The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
“(1) The Ādhāra Chakra, the sacro-coccygeal plexus, with four branches, nine Angulis (about six inches and a half) below the solar plexus (Kanda, Brahmagranthi); the source of a massive pleasurable æsthesia; voluminous organic sensations of repose. An inch and a half above it, and the same distance below the membrum virile (Mehana), is a minor centre called the Agni-sikhā. (2) The Svādhishthāna Chakra, the sacral plexus, with six branches (Dalāni —petals) concerned in the excitation of sexual feelings, with the accompaniments of lassitude, stupor, cruelty, suspicion, contempt.¹ (3) The Nābhikanda (corresponding to the solar plexus, Bhānubhavanam), which forms the great junction of the right and left sympathetic chains (Pinggalā and Idā) with the cerebro-spinal axis. Connected with this is the Manipūraka, the lumbar plexus, with connected sympathetic nerves, the ten branches² of which are concerned in the production of sleep and thirst, and the expressions of passions like jealousy, shame, fear, stupefaction. (4) The Anāhata Chakra, possibly the cardiac plexus of the sympathetic chain, with twelve branches, connected with the heart, the seat of the egoistic sentiments, hope, anxiety, doubt, remorse, conceit, egoism, etc. (5) The Bhāratīsthāna,³ the junction of the spinal cord with the medulla oblongata, which, by means of nerves like the pneumogastric, etc., regulate the larynx and other organs of articulation. (6) The Lalanā Chakra, opposite the uvula, which has twelve leaves (or lobes), supposed to be the tract affected in the production of ego-altruistic sentiments and affections, like self-regard, pride, affection, grief, regret, respect, reverence, contentment, etc. (7) The sensorimotor tract, comprising two Chakras: (a) the Ājnā Chakra (lit., the circle of command over movements) with its two lobes (the cerebellum); and (b) the Manas Chakra, the sensorium, with its six lobes (five special sensory for peripherally initiated sensations, and one common sensory for centrally initiated sensations, as in dreams and hallucinations). The Ājnā-vahā Nādīs, efferent or motor nerves, communicate motor impulses to the periphery from this Ājnā Chakra, this centre of command over movements; and the afferent or sensory nerves of the special senses, in pairs, the Gandhavahā Nādī (olfactory sensory), the Rūpavahā Nādī (optic), the Shabdavahā Nādī (auditory), the Rasavahā Nādī (gustatory), and the Sparshavahā Nādī (tactile), come from the periphery (the peripheral organs of the special senses) to this Manaschakra, the sensory tract at the base of the brain. The Manaschakra also receives the Manovahā Nādi, a generic name for the channels along which centrally initiated presentations (as in dreaming or hallucination) come to the sixth lobe of the Manaschakra. (8) The Somachakra, a sixteen-lobed ganglion, comprising the centres in the middle of the cerebrum, above the sensorium; the seat of the altruistic sentiments and volitional control—e.g., compassion, gentleness, patience, renunciation, meditativeness, gravity, earnestness, resolution, determination, magnanimity, etc. And lastly
1 These and other Vritti, as they are called, are enumerated in the Introduction to my first edition of the Mahānirvāna Tantra.
2 That is, petals.
3 This is a name for the Vishuddha Chakra as abode of the Goddess of Speech (Bhāratī).
(9) the Sahasrāra Chakra, thousand-lobed, the upper cerebrum with its lobes and convolutions, the special and highest seat of the Jīva, the soul.”¹
Then, dealing with the cerebro-spinal axis and the heart, and their respective relations to the conscious life, the Author cited says:
“Vijnānabhikshu, in the passage just quoted, identifies the Manovahā Nādī (vehicle of consciousness) with the cerebro-spinal axis and its ramifications, and compares the figure to an inverted gourd with a thousandbranched stem hanging down. The Sushumnā, the central passage of the spinal cord, is the stem of this gourd (or a single branch). The writers on the Yoga (including the authors of the various Tantrik systems) use the term somewhat differently. On this view, the Manovahā Nādī is the channel of the communication of the Jīva (soul) with the Manaschakra (sensorium) at the base of the brain. The sensory currents are brought to the sensory ganglia along afferent nerves of the special senses. But this is not sufficient for them to rise to the level of discriminative consciousness. A communication must now be established between the Jīva (in the Sahasrāra Chakra, upper cerebrum) and the sensory currents received at the sensorium, and this is done by means of the Manovahā Nādī. When sensations are centrally initiated, as in dreams and hallucinations, a special Nādī (Svapnavahā Nādī), which appears to be only a branch of the Manovahā Nādī, serves as the channel of communication from the Jīva (soul) to the sensorium. In the same way, the Ājnāvahā Nādī brings down the messages of the Soul from the Sahasrāra (upper cerebrum) to the Ājnā
1 The author cited refers to the Jnāna Sangkalinī Tantra, Sanghitā-
