The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
“Stream of celestial nectar” (Divyāmritadhārā).—This is the excellent nectar which, as has already been shown, is produced by the union⁵ of Shiva and Shakti, and runs in a stream from the Brahmarandhra to the Mūlādhāra. It is for this reason that the Author says in v. 3 that “the Brahmadvāra which shines in Her mouth is the entrance to the place sprinkled by ambrosia.”
“Knowledge whereof he has gained through the tradition of the Gurus” (Yoga-paramparā-viditayā).—This qualifies “Stream of Nectar”. It means that the knowledge is gained from instructions (in Yoga practice) handed down traditionally through the succession of Gurus.
“Which is in the vessel of Brahmānda” (Brahmāndabhandasthitam).—This qualifies Amrita (nectar).⁶ The vessel or support (Bhānda) on which the Brahmānda (universe) rests is Kundalinī. Kundalinī is the Bhānda as She is the Source (Yoni) of all.
By Daivatam⁷ is meant the Ishtadevatā and Dākinī and others in the six Chakras. It has been said: “O Deveshī, with this nectar should offering (Tarpana) be made to the Paradevatā, and then having done Tarpana to the Devatās in the six Chakras,” and so forth.
1 Mudrākārā—that is, Ānandarūpinī; for Mudrā=Ānandadāyinī.
Mudrā is derived from Mud=ānanda (bliss)+Rāti=dadāti (gives):
Mudrā therefore means that which gives bliss.
2 Sura=Deva. Here the different Devas in the Chakras.
3 i.e., Mūlādhāra.
4 Because ambrosia (Amrita) gives life.
5 Sāmarasya.
6 Vishvanātha reads this as an adjective qualifying Daivatam, and this seems more in consonance with the text. The Brahmānda is compared to a Bhānda, and the Devatās are in that. The offering is then made with that stream of nectar to the Devatās who are in the Universe. Or, according to Kālīcharana, offering is made to the Devatās of the Amritā which Kundalī has drunk.
7 Daivatam is the collective form of Devatās.
Verse 54
THE Yogī who has, after practice of Yama, Niyama, and the like,¹ learnt this excellent method from the two Lotus Feet of the auspicious Dīkshā-guru,² which are the source of uninterrupted joy, and whose mind (Manas) is controlled, is never born again in this world (Saṁsāra). For him there is no dissolution even at the time of Final Dissolution.³ Gladdened by constant realisation of that which is the source of Eternal Bliss,⁴ he becomes full of peace and foremost among all Yogīs.⁵
COMMENTARY
He here speaks of the good to be gained by knowing the method of Yoga practice.
“From the lotus feet of his auspicious Dīkshā-guru, which are the source of uninterrupted joy” (Shrī-dīkshā-guru-pāda-padmayugalāmoda-pravāhodayāt).—Āmoda means joy or bliss; and by Pravāha is meant uninterrupted and continuous connection. Āmoda-pravāha therefore means Nityānanda, or “Eternal Bliss”. Bliss such as this comes from the Lotus feet of the Guru, which also lead to a knowledge of Yoga practice.
The Dīkshā-guru is here spoken of as he is the first to initiate, and also by reason of his pre-eminence. But in his absence refuge may be sought with other Gurus. It has therefore been said: “As a bee desirous of honey goes from one flower to another, so does the disciple desirous of knowledge (Jnāna) go from one Guru to another.”¹
1 See Introduction.
2 The Guru who has given him initiation.
3 Sangkshaya=Pralaya.
4 Nityānanda=Brahman.
5 Satām—lit., “of the Good”.
“Gladdened by constant realisation of that which is the source of Eternal Bliss” (Nityānanda-paramparā-pramudita)—i.e., who is united with the Stream of Eternal Bliss.
“Foremost among the good” (Satām agranī)—i.e., he is counted to be foremost among the good who are the Yogīs.
