The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
In a Dhyāna in another place She is thus described: “Meditate upon Her, the divine Hākinī. She abides in the marrow¹ and is white. In Her hands are the Damaru, the Rudrāksha rosary, the skull, the Vidyā (the sign of the book), the Mudrā (gesture of granting boons and dispelling fear). She is fond of food cooked with Turminī, and is elated by drinking ambrosia. She is well seated on a white Lotus, and Her mind is exalted by the drink of the King of the Devas gathered from the Ocean.”
The rest is clear.
1 Majjasthā. According to another reading (chakrasthā) abides in the chakra.
Verse 33
WITHIN this Lotus dwells the subtle mind (Manas). It is well known. Inside the Yoni in the pericarp is the Shiva called Itara,¹ in His phallic form. He here shines like a chain of lightning flashes. The first Bīja of the Vedas,² which is the abode of the most excellent Shakti, and which by its lustre makes visible the Brahma-sūtra,³ is also there. The Sādhaka with steady mind should meditate upon these according to the order (prescribed).
COMMENTARY
He speaks of the presence of Manas in this Lotus.
“Subtle” (Sūkshma-rūpa).—The Manas is beyond the scope of the senses; that being so, it may be asked, What is the proof of its existence? The answer is, It is well known or universally accepted (Prasiddha) and handed down from Anādipurusha generation after generation as a thing realised, and is hence well known. The evidence of the Shāstras, also, is that this Manas selects and rejects.⁴ Here is the place of the Manas. The presence of Manas is above the first Bīja of the Vedas as will appear from what is about to be spoken of.
“Phallic form” (Lingga-chihna-prakāsham).—He next speaks of the presence of the Shiva-lingga⁵ in the Yoni which is within
1 Ing, Kālang tarati iti Itarah (Vishvanātha). “Itara” is that which enables one to cross Kāla. Ing—that is, the world of wandering.
2 Oṁ.
3 The Nādī Chitrinī.
4 Sangkalpavikalpātmaka. This is the lower Manas, and not that referred to in the Commentary to v. 40, post. As to the mental faculties, see Introduction.
5 Phallic emblem of Shiva.
the pericarp. The Itara-Shiva who is there is in His phallic form, and within the Yoni. Within the triangle in the pericarp dwells Itara-shivapada¹—i.e., the Shiva known by the name of Itara. This Lingga is in the phallic form and white. As has been said in the Bhūta-shuddhi Tantra: “Inside it is the Lingga Itara, crystalline and with three eyes.” This Lingga resembles continuous streaks of lightning flashes (Vidyun-mālāvilāsam).
“First Bīja of the Vedas” (Vedānām ādibījam).—He then speaks of the presence of the Pranava² in the pericarp of this Lotus. In the pericarp there is also the first Bīja—i.e., Pranava.²
“Which is the abode of the most excellent Shakti” (Paramakula-pada).—Kula=Shakti which is here of a triangular form. Parama means most excellent, by reason of its resembling lightning and the like luminous substances; and Pada means place—i.e., the triangular space. Hence this Bīja—namely, the Pranava—we perceive is within the triangle. This is clearly stated in the following text:
“Within the pericarp, and placed in the triangle, is Ātmā in the form of the Pranava, and above it, like the flame of a lamp, is the charming Nāda, and Bindu which is Makāra,³ and above it is the abode of Manas.”
Now, if the Paramakulapada⁴ be the container (Ādhāra) of and therefore inseparate from the Pranava, how is it that it is separately mentioned as one of the sixteen Ādhāras spoken of in the following passage? For it has been said that “the sixteen Ādhāras hard of attainment by the Yogī are Mūlādhāra, Svādhishthāna, Mani-pūra, Anāhata, Vishuddha, Ājnā-chakra, Bindu, Kalāpada, Nibodhikā, Arddhendu, Nāda, Nādānta, Unmanī, Vishnu-vaktra Dhruvamandala,⁵ and Shiva.”
