The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
Within its middle space (i.e., middle of the Nirvānakalā) shines the Supreme and Primordial Nirvāna Shakti¹; She is lustrous like ten million suns, and is the Mother of the three worlds. She is extremely subtle, and like unto the ten-millionth part of the end of a hair. She contains within Her the constantly flowing stream of gladness,² and is the life of all beings. She graciously carries the knowledge of the Truth (Tattva)³ to the mind of the sages.
COMMENTARY
He now speaks of the Para-Bindu.
“Its” (Etasyāh)—i.e., of the Nirvāna Kalā.
“Middle” (Madhya-deshe).—Within the lap.⁴
“The Supreme and Primordial Nirvāna Shakti” (Paramā- pūrva-nirvāna-shaktih=paramā apūrva-nirvāna-shaktih).—Paramā⁵ —i.e., the Supreme Brahman as Shakti. Apūrvā—i.e., She before whom there was nothing, She having appeared at the beginning of creation.
1 This is, according to Vishvanātha, the Samanāpada or Samanī
Shakti. This state is not free from the multitude of bonds (Pāshajāla).
2 Prema. See notes, post.
3 This word “Tattva” has by Vishvanātha been said to be Shivā- bhedajnānam—i.e., the non-distinction between Shiva and Shivā.
4 That is, within the crescent. According to Vishvanātha the locative indicates proximity and means near the middle but slightly above it.
5 This word has been defined by Shangkara to mean “She who is as great as the Para or Supreme”. Vishvanātha says it means “She who measures futurity (Para=Uttarakāla)”—that is, all future time is in Her control.
“Shines” (Vilasati paramā)¹—i.e., dwells resplendent.
“Mother of the three worlds” (Tri-bhuvana-jananī)—i.e., She is the origin of the Universe which comprises Svarga, Martya, and Pātāla and the like.²
“She is extremely subtle, like unto the ten-millionth part of the end of a hair” (Keshāgrasya koti-bhāgaikarūpā’tisūkshmā).—As She is like the ten-millionth part of the end of a hair, She is extremely subtle.
“She contains within Her the constantly flowing stream of gladness” (Niravadhi-vigalati-prema-dhārā-dharā).—Prema is the tenderness of mind produced by feeling of gladness; that is, She holds within Her the stream of excellent nectar which has its origin in the blissful union of Shiva and Shakti, and which flows incessantly.
“Is the life of all beings” (Sarveshāng jīva-bhūtā—i.e., animated being is but a part of Her.
Cf. “O Devī, as sparks fly forth from a flame, so does the Parabindu (as Jīva) issue from Her (Nirvāna Shakti), and becomes knowing³ when it touches the Earth.”⁴
By “Her” is meant the Shakti who is in the Parabindu, who is both Shiva and Shakti; and from Her emanates the Jīva.
Nirvāna Shakti is situated below Nirvāna-kalā, and over Nibodhikā,⁵ which is Nāda-rūpā.⁶ Cf. “Placed within Nirvāna (Kalā) is the fiery (Vahnirūpā) Nibodhikā, who is unmanifested Nāda⁷; above it is the supreme Nirvāna-Shakti, who is the cause
1 Paramā—She who is coexistant or of equal degree with the Supreme (Para) or she who knows the Supreme. This is as applied to Māyā.
2 Heaven, Earth, and Netherworld.
3 Saṁjnāyuktah. i.e., Jīva-consciousness. It may also mean ‘becomes endowed with a name’. Name and form characterise the world as Sat, Chit and Ānanda do Brahman.
Cf. Asti bhāti priyang rūpang nāma chetyangsha-panchakam Ādyang trayang Brahma-rūpang jagadrūpang tato dvayam.
4 Yadā bhūmau patati tadā saṁjnāyukto bhavati. The creation of
Jīva is here spoken of. The Text quoted in from Nirvānatantra I.
5 See Introduction, and note to v. 40, particularly the portion dealing with Nāda, Bodhinī and Bindu.
6 That is Shakti, as Nāda.
Avyakta-nāda—unmanifested sound.
of all and is possessed of the lustre of ten million suns. It is in
Her that there is the Brahman¹ who is the changeless Shiva² it is here that Kundalī Shakti enjoys with Paramātmā.”
