Srichakra

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Jaya Jaya Shankara !

Namastripurasundaryai !

Namo chandramouleeshwarraya !

Namo Naarasimhaaya !

 

Srichakra is the diagrammatic representation of Shiva-

Shakti in the Cosmic and the individual aspects. In the Hindu

tantras, there are three kinds of external symbols used for worship

of the Supreme Being who is Himself formless and nameless. The most

external is the image cast in the human forms but with paraphernalia

signifying supra-human divinity. The last and the subtlest are the

Mantras, which are Divine sounds or Bijaksharas or letters indicating

certain indeclinable seed sounds. A Mantra is divine power clothed in

sound. Between these two come yantras, also called chakras, which are

representations of the Deity in geometrical diagrams.

The Srichakra is conceived as Shiva-Shakti in the

macrocosmic as well as in the microcosmic aspects i.e as the cosmos

and the individual. The Chakra consists of a series of nine triangles

superimposed around a central point called Bindu, forming forty three

Konas or triangular projections. In the center is the Bindu,

representing Shiva-Shakti in union in the causal state from which all

the other parts of the diagram representing the cosmos are evolved.

The Bindu is in a central triangle with apex downwards in the Samhara

chakra of the Kaulas, but in the srishti chakra of the samayins, it

is below the base of the central triangle with its apex upwards.

Enclosing it and superimposed on one another are the four Shiva

triangles with apexes upward and five Shakti triangles (inclusive of

the inner triangle) with apexes downward. Two circles of lotuses, one

with eight petals and the other with sixteen petals surround these.

Outside these, are three circles around and a rectangular enclosure

(Bhoopura ) of three lines for the entire Chakra, with four entrances

on the four sides.

The central Bindu stands for Shiva-Shakti in the causal

state of creation. Shakti is here represented as Mahatripurasundari ,

the great Mother or the incomparable beauty of the three Puras or

three Bindus. The Bindu represents the initial pushing forth of

massive or Ghaneebhoota Shakti, with the potentiality of the universe

within itself. It is spoken of as three to indicate the three

stresses when the unified non-dual Shiva- Shakti seem to separate

into two aspects Prakasha ( the Aham or I consciousness ) and

Vimarsha ( the idam or this- consciousness ). These three stresses

are technically called Nada,Kalaa and Bindu. Naada is the inchoate

sound movement (interpreted by human ear as Aumkara) and kalaa is the

Kaama Kalaa, the desire to create, which the Vedas represent as `

May I be many `. Bindu is the potential universe ready to separate

into various categories. All these three stresses of Shiva-Shakti

together is represented by the central red bindu with an imaginary

line across it to represent the polarity in the supreme category as

Shiva-Shakti. The great Bindu, the threefold stress of the

externalizing or creative Shakti is indeed the divine mother

Mahatripurasundari. She is described as `Pura mathituraaho

purushikaa ` in the seventh verse of Saundaryalahari, popularly

interpreted as the `Pride of Shiva'. It however really means that

Shiva as Prakasha ( Luminosity or consciousness ) realizes Himself as

`I am `, through Her, the Vimarsha Shakti ( the Object as the

reflector ).

The rest of the Srichakra represents the whole of the

Brahmanda (cosmos) as evolved from the bindu, standing for

Mahatripurasundari. Surrounding the Bindu are a series of overlapping

triangles. These nine triangles constitute the nine basic categories

of the universe, evolving from the supreme mother Mahatripurasundari

represented by the central Bindu. Hence they are called Moola

Prakritis or root substances of the universe. The Shiva and Shakti

triangles are superimposed to indicate that Shiva and Shakti are

involved in the whole process of Becoming in its microcosmic and

cosmic aspects. In the individual, they are present as the nine

Dhaatus or substances constituting the physical body. These are Tvak

(skin), Asrk (blood), Maamsa (flesh), Medhas (fat), and Asthi (bone).

These five categories are born of Shakti element while the evolutes

of the Shiva elements constitute of sukla (semen), majja (marrow),

praana (vital energy) and Jiva (the individual soul). On the cosmic

side, the five constitutes of Shakti are the five elements (pancha

mahabhootas i.e. earth,water,fire,air and space) and the five

tanmatras (subtle elements), the five karmendriyas (organs of

action) ,the five gnanendriyas (organs of knowledge) and manas(mind)-

these have their origin in the Shakti element, while Maaya, Suddha

vidya, Maheshwara and Sadashiva form the Shiva element. Thus the nine

basic triangles symbolize the twenty five elements or Tatwas that

constitute the cosmos and the individual bodies.

