The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
“Raising and again raising the Shakti with the Ātmā from the abode of Brahmā,² the excellent Sādhaka should (and so forth).” This shows that She should be led away along with Ātmā or Jīvātmā. The Kāli-Kulāmrita has: “Having led Jīva from the heart by the Hangsa Mantra to the Mūla Lotus,³ and having roused the Paradevatā Kundalinī by Hūng-kāra.” The Kangkālamālinī says: “O daughter of the King of Mountains, having drawn the Jīvātmā by the Pranava, let the Sādhaka move Prāna and Gandha⁴ with Kundalinī by the aid of the ‘So’ham’ Mantra, and make the Devī enter the Svādhishthāna.”
The wise should, from the above texts, understand that the Jīvātmā should be brought from the heart by the aid of either the Pranava or Hangsa Mantra, and then Kundalinī should be roused by the Kūrchcha-bīja alone.
“The mouth of which is closed,” etc. (Guptam).—This word may be read either as an adjective qualifying Liṁga, and mean unmanifested by reason of its mouth being closed,⁵ or may be read as an adverb qualifying “places,” and then the word would mean “imperceptibly.”
1 Shanair ākunchayed gudam—that is, by Ashvinī-mudrā.
2 Brahmā is in Mūlādhāra.
3 Mukhāmbhuja. This may be a mis-script for Mūlambuja.
4 i.e., Prithivī.
5 On the top of the Lingga is Nādabindu—i.e., Chandra Bindu.
The mouth is the Bindu which Kundalinī pierces.
In the Āgama-kalpa-druma, Panchamashākhā, the mode of rousing the Kundalinī, is described in detail thus: “Having seated oneself in the Padmāsana posture, the two hands should be placed in the lap. Thereafter, having mentally recited the Hangsa Mantra, the anus should be gently contracted. One should then repeatedly raise the air by the same way,¹ and having raised it let him pierce the Chakra. I now speak of its process. In the
Mūlādhāra Lotus is a very beautiful triangle. Inside it is Kāma,² (lustrous) like ten million young suns; above Him (Kāma), and surrounding Svayambhu-Liṁga, is Kundalī Shakti.” Also cf. “As the result of excitation by the Kāmāgni and the action of the Kūrchcha-mantra on Her, She is seized with desire for Para- Hangsa.”³
The Bhūta-shuddhi⁴ also says: “O Shivā, the Sādhaka should contract the chest (lit., heart), letting his breath remain there,⁵ and he should control the base of the throat and other parts of the body,⁶ and then suddenly opening the door by means of a key-like motion (Kunchikā)⁷ and (the fire of desire) should be kindled, O Parameshvari, by means of the air (Pavana).” “Then the Serpent,⁸ who is sleeping on the Liṁga in the Mūlādhāra and who is stung by the heat of the fire, should be awakened in the Liṁga at the mouth of the Yoni and by the heat, (of her desire) be led forcibly upwards.”⁹ “Move the air into the
1 Tena vartmanā—that by which Kundalinī is to go.
2 The Kāmavāyu, or Air of Kāma.
3 Parang Hangsābhilāshinī—i.e., passion is excited in Her, and She is impelled by the fire of Kāma towards the Parang Hangsa in the Sahasrāra.
4 This passage is obscure, and cannot be traced in the only published edition of the Tantra, but is similar to certain passages in the Hathayogapradīpikā which deals with Bhūtashuddhi. It seems to contain passages from various texts to illustrate the process of Bhūtashuddhi. The Commentator has, however, more clearly described the process in his own words.
5 He thus closes the passage of the upward breath.
6 That is, the chest and the anus, thus closing the passage of the upward and downward airs.
7 That is, the motion of the Kāma vāyu spoken of post.
8 Nāginī, one of the names of Kundalī.
9 That is, the Trikona in the Mūlādhāra which surrounds the Svayambhu Liṁga.
p. 144
Nādī according to the rules of Kumbhaka (retention of breath) and the method shown by the Guru. Let the Jīva thus controlled be led by the concealed passage, and by the upward breath make all the Lotuses turn their heads upwards. Having fully awakened Her, let the wise one lead Her to Bhānu (the Sun) at the summit of the Meru (i.e., the Sahasrāra).”
