The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
This Samādhi Yoga is, according to the Gheranda Sanghitā, of six kinds:¹ (1) Dhyānayogasamādhi, attained by Shāmbhavī Mudrā,² in which, after meditation on the Bindu-Brahman and realisation of the Ātmā (Ātmapratyaksha), the latter is resolved into the Mahākāsha or the Great Ether. (2) Nādayoga, attained by Khecharī Mudrā,³ in which the tongue is lengthened until it reaches the space between the eyebrows, and is then introduced in a reversed position into the mouth. This may be done with or without cutting of the frænum. (3) Rasānandayoga, attained by Kumbhaka,⁴ in which the Sādhaka in a silent place closes both ears and does Pūraka and Kumbhaka until he hears Nāda in sounds varying in strength from that of the cricket’s chirp to that of the large kettledrum. By daily practice the Anāhata sound is heard, and the Light (Jyotih) with the Manas therein is seen, which is ultimately dissolved in the supreme Vishnu. (4) Layasiddhiyoga accomplished by the celebrated Yonimudrā already described.⁵ The Sādhaka, thinking of himself as Shakti and the Paramātmā as Purusha, feels himself in union (Sanggama) with Shiva, and enjoys with Him the bliss which is Shringārarasa,¹ and becomes Bliss itself, or the Brahman. (5) Bhakti Yoga, in which meditation is made on the Ishtadevatā with devotion (Bhakti) until, with tears flowing from the excess of bliss, the ecstatic condition is attained. (6) Rājayoga, accomplished by aid of the Manomūrchchhā Kumbhaka.² Here the Manas, detached from all worldly objects, is fixed between the eyebrows in the Ājnāchakra, and Kumbhaka is done. By the union of the Manas with the Ātmā, in which the Jnānī sees all things, Rājayogasamādhi is attained.
1 Seventh Upadesha.
2 Ibid., Third Upadesha, v. 65 et seq.
3 Ibid., v. 25 et seq.
4 Ibid., Fifth Upadesha, v. 77 et seq.
5 In the Lalitā (v. 193) the Devī is addressed as Layakarī—the cause of Laya or absorption.
The Hathayogapradīpikā says that on perfection being attained in Hatha the body becomes lean and healthy, the eyes are bright, the semen is concentrated, the Nādīs are purified, the internal fire is increased, and the Nāda sounds above-mentioned are heard.³ These sounds (Nāda) issue from Anāhata Chakra in the cardiac region, for it is here that the Shabdabrahman manifested by Vāyu and in association with Buddhi, and of the nature of manifested Nāda endowed with a special motion (Vishesha Spanda), exists as Madhyamā speech. Though sound (Shabda) is not distinct and heard by the gross senses until it issues in the form of Vaikharī speech, the Yogī is said to hear this subtle Nāda when, through the various Bandhas and Mudrās described, Prāna and Apāna have united in the Sushumnā. This combined Prāna and Nāda proceed upwards and unite with Bindu.
1 Shringgāra is the love sentiment or sexual passion and sexual union. Here Shringārarasa is the cosmic root of that. The first of the eight or nine Rasas (sentiments)—viz., Shringgāra, Vīra (heroism), Karunā (compassion), Adbhuta (wondering), Hāsya (humour), Bhayānaka (fear), Bībhatsa (disgust), Raudra (wrath), to which Mammathabhatta, author of the Kāvyaprakāsha, adds Shānti (peace). What the Yogī enjoys is that supersensual bliss which manifests on the earthly plane as material Shringāra.
2 Ibid., Fifth Upadesha, v. 82.
3 Ch. II, v. 78.
There is a particular method by which Laya (absorption) is said to be attained by hearing the various bodily sounds.¹ The Yogī in Muktāsana and with Shāmbhavī Mudrā concentrates on the sounds heard in the right ear; then after closing the sense apertures by Shanmukhī Mudrā and after Prānāyāma a sound is heard in the Sushumnā. In this Yoga there are four stages. When the Brahmagranthi has been pierced, the sweet tinkling sound of ornaments is heard in the ethereal void (Shūnya) of the heart; in the second stage the Prāna united with Nāda pierces the Vishnugranthi. In this, the further void (Atishūnya) of the thoracic region, sounds are heard like those of a kettle-drum. In the third stage a drum-like sound (Mardala) is heard in the Ājnā or Mahāshūnya, the seat of all powers (Siddhis). Then the Prāna, having forced the Rudragranthi or Ājnā, goes to the abode of Īshvara. On the insetting of the fourth stage, when the Prāna goes to Brahmarandhra, the fourth or Nishpatti state occurs. During the initial stages the sounds are loud, and gradually become very subtle. The mind is kept off all external objects, and is centred first on the loud and then on the subtle sounds. The mind thus becomes one with Nāda, on which it is fixed. Nāda is thus like a snare for catching a deer, for like a hunter it kills the mind. It first attracts it and then slays it. The mind absorbed in Nāda is freed from Vrittis.² The Antahkarana, like a deer, is attracted to the sound of the bells, and, remaining immovable, the Yogī like a skilful archer kills it by directing his breath to the Brahmarandhra through the Sushumnā, which becomes one with that at which it is
1 As the Nādabindu-Up. says, the sound controls the mind which roves in the pleasure-garden of the senses.
2 As the Amritanāda-Upanishad says (v. 24), the Akshara (imperishable) is that which is Aghosha (without sound), which is neither vowel nor consonant and is not uttered.
