The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
phases of the Chandrabindu, or Nāda, Bindu, Shakti, and Shānta of the Om and other Bīja Mantras. Its abode is Satyaloka, which within the human body exists in the pericarp of the thousand-petalled lotus (Sahasrāra) in the highest cerebral centre. The Shāradā¹ then says that this Parabindu, whose substance is Supreme Shakti, divides itself into three—that is, appears under a threefold aspect. There are thus three Bindus, the first of which is called Bindu,² and the others Nāda and Bīja. Bindu is in the nature of Shiva and Bīja of Shakti.³ Nāda is Shiva-Shakti —that is, their mutual relation or interaction (Mithah samavāyah)⁴ or Yoga (union), as the Prayogasāra calls it.⁵ The threefold Bindu (Tribindu) is supreme (Para), subtle (Sūkshma), and gross (Stūla).⁶ Nāda is thus the union of
1 Ch. I.
2 Kāryya, or produced, Bindu, to distinguish it from the causal
(Kārana) Bindu or Parabindu.
3 In the case of the Mantras, Bīja (according to the Kulachūdāmani, v, 58) is the first letter of a Kūta or group and what follows is Shakti. Thus in the Mantra “Krīm,” K is Bīja and R and I are Shakti. By the Bīja form is made (Bījena Mūrtikalpanā.)
4 Parashaktimayah sākshāt tridhā sau bhidyate punah Bindur nādo bījam iti tasya bhedāh samīritāh Binduh shivātmako bījang shaktir nādas tayor mithah Samavāyah samākhyātah sarvāgamavishāradaih (Ch. I).
The first word of the third line reads better as Binduh shivātmako than as Bindur nādātmako, as some MSS., such as that from which I quoted in Introduction to the Mahānirvāna. The Commentary to v. 40, post, also speaks of Bindu as being Nādātmaka, but explains that that means Shivātmaka. See also to the same effect Kriyāsāra.
5 See Rāghava Bhatta’s Comm. on Ch. I. v. 8 of Shāradā.
Nirgunah sagunash cheti shivo jneyah sanātanah Nirgunāchchaiva sangjātā bindavas traya eva cha Brahmabindur vishnubindū rudrabindur maheshvari.
The verse as cited in Prānatoshinī (p. 13) reads in second line
Nirgunāshchaiva; but this must be a mistake for Nirgunāchchhaiva,
for the Bindus themselves are not nirguna, but spring from it.
6 Asmāch cha kāranabindoh sakāshāt kramena kāryyabindus tato nādas tato bījam iti trayam utpannam tad idang parasūkshmasthūlapadaih kathyate (Lalitā-Sahasranāma, Comm.).
These represent the Chit, Chidachit, Achit aspects of nature. Chidangshah chidachinmishrah achidangshashcha teshāng rūpāni (Bhāsthese two in creation. As the Text says (v. 40), it is by this division of Shiva and Shakti that there arises creative ideation (Srishti-Kalpanā). The causal Bindu is from the Shakti aspect undifferentiated Shakti (Abhedarūpā Shakti) with all powers (Sarvashaktimaya); from the Prakriti aspect Trigunamayī Mūlaprakriti; from the Devatā aspect the unmanifest (Avyakta); from the Devī aspect Shāntā. The three Bindus separately indicate the operations of the three powers of will (Ichchhā), knowledge (Jnāna), and action (Kriyā), and the three Gunas (Rajas, Sattva, Tamas); also the manifestation of the three Devīs (Vāmā, Jyeshthā, Raudrī) and the three Devatās (Brahmā, Vishnu, Rudra) who spring from them.¹ It is said in the Prayogasāra and Shāradā that Raudrī issued from Bindu, Jyeshthā from Nāda, and Vāmā from Bīja. From these came Rudra, Vishnu, Brahmā, which are in the nature of Jnāna, Kriyā, Ichchhā, and Moon, Sun, and Fire.² The three Bindus are known as Sun kararāya; Comm. Lalitā). Kālena bhidyamānastu sa bindur bhavati tridhā, Sthūlasūkshmaparatvena tasya traividhyamishyate, Sa bindunādabījatvabhedena cha nigadyate. Ete cha kāranabindvādayash chatvāra ādhidaivatam avyakteshvarahiranyagarbhavirātsvarūpāh shāntā- vāmājyeshthāraudrīrūpā ambikechchhājnānakriyārūpāsh cha (ib.). Ādhibhūtantu kāmarūpapūrnagirijālandharaudyānapītharūpāh. Pītharūpā iti tu nityāhridaye spashtam (ib.). Citing Rahasyāgama.
1 Ichchhā, Rajas, Vāmā, Brahmā, Pashyantīshabda,
Jnāna, Sattva, Jyeshthā, Vishnu, Madhyamāshabda,
Kriyā, Tamas, Raudrī, Rudra, Vaikharīshabda.
See Comm. 22 Shloka, Kāmakalāvilāsa, Sangketa 1, Yoginīhridaya Tantra, and Saubhāgya Sudhodaya, cited in Sangketa 2 of the last Tantra. As the Rudra Yāmala says (II. 22), the three Devas are aspects of the One.
