The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
the Shivas placed in the six Chakras. As She reaches each of the different Chakras, She acquires the beauty characteristic of each and bewitches Maheshāna⁵; and having there repeatedly enjoyed Him who is filled with joy, She reaches the Eternal One (Shāshvata). He is said to be transpierced (Bhinna), as He is bewitched by Parā.”
The Māyā Tantra says: “The Devī goes along the Shaktimārga, piercing the three Liṁgas in the Chakras in each of Her different forms⁶ (Tattadrūpena), and having attained union (in the Sahasrāra) with Nishkala (Brahman) She is satisfied.” Tattadrūpena—i.e., in the forms Vaikharī, Madhyamā, and Pashyantī.
It has been said that⁷ “The first state (Bhāva) is Vaikharī, and Madhyamā is placed in the heart; between the eyebrows is the Pashyantī state, and the Parā state is in the Bindu”.⁸ The meaning of the above quotation is that the four sound-producing
1 Sharīrāvachchhinna-chaitanya.
2 Brahma-randhra, the channel within Chitrinī, is called Brahmanādī and Brahma-randhra.
3 That is 3 Liṁgas, 6 Chakras, and the 5 Shivas—viz., Brahmā and the rest—in the 5 Chakras.
4 The Supreme or Nirguna Brahman.
5 That is, the Shiva in the particular Chakra.
6 That is, She unites, in Her passage along the Nādī, with each of the Linggas in that form of Hers which is appropriate to such union.
7 See Commentary on v. 11, ante.
8 According to v. 11, Parā is in Mūlādhāra, Pashyantī in Svādhishthāna, Madhyamā in Anāhata and Vaikharī in the mouth. What is, however, here described is Layakrama.
(Shabdotpādikā) Shaktis—viz., Parā, Pashyantī, Madhyamā, and Vaikharī—are identical with Kundalinī (Kundalinyabheda-rūpā). Hence at the time when Kundalinī starts to go to Sahasrāra She in Her form of Vaikharī bewitches Svayambhu Liṁga; She then similarly bewitches Vāna-Liṁga in the heart as Madhyamā, and Itara Liṁga between the eyebrows as Pashyantī, and then when she reaches Para Bindu She attains the stage of Parā
(Parā-bhāva).
The Method of Chakra-bheda is thus described: “O Parameshvarī, let the Sādhaka carry along with Her the Lotuses which are on the Chitrinī, and which have their origin in the mud of blood and fat.¹ Let him² enter the channel (Nāla)³ on the left, from below, and in this way Chakra-bheda (piercing the Chakra) is effected. After having thus pierced the six Chakras, She along with Jīva should be led as the rider guides a trained mare by the reins.”
Also cf. “The Devī should be led by the Hangsa Mantra to the Sahasrāra through the points of union of the six Chakras (with the Nādī) along the road of Sushumnā.”
“Gleaming flame-like” (Sūkshma-dhāmni pradipe).—The
gleam is the Hangsa, which is the luminous energy (Tejas) of the
Para Bindu, in its aspect as Nirvānā Shakti (Nirvānashaktyātmaka).
The Parama Shiva shines with it.
We now describe how the joy of Liberation is brought about.
The Devī by dissolving Kundalinī in the Para Bindu effects the Liberation of some Sādhakas through their meditation upon the identity of Shiva and Ātmā in the Bindu. She does so in the case of others by a similar process, and by their meditation on Shakti.⁴ In other cases, again, this is done by the concentration of thought on the Parama Purusha, and in other case by the meditation of the Sādhaka on the bliss of union in the Bindu of Shiva and Shakti.
1 Lotuses grow in the mud, and these Lotuses grow in the blood and fat of the body. The process described is Kundalinī-yoga, or, as it is called in the Tippanī of Shangkara, Bhūta-shuddhi.
2 As the Sādhaka, who has taken the Jīvātmā from the heart to the Mūlādhāra, and thus identifies himself with Kundalinī, it is he who enters.