1 This is from Ch. XII, of Niruttara Tantra. This verse also occurs in Kulārnava (Tantrik Text, Vol. V), Ch. XIII, 132.
Verse 55
IF the Yogī who is devoted to the Lotus Feet of his Guru, with heart unperturbed and concentrated mind, reads this work which is the supreme source of the knowledge of Liberation, and which is faultless, pure, and most secret, then of a very surety his mind¹ dances at the Feet of his Ishta-devatā.
COMMENTARY
He here speaks of the good to be gained by the study of the verses relating to the six Chakras.
“Heart unperturbed” (Svabhāva-sthitah)—i.e., engrossed in his own true spiritual being.
“Concentrated mind” (Yatāntarmanāh)—i.e., he who by practice of Yoga has steadied and concentrated his mind on the inner spirit (Antarātmā).
The rest is clear.
Here ends the Eighth Section of the Explanation of the Verses descriptive of the Six Chakras, forming part of the Shrītattvachintāmani, composed by Shrī-Pūrnānandayati.
1 Chetas or Chitta.
THE FIVEFOLD FOOTSTOOL¹ (PĀDUKĀ-
PANCHAKA)
INTRODUCTORY VERSE²
I MEDITATE on the Guru in the Lotus of a thousand petals, who is radiant like the cool rays of the full moon, whose lotus hands make the gestures which grant blessing and dispel fear. His raiment, garland, and perfumes, are ever fresh and pure. His countenance is benign. He is in the Hangsa in the head. He is the Hangsa Himself.
1 The meaning of this is explained in v. 7, post.
2 This verse is inserted as it was found in a manuscript belonging to the late Achalānanda Svāmī, now in the possession of the Varendra Anusandhāna Samiti.
Verse 1
I ADORE the wonderful White Lotus of twelve letters¹ which is within the womb (Udare) of, and inseparable from, the pericarp of the Lotus in which is the Brahmarandhra, and which is adorned by the channel of Kundalī.²
COMMENTARY
The hymn Pādukā-panchaka, composed by Him of Five Faces,³ destroys all demerit.⁴ Kālī-charana by his Tīkā called Amalā (Stainless) makes patent its beauty.
“Stream of celestial nectar” (Divyāmritadhārā).—This is the excellent nectar which, as has already been shown, is produced by the union⁵ of Shiva and Shakti, and runs in a stream from the Brahmarandhra to the Mūlādhāra. It is for this reason that the Author says in v. 3 that “the Brahmadvāra which shines in Her mouth is the entrance to the place sprinkled by ambrosia.”
“Knowledge whereof he has gained through the tradition of the Gurus” (Yoga-paramparā-viditayā).—This qualifies “Stream of Nectar”. It means that the knowledge is gained from instructions (in Yoga practice) handed down traditionally through the succession of Gurus.
“Which is in the vessel of Brahmānda” (Brahmāndabhandasthitam).—This qualifies Amrita (nectar).⁶ The vessel or support (Bhānda) on which the Brahmānda (universe) rests is Kundalinī. Kundalinī is the Bhānda as She is the Source (Yoni) of all.
By Daivatam⁷ is meant the Ishtadevatā and Dākinī and others in the six Chakras. It has been said: “O Deveshī, with this nectar should offering (Tarpana) be made to the Paradevatā, and then having done Tarpana to the Devatās in the six Chakras,” and so forth.
1 Mudrākārā—that is, Ānandarūpinī; for Mudrā=Ānandadāyinī.
Mudrā is derived from Mud=ānanda (bliss)+Rāti=dadāti (gives):
Mudrā therefore means that which gives bliss.
2 Sura=Deva. Here the different Devas in the Chakras.
3 i.e., Mūlādhāra.
4 Because ambrosia (Amrita) gives life.
5 Sāmarasya.
6 Vishvanātha reads this as an adjective qualifying Daivatam, and this seems more in consonance with the text. The Brahmānda is compared to a Bhānda, and the Devatās are in that. The offering is then made with that stream of nectar to the Devatās who are in the Universe. Or, according to Kālīcharana, offering is made to the Devatās of the Amritā which Kundalī has drunk.