By the intersection of the lines of these nine triangles

are formed forty three Konas, in which is included the central

triangle having the central Bindu. In all these Konas are placed the

different letters of the alphabet, which stand for the Devatas, who

are emanations (rashmis) of the only true entity Mahatripurasundari.

They are the conscious forces governing the various powers of nature

in the cosmos as well in an individual. These Devathas are not to be

equated with the animistic spirits of the primitive man. For

according to srividya, Spirit is supreme and all nature consists of

evolutes of that Spirit, of which what we call inert matter is only

the latest evolute having consciousness only withdrawn by the

inherent power of tirodhaana (concealment). The Spirit, the Being-

Power, is the one only, and what are called gods and goddesses placed

in the various parts of the Srichakra are only its manifestations for

governing the various forces of nature.

The portions of Srichakra lying outside the forty four

centers comprising the Bindu also are all supposed to be included in

the latter- eight petalled lotus (Ashtadala padma) in the central

triangle, the sixteen petalled lotus (sodasha dala padma) in the

eight angled chakra (Ashtakona), the three circles(mekhalaa traya) in

the two ten angled chakras (Dashaara dvaya), and the surrounding

space with the rectangular lines and four entrances(Bhupura) in the

fourteen angled chakra (Chaturdashaara).

The Srichakra is identified with the Sahasraara or the

thousand petalled lotus. It is the ultimate source of powers namely

Iccha(volition),Jnana(knowledge) and Kriya(action). It is these

powers that manifest through the various organs of knowledge and

action. All these organs are regulated by a central control in the

brain, and that is identified with the Baindava Chakra or the Bindu

chakra of Srichakra. It is the seat of the Shiva, pure being, and is

the Jyotirmandala, the sphere of light, because the eternal spiritual

moon illumines it with its blissful light. This Sahasrara is also the

source of the three nerve currents of physical significance. They are

the Ida, Pingala and sushumnaa respectively running on the left,

right and center of the spine. Through the sushumnaa runs a hollow

canal clalled the Kula Patha, which is closed at the end, above the

level of the anus at the base of the spinal column. Whether these

yogic nerves are to be identified with what are known to the

anatomist as the afferent and efferent nerves and the Central Canalis

is a moot question. It is better to conceive them as psychic factors

relating to subtle body and having some correspondance with their

physical counterparts.

At the bottom of the sushumnaa against the level of the

anus is the basic plexus known as Moolaadhaara, described as a

triangle with a lotus having drooping petals. This plexus is called

the cave of Kundalini since Kundalini, the serpent power remains

sleeping i.e inactive there, after having completed its evolutionary

purpose with the production of the Earth element, the last of the

twenty five categories. Just as Mahasakti is the consort of Shiva,

the supreme being, Kundalini is the segment of that cosmic mother as

the Shakti of the Jiva, who is none other than an Amsa(particle) of

the supreme Shiva embodied as the individual. It is this Shakti that

evolves into all the twenty five cosmic categories. The first foue

pure categories – Sadashiva to maayaa are considered pure and

therefore included within the sahasraara itself and the remaining 21

categories are included in the six plexus or chakras described as

lotuses descending along the sushumnaa. Of these, Aajnaa chakra,

located between the two brows is a 2 petalled lotus constitutes the

mind(manas) element which included the five organs of knowledge and

action. At the level of throat is the Visuddhi chakra of 16 petals

constituted of the element Akasha(space). At the level of the heart

is the Anaahata chakra with 12 petals having the element air as its

constituent. At he level of the navel is the Manipooraka chakra with

10 petals and representing the Element water. At the level of the

genitals is the Swaadhishthaana chakra with 6 petals and fire

element. Still below is the Moolaadhaara chakra mentioned before.

Just as the cosmic Shakti Mahatripurasundari evolves these 25

categories which go to combine into the manifest universe, the

individual aspect of the Shakti evolves into these centers

representing the different categories and the body-mind, and having

completed the evolutionary process sleeps or remains contracted or

coiled up in the final category of Earth represented by Moolaadhaara.

