The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
2 According to the Shāradā, Ch. I (and to the same effect Prapanchasāra Tantra), the colours of the Bhūtas are as follows: Ākāsha (ether) is transparent (svachchha); Vāyu (air) is black (Krishna); Agni (fire) is red (Rakta); Ap (water) is white (Sveta); and Prithivī (earth) is yellow (Pīta).
3 This steady, still, state is that of the Ātmā. See Mandalabrāhmana Up., Brāhmanas II, III.
The seventeenth verse of the Ānanda-Laharī mentions that the Devatās Vashinī and others are to be worshipped in the two last-mentioned Chakras. Vashinī and others are eight in number.¹
- (1) Vashinī, (2) Kāmeshvarī, (3) Modinī, (4) Vimalā,
- (5) Arunā, (6) Jayinī, (7) Sarveshvarī, and (8) Kālī or Kaulinī. These are respectively the Presiding Deities of the following eight groups of letters; (1) अ to अः, 16 letters; (2) क to ङ, 5 letters; (3) च to ञ, 5 letters;
- (4) ट to ण, 5 letters; (5) त to न, 5 letters; (6) प to 5 letters; (7) य to व, 4 letters; (8) श to क्ष or ळ, 5 letters.
The other beings in v. 17 of Ānanda-Laharī refer to the twelve Yoginīs, who are (1) Vidyāyoginī, (2) Rechikā, (3) Mochikā, (4) Amritā, (5) Dīpikā, (6) Jnānā, (7) Āpyā- yanī, (8) Vyāpinī, (9) Medhā, (10) Vyomarūpā, (11) Siddhirūpā, and (12) Lakshmīyoginī.
These twenty Deities (eight Vashinīs and twelve Yoginīs) are to be worshipped in Manipūra and Anāhata centres. In respect of this, the Commentator quotes a verse from the Taittirīyāranyaka, and gives a description of these Deities, their respective colours, place, etc.
At the spinal centre of the region at the base of the throat (Kantha-mūla) is the Vishuddha Chakra or Bhā- ratīsthāna,² with sixteen petals of a smoky purple hue, on which are the sixteen vowels with Bindu thereon—that is, Ang (अं), Āng (आं), Ing (इं), Īng (ईं), Ung (उं), Ūng (ऊं), Ring (ऋं), Rīng (ॠं), Lring (ऌं), Lrīng (ॡं), Eng (एं), Aing (ऐं), Ong (ओं), Aung (औं), and the two breathings Ang (अं), Ah (अः). According to the Devībhāgavata (VII. 35), the Chakra is so called because the Jīva is made pure (Vishuddha) by seeing the Hangsa. Here is the centre of the white circular Ākāsha or Ether Tattva, the Bīja of which is “Hang”. Ākāsha is dressed in white and mounted on a white elephant. Its Mandala is in the form of a circle.¹ Here is Sadāshiva in his androgyne or Arddhanārīshvara Mūrti, in which half the body is white and the other half gold. Here also is the white Shakti Shākinī, whose form is light (Jyotihsvarūpā). Here, too, is the lunar region, “the gateway of the great liberation”. It is at this place that the Jnānī “sees the three forms of time”. (Trikāladarshī). As all things are in the Ātmā, the Jnānī who has realised the Ātmā has seen them (vv. 28-31). Above the Vishuddha, at the root of the palate, is a minor Chakra called Lalanā, or in some Tantras Kalā Chakra, which is not mentioned in the works here translated. It is a red lotus with twelve petals bearing the following Vritti or qualities: Shraddhā (faith), Santosha (contentment), Aparādha (sense of error), Dama (self-command), Māna (anger)² Sneha (affection),³ Shuddhatā (purity), Arati (detachment), Sambhrama (agitation),⁴ Ūrmmi (appetite).⁵ (V. post.)
1 Pandit Ananta Shāstri’s Ānanda Laharī, pp. 47, 48, and translation of same by A. Avalon, “Wave of Bliss”.
2 That is, abode of the Devī of speech.
Before summarising the previous description, it is to be here observed that the Commentator Kālīcharana states the principle of this Yoga to be that that which is grosser is merged into that which is more subtle (Sthū- lānām sūkshme layah). The grosser are lower in the body than the more subtle. The gross which are in and
1 This is sometimes represented as a circle with a number of dots in it, for, as the Prapanchasāra Tantra says, Ākāsha has innumerable Sushira—that is, Chhidra, or spaces between its substance. It is because of its interstitial character that things exist in space.
