The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
Compare the following Dhyāna of Kākinī where She is so described: “If thou desirest that the practice of thy Mantra be
1 Nava-tadit-pītā—i.e., where there is more thunder than rain, when the lightning shows itself very vividly. Pītā is yellow; Kākinī is of a shining yellow colour.
2 Shangkara gives unmattā (maddened or exalted) as equivalent of
Mattā.
crowned with success, meditate on the moon-faced, ever-existent¹ Shakti Kākinī, wearing the skin of a black antelope, adorned with all ornaments,”²
1 Nityām. If this is not stutī, possibly the word is nityam,
“always”.
2 Vishvanātha, in his commentary on the Shatchakra, gives the following Dhyāna of Kâkinī: “Meditate on Kākinī whose abode is in Fat (Meda-sangsthām) holding in Her hands Pāsha (noose), Shūla (trident), Kapāla (skull), Damaru (drum). She is yellow in colour, fond of eating curd and rice (Dadhyanna). Her beautiful body is in a slightly bending pose (Svavayavanamitā). Her heart is made joyous by the draught of rice wine (Vārunī).” The Saubhāgya-ratnākara cites Seven Dhyānas of the Seven Shaktis or Yoginīs—Dākinī and others which show that each has her abode in one of the seven Dhātus. The Seventh Shakti Yakshinī is not mentioned in this book,
Verse 25
THE Shakti whose tender body is like ten million flashes of lightning is in the pericarp of this Lotus in the form of a triangle (Trikona). Inside the triangle is the Shivalingga known by the name of Vāna. This Lingga is like shining gold, and on his head is an orifice minute as that in a gem. He is the resplendent abode of Lakshmī.
COMMENTARY.
In this Shloka is described the triangle Trikona which is in the pericarp of this Lotus.
“Shakti in the form of a triangle” (Trikonābhidhā Shaktih). —By this we are to understand that the apex of the Triangle is downward.¹
This Trikona is below the Vāyu Bīja, as has been said elsewhere. “In its lap is Īsha. Below it, within the Trikona is Vāna-Lingga.”
“On his head,” etc. (Maulau sūkshma-vibheda-yung manih).— This is a description of Vāna-Lingga. The orifice is the little space within the Bindu which is within the half-moon which is on the head of the Lingga.
Elsewhere we find the following description: “The Vāna- Lingga within the triangle, decked in jewels made of gold—the Deva with the half-moon on his head; in the middle is an excellent red lotus.”
The red lotus in this quotation is one below the pericarp of the heart lotus; it has its head turned upwards, and has eight petals. It is in this lotus that mental worship (Mānasapūjā)
1 As it is a Trikona Shakti it must have its apex downwards as in the case of the Yoni.
should be made.¹ Compare the following: “Inside is the red eight-petalled lotus. There is also the Kalpa-tree and the seat of the Īshta-deva under a beautiful awning (Chandrātapa), surrounded by trees laden with flowers and fruits and sweet-voiced birds. There meditate on the Īshta-deva according to the ritual² of the worshipper.”
“Orifice minute as.”—He here speaks of the Bindu which in the head of the Vāna Lingga. As a gem has a minute orifice in it (when pierced to be threaded), so has this Lingga.³ By this is meant that the Bindu is in the head of the Shiva Lingga.
“The resplendent abode of Lakshmī.”⁴—By this one must know the great beauty of the Lingga, due to a rush of desire.⁵
1 This is not one of the six Chakras, but a lotus known as Ānandakanda, where the Ishtadevatā is meditated upon. See Ch. V, v. 132, Mahānirvāna Tantra.
2 Kalpa. Tattat-kalpoktamārgatah. That is, in manner enjoined by the respective sampradāya of the sādhaka.
3 The Lingga itself is not pierced, but it carries the Bindu, which has an empty space (Shūnya) within its circle.
4 That is, here, beauty.
5 Kāmodgama.
p. 6
Verse 26
HE who meditates on this Heart Lotus becomes (like) the Lord of Speech, and (like) Īshvara he is able to protect and destroy the worlds. This Lotus is like the celestial wishing-tree,¹ the abode and seat of Sharva.² It is beautified by the Hangsa,³ which is like unto the steady tapering flame of a lamp in a windless place.⁴ The filaments which surround and adorn its pericarp, illumined by the solar region, charm.
COMMENTARY
In this and the following verse he speaks of the good to be gained by meditating on the Heart Lotus.
“He who meditates on this Lotus in the Heart becomes like the Lord of Speech”—i.e., Brihaspati, the Guru of the Devas—and able like Īshvara the Creator to protect and destroy the worlds. Briefly, he becomes the Creator, Protector, and Destroyer, of the Worlds.
He speaks of the presence of the Jīvātmā which is Hangsa,⁵ in the pericarp of this Lotus. The Jīvātmā is like the steady flame of a lamp in a windless place, and enhances the beauty of this Lotus (Anila-hīna-dīpa-kalikā-hangsena sang-shobhitam). Hangsa is the Jīvātmā. He also speaks of the presence of the Sūryya-mandala in the pericarp of this Lotus.
