Layayoga: The Definitive Guide to the Chakras and Kundalini (39 page)

It has been stated: ‘The whole body along with “personified impurity” should be burnt by the fire-flame arising from muladhara. Inspire through the left nostril with the japa of mantra (thinking mantra mentally) “Yang”, 16 measures; suspend 64 measures with the japa “Yang” and then expire 32 measures with the japa “Yang” through the left nostril; again inspire with the japa of “Rang” 16 in order to burn the subtle body, suspend with the japa of “Rang” 64 and at the same time think that the body is burnt into ashes, then expire with the japa of “Rang” 32 and think the ashes are eliminated; then inspire with the japa of “Lang” 16 and (by thinking) irradiate the body .. .; suspend with the japa of “Thang” 64 and make the body firm (by thinking); and expire with the japa of “Wang” 32 and vitalize the body with deathless substance’ (—Tararahasya, p. 8). Here is a slightly different technique.

Ishwara said: ‘Inspire through the left nostril with the japa of the air-germ-mantra, that is “Yang” 16; then hold in the manipura centre with breath-suspension and with the japa of “Yang” 64; expire with the japa of “Yang” 32 through the right nostril. In this manner do the breathing with the fire-germ-mantra (“Rang”), holding the breath in the anahata centre. Purification is effected by the mantra “Yang” and burning by the mantra “Rang”. Thinking of the white-coloured water-germ-mantra (that is, “Wang”) in the forehead (that is, ajña), expiration should be done through the right nostril with japa 32. In this manner the process should be repeated twelve times. This is bhutashuddhi for the purification of the subtle body’ (—Bhutashuddhitantra, ch. 6, pp. 5–6).

The technique described here is as follows: (1) left inspiration and suspension, right expiration, with mantra ‘Yang’; measures 16–64–32; for the purification (drying purification) of the subtle body; (2) right inspiration and suspension, left expiration, with mantra ‘Rang’; measures 16–64–32; for the burning (burning-purification) of the subtle body; (3) left inspiration and suspension, right expiration, with mantra ‘Wang’; measures 16–64–32.

Another technique of bhutashuddhi breathing, which is done in modified bhutashuddhi, is this: ‘Inspire through the left nostril and at the same time think of smoke-coloured air-germ-mantra (“Yang”), and do japa of the mantra 16 times; suspend and do japa of the mantra 64 times, and at the same time think that the black-coloured “personified impurity” in the left interior part of the body along with the (subtle) body, has been dried (by the mantra); then expire through the right nostril with the japa of the mantra 32 times; inspire through the right nostril with the japa of fire-germ-mantra “Rang” 16 times and at the same time think of the mantra as red-coloured; suspend with the japa of the mantra 64 times and at the same time think that the “personified impurity”, together with the subtle body, has been burnt by the fire arising from muladhara; then expire through the left nostril with the ashes (produced by burning) and with the japa of the mantra; again, thinking of the white-coloured moon-germmantra “
Thang
”, inspire with the left nostril and at the same time make japa of the mantra (“
Thang
”) 16 times and think of the moon in the forehead (indu centre); then suspend with the japa of the water-germ-mantra “Wang” 64 times and at the same time think that the whole body which is of matrika-letters has been (newly) made by the deathless substance (amrita) flowing from the moon in the forehead (indu centre); then expire through the right nostril with the japa of earth-germ-mantra “Lang” 32 times and at the same time think that the body has been made firm’ (—Bhutashuddhitantra, ch. 16, p. 15).

The technique of bhutashuddhi breathing given here is complete. It is as follows: (1) left inspiration 16—suspension 64—right expiration 32, with the japa of the mantra ‘Yang’ along with concentration; (2) right inspiration 16—suspension 64—left expiration 32, with the japa of the mantra ‘Rang’ and concentration; (3) left inspiration 16, with the japa of the mantra ‘
Thang
’ and concentration; suspension 64, with the japa of the mantra ‘Wang’ and concentration; right expiration 32, with the japa of the mantra ‘Lang’ with concentration.

Here, concentration means deep thinking which is done along with the mental mantrajapa and with either inspiration, suspension or expiration. These respiratory acts are measured by the japa. Thinking becomes deeper when done with mantra and breathing. The purificatory process consists of internal drying and burning. Drying becomes effective by the mantra ‘Yang’ in combination with thinking and breathing. Similarly, burning becomes effective by the mantra ‘Rang’ in combination with thinking and breathing. The purificatory process is followed by the re-energizing process. It consists of two factors: body-remaking and body-firming. The remaking of the body is done by the mantras ‘
Thang
’ and ‘Wang’ with breathing and thinking, and the newly made body is made firm by the mantra ‘Lang’ with breathing and thinking. The power of ‘Yang’ is released when done with left, inspiratory and suspensive, right, expiratory breathing, and of ‘Rang’ in right inspiratory and suspensive, left expiratory breathing. The power of ‘
Thang
’ is awakened in left inspiratory breathing, that of ‘Wang’ in suspensive breathing, and that of ‘Lang’ in right expiratory breathing.

