The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
2 i.e., Hang and Sah. The union of the two makes Hangsah.
This is the beginning and end of creation. The outgoing breath
(Nishvāsa) Hang of the Supreme is the duration of the life of Brahmā
the Creator (Cf. Tavāyur mama nishvāsah—Prapanchasāra Tantra,
Ch. I) and Sah is the indrawing breath by which creation returns to
Prakriti.
3 Huta-bhuk-shikhā-sakha—the friend of the flame of Fire. By this is meant Vāyu (air). As there is no Vāyu in this region, therefore Vāyu cannot be above the triangle or above Manipītha.
p. 177
interpretation mentioned is in great conflict with the view of Kangkālamālinī. But if Huta-bhuk-shikhā-trayam be read as qualifying Hangsa, then the difficulty may be removed. Then the meaning would be: “Below Manipītha is Hangsa, and above it is the triangular Kāmakalā which is formed by the Hangsa.”¹
“Which is the all-powerful Great Light in which the Universe is absorbed” (Vishva-ghasmara-mahochchidotkatam).—“Bhaksh” and “Ghas” mean the same thing. The root “Ghas” means “to devour,” and the roots “Chid,” “Hlād,” and “Dīp,” all mean “to shine.” The Great Light (Mahochchit) which is the Devourer (Ghasmara) of the Universes: By that is meant that It is all-powerful (Utkata). Utkata, which literally means very high, here means very powerful.
1 Tasya parīnatasya. Apparently the sense is that the three Bindus, or Hangsa, are below, but that the triangle which they collectively form, or the Kāmakalā, is above, and in this sense the Hangsa is both above and below Manipītha,
p. 178
Verse 5
The mind there contemplates the two Lotuses which are the Feet of the Guru, and of which the ruby-coloured nectar is the honey. These two Feet are cool like the nectar of the Moon, and are the place of all auspiciousness.
COMMENTARY
Having described the place where the two Lotus Feet of the Guru should be meditated upon, he now speaks of the (Sādhaka’s) union therewith by meditation (Dhyāna) on them, in this and the following verse.
“There” (Tatra)—i.e., in the triangle on the Manipītha.
The meaning of this verse, in short, is: “The mind there,
within the triangle on the Manipītha, contemplates upon the
Lotus Feet of the Guru.”
“Of which the ruby-coloured nectar is the honey” (Kungkumāsavaparīmarandayoh).—This qualifies “the lotuses”. Kungkuma means red, the colour of lac. The excellent nectar which is of the colour of lac is the honey of the Lotus Feet of the Guru. Some read “Jharī” for “Parī”; the meaning would then be: “from which flows like honey the rubycoloured nectar.”
“Cool like the nectar of the Moon” (Indu-makarandashītalam)—i.e., they are cool as the nectar-like beams of the Moon. As the beams of the Moon counteract heat, so does devotion to the Feet of the Guru overcome sorrow and suffering.
“Place of all auspiciousness” (Maṁgalāspadam).—It is the place where one gets all one desires. The sense is that by devout concentration on the feet of the Guru all success is attained.
p. 179
Verse 6
I ADORE in my head the two Lotus Feet of the Guru.
The jewelled footstool on which they rest removes all sin.
They are red like young leaves. Their nails resemble
the moon shining in all her glory. Theirs is the beautiful
lustre of lotuses growing in a lake of nectar.
COMMENTARY
He says here: “I adore the two Lotus Feet of the Guru, resting on the footstool already described in my head.” By adoration here meditation is meant.
“The jewelled footstool on which they rest removes all sin.” (Nishakta-mani-pādukā-niyamitāgha-kolāhalam).—That is, all the multitude of sins are removed by devotion to the jewelled footstool which serves as the resting-place of His Feet. Or it may be interpreted thus: “The footstool which is studded with gems—that is, the Manipītha-mandala which is the footstool— removes all the multitude of sins. By meditating on the Feet of the Guru as resting on this stool all sins are destroyed.” Or it may be thus interpreted: “The five footstools with which are inseparably connected the gems (by which are meant the Chintāmani-like feet of the Guru) destroy all the multitude of sins.” By meditating first on the fivefold footstool, and then on the feet of the Guru as resting thereon, sin is removed. As the removal of sins is effected by meditation on the fivefold footstools, it is the cause which effects such removal.
“They are like young leaves” (Sphurat-kisalayārunam). —That is, the feet of the Guru possess the red colour of newly opened leaves. The leaves of the Mango and Kenduka¹ treep. 180 when newly opened are of a red colour, and comparison is made with them.
1 Diospyros glutinosa.
“Their nails resemble the moon shining in all her glory”
(Nakha-samullasachchandrakam)—i.e., the toe-nails are like so
many beautifully shining moons.