3 That is, the Nādī.
4 Shaktyātmakachintana; or it may mean meditation on the union of Shiva and Shakti.
The Māyā Tantra says¹: “Those who are learned in Yoga say that it is the union of Jīva and Ātmā. According to others (i.e., Shaivas) it is the experience of the identity of Shiva and Ātmā. The Āgama-vādīs proclaim that Yoga² is the knowledge (Jnāna) relating to Shakti. Otherwise men say that the knowledge of the Purāna Purusha is Yoga, and others, again, the Prakriti-vādīs, declare that the bliss of union of Shiva and Shakti is Yoga.”³ By “union of Jīva and Ātmā” is meant Samādhi. By Yoga is meant that by which oneness is attained with the Paramātmā. Having spoken of Samādhi, he then deals with the different kinds of Yoga in Dhyāna. By “bliss of union (Sāmarasya) of Shiva and Shakti” is meant the sense of enjoyment arising from the union of male and female.⁴
The Brihat Shrīkrama speaks of the manner in which this is to be meditated upon: “They with the eye of knowledge⁵ see the stainless Kalā, who is united with Chidānanda⁶ on Nāda. He is the Mahādeva, white like pure crystal, and is the effulgent First Cause (Vimba-rūpanidāna),⁷ and She is Parā the lovely woman of beauteous body⁸ whose limbs are listless by reason of Her great passion”.⁹
1 These verses also occur in Ch. XXV, vv. 1, 2, of Shāradā Tilaka. By “union of Jīva and Ātmā” is meant the realisation of the identity of the individual with the supreme spirit as indicated in the Mahāvākya “Tat tvam asi (That thou art).” By Purāna Purusha the Purusha in Sāṁkhya Darshana is meant the Vaishnavas understand by it Nārāyana (collective humanity). By “knowledge of Shakti” is meant the Knowledge that Shakti is inseparate from Shiva.
2 Shaktyātmakajnāna.
3 Sāmarasyātmakam jnānam. Tantrāntara says that Sāmarasaya is the Dhyāna of a Kulayogī.
4 Strīpuṁyogāt yat saukhyang sāmarasyang prakīrtitam. In other words, the bliss of Union of Shiva and Shakti, of which sexual union is the material type.
5 Jnāna-chakshuh.
6 Chidānanda is Consciousness-Bliss.
7 A variant reading is Bindu-rūpa-nidāna, the First Cause in the Bindu form.
8 Vāmoru—lit., beautiful thighs, the part being selected as an example of the whole.
9 Madālasa-vapuh.
the Shivas placed in the six Chakras. As She reaches each of the different Chakras, She acquires the beauty characteristic of each and bewitches Maheshāna⁵; and having there repeatedly enjoyed Him who is filled with joy, She reaches the Eternal One (Shāshvata). He is said to be transpierced (Bhinna), as He is bewitched by Parā.”
The Māyā Tantra says: “The Devī goes along the Shaktimārga, piercing the three Liṁgas in the Chakras in each of Her different forms⁶ (Tattadrūpena), and having attained union (in the Sahasrāra) with Nishkala (Brahman) She is satisfied.” Tattadrūpena—i.e., in the forms Vaikharī, Madhyamā, and Pashyantī.
It has been said that⁷ “The first state (Bhāva) is Vaikharī, and Madhyamā is placed in the heart; between the eyebrows is the Pashyantī state, and the Parā state is in the Bindu”.⁸ The meaning of the above quotation is that the four sound-producing
1 Sharīrāvachchhinna-chaitanya.
2 Brahma-randhra, the channel within Chitrinī, is called Brahmanādī and Brahma-randhra.
3 That is 3 Liṁgas, 6 Chakras, and the 5 Shivas—viz., Brahmā and the rest—in the 5 Chakras.
4 The Supreme or Nirguna Brahman.
5 That is, the Shiva in the particular Chakra.
6 That is, She unites, in Her passage along the Nādī, with each of the Linggas in that form of Hers which is appropriate to such union.
7 See Commentary on v. 11, ante.
8 According to v. 11, Parā is in Mūlādhāra, Pashyantī in Svādhishthāna, Madhyamā in Anāhata and Vaikharī in the mouth. What is, however, here described is Layakrama.
(Shabdotpādikā) Shaktis—viz., Parā, Pashyantī, Madhyamā, and Vaikharī—are identical with Kundalinī (Kundalinyabheda-rūpā). Hence at the time when Kundalinī starts to go to Sahasrāra She in Her form of Vaikharī bewitches Svayambhu Liṁga; She then similarly bewitches Vāna-Liṁga in the heart as Madhyamā, and Itara Liṁga between the eyebrows as Pashyantī, and then when she reaches Para Bindu She attains the stage of Parā
(Parā-bhāva).
