The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
p. 7
Tripurā-sara-sāmuchchaya says: “She who is within the
hollow of the Danda, extending from the head to the Ādhāra”
(i.e., Mūlādhāra), and so forth.
Some persons rely on the following passage of the Tantrachūdāmani, and urge that it shows that the Sushumnā is outside the Meru: “O Shivā, on the left of Meru is placed the Nādī Idā, the Moon-nectar, and on its right the Sun-like Pinggalā. Outside it (Tad-vāhye)¹ and between these two (Tayor madhye) is the fiery Sushumnā.”
But this is merely the opinion of these persons. Our Author speaks (in the following verse) of the Lotuses inside the Meru; and as the Sushumnā supports these she must needs be within the Meru.
“Form of Moon, Sun, and Fire” (Chandra-sūryyāgni-rūpā). —Chitrinī is pale, and is the form of the Moon, Vajrinī² is Sunlike, and hence has the lustre of the filaments of the pomegranate flower; Sushumnā is fiery, and hence red. The Bhūtashuddhi Tantra, in describing the Sushumnā, supports these three descriptions. Sushumnā is the outermost and Chitrinī the innermost.
“Inside it, at a height of two fingers’ breadth, is Vajrā, and so is Chitrinī; hence it is that Sushumnā is Trigunā; she is tremulous like a passionate woman; she is the receptacle of the three Gunas, Sattva and others, and the very form of Moon, Sun and Fire.”
“From the middle of the Kanda to the Head” (Kandamadhyāch chhirahsthā).—Kanda is the root of all the Nādīs. It is spoken of as follows: “Two fingers above the anus and two fingers below the Medhra³ is the Kanda-mūla, in shape like a bird’s egg, and four fingers’ breadth in extent. The Nādīs, 72,000 in number, emanate from it.” The Nādīs come out of this Kanda.
Shirahsthā (placed in the head): By this is to be understood that she ends in the middle of the Lotus of twelve petals which is near the pericarp of the Sahasrāra, hanging downwards in thep. 8 head. See the opening verse of Pādukā-panchaka: “I adore the twelve-petalled Lotus that is the crown of the Nādī along the channel (Randhra)¹ within which the Kundalī passes.”
1 If Tad-vāhye be interpreted to mean outside these two, then this apparent contradiction is removed. Tadvāhye is formed either by Tasya vāhye or Tayor vāhye; if the latter, then the meaning would be outside the two. Those who rely upon this passage read Tad-vāhye as equal to Tasya vāhye.
2 Vajrinī=vajrā.
3 Medhra=penis.
As the Chitrinī ends here, her Container, Sushumnā, also ends here. If it be taken to mean that she exists above the Sahasrāra, then there will be a contradiction to the description in the fortieth verse, where the Sahasrāra is spoken of as “shining in vacant space” (Shūnyadeshe prakāsham). If Sushumnā passes over it, there can be no vacant space.
There are some who contend that all the three Nādīs—Idā, Pinggalā, and Sushumnā—are inside the Meru, and quote the following as their authority from the Nigama-tattva-sāra: “The three Nādīs are said to be inside the Meru, in the middle of the back.” But this cannot be; all the Tantras say that the Idā and Pinggalā are outside the Meru, and on the authority of these our Author speaks of their being outside the Meru. Further, if they were inside the Meru they could not be bow-shaped and touch the hip and shoulder joints. The Nigama-tattva-sāra by the “three Nādīs” apparently means Sushumnā, Vajrā and Chitrinī, and not Idā, Pinggalā and Sushumnā.
The position of the Sushumnā from the Mūlādhāra to the head is thus described: “Sushumnā goes forward, clinging like a Chavya-creeper² to the Meru, and reaching the end of the neck, O Beauteous One, she emerges and deflects, and, supporting herself on the stalk of the Shangkhinī,³ goes towards the region of Brahman (Brahma-sadana).”
Also cf.: “The other two are placed like bows. Sushumnā is the embodiment of Pranava;⁴ emerging from the backbone, she goes to the forehead. Passing between the eyebrows and united with Kundalī,⁵ she with her mouth⁶ approaches the Brahma-randhra.”
1 This channel or passage within Chitrinī is Brahmanādī.
2 Tetranthera Apetala (Colebrooke’s Amarakosha).
3 Nādī of that name; v. post.
4 Pranavākriti—the mantra Ong. This means that Pranava manifests as the Sushumnā.
5 Devī Kundalinī; v. ante.
6 Her mouth has neared the Brahmarandhra. The locative here is Sāmīpye saptamī—that is, locative in sense of proximity. Sushumnā does not actually reach Brahmarandhra, but goes near it, ending near the twelve-petalled lotus. Cf. v. I, Pādukāpanchaka.
By this it becomes apparent that the backbone extends to the end of the back of the neck.
“Supporting herself on the stalk of Shangkhinī” (Shangkhinī- nālam ālambya). Shangkhinī is thus described:
Īshvara said: “Sarasvatī and Kuhu are on either side of Sushumnā; Gāndhārī and Hastijihvā again are on the right and left of Idā.”
