The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
destroyed. He is in consequence under no bondage whether in heaven (Svarga), earth (Martya), or nether world (Pātāla), and he is not truly embodied.² Such a one stays on earth so long only as he has not worked out what he has begun. He is liberated though living (Jīvanmukta), and attains complete Liberation on the dissolution of the body.
The Kulārnava Tantra says: “Those who have the Brahman in the heart can acquire neither merit by performing a hundred horse sacrifices, nor demerit by killing a hundred Brāhmanas.” The Gītā (III, 18) also says: “For him there is nothing in this world that should or should not be done. For such a one there is no dependence on any being.”³
The Subodhinī⁴ interprets this verse to mean that the “knower” (Tattvajnānī) acquires no merit by the performances of actions nor demerit by the omission thereof.
Shruti⁵ speaks of the destruction of accumulated (Sanchita) Punya and Pāpa: “When Manas, which is now selecting and now rejecting, is dissolved in That; when Pāpa and Punya are destroyed (lit., burnt), Sadāshiva, who is Shakti and Ātmā
1 Ch. XVIII, v. 60.
2 Na sharīrī bhavati—though he has a body, he is not of it.
3 Telang’s Translation: “He has no interest at all in what is done, and none whatever in what is not done, in this world; nor is any interest of his dependent on any being” (p. 54, Sacred Books of the East, Vol. VIII).
4 That is, Shrīdhara-svāmī’s Commentary on the Gītā.
5 The text quoted is from Hangsa Upanishad but differs slightly from the published texts of that Upanishad.
p. 125
(cf. Hangsah, ante), is Shānta¹.” Cf. Bhagavad-Gītā: “And so the fire of knowledge destroys all actions.”²
“Complete power” (Samagrā shaktih)—i.e., power which enables him to do everything. By power, or Shakti, is meant ability to do all he desires to do³ and counteract all harm, to fly across the air,⁴ and to become possessed of great powers of speech and of poetic composition.
1 That is, peace and quietude like the still surface of an ocean characteristic of the Supreme State.
2 IV, 37.
3 Such an one may have such a power but will not wrongly exercise it.
4 Khagati; this is Kālīcharana’s interpretation; as to Vishvanātha, see p. 123, n. 3, ante.
Verse 46
HERE is the excellent (supreme) sixteenth Kalā of the Moon. She is pure, and resembles (in colour) the young Sun. She is as thin as the hundredth part of a fibre in the stalk of a lotus. She is lustrous¹ and soft like ten million lightning flashes, and is down-turned. From Her, whose source is the Brahman, flows copiously the continuous stream of nectar² (or, She is the receptacle of the stream of excellent nectar which comes from the blissful union of Para and Parā).³
COMMENTARY
Verses 41 and 42 speak of the presence of Amākalā, Nirvāna-kalā, and Para Bindu, within the triangle in the pericarp of the Sahasrāra. He now desires to describe them by their distinctive attributes, and speaks in this verse of the distinctive features of Amā-kalā.
“Excellent or supreme” (Parā)—i.e., She is Chit Shakti.
In the Prabhāsa-khanda occurs the following passage: “The
excellent Māyā who maintains the bodies of all that have bodies.”
This is attributive of Amā.
1 Kālīcharana reads “Vidyotitā,” but Shangkara reads “Nityoditā,”
“constantly shining.”
2 Alternative reading of Commentator: Nityānanda-paramparātivigalat-pīyūsha-dhārā-dharā. Paramparā may mean “in a continuous course,” or Param may mean Shiva and Parā, Shakti. This difference in meaning is due to the different ways in which these words may be read.
3 Parā, according to Shangkara, may mean Parā, Pashyantī, Mudhyamā, and Vaikharī collectively. Para and Parā are the Bindurūpa Shiva and Shakti.
“The sixteenth Kalā of the Moon” (Chandrasya shodashī).— By this we are to understand that he is speaking of Amā-kalā.¹
“Pure” (Shuddhā)—i.e., stainless.
“She resembles,” etc. (Shishu-sūryya-sodara-kalā).—By this the redness of this Kalā is indicated.
“Thin as the hundredth part of a fibre in the stalk of the lotus” (Nīraja-sūkshma-tantu-shatadhā-bhāgaika-rūpā).—Thin like a hundredth part of the fibre in the lotus-stalk split lengthwise.
“Whose source is the Brahman” (Nityānanda-paramparā).—
Nityānanda=Pūrnānanda=Brahman.
“Flows,” etc. (Ativigalat-pīyūsha-dhārā-dharā).—If the last two compound words be read as one long compound word, as follows, Pūrnānanda-paramparātivigalat-pīyūsha-dhārā-dharā, the meaning of it will be as given within brackets at the end of the verse. Ānanda will then mean the joy of union, and Param-Parā will then mean Shiva and Shakti.
Para=Bindurūpa, Shivā. Parā=Prakriti, Shakti. Ānanda is the joy which arises from the union of the two, and from such union flows the nectar of which Amā-kalā is the receptacle.