Nibodhikā is a phase of Avyakta-nāda (Avyakta-nādātmikā), and is fire-like. Rāghava-bhatta says: “Nāda exists in three states. When Tamo-guna is dominant, it is merely sound unmanifest (Avyakta-nāda)³ in the nature of Dhvani; when Rajo-guna is more dominant, there is sound in which there is somewhat of a placing of the letters⁴; when the Sattvaguna preponderates, Nāda assumes the form of Bindu.”⁵ Hence Nāda, Bindu, and Nibodhikā, are respectively the Sun, the Moon, and Fire,⁶ and their activities are Jnāna, Ichchhā, and Kriyā. Jnāna, again, is Fire, Ichchhā the Moon, and Kriyā the Sun. This has been said in the Shāradā. Therefore, insomuch as it has been said that Nirvāna Shakti is above the fiery (Vahnirūpā) Nibodhikā, the wise should conclude that Nirvāna-Shakti is placed above the Mandalas of the Sun, the Moon, and Fire.
This has been clearly stated in the Kulārnava Tantra, in the Para-Brahma-dhyāna, which begins, “The Bindu-rūpa Para
1 Niranjana. This word may either be equal to Nih+anjana (i.e., stainless) or Nih+anjana (unaffected by pleasure or pain, unmoved). It is one of the aspects of the Brahman.
2 Nirvikāra. Some read Nirvikalpa, or of unconditioned consciousness. Nirvikalpa is also the last stage of Samādhi, in which there are no (Nir) specific distinctions (Vikalpa): and no “this” and “that.”
3 Tamo-gunādhikyena kevaladhvanyātmako’vyaktanādah.
4 Raja ādhikyena kinchidvarna-baddha-nyāsātmakah. The sense appears to be that the letters exist anyhow together in massive undifferentiated form.
5 Sattvādhikyena vindu-rūpah.
Within its middle space (i.e., middle of the Nirvānakalā) shines the Supreme and Primordial Nirvāna Shakti¹; She is lustrous like ten million suns, and is the Mother of the three worlds. She is extremely subtle, and like unto the ten-millionth part of the end of a hair. She contains within Her the constantly flowing stream of gladness,² and is the life of all beings. She graciously carries the knowledge of the Truth (Tattva)³ to the mind of the sages.
COMMENTARY
He now speaks of the Para-Bindu.
“Its” (Etasyāh)—i.e., of the Nirvāna Kalā.
“Middle” (Madhya-deshe).—Within the lap.⁴
“The Supreme and Primordial Nirvāna Shakti” (Paramā- pūrva-nirvāna-shaktih=paramā apūrva-nirvāna-shaktih).—Paramā⁵ —i.e., the Supreme Brahman as Shakti. Apūrvā—i.e., She before whom there was nothing, She having appeared at the beginning of creation.
1 This is, according to Vishvanātha, the Samanāpada or Samanī
Shakti. This state is not free from the multitude of bonds (Pāshajāla).
2 Prema. See notes, post.
3 This word “Tattva” has by Vishvanātha been said to be Shivā- bhedajnānam—i.e., the non-distinction between Shiva and Shivā.
4 That is, within the crescent. According to Vishvanātha the locative indicates proximity and means near the middle but slightly above it.
5 This word has been defined by Shangkara to mean “She who is as great as the Para or Supreme”. Vishvanātha says it means “She who measures futurity (Para=Uttarakāla)”—that is, all future time is in Her control.
“Shines” (Vilasati paramā)¹—i.e., dwells resplendent.
“Mother of the three worlds” (Tri-bhuvana-jananī)—i.e., She is the origin of the Universe which comprises Svarga, Martya, and Pātāla and the like.²
“She is extremely subtle, like unto the ten-millionth part of the end of a hair” (Keshāgrasya koti-bhāgaikarūpā’tisūkshmā).—As She is like the ten-millionth part of the end of a hair, She is extremely subtle.
