in the same two polar forms as before— static and dynamic—and here the polarity is most fundamental and approaches absoluteness.
“Lastly, let us consider for one moment the atom of modern science. The chemical atom has ceased to be an atom (indivisible unit of matter). We have instead the electron theory. According to this, the so-called atom is a miniature universe very much like our own solar system. At the centre of this atomic system we have a charge of positive electricty round which a cloud of negative charges (called electrons) is supposed to revolve, just as myriads of planets and smaller bodies revolve round the sun. The
1 “Approaches to Truth,” “The Patent Wonder,” valuable presentments in modern terms of the ancient Vedantic teaching.
positive and the negative charges hold each other in check, so that the atom is a condition of equilibrated energy, and does not therefore ordinarily break up, though it may possibly break up and set free its equilibrated store of energy, as probably it does in the emanations of the radium. What do we notice here? The same polarity of Shakti into a static and a dynamic partner—viz., the positive charge at rest at the centre, and the negative charges in motion round about the centre: a most suggestive analogy or illustration, perhaps, of the cosmic fact. The illustration may be carried into other domains of science and philosophy, but I may as well forbear going into details. For the present we may, I think, draw this important conclusion:
“Shakti, as manifesting itself in the universe, divides itself into two polar aspects—static and dynamic—which implies that you cannot have it in a dynamic form without at the same time having it in a corresponding static form, much like the poles of a magnet. In any given sphere of activity of force we must have, according to this cosmic principle, a static background—Shakti at rest or ‘coiled,’ as the Tantras say.
“Before I proceed, let me point out what I conceive to be the fundamental significance of our Tantric and Pauranic Kālī. This figure or Mūrti is both real and symbolic, as indeed every Mūrti in the so-called Hindu mythology is. Now, the Divine Mother Kālī is a symbol of the cosmic truth just explained. Sadāshiva, on whose breast She dances, nude and dark, is the static background of pure Chit, white and inert (Shavarūpa), because pure Chit is in itself Svaprakāsha (self-manifest) and Nishkriya (actionless). At the same time, apart from and beyond Consciousness there can be nothing—no power or Shakti —hence the Divine Mother stands on the bosom of
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