The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
AND YĀMALA
To face p. 96.
Verse 39
WHEN the actions of the Yogi are through the service of the Lotus feet of his Guru in all respects good, then he will see above it (i.e., Ājnā-chakra) the form of the Mahānāda, and will ever hold in the Lotus of his hand the Siddhi of Speech.¹ The Mahānāda which is the place of dissolution of Vāyu² is the half of Shiva, and like the plough in shape,³ is tranquil and grants boons and dispels fear, and makes manifest pure Intelligence (Buddhi).⁴
COMMENTARY
He now wishes to describe the intermediate causal body (Kāranāvāntara-sharīra)⁵ situate above Ājnā Chakra and below Sahasrāra, and says: When the actions of the Yogī are, through the service of the Lotus feet of his Guru, in all respects good— that is, when he excels by intense concentration of the mind in Yoga practice—he then sees the image of Mahānāda above it
1 That is, all powers of speech.
2 Vāyoh layasthānam. Shangkara defines it by saying: Etat sthānam vāyoh virāma-bhūtam—this is the place where vāyu ceases to be.
3 That is, Shiva is Hakāra; and if the upper part of Ha is removed, the remaining portion of the letter has the form of an Indian plough.
4 Shuddha-buddhi-prakāsha.
5 Kāranāvāntarasharīra. Kārana=cause; Avāntara=secondary or intermediate or inclusive; Sharīra=body. Body is so called because it wastes and fades. It is derived from the root Shri, to wane. Kāranāvāntara-sharīra would thus mean “the intermediate Sharīra of the Cause.” The primary cause is the Great Cause. Its effects are also intermediate causes of that which they themselves produce; they are thus secondary or intermediate causal bodies. Taking the Sakala
Parameshvara to be the first cause, Mahānāda is one of its effects and a Kāranāvāntarasharīra as regards that which it produces and which follows it.
(above Ājnā Chakra), and he becomes accomplished in speech
(Vāk-siddha).
“Actions in all respects good” (Sushīla).—The good inclination for Yoga practice rendered admirable by strong and undivided application thereto. This result is obtained by serving the Guru.
The author then qualifies Nāda, and says it is the place of dissolution of Vāyu (Vāyor laya-sthānam). The Rule is “things dissolve into what they originate from.” Hence, although in Bhūta-shuddhi and other practices it has been seen that Vāyu dissolves into Sparsha-tattva,¹ and the latter in Vyoma,² Vāyu dissolves in Nāda also. We have the authority of Revelation (Shruti) for this:
“Prithivī, the possessor of Rasa (Rasa-vatī), originated from Ī-kāra.³ From Ka-kāra,³ who is Rasa, the waters and Tīrthas⁴ issued; from Repha (Ra-kāra)³ originated Vahni-tattva⁵; from Nāda³ came Vāyu,⁶ which pervades all life (Sarva-prānamaya). From Bindu³ originated the Void⁷ which is empty of all things and is the Sound-container. And from all these⁸ issued the twenty-five Tattvas which are Guna-maya. All this Universe (Vishva), which is the mundane egg of Brahmā, is pervaded by Kālikā.”
We should therefore realise in our mind that at the time the letters of the Kālī-mantra⁹ are merged into that which is subtle, Vāyu is absorbed in Nāda.
1 The “touch principle,” also called Tvak-tattva. As to Bhūtashuddhi, see the same described in Author’s Introduction to the Mahānirvāna Tantra.
2 Ether.
3 The Bīja Krīng is here being formed. Kakāra=Kālī; Ra-kāra=
Brahmā as fire; Īkāra=Mahāmāyā. Anusvāra or Chandrabindu (Ng) is divided into two—viz., Nāda, which is Vishvamātā, or Mother of the Universe; and Bindu, which is Duhkhahara, or remover of pain (Bījakosha).
4 Places of pilgrimage where the devotees bathe. It also means sacred waters.
5 Fire.
6 Air.
7 Gagana, or Ether.
8 That is, from Krīng as composed of Ka+Ra+Ī+Ng.
9 Krīng.
“Half of Shiva” (Shivārddha).—By this is meant that here Shiva is in the form of Arddha-nārīshvara. Half is Shakti which is Nāda.
“Like a plough” (Sirakāra).—The word Sirā is spelt here with a short i, and in Amara-Kosha it is spelt with a long ī; but it is clearly the same word, as it begins with a dental s.
Cf. “Above it is Mahānāda, in form like a plough, and lustrous” (Īshvara-kārtikeya-Sangvāda).¹
If the text is read as “Shivākāra instead of Sirākāra,” then the meaning would be that the Nāda is Shiva-Shaktimaya.²
Cf. Prayoga-sāra: “That Shakti which tends towards the seat of Liberation³ is called male (Pungrūpā—that is, Bindu) when, quickened by Nāda, She turns towards Shiva⁴ (Shivonmukhī).” It is therefore that Rāghava-Bhatta has said that “Nāda and Bindu are the conditions under which She creates”.⁵
It has elsewhere been said: “She is eternal⁶ existing as Chit (Chinmātrā)⁷: when being near the Light She is desirous of change, She becomes massive (Ghanī-bhūya) and Bindu.”
1 i.e., Sammohana Tantra. Ed., R. M. Chattopadhyāya.
2 That is, its substance is Shiva and Shakti.
3 Nirāmaya-padōnmukhī=she who is turned to the place of Liberation: that is Shakti in the supreme state.
AND YĀMALA
To face p. 96.
