The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
line; the sixteen consonants beginning with Ka form the second line; and the following sixteen letters beginning with Tha form the third line. Hence the triangle is known as the A-ka-tha triangle. In the inner three corners of the triangle are the remaining letters Ha, Lla, Ksha. The Yāmala thus speaks of this abode, “I now speak of Kāmakalā,” and, proceeding, says: “She is the eternal One who is the three Bindus, the three Shaktis, and the three Forms (Trimūrti).” The Brihat-Shrī-krama, in dealing with Kāmakalā, says: “From the Bindu (that is, the Parabindu) She has assumed the form of letters (Varnā- vayavarūpinī).” The Kālī Ūrddhvāmnāya says: “The threefold Bindu (Tribindu) is the supreme Tattva, and embodies in itself Brahmā, Vishnu, and Shiva.”¹ The triangle which is composed of the letters has emanated from the Bindu. These letters are known as the Mātrikā Varna. These form the body of Kulakundalinī² the Shabdabrahman, being in their Vaikharī state various manifestations of the primal unmanifested “sound” (Avyaktanāda).
They appear as manifested Shabda on the self-division of the Parabindu; for this self-division marks the appearance of the differentiated Prakriti.
The commentary on the Pādukāpanchaka (v. 3) says that the Bindu is Parashakti itself, and its variations are called Bindu, Nāda, and Bīja, or Sun, Moon, and Fire; Bindu, the sun, being red, and Nāda, the moon, being white.³ These form the Chinmaya or Ānandamayakosha
1 The Māheshvarī Sanghitā says: “Sūryya, Chandra, and Vahni, are the three Bindus; and Brahmā, Vishnu, and Shambhu, are the three lines.”
2 The Kāmakalāvilāsa says: “Ekapanchāshadaksharātmā” (She is in the form of the 51 letters). See A. Avalon’s edition and translation of this text, Vol. 9, Tāntrik Texts.
3 This appears to be in conflict with the previous statement of
Rāghava Bhatta, that Bindu is Moon and Nāda the Sun.
(Pādukāpanchaka, v. 3). The two Bindus making the base of the triangle are the Visarga (ib., v. 4). In the Āgamakalpadruma it is said: “Hangkāra is Bindu or Purusha, and Visarga is Sah or Prakriti. Hangsah is the union of the male and female, and the universe is Hangsah.” The triangular Kāmakalā is thus formed by Hangsah (ib.). The Hangsa-pītha is composed of Mantras (ib., v. 6).
As this subject is of great importance, some further authorities than those referred to in the work here translated are given. In his commentary to v. 124 of the Lalitā, in which the Devī is addressed as being in the form of Kāmakalā (Kāmakalārūpā), Bhāskararāya says: “There are three Bindus and the Hārdhakalā.¹ Of these Bindus the first is called Kāma, and the Hakārārdha is named Kalā.”² He adds that the nature of Kāmakalā is set forth in the Kāmakalāvilāsa in the verses commencing “Supreme Shakti (Parā Shakti) is the manifested union of Shiva and Shakti in the form of seed and sprout,” and ending with the lines “Kāma (means) desirableness, and the Kalā the same. The two Bindus are said to be the Fire and Moon”.³ Kāma, or creative Will, is both Shiva and Devī, and Kalā is their manifestation. Hence it is called Kāmakalā. This is explained in the Tripurāsiddhānta: “O Pārvatī, Kalā is the manifestation of Kāmeshvara and Kāmeshvarī. Hence She is known as Kāmakalā.”⁴ Or
1 Also called Hakārārdha—that is, half the letter Ha (ह्).
2 Bindu-trayang hārdhakalā cha ity atra prathamo binduh kāmā- khyash charamā kalā cha iti pratyāhāranyāyena kāmakalety uchyate.
3 Tasyāh svarūpang sphutashivashakti-samāgamabījāngkurarūpinī parā shaktirityārabhya Kāmah kamanīyatayā kalā cha dahanenduvigrahau bindū ityantena nirnītang kāmakalāvilāse tadrūpetyarthah (ib.).
4 Kāmayoh kaleti vā, taduktang, Tripurāsiddhānte:
Tasya kāmeshvarākhyasya kāmeshvaryāsh cha Pārvvati
Kalākhyā salīlā sā cha khyātā kāmakaleti sā.
She is the manifestation (Kalā) of desire (Kāma)¹—that is, of Ichchhā. The Kālikā Purāna says: “Devī is called Kāma because She came to the secret place on the blue peak of the great mountain (Kailāsa) along with Me for the sake of desire (Kāma): thus Devī is called Kāmā. As She is also the giver or fulfiller of desire, desiring, desirable, beautiful, restoring the body of Kāma (Manmatha) and destroying the body of Kāma, hence She is called Kāma.”² After Shiva (with whom She is one) had destroyed Kāma, when he sought by the instilment of passion to destroy His yoga; so She (with whom He is one) afterwards gave a new body to the “Bodiless One” (Ananga). They destroy the worlds and take them to themselves through the cosmic yoga path, and again by Their desire and will (Ichchhā) recreate them. These Bindus and Kalā are referred to in the celebrated Hymn “Waves of Bliss” (Ānandalahari), attributed to the great Shangkarāchāryya.³
This Devī is the great Tripurasundarī. Bhāskararāya’s Guru Nrisinghānandanātha wrote the following verse, on which the disciple commentates: “I hymn Tripurā, the treasure of Kula,⁴ who is red of beauty; Her