Now pay attention to the procedure established by a careful consideration of the above texts¹: The Yogī should sit in the proper posture and place his two hands with palms upwards in his lap, and steady his mind (Chitta) by the Khecharī Mudrā. He should next fill the interior of his body with air and hold it in by Kumbhaka,² and contract the heart.³ By so doing the escape of the upward breath is stopped. Then, when he feels that the air within him from the belly to the throat is tending downward through the channels in the Nādīs, he should contract the anus and stop the downward air (Apāna); then, again having raised the air, let him give the Kāma⁴ within the triangle in the pericarp of the Mūlādhāra Lotus a turn from the left to the right (Vāmā- vartena); by so doing the fire of Kāma there is kindled, and Kundalinī gets heated (excited) thereby. He should then pierce the mouth of the Svayambhu Liṁga, and through its aperture with the aid of the “Hūng” Bīja, lead Her who desires union⁵ with Parama-Shiva, within the mouth of the Chitrinī-Nādī. This is the clear sense of texts.
1 The passages in quotation marks are here cited from different books on Hathayoga.
2 Retention of breath in Prānāyāma.
3 Hridayam ākunchayet—that is, by Jālandhara Bandha, etc. See
Introduction.
4 Kāma-vāyu.
5 Sāma-rasya, a term used on the material plane to denote sexual union.
Plate XV. YONI MUDRĀ IN SIDDHĀSANA
(Vide p. 209)
p. 145
Verse 51
The Devī who is Shuddha-sattvā¹ pierces the three Liṁ- gas, and, having reached all the lotuses which are known as the Brahma-nādī lotuses, shines therein in the fulness of Her lustre. Thereafter in Her subtle state, lustrous like lightning and fine like the lotus fibre, She goes to the gleaming flame-like Shiva the supreme Bliss, and of a sudden produces the bliss of Liberation.
Commentary
Now he speaks of the mode of the Union of Kundalinī (with Shiva). The meaning of this verse, in brief, is that the Devī Kundalinī pierces the three Liṁgas—viz., Svayambhu, Bāna, and Itara²—and by so doing makes a passage for Herself; and when she reaches the lotuses in (or appertaining to) the Nādī called Brahma-nādī she shines in the fulness of Her lustre in these lotuses. Then, when in Her subtle form, fine like the lotus fibre, She approaches Shiva, who is Supreme Bliss³ Itself, and who is in His Bindu form in the pericarp of the Sahasrāra, She brings to the Sādhaka the Bliss of eternal Liberation⁴ when that is least expected.
“Pierces” (Bheda) means making a passage through that which is obstructed.
“Shuddha-satvā.”—Sattva, Ati-sattva, Parama-sattva, Shuddha-sattva, and Vishuddha-sattva, are the five different degrees of
1 A form of embodied Chaitanya. See Commentary, post.
2 In the Mūlādhāra, Anāhata and Ājnā Chakras respectively.
3 Paramarasa=Paramānanda.
4 Mokshākhyānandarūpam=Nityānandarūpa-muktim.
Chaitanya pervading the body.¹ Shuddha-sattvā is therefore the fourth (Turīyā) stage. By Brahmanādī is meant Chitrinī. The Lotuses are the six Lotuses which are strung upon Chitrinī.
“The three Liṁgas” (Liṁga-trayam).—The three Liṁgas already described. By this we are to understand that the six Chakras and five Shivas are included. She pierces all these, which altogether make fourteen knots (Granthi).
The Shāktānanda-taraṁginī speaks of “Her who goes along the Channel of Brahman² having pierced the fourteen knots”.³
The Svatantra Tantra speaks of the distinctive features of
Liṁga and Shiva.
