The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
That is, Mahat, which is all Shaktis (Sarvashakti), should be absorbed into Sūkshma-prakriti, who is known by the name of Hiranya-garbha, and that Prakriti should be absorbed into Para, by which is meant the Cause in the form of Parabindu. In this connection the Āchāryya has laid down the rule that the gross should be dissolved into the subtle.¹ Cf.: “It should be attentively considered and practised that the gross is absorbed into the subtle, and all into Chidātmā.” The absorption of all things, beginning with Prithivī and ending with Anāhata,² takes place in the aforesaid manner; that being so, the feet and the sense of Smell (Ghrānendriya) and all pertaining to Prithivī are dissolved in the place of Prithivī, as they inhere in Prithivī.
Similarly, the hands, the sense of Taste (Rasanendriya), and all that pertains to Water, are dissolved in the region of Water. In the region of Fire (Vahni-sthāna) are dissolved the anus, the sense of Vision (Chakshurindriya), and all that pertains to Fire. In the region of Air (Vāyu-sthāna) the genitals, the sense of Touch (Tvāgindriya), and all that pertains to Vāyu, are dissolved. In the place of Ākāsha are dissolved the sense of Speech (Vāk) and hearing (Shrotrendriya) and all that pertains to Ākāsha (Ether).
In the Ājnā Chakra the dissolution of Ahangkāra, Mahat, Sūkshmaprakriti, and so forth, takes place, each dissolving into its own immeditate cause. The letters of the alphabet should then be absorbed in the reverse order (Viloma), beginning with Ksha-kāra and ending with A-kāra. By “all things” it is meant that “Bindu,” “Bodhinī,” and so forth, which have been shown above to be causal bodies (Kārana- Sharīra), should be dissolved in a reversed order (Vilomena) into the Primordial Cause (Ādikārana)—the Para Bindu. Thus the Brahman alone remains.
The process is thus described: “The Sādhaka, having thus made his determination (Sangkalpa), should dissolve³ the letters of the Alphabet in the Nyāsa-sthāna.⁴ The dissolution of Kshap. 157 is in La, and La in Ha; Ha, again, is dissolved into Sa, and Sa into Sha, and thus it goes on till A is reached. This should be very carefully done.”
1 Vide v. 40 and Commentary under it.
2 This seems an error, for the last Mahābhūta Ākāsha is dissolved in Vishuddha.
3 Saṁharet.
4 The places where the Varna have been placed in Mātrikā Nyāsa.
Also¹: “Dissolve the two letters into Bindu, and dissolve Bindu into Kalā. Dissolve Kalā in Nāda, and dissolve Nāda in Nādānta,² and this into Unmanī, and Unmanī into Vishnuvaktra³; Vishnuvaktra should be dissolved into Guruvaktra.⁴ Let the excellent Sādhaka then realise that all the letters are dissolved in Parama Shiva.”
By Vishnuvaktra is meant Pung-Bindu. “The Sūryyabindu is called the Face, and below are Moon and Fire.” “Bindu is said to be the Male, and Visarga is Prakriti.”⁵
All these authorities imply the same thing, and go to prove that it is the “mouth of Vishnu” (Vishnu-vaktra) where dissolution should take place. The following from Keshavāchāryya⁶ also leads to the same conclusion: “Lead Her (Unmanī) into the Male, which is the Bindu; lead Bindu into Parātmā, and Parātmā into Kālatattva, and this latter into Shakti, and Shakti into Chidātmā, which is the Supreme (Kevala), the tranquil (Shānta), and effulgent.”
We have seen that each dissolves into its own immediate cause. Nādānta is therefore dissolved in Vyāpikā Shakti, the Vyāpikā Shakti in Unmanī, and Unmanī in Samanī⁷ and Samanī in Vishnuvaktra. When the letters have been thus dissolved, all the six Chakras are dissolved, as the petals of the Lotuses consist of letters.⁸
1 Here is shown the Anuloma process. The two letters are Ha and Ksha.
2 i.e., that which is beyond Nāda. See Introduction.
3 Pung-Bindu; v. post.
4 That is, the mouth of the Supreme Bindu (cited from Shāradā- tilaka, Ch. V, vv. 134-136). Also cf. Shāradā, Ch. XII, 123, and Kulārnava IV, 76.
5 Cf. Shāradā, Ch. XXV, v. 51. Also Nityāshodashikā, I, 201, and Kāma-Kalāvilāsa (Vol. X, Tantrik Texts).
6 Also called Keshava Bhāratī—a great Vaishnava teacher who initiated Shrī Chaitanya the greatest among latter day Vaishnavas. into Sannyāsa or the path of Renunciation.
7 Sic. This is in conflict with other texts, according to which Unmanī is above Samanī.
8 Padmadalānāng varna-mayatvāt.
p. 158
1 Ādivarnātmakam patram padmānām parikīrtitam.
