The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
1 The nose is a centre at which sexual excitement may be aroused or subdued. Though the reproductive organ is higher up than the Mūlādhāra, the sexual force proceeds from the latter.
two white petals between the eyebrows, on which are the white letters Hang (हं), and Kshang (क्षं). This exhausts the fifty letters. It will have been observed that there are fifty petals and fifty letters in the six Chakras. In the pericarp is the great Mantra “Om”. Each Lotus has either two or four more petals than the one immediately below it, and the number of the petals in the Vishuddha Chakra is the sum of the preceding differences. Here are Paramashiva in the form of Hangsa (Hangsa-rūpa), Siddhakālī, the white Hākinī Shakti “elated by draughts of ambrosia,” the inverted triangle or Yoni (Trikona), and the Itara Linga, shining like lightning, which is set in it. The three Lingas are thus in the Mūlādhāra, Anāhata, and Ājnā Chakras respectively; for here at these three Brahmagranthis the force of Māyā Shakti is in great strength. And this is the point at which each of the three groups of Tattva associated with fire, sun, and moon, converge.¹ The phrase “opening the doors” refers to passage through these Granthi. Here in the Ājnā is the seat of the subtle Tattvas, Mahat and Prakriti. The former is the Antahkarana with Gunas— namely, Buddhi, Chitta, Ahangkāra and its product Manas (Sasangkalpavikalpaka). Commonly and shortly it is said that Manas is the Tattva of the Ājnā Chakra. As, however, it is the mental centre, it includes all the aspects of mind above stated, and the Prakriti whence they derive, as also the Ātmā in the form of the Pranava (Om) its Bīja. Here the Ātmā (Antarātmā) shines lustrous like a flame. The light of this region makes visible all which is between the Mūla and the Brahmarandhra. The Yogī by contemplation of this lotus gains further powers (Siddhi), and becomes Advaitāchāravādī (Monist). In connection with this Padma, the text (S.N., v. 36) explains how detachment is gained through the Yoni Mudrā. It is here that the Yogī at the
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time of death places his Prāna, and then enters the supreme primordial Deva, the Purāna (ancient) Purusha, “who was before the three worlds, and is known by the Vedānta”. The same verse describes the method (Prānāropanaprakāra). From the last centre and the causal Prakriti is evolved the subtle body which individually is known as Taijasa, and collectively (that is, the Īshvara aspect) as Hiranyagarbha. The latter term is applied to the manifestation of the Paramātmā in the Antahkarana; as displayed in Prāna it is Sūtrātmā; and when manifested through these two vehicles without differentiation it is known as the Antaryāmin. The Chakras are the bodily centres of the world of differentiated manifestation, with its gross and subtle bodies arising from their causal body, and its threefold planes of consciousness in waking, sleeping, and dreamless slumber.
1 V. post.
1 The nose is a centre at which sexual excitement may be aroused or subdued. Though the reproductive organ is higher up than the Mūlādhāra, the sexual force proceeds from the latter.
two white petals between the eyebrows, on which are the white letters Hang (हं), and Kshang (क्षं). This exhausts the fifty letters. It will have been observed that there are fifty petals and fifty letters in the six Chakras. In the pericarp is the great Mantra “Om”. Each Lotus has either two or four more petals than the one immediately below it, and the number of the petals in the Vishuddha Chakra is the sum of the preceding differences. Here are Paramashiva in the form of Hangsa (Hangsa-rūpa), Siddhakālī, the white Hākinī Shakti “elated by draughts of ambrosia,” the inverted triangle or Yoni (Trikona), and the Itara Linga, shining like lightning, which is set in it. The three Lingas are thus in the Mūlādhāra, Anāhata, and Ājnā Chakras respectively; for here at these three Brahmagranthis the force of Māyā Shakti is in great strength. And this is the point at which each of the three groups of Tattva associated with fire, sun, and moon, converge.¹ The phrase “opening the doors” refers to passage through these Granthi. Here in the Ājnā is the seat of the subtle Tattvas, Mahat and Prakriti. The former is the Antahkarana with Gunas— namely, Buddhi, Chitta, Ahangkāra and its product Manas (Sasangkalpavikalpaka). Commonly and shortly it is said that Manas is the Tattva of the Ājnā Chakra. As, however, it is the mental centre, it includes all the aspects of mind above stated, and the Prakriti whence they derive, as also the Ātmā in the form of the Pranava (Om) its Bīja. Here the Ātmā (Antarātmā) shines lustrous like a flame. The light of this region makes visible all which is between the Mūla and the Brahmarandhra. The Yogī by contemplation of this lotus gains further powers (Siddhi), and becomes Advaitāchāravādī (Monist). In connection with this Padma, the text (S.N., v. 36) explains how detachment is gained through the Yoni Mudrā. It is here that the Yogī at the
p. 130
time of death places his Prāna, and then enters the supreme primordial Deva, the Purāna (ancient) Purusha, “who was before the three worlds, and is known by the Vedānta”. The same verse describes the method (Prānāropanaprakāra). From the last centre and the causal Prakriti is evolved the subtle body which individually is known as Taijasa, and collectively (that is, the Īshvara aspect) as Hiranyagarbha. The latter term is applied to the manifestation of the Paramātmā in the Antahkarana; as displayed in Prāna it is Sūtrātmā; and when manifested through these two vehicles without differentiation it is known as the Antaryāmin. The Chakras are the bodily centres of the world of differentiated manifestation, with its gross and subtle bodies arising from their causal body, and its threefold planes of consciousness in waking, sleeping, and dreamless slumber.
1 V. post.
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