Ekā mūrtistrayo devā brahmavishnumaheshvarāh
Mama vigrahasangkliptā srijaty avati hanti cha.
But see next note.
2 Cited in Prānatoshinī, p. 8: Raudrī bindos tato nādāj jyeshthā bījād ajāyata Vāmā tābhyah samutpannāh rudra-brahma-ramādhipāh
(Ravi), Moon (Chandra), and Fire (Agni), terms constantly appearing in the works here translated.
In Sun there are Fire and Moon.¹ It is known as Mishra Bindu, and in the form of such is not different from Paramashiva, and is Kāmakalā.² Kāmakalā is the Triangle of divine desire formed by the three Bindus— that is, their collectivity (Samashtirūpā).³ This Kāmakalā is the root (Mūla) of all Mantra. Moon (Soma, Chandra) is Shiva Bindu, and white (Sita Bindu); Fire (Agni) is Shaktibindu, and red (Shonabindu); Sun is a mixture of the two. Fire, Moon, and Sun are the Ichchhā, Jnāna, Kriyā Shaktis (will, knowledge, action). On the material plane the white Bindu assumes the form of semen (Shukra), and the red Bindu of menstrual fluid (Rajasphala, Shonita). Mahābindu is the state before the manifestation of Prakriti.⁴ All three Bindus—that is, the Kāmakalā—are Shakti, though one may indicate predominantly the Shiva, the other the Shakti aspect. Sometimes Mishra Bindu is called Shakti Tattva, to
Te jnānechchhā-kriyātmāno vahnīndvarka-svarūpinah.
Ichchhā kriyā tathā jnānang gaurī brāhmī tu vaishnavī
Tridhā shaktih sthitā yatra tatparang jyotir om iti.
As the author of the Prānatoshinī (p. 9) says, the names are not to be read in the order of words (Pratishabdam), otherwise Jnāna would be associated with Vaishnavī, but according to the facts (Yathā sambhavam) as stated in the text. According to this account it would seem that Jnāna, Sattva, and Kriyā Tamas in note 1 should be transposed.
1 It is Agnīshomamayah. See Tīkā, vv. 6, 7, of Kāmakalāvilāsa.
See my “Garland of Letters”.
2 That is, Kāmayuktā Kalā, Kalā with creative will (here its manifestation).
Mahābindu=Paramashiva=Mishrabindu=Ravi=Kāmakalā.
Ravi-paramashivābhinnā mishrabindurūpā Kāmakalā.
phases of the Chandrabindu, or Nāda, Bindu, Shakti, and Shānta of the Om and other Bīja Mantras. Its abode is Satyaloka, which within the human body exists in the pericarp of the thousand-petalled lotus (Sahasrāra) in the highest cerebral centre. The Shāradā¹ then says that this Parabindu, whose substance is Supreme Shakti, divides itself into three—that is, appears under a threefold aspect. There are thus three Bindus, the first of which is called Bindu,² and the others Nāda and Bīja. Bindu is in the nature of Shiva and Bīja of Shakti.³ Nāda is Shiva-Shakti —that is, their mutual relation or interaction (Mithah samavāyah)⁴ or Yoga (union), as the Prayogasāra calls it.⁵ The threefold Bindu (Tribindu) is supreme (Para), subtle (Sūkshma), and gross (Stūla).⁶ Nāda is thus the union of
1 Ch. I.
2 Kāryya, or produced, Bindu, to distinguish it from the causal
(Kārana) Bindu or Parabindu.
3 In the case of the Mantras, Bīja (according to the Kulachūdāmani, v, 58) is the first letter of a Kūta or group and what follows is Shakti. Thus in the Mantra “Krīm,” K is Bīja and R and I are Shakti. By the Bīja form is made (Bījena Mūrtikalpanā.)
4 Parashaktimayah sākshāt tridhā sau bhidyate punah Bindur nādo bījam iti tasya bhedāh samīritāh Binduh shivātmako bījang shaktir nādas tayor mithah Samavāyah samākhyātah sarvāgamavishāradaih (Ch. I).
The first word of the third line reads better as Binduh shivātmako than as Bindur nādātmako, as some MSS., such as that from which I quoted in Introduction to the Mahānirvāna. The Commentary to v. 40, post, also speaks of Bindu as being Nādātmaka, but explains that that means Shivātmaka. See also to the same effect Kriyāsāra.
5 See Rāghava Bhatta’s Comm. on Ch. I. v. 8 of Shāradā.
Nirgunah sagunash cheti shivo jneyah sanātanah Nirgunāchchaiva sangjātā bindavas traya eva cha Brahmabindur vishnubindū rudrabindur maheshvari.
The verse as cited in Prānatoshinī (p. 13) reads in second line
Nirgunāshchaiva; but this must be a mistake for Nirgunāchchhaiva,
for the Bindus themselves are not nirguna, but spring from it.
6 Asmāch cha kāranabindoh sakāshāt kramena kāryyabindus tato nādas tato bījam iti trayam utpannam tad idang parasūkshmasthūlapadaih kathyate (Lalitā-Sahasranāma, Comm.).