1 Kāmash chāsau kalārūpā cheti vā.
2 Kāmapadamātra-vāchyatāyāh Kālīpurāne pratipādanāt.
line; the sixteen consonants beginning with Ka form the second line; and the following sixteen letters beginning with Tha form the third line. Hence the triangle is known as the A-ka-tha triangle. In the inner three corners of the triangle are the remaining letters Ha, Lla, Ksha. The Yāmala thus speaks of this abode, “I now speak of Kāmakalā,” and, proceeding, says: “She is the eternal One who is the three Bindus, the three Shaktis, and the three Forms (Trimūrti).” The Brihat-Shrī-krama, in dealing with Kāmakalā, says: “From the Bindu (that is, the Parabindu) She has assumed the form of letters (Varnā- vayavarūpinī).” The Kālī Ūrddhvāmnāya says: “The threefold Bindu (Tribindu) is the supreme Tattva, and embodies in itself Brahmā, Vishnu, and Shiva.”¹ The triangle which is composed of the letters has emanated from the Bindu. These letters are known as the Mātrikā Varna. These form the body of Kulakundalinī² the Shabdabrahman, being in their Vaikharī state various manifestations of the primal unmanifested “sound” (Avyaktanāda).
They appear as manifested Shabda on the self-division of the Parabindu; for this self-division marks the appearance of the differentiated Prakriti.
The commentary on the Pādukāpanchaka (v. 3) says that the Bindu is Parashakti itself, and its variations are called Bindu, Nāda, and Bīja, or Sun, Moon, and Fire; Bindu, the sun, being red, and Nāda, the moon, being white.³ These form the Chinmaya or Ānandamayakosha
1 The Māheshvarī Sanghitā says: “Sūryya, Chandra, and Vahni, are the three Bindus; and Brahmā, Vishnu, and Shambhu, are the three lines.”
2 The Kāmakalāvilāsa says: “Ekapanchāshadaksharātmā” (She is in the form of the 51 letters). See A. Avalon’s edition and translation of this text, Vol. 9, Tāntrik Texts.
3 This appears to be in conflict with the previous statement of
Rāghava Bhatta, that Bindu is Moon and Nāda the Sun.
(Pādukāpanchaka, v. 3). The two Bindus making the base of the triangle are the Visarga (ib., v. 4). In the Āgamakalpadruma it is said: “Hangkāra is Bindu or Purusha, and Visarga is Sah or Prakriti. Hangsah is the union of the male and female, and the universe is Hangsah.” The triangular Kāmakalā is thus formed by Hangsah (ib.). The Hangsa-pītha is composed of Mantras (ib., v. 6).
As this subject is of great importance, some further authorities than those referred to in the work here translated are given. In his commentary to v. 124 of the Lalitā, in which the Devī is addressed as being in the form of Kāmakalā (Kāmakalārūpā), Bhāskararāya says: “There are three Bindus and the Hārdhakalā.¹ Of these Bindus the first is called Kāma, and the Hakārārdha is named Kalā.”² He adds that the nature of Kāmakalā is set forth in the Kāmakalāvilāsa in the verses commencing “Supreme Shakti (Parā Shakti) is the manifested union of Shiva and Shakti in the form of seed and sprout,” and ending with the lines “Kāma (means) desirableness, and the Kalā the same. The two Bindus are said to be the Fire and Moon”.³ Kāma, or creative Will, is both Shiva and Devī, and Kalā is their manifestation. Hence it is called Kāmakalā. This is explained in the Tripurāsiddhānta: “O Pārvatī, Kalā is the manifestation of Kāmeshvara and Kāmeshvarī. Hence She is known as Kāmakalā.”⁴ Or
1 Also called Hakārārdha—that is, half the letter Ha (ह्).
2 Bindu-trayang hārdhakalā cha ity atra prathamo binduh kāmā- khyash charamā kalā cha iti pratyāhāranyāyena kāmakalety uchyate.
3 Tasyāh svarūpang sphutashivashakti-samāgamabījāngkurarūpinī parā shaktirityārabhya Kāmah kamanīyatayā kalā cha dahanenduvigrahau bindū ityantena nirnītang kāmakalāvilāse tadrūpetyarthah (ib.).
4 Kāmayoh kaleti vā, taduktang, Tripurāsiddhānte:
Tasya kāmeshvarākhyasya kāmeshvaryāsh cha Pārvvati
Kalākhyā salīlā sā cha khyātā kāmakaleti sā.
She is the manifestation (Kalā) of desire (Kāma)¹—that is, of Ichchhā. The Kālikā Purāna says: “Devī is called Kāma because She came to the secret place on the blue peak of the great mountain (Kailāsa) along with Me for the sake of desire (Kāma): thus Devī is called Kāmā. As She is also the giver or fulfiller of desire, desiring, desirable, beautiful, restoring the body of Kāma (Manmatha) and destroying the body of Kāma, hence She is called Kāma.”² After Shiva (with whom She is one) had destroyed Kāma, when he sought by the instilment of passion to destroy His yoga; so She (with whom He is one) afterwards gave a new body to the “Bodiless One” (Ananga). They destroy the worlds and take them to themselves through the cosmic yoga path, and again by Their desire and will (Ichchhā) recreate them. These Bindus and Kalā are referred to in the celebrated Hymn “Waves of Bliss” (Ānandalahari), attributed to the great Shangkarāchāryya.³
This Devī is the great Tripurasundarī. Bhāskararāya’s Guru Nrisinghānandanātha wrote the following verse, on which the disciple commentates: “I hymn Tripurā, the treasure of Kula,⁴ who is red of beauty; Her
1 Kāmash chāsau kalārūpā cheti vā.
2 Kāmapadamātra-vāchyatāyāh Kālīpurāne pratipādanāt.
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