2 This term is generally applied to cases arising between two persons who are attached to one another, as man and wife.
2 According to the Shāradā, Ch. I (and to the same effect Prapanchasāra Tantra), the colours of the Bhūtas are as follows: Ākāsha (ether) is transparent (svachchha); Vāyu (air) is black (Krishna); Agni (fire) is red (Rakta); Ap (water) is white (Sveta); and Prithivī (earth) is yellow (Pīta).
3 This steady, still, state is that of the Ātmā. See Mandalabrāhmana Up., Brāhmanas II, III.
The seventeenth verse of the Ānanda-Laharī mentions that the Devatās Vashinī and others are to be worshipped in the two last-mentioned Chakras. Vashinī and others are eight in number.¹
- (1) Vashinī, (2) Kāmeshvarī, (3) Modinī, (4) Vimalā,
- (5) Arunā, (6) Jayinī, (7) Sarveshvarī, and (8) Kālī or Kaulinī. These are respectively the Presiding Deities of the following eight groups of letters; (1) अ to अः, 16 letters; (2) क to ङ, 5 letters; (3) च to ञ, 5 letters;
- (4) ट to ण, 5 letters; (5) त to न, 5 letters; (6) प to 5 letters; (7) य to व, 4 letters; (8) श to क्ष or ळ, 5 letters.
The other beings in v. 17 of Ānanda-Laharī refer to the twelve Yoginīs, who are (1) Vidyāyoginī, (2) Rechikā, (3) Mochikā, (4) Amritā, (5) Dīpikā, (6) Jnānā, (7) Āpyā- yanī, (8) Vyāpinī, (9) Medhā, (10) Vyomarūpā, (11) Siddhirūpā, and (12) Lakshmīyoginī.
These twenty Deities (eight Vashinīs and twelve Yoginīs) are to be worshipped in Manipūra and Anāhata centres. In respect of this, the Commentator quotes a verse from the Taittirīyāranyaka, and gives a description of these Deities, their respective colours, place, etc.
At the spinal centre of the region at the base of the throat (Kantha-mūla) is the Vishuddha Chakra or Bhā- ratīsthāna,² with sixteen petals of a smoky purple hue, on which are the sixteen vowels with Bindu thereon—that is, Ang (अं), Āng (आं), Ing (इं), Īng (ईं), Ung (उं), Ūng (ऊं), Ring (ऋं), Rīng (ॠं), Lring (ऌं), Lrīng (ॡं), Eng (एं), Aing (ऐं), Ong (ओं), Aung (औं), and the two breathings Ang (अं), Ah (अः). According to the Devībhāgavata (VII. 35), the Chakra is so called because the Jīva is made pure (Vishuddha) by seeing the Hangsa. Here is the centre of the white circular Ākāsha or Ether Tattva, the Bīja of which is “Hang”. Ākāsha is dressed in white and mounted on a white elephant. Its Mandala is in the form of a circle.¹ Here is Sadāshiva in his androgyne or Arddhanārīshvara Mūrti, in which half the body is white and the other half gold. Here also is the white Shakti Shākinī, whose form is light (Jyotihsvarūpā). Here, too, is the lunar region, “the gateway of the great liberation”. It is at this place that the Jnānī “sees the three forms of time”. (Trikāladarshī). As all things are in the Ātmā, the Jnānī who has realised the Ātmā has seen them (vv. 28-31). Above the Vishuddha, at the root of the palate, is a minor Chakra called Lalanā, or in some Tantras Kalā Chakra, which is not mentioned in the works here translated. It is a red lotus with twelve petals bearing the following Vritti or qualities: Shraddhā (faith), Santosha (contentment), Aparādha (sense of error), Dama (self-command), Māna (anger)² Sneha (affection),³ Shuddhatā (purity), Arati (detachment), Sambhrama (agitation),⁴ Ūrmmi (appetite).⁵ (V. post.)
1 Pandit Ananta Shāstri’s Ānanda Laharī, pp. 47, 48, and translation of same by A. Avalon, “Wave of Bliss”.
2 That is, abode of the Devī of speech.
Before summarising the previous description, it is to be here observed that the Commentator Kālīcharana states the principle of this Yoga to be that that which is grosser is merged into that which is more subtle (Sthū- lānām sūkshme layah). The grosser are lower in the body than the more subtle. The gross which are in and
1 This is sometimes represented as a circle with a number of dots in it, for, as the Prapanchasāra Tantra says, Ākāsha has innumerable Sushira—that is, Chhidra, or spaces between its substance. It is because of its interstitial character that things exist in space.
2 This term is generally applied to cases arising between two persons who are attached to one another, as man and wife.
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