These represent the Chit, Chidachit, Achit aspects of nature. Chidangshah chidachinmishrah achidangshashcha teshāng rūpāni (Bhāsthese two in creation. As the Text says (v. 40), it is by this division of Shiva and Shakti that there arises creative ideation (Srishti-Kalpanā). The causal Bindu is from the Shakti aspect undifferentiated Shakti (Abhedarūpā Shakti) with all powers (Sarvashaktimaya); from the Prakriti aspect Trigunamayī Mūlaprakriti; from the Devatā aspect the unmanifest (Avyakta); from the Devī aspect Shāntā. The three Bindus separately indicate the operations of the three powers of will (Ichchhā), knowledge (Jnāna), and action (Kriyā), and the three Gunas (Rajas, Sattva, Tamas); also the manifestation of the three Devīs (Vāmā, Jyeshthā, Raudrī) and the three Devatās (Brahmā, Vishnu, Rudra) who spring from them.¹ It is said in the Prayogasāra and Shāradā that Raudrī issued from Bindu, Jyeshthā from Nāda, and Vāmā from Bīja. From these came Rudra, Vishnu, Brahmā, which are in the nature of Jnāna, Kriyā, Ichchhā, and Moon, Sun, and Fire.² The three Bindus are known as Sun kararāya; Comm. Lalitā). Kālena bhidyamānastu sa bindur bhavati tridhā, Sthūlasūkshmaparatvena tasya traividhyamishyate, Sa bindunādabījatvabhedena cha nigadyate. Ete cha kāranabindvādayash chatvāra ādhidaivatam avyakteshvarahiranyagarbhavirātsvarūpāh shāntā- vāmājyeshthāraudrīrūpā ambikechchhājnānakriyārūpāsh cha (ib.). Ādhibhūtantu kāmarūpapūrnagirijālandharaudyānapītharūpāh. Pītharūpā iti tu nityāhridaye spashtam (ib.). Citing Rahasyāgama.
1 Ichchhā, Rajas, Vāmā, Brahmā, Pashyantīshabda,
Jnāna, Sattva, Jyeshthā, Vishnu, Madhyamāshabda,
Kriyā, Tamas, Raudrī, Rudra, Vaikharīshabda.
See Comm. 22 Shloka, Kāmakalāvilāsa, Sangketa 1, Yoginīhridaya Tantra, and Saubhāgya Sudhodaya, cited in Sangketa 2 of the last Tantra. As the Rudra Yāmala says (II. 22), the three Devas are aspects of the One.
Ekā mūrtistrayo devā brahmavishnumaheshvarāh
Mama vigrahasangkliptā srijaty avati hanti cha.
But see next note.
2 Cited in Prānatoshinī, p. 8: Raudrī bindos tato nādāj jyeshthā bījād ajāyata Vāmā tābhyah samutpannāh rudra-brahma-ramādhipāh
(Ravi), Moon (Chandra), and Fire (Agni), terms constantly appearing in the works here translated.
In Sun there are Fire and Moon.¹ It is known as Mishra Bindu, and in the form of such is not different from Paramashiva, and is Kāmakalā.² Kāmakalā is the Triangle of divine desire formed by the three Bindus— that is, their collectivity (Samashtirūpā).³ This Kāmakalā is the root (Mūla) of all Mantra. Moon (Soma, Chandra) is Shiva Bindu, and white (Sita Bindu); Fire (Agni) is Shaktibindu, and red (Shonabindu); Sun is a mixture of the two. Fire, Moon, and Sun are the Ichchhā, Jnāna, Kriyā Shaktis (will, knowledge, action). On the material plane the white Bindu assumes the form of semen (Shukra), and the red Bindu of menstrual fluid (Rajasphala, Shonita). Mahābindu is the state before the manifestation of Prakriti.⁴ All three Bindus—that is, the Kāmakalā—are Shakti, though one may indicate predominantly the Shiva, the other the Shakti aspect. Sometimes Mishra Bindu is called Shakti Tattva, to
Te jnānechchhā-kriyātmāno vahnīndvarka-svarūpinah.
Ichchhā kriyā tathā jnānang gaurī brāhmī tu vaishnavī
Tridhā shaktih sthitā yatra tatparang jyotir om iti.
As the author of the Prānatoshinī (p. 9) says, the names are not to be read in the order of words (Pratishabdam), otherwise Jnāna would be associated with Vaishnavī, but according to the facts (Yathā sambhavam) as stated in the text. According to this account it would seem that Jnāna, Sattva, and Kriyā Tamas in note 1 should be transposed.
1 It is Agnīshomamayah. See Tīkā, vv. 6, 7, of Kāmakalāvilāsa.
See my “Garland of Letters”.
2 That is, Kāmayuktā Kalā, Kalā with creative will (here its manifestation).
Mahābindu=Paramashiva=Mishrabindu=Ravi=Kāmakalā.
Ravi-paramashivābhinnā mishrabindurūpā Kāmakalā.
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