The Method of Chakra-bheda is thus described: “O Parameshvarī, let the Sādhaka carry along with Her the Lotuses which are on the Chitrinī, and which have their origin in the mud of blood and fat.¹ Let him² enter the channel (Nāla)³ on the left, from below, and in this way Chakra-bheda (piercing the Chakra) is effected. After having thus pierced the six Chakras, She along with Jīva should be led as the rider guides a trained mare by the reins.”
Also cf. “The Devī should be led by the Hangsa Mantra to the Sahasrāra through the points of union of the six Chakras (with the Nādī) along the road of Sushumnā.”
“Gleaming flame-like” (Sūkshma-dhāmni pradipe).—The
gleam is the Hangsa, which is the luminous energy (Tejas) of the
Para Bindu, in its aspect as Nirvānā Shakti (Nirvānashaktyātmaka).
The Parama Shiva shines with it.
We now describe how the joy of Liberation is brought about.
The Devī by dissolving Kundalinī in the Para Bindu effects the Liberation of some Sādhakas through their meditation upon the identity of Shiva and Ātmā in the Bindu. She does so in the case of others by a similar process, and by their meditation on Shakti.⁴ In other cases, again, this is done by the concentration of thought on the Parama Purusha, and in other case by the meditation of the Sādhaka on the bliss of union in the Bindu of Shiva and Shakti.
1 Lotuses grow in the mud, and these Lotuses grow in the blood and fat of the body. The process described is Kundalinī-yoga, or, as it is called in the Tippanī of Shangkara, Bhūta-shuddhi.
2 As the Sādhaka, who has taken the Jīvātmā from the heart to the Mūlādhāra, and thus identifies himself with Kundalinī, it is he who enters.
3 That is, the Nādī.
4 Shaktyātmakachintana; or it may mean meditation on the union of Shiva and Shakti.
The Māyā Tantra says¹: “Those who are learned in Yoga say that it is the union of Jīva and Ātmā. According to others (i.e., Shaivas) it is the experience of the identity of Shiva and Ātmā. The Āgama-vādīs proclaim that Yoga² is the knowledge (Jnāna) relating to Shakti. Otherwise men say that the knowledge of the Purāna Purusha is Yoga, and others, again, the Prakriti-vādīs, declare that the bliss of union of Shiva and Shakti is Yoga.”³ By “union of Jīva and Ātmā” is meant Samādhi. By Yoga is meant that by which oneness is attained with the Paramātmā. Having spoken of Samādhi, he then deals with the different kinds of Yoga in Dhyāna. By “bliss of union (Sāmarasya) of Shiva and Shakti” is meant the sense of enjoyment arising from the union of male and female.⁴
The Brihat Shrīkrama speaks of the manner in which this is to be meditated upon: “They with the eye of knowledge⁵ see the stainless Kalā, who is united with Chidānanda⁶ on Nāda. He is the Mahādeva, white like pure crystal, and is the effulgent First Cause (Vimba-rūpanidāna),⁷ and She is Parā the lovely woman of beauteous body⁸ whose limbs are listless by reason of Her great passion”.⁹
1 These verses also occur in Ch. XXV, vv. 1, 2, of Shāradā Tilaka. By “union of Jīva and Ātmā” is meant the realisation of the identity of the individual with the supreme spirit as indicated in the Mahāvākya “Tat tvam asi (That thou art).” By Purāna Purusha the Purusha in Sāṁkhya Darshana is meant the Vaishnavas understand by it Nārāyana (collective humanity). By “knowledge of Shakti” is meant the Knowledge that Shakti is inseparate from Shiva.
2 Shaktyātmakajnāna.
3 Sāmarasyātmakam jnānam. Tantrāntara says that Sāmarasaya is the Dhyāna of a Kulayogī.
4 Strīpuṁyogāt yat saukhyang sāmarasyang prakīrtitam. In other words, the bliss of Union of Shiva and Shakti, of which sexual union is the material type.
5 Jnāna-chakshuh.
6 Chidānanda is Consciousness-Bliss.
7 A variant reading is Bindu-rūpa-nidāna, the First Cause in the Bindu form.
8 Vāmoru—lit., beautiful thighs, the part being selected as an example of the whole.
9 Madālasa-vapuh.
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