saundaryalaharI - 9 (part 4)

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The cakra-s and the suShumna nADi:

 

Situated in the spinal cord and in the spinal column are special

centres from where groups of sensory motor nerves arise. These

nerves pervade the entire body to rejuvenate it with vitality in

the form of knowledge and action. There are seventy-two thousand

of these nerves. Of these, the three main ones are the iDA, pingalA

and suShumnA and these connect with the seven centres of vital

energy in the body called cakra-s, These cakra-s are described

imaginatively in shapes of lotuses with various numbers of petals.

These descriptions of the shapes of the cakra-s are in the tantric

texts. These cakra-s in the human (astral) body are sequentially as

follows (from lower to higher) along the suShumnA nADi.

 

mUlAdhAra cakra: is located at the base of the spinal column. It

has a square maNDala representing pR^ithvI-tattva (earth element).

This is where kunDalinI dwells asleep in the state of ignorance.

This cakra has the bIja mantra "laM". This lotus has four petals,

which are crimson-colored and associated with sound vibrations

of "vaM", "shaM", "ShaM" and "saM". These bIjAs begin in the

upper right hand petal and are read in the clockwise direction.

Brahma is the presiding deity.

 

svAdhiShThAna cakra: above the mUlAdhAra, situated in the suShumnA,

at the level of the genitals is the svAdhiShThAna cakra, a lotus

with six petals. It is made up of agni-tattva (fire element). Its

bIja is "vaM". The six vermilion-colred petals are represented by

"baM", "bhaM", "maM", "yaM", "raM" and "laM". VishNu is the

presiding deity.

 

maNipUra cakra: is located in the suShumna nADi at the navel level

and is made up of jala-tattva (water element). The red triangular

maNDala in its centre contains the bIja mantra "raM". This is a

lotus of ten petals which are dark purple in color and are

represented by bIja mantras "DaM", "DhaM", "NaM", "taM", "thaM",

"daM", "dhaM", "naM", "paM" and "phaM". Rudra is the presiding

deity.

 

anAhata cakra: is located in the suShumna nADi in the region of

the heart. Its element vAyu (air) is located in the smoke-colored

maNDala, shaped like the star of David. Its bIja is "yaM". This

lotus' twelve deep-red petals are represented by bIja mantras

"kaM", "khaM", "gaM", "ghaM", "~naM", "TaM", "ThaM". Isha is

the presiding deity.

 

vishuddha cakra, the sixteen-petalled lotus is situated in the

suShumna nADi at the base of the throat. Within a pure blue circle

is its element, ether. The seed bIja is "haM". The sixteen smokey

purple petals contain the sanskrit vowels "aM", "AM", "iM", "IM",

"uM", "UM", "r^M", "R^M", "LM", "LM", "eM", "aiM", "OM", "auM",

"aM", "aHM". The presiding deity is sadAshiva.

 

AjnA cakra: is the two-petalled lotus in the suShumna, located

in the space between the eyebrows, also called trikUTa. It is made

up of mans-tattva (mind element). "OM" is the bIja mantra for this

cakra and is in the pure white circle within it. On each side of

the circle are two petals, also pure white, their vibration

represented by the sound of sanskrit letters "haM" and "kshaM".

Paramashiva is the presiding deity.

 

sahasrAra cakra: is the subtle centre above and beyond the other six

cakra-s. All other cakra-s are intimately connected with the sahasrAra.

This thousand-petalled lotus is the seat of shiva and is situated at

the crown of the head. On the thousand petals are repeated the fifty

letters of the sanskrit alphabet. The area in the crown of the head

immediately above sahasrAra is called brahmarandhra. At the time of

death, when the jivanmukta discards the physical body, the

brahmarandhra bursts open and the prANa escapes through it.

 

 

Regards

Gummuluru Murthy

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