The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
Above the Ājnā-chakra (vv. 32—39) there are the minor Chakras called Manas and Soma, not mentioned in the texts here translated. The Manas Chakra is a lotus of six petals, on the petals of which are (that is, which is the seat of) the sensations of hearing, touch, sight, smell, taste, and centrally initiated sensations in dream and hallucination. Above this, again, is the Soma Chakra, a lotus of sixteen petals, with certain Vrittis which are detailed later.¹ In this region are “the house without support” (Nirālambapurī), “where Yogīs see the radiant Īshvara,” the seven causal bodies (v. 39) which are intermediate aspects of Ādyā Shakti, the white twelve-petalled lotus by the pericarp of the Sahasrāra (vv. 32—39), in which twelve-petalled lotus is the A-ka-tha triangle, which surrounds the jewelled altar (Manipītha) on the isle of gems (Manidvīpa), set in the Ocean of Nectar,² with Bindu above and Nāda below, and the Kāmakalā triangle and the Guru of all, or Paramashiva. Above this, again, in the pericarp, are the Sūryya and Chandra Mandalas, the Parabindu surrounded by the sixteenth and seventeenth digits of the moon circle. In the Chandra Mandala there is a triangle. Above the Moon is Mahāvāyu, and then the Brahmarandhra with Mahāshangkhinī.
1 V. post.
2 In mental worship the jewelled altar of the Ishtadevatā is in the eight-petalled lotus below Anāhata (see Plate V). The Isle of Gems is
The twelve-petalled lotus and that which is connected with it is the special subject of the short book Pādukāpanchaka Stotra here translated, which is a hymn by Shiva in praise of the “Fivefold Footstool,” with a commentary by Shrī Kālīcharana. The footstools are variously classified as follows: According to the first classification they are— (1) The white twelve-petalled lotus in the pericarp of the Sahasrāra lotus. Here there is (2) the inverted Triangle, the abode of Shakti called “A-ka-tha”. (3) The region of the altar (Manipītha), on each side of which are Nāda and Bindu. The eternal Guru, “white like a mountain of silver,” should be meditated upon, as on the Jewelled Altar (Manipītha). (4) The fourth Pādukā is the Hangsa below the Antarātmā; and (5) the Triangle on the Pītha. The differences between this and the second classification are explained in the notes to v. 7 of the Pādukā. According to this latter classification they are counted as follows: (1) The twelve-petalled lotus; (2) the triangle called A-ka-tha; (3) Nāda-Bindu; (4) the Manipītha-Mandala; and (5) the Hangsa, which makes the triangular Kāmakalā. This Triangle, the Supreme Tattva, is formed by the three Bindus which the text calls Chandra (Moon), Sūryya (Sun), and Vahni (Fire) Bindus, which are also known as Prakāsha, Vimarsha, and Mishra Bindu. This is the Hangsa a supreme state of Consciousness, and the Ocean of Nectar is the infinite Consciousness Itself. As to the causal bodies, see my “Garland of Letters” or “Studies in the Mantra Shāstra”.
known as the triangular Kāmakalā, the embodiment of Purusha-Prakriti. The former is the Bindu Hangkāra at the apex of the triangle, and the two other Bindus called Visarga or Sa are Prakriti. This Kāmakalā is the Mūla (root) of Mantra.
The Shabdabrahman with its threefold aspect and energies is represented in the Tantras by this Kāmakalā, which is the abode of Shakti (Abalālayam). This is the Supreme Triangle, which, like all Yonipīthas, is inverted. It may be here noted that Shakti is denoted by a triangle because of its threefold manifestation as Will, Action, and Knowledge (Ichchhā, Kriyā, Jnāna). So, on the material plane, if there are three forces, there is no other way in which they can be brought to interact except in the form of a triangle in which, while they are each separate and distinct from one another, they are yet related to each other and form part of one whole. At the corners of the Triangle there are two Bindus, and at the apex a single Bindu. These are the Bindus of Fire (Vahnibindu), Moon (Chandrabindu), and Sun (Sūryyabindu).¹ Three Shaktis emanate from these Bindus, denoted by the lines joining the Bindus and thus forming a triangle. These lines are the line of the Shakti Vāmā, the line of the Shakti Jyeshthā, and the line of the Shakti Raudrī. These Shaktis are Volition (Ichchhā), Action (Kriyā), and Cognition (Jnāna). With them are Brahmā, Vishnu, and Rudra, associated with the Gunas Rajas, Sattva, and Tamas.
The lines of the triangle emanating from the three Bindus or Hangsah are formed by forty-eight letters of the alphabet. The sixteen vowels beginning with A form one
1 The Kāmakalāvilāsa says: “Bindu-trayamayas tejas-tritayah” (three Bindus and three fires). “Tripurasundarī sits in the Chakra which is composed of Bindus (Bindumaye chakre), Her abode being the lap of Kāmeshvara, whose forehead is adorned by the crescent moon. She has three eyes, which are Sun, Moon, and Fire.”
