The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
is said to be seated on the elephant Airāvata, which is here located. This and the other animals figured in the Chakras are intended to denote the qualities of the Tattvas there regnant. Thus, the elephant is emblematic of the strength, firmness, and solidity, of this Tattva of “Earth”. They are, further, the vehicles (Vāhana) of the Devatās there. Thus in this Chakra there is the seed-mantra
The Dhyānabindu Up. associates the Bījas with the five Prānas.
Thus “Lang” is associated with Vyāna.
(Bīja) of Indra, whose vehicle is the elephant Airāvata. The Devatā of this centre is, according to the Text, the creative Brahmā, whose Shakti is Sāvitrī.¹ There also is the Shakti known as Dākinī,² who, as also the other Shaktis, Lākinī and the rest, which follow, are the Shaktis of the Dhātus or bodily substances³ assigned to this and the other centres. Here is the “female” triangle or Yoni known as Traipura, which is the Shaktipītha, in which is set the “male” Shivalingga known as Svayambhu, of the shape and colour of a young leaf, representing, as do all Devīs and Devas, the Māyā-Shakti and Chit-Shakti, aspects of the Brahman as manifested in the particular centres (vv. 4-14). The Linggas are four—Svayambhu, Bāna, Itara, Para. According to the Yoginīhridaya Tantra⁴ (Ch. I), they are so called because they lead to Chit. They are the Pīthas, Kāmarūpa, and the rest because they reflect Chit (Chitsphurattādhāratvāt). They are Vrittis of Manas, Ahangkāra, Buddhi, Chitta. To the first three are assigned certain forms and colours—namely, yellow, red, white, triangular, circular; as also certain letters —namely, the sixteen vowels, the consonants Ka to Ta (soft), and Tha to Sa. Para is formless, colourless, and letterless, being the collectivity (Samashti) of all letters in the form of bliss. The Traipura is the counterpart in the Jīva of the Kāmakalā of the Sahasrāra. The Devī Kundalinī, luminous as lightning, shining in the hollow of this lotus like a chain of brilliant lights, the World-bewilderer who maintains all breathing creatures,⁵ lies asleep coiled three and a half times¹ round the Linga, covering with Her head the Brahmadvāra.²
1 The Creator is called Savitā because He creates.
2 Who, according to Sammohana Tantra, Ch. II, acts as keeper of the door.
3 Viz., chyle, blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow, seed.
4 Yoginīhridaya Tantra, Ch. I.
5 See v. 49, S.N.
The Svādhishthāna Chakra is the second lotus proceeding upwards, and is, according to the commentary, so called after Sva or the Param Lingam.³ It is a vermilion lotus of six petals placed in the spinal centre of the region at the root of the genitals. On these petals are the letters like lightning: Bang (बं), Bhang (भं), Mang (मं), Yang (यं), Rang (रं), Lang (लं). “Water” (Ap) is the Tattva of this Chakra, which is known as the white region of Varuna. The Tāttvik Mandala is in the shape of a crescent moon⁴ (Ardhendurūpalasitam). The Bīja of water (Varuna) is “Vang”. This, the Varuna Bīja, is seated on a white Makara⁵ with a noose in his hand. Hari (Vishnu) and Rākinī Shakti of furious aspect, showing Her teeth fiercely, are here (vv. 14—18).
Above it, at the centre of the region of the navel, is the lotus Manipūra (Nābhipadma), so called, according to the Gautamīya Tantra, because, owing to the presence of the fiery Tejas, it is lustrous as a gem (Mani).⁶ It is a lotus of ten petals on which are the letters Dang (डं), Dhang (ढं), Nang (णं), Tang (तं), Thang (थं), Dang (दं), Dhang (धं), Nang (नं), Pang (पं), Phang (फं). This is the triangular region of the Tejas Tattva. The triangle has
1 These correspond with the three and a half Bindus of which the Kubjikā Tantra speaks. See ante.
2 Entrance to the Sushumnā.
3 For another definition see Dhyānabindu Up., where all the Chakras are named. Another derivation is “own abode” of (Shakti).
is said to be seated on the elephant Airāvata, which is here located. This and the other animals figured in the Chakras are intended to denote the qualities of the Tattvas there regnant. Thus, the elephant is emblematic of the strength, firmness, and solidity, of this Tattva of “Earth”. They are, further, the vehicles (Vāhana) of the Devatās there. Thus in this Chakra there is the seed-mantra
The Dhyānabindu Up. associates the Bījas with the five Prānas.
