Sondarya Lahiri Verse 9 - Sri Samkara Bhagavatpada

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"Thou art diverting Thyself, in secrecy with Thy Lord, in the

thousand-petalled lotus, having pierced through the Earth situated

in the MUlAdhAra, the Water in the ManipUra, the Fire abiding in the

SvAdhisthAna, the Air in the Heart (Anahata), the Ether above (the Vi

(uddhi), and Manas between the eyebrows (Ajña) and thus broken

through the entire Kula path."

 

This stanza contains in a nutshell the quintessence of the sublimest

truths of the Vedanta and the Yoga systems in harmonious

combination, in relation to the worship of the Devi, as the

Kuandalini-sakti of the PindAnda, (microcosm) and as the

Tripurasundari of the BrahmAnda, (macrocosm). For a proper

appreciation of the same, a

short account of the Eternal Verities according to the conception of

the ancient Rsi-s of India and their bearing on the Cosmogony of the

microcosm and the macrocosm, will be found useful.

 

An Eternal Verity may be defined as that which gives scope for

functioning to all orders of creation, till their final dissolution.

Some Tantra-s classify the Eternal Verities into three groups, the

Atma-tattva-s, the Vidyatattva-s and the Siva-tattva-s.

 

Those comprised under the first group are characterized by Jadatva,

non- sentience; those of the second group partake of Jadatva and

PrakASakatva, both non-sentience and sentience; and those of the

third group are characterized by PrakASakatva, sentience pure and

simple, with absolute Consciousness standing above them all.

 

According to the Kalpa-sütra-s, twenty-four fall under the first

group, seven under the second and five under the third, and may be

arranged as shown hereunder with their characteristic properties:

 

(1) Prthivi—Earth, possessed of solidity;

(2) Ap—Water, possessed of fluidity;

(3) Tejas—Fire, possessed of heat;

(4) VAyu—Air, of the character of perpetual motion;

(5) AkAsa—Ether, of the character of space;

(6) Gandha-tanmAtra—Smell, in the form of subtle Earth;

(7) Rasa-tanmAtra—Taste, in the form of subtle Water;

(8) Rupa-tanmAtra—Form, in the form of subtle Fire;

(9) SparSa-tanmAtra—Touch, in the form of subtle Air;

(10) Sabda-tanmAtra—Sound, in the form of subtle Ether;

(11) Srotra—the auditory sense that perceives sound;

(12) Tvac—the tactile sense that perceives touch;

(13) Caksus—the optic sense that perceives form;

(14) JihvA—the gustatory sense that perceives taste;

(15) GhrAna—the olfactory sense that perceives smell;

(16) VAc—speech, the motor organ of articulate expression;

(17) PAni—the hand, the motor organ of grasping and leaving;

(18) PAda—the foot, the motor organ of locomotion;

(19) PAyu—the motor organ of evacuation;

(20) Upastha—the motor organ of generation and carnal pleasure;

(21) Manas—the Mind, the inner sense that is attained, when Rajas,

the mobility of misery, preponderates over Sattva and Tamas, the

rhythm of happiness and the inertia of delusion, and which is the

root of all volition;

(22) Buddhi—the Intellect, the inner sense which is attained, when

rhythm preponderates over mobility and inertia, and as such is at

the root of all conviction;

(23) AhamkAra—Egoism, the inner sense which is attained, when

inertia preponderates over rhythm and mobility, and which is the

root of all fancy, converging towards the self;

(24) Prakrti, otherwise known as the Citta—which is attained by the

equipoised state of rhythm, mobility and inertia;

(25) Purusa or the Jiva (of the microcosm),—which, though full in

itself, commands only to a limited extent the five powers detailed

below;

(26) KalA—the KriyA-Sakti, the power to do all things, but to a

limited extent, inhering in the Jiva;

(27) AvidyA, also called Vidya—the JNAna-Sakti, in a veiled form and

thus limited in its operation, inherent in the Jiva;