1 Sura-taru=kalpa-taru.
2 Mahā-deva, Shiva.
3 Here the Jīvātmā.
4 See Introduction.
Compare the following Dhyāna of Kākinī where She is so described: “If thou desirest that the practice of thy Mantra be
1 Nava-tadit-pītā—i.e., where there is more thunder than rain, when the lightning shows itself very vividly. Pītā is yellow; Kākinī is of a shining yellow colour.
2 Shangkara gives unmattā (maddened or exalted) as equivalent of
Mattā.
crowned with success, meditate on the moon-faced, ever-existent¹ Shakti Kākinī, wearing the skin of a black antelope, adorned with all ornaments,”²
1 Nityām. If this is not stutī, possibly the word is nityam,
“always”.
2 Vishvanātha, in his commentary on the Shatchakra, gives the following Dhyāna of Kâkinī: “Meditate on Kākinī whose abode is in Fat (Meda-sangsthām) holding in Her hands Pāsha (noose), Shūla (trident), Kapāla (skull), Damaru (drum). She is yellow in colour, fond of eating curd and rice (Dadhyanna). Her beautiful body is in a slightly bending pose (Svavayavanamitā). Her heart is made joyous by the draught of rice wine (Vārunī).” The Saubhāgya-ratnākara cites Seven Dhyānas of the Seven Shaktis or Yoginīs—Dākinī and others which show that each has her abode in one of the seven Dhātus. The Seventh Shakti Yakshinī is not mentioned in this book,
Verse 25
THE Shakti whose tender body is like ten million flashes of lightning is in the pericarp of this Lotus in the form of a triangle (Trikona). Inside the triangle is the Shivalingga known by the name of Vāna. This Lingga is like shining gold, and on his head is an orifice minute as that in a gem. He is the resplendent abode of Lakshmī.
COMMENTARY.
In this Shloka is described the triangle Trikona which is in the pericarp of this Lotus.
“Shakti in the form of a triangle” (Trikonābhidhā Shaktih). —By this we are to understand that the apex of the Triangle is downward.¹
This Trikona is below the Vāyu Bīja, as has been said elsewhere. “In its lap is Īsha. Below it, within the Trikona is Vāna-Lingga.”
“On his head,” etc. (Maulau sūkshma-vibheda-yung manih).— This is a description of Vāna-Lingga. The orifice is the little space within the Bindu which is within the half-moon which is on the head of the Lingga.
Elsewhere we find the following description: “The Vāna- Lingga within the triangle, decked in jewels made of gold—the Deva with the half-moon on his head; in the middle is an excellent red lotus.”
The red lotus in this quotation is one below the pericarp of the heart lotus; it has its head turned upwards, and has eight petals. It is in this lotus that mental worship (Mānasapūjā)
1 As it is a Trikona Shakti it must have its apex downwards as in the case of the Yoni.
should be made.¹ Compare the following: “Inside is the red eight-petalled lotus. There is also the Kalpa-tree and the seat of the Īshta-deva under a beautiful awning (Chandrātapa), surrounded by trees laden with flowers and fruits and sweet-voiced birds. There meditate on the Īshta-deva according to the ritual² of the worshipper.”
“Orifice minute as.”—He here speaks of the Bindu which in the head of the Vāna Lingga. As a gem has a minute orifice in it (when pierced to be threaded), so has this Lingga.³ By this is meant that the Bindu is in the head of the Shiva Lingga.
“The resplendent abode of Lakshmī.”⁴—By this one must know the great beauty of the Lingga, due to a rush of desire.⁵
1 This is not one of the six Chakras, but a lotus known as Ānandakanda, where the Ishtadevatā is meditated upon. See Ch. V, v. 132, Mahānirvāna Tantra.
2 Kalpa. Tattat-kalpoktamārgatah. That is, in manner enjoined by the respective sampradāya of the sādhaka.
3 The Lingga itself is not pierced, but it carries the Bindu, which has an empty space (Shūnya) within its circle.
4 That is, here, beauty.
5 Kāmodgama.
p. 6
Verse 26
HE who meditates on this Heart Lotus becomes (like) the Lord of Speech, and (like) Īshvara he is able to protect and destroy the worlds. This Lotus is like the celestial wishing-tree,¹ the abode and seat of Sharva.² It is beautified by the Hangsa,³ which is like unto the steady tapering flame of a lamp in a windless place.⁴ The filaments which surround and adorn its pericarp, illumined by the solar region, charm.
COMMENTARY
In this and the following verse he speaks of the good to be gained by meditating on the Heart Lotus.
“He who meditates on this Lotus in the Heart becomes like the Lord of Speech”—i.e., Brihaspati, the Guru of the Devas—and able like Īshvara the Creator to protect and destroy the worlds. Briefly, he becomes the Creator, Protector, and Destroyer, of the Worlds.
He speaks of the presence of the Jīvātmā which is Hangsa,⁵ in the pericarp of this Lotus. The Jīvātmā is like the steady flame of a lamp in a windless place, and enhances the beauty of this Lotus (Anila-hīna-dīpa-kalikā-hangsena sang-shobhitam). Hangsa is the Jīvātmā. He also speaks of the presence of the Sūryya-mandala in the pericarp of this Lotus.
1 Sura-taru=kalpa-taru.
2 Mahā-deva, Shiva.
3 Here the Jīvātmā.
4 See Introduction.
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