Thus “Lang” is associated with Vyāna.
(Bīja) of Indra, whose vehicle is the elephant Airāvata. The Devatā of this centre is, according to the Text, the creative Brahmā, whose Shakti is Sāvitrī.¹ There also is the Shakti known as Dākinī,² who, as also the other Shaktis, Lākinī and the rest, which follow, are the Shaktis of the Dhātus or bodily substances³ assigned to this and the other centres. Here is the “female” triangle or Yoni known as Traipura, which is the Shaktipītha, in which is set the “male” Shivalingga known as Svayambhu, of the shape and colour of a young leaf, representing, as do all Devīs and Devas, the Māyā-Shakti and Chit-Shakti, aspects of the Brahman as manifested in the particular centres (vv. 4-14). The Linggas are four—Svayambhu, Bāna, Itara, Para. According to the Yoginīhridaya Tantra⁴ (Ch. I), they are so called because they lead to Chit. They are the Pīthas, Kāmarūpa, and the rest because they reflect Chit (Chitsphurattādhāratvāt). They are Vrittis of Manas, Ahangkāra, Buddhi, Chitta. To the first three are assigned certain forms and colours—namely, yellow, red, white, triangular, circular; as also certain letters —namely, the sixteen vowels, the consonants Ka to Ta (soft), and Tha to Sa. Para is formless, colourless, and letterless, being the collectivity (Samashti) of all letters in the form of bliss. The Traipura is the counterpart in the Jīva of the Kāmakalā of the Sahasrāra. The Devī Kundalinī, luminous as lightning, shining in the hollow of this lotus like a chain of brilliant lights, the World-bewilderer who maintains all breathing creatures,⁵ lies asleep coiled three and a half times¹ round the Linga, covering with Her head the Brahmadvāra.²
1 The Creator is called Savitā because He creates.
2 Who, according to Sammohana Tantra, Ch. II, acts as keeper of the door.
3 Viz., chyle, blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow, seed.
4 Yoginīhridaya Tantra, Ch. I.
5 See v. 49, S.N.
The Svādhishthāna Chakra is the second lotus proceeding upwards, and is, according to the commentary, so called after Sva or the Param Lingam.³ It is a vermilion lotus of six petals placed in the spinal centre of the region at the root of the genitals. On these petals are the letters like lightning: Bang (बं), Bhang (भं), Mang (मं), Yang (यं), Rang (रं), Lang (लं). “Water” (Ap) is the Tattva of this Chakra, which is known as the white region of Varuna. The Tāttvik Mandala is in the shape of a crescent moon⁴ (Ardhendurūpalasitam). The Bīja of water (Varuna) is “Vang”. This, the Varuna Bīja, is seated on a white Makara⁵ with a noose in his hand. Hari (Vishnu) and Rākinī Shakti of furious aspect, showing Her teeth fiercely, are here (vv. 14—18).
Above it, at the centre of the region of the navel, is the lotus Manipūra (Nābhipadma), so called, according to the Gautamīya Tantra, because, owing to the presence of the fiery Tejas, it is lustrous as a gem (Mani).⁶ It is a lotus of ten petals on which are the letters Dang (डं), Dhang (ढं), Nang (णं), Tang (तं), Thang (थं), Dang (दं), Dhang (धं), Nang (नं), Pang (पं), Phang (फं). This is the triangular region of the Tejas Tattva. The triangle has
1 These correspond with the three and a half Bindus of which the Kubjikā Tantra speaks. See ante.
2 Entrance to the Sushumnā.
3 For another definition see Dhyānabindu Up., where all the Chakras are named. Another derivation is “own abode” of (Shakti).
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