Above the Ājnā-chakra (vv. 32—39) there are the minor Chakras called Manas and Soma, not mentioned in the texts here translated. The Manas Chakra is a lotus of six petals, on the petals of which are (that is, which is the seat of) the sensations of hearing, touch, sight, smell, taste, and centrally initiated sensations in dream and hallucination. Above this, again, is the Soma Chakra, a lotus of sixteen petals, with certain Vrittis which are detailed later.¹ In this region are “the house without support” (Nirālambapurī), “where Yogīs see the radiant Īshvara,” the seven causal bodies (v. 39) which are intermediate aspects of Ādyā Shakti, the white twelve-petalled lotus by the pericarp of the Sahasrāra (vv. 32—39), in which twelve-petalled lotus is the A-ka-tha triangle, which surrounds the jewelled altar (Manipītha) on the isle of gems (Manidvīpa), set in the Ocean of Nectar,² with Bindu above and Nāda below, and the Kāmakalā triangle and the Guru of all, or Paramashiva. Above this, again, in the pericarp, are the Sūryya and Chandra Mandalas, the Parabindu surrounded by the sixteenth and seventeenth digits of the moon circle. In the Chandra Mandala there is a triangle. Above the Moon is Mahāvāyu, and then the Brahmarandhra with Mahāshangkhinī.
1 V. post.
2 In mental worship the jewelled altar of the Ishtadevatā is in the eight-petalled lotus below Anāhata (see Plate V). The Isle of Gems is
The twelve-petalled lotus and that which is connected with it is the special subject of the short book Pādukāpanchaka Stotra here translated, which is a hymn by Shiva in praise of the “Fivefold Footstool,” with a commentary by Shrī Kālīcharana. The footstools are variously classified as follows: According to the first classification they are— (1) The white twelve-petalled lotus in the pericarp of the Sahasrāra lotus. Here there is (2) the inverted Triangle, the abode of Shakti called “A-ka-tha”. (3) The region of the altar (Manipītha), on each side of which are Nāda and Bindu. The eternal Guru, “white like a mountain of silver,” should be meditated upon, as on the Jewelled Altar (Manipītha). (4) The fourth Pādukā is the Hangsa below the Antarātmā; and (5) the Triangle on the Pītha. The differences between this and the second classification are explained in the notes to v. 7 of the Pādukā. According to this latter classification they are counted as follows: (1) The twelve-petalled lotus; (2) the triangle called A-ka-tha; (3) Nāda-Bindu; (4) the Manipītha-Mandala; and (5) the Hangsa, which makes the triangular Kāmakalā. This Triangle, the Supreme Tattva, is formed by the three Bindus which the text calls Chandra (Moon), Sūryya (Sun), and Vahni (Fire) Bindus, which are also known as Prakāsha, Vimarsha, and Mishra Bindu. This is the Hangsa a supreme state of Consciousness, and the Ocean of Nectar is the infinite Consciousness Itself. As to the causal bodies, see my “Garland of Letters” or “Studies in the Mantra Shāstra”.
known as the triangular Kāmakalā, the embodiment of Purusha-Prakriti. The former is the Bindu Hangkāra at the apex of the triangle, and the two other Bindus called Visarga or Sa are Prakriti. This Kāmakalā is the Mūla (root) of Mantra.
The Shabdabrahman with its threefold aspect and energies is represented in the Tantras by this Kāmakalā, which is the abode of Shakti (Abalālayam). This is the Supreme Triangle, which, like all Yonipīthas, is inverted. It may be here noted that Shakti is denoted by a triangle because of its threefold manifestation as Will, Action, and Knowledge (Ichchhā, Kriyā, Jnāna). So, on the material plane, if there are three forces, there is no other way in which they can be brought to interact except in the form of a triangle in which, while they are each separate and distinct from one another, they are yet related to each other and form part of one whole. At the corners of the Triangle there are two Bindus, and at the apex a single Bindu. These are the Bindus of Fire (Vahnibindu), Moon (Chandrabindu), and Sun (Sūryyabindu).¹ Three Shaktis emanate from these Bindus, denoted by the lines joining the Bindus and thus forming a triangle. These lines are the line of the Shakti Vāmā, the line of the Shakti Jyeshthā, and the line of the Shakti Raudrī. These Shaktis are Volition (Ichchhā), Action (Kriyā), and Cognition (Jnāna). With them are Brahmā, Vishnu, and Rudra, associated with the Gunas Rajas, Sattva, and Tamas.
The lines of the triangle emanating from the three Bindus or Hangsah are formed by forty-eight letters of the alphabet. The sixteen vowels beginning with A form one
1 The Kāmakalāvilāsa says: “Bindu-trayamayas tejas-tritayah” (three Bindus and three fires). “Tripurasundarī sits in the Chakra which is composed of Bindus (Bindumaye chakre), Her abode being the lap of Kāmeshvara, whose forehead is adorned by the crescent moon. She has three eyes, which are Sun, Moon, and Fire.”
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