7 Daivatam is the collective form of Devatās.
Verse 54
THE Yogī who has, after practice of Yama, Niyama, and the like,¹ learnt this excellent method from the two Lotus Feet of the auspicious Dīkshā-guru,² which are the source of uninterrupted joy, and whose mind (Manas) is controlled, is never born again in this world (Saṁsāra). For him there is no dissolution even at the time of Final Dissolution.³ Gladdened by constant realisation of that which is the source of Eternal Bliss,⁴ he becomes full of peace and foremost among all Yogīs.⁵
COMMENTARY
He here speaks of the good to be gained by knowing the method of Yoga practice.
“From the lotus feet of his auspicious Dīkshā-guru, which are the source of uninterrupted joy” (Shrī-dīkshā-guru-pāda-padmayugalāmoda-pravāhodayāt).—Āmoda means joy or bliss; and by Pravāha is meant uninterrupted and continuous connection. Āmoda-pravāha therefore means Nityānanda, or “Eternal Bliss”. Bliss such as this comes from the Lotus feet of the Guru, which also lead to a knowledge of Yoga practice.
The Dīkshā-guru is here spoken of as he is the first to initiate, and also by reason of his pre-eminence. But in his absence refuge may be sought with other Gurus. It has therefore been said: “As a bee desirous of honey goes from one flower to another, so does the disciple desirous of knowledge (Jnāna) go from one Guru to another.”¹
1 See Introduction.
2 The Guru who has given him initiation.
3 Sangkshaya=Pralaya.
4 Nityānanda=Brahman.
5 Satām—lit., “of the Good”.
“Gladdened by constant realisation of that which is the source of Eternal Bliss” (Nityānanda-paramparā-pramudita)—i.e., who is united with the Stream of Eternal Bliss.
“Foremost among the good” (Satām agranī)—i.e., he is counted to be foremost among the good who are the Yogīs.
1 This is from Ch. XII, of Niruttara Tantra. This verse also occurs in Kulārnava (Tantrik Text, Vol. V), Ch. XIII, 132.
Verse 55
IF the Yogī who is devoted to the Lotus Feet of his Guru, with heart unperturbed and concentrated mind, reads this work which is the supreme source of the knowledge of Liberation, and which is faultless, pure, and most secret, then of a very surety his mind¹ dances at the Feet of his Ishta-devatā.
COMMENTARY
He here speaks of the good to be gained by the study of the verses relating to the six Chakras.
“Heart unperturbed” (Svabhāva-sthitah)—i.e., engrossed in his own true spiritual being.
“Concentrated mind” (Yatāntarmanāh)—i.e., he who by practice of Yoga has steadied and concentrated his mind on the inner spirit (Antarātmā).
The rest is clear.
Here ends the Eighth Section of the Explanation of the Verses descriptive of the Six Chakras, forming part of the Shrītattvachintāmani, composed by Shrī-Pūrnānandayati.
1 Chetas or Chitta.
THE FIVEFOLD FOOTSTOOL¹ (PĀDUKĀ-
PANCHAKA)
INTRODUCTORY VERSE²
I MEDITATE on the Guru in the Lotus of a thousand petals, who is radiant like the cool rays of the full moon, whose lotus hands make the gestures which grant blessing and dispel fear. His raiment, garland, and perfumes, are ever fresh and pure. His countenance is benign. He is in the Hangsa in the head. He is the Hangsa Himself.
1 The meaning of this is explained in v. 7, post.
2 This verse is inserted as it was found in a manuscript belonging to the late Achalānanda Svāmī, now in the possession of the Varendra Anusandhāna Samiti.
Verse 1
I ADORE the wonderful White Lotus of twelve letters¹ which is within the womb (Udare) of, and inseparable from, the pericarp of the Lotus in which is the Brahmarandhra, and which is adorned by the channel of Kundalī.²
COMMENTARY
The hymn Pādukā-panchaka, composed by Him of Five Faces,³ destroys all demerit.⁴ Kālī-charana by his Tīkā called Amalā (Stainless) makes patent its beauty.
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