The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
She the “Serpent Power” sleeps coiled up in the Mūlā- dhāra, closing with Her mouth the entry to the Sushumnā
1 Varāha Upanishad, Ch. V.
2 Hathayogapradīpikā, Ch. III, v. 1: Sarveshāng yogatantrānāng tathādhārā hi Kundalī.
3 Hathayogapradīpikā, Ch. III, v. 105:
Udghātayet kapātan tu yathā kunchikayā hathāt
Kundalinyā tathā yogī mokshadvārang vibhedayet.
The same verse occurs in Ch. III, v. 5, of the Gheranda Sanghitā.
3 The Yogakundalī-Up., Ch. I, calls Sarasvatī Arundhatī, saying that it is by arousing Her that Kundalī is aroused. When Kundalī wishes to go up nothing can stop Her. Therefore She is called Arundhatī, which is also the name of a Nādī.
4 Yogakundalī Upanishad, Ch. I.
called the “door of Brahman” (Brahmadvāra). She sleeps above what is called the Kanda or Kandayoni, which is four fingers in length and breadth, and is covered by a “soft white cloth”—that is, membrane like the egg of a bird. It is generally described as being two fingers (Anguli) above the anus (Guda) and two fingers below the penis (Medhra).¹ From this Kanda spring the 72,000 Nādīs which here both unite and separate. Kulakundalinī is the Shabdabrahman, and all Mantras are Her manifestation (Svarūpavibhūti). For this reason one of the names of this, the Mantradevatā, whose substance is “letters,” is Mātrikā—that is, the Genetrix of all the universes. She is Mātrikā, for She is the Mother of all and not the child of any. She is the world-consciousness (Jagachchaitanya), the Virāt consciousness of the world as a whole.² Just as in space sound is produced by movements of air, so also in the ether within the Jīva’s body currents flow, owing to the movements of the vital air (Prānavāyu), and its inward and outward passage as inhalation and exhalation. Verse 12 describes Kundalinī as the revered supreme Parameshvarī (Sovereign Lady), the Omnipotent Kalā in the form of Nādashakti. She, the subtlest of the subtle, holds within Herself the mystery of creation,³ and the stream of Ambrosia which flows from the attributeless Brahman. By Her radiance the universe is illumined, and by it eternal knowledge is awakened¹—that is, She both binds as Creatrix (Avidyā Shakti) and is the means as Vidyā Shakti whereby Liberation may be attained. For this reason it is said in the Hathayogapradīpikā that She gives liberation to Yogīs and bondage to the ignorant. For he who knows Her knows Yoga, and those who are ignorant of Yoga are kept in the bondage of this worldly life. As vv. 10 and 11 of the Shatchakranirūpana says: “She the World-bewilderer is lustrous as lightning; Her sweet murmur is like the indistinct hum of swarms of love-mad bees.² She is the source of all Speech. It is She who maintains all the beings of the world by means of inspiration and expiration,³ and shines in the hollow of the Mūla lotus like a chain of brilliant lights.” Mantras are in all cases manifestations (Vibhūti) of Kulakundalinī Herself, for She is all letters and Dhvani⁴ and the Paramātmā Itself. Hence Mantras are used in the rousing of Kundalinī. The substance of Mantras is the Eternal Shabda or Consciousness, though their appearance and expression is in words. Words in themselves seem lifeless (Jaḍa), but the Mantra power which they embody is Siddha—that is, the truth and capable of teaching it, because it is a manifestation of Chaitanya, which is Satya Itself. So Veda, which is the formless (Amūrti) Brahman in Veda-form (Vedamūrti), is the self-illumined Principle of Experience⁵ (Chit) itself, and is displayed in words
1 As given by Yājnavalkya, cited in Commentary to v. 113, Ch. III, of Hathayogapradīpikā, which also refers to the Gorakshashataka. The verse itself appears to fix its position as between the penis and navel (Nābhi), twelve fingers (Vitasti) above the Mūlasthāna. Kanda is also applied to the seat of Prāna, the heart (see Shatchakranirūpana, v. 8).
2 See Vol. II, “Principles of Tantra,” Ch. XI, XII, et seq. It is because She is Mantradevatā that She is roused by Mantra.
3 She is creation itself (Srishtirūpā), vv. 10, 11, post, in Her are creation, maintenance, and dissolution (Srishtisthitilayātmikā), ib.
