The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
1 For She is also beyond the universe (Vishvātītā), and is the form of knowledge itself (Jnānarūpā), ib. As such She is thought of as going upwards, as in descending She creates and binds.
2 Vishvanātha the Commentator says that She makes this sound when awakened. According to the Commentator Shangkara, this indicates the Vaikharī state of Kundalinī.
3 Thus, Prāna and Apāna are declared to be the maintainers of animate being (v. 8, post).
4 See “Principles of Tantra,” Vol. II, Ch. XI and XII.
5 Veda is one with Chaitanya. As Shangkara says (comm. Trishatī, v. 19), dealing with the Panchadashī Mantra: Sarve vedā yatra ekam bhavanti, etc. Shrutyā vedasya ātmābhedena svaprakāshatayā.
(Siddhashabda) which are without human authorship (Apaurusheya),¹ incessantly revealing knowledge² of the nature of Brahman, or Pure Being, and of Dharmma,³ or those principles and laws, physical and psychical and spiritual, by which the universe is sustained (Dhāryate). And so the Divine Mother is said to be Brahman-knowledge (Brahmavidyā) in the form of that immediate experience⁴ which is the fruit of the realisation of the great Vedāntic sayings (Mahāvākya).⁵ As, notwithstanding the existence of feeling-consciousness in all things, it does not manifest without particular processes, so, although the substance of Mantras is feeling-consciousness, that feeling-consciousness is not perceptible without the union of the Sādhaka’s Shakti (derived from Sādhanā) with Mantrashakti. Hence it has been said in the Shāradā Tilaka: “Although Kulakundalinī, whose substance is Mantras, shines brilliant as lightning in the Mūlādhāra of every Jīva, yet it is only in the lotuses of the hearts of Yogīs that She reveals Herself and dances in Her own joy. (In other cases, though existing in subtle form,) She does not reveal Herself. Her substance is all Vedas, all Mantras, and all Tattvas. She is the Mother of the three forms of energy, ‘Sun,’ ‘Moon,’ and ‘Fire,’ and Shabdabrahman Itself.” Kundalinī is therefore the mightiest manifestation of creative power in the human body. Kundalī is the Shabdabrahman—that is, Ātmā as manifested Shakti—in bodies, and in every power, person, and thing. The Six Centres and all evolved therefrom are Her manifestation. Shiva “dwells” in the Sahasrāra. The latter is the upper Shrīchakra, as the six centres are the lower. Yet Shakti and Shiva are one. Therefore the body of Kundalinī Shakti consists of eight parts (Angas)— namely, the six centres of psychic and physical force, Shakti, and Sadāshiva Her Lord.¹ In the Sahasrāra Kundalī is merged in the Supreme Ātma-Shakti. Kundalinī is the great Prānadevatā which is Nādātmā, and if Prāna is to be drawn up through the “middle path,” the Sushumnā towards the Brahmarandhra, it must of necessity pierce the lotuses or Chakras which bar the way therein. Kundalinī being Prānashakti, if She is moved Prāna is moved.
1 And because it is without such authorship and is “heard” only, it is called Shruti (“what is heard”): Shruyata eva na tu kena chit kriyate (Vāchaspati Misra in Sāngkhya Tattva Kaumudī); and see the Yāmala cited in Prānatoshinī, 19: “Veda is Brahman; it came out as His breathing.”
2 The term Veda is derived from the root vid, to know.
3 Veda, according to Vedānta, is that word without human authorship which tells of Brahman and Dharmma: Dharmabrahmapratipādakam apaurusheyam vākyam.
4 Sākshātkāra—that is, actual Spiritual Experience (Aparoksha jnāna) as opposed to indirect (paroksha) or merely intellectual knowledge.
5 Vedānta-mahāvākyajanya-sākshātkārarūpa-brahmavidyā (Shangkara’s Comm. on Trishatī, v. 8). The Vedānta here means Upanishad, and not any particular philosophy so called.