The process of drying (shoshana) is effected by the mantra ‘Yang’ in left inspiratory and suspensive, right expiratory breathing with 16–64–32 measures; and the process of burning (dahana) by the mantra ‘Rang’ in right-inspiratory-suspensive-left-expiratory breathing with 16–64–32 measures (—Wishwasaratantra, ch. 2, p. 23). It has been stated: ‘Drying, burning and irradiation (plawana) should be done with the mantras “Yang”, “Rang” and “Wang” respectively. In this manner, the practitioner should perform bhutashuddhi’ (—Koulawalitantra, ch. 2, p. 6). Also, ‘Oh Deweshi! the practitioner, for the purification of the body, should do drying, burning, ashes-removal, amrita (vital substance)-shower (warshana) and irradiation (aplawana) by the air-germ-mantra (“Yang”), fire-germ-mantra (“Rang”), water-germ-mantra (“Wang”), moon-germ-mantra (“
Thang
”) and earth-germ-mantra (“Lang”) respectively, in conjunction with inspiration-suspension-expiration (that is, pranayama)’ (—From Tantragandharwa, quoted in Shaktanandataraṅgini, 7. 10).

Here the process of purification has been clearly defined. The purificatory process consists of five practices:

1  Drying with the mantra ‘Yang’ in conjunction with breathing.

2  Burning and ashes-removal with the mantra ‘Rang’ and breathing.

3  Amrita-shower with the mantra ‘Wang’ and breathing.

4  Irradiation with the mantra ‘
Thang
’ and breathing.

5  Body-firming with the mantra ‘Lang’ and breathing.

Thinking is an intrinsic part of the purificatory process. It is stated: ‘In the left nostril, the thinking of smoke-coloured air-germ-mantra (“Yang”) should be done (in inspiration through the left nostril). Then the body should be dried by “Yang” (in suspension) by thinking, and then think of “Yang” (while expiring) through the right nostril. Then think of red-coloured fire-germ-mantra (“Rang”) (while inspiring) through the right nostril; burn the dried body into ashes by the fire from “Rang” (by thinking while suspending breath), and then expire through the left nostril (while thinking that) the ashes are removed. Then the white-coloured germ-mantra “
Thang
” should be placed in the forehead (indu centre), by which the lunar amrita (vital substance) will be made to flow downward (all by thinking). Then, thinking that the amrita-born body is pure and pleasing, bring the jiwatman to its own place in a right manner’ (—Sanatkumaratantra, ch. 3, p. 2). Here, the whole process is done by thinking in conjunction with breathing. The sounds and colours of mantras are thought of and the purificatory processes are done by thinking.

Wayu is the subtle pranic energy which is in operation. The germ-mantra is in the form of wayu-energy, that is, wayu-energy forms an intrinsic part of the germ-mantra. The wayu-energy changes its character in left inspiration, right inspiration, left expiration, right expiration and suspension. The wayu-energy when operative during left inspiration and suspension, and right expiration, is the ‘Yang’-energy by which the body is dried; the wayu-energy in right inspiration and suspension, and left expiration becomes ‘Rang’-energy which burns the body along with impurities (—from Bhairawatantra, quoted in Tarabhaktisudharnawa, ch. 5, p. 153). It indicates that the wayu-energy becomes a germ-mantra-energy by appropriate breathing. The mantra-energy is subtle and radiates a particular colour-ray and is apprehended in concentration. So long as apprehension is not possible, the mantra should be thought of in the right colour.

It has been stated: ‘In the navel region (manipura centre), think of the red-coloured maya-bija, and then burn the subtle impure body by the fire coming from it by thinking’ (—Tarabhaktisudharnawa, ch. 5, p. 155). Here, it has been clearly stated that the purificatory processes should be done by thinking, and the body is not the physical body but subtle body. Again, ‘Think of the smoke-coloured “Yang”-wayu (-energy) in the navel region (manipura centre) and make the subtle body dry by the mantra (“Yang”) (by thinking) while doing the left-inspiratory-suspensive, right-expiratory breathing, 16–64–32. Think of the red-coloured fire-germ-mantra (“Rang”) in the region of genitalia (swadhisthana) and burn the impure subtle body by the mantra (“Rang”) (by thinking) and at the same time do the right-inspiratory-suspensive, left-expiratory breathing, 16–64–32. Thinking of the water-germ-mantra “Wang” in the region of the uvula, make the flow of amrita from the sahasrara centre by the mantra (“Wang”) (by thinking) while doing left-inspiratory breathing, and irradiate the whole body by amrita by “Wang” (by thinking) while doing suspensive breathing. Then think of the earth-germ-mantra “hang” in the anal region (muladhara centre) and irradiate the body fully by “hang” (by thinking) while doing right-inspiratory breathing. By this, a most excellent non-white-non-black divine body is attained’ (—from Yamala, quoted in Tarabhaktisudharnawa, ch. 5, p. 156).

