The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
The Mahākāli Tantra speaks clearly on the subject (Patala I): “In the empty space³ in the Chandra Mandala⁴ which is within the Sahasrāra, adorned with a celestial gateway, are the letters Hang and Sah, over which (meditate on) Him who is pure like rock crystal and dressed in pure white silken raiment, and so forth.” Here the letters Hang and Sah are explicitly spoken of.
Or if Hangsa and Parama be read separately as Hangsa and Parama, it would mean “He who is known as Hangsa and Parama”. The Author himself speaks of Him as Hangsah in the forty-ninth verse. Or if the two words be read together, then the meaning would be “He who is known by the name of Parama-hangsah,” by one of the exceptional rules of Karmadhāraya Samāsa this word having been formed, the word ‘antah’ being omitted. Cf. Āgama-kalpa-druma: “He is called Parama-hangsah, pervading all that is moving and motionless.”
1 Vide ante, v. 39. The text quoted here differs from that of the
Edition published by me (See ch. I, vv. 41—44, Tantrik Texts,
Vol. III).
2 Vichikīrshu—“wishes to distort herself.” Here “distortion,” or stress, is creatiou. See Introduction. Vide ante, p. 99.
3 Shūnya. The Shūnya is the empty space within the Bindu.
4 The locative is to be read Sāmīpye saptamī—that is, the space is not in, but near, the Chandramandala; otherwise there appears to be a contradiction.
“Who is the ever flowing,” etc. (Sakala-sukha-santāna-laharī- parīvāha)—i.e., in Him becomes manifest in every possible way all kinds of imperishable and increasing happiness; that is, He is, as it were, an interminable chain of happiness.
It has previously been said that this Hangsa is below Parama
Shiva.
Plate XII. UDDIYĀNA BANDHA IN SIDDHĀSANA—2nd STAGE
(Vide pp. 208 and 212)
To face p. 120.
Verse 44
THE Shaivas call it the abode of Shiva¹; the Vaishnavas call it Parama Purusha²; others, again, call it the place of Hari-Hara.³ Those who are filled with a passion for the Lotus feet of the Devī⁴ call it the excellent abode of the Devī; and other great sages (Munis) call it the pure place of Prakriti-Purusha.⁵
COMMENTARY
As Hangsah, who has in Him all the Devatās (Sarvadevatā- maya), and others, are in this pericarp, it is the place of the Devatās of worship of all classes of worshippers, such as Shaivas, Shāktas, etc.
“The Shaivas”—i.e., the worshippers of Shiva—call it the place of Shiva.
“The Vaishnavas⁶ call it Parama Purusha”—i.e., the place of the Parama Purusha, or Vishnu.
“Others, again” (Kechid apare)—i.e., others who are worshippers of Hari-Hara, or, in other words, United Vishnu and Shiva and not of Shiva alone or Vishnu alone, call it the place of Hari- Hara.⁷ They do not call it either the place of Hari (Vishnu) or of Shiva (Hara) but the place of their united selves.
1 Shiva-sthānam.
2 i.e., the place of Parama Purusha—Vishnu.
3 Vishnu and Shiva.
4 Shakti, or the Goddess.
5 Shakti-Shiva.
6 Worshippers of Vishnu.
7 Hari-Hara-padam.
“Other great sages¹” (Munīndrā apyanye).—By this the author here means the worshippers of the “Hangsah” Mantra who call it the pure place of Prakriti-Purusha. Hangsah is the union of Prakriti and Purusha,² hence it is the place of Prakriti and Purusha.
The above shows that, as this Lotus is the dwelling-place of the Para Bindu, in which are all the Devatās, each worshipper calls it the place of the Devatā of his own separate worship.
