The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
surround the Yoni-Mandala.” Also: “Above is the line of Sattva; the line of Rajas is on the left, and the line of Tamas is on one’s right.”¹
By a careful consideration of the above authorities, the conclusion is irresistible that the letters A-Ka-Tha go in the direction above-mentioned.
The Svatantra Tantra says: “The lines A-Ka-Tha surround the letters Ha, La and Ksha.” It therefore places the letters Ha, La, Ksha within the triangle.
It is needless to discuss the matter at greater length.
1 That is, on the left and right of the Yoni or the right and left of the spectator.
Verse 3
IN my heart I meditate on the Jewelled Altar (Manipītha), and on Nāda and Bindu as within the triangle aforespoken. The pale red¹ glory of the gems in this altar shames the brilliance of the lightning flash. Its substance is Chit.
COMMENTARY
The place of the Guru is on the jewelled altar within the triangle. He therefore describes the jewelled altar (Manipītha).
“In my heart” (Hridi), i.e., in my Mind (Manasi).
“On the Jewelled Altar and on Nāda and Bindu” (Nāda-bindumanipīthamandalam).—The compound word may be formed in two ways: Manipīthamandalam along with Nāda and Bindu (Nādabindubhyāng saha), or Nāda and Bindu and Manipīthamandalam— i.e., all these three. Some interpret this to mean that the Mandala
Manipītha is composed of Nāda and Bindu. But that cannot be. Nāda is white, and Bindu is red; and the pale red glory whereby the Manipītha shames the lustre of the lightning flash is neither red nor white.
The Shāradātilaka says: “This Bindu is Shiva and Shakti,² and divides itself into three different parts; its divisions are called Bindu, Nāda, and Bīja.” If this be interpreted to mean, as it ought to be, that Bindu is Para-Shaktimaya, and Bīja, Nāda, and Bindu, are respectively Fire, Moon and Sun, then Nāda being the Moon is white, and Bindu being the Sun is red. Pūrnānanda also speaks³ of Nāda as being white like Baladeva, etc.
The Brihat Shrīkrama also says: “There was the imperishable Bindu, lustrous (red) like the young Sun.”
1 Pātala.
2 Para-Shaktimaya=Shiva-Shakti-maya.
3 V. 35, Shat-chakra-nirūpana.
Now, as one is white and the other red, they can never be the pale red gem. The meaning given by us is therefore correct. The solution is that Nāda is below, and Bindu above, and Manipītha in between the two—thus should one meditate. This has been clearly shown in the Gurudhyāna in Kangkāla-mālinī Tantra: “Meditate on the excellent Antarātmā¹ in the (region of the) Lotus of a thousand petals, and above it (Antarātmā) meditate on the resplendent throne² between Nāda and Bindu, and on this throne (meditate) upon the eternal Guru, white like a mountain of silver.”
“The pale red glory of the gems in this altar shames the brilliance of lightning” (Patu-tadit-kadārima-sparddhamāna-manipātalaprabham).—This qualifies Manipītha-mandalam. To be “patu” is to be able to fully do one’s work. Now, lightning wants to display itself. Here the idea is that the pale red lustre of the gems in the Pītha shames the uninterrupted brilliance of the reddish-yellow (Piṁgala) lightning flash. It is of a pale red colour inasmuch as the Manipītha is covered all over with gems.
“Its substance is Chit” (Chinmayang vapuh).—The Chinmaya or Jnānamaya body. The body of Nāda, Bindu and Manipītha, is Chinmaya or Jnāna-maya.³ Others interpret it to mean, “I meditate on the Chinmaya body of the twelfth vowel,⁴ the Bīja of Sarasvatī, which is the Gurumantra.” But that is wrong. The Guru is white, and his Bīja is also white; to attribute to it a pale red lustre would be incongruous.
1 This Antarātmā is Hangsa. Unless the words in the text, “in the lotus of a thousand petals,” be read Sāmīpye saptamī, the view here expressed differs from that adopted by Kālīcharana, that Hangsa is in the twelve-petalled lotus.
2 Siṁhāsana—lit., lion seat, the seat of the honoured one, the
King’s seat.
3 That is, their substance is pure Chit not in association with Māyā.
4 The Bīja of Sarasvatī or Vāgbhava Bīja is Aing. Ai is the twelfth vowel.
Verse 4
I INTENTLY meditate on the three lines above it (Manipītha), beginning with the line of Fire, and on the brilliance of Manipītha, which is heightened by the lustre of those lines. I also meditate on the primordial Hangsa,¹ which is the all-powerful Great Light in which the Universe is absorbed.²
COMMENTARY
On Hangsa-pītha, which is within the triangle on Manipītha, between Nāda and Bindu, is the place of the Guru. He now wishes to describe Hangsa and the triangle in order that a clear conception of these two may be gained.
surround the Yoni-Mandala.” Also: “Above is the line of Sattva; the line of Rajas is on the left, and the line of Tamas is on one’s right.”¹
By a careful consideration of the above authorities, the conclusion is irresistible that the letters A-Ka-Tha go in the direction above-mentioned.
