The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
grass, a deerskin, etc., and, facing east or north, does Prānāyāma. For its exercise there must be, in addition to Nādī Shuddhi (purification of “nerves”), consideration of proper place, time, and food. Thus, the place should not be so distant as to induce anxiety, nor in an unprotected place, such as a forest, nor in a city or crowded locality, which induces distraction. The food should be pure and of a vegetarian character. It should not be too hot or too cold, pungent, sour, salt, or bitter. Fasting, the taking of one meal a day and the like are prohibited. On the contrary, the Yogī should not remain without food for more than one Yāma (three hours). The food taken should be light and strengthening. Long walks and other violent exercise should be avoided, as also—certainly in the case of beginners—sexual intercourse. The stomach should only be half filled. Yoga should be commenced, it is said, in spring or autumn. As stated, the forms of Prānāyāma vary. Thus, Sahita, which is either with (Sagarbha) or without (Nirgarbha) Bīja, is, according to the former form, as follows: The Sādhaka meditates on Vidhi (Brahmā), who is full of Rajoguna, red in colour, and the image of Akāra. He inhales by Idā, in six measures (Mātrā). Before Kumbhaka he does the Uddīyānabandha Mudrā. Meditating on Hari (Vishnu) as Sattvamaya and the black Bīja Ukāra, he does Kumbhaka with 64 Japa of the Bīja; then, meditating on Shiva as Tamomaya and his white Bīja Makāra, he exhales through Pinggalā with 32 Japa of the Bīja; then, inhaling by Pinggalā, he does Kumbhaka, and exhales by Idā with the same Bīja. The process is repeated in the normal and reversed order.
Dhyāna, or meditation, is, according to the Gheranda Sanghitā, of three kinds: (1) Sthūla, or gross; (2) Jyotih; (3) Sūkshma, or subtle.¹ In the first the form of the Devatā is brought before the mind. One form of Dhyāna for this purpose is as follows: Let the Sādhaka think of the great Ocean of Nectar in his heart. In the middle of that ocean is the island of gems, the shores of which are made of powdered gems. The island is clothed with a Kadamba forest in yellow blossom. This forest is surrounded by Mālatī, Champaka, Pārijāta, and other fragrant trees. In the midst of the Kadamba forest there rises the beautiful Kalpa tree, laden with fresh blossom and fruit. Amidst its leaves the black bees hum and the Koel birds make love. Its four branches are the four Vedas. Under the tree there is a great Mandapa of precious stones, and within it a beautiful couch, on which let him picture to himself his Ishtadevatā. The Guru will direct him as to the form, raiment, Vāhana, and the title of the Devatā.
Jyotirdhyāna is the infusion of fire and life (Tejas) into the form so imagined. In the Mūlādhāra lies the snake-like Kundalinī. There the Jīvātmā, as it were the tapering flame of a candle, dwells. The Sādhaka then meditates upon the Tejomaya (Light) Brahman, or, alternatively, between the eyebrows on the Pranavātmaka flame (the light which is Om) emitting its lustre.
1 Gheranda Sanghitā, Sixth Upadesha. It is said by Bhāskararāya, in the Lalitā (v. 53), that there are three forms of the Devī which equally partake of both the Prakāsha and Vimarsha aspects—viz., the physical (Sthūla), the subtle (Sūkshma), and the supreme (Para). The physical form has hands, feet, etc., the subtle consists of Mantra, and the supreme is the Vāsanā, or, in the technical sense of the Mantra Shāstra, real or own. The Kulārnava Tantra divides Dhyāna into Sthūla and Sūkshma (IX, 3) beyond which, it says, is Samādhi.
Sūkshmadhyāna is meditation on Kundalinī with Shāmbhavī Mudrā after She has been roused. By this Yoga (vide post) the Ātmā is revealed (Ātmasākshātkāra).