(28) RAga—the IcchA-sakti, perpetual satisfaction, which operates

only partially and is therefore limited in extent, inherent in the

Jiva;

(29) Cit-sakti—perpetuity inherent in the Jiva, when limited

by the operation of the six changes denoted by `exists', `takes

birth', ` grows', ` ripens `, `wanes', and ` perishes';

(30) Niyati—that which causes AvidyA to veil the Ananda-Sakti,

absolute independence, inherent in the Jiva;

(31) MAyA—the condition operating upon the ISvara, causing it to

look upon the phenomenal world as `this', i.e. an entity separate

from itself;

(32) Suddha— vidyA—the condition operating upon the SadASiva,

causing it to identify itself with the phenomenal world with the

impression, ` I am this `;

(33) MaheSvara —that which is operated upon by the MAyA;

(34) SadASakti— that which is operated upon by the SuddhavidyA;

(35) Sakti—the desire which is but the impression of the world to

be created;

(36) Siva—the absolute non- differentiated existence,

when conditioned by the Sakti.

 

Fifteen more are added to the number of Eternal Verities by some, by

a process of further elaboration, thus making fifty-one in all,

answering to the fifty-one letters of the Samskrt alphabet. The

other fifteen are the seven DhAtu-s, humours: (

1) Tvas—the external sheath of organs;

(2) Asrj—blood;

(3) MAmsa—flesh;

(4) Medas—fat;

(5) Asthi—bone;

(6) MajjA—marrow and

(7) Sukia—semen; the five vital airs,

(8) PrAna,

(9) ApAna,

(10) VyAna,

(11) UdAna,

(12) SaMana; and the three Guna-s,

(13) Rhythm,

(14) Mobility and

(15) Inertia.

 

The five Elements, the five TanmAtra-s, the five organs of

perception, the five organs of motor action, the Mind, the

MAyA, the Suddha-vidyA, the MaheSvara and the SadASiva are the

twenty-five Eternal Verities from the Vedic standpoint, while the

others are capable of being included in the twenty-five.

 

In this stanza, the Devi of the macrocosm, in the form of her exact

prototype, the KuundAlinI of the microcosm, is represented as

having broken through the entire Kula path containing the six Cakra-

s of psychic energy, indicative of the twenty-one Tattva-s, to reach

her Lord in the SahasrAra, the habitat of the four remaining

sentient Tattva-s, there to divert herself in secrecy with her Lord.

Even as ParamSaiva, in the absence of his conjunction with the

Tripurasundari, is powerless, so also the Jiva, without the

operation of the KundalinI, will be very much the same as a corpse.

 

The vital force, which is inherent in every limb, muscle, nerve-

centre and other physiological organs and which causes the entire

frame to function, is but one aspect of the KundaalinI. It is the

self-same vital force that is the root cause of the functioning of

the entire phenomenal world and could be comprehended only by those

rare mortals who have gained mastery over it. It is upon this

fundamental fact that the system of Yoga is based, as the PrAnAyAma,

or the control of this vital force, forms the bedrock of that system.

 

If only the secret of control of this vital force and the human mind

(psychic force), which is only a subtle variety of the vital force,

should be mastered by any person, he may be said to have conquered

the phenomenal world. No wonder the Yogin takes his stand upon the

PrAnAyAma and Manolaya for the successful accomplishment of the

state of SamAdhi, his goal.

 

It is with that end in view that the Yogin concentrates his mind,

controls the vital force and projects them towards the MUlAdhAra,

the first psychic centre of energy, which results in the rousing of

the KundalinI, dormant with its form of three-and-a-half spirals

coiled therein.

 

Those that are proficient in the Yoga SAstra hold that this machine

of the human frame, which is controlled by the KuidalinI, contains

seventy- two thousand NAdI-s, the main ones among them, e.g. the

SusumnA, the IdA, the PingalA, etc. having distinct functions

connected with the respiratory system allotted to them, and the

other important NAdi-s controiiing the sensory and motor organs.