And again: “Between Gāndhārī and Sarasvatī is Shangkhinī.
The Nādī named Shangkhinī goes to the left ear.”
And also again: “Shangkhinī, emerging from the hollow of the throat, goes obliquely to the forehead, and then, O Ambikā,¹ united with and twisted round Chitrinī, she thereafter passes to the head.”
Hence she (Shangkhinī) starts from Kanda-mūla, proceeds between Sarasvatī and Gāndhārī and reaches the throat, and then one of her branches proceeds obliquely to the left ear and the other goes to the top of the head.
“Vajrā inside Her” (Madhyame ’syāh)—i.e., inside Sushumnā.
There are some who contend that the Meru-danda extends from the feet to the Brahma-randhra, and quote in support the following passage from Nigama-tattva-sāra: “The bony staff which goes from the feet² to the Brahma-randhra is called the Merudanda of the fourteen Lokas.”
But the backbone is the spinal bone (Meru-danda). It extends from the Mūla-kanda to the end of the back of the neck. This is self-evident, and no authority can alter things which are patent. Moreover, it is impossible for one piece of bone to go to the end of the feet, for then the legs could not be bent or stretched. The Meru therefore does not go below the Mūla (Mūlādhāra). The meaning of the passage from the Nigama-tattva-sāra becomes clear if we read Pāda to mean “leg,” and not “foot”. “Beginning of the pāda” (Pādādi) would then mean “where the legs begin”. The sense would then be that the bone which controls the whole body from the feet right up to the head is the Meru-danda, which is like a stick, and begins from the penis two fingers breadth above the Mūla-kanda. The Bhūtashuddhi Tantra says: “Within it and two fingers’ breadth above it are Vajrā and Chitrinī.”
1 “Mother,” a title of the Devī.
2 Pādādi Lit., beginning of the pāda; v. post.
Verse 2
INSIDE her¹ is Chitrinī, who is lustrous with the lustre of the Pranava² and attainable in Yoga by Yogīs. She (Chitrinī) is subtle as a spider’s thread, and pierces all the Lotuses which are placed within the backbone, and is pure intelligence.³ She (Chitrinī) is beautiful by reason of these (Lotuses) which are strung on her. Inside her (Chitrinī) is the Brahma-nādī,⁴ which extends from the orifice of the mouth of Hara⁵ to the place beyond, where Ādideva⁶ is.
COMMENTARY
p. 7
Tripurā-sara-sāmuchchaya says: “She who is within the
hollow of the Danda, extending from the head to the Ādhāra”
(i.e., Mūlādhāra), and so forth.
Some persons rely on the following passage of the Tantrachūdāmani, and urge that it shows that the Sushumnā is outside the Meru: “O Shivā, on the left of Meru is placed the Nādī Idā, the Moon-nectar, and on its right the Sun-like Pinggalā. Outside it (Tad-vāhye)¹ and between these two (Tayor madhye) is the fiery Sushumnā.”
But this is merely the opinion of these persons. Our Author speaks (in the following verse) of the Lotuses inside the Meru; and as the Sushumnā supports these she must needs be within the Meru.
“Form of Moon, Sun, and Fire” (Chandra-sūryyāgni-rūpā). —Chitrinī is pale, and is the form of the Moon, Vajrinī² is Sunlike, and hence has the lustre of the filaments of the pomegranate flower; Sushumnā is fiery, and hence red. The Bhūtashuddhi Tantra, in describing the Sushumnā, supports these three descriptions. Sushumnā is the outermost and Chitrinī the innermost.
“Inside it, at a height of two fingers’ breadth, is Vajrā, and so is Chitrinī; hence it is that Sushumnā is Trigunā; she is tremulous like a passionate woman; she is the receptacle of the three Gunas, Sattva and others, and the very form of Moon, Sun and Fire.”
“From the middle of the Kanda to the Head” (Kandamadhyāch chhirahsthā).—Kanda is the root of all the Nādīs. It is spoken of as follows: “Two fingers above the anus and two fingers below the Medhra³ is the Kanda-mūla, in shape like a bird’s egg, and four fingers’ breadth in extent. The Nādīs, 72,000 in number, emanate from it.” The Nādīs come out of this Kanda.
Shirahsthā (placed in the head): By this is to be understood that she ends in the middle of the Lotus of twelve petals which is near the pericarp of the Sahasrāra, hanging downwards in thep. 8 head. See the opening verse of Pādukā-panchaka: “I adore the twelve-petalled Lotus that is the crown of the Nādī along the channel (Randhra)¹ within which the Kundalī passes.”
1 If Tad-vāhye be interpreted to mean outside these two, then this apparent contradiction is removed. Tadvāhye is formed either by Tasya vāhye or Tayor vāhye; if the latter, then the meaning would be outside the two. Those who rely upon this passage read Tad-vāhye as equal to Tasya vāhye.