The Svatantra Tantra says: “The lines A-Ka-Tha surround the letters Ha, La and Ksha.” It therefore places the letters Ha, La, Ksha within the triangle.
It is needless to discuss the matter at greater length.
1 That is, on the left and right of the Yoni or the right and left of the spectator.
Verse 3
IN my heart I meditate on the Jewelled Altar (Manipītha), and on Nāda and Bindu as within the triangle aforespoken. The pale red¹ glory of the gems in this altar shames the brilliance of the lightning flash. Its substance is Chit.
COMMENTARY
The place of the Guru is on the jewelled altar within the triangle. He therefore describes the jewelled altar (Manipītha).
“In my heart” (Hridi), i.e., in my Mind (Manasi).
“On the Jewelled Altar and on Nāda and Bindu” (Nāda-bindumanipīthamandalam).—The compound word may be formed in two ways: Manipīthamandalam along with Nāda and Bindu (Nādabindubhyāng saha), or Nāda and Bindu and Manipīthamandalam— i.e., all these three. Some interpret this to mean that the Mandala
Manipītha is composed of Nāda and Bindu. But that cannot be. Nāda is white, and Bindu is red; and the pale red glory whereby the Manipītha shames the lustre of the lightning flash is neither red nor white.
The Shāradātilaka says: “This Bindu is Shiva and Shakti,² and divides itself into three different parts; its divisions are called Bindu, Nāda, and Bīja.” If this be interpreted to mean, as it ought to be, that Bindu is Para-Shaktimaya, and Bīja, Nāda, and Bindu, are respectively Fire, Moon and Sun, then Nāda being the Moon is white, and Bindu being the Sun is red. Pūrnānanda also speaks³ of Nāda as being white like Baladeva, etc.
The Brihat Shrīkrama also says: “There was the imperishable Bindu, lustrous (red) like the young Sun.”
1 Pātala.
2 Para-Shaktimaya=Shiva-Shakti-maya.
3 V. 35, Shat-chakra-nirūpana.
Now, as one is white and the other red, they can never be the pale red gem. The meaning given by us is therefore correct. The solution is that Nāda is below, and Bindu above, and Manipītha in between the two—thus should one meditate. This has been clearly shown in the Gurudhyāna in Kangkāla-mālinī Tantra: “Meditate on the excellent Antarātmā¹ in the (region of the) Lotus of a thousand petals, and above it (Antarātmā) meditate on the resplendent throne² between Nāda and Bindu, and on this throne (meditate) upon the eternal Guru, white like a mountain of silver.”
“The pale red glory of the gems in this altar shames the brilliance of lightning” (Patu-tadit-kadārima-sparddhamāna-manipātalaprabham).—This qualifies Manipītha-mandalam. To be “patu” is to be able to fully do one’s work. Now, lightning wants to display itself. Here the idea is that the pale red lustre of the gems in the Pītha shames the uninterrupted brilliance of the reddish-yellow (Piṁgala) lightning flash. It is of a pale red colour inasmuch as the Manipītha is covered all over with gems.
“Its substance is Chit” (Chinmayang vapuh).—The Chinmaya or Jnānamaya body. The body of Nāda, Bindu and Manipītha, is Chinmaya or Jnāna-maya.³ Others interpret it to mean, “I meditate on the Chinmaya body of the twelfth vowel,⁴ the Bīja of Sarasvatī, which is the Gurumantra.” But that is wrong. The Guru is white, and his Bīja is also white; to attribute to it a pale red lustre would be incongruous.
1 This Antarātmā is Hangsa. Unless the words in the text, “in the lotus of a thousand petals,” be read Sāmīpye saptamī, the view here expressed differs from that adopted by Kālīcharana, that Hangsa is in the twelve-petalled lotus.
2 Siṁhāsana—lit., lion seat, the seat of the honoured one, the
King’s seat.
3 That is, their substance is pure Chit not in association with Māyā.
4 The Bīja of Sarasvatī or Vāgbhava Bīja is Aing. Ai is the twelfth vowel.
Verse 4
I INTENTLY meditate on the three lines above it (Manipītha), beginning with the line of Fire, and on the brilliance of Manipītha, which is heightened by the lustre of those lines. I also meditate on the primordial Hangsa,¹ which is the all-powerful Great Light in which the Universe is absorbed.²
COMMENTARY
On Hangsa-pītha, which is within the triangle on Manipītha, between Nāda and Bindu, is the place of the Guru. He now wishes to describe Hangsa and the triangle in order that a clear conception of these two may be gained.
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