 

The psychic energy requisite to control the various organs is said

to abide in the six Cakra-s of the SusumnA path, provided with the

three stages, known as the Rudra-, Visnu-, and Brahma-granthi-s

(knots); which are respectively the regions of Fire, the Sun and the

Moon, each of them situated at the end of a pair of these Cakra-s,

in the order given above.

 

In the case of ordinary mortals, their vital energy is wasted

through the IdA and PingalA, but in the case of the initiated, it is

regulated in such a way that the PrAna, coursing through the IdA and

PiNgalA, and also the ApAna, are made to conserve the purpose of

rousing the KundalinI and sending her up to the Brahmarandhra.

 

All impulses, psychic and organic, may be classified as volitional,

cognitional and actional, corresponding to the IcchA-, JNana- and

KriyA-Sakti-s of the Dcvi. These, when pertaining to the body, are

attributable to the KundalinI, while the corresponding cosmic

impulses are attributable to the Tripurasundari.

 

 

To be continued...

 

 

Saundarya-Lahari :- The Ocean of Beauty

Pandit S. Subramahnya Sastri and

T.R. Srinivasa Ayyangar

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continued from previous post ...

 

 

Thou—in the form of the Tripurasundari of the macrocosm and the

KundalinI of the microcosm. Thy Lord—the Siva of the Macrocosm and

the Jiva of the microcosm, bereft of MAyA, illusion. The thousand-

petalled lotus—which is no other than the upper Sricakra, the Bindu

of which represents the Siva and the Jiva bereft of MAyA, as the

case may be. This is the final resort, the NirvAna of the

accomplished seeker, lying beyond the Kula path, the SusumnA MArga,

which contains the six Cakra-s mentioned in the stanza, in the

ascending order of subtlety, with the three Granthi-s in their

appropriate places.

 

The SahasrAra is considered to be the inner SrI-cakra to be

meditated upon with all the fifty-one letters of the Samskrt

alphabet. The view is taken by some that the Bindu has its position

in the Bindu of the Cakra and the other fifty letters are to be

arranged consecutively over the thousand petals, twenty times.

Suddha-vidyA in coalescence with SadASiva is known as the SAdAkhyA

or the ParamAtman, which may be characterized as the twenty-sixth

Tattva, on the attainment of which is experienced NirvAna or

Jivanmukti.

 

It is this aspect that is referred to in this stanza as the

diversion of the DevI in secrecy with her Lord. Having pierced

through—i.e. having got beyond, after overcoming and absorbing in

her own form. The ascent and the descent of the KundalinI

constituting the KundalinI Yoga are said to form an AntaryAga.

 

The Earth situated in the MUlAdhAra—but for the MUlAdhAra, which

partakes of the character of the Earth-clement through its subtle

form of Gandha-tanmAtra, the body will become unstable with its

equilibrium disturbed. This Cakra is no other than the Tri-kona of

the Sri-cakra. Piercing through this element would mean conquering

it.

 

The Yogin who does so is said to attain the power of penetration

through massive stone walls, etc. Water in the ManipUra—ManipUra,

the interior of which the Dcvi is said to fill with gems; hence the

practice among the Samayin-s of the offering of jewels studded with

various kinds of gems, while meditating on her in this seat.

Although the ManipUra is the third in the order of the Cakra-s, it

has been given the second place in the stanza to suit the order of

the elements. This Cakra represents water in its Rasa-tanmatra form.

 

Conquest of this by the Yogin is said to confer on him the next

higher power of mastery, such as floating, walking, etc. over water.

The inner DasAra of the Sri-cakra is indicated by this. The Fire in

the SvAdhisthAna—where the Dcvi is said to take her stand in the

form of KundalinI, of her own accord, making the knot of Rudra-

granthi thereon. The fire, in the form of the RUpa-tanmAtra.