2 Vajrinī=vajrā.
3 Medhra=penis.
As the Chitrinī ends here, her Container, Sushumnā, also ends here. If it be taken to mean that she exists above the Sahasrāra, then there will be a contradiction to the description in the fortieth verse, where the Sahasrāra is spoken of as “shining in vacant space” (Shūnyadeshe prakāsham). If Sushumnā passes over it, there can be no vacant space.
There are some who contend that all the three Nādīs—Idā, Pinggalā, and Sushumnā—are inside the Meru, and quote the following as their authority from the Nigama-tattva-sāra: “The three Nādīs are said to be inside the Meru, in the middle of the back.” But this cannot be; all the Tantras say that the Idā and Pinggalā are outside the Meru, and on the authority of these our Author speaks of their being outside the Meru. Further, if they were inside the Meru they could not be bow-shaped and touch the hip and shoulder joints. The Nigama-tattva-sāra by the “three Nādīs” apparently means Sushumnā, Vajrā and Chitrinī, and not Idā, Pinggalā and Sushumnā.
The position of the Sushumnā from the Mūlādhāra to the head is thus described: “Sushumnā goes forward, clinging like a Chavya-creeper² to the Meru, and reaching the end of the neck, O Beauteous One, she emerges and deflects, and, supporting herself on the stalk of the Shangkhinī,³ goes towards the region of Brahman (Brahma-sadana).”
Also cf.: “The other two are placed like bows. Sushumnā is the embodiment of Pranava;⁴ emerging from the backbone, she goes to the forehead. Passing between the eyebrows and united with Kundalī,⁵ she with her mouth⁶ approaches the Brahma-randhra.”
1 This channel or passage within Chitrinī is Brahmanādī.
2 Tetranthera Apetala (Colebrooke’s Amarakosha).
3 Nādī of that name; v. post.
4 Pranavākriti—the mantra Ong. This means that Pranava manifests as the Sushumnā.
5 Devī Kundalinī; v. ante.
6 Her mouth has neared the Brahmarandhra. The locative here is Sāmīpye saptamī—that is, locative in sense of proximity. Sushumnā does not actually reach Brahmarandhra, but goes near it, ending near the twelve-petalled lotus. Cf. v. I, Pādukāpanchaka.
By this it becomes apparent that the backbone extends to the end of the back of the neck.
“Supporting herself on the stalk of Shangkhinī” (Shangkhinī- nālam ālambya). Shangkhinī is thus described:
Īshvara said: “Sarasvatī and Kuhu are on either side of Sushumnā; Gāndhārī and Hastijihvā again are on the right and left of Idā.”
And again: “Between Gāndhārī and Sarasvatī is Shangkhinī.
The Nādī named Shangkhinī goes to the left ear.”
And also again: “Shangkhinī, emerging from the hollow of the throat, goes obliquely to the forehead, and then, O Ambikā,¹ united with and twisted round Chitrinī, she thereafter passes to the head.”
Hence she (Shangkhinī) starts from Kanda-mūla, proceeds between Sarasvatī and Gāndhārī and reaches the throat, and then one of her branches proceeds obliquely to the left ear and the other goes to the top of the head.
“Vajrā inside Her” (Madhyame ’syāh)—i.e., inside Sushumnā.
There are some who contend that the Meru-danda extends from the feet to the Brahma-randhra, and quote in support the following passage from Nigama-tattva-sāra: “The bony staff which goes from the feet² to the Brahma-randhra is called the Merudanda of the fourteen Lokas.”
But the backbone is the spinal bone (Meru-danda). It extends from the Mūla-kanda to the end of the back of the neck. This is self-evident, and no authority can alter things which are patent. Moreover, it is impossible for one piece of bone to go to the end of the feet, for then the legs could not be bent or stretched. The Meru therefore does not go below the Mūla (Mūlādhāra). The meaning of the passage from the Nigama-tattva-sāra becomes clear if we read Pāda to mean “leg,” and not “foot”. “Beginning of the pāda” (Pādādi) would then mean “where the legs begin”. The sense would then be that the bone which controls the whole body from the feet right up to the head is the Meru-danda, which is like a stick, and begins from the penis two fingers breadth above the Mūla-kanda. The Bhūtashuddhi Tantra says: “Within it and two fingers’ breadth above it are Vajrā and Chitrinī.”
1 “Mother,” a title of the Devī.
2 Pādādi Lit., beginning of the pāda; v. post.
Verse 2
INSIDE her¹ is Chitrinī, who is lustrous with the lustre of the Pranava² and attainable in Yoga by Yogīs. She (Chitrinī) is subtle as a spider’s thread, and pierces all the Lotuses which are placed within the backbone, and is pure intelligence.³ She (Chitrinī) is beautiful by reason of these (Lotuses) which are strung on her. Inside her (Chitrinī) is the Brahma-nādī,⁴ which extends from the orifice of the mouth of Hara⁵ to the place beyond, where Ādideva⁶ is.
COMMENTARY
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