The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
4 Jnānārnava Tantra, XXIV, 21.
5 Prādhānikang Brahma-pumān.
6 Kālikā Purāna, XXIV, v. 125.
7 Ch. I.
8 And so, also, the Shāktānandataraṁginī (Ch. I) says of the
Devī that Mahāmāyā without Māyā is Nirgunā, and with Māyā Sagunā.
p. 137
This shows that the Bindu is Saguna Brahman. We should know that Saguna Brahman is in reality but one, though He is called by different names according to the inclinations of men. There is no need to go into further details.
Summary of Verses 41 to 49
Above (the end) of the Sushumnā Nādī is the Lotus of a thousand petals; it is white and has its head downward turned; its filaments are red. The fifty letters of the Alphabet from A to La, which are also white, go round and round its thousand petals twenty times. On its pericarp is Hangsah, and above it is the Guru who is Parama-Shiva Himself. Above the Guru are the Sūryya and Chandra Mandalas, and above them Mahāvāyu. Over the latter is placed Brahmarandhra, and above it Mahāshangkhinī. In the Mandala of the Moon is the lightning-like triangle within which is the sixteenth Kalā¹ of the Moon, which is as fine as the hundredth part of the lotus-fibre, and of a red colour, with its mouth downward turned. In the lap of this Kalā is the Nirvāna- Kalā, subtle like the thousandth part of the end of a hair, also red and with the mouth downward turned. Below Nirvāna Kalā is the Fire called Nibodhikā, which is a form of Avyaktanāda.² Above it (Nibodhikā), and within Nirvānakalā, is Para Bindu, which is both Shiva and Shakti. The Shakti of this Para Bindu is the Nirvāna Shakti, who is Light (Tejas) and exists in the form of Hangsah (Hangsarūpā), and is subtle like the ten-millionth part of the end of a hair. That Hangsah is Jīva. Within the Bindu is the void (Shūnya) which is the Brahmapada (place of the Brahman).
According to the view expressed in the fifth chapter of the Āgama-kalpa-druma and other works, the triangle A-Ka- Tha³ is in the pericarp of the Sahasrāra. At its three corners are three Bindus: the lower Bindu at the apex of the triangle is Ha-kāra,⁴ and is male (Purusha); and the two
1 That is, Amākalā.
2 Avyakta-nādātmaka-nibodhikākhya-vahni.
3 That is, the letters arranged in the form of the triangle referred to in v. 4 of Pādukā-panchaka. The Devī is Mātrikā-mayī.
4 viz., Hang representing the “Male” Bindu.
Bindus at the corners constitute the Visarga in the form Sa¹ and represent Prakriti. Hangsah which is Purusha and Prakrit thus shows itself in the form of three Bindus. In its middle is Amākalā, and in Her lap is Nirvāna-Shakti, and the vacant space within Nirvāna-Shakti is Parabrahman. It has been said: “Within the Mandala of the moon in the white Lotus of a thousand petals shines like lightning the triangle A- Ka-Tha united with Ha-La-Ksha.² Within it, is the excellent (Para) Bindu (Shūnya), placed below Visarga. In this region is the downward-turned sixteenth Kalā, of the colour of the rising Sun, in shape like the crescent moon who discharges a stream of nectar, and within Her is Parā Shakti, possessing the effulgence of ten million suns. She is as subtle as the thousandth part of the Lotus fibre, and is Chidātmikā.³ Within Her is Bindu who is the Niranjana Purusha, who is beyond mind and speech and is Sachchidānanda, and Visarga (who is also there) is Prakriti. Hangsa who is both Pung⁴ and Prakriti shines by His own effulgence.”
4 Jnānārnava Tantra, XXIV, 21.
5 Prādhānikang Brahma-pumān.
6 Kālikā Purāna, XXIV, v. 125.
7 Ch. I.
8 And so, also, the Shāktānandataraṁginī (Ch. I) says of the
Devī that Mahāmāyā without Māyā is Nirgunā, and with Māyā Sagunā.
p. 137
This shows that the Bindu is Saguna Brahman. We should know that Saguna Brahman is in reality but one, though He is called by different names according to the inclinations of men. There is no need to go into further details.
Summary of Verses 41 to 49
Above (the end) of the Sushumnā Nādī is the Lotus of a thousand petals; it is white and has its head downward turned; its filaments are red. The fifty letters of the Alphabet from A to La, which are also white, go round and round its thousand petals twenty times. On its pericarp is Hangsah, and above it is the Guru who is Parama-Shiva Himself. Above the Guru are the Sūryya and Chandra Mandalas, and above them Mahāvāyu. Over the latter is placed Brahmarandhra, and above it Mahāshangkhinī. In the Mandala of the Moon is the lightning-like triangle within which is the sixteenth Kalā¹ of the Moon, which is as fine as the hundredth part of the lotus-fibre, and of a red colour, with its mouth downward turned. In the lap of this Kalā is the Nirvāna- Kalā, subtle like the thousandth part of the end of a hair, also red and with the mouth downward turned. Below Nirvāna Kalā is the Fire called Nibodhikā, which is a form of Avyaktanāda.² Above it (Nibodhikā), and within Nirvānakalā, is Para Bindu, which is both Shiva and Shakti. The Shakti of this Para Bindu is the Nirvāna Shakti, who is Light (Tejas) and exists in the form of Hangsah (Hangsarūpā), and is subtle like the ten-millionth part of the end of a hair. That Hangsah is Jīva. Within the Bindu is the void (Shūnya) which is the Brahmapada (place of the Brahman).
According to the view expressed in the fifth chapter of the Āgama-kalpa-druma and other works, the triangle A-Ka- Tha³ is in the pericarp of the Sahasrāra. At its three corners are three Bindus: the lower Bindu at the apex of the triangle is Ha-kāra,⁴ and is male (Purusha); and the two
1 That is, Amākalā.
2 Avyakta-nādātmaka-nibodhikākhya-vahni.
3 That is, the letters arranged in the form of the triangle referred to in v. 4 of Pādukā-panchaka. The Devī is Mātrikā-mayī.
4 viz., Hang representing the “Male” Bindu.
Bindus at the corners constitute the Visarga in the form Sa¹ and represent Prakriti. Hangsah which is Purusha and Prakrit thus shows itself in the form of three Bindus. In its middle is Amākalā, and in Her lap is Nirvāna-Shakti, and the vacant space within Nirvāna-Shakti is Parabrahman. It has been said: “Within the Mandala of the moon in the white Lotus of a thousand petals shines like lightning the triangle A- Ka-Tha united with Ha-La-Ksha.² Within it, is the excellent (Para) Bindu (Shūnya), placed below Visarga. In this region is the downward-turned sixteenth Kalā, of the colour of the rising Sun, in shape like the crescent moon who discharges a stream of nectar, and within Her is Parā Shakti, possessing the effulgence of ten million suns. She is as subtle as the thousandth part of the Lotus fibre, and is Chidātmikā.³ Within Her is Bindu who is the Niranjana Purusha, who is beyond mind and speech and is Sachchidānanda, and Visarga (who is also there) is Prakriti. Hangsa who is both Pung⁴ and Prakriti shines by His own effulgence.”
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