The main intention of srividya is to rouse this Kundalini through the

japa of the supreme vidya (of 15,16,18 or 28 letters) and

concentration on the lotus fet of Mahatripurasundari, and leading

this power through the sushumnaa up to the sahasraara in the head and

uniting it with the Shiva there. This results in perfect samadhi and

by no other means is this possible. No spiritual activity is possible

without awakening the Kundalini, though the way to do it are

numerous. Tantras have declared srividya and Kriya yoga as the

fastest as well as the surest way to spiritual success.

In an unenlightened person, in whom the Kundalini is

asleep, the jnana and kriya Shaktis function through the Ida and

Pingala nerves that flank sushumnaa. By the power of concentration

and by the extremely powerful torrential energies generated by japa

of srividya, and also by the Guru's grace, Kundalini is awakened and

it forces its way up the kula path. Along with its upward course, it

gathers up also all the life energies that are functioning at the

lower levels of the body, leaving those portions cold. For, all these

energies are only what are dispersed from the Kundalini and therefore

they are gathered up with the upward course of that power. As the

Kundalini touches one plexus after another, consciousness is raised

to subtler levels, described in Vedas as seven higher spheres Bhuh,

Bhuvah etc.

The kula patha and the chakras are divided into three segments –

Brahma granthi up to the Swaadhishthaana which is considered to be

the region of fire and of darkness., Vishnu Granthi up to Anaahata

which is the region of sun and of alternating light and darkness and

Rudra Granthi up tp Aajnaa which is the region of the pure light of

the moon. The sahasraara at the topmost end of the kula patha is the

region of eternally blissful (sacchidaananda) spiritual moon which is

different from the moonlight at Aajnaa chakra. In case of aspirants

who get absorption in Shiva Shakti in the sahasraara ( which is what

srividya teaches and brings about eventually as opposed to most other

traditions wherein meditation and absorption should begin in lower

chakras and proceed higher up….that indeed is one of the vast number

reasons that take the docrine of srividya much beyond the realms of

any other tantra) all these chakras are also absorbed in the

sahasraara, so long as the samadhi lasts. As the six chakras are

gross manifestations of the sahasraara, it is natural for them to get

absorbed in their matrix along with the rise of the Kundalini and

manifest again ( if the aspirant knows the vijnaana) when the

Kundalini descends. Now, it is in this part of descending the

kundalini ,after having the bliss of Shiva – Shakti communion and

consuming the resulting Kulaamrita, having clarified it according to

ones smpradaaya, do other chakras like Lalaata,Lalanaa,Golataa and

Indra naadi come into picture. These chakras are very subtle and

tantras forbid their discussion with the uninitiated. So I omit

these. However for a generic view of these one may refer to the

Kulaamrita Chapter in the Yoga section of Rudrayamala.

Thus the Srichakra is made into a comprehensive symbol for

worship and identification with/of Mahatripurasundari who is

Parabrahman-Chiparaashakti one. This allows both who follow

samayaachaara through the external worship of the Srichakra in the

Mahaakaasha (external sky). As well as for the true samayaacharins

who do worship internally without any external symbols and rituals

through meditation in the Daharakasha.

Srichakra is that great abode of power into which Shiva

Shakti have converted themselves for blessing their children. They

are ever present there and devotees can commune with them through it.

This is not a mere statement and all those who have worshipped and

meditated on Srichakra, having duly taken an initiation from sadguru

will swear by this. Though this communion is possible in a physical

sensory level, for an ardent and true follower of Samayaachaara this

communion is purely internal. In the Manipooraka they worship

Kundalini as the great mother Mahatripurasundari, who has already

been awakened by the Shaambhava Mahavedha done by the Guru. She is

raised to Anaahata where she is adored in the daharaakasha and then

raised to Aajna chakra from where she quickly unites with Shiva in

Sahasraara. How a person can return back to lower chakras and

continue to live as a Jivanmukta or a Siddha depends on grace of

mother Mahatripurasundari and also if the aspirant knows the

secretive procedure of achieving Vijnaana from Jnaana. Else after 21

days of samadhi he gives up all earthy shakles and merges with

Mahatripurasundari. The process of descent again should be learnt

through one's own guru directly.

harshanand_16

Bangalore