2 Ch. IV. The passage cited also occurs in Shāradātilaka, Ch. V, vv. 129-134.
3 Vilaya.
4 That is, Mūlādhāra where Brahmā or Kamalāsana is.
5 That is, the Bindu of the Ājnā Chakra is dissolved into Kundalinī.
That is, Mahat, which is all Shaktis (Sarvashakti), should be absorbed into Sūkshma-prakriti, who is known by the name of Hiranya-garbha, and that Prakriti should be absorbed into Para, by which is meant the Cause in the form of Parabindu. In this connection the Āchāryya has laid down the rule that the gross should be dissolved into the subtle.¹ Cf.: “It should be attentively considered and practised that the gross is absorbed into the subtle, and all into Chidātmā.” The absorption of all things, beginning with Prithivī and ending with Anāhata,² takes place in the aforesaid manner; that being so, the feet and the sense of Smell (Ghrānendriya) and all pertaining to Prithivī are dissolved in the place of Prithivī, as they inhere in Prithivī.
Similarly, the hands, the sense of Taste (Rasanendriya), and all that pertains to Water, are dissolved in the region of Water. In the region of Fire (Vahni-sthāna) are dissolved the anus, the sense of Vision (Chakshurindriya), and all that pertains to Fire. In the region of Air (Vāyu-sthāna) the genitals, the sense of Touch (Tvāgindriya), and all that pertains to Vāyu, are dissolved. In the place of Ākāsha are dissolved the sense of Speech (Vāk) and hearing (Shrotrendriya) and all that pertains to Ākāsha (Ether).
In the Ājnā Chakra the dissolution of Ahangkāra, Mahat, Sūkshmaprakriti, and so forth, takes place, each dissolving into its own immeditate cause. The letters of the alphabet should then be absorbed in the reverse order (Viloma), beginning with Ksha-kāra and ending with A-kāra. By “all things” it is meant that “Bindu,” “Bodhinī,” and so forth, which have been shown above to be causal bodies (Kārana- Sharīra), should be dissolved in a reversed order (Vilomena) into the Primordial Cause (Ādikārana)—the Para Bindu. Thus the Brahman alone remains.
The process is thus described: “The Sādhaka, having thus made his determination (Sangkalpa), should dissolve³ the letters of the Alphabet in the Nyāsa-sthāna.⁴ The dissolution of Kshap. 157 is in La, and La in Ha; Ha, again, is dissolved into Sa, and Sa into Sha, and thus it goes on till A is reached. This should be very carefully done.”
1 Vide v. 40 and Commentary under it.
2 This seems an error, for the last Mahābhūta Ākāsha is dissolved in Vishuddha.
3 Saṁharet.
4 The places where the Varna have been placed in Mātrikā Nyāsa.
Also¹: “Dissolve the two letters into Bindu, and dissolve Bindu into Kalā. Dissolve Kalā in Nāda, and dissolve Nāda in Nādānta,² and this into Unmanī, and Unmanī into Vishnuvaktra³; Vishnuvaktra should be dissolved into Guruvaktra.⁴ Let the excellent Sādhaka then realise that all the letters are dissolved in Parama Shiva.”
By Vishnuvaktra is meant Pung-Bindu. “The Sūryyabindu is called the Face, and below are Moon and Fire.” “Bindu is said to be the Male, and Visarga is Prakriti.”⁵
All these authorities imply the same thing, and go to prove that it is the “mouth of Vishnu” (Vishnu-vaktra) where dissolution should take place. The following from Keshavāchāryya⁶ also leads to the same conclusion: “Lead Her (Unmanī) into the Male, which is the Bindu; lead Bindu into Parātmā, and Parātmā into Kālatattva, and this latter into Shakti, and Shakti into Chidātmā, which is the Supreme (Kevala), the tranquil (Shānta), and effulgent.”
We have seen that each dissolves into its own immediate cause. Nādānta is therefore dissolved in Vyāpikā Shakti, the Vyāpikā Shakti in Unmanī, and Unmanī in Samanī⁷ and Samanī in Vishnuvaktra. When the letters have been thus dissolved, all the six Chakras are dissolved, as the petals of the Lotuses consist of letters.⁸
1 Here is shown the Anuloma process. The two letters are Ha and Ksha.
2 i.e., that which is beyond Nāda. See Introduction.
3 Pung-Bindu; v. post.
4 That is, the mouth of the Supreme Bindu (cited from Shāradā- tilaka, Ch. V, vv. 134-136). Also cf. Shāradā, Ch. XII, 123, and Kulārnava IV, 76.
5 Cf. Shāradā, Ch. XXV, v. 51. Also Nityāshodashikā, I, 201, and Kāma-Kalāvilāsa (Vol. X, Tantrik Texts).
6 Also called Keshava Bhāratī—a great Vaishnava teacher who initiated Shrī Chaitanya the greatest among latter day Vaishnavas. into Sannyāsa or the path of Renunciation.
7 Sic. This is in conflict with other texts, according to which Unmanī is above Samanī.
8 Padmadalānāng varna-mayatvāt.
p. 158
1 Ādivarnātmakam patram padmānām parikīrtitam.
2 Ch. IV. The passage cited also occurs in Shāradātilaka, Ch. V, vv. 129-134.
3 Vilaya.
4 That is, Mūlādhāra where Brahmā or Kamalāsana is.
5 That is, the Bindu of the Ājnā Chakra is dissolved into Kundalinī.
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