“She contains within Her the constantly flowing stream of gladness” (Niravadhi-vigalati-prema-dhārā-dharā).—Prema is the tenderness of mind produced by feeling of gladness; that is, She holds within Her the stream of excellent nectar which has its origin in the blissful union of Shiva and Shakti, and which flows incessantly.
“Is the life of all beings” (Sarveshāng jīva-bhūtā—i.e., animated being is but a part of Her.
Cf. “O Devī, as sparks fly forth from a flame, so does the Parabindu (as Jīva) issue from Her (Nirvāna Shakti), and becomes knowing³ when it touches the Earth.”⁴
By “Her” is meant the Shakti who is in the Parabindu, who is both Shiva and Shakti; and from Her emanates the Jīva.
Nirvāna Shakti is situated below Nirvāna-kalā, and over Nibodhikā,⁵ which is Nāda-rūpā.⁶ Cf. “Placed within Nirvāna (Kalā) is the fiery (Vahnirūpā) Nibodhikā, who is unmanifested Nāda⁷; above it is the supreme Nirvāna-Shakti, who is the cause
1 Paramā—She who is coexistant or of equal degree with the Supreme (Para) or she who knows the Supreme. This is as applied to Māyā.
2 Heaven, Earth, and Netherworld.
3 Saṁjnāyuktah. i.e., Jīva-consciousness. It may also mean ‘becomes endowed with a name’. Name and form characterise the world as Sat, Chit and Ānanda do Brahman.
Cf. Asti bhāti priyang rūpang nāma chetyangsha-panchakam Ādyang trayang Brahma-rūpang jagadrūpang tato dvayam.
4 Yadā bhūmau patati tadā saṁjnāyukto bhavati. The creation of
Jīva is here spoken of. The Text quoted in from Nirvānatantra I.
5 See Introduction, and note to v. 40, particularly the portion dealing with Nāda, Bodhinī and Bindu.
6 That is Shakti, as Nāda.
Avyakta-nāda—unmanifested sound.
of all and is possessed of the lustre of ten million suns. It is in
Her that there is the Brahman¹ who is the changeless Shiva² it is here that Kundalī Shakti enjoys with Paramātmā.”
Nibodhikā is a phase of Avyakta-nāda (Avyakta-nādātmikā), and is fire-like. Rāghava-bhatta says: “Nāda exists in three states. When Tamo-guna is dominant, it is merely sound unmanifest (Avyakta-nāda)³ in the nature of Dhvani; when Rajo-guna is more dominant, there is sound in which there is somewhat of a placing of the letters⁴; when the Sattvaguna preponderates, Nāda assumes the form of Bindu.”⁵ Hence Nāda, Bindu, and Nibodhikā, are respectively the Sun, the Moon, and Fire,⁶ and their activities are Jnāna, Ichchhā, and Kriyā. Jnāna, again, is Fire, Ichchhā the Moon, and Kriyā the Sun. This has been said in the Shāradā. Therefore, insomuch as it has been said that Nirvāna Shakti is above the fiery (Vahnirūpā) Nibodhikā, the wise should conclude that Nirvāna-Shakti is placed above the Mandalas of the Sun, the Moon, and Fire.
This has been clearly stated in the Kulārnava Tantra, in the Para-Brahma-dhyāna, which begins, “The Bindu-rūpa Para
1 Niranjana. This word may either be equal to Nih+anjana (i.e., stainless) or Nih+anjana (unaffected by pleasure or pain, unmoved). It is one of the aspects of the Brahman.
2 Nirvikāra. Some read Nirvikalpa, or of unconditioned consciousness. Nirvikalpa is also the last stage of Samādhi, in which there are no (Nir) specific distinctions (Vikalpa): and no “this” and “that.”
3 Tamo-gunādhikyena kevaladhvanyātmako’vyaktanādah.
4 Raja ādhikyena kinchidvarna-baddha-nyāsātmakah. The sense appears to be that the letters exist anyhow together in massive undifferentiated form.
5 Sattvādhikyena vindu-rūpah.
No commentary for this page.