“The Devī goes to Brahman (Nishkala)⁴ after having pierced
“Raising and again raising the Shakti with the Ātmā from the abode of Brahmā,² the excellent Sādhaka should (and so forth).” This shows that She should be led away along with Ātmā or Jīvātmā. The Kāli-Kulāmrita has: “Having led Jīva from the heart by the Hangsa Mantra to the Mūla Lotus,³ and having roused the Paradevatā Kundalinī by Hūng-kāra.” The Kangkālamālinī says: “O daughter of the King of Mountains, having drawn the Jīvātmā by the Pranava, let the Sādhaka move Prāna and Gandha⁴ with Kundalinī by the aid of the ‘So’ham’ Mantra, and make the Devī enter the Svādhishthāna.”
The wise should, from the above texts, understand that the Jīvātmā should be brought from the heart by the aid of either the Pranava or Hangsa Mantra, and then Kundalinī should be roused by the Kūrchcha-bīja alone.
“The mouth of which is closed,” etc. (Guptam).—This word may be read either as an adjective qualifying Liṁga, and mean unmanifested by reason of its mouth being closed,⁵ or may be read as an adverb qualifying “places,” and then the word would mean “imperceptibly.”
1 Shanair ākunchayed gudam—that is, by Ashvinī-mudrā.
2 Brahmā is in Mūlādhāra.
3 Mukhāmbhuja. This may be a mis-script for Mūlambuja.
4 i.e., Prithivī.
5 On the top of the Lingga is Nādabindu—i.e., Chandra Bindu.
The mouth is the Bindu which Kundalinī pierces.
In the Āgama-kalpa-druma, Panchamashākhā, the mode of rousing the Kundalinī, is described in detail thus: “Having seated oneself in the Padmāsana posture, the two hands should be placed in the lap. Thereafter, having mentally recited the Hangsa Mantra, the anus should be gently contracted. One should then repeatedly raise the air by the same way,¹ and having raised it let him pierce the Chakra. I now speak of its process. In the
Mūlādhāra Lotus is a very beautiful triangle. Inside it is Kāma,² (lustrous) like ten million young suns; above Him (Kāma), and surrounding Svayambhu-Liṁga, is Kundalī Shakti.” Also cf. “As the result of excitation by the Kāmāgni and the action of the Kūrchcha-mantra on Her, She is seized with desire for Para- Hangsa.”³
The Bhūta-shuddhi⁴ also says: “O Shivā, the Sādhaka should contract the chest (lit., heart), letting his breath remain there,⁵ and he should control the base of the throat and other parts of the body,⁶ and then suddenly opening the door by means of a key-like motion (Kunchikā)⁷ and (the fire of desire) should be kindled, O Parameshvari, by means of the air (Pavana).” “Then the Serpent,⁸ who is sleeping on the Liṁga in the Mūlādhāra and who is stung by the heat of the fire, should be awakened in the Liṁga at the mouth of the Yoni and by the heat, (of her desire) be led forcibly upwards.”⁹ “Move the air into the
1 Tena vartmanā—that by which Kundalinī is to go.
2 The Kāmavāyu, or Air of Kāma.
3 Parang Hangsābhilāshinī—i.e., passion is excited in Her, and She is impelled by the fire of Kāma towards the Parang Hangsa in the Sahasrāra.
4 This passage is obscure, and cannot be traced in the only published edition of the Tantra, but is similar to certain passages in the Hathayogapradīpikā which deals with Bhūtashuddhi. It seems to contain passages from various texts to illustrate the process of Bhūtashuddhi. The Commentator has, however, more clearly described the process in his own words.
5 He thus closes the passage of the upward breath.
6 That is, the chest and the anus, thus closing the passage of the upward and downward airs.
7 That is, the motion of the Kāma vāyu spoken of post.
8 Nāginī, one of the names of Kundalī.
9 That is, the Trikona in the Mūlādhāra which surrounds the Svayambhu Liṁga.
p. 144
Nādī according to the rules of Kumbhaka (retention of breath) and the method shown by the Guru. Let the Jīva thus controlled be led by the concealed passage, and by the upward breath make all the Lotuses turn their heads upwards. Having fully awakened Her, let the wise one lead Her to Bhānu (the Sun) at the summit of the Meru (i.e., the Sahasrāra).”