Lastly, through Samādhi the quality of Nirliptatva, or detachment, and thereafter Mukti (Liberation) is attained.
grass, a deerskin, etc., and, facing east or north, does Prānāyāma. For its exercise there must be, in addition to Nādī Shuddhi (purification of “nerves”), consideration of proper place, time, and food. Thus, the place should not be so distant as to induce anxiety, nor in an unprotected place, such as a forest, nor in a city or crowded locality, which induces distraction. The food should be pure and of a vegetarian character. It should not be too hot or too cold, pungent, sour, salt, or bitter. Fasting, the taking of one meal a day and the like are prohibited. On the contrary, the Yogī should not remain without food for more than one Yāma (three hours). The food taken should be light and strengthening. Long walks and other violent exercise should be avoided, as also—certainly in the case of beginners—sexual intercourse. The stomach should only be half filled. Yoga should be commenced, it is said, in spring or autumn. As stated, the forms of Prānāyāma vary. Thus, Sahita, which is either with (Sagarbha) or without (Nirgarbha) Bīja, is, according to the former form, as follows: The Sādhaka meditates on Vidhi (Brahmā), who is full of Rajoguna, red in colour, and the image of Akāra. He inhales by Idā, in six measures (Mātrā). Before Kumbhaka he does the Uddīyānabandha Mudrā. Meditating on Hari (Vishnu) as Sattvamaya and the black Bīja Ukāra, he does Kumbhaka with 64 Japa of the Bīja; then, meditating on Shiva as Tamomaya and his white Bīja Makāra, he exhales through Pinggalā with 32 Japa of the Bīja; then, inhaling by Pinggalā, he does Kumbhaka, and exhales by Idā with the same Bīja. The process is repeated in the normal and reversed order.
Dhyāna, or meditation, is, according to the Gheranda Sanghitā, of three kinds: (1) Sthūla, or gross; (2) Jyotih; (3) Sūkshma, or subtle.¹ In the first the form of the Devatā is brought before the mind. One form of Dhyāna for this purpose is as follows: Let the Sādhaka think of the great Ocean of Nectar in his heart. In the middle of that ocean is the island of gems, the shores of which are made of powdered gems. The island is clothed with a Kadamba forest in yellow blossom. This forest is surrounded by Mālatī, Champaka, Pārijāta, and other fragrant trees. In the midst of the Kadamba forest there rises the beautiful Kalpa tree, laden with fresh blossom and fruit. Amidst its leaves the black bees hum and the Koel birds make love. Its four branches are the four Vedas. Under the tree there is a great Mandapa of precious stones, and within it a beautiful couch, on which let him picture to himself his Ishtadevatā. The Guru will direct him as to the form, raiment, Vāhana, and the title of the Devatā.
Jyotirdhyāna is the infusion of fire and life (Tejas) into the form so imagined. In the Mūlādhāra lies the snake-like Kundalinī. There the Jīvātmā, as it were the tapering flame of a candle, dwells. The Sādhaka then meditates upon the Tejomaya (Light) Brahman, or, alternatively, between the eyebrows on the Pranavātmaka flame (the light which is Om) emitting its lustre.
1 Gheranda Sanghitā, Sixth Upadesha. It is said by Bhāskararāya, in the Lalitā (v. 53), that there are three forms of the Devī which equally partake of both the Prakāsha and Vimarsha aspects—viz., the physical (Sthūla), the subtle (Sūkshma), and the supreme (Para). The physical form has hands, feet, etc., the subtle consists of Mantra, and the supreme is the Vāsanā, or, in the technical sense of the Mantra Shāstra, real or own. The Kulārnava Tantra divides Dhyāna into Sthūla and Sūkshma (IX, 3) beyond which, it says, is Samādhi.
Sūkshmadhyāna is meditation on Kundalinī with Shāmbhavī Mudrā after She has been roused. By this Yoga (vide post) the Ātmā is revealed (Ātmasākshātkāra).
Lastly, through Samādhi the quality of Nirliptatva, or detachment, and thereafter Mukti (Liberation) is attained.
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