1 According to Vishvanātha, this is an Angsha (part) of the Nirguna Para Shiva in the Sahasrāra.
2 Om.
3 The letter Ma; that is, it is Makārarūpa or Ma before manifestation.
4 Shangkara says that Paramakula=Mūlādhāra Padma, and Paramakulapada=He who has his abode in the Mūlādhāra.
5 See Shāradā Tilaka, Ch. V, 135, Ch. XII, v. 117 et seq.; Kulārnava Tantra, Ch. IV, and Introduction.
The answer is that the second Kalāpada is not the one in the Ājnā Chakra, but is in the vacant space above Mahānāda which is spoken of later. This will become clear when dealing with the subject of Mahānāda.
“Which makes manifest the Brahma-sūtra” (Brahma-sūtraprabodha).—Brahma-sūtra=Chitrinī-nādī. This Nādī is made visible by the lustre of the Pranava. In v. 3 this Nādī has been described as “lustrous with the lustre of the Pranava.”
The Sādhaka should with a steady mind meditate upon all these—viz., Hākinī, Manas, Itara Liṁga and Pranava—in the order prescribed. This is different to the order in which they are placed in the text by the author. But the arrangement of words according to their import is to be preferred to their positions in the text. The order as shown here should prevail. Thus, first Hākinī in the pericarp; in the triangle above her Itara Liṁga; in the triangle above him the Pranava; and last of all, above the Pranava itself, Manas should be meditated upon.
Verse 34
THE excellent Sādhaka, whose Ātmā is nothing but a meditation on this Lotus, is able quickly to enter another’s body¹ at will, and becomes the most excellent among Munis, and all-knowing and all-seeing. He becomes the benefactor of all, and versed in all the Shāstras. He realises his unity with the Brahman and acquires excellent and unknown powers.² Full of fame and long-lived, he ever becomes the Creator, Destroyer, and Preserver, of the three worlds.
COMMENTARY
In this verse he speaks of the good to be gained by the
Dhyāna of this Lotus.
“Most excellent amony Munis” (Munīndra).—A Muni is one
In a Dhyāna in another place She is thus described: “Meditate upon Her, the divine Hākinī. She abides in the marrow¹ and is white. In Her hands are the Damaru, the Rudrāksha rosary, the skull, the Vidyā (the sign of the book), the Mudrā (gesture of granting boons and dispelling fear). She is fond of food cooked with Turminī, and is elated by drinking ambrosia. She is well seated on a white Lotus, and Her mind is exalted by the drink of the King of the Devas gathered from the Ocean.”
The rest is clear.
1 Majjasthā. According to another reading (chakrasthā) abides in the chakra.
Verse 33
WITHIN this Lotus dwells the subtle mind (Manas). It is well known. Inside the Yoni in the pericarp is the Shiva called Itara,¹ in His phallic form. He here shines like a chain of lightning flashes. The first Bīja of the Vedas,² which is the abode of the most excellent Shakti, and which by its lustre makes visible the Brahma-sūtra,³ is also there. The Sādhaka with steady mind should meditate upon these according to the order (prescribed).
COMMENTARY
He speaks of the presence of Manas in this Lotus.
“Subtle” (Sūkshma-rūpa).—The Manas is beyond the scope of the senses; that being so, it may be asked, What is the proof of its existence? The answer is, It is well known or universally accepted (Prasiddha) and handed down from Anādipurusha generation after generation as a thing realised, and is hence well known. The evidence of the Shāstras, also, is that this Manas selects and rejects.⁴ Here is the place of the Manas. The presence of Manas is above the first Bīja of the Vedas as will appear from what is about to be spoken of.
“Phallic form” (Lingga-chihna-prakāsham).—He next speaks of the presence of the Shiva-lingga⁵ in the Yoni which is within
1 Ing, Kālang tarati iti Itarah (Vishvanātha). “Itara” is that which enables one to cross Kāla. Ing—that is, the world of wandering.
2 Oṁ.
3 The Nādī Chitrinī.
4 Sangkalpavikalpātmaka. This is the lower Manas, and not that referred to in the Commentary to v. 40, post. As to the mental faculties, see Introduction.