Now pay attention to the procedure established by a careful consideration of the above texts¹: The Yogī should sit in the proper posture and place his two hands with palms upwards in his lap, and steady his mind (Chitta) by the Khecharī Mudrā. He should next fill the interior of his body with air and hold it in by Kumbhaka,² and contract the heart.³ By so doing the escape of the upward breath is stopped. Then, when he feels that the air within him from the belly to the throat is tending downward through the channels in the Nādīs, he should contract the anus and stop the downward air (Apāna); then, again having raised the air, let him give the Kāma⁴ within the triangle in the pericarp of the Mūlādhāra Lotus a turn from the left to the right (Vāmā- vartena); by so doing the fire of Kāma there is kindled, and Kundalinī gets heated (excited) thereby. He should then pierce the mouth of the Svayambhu Liṁga, and through its aperture with the aid of the “Hūng” Bīja, lead Her who desires union⁵ with Parama-Shiva, within the mouth of the Chitrinī-Nādī. This is the clear sense of texts.
1 The passages in quotation marks are here cited from different books on Hathayoga.
2 Retention of breath in Prānāyāma.
3 Hridayam ākunchayet—that is, by Jālandhara Bandha, etc. See
Introduction.
4 Kāma-vāyu.
5 Sāma-rasya, a term used on the material plane to denote sexual union.
Plate XV. YONI MUDRĀ IN SIDDHĀSANA
(Vide p. 209)
p. 145
Verse 51
The Devī who is Shuddha-sattvā¹ pierces the three Liṁ- gas, and, having reached all the lotuses which are known as the Brahma-nādī lotuses, shines therein in the fulness of Her lustre. Thereafter in Her subtle state, lustrous like lightning and fine like the lotus fibre, She goes to the gleaming flame-like Shiva the supreme Bliss, and of a sudden produces the bliss of Liberation.
Commentary
Now he speaks of the mode of the Union of Kundalinī (with Shiva). The meaning of this verse, in brief, is that the Devī Kundalinī pierces the three Liṁgas—viz., Svayambhu, Bāna, and Itara²—and by so doing makes a passage for Herself; and when she reaches the lotuses in (or appertaining to) the Nādī called Brahma-nādī she shines in the fulness of Her lustre in these lotuses. Then, when in Her subtle form, fine like the lotus fibre, She approaches Shiva, who is Supreme Bliss³ Itself, and who is in His Bindu form in the pericarp of the Sahasrāra, She brings to the Sādhaka the Bliss of eternal Liberation⁴ when that is least expected.
“Pierces” (Bheda) means making a passage through that which is obstructed.
“Shuddha-satvā.”—Sattva, Ati-sattva, Parama-sattva, Shuddha-sattva, and Vishuddha-sattva, are the five different degrees of
1 A form of embodied Chaitanya. See Commentary, post.
2 In the Mūlādhāra, Anāhata and Ājnā Chakras respectively.
3 Paramarasa=Paramānanda.
4 Mokshākhyānandarūpam=Nityānandarūpa-muktim.
Chaitanya pervading the body.¹ Shuddha-sattvā is therefore the fourth (Turīyā) stage. By Brahmanādī is meant Chitrinī. The Lotuses are the six Lotuses which are strung upon Chitrinī.
“The three Liṁgas” (Liṁga-trayam).—The three Liṁgas already described. By this we are to understand that the six Chakras and five Shivas are included. She pierces all these, which altogether make fourteen knots (Granthi).
The Shāktānanda-taraṁginī speaks of “Her who goes along the Channel of Brahman² having pierced the fourteen knots”.³
The Svatantra Tantra speaks of the distinctive features of
Liṁga and Shiva.
“The Devī goes to Brahman (Nishkala)⁴ after having pierced
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