1 Muni means “knower” and whose Mind is therefore always in a state of Meditation.
2 Hangsasya prakriti-purushobhayarūpatvāt. Hang is the Purusha, and Sah is Prakriti.
Verse 45
THAT most excellent of men who has controlled his mind¹ and known this place is never again born in the Wandering,² as there is nothing in the three worlds which binds him. His mind being controlled and his aim achieved, he possesses complete power to do all which he wishes, and to prevent that which is contrary to his will. He ever moves towards the Brahman.³ His speech, whether in prose or verse, is ever pure and sweet.
COMMENTARY
In this verse he speaks of the fruit of a complete knowledge of the Sahasrāra. The idea sought to be conveyed is that a knowledge of this place should be gained as a whole and in detail.
“Who has controlled his mind” (Niyata-nija-chitta)—i.e., he who has controlled and concentrated the inner faculties on this place. Such an one becomes free from Sangsāra, or, in other words, he is released from bondage, as there is nothing to bind or attract him in these worlds. By bondage is meant the Māyik bonds of virtue (Punya) and sin (Pāpa).
The Bhāgavata says: “If the action which is the product of the operation of the Gunas is attributed to the self, then such
1 Chitta.
2 Sangsāra, the world of birth and rebirth to which men are impelled by their Karma.
3 The interpretation of Vishvanātha is here adopted, according to which Kha=Brahman. As the term also means the “air” or “ether,” the text is capable of translation as “He is able to roam the sky”.
(false) attribution is bondage and Sangsāra and servitude.” Also cf. Bhagavad-Gītā: “O Son of Kuntī, Man is bound by action which is the product of his own nature (Sva-bhāva).”¹
To inhabit this body for the purpose of undergoing Pāpa (sin) and Punya (virtue) is bondage. In heaven one enjoys (the fruit of) Punya, and in the nether world (Pātāla) one suffers sorrow, and on earth man is subject to both Pāpa and Punya. For the Tattva-jnānī (him who knows the truth) there is neither Punya nor Pāpa, which are the causes of bondage; his accumulated (Sanchita) Karma of merit (Punya) and demerit (Pāpa) is also
The Mahākāli Tantra speaks clearly on the subject (Patala I): “In the empty space³ in the Chandra Mandala⁴ which is within the Sahasrāra, adorned with a celestial gateway, are the letters Hang and Sah, over which (meditate on) Him who is pure like rock crystal and dressed in pure white silken raiment, and so forth.” Here the letters Hang and Sah are explicitly spoken of.
Or if Hangsa and Parama be read separately as Hangsa and Parama, it would mean “He who is known as Hangsa and Parama”. The Author himself speaks of Him as Hangsah in the forty-ninth verse. Or if the two words be read together, then the meaning would be “He who is known by the name of Parama-hangsah,” by one of the exceptional rules of Karmadhāraya Samāsa this word having been formed, the word ‘antah’ being omitted. Cf. Āgama-kalpa-druma: “He is called Parama-hangsah, pervading all that is moving and motionless.”
1 Vide ante, v. 39. The text quoted here differs from that of the
Edition published by me (See ch. I, vv. 41—44, Tantrik Texts,
Vol. III).
2 Vichikīrshu—“wishes to distort herself.” Here “distortion,” or stress, is creatiou. See Introduction. Vide ante, p. 99.
3 Shūnya. The Shūnya is the empty space within the Bindu.
4 The locative is to be read Sāmīpye saptamī—that is, the space is not in, but near, the Chandramandala; otherwise there appears to be a contradiction.
“Who is the ever flowing,” etc. (Sakala-sukha-santāna-laharī- parīvāha)—i.e., in Him becomes manifest in every possible way all kinds of imperishable and increasing happiness; that is, He is, as it were, an interminable chain of happiness.
It has previously been said that this Hangsa is below Parama
Shiva.
Plate XII. UDDIYĀNA BANDHA IN SIDDHĀSANA—2nd STAGE
(Vide pp. 208 and 212)
To face p. 120.