5 Phallic emblem of Shiva.
the pericarp. The Itara-Shiva who is there is in His phallic form, and within the Yoni. Within the triangle in the pericarp dwells Itara-shivapada¹—i.e., the Shiva known by the name of Itara. This Lingga is in the phallic form and white. As has been said in the Bhūta-shuddhi Tantra: “Inside it is the Lingga Itara, crystalline and with three eyes.” This Lingga resembles continuous streaks of lightning flashes (Vidyun-mālāvilāsam).
“First Bīja of the Vedas” (Vedānām ādibījam).—He then speaks of the presence of the Pranava² in the pericarp of this Lotus. In the pericarp there is also the first Bīja—i.e., Pranava.²
“Which is the abode of the most excellent Shakti” (Paramakula-pada).—Kula=Shakti which is here of a triangular form. Parama means most excellent, by reason of its resembling lightning and the like luminous substances; and Pada means place—i.e., the triangular space. Hence this Bīja—namely, the Pranava—we perceive is within the triangle. This is clearly stated in the following text:
“Within the pericarp, and placed in the triangle, is Ātmā in the form of the Pranava, and above it, like the flame of a lamp, is the charming Nāda, and Bindu which is Makāra,³ and above it is the abode of Manas.”
Now, if the Paramakulapada⁴ be the container (Ādhāra) of and therefore inseparate from the Pranava, how is it that it is separately mentioned as one of the sixteen Ādhāras spoken of in the following passage? For it has been said that “the sixteen Ādhāras hard of attainment by the Yogī are Mūlādhāra, Svādhishthāna, Mani-pūra, Anāhata, Vishuddha, Ājnā-chakra, Bindu, Kalāpada, Nibodhikā, Arddhendu, Nāda, Nādānta, Unmanī, Vishnu-vaktra Dhruvamandala,⁵ and Shiva.”
1 According to Vishvanātha, this is an Angsha (part) of the Nirguna Para Shiva in the Sahasrāra.
2 Om.
3 The letter Ma; that is, it is Makārarūpa or Ma before manifestation.
4 Shangkara says that Paramakula=Mūlādhāra Padma, and Paramakulapada=He who has his abode in the Mūlādhāra.
5 See Shāradā Tilaka, Ch. V, 135, Ch. XII, v. 117 et seq.; Kulārnava Tantra, Ch. IV, and Introduction.
The answer is that the second Kalāpada is not the one in the Ājnā Chakra, but is in the vacant space above Mahānāda which is spoken of later. This will become clear when dealing with the subject of Mahānāda.
“Which makes manifest the Brahma-sūtra” (Brahma-sūtraprabodha).—Brahma-sūtra=Chitrinī-nādī. This Nādī is made visible by the lustre of the Pranava. In v. 3 this Nādī has been described as “lustrous with the lustre of the Pranava.”
The Sādhaka should with a steady mind meditate upon all these—viz., Hākinī, Manas, Itara Liṁga and Pranava—in the order prescribed. This is different to the order in which they are placed in the text by the author. But the arrangement of words according to their import is to be preferred to their positions in the text. The order as shown here should prevail. Thus, first Hākinī in the pericarp; in the triangle above her Itara Liṁga; in the triangle above him the Pranava; and last of all, above the Pranava itself, Manas should be meditated upon.
Verse 34
THE excellent Sādhaka, whose Ātmā is nothing but a meditation on this Lotus, is able quickly to enter another’s body¹ at will, and becomes the most excellent among Munis, and all-knowing and all-seeing. He becomes the benefactor of all, and versed in all the Shāstras. He realises his unity with the Brahman and acquires excellent and unknown powers.² Full of fame and long-lived, he ever becomes the Creator, Destroyer, and Preserver, of the three worlds.
COMMENTARY
In this verse he speaks of the good to be gained by the
Dhyāna of this Lotus.
“Most excellent amony Munis” (Munīndra).—A Muni is one
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