“(1) The Ādhāra Chakra, the sacro-coccygeal plexus, with four branches, nine Angulis (about six inches and a half) below the solar plexus (Kanda, Brahmagranthi); the source of a massive pleasurable æsthesia; voluminous organic sensations of repose. An inch and a half above it, and the same distance below the membrum virile (Mehana), is a minor centre called the Agni-sikhā. (2) The Svādhishthāna Chakra, the sacral plexus, with six branches (Dalāni —petals) concerned in the excitation of sexual feelings, with the accompaniments of lassitude, stupor, cruelty, suspicion, contempt.¹ (3) The Nābhikanda (corresponding to the solar plexus, Bhānubhavanam), which forms the great junction of the right and left sympathetic chains (Pinggalā and Idā) with the cerebro-spinal axis. Connected with this is the Manipūraka, the lumbar plexus, with connected sympathetic nerves, the ten branches² of which are concerned in the production of sleep and thirst, and the expressions of passions like jealousy, shame, fear, stupefaction. (4) The Anāhata Chakra, possibly the cardiac plexus of the sympathetic chain, with twelve branches, connected with the heart, the seat of the egoistic sentiments, hope, anxiety, doubt, remorse, conceit, egoism, etc. (5) The Bhāratīsthāna,³ the junction of the spinal cord with the medulla oblongata, which, by means of nerves like the pneumogastric, etc., regulate the larynx and other organs of articulation. (6) The Lalanā Chakra, opposite the uvula, which has twelve leaves (or lobes), supposed to be the tract affected in the production of ego-altruistic sentiments and affections, like self-regard, pride, affection, grief, regret, respect, reverence, contentment, etc. (7) The sensorimotor tract, comprising two Chakras: (a) the Ājnā Chakra (lit., the circle of command over movements) with its two lobes (the cerebellum); and (b) the Manas Chakra, the sensorium, with its six lobes (five special sensory for peripherally initiated sensations, and one common sensory for centrally initiated sensations, as in dreams and hallucinations). The Ājnā-vahā Nādīs, efferent or motor nerves, communicate motor impulses to the periphery from this Ājnā Chakra, this centre of command over movements; and the afferent or sensory nerves of the special senses, in pairs, the Gandhavahā Nādī (olfactory sensory), the Rūpavahā Nādī (optic), the Shabdavahā Nādī (auditory), the Rasavahā Nādī (gustatory), and the Sparshavahā Nādī (tactile), come from the periphery (the peripheral organs of the special senses) to this Manaschakra, the sensory tract at the base of the brain. The Manaschakra also receives the Manovahā Nādi, a generic name for the channels along which centrally initiated presentations (as in dreaming or hallucination) come to the sixth lobe of the Manaschakra. (8) The Somachakra, a sixteen-lobed ganglion, comprising the centres in the middle of the cerebrum, above the sensorium; the seat of the altruistic sentiments and volitional control—e.g., compassion, gentleness, patience, renunciation, meditativeness, gravity, earnestness, resolution, determination, magnanimity, etc. And lastly
1 These and other Vritti, as they are called, are enumerated in the Introduction to my first edition of the Mahānirvāna Tantra.
2 That is, petals.
3 This is a name for the Vishuddha Chakra as abode of the Goddess of Speech (Bhāratī).
(9) the Sahasrāra Chakra, thousand-lobed, the upper cerebrum with its lobes and convolutions, the special and highest seat of the Jīva, the soul.”¹
Then, dealing with the cerebro-spinal axis and the heart, and their respective relations to the conscious life, the Author cited says:
“Vijnānabhikshu, in the passage just quoted, identifies the Manovahā Nādī (vehicle of consciousness) with the cerebro-spinal axis and its ramifications, and compares the figure to an inverted gourd with a thousandbranched stem hanging down. The Sushumnā, the central passage of the spinal cord, is the stem of this gourd (or a single branch). The writers on the Yoga (including the authors of the various Tantrik systems) use the term somewhat differently. On this view, the Manovahā Nādī is the channel of the communication of the Jīva (soul) with the Manaschakra (sensorium) at the base of the brain. The sensory currents are brought to the sensory ganglia along afferent nerves of the special senses. But this is not sufficient for them to rise to the level of discriminative consciousness. A communication must now be established between the Jīva (in the Sahasrāra Chakra, upper cerebrum) and the sensory currents received at the sensorium, and this is done by means of the Manovahā Nādī. When sensations are centrally initiated, as in dreams and hallucinations, a special Nādī (Svapnavahā Nādī), which appears to be only a branch of the Manovahā Nādī, serves as the channel of communication from the Jīva (soul) to the sensorium. In the same way, the Ājnāvahā Nādī brings down the messages of the Soul from the Sahasrāra (upper cerebrum) to the Ājnā
1 The author cited refers to the Jnāna Sangkalinī Tantra, Sanghitā-
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