Verse 44
THE Shaivas call it the abode of Shiva¹; the Vaishnavas call it Parama Purusha²; others, again, call it the place of Hari-Hara.³ Those who are filled with a passion for the Lotus feet of the Devī⁴ call it the excellent abode of the Devī; and other great sages (Munis) call it the pure place of Prakriti-Purusha.⁵
COMMENTARY
As Hangsah, who has in Him all the Devatās (Sarvadevatā- maya), and others, are in this pericarp, it is the place of the Devatās of worship of all classes of worshippers, such as Shaivas, Shāktas, etc.
“The Shaivas”—i.e., the worshippers of Shiva—call it the place of Shiva.
“The Vaishnavas⁶ call it Parama Purusha”—i.e., the place of the Parama Purusha, or Vishnu.
“Others, again” (Kechid apare)—i.e., others who are worshippers of Hari-Hara, or, in other words, United Vishnu and Shiva and not of Shiva alone or Vishnu alone, call it the place of Hari- Hara.⁷ They do not call it either the place of Hari (Vishnu) or of Shiva (Hara) but the place of their united selves.
1 Shiva-sthānam.
2 i.e., the place of Parama Purusha—Vishnu.
3 Vishnu and Shiva.
4 Shakti, or the Goddess.
5 Shakti-Shiva.
6 Worshippers of Vishnu.
7 Hari-Hara-padam.
“Other great sages¹” (Munīndrā apyanye).—By this the author here means the worshippers of the “Hangsah” Mantra who call it the pure place of Prakriti-Purusha. Hangsah is the union of Prakriti and Purusha,² hence it is the place of Prakriti and Purusha.
The above shows that, as this Lotus is the dwelling-place of the Para Bindu, in which are all the Devatās, each worshipper calls it the place of the Devatā of his own separate worship.
1 Muni means “knower” and whose Mind is therefore always in a state of Meditation.
2 Hangsasya prakriti-purushobhayarūpatvāt. Hang is the Purusha, and Sah is Prakriti.
Verse 45
THAT most excellent of men who has controlled his mind¹ and known this place is never again born in the Wandering,² as there is nothing in the three worlds which binds him. His mind being controlled and his aim achieved, he possesses complete power to do all which he wishes, and to prevent that which is contrary to his will. He ever moves towards the Brahman.³ His speech, whether in prose or verse, is ever pure and sweet.
COMMENTARY
In this verse he speaks of the fruit of a complete knowledge of the Sahasrāra. The idea sought to be conveyed is that a knowledge of this place should be gained as a whole and in detail.
“Who has controlled his mind” (Niyata-nija-chitta)—i.e., he who has controlled and concentrated the inner faculties on this place. Such an one becomes free from Sangsāra, or, in other words, he is released from bondage, as there is nothing to bind or attract him in these worlds. By bondage is meant the Māyik bonds of virtue (Punya) and sin (Pāpa).
The Bhāgavata says: “If the action which is the product of the operation of the Gunas is attributed to the self, then such
1 Chitta.
2 Sangsāra, the world of birth and rebirth to which men are impelled by their Karma.
3 The interpretation of Vishvanātha is here adopted, according to which Kha=Brahman. As the term also means the “air” or “ether,” the text is capable of translation as “He is able to roam the sky”.
(false) attribution is bondage and Sangsāra and servitude.” Also cf. Bhagavad-Gītā: “O Son of Kuntī, Man is bound by action which is the product of his own nature (Sva-bhāva).”¹
To inhabit this body for the purpose of undergoing Pāpa (sin) and Punya (virtue) is bondage. In heaven one enjoys (the fruit of) Punya, and in the nether world (Pātāla) one suffers sorrow, and on earth man is subject to both Pāpa and Punya. For the Tattva-jnānī (him who knows the truth) there is neither Punya nor Pāpa, which are the causes of bondage; his accumulated (Sanchita) Karma of merit (Punya) and demerit (Pāpa) is also
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