Verse 39
WHEN the actions of the Yogi are through the service of the Lotus feet of his Guru in all respects good, then he will see above it (i.e., Ājnā-chakra) the form of the Mahānāda, and will ever hold in the Lotus of his hand the Siddhi of Speech.¹ The Mahānāda which is the place of dissolution of Vāyu² is the half of Shiva, and like the plough in shape,³ is tranquil and grants boons and dispels fear, and makes manifest pure Intelligence (Buddhi).⁴
COMMENTARY
He now wishes to describe the intermediate causal body (Kāranāvāntara-sharīra)⁵ situate above Ājnā Chakra and below Sahasrāra, and says: When the actions of the Yogī are, through the service of the Lotus feet of his Guru, in all respects good— that is, when he excels by intense concentration of the mind in Yoga practice—he then sees the image of Mahānāda above it
1 That is, all powers of speech.
2 Vāyoh layasthānam. Shangkara defines it by saying: Etat sthānam vāyoh virāma-bhūtam—this is the place where vāyu ceases to be.
3 That is, Shiva is Hakāra; and if the upper part of Ha is removed, the remaining portion of the letter has the form of an Indian plough.
4 Shuddha-buddhi-prakāsha.
5 Kāranāvāntarasharīra. Kārana=cause; Avāntara=secondary or intermediate or inclusive; Sharīra=body. Body is so called because it wastes and fades. It is derived from the root Shri, to wane. Kāranāvāntara-sharīra would thus mean “the intermediate Sharīra of the Cause.” The primary cause is the Great Cause. Its effects are also intermediate causes of that which they themselves produce; they are thus secondary or intermediate causal bodies. Taking the Sakala
Parameshvara to be the first cause, Mahānāda is one of its effects and a Kāranāvāntarasharīra as regards that which it produces and which follows it.
(above Ājnā Chakra), and he becomes accomplished in speech
(Vāk-siddha).
“Actions in all respects good” (Sushīla).—The good inclination for Yoga practice rendered admirable by strong and undivided application thereto. This result is obtained by serving the Guru.
The author then qualifies Nāda, and says it is the place of dissolution of Vāyu (Vāyor laya-sthānam). The Rule is “things dissolve into what they originate from.” Hence, although in Bhūta-shuddhi and other practices it has been seen that Vāyu dissolves into Sparsha-tattva,¹ and the latter in Vyoma,² Vāyu dissolves in Nāda also. We have the authority of Revelation (Shruti) for this:
“Prithivī, the possessor of Rasa (Rasa-vatī), originated from Ī-kāra.³ From Ka-kāra,³ who is Rasa, the waters and Tīrthas⁴ issued; from Repha (Ra-kāra)³ originated Vahni-tattva⁵; from Nāda³ came Vāyu,⁶ which pervades all life (Sarva-prānamaya). From Bindu³ originated the Void⁷ which is empty of all things and is the Sound-container. And from all these⁸ issued the twenty-five Tattvas which are Guna-maya. All this Universe (Vishva), which is the mundane egg of Brahmā, is pervaded by Kālikā.”
We should therefore realise in our mind that at the time the letters of the Kālī-mantra⁹ are merged into that which is subtle, Vāyu is absorbed in Nāda.
1 The “touch principle,” also called Tvak-tattva. As to Bhūtashuddhi, see the same described in Author’s Introduction to the Mahānirvāna Tantra.
2 Ether.
3 The Bīja Krīng is here being formed. Kakāra=Kālī; Ra-kāra=
Brahmā as fire; Īkāra=Mahāmāyā. Anusvāra or Chandrabindu (Ng) is divided into two—viz., Nāda, which is Vishvamātā, or Mother of the Universe; and Bindu, which is Duhkhahara, or remover of pain (Bījakosha).
4 Places of pilgrimage where the devotees bathe. It also means sacred waters.
5 Fire.
6 Air.
7 Gagana, or Ether.
8 That is, from Krīng as composed of Ka+Ra+Ī+Ng.
9 Krīng.
“Half of Shiva” (Shivārddha).—By this is meant that here Shiva is in the form of Arddha-nārīshvara. Half is Shakti which is Nāda.
“Like a plough” (Sirakāra).—The word Sirā is spelt here with a short i, and in Amara-Kosha it is spelt with a long ī; but it is clearly the same word, as it begins with a dental s.
Cf. “Above it is Mahānāda, in form like a plough, and lustrous” (Īshvara-kārtikeya-Sangvāda).¹
If the text is read as “Shivākāra instead of Sirākāra,” then the meaning would be that the Nāda is Shiva-Shaktimaya.²
Cf. Prayoga-sāra: “That Shakti which tends towards the seat of Liberation³ is called male (Pungrūpā—that is, Bindu) when, quickened by Nāda, She turns towards Shiva⁴ (Shivonmukhī).” It is therefore that Rāghava-Bhatta has said that “Nāda and Bindu are the conditions under which She creates”.⁵
It has elsewhere been said: “She is eternal⁶ existing as Chit (Chinmātrā)⁷: when being near the Light She is desirous of change, She becomes massive (Ghanī-bhūya) and Bindu.”
1 i.e., Sammohana Tantra. Ed., R. M. Chattopadhyāya.
2 That is, its substance is Shiva and Shakti.
3 Nirāmaya-padōnmukhī=she who is turned to the place of Liberation: that is Shakti in the supreme state.
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