1 Vishvanātha says that this Amā-kalā is Ūrddhavashaktirūpā, or the upward (towards the Brahman) moving Shakti.
p. 128
Verse 47
Inside it (Amā-kalā) is Nirvāna-kalā, more excellent than the excellent. She is as subtle as the thousandth part of the end of a hair, and of the shape of the crescent moon. She is the ever-existent Bhagavatī, who is the Devatā who pervades all beings. She grants divine knowledge, and is as lustrous as the light of all the suns shining at one and the same time.
COMMENTARY
In this verse the Nirvāna Kalā is described.
“Inside it” (Tadantargatā)—i.e., placed in the lap¹ of Amā-kalā. The Kalā has already been described² as the “crescent seventeenth Kalā placed within Amā, and known by the name of Nirvānakalā.”
“More excellent than the excellent” (Parā paratarā).—The Amā-kalā is excellent; this is more excellent than Amā. If ‘Parātparatarā’ be accepted for ‘Parā paratarā,’ then the meaning will be that She is the most excellent.
“She is as subtle . . . hair” (Keshāgrasya sahasradhā vibhajitasyaikāngsha-rūpā).—She is equal in dimension to the thousandth part of the end of a hair, so very subtle is She.
“Of the Shape of the crescent Moon” (Chandrārdhāṁga-samānabhaṁguravatī)—like Amākalā she is in shape like the crescent.
1 That is, within the curve of Amākalā. Vishvanātha says, not within Amākalā, but within the Chandramandala, of which the Amā- kalā is one of the digits. Nirvānakalā is, he says, Vyāpinītattva.
2 See p. 112, ante.
Plate XIII. MAHĀBANDHA
To face p. 128.
“That Devatā who pervades all beings” (Bhūtānām adhidaivatam).—Adhi-daivatam=Hārdda-chaitanyam,³ and this Kalā is Hārdda-chaitanya-svarūpā of all beings.
“She grants divine knowledge” (Nitya-prabodhodayā)—i.e.,
She grants Tattva-jnāna, or knowledge of the Brahman.
“And is lustrous etc.” (Sarvārka-tulya-prabhā).—There are twelve suns (Dvādashāditya). “When all the twelve suns are shining”—such is Her lustre. This adjective also implies that She is red.
1 Hārdda-chaitanyam. Amara defines Hārdda to mean Prema, Sneha—i.e., affection, love. That is, the Ishtadevatā worshipped in the heart; the Shakti who is Herself the heart of the Lord. The word is derived from hrid=heart. The Devatā also exists as what is called the Hārddakalā. See Introduction.
p. 130
Verse 48
destroyed. He is in consequence under no bondage whether in heaven (Svarga), earth (Martya), or nether world (Pātāla), and he is not truly embodied.² Such a one stays on earth so long only as he has not worked out what he has begun. He is liberated though living (Jīvanmukta), and attains complete Liberation on the dissolution of the body.
The Kulārnava Tantra says: “Those who have the Brahman in the heart can acquire neither merit by performing a hundred horse sacrifices, nor demerit by killing a hundred Brāhmanas.” The Gītā (III, 18) also says: “For him there is nothing in this world that should or should not be done. For such a one there is no dependence on any being.”³
The Subodhinī⁴ interprets this verse to mean that the “knower” (Tattvajnānī) acquires no merit by the performances of actions nor demerit by the omission thereof.
Shruti⁵ speaks of the destruction of accumulated (Sanchita) Punya and Pāpa: “When Manas, which is now selecting and now rejecting, is dissolved in That; when Pāpa and Punya are destroyed (lit., burnt), Sadāshiva, who is Shakti and Ātmā
1 Ch. XVIII, v. 60.
2 Na sharīrī bhavati—though he has a body, he is not of it.
3 Telang’s Translation: “He has no interest at all in what is done, and none whatever in what is not done, in this world; nor is any interest of his dependent on any being” (p. 54, Sacred Books of the East, Vol. VIII).
4 That is, Shrīdhara-svāmī’s Commentary on the Gītā.
5 The text quoted is from Hangsa Upanishad but differs slightly from the published texts of that Upanishad.
p. 125
(cf. Hangsah, ante), is Shānta¹.” Cf. Bhagavad-Gītā: “And so the fire of knowledge destroys all actions.”²
“Complete power” (Samagrā shaktih)—i.e., power which enables him to do everything. By power, or Shakti, is meant ability to do all he desires to do³ and counteract all harm, to fly across the air,⁴ and to become possessed of great powers of speech and of poetic composition.
1 That is, peace and quietude like the still surface of an ocean characteristic of the Supreme State.
2 IV, 37.
3 Such an one may have such a power but will not wrongly exercise it.
4 Khagati; this is Kālīcharana’s interpretation; as to Vishvanātha, see p. 123, n. 3, ante.
Verse 46
HERE is the excellent (supreme) sixteenth Kalā of the Moon. She is pure, and resembles (in colour) the young Sun. She is as thin as the hundredth part of a fibre in the stalk of a lotus. She is lustrous¹ and soft like ten million lightning flashes, and is down-turned. From Her, whose source is the Brahman, flows copiously the continuous stream of nectar² (or, She is the receptacle of the stream of excellent nectar which comes from the blissful union of Para and Parā).³
COMMENTARY
Verses 41 and 42 speak of the presence of Amākalā, Nirvāna-kalā, and Para Bindu, within the triangle in the pericarp of the Sahasrāra. He now desires to describe them by their distinctive attributes, and speaks in this verse of the distinctive features of Amā-kalā.