1 For She is also beyond the universe (Vishvātītā), and is the form of knowledge itself (Jnānarūpā), ib. As such She is thought of as going upwards, as in descending She creates and binds.
2 Vishvanātha the Commentator says that She makes this sound when awakened. According to the Commentator Shangkara, this indicates the Vaikharī state of Kundalinī.
3 Thus, Prāna and Apāna are declared to be the maintainers of animate being (v. 8, post).
4 See “Principles of Tantra,” Vol. II, Ch. XI and XII.
5 Veda is one with Chaitanya. As Shangkara says (comm. Trishatī, v. 19), dealing with the Panchadashī Mantra: Sarve vedā yatra ekam bhavanti, etc. Shrutyā vedasya ātmābhedena svaprakāshatayā.
(Siddhashabda) which are without human authorship (Apaurusheya),¹ incessantly revealing knowledge² of the nature of Brahman, or Pure Being, and of Dharmma,³ or those principles and laws, physical and psychical and spiritual, by which the universe is sustained (Dhāryate). And so the Divine Mother is said to be Brahman-knowledge (Brahmavidyā) in the form of that immediate experience⁴ which is the fruit of the realisation of the great Vedāntic sayings (Mahāvākya).⁵ As, notwithstanding the existence of feeling-consciousness in all things, it does not manifest without particular processes, so, although the substance of Mantras is feeling-consciousness, that feeling-consciousness is not perceptible without the union of the Sādhaka’s Shakti (derived from Sādhanā) with Mantrashakti. Hence it has been said in the Shāradā Tilaka: “Although Kulakundalinī, whose substance is Mantras, shines brilliant as lightning in the Mūlādhāra of every Jīva, yet it is only in the lotuses of the hearts of Yogīs that She reveals Herself and dances in Her own joy. (In other cases, though existing in subtle form,) She does not reveal Herself. Her substance is all Vedas, all Mantras, and all Tattvas. She is the Mother of the three forms of energy, ‘Sun,’ ‘Moon,’ and ‘Fire,’ and Shabdabrahman Itself.” Kundalinī is therefore the mightiest manifestation of creative power in the human body. Kundalī is the Shabdabrahman—that is, Ātmā as manifested Shakti—in bodies, and in every power, person, and thing. The Six Centres and all evolved therefrom are Her manifestation. Shiva “dwells” in the Sahasrāra. The latter is the upper Shrīchakra, as the six centres are the lower. Yet Shakti and Shiva are one. Therefore the body of Kundalinī Shakti consists of eight parts (Angas)— namely, the six centres of psychic and physical force, Shakti, and Sadāshiva Her Lord.¹ In the Sahasrāra Kundalī is merged in the Supreme Ātma-Shakti. Kundalinī is the great Prānadevatā which is Nādātmā, and if Prāna is to be drawn up through the “middle path,” the Sushumnā towards the Brahmarandhra, it must of necessity pierce the lotuses or Chakras which bar the way therein. Kundalinī being Prānashakti, if She is moved Prāna is moved.
1 And because it is without such authorship and is “heard” only, it is called Shruti (“what is heard”): Shruyata eva na tu kena chit kriyate (Vāchaspati Misra in Sāngkhya Tattva Kaumudī); and see the Yāmala cited in Prānatoshinī, 19: “Veda is Brahman; it came out as His breathing.”
2 The term Veda is derived from the root vid, to know.
3 Veda, according to Vedānta, is that word without human authorship which tells of Brahman and Dharmma: Dharmabrahmapratipādakam apaurusheyam vākyam.
4 Sākshātkāra—that is, actual Spiritual Experience (Aparoksha jnāna) as opposed to indirect (paroksha) or merely intellectual knowledge.
5 Vedānta-mahāvākyajanya-sākshātkārarūpa-brahmavidyā (Shangkara’s Comm. on Trishatī, v. 8). The Vedānta here means Upanishad, and not any particular philosophy so called.
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