2 i.e., Hang and Sah. The union of the two makes Hangsah.
This is the beginning and end of creation. The outgoing breath
(Nishvāsa) Hang of the Supreme is the duration of the life of Brahmā
the Creator (Cf. Tavāyur mama nishvāsah—Prapanchasāra Tantra,
Ch. I) and Sah is the indrawing breath by which creation returns to
Prakriti.
3 Huta-bhuk-shikhā-sakha—the friend of the flame of Fire. By this is meant Vāyu (air). As there is no Vāyu in this region, therefore Vāyu cannot be above the triangle or above Manipītha.
p. 177
interpretation mentioned is in great conflict with the view of Kangkālamālinī. But if Huta-bhuk-shikhā-trayam be read as qualifying Hangsa, then the difficulty may be removed. Then the meaning would be: “Below Manipītha is Hangsa, and above it is the triangular Kāmakalā which is formed by the Hangsa.”¹
“Which is the all-powerful Great Light in which the Universe is absorbed” (Vishva-ghasmara-mahochchidotkatam).—“Bhaksh” and “Ghas” mean the same thing. The root “Ghas” means “to devour,” and the roots “Chid,” “Hlād,” and “Dīp,” all mean “to shine.” The Great Light (Mahochchit) which is the Devourer (Ghasmara) of the Universes: By that is meant that It is all-powerful (Utkata). Utkata, which literally means very high, here means very powerful.
1 Tasya parīnatasya. Apparently the sense is that the three Bindus, or Hangsa, are below, but that the triangle which they collectively form, or the Kāmakalā, is above, and in this sense the Hangsa is both above and below Manipītha,
p. 178
Verse 5
The mind there contemplates the two Lotuses which are the Feet of the Guru, and of which the ruby-coloured nectar is the honey. These two Feet are cool like the nectar of the Moon, and are the place of all auspiciousness.
COMMENTARY
Having described the place where the two Lotus Feet of the Guru should be meditated upon, he now speaks of the (Sādhaka’s) union therewith by meditation (Dhyāna) on them, in this and the following verse.
“There” (Tatra)—i.e., in the triangle on the Manipītha.
The meaning of this verse, in short, is: “The mind there,
within the triangle on the Manipītha, contemplates upon the
Lotus Feet of the Guru.”
“Of which the ruby-coloured nectar is the honey” (Kungkumāsavaparīmarandayoh).—This qualifies “the lotuses”. Kungkuma means red, the colour of lac. The excellent nectar which is of the colour of lac is the honey of the Lotus Feet of the Guru. Some read “Jharī” for “Parī”; the meaning would then be: “from which flows like honey the rubycoloured nectar.”
“Cool like the nectar of the Moon” (Indu-makarandashītalam)—i.e., they are cool as the nectar-like beams of the Moon. As the beams of the Moon counteract heat, so does devotion to the Feet of the Guru overcome sorrow and suffering.
“Place of all auspiciousness” (Maṁgalāspadam).—It is the place where one gets all one desires. The sense is that by devout concentration on the feet of the Guru all success is attained.
p. 179
Verse 6
I ADORE in my head the two Lotus Feet of the Guru.
The jewelled footstool on which they rest removes all sin.
They are red like young leaves. Their nails resemble
the moon shining in all her glory. Theirs is the beautiful
lustre of lotuses growing in a lake of nectar.
COMMENTARY
He says here: “I adore the two Lotus Feet of the Guru, resting on the footstool already described in my head.” By adoration here meditation is meant.
“The jewelled footstool on which they rest removes all sin.” (Nishakta-mani-pādukā-niyamitāgha-kolāhalam).—That is, all the multitude of sins are removed by devotion to the jewelled footstool which serves as the resting-place of His Feet. Or it may be interpreted thus: “The footstool which is studded with gems—that is, the Manipītha-mandala which is the footstool— removes all the multitude of sins. By meditating on the Feet of the Guru as resting on this stool all sins are destroyed.” Or it may be thus interpreted: “The five footstools with which are inseparably connected the gems (by which are meant the Chintāmani-like feet of the Guru) destroy all the multitude of sins.” By meditating first on the fivefold footstool, and then on the feet of the Guru as resting thereon, sin is removed. As the removal of sins is effected by meditation on the fivefold footstools, it is the cause which effects such removal.
“They are like young leaves” (Sphurat-kisalayārunam). —That is, the feet of the Guru possess the red colour of newly opened leaves. The leaves of the Mango and Kenduka¹ treep. 180 when newly opened are of a red colour, and comparison is made with them.
1 Diospyros glutinosa.
“Their nails resemble the moon shining in all her glory”
(Nakha-samullasachchandrakam)—i.e., the toe-nails are like so
many beautifully shining moons.
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