Layayoga: The Definitive Guide to the Chakras and Kundalini (78 page)

The Shatchakranirapana (Verse 49) says: ‘Within her (that is, Nirwana Shakti) is the centre where lies Shiwa (Shiwapada); it is beyond mind-matter (amala), eternal, all love and bliss, of pure consciousness; it is revealed in yoga (asamprajñata samadhi); some wise men call it the place of Wishnu, others call it Hangsah, while the spiritual persons call it the place where the real knowledge of Atman leading to liberation is attained.’

It has been stated: in Nirwana Shakti changeless and formless Shiwa (Parama Shiwa) is to be realized; it is here that Kundali-power is in the form of mudra (that is, in the form of ou-letter; or, in love-bliss because of her union with Shiwa) who again goes back to the adhara (muladhara) lotus’ (—Kaṅkalamalinitantra, ch. 2, pp. 5–6). There is also the centre in Nirwana Shakti of Shiwa; it is eternal, immeasurable, pure, ever-existing, and static; the wise men call it the abode of Wishnu, some call it the place of Brahman, others call it the abode of Hangsah, and others again call it the centre of Supreme Being nirañjanapada) who is all (niralamba) (—Tripurasarasamuchchaya, 5.49, and Koulawalitantra, ch. 22, p. 81). It has been farther stated that the centre of Nirwana Shakti is above nirwana-kala; the worshippers of Shiwa call it the abode of Shiwa, the worshippers of Wishnu call it the abode of Supreme Purusha (Wishnu), others call it the abode of Hari-Hara, the worshippers of Dew; (Divine Power) call it the abode of Dewi, and the yogis call it the pure place of Prakriti and Purusha (—Shaktanandataraṅgini, 4.33).

It has been stated that there is a liṅga (Shiwaliṅga) in the pericarp of the sahasrara which is like red-hot gold (that is, shining red in colour); but sometimes the liṅga becomes white, sometimes black, sometimes yellow and sometimes blue; sometimes the liṅga is in the form of matrika-letters; it is bright and beyond thought (—Mundamalatantra, ch. 2, p. 5). The presence of Shiwa-liṅga in the sahasrara has been mentioned in the Todalatantra, which says that Kundali, coming into the sahasrara and seeing Shiwa, encircles the Shiwa-liṅga in the form of a garland consisting of the matrika-letters—Todalatantra, ch. 9, p. 17).

Above the circular region of the moon in the pericarp of the sahasrara is wisarga (power-bridge) (—Sammohanatantra, Part 2, ch. 2, p. 2). So it has been stated that the sahasrara is situated below the wisarga (—Shatchakra-nirupana, Verse 40; Tripurasarasamuchchaya, 5.41; Koulawalitantra, ch. 22, p. 81; Purashcharyarnawa, ch. 6, p. 490). Wisarga is Supreme Kundalini (—Radhatantra, 2.44). Wisarga is the sixteenth matrika-letter associated with
a
.
A
is the secondary part. Wisarga is like red-lightning (shining red in colour) in which lie in essence five pranas, five dewatas and all knowledge; it is Kundali (—Kamadhenutantra, 3.16).
A
(
Ang
) as the first matrika-letter is the coil of Kundali-power a part of which radiates upwards as a straight line indicating an upward direction of force-motion. The straight force-motion arises from the coiled force-motion and consists of a starting point and an end point, the two points being represented by two perpendicular dots. In the sahasrara, the first point lies just beyond ama-kala and the second point just below Supreme Bindu. So, the two points form a power-bridge through which Kundalini passes from the sahasrara to Supreme Bindu. Wisarga is power (—Tantrabhidhana), an aspect of Kundali-power.

Above wisarga (that is, above the second point of wisarga) is Divine Shaṅkhini (—Kaṅkalamalinitantra, ch. 2, p. 5). Shaṅkