The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
physiology than to correlate them. Indeed, this is for the present a difficult matter. In the first place, the material as regards the latter is insufficiently available and known to us, and those native scholars and Sādhakas (nowadays, probably, not numerous) who are acquainted with the subject are not conversant with Western physiology, with which it is to be compared. It is, further, possible to be practically acquainted with this Yoga without knowing its physiological relations, a knowledge of which is not so important as is sometimes supposed. Working in what is an unexplored field, I can only here put forward, on the lines of the Text and such information as I have gathered, explanations and suggestions which must in some cases be of a tentative character, in the hope that they may be followed up and tested by others.
It is clear that the Merudanda is the vertebral column, which as the axis of the body is supposed to bear the same relation to it as does Mount Meru to the earth. It extends from the Mūla (root) or Mūlādhāra to the neck. It and the connected upper tracts, spinal bulb, cerebellum, and the like, contain what has been described as the central system of spinal nerves (Nādī) and cranial nerves (Shiro-nādī). The Sushumnā, which is undoubtedly a Nādī within the vertebral column, and as such is well described by the books as the principal of all the Nādīs, runs along the length of the Merudanda, as does the spinal cord of Western physiology, if we include therewith the filum terminale. If we include the filum, and take the Kanda to be between the anus and penis, it starts from practically the same (sacro-coccygeal) region, the Mūlādhāra, and is spoken of as extending to the region of the Brahmarandhra,¹ or to a point below the twelve-petalled lotus (v. 1)—that is, at a spot below but close to the Sahasrāra, or cerebellum, where the nerve Chitrinī also ends. The position of the Kanda is that stated in this work (v. 1). It is to be noted, however, that according to the Hathayogapradīpikā the Kanda is higher up, between the penis and the navel.¹ The place of the union of Sushumnā and Kanda is known as the “Knot” (Granthisthāna), and the petals of the Mūla lotus are on four sides of this (v. 4). It is in this Sushummā (whatever for the moment we take it to be) that there are the centres of Prāna Shakti which are called Chakras or Lotuses. The spinal cord ends blindly in the filum terminale, and is apparently closed there. The Sushumnā is said to be closed at its base, called the “gate of Brahman” (Brahmadvāra), until, by Yoga, Kundalī makes its way through it. The highest of the six centres called Chakra in the Sushumnā is the Ājnā, a position which corresponds frontally with the space between the eyebrows (Bhrūmadhya), and at the back with the pineal gland, the pituitary body, and the top of the cerebellum. Close by it is the Chakra called Lalanā, and in some Tantras Kalā Chakra, which is situate at the root of—that is, just above—the palate (Tālumūla). Its position as well as the nature of the Ājnā would indicate that it is slightly below the latter.² The Sushumnā passes into the ventricles of the brain, as does the spinal cord, which enters the fourth ventricle.
1 Sammohana Tantra, II, 7, or, according to the Tripurāsārasamuchchaya, cited in v. 1, from the head to the Ādhāra.
Above the Lalanā are the Ājnā Chakra with its two lobes and the Manas Chakra with its six lobes, which it has been suggested are represented in the physical body
1 V. post.
2 And not, as I wrote in the Introduction to the Mahānirvāna Tantra, p. lxii, above it. On further consideration, I think the position as stated in the text is correct, though in any case the two are very close together.
by the Cerebellum and Sensorium respectively. The Soma Chakra above this, with its sixteen “petals,” has been said to comprise the centres in the middle of the Cerebrum above the Sensorium. Lastly, the thousandpetalled lotus Sahasrāra corresponds to the upper Cerebrum of the physical body, with its cortical convolutions, which will be suggested to the reader on an examination of the Plate VIII, here given of that centre. Just as all powers exist in the seat of voluntary action, so it is said that all the fifty “letters” which are distributed throughout the spinal centres of the Sushumnā exist here in multiplied form—that is, 50×20. The nectar-rayed moon¹ is possibly the under part of the brain, the convolutions or lobes of which, resembling half-moons, are called Chandrakalā, and the mystic mount Kailāsa is undoubtedly the upper brain. The ventricle connected with the spinal cord is also semilunar in shape.
physiology than to correlate them. Indeed, this is for the present a difficult matter. In the first place, the material as regards the latter is insufficiently available and known to us, and those native scholars and Sādhakas (nowadays, probably, not numerous) who are acquainted with the subject are not conversant with Western physiology, with which it is to be compared. It is, further, possible to be practically acquainted with this Yoga without knowing its physiological relations, a knowledge of which is not so important as is sometimes supposed. Working in what is an unexplored field, I can only here put forward, on the lines of the Text and such information as I have gathered, explanations and suggestions which must in some cases be of a tentative character, in the hope that they may be followed up and tested by others.
It is clear that the Merudanda is the vertebral column, which as the axis of the body is supposed to bear the same relation to it as does Mount Meru to the earth. It extends from the Mūla (root) or Mūlādhāra to the neck. It and the connected upper tracts, spinal bulb, cerebellum, and the like, contain what has been described as the central system of spinal nerves (Nādī) and cranial nerves (Shiro-nādī). The Sushumnā, which is undoubtedly a Nādī within the vertebral column, and as such is well described by the books as the principal of all the Nādīs, runs along the length of the Merudanda, as does the spinal cord of Western physiology, if we include therewith the filum terminale. If we include the filum, and take the Kanda to be between the anus and penis, it starts from practically the same (sacro-coccygeal) region, the Mūlādhāra, and is spoken of as extending to the region of the Brahmarandhra,¹ or to a point below the twelve-petalled lotus (v. 1)—that is, at a spot below but close to the Sahasrāra, or cerebellum, where the nerve Chitrinī also ends. The position of the Kanda is that stated in this work (v. 1). It is to be noted, however, that according to the Hathayogapradīpikā the Kanda is higher up, between the penis and the navel.¹ The place of the union of Sushumnā and Kanda is known as the “Knot” (Granthisthāna), and the petals of the Mūla lotus are on four sides of this (v. 4). It is in this Sushummā (whatever for the moment we take it to be) that there are the centres of Prāna Shakti which are called Chakras or Lotuses. The spinal cord ends blindly in the filum terminale, and is apparently closed there. The Sushumnā is said to be closed at its base, called the “gate of Brahman” (Brahmadvāra), until, by Yoga, Kundalī makes its way through it. The highest of the six centres called Chakra in the Sushumnā is the Ājnā, a position which corresponds frontally with the space between the eyebrows (Bhrūmadhya), and at the back with the pineal gland, the pituitary body, and the top of the cerebellum. Close by it is the Chakra called Lalanā, and in some Tantras Kalā Chakra, which is situate at the root of—that is, just above—the palate (Tālumūla). Its position as well as the nature of the Ājnā would indicate that it is slightly below the latter.² The Sushumnā passes into the ventricles of the brain, as does the spinal cord, which enters the fourth ventricle.
1 Sammohana Tantra, II, 7, or, according to the Tripurāsārasamuchchaya, cited in v. 1, from the head to the Ādhāra.
Above the Lalanā are the Ājnā Chakra with its two lobes and the Manas Chakra with its six lobes, which it has been suggested are represented in the physical body
1 V. post.
2 And not, as I wrote in the Introduction to the Mahānirvāna Tantra, p. lxii, above it. On further consideration, I think the position as stated in the text is correct, though in any case the two are very close together.
by the Cerebellum and Sensorium respectively. The Soma Chakra above this, with its sixteen “petals,” has been said to comprise the centres in the middle of the Cerebrum above the Sensorium. Lastly, the thousandpetalled lotus Sahasrāra corresponds to the upper Cerebrum of the physical body, with its cortical convolutions, which will be suggested to the reader on an examination of the Plate VIII, here given of that centre. Just as all powers exist in the seat of voluntary action, so it is said that all the fifty “letters” which are distributed throughout the spinal centres of the Sushumnā exist here in multiplied form—that is, 50×20. The nectar-rayed moon¹ is possibly the under part of the brain, the convolutions or lobes of which, resembling half-moons, are called Chandrakalā, and the mystic mount Kailāsa is undoubtedly the upper brain. The ventricle connected with the spinal cord is also semilunar in shape.
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