 

The conquest of this by the Yogin is credited with the bestowal of

the power of fire-walking, etc. The Askoona of the Sri-cakra is

indicated by this. The Air in the heart—the Air in the form of

Sparsa-tanmAtra. The heart signifies the Andhata-cakra of the heart-

lotus. The word `anAhata' means the NAda, sound, produced without

impact in the recess of the heart; hence the name of the Cakra. The

outer DaSAra of the Sri-cakra is indicated by this. By the conquest

of Air, the Yogin is said to attain the fleetness of wind, buoyancy,

etc. The Ether—in the form of the Sabda-tanmAtra.

 

Above— i.e. `above the heart', by which is meant the Cakra which is

clear as crystal, namely the Visuddhi. The Catur-dasAra of the

Sri.cakra is indicated by this. By the conquest of this the Yogin

attains the power of traversing the ethereal regions. It may be

noted here that PUrnAanda-svAmin, the author of the Satcakra-

nirUpana and other TAntrika-s are of the view that the elements,

Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether have, as their corresponding Cakra-

s, the MUlAdhAra, the SvAdhisthAna, the ManipUra, the AnAhata and

the Vi.Suddhi, which, as will be seen from this stanza, is at

variance with the view of Sarnkara-bhagavatpAda, the author of this

work, who has, in this respect, the support of the VAmakesvara-

tantra in his favour, as explained by BhAskararAya in his

Setubandha.

 

Further, the letters indicated by the MAhesvara-sutra-s- " ha ya va

rat " and `lan", which enumerate the Bija-s of the five elements in

the order in which they were revealed by Mahesvara's Damaru, when

placed in juxtaposition with the names of the five Cakras-s in their

natural order, from the upper to the nether, the names of the five

elements corresponding to the respective Bija-s, as also the names

of the parts of the Sri-cakra which they indicate, in the SamhAra-

krama, bear out, beyong doubt, the correctness of the author's view.

 

Manas between the eyebrows – Manas, which embraces within itself

the five senses of perception and the five senses of motor action,

ie in all elevent Tattva-s. `Between the eyebrow' refers to the AjnA-

cakra, so called because it is at this stage that a speck of

knowledge about the Devi dawns. As she is bent on breaking through

the Brahma-granthi on the way to the SahasrAra, she remains there

only for a trice manifesting herself in the form of a streak of

lightning.

 

The Catushona, ie the BhUgrha of the Sri-cakra is indicated by this.

By conquering the mind, the Yogin is said to attain mystic powers,

such as clairvoyance, clairaudience, telepathy, etc. The mystic

powers ascribed above, as resulting from the mastery of these Cakra-

s at the various stages, are really so many pitfalls to be avoided

by the practitioner, as they are likely to lead him astray from his

final goal of NirvAna.

 

These six Cakra-s are but temporary stages or planes wherein the

KundalinI rests awhile, avowedly for mastering them, while the

SahasrAra is her permanent abode, whence the practitioner should not

lose sight of his final goal, NirvAna, beguiled by the temptations

offered by the psychic power attainable at the lower centres, but

should lead the KundalinI on the SahasrAra, there to effect her

union with her Lord.

 

Up to the moment of such blending the practitioner retains his

individual consciousness and thereafter enters on the blissful state

of NirvAna as long as the KundalinI rests in the SahasrAra prior to

her descent therefrom. The duration of her stay there depends on the

strength of practice and the previous experience of the

practitioner. Broken through the entire path of Kula – and thus

having transcend the twenty-one Tattva-s from PrthivI to Manas, and

the six Cakra-s, which, when taken together, would form the lower

Sri cakra.

 

 

 

Saundarya-Lahari :- The Ocean of Beauty

Pandit S. Subramahnya Sastri and

T.R. Srinivasa Ayyangar