From the above exposition, it is clear that a germ-mantra is in the nature of wayu, that is, prana or vital energy which emits a particularray. In other words, a germ-mantra is a form of life-force which emits silent sound and colour radiation. The mantra-power is only approachable through deep mono-thought which, in time, develops into concentration. However, the power of the mantra is aroused by deep mono-thought, and is utilized in the purification of the subtle body to make it divine. The purificatory effects also extend to the physical body through thought and pranayama (breath-control). Thought becomes forceful and effective by breathing. So, mantra, thought and breathing-all three become intrinsic parts of the purificatory process.

It has been stated: ‘The drying (process) done by air-germ-mantra (“Yang”) is called body-drying. This (process) should be performed while doing left-inspiratory-suspensive, right-expiratory breathing. The burning of the body by burning-germ-mantra (“Rang”) is called body-burning. The process should be done in right-inspiratory-suspensive, left-expiratory breathing. The whole body should be irradiated by the currents of amrita flowing from the union of Kundalini and Shiwa (Supreme Consciousness). This process is called irradiation’ (—Kularnawa, ch. 15, pp. 74–5). Here, it is indicated that the processes of body-drying and body-burning are the effects of specific germ (bija)-mantras and the mantras become effective when done in conjunction with appropriate breathing. The germ-mantra ‘Rang’ has been called burning-germ-mantra, (dahana-bija) that is, fire-germ-mantra which is ‘Rang’. Certain germ (bija)-mantras are endowed with the power of purification, so it is stated: ‘The purification of the body should be done by “Yang”, “Rang”, “Wang” and “Lang” (—Garudapurana, 1.12.2); and ‘The body of subtle elements is to be dried and burnt by the germ (bija)-mantras “Yang” and “Rang” respectively; and then think of amrita (vital substance) along with the germ-mantra “Wang”; finally, the whole body should be irradiated by amrita with the help of the germ-mantra “Lang” (—Garudapurana, 1.11.2–3). Here, it is clearly stated that the mantras have the power to effect purification of the subtle body.

That deep thinking plays a most important role in the mantra purification of the body has been expressed thus: ‘Think of “Yang” in the heart region (that is, anahata) and of “Rang” which is like three bright flames endowed with the power of burning and purifying; then think in the moon centre (indu chakra) situated in the cerebral region of white-coloured amrita by the flow of which the earth centre (muladhara) is being irradiated; by this process, a divine body which is free from all impurities is attained’ (—Brahmapurana, 61. 4–6). Here we find that the mantra and its specific purificatory action should be done by deep thinking. It has been further stated: ‘The germs of the body are five elements. These subtle elements are earth, water, fire, air and void factor (akasha). For the purification of these elements, the processes of drying, burning, ashes-removal, amrita (vital substance)-shower and irradiation should be done (in succession) ; these purificatory processes are done by thinking’ (—Kalikapurana, 57. 104–6). It has been clearly stated here that the purificatory processes should be done by thinking.

So, bhutashuddhi pranayama is a special purificatory process done as a part of bhutashuddhi. It is the mantra purification, as it is effected by mantra. The mantra purification consists of the specific processes of drying, burning, ashes-removal, amrita-shower, irradiation and body-firming. Each specific process is intimately related to a specific germ-mantra. The germ-mantra causes the specific purification. Drying is effected by the germ-mantra ‘Yang’, burning and ashes-removal by ‘Rang’, amrita-shower by ‘
Thang
’ irradiation by ‘Wang’ and body-firming by ‘Lang’. The impure subtle body is dried by ‘Yang’ and burnt by ‘Rang’. Amrita-flow is caused by ‘
Thang
’ and a new body is formed by the irradiation of amrita by ‘Wang’, and finally, the new body is made firm by ‘Lang’. The power of the germ-mantra is aroused by japa, deep thinking and breathing. Japa is the repetition of the germ-mantra by thinking of the desired number during breathing. Verbal and semi-verbal japa should be practised first to master the correct sound of the mantra. In mantra-thought the correct sound-form is an important factor. Also the colour of the germ-mantra should be thought of. The specific action of the germ-mantra, namely, drying, burning, etc. should be done by thinking. Therefore, thinking is the thought of the mantra sound, mantra colour, mantra japa and mantra action. Thinking is done in conjunction with breathing. Mantra becomes effective and thinking deep by appropriate breathing. Each germ-mantra produces effects when practised in conjunction with a particular form of breathing. Now we shall consider the breathing aspect of the mantra purification.