This Samādhi Yoga is, according to the Gheranda Sanghitā, of six kinds:¹ (1) Dhyānayogasamādhi, attained by Shāmbhavī Mudrā,² in which, after meditation on the Bindu-Brahman and realisation of the Ātmā (Ātmapratyaksha), the latter is resolved into the Mahākāsha or the Great Ether. (2) Nādayoga, attained by Khecharī Mudrā,³ in which the tongue is lengthened until it reaches the space between the eyebrows, and is then introduced in a reversed position into the mouth. This may be done with or without cutting of the frænum. (3) Rasānandayoga, attained by Kumbhaka,⁴ in which the Sādhaka in a silent place closes both ears and does Pūraka and Kumbhaka until he hears Nāda in sounds varying in strength from that of the cricket’s chirp to that of the large kettledrum. By daily practice the Anāhata sound is heard, and the Light (Jyotih) with the Manas therein is seen, which is ultimately dissolved in the supreme Vishnu. (4) Layasiddhiyoga accomplished by the celebrated Yonimudrā already described.⁵ The Sādhaka, thinking of himself as Shakti and the Paramātmā as Purusha, feels himself in union (Sanggama) with Shiva, and enjoys with Him the bliss which is Shringārarasa,¹ and becomes Bliss itself, or the Brahman. (5) Bhakti Yoga, in which meditation is made on the Ishtadevatā with devotion (Bhakti) until, with tears flowing from the excess of bliss, the ecstatic condition is attained. (6) Rājayoga, accomplished by aid of the Manomūrchchhā Kumbhaka.² Here the Manas, detached from all worldly objects, is fixed between the eyebrows in the Ājnāchakra, and Kumbhaka is done. By the union of the Manas with the Ātmā, in which the Jnānī sees all things, Rājayogasamādhi is attained.
1 Seventh Upadesha.
2 Ibid., Third Upadesha, v. 65 et seq.
3 Ibid., v. 25 et seq.
4 Ibid., Fifth Upadesha, v. 77 et seq.
5 In the Lalitā (v. 193) the Devī is addressed as Layakarī—the cause of Laya or absorption.
The Hathayogapradīpikā says that on perfection being attained in Hatha the body becomes lean and healthy, the eyes are bright, the semen is concentrated, the Nādīs are purified, the internal fire is increased, and the Nāda sounds above-mentioned are heard.³ These sounds (Nāda) issue from Anāhata Chakra in the cardiac region, for it is here that the Shabdabrahman manifested by Vāyu and in association with Buddhi, and of the nature of manifested Nāda endowed with a special motion (Vishesha Spanda), exists as Madhyamā speech. Though sound (Shabda) is not distinct and heard by the gross senses until it issues in the form of Vaikharī speech, the Yogī is said to hear this subtle Nāda when, through the various Bandhas and Mudrās described, Prāna and Apāna have united in the Sushumnā. This combined Prāna and Nāda proceed upwards and unite with Bindu.
1 Shringgāra is the love sentiment or sexual passion and sexual union. Here Shringārarasa is the cosmic root of that. The first of the eight or nine Rasas (sentiments)—viz., Shringgāra, Vīra (heroism), Karunā (compassion), Adbhuta (wondering), Hāsya (humour), Bhayānaka (fear), Bībhatsa (disgust), Raudra (wrath), to which Mammathabhatta, author of the Kāvyaprakāsha, adds Shānti (peace). What the Yogī enjoys is that supersensual bliss which manifests on the earthly plane as material Shringāra.
2 Ibid., Fifth Upadesha, v. 82.
3 Ch. II, v. 78.
There is a particular method by which Laya (absorption) is said to be attained by hearing the various bodily sounds.¹ The Yogī in Muktāsana and with Shāmbhavī Mudrā concentrates on the sounds heard in the right ear; then after closing the sense apertures by Shanmukhī Mudrā and after Prānāyāma a sound is heard in the Sushumnā. In this Yoga there are four stages. When the Brahmagranthi has been pierced, the sweet tinkling sound of ornaments is heard in the ethereal void (Shūnya) of the heart; in the second stage the Prāna united with Nāda pierces the Vishnugranthi. In this, the further void (Atishūnya) of the thoracic region, sounds are heard like those of a kettle-drum. In the third stage a drum-like sound (Mardala) is heard in the Ājnā or Mahāshūnya, the seat of all powers (Siddhis). Then the Prāna, having forced the Rudragranthi or Ājnā, goes to the abode of Īshvara. On the insetting of the fourth stage, when the Prāna goes to Brahmarandhra, the fourth or Nishpatti state occurs. During the initial stages the sounds are loud, and gradually become very subtle. The mind is kept off all external objects, and is centred first on the loud and then on the subtle sounds. The mind thus becomes one with Nāda, on which it is fixed. Nāda is thus like a snare for catching a deer, for like a hunter it kills the mind. It first attracts it and then slays it. The mind absorbed in Nāda is freed from Vrittis.² The Antahkarana, like a deer, is attracted to the sound of the bells, and, remaining immovable, the Yogī like a skilful archer kills it by directing his breath to the Brahmarandhra through the Sushumnā, which becomes one with that at which it is
1 As the Nādabindu-Up. says, the sound controls the mind which roves in the pleasure-garden of the senses.
2 As the Amritanāda-Upanishad says (v. 24), the Akshara (imperishable) is that which is Aghosha (without sound), which is neither vowel nor consonant and is not uttered.
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