“Excellent or supreme” (Parā)—i.e., She is Chit Shakti.
In the Prabhāsa-khanda occurs the following passage: “The
excellent Māyā who maintains the bodies of all that have bodies.”
This is attributive of Amā.
1 Kālīcharana reads “Vidyotitā,” but Shangkara reads “Nityoditā,”
“constantly shining.”
2 Alternative reading of Commentator: Nityānanda-paramparātivigalat-pīyūsha-dhārā-dharā. Paramparā may mean “in a continuous course,” or Param may mean Shiva and Parā, Shakti. This difference in meaning is due to the different ways in which these words may be read.
3 Parā, according to Shangkara, may mean Parā, Pashyantī, Mudhyamā, and Vaikharī collectively. Para and Parā are the Bindurūpa Shiva and Shakti.
“The sixteenth Kalā of the Moon” (Chandrasya shodashī).— By this we are to understand that he is speaking of Amā-kalā.¹
“Pure” (Shuddhā)—i.e., stainless.
“She resembles,” etc. (Shishu-sūryya-sodara-kalā).—By this the redness of this Kalā is indicated.
“Thin as the hundredth part of a fibre in the stalk of the lotus” (Nīraja-sūkshma-tantu-shatadhā-bhāgaika-rūpā).—Thin like a hundredth part of the fibre in the lotus-stalk split lengthwise.
“Whose source is the Brahman” (Nityānanda-paramparā).—
Nityānanda=Pūrnānanda=Brahman.
“Flows,” etc. (Ativigalat-pīyūsha-dhārā-dharā).—If the last two compound words be read as one long compound word, as follows, Pūrnānanda-paramparātivigalat-pīyūsha-dhārā-dharā, the meaning of it will be as given within brackets at the end of the verse. Ānanda will then mean the joy of union, and Param-Parā will then mean Shiva and Shakti.
Para=Bindurūpa, Shivā. Parā=Prakriti, Shakti. Ānanda is the joy which arises from the union of the two, and from such union flows the nectar of which Amā-kalā is the receptacle.
1 Vishvanātha says that this Amā-kalā is Ūrddhavashaktirūpā, or the upward (towards the Brahman) moving Shakti.
p. 128
Verse 47
Inside it (Amā-kalā) is Nirvāna-kalā, more excellent than the excellent. She is as subtle as the thousandth part of the end of a hair, and of the shape of the crescent moon. She is the ever-existent Bhagavatī, who is the Devatā who pervades all beings. She grants divine knowledge, and is as lustrous as the light of all the suns shining at one and the same time.
COMMENTARY
In this verse the Nirvāna Kalā is described.
“Inside it” (Tadantargatā)—i.e., placed in the lap¹ of Amā-kalā. The Kalā has already been described² as the “crescent seventeenth Kalā placed within Amā, and known by the name of Nirvānakalā.”
“More excellent than the excellent” (Parā paratarā).—The Amā-kalā is excellent; this is more excellent than Amā. If ‘Parātparatarā’ be accepted for ‘Parā paratarā,’ then the meaning will be that She is the most excellent.
“She is as subtle . . . hair” (Keshāgrasya sahasradhā vibhajitasyaikāngsha-rūpā).—She is equal in dimension to the thousandth part of the end of a hair, so very subtle is She.
“Of the Shape of the crescent Moon” (Chandrārdhāṁga-samānabhaṁguravatī)—like Amākalā she is in shape like the crescent.
1 That is, within the curve of Amākalā. Vishvanātha says, not within Amākalā, but within the Chandramandala, of which the Amā- kalā is one of the digits. Nirvānakalā is, he says, Vyāpinītattva.
2 See p. 112, ante.
Plate XIII. MAHĀBANDHA
To face p. 128.
“That Devatā who pervades all beings” (Bhūtānām adhidaivatam).—Adhi-daivatam=Hārdda-chaitanyam,³ and this Kalā is Hārdda-chaitanya-svarūpā of all beings.
“She grants divine knowledge” (Nitya-prabodhodayā)—i.e.,
She grants Tattva-jnāna, or knowledge of the Brahman.
“And is lustrous etc.” (Sarvārka-tulya-prabhā).—There are twelve suns (Dvādashāditya). “When all the twelve suns are shining”—such is Her lustre. This adjective also implies that She is red.
1 Hārdda-chaitanyam. Amara defines Hārdda to mean Prema, Sneha—i.e., affection, love. That is, the Ishtadevatā worshipped in the heart; the Shakti who is Herself the heart of the Lord. The word is derived from hrid=heart. The Devatā also exists as what is called the Hārddakalā. See Introduction.
p. 130
Verse 48
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