She the “Serpent Power” sleeps coiled up in the Mūlā- dhāra, closing with Her mouth the entry to the Sushumnā
1 Varāha Upanishad, Ch. V.
2 Hathayogapradīpikā, Ch. III, v. 1: Sarveshāng yogatantrānāng tathādhārā hi Kundalī.
3 Hathayogapradīpikā, Ch. III, v. 105:
Udghātayet kapātan tu yathā kunchikayā hathāt
Kundalinyā tathā yogī mokshadvārang vibhedayet.
The same verse occurs in Ch. III, v. 5, of the Gheranda Sanghitā.
3 The Yogakundalī-Up., Ch. I, calls Sarasvatī Arundhatī, saying that it is by arousing Her that Kundalī is aroused. When Kundalī wishes to go up nothing can stop Her. Therefore She is called Arundhatī, which is also the name of a Nādī.
4 Yogakundalī Upanishad, Ch. I.
called the “door of Brahman” (Brahmadvāra). She sleeps above what is called the Kanda or Kandayoni, which is four fingers in length and breadth, and is covered by a “soft white cloth”—that is, membrane like the egg of a bird. It is generally described as being two fingers (Anguli) above the anus (Guda) and two fingers below the penis (Medhra).¹ From this Kanda spring the 72,000 Nādīs which here both unite and separate. Kulakundalinī is the Shabdabrahman, and all Mantras are Her manifestation (Svarūpavibhūti). For this reason one of the names of this, the Mantradevatā, whose substance is “letters,” is Mātrikā—that is, the Genetrix of all the universes. She is Mātrikā, for She is the Mother of all and not the child of any. She is the world-consciousness (Jagachchaitanya), the Virāt consciousness of the world as a whole.² Just as in space sound is produced by movements of air, so also in the ether within the Jīva’s body currents flow, owing to the movements of the vital air (Prānavāyu), and its inward and outward passage as inhalation and exhalation. Verse 12 describes Kundalinī as the revered supreme Parameshvarī (Sovereign Lady), the Omnipotent Kalā in the form of Nādashakti. She, the subtlest of the subtle, holds within Herself the mystery of creation,³ and the stream of Ambrosia which flows from the attributeless Brahman. By Her radiance the universe is illumined, and by it eternal knowledge is awakened¹—that is, She both binds as Creatrix (Avidyā Shakti) and is the means as Vidyā Shakti whereby Liberation may be attained. For this reason it is said in the Hathayogapradīpikā that She gives liberation to Yogīs and bondage to the ignorant. For he who knows Her knows Yoga, and those who are ignorant of Yoga are kept in the bondage of this worldly life. As vv. 10 and 11 of the Shatchakranirūpana says: “She the World-bewilderer is lustrous as lightning; Her sweet murmur is like the indistinct hum of swarms of love-mad bees.² She is the source of all Speech. It is She who maintains all the beings of the world by means of inspiration and expiration,³ and shines in the hollow of the Mūla lotus like a chain of brilliant lights.” Mantras are in all cases manifestations (Vibhūti) of Kulakundalinī Herself, for She is all letters and Dhvani⁴ and the Paramātmā Itself. Hence Mantras are used in the rousing of Kundalinī. The substance of Mantras is the Eternal Shabda or Consciousness, though their appearance and expression is in words. Words in themselves seem lifeless (Jaḍa), but the Mantra power which they embody is Siddha—that is, the truth and capable of teaching it, because it is a manifestation of Chaitanya, which is Satya Itself. So Veda, which is the formless (Amūrti) Brahman in Veda-form (Vedamūrti), is the self-illumined Principle of Experience⁵ (Chit) itself, and is displayed in words
1 As given by Yājnavalkya, cited in Commentary to v. 113, Ch. III, of Hathayogapradīpikā, which also refers to the Gorakshashataka. The verse itself appears to fix its position as between the penis and navel (Nābhi), twelve fingers (Vitasti) above the Mūlasthāna. Kanda is also applied to the seat of Prāna, the heart (see Shatchakranirūpana, v. 8).
2 See Vol. II, “Principles of Tantra,” Ch. XI, XII, et seq. It is because She is Mantradevatā that She is roused by Mantra.
3 She is creation itself (Srishtirūpā), vv. 10, 11, post, in Her are creation, maintenance, and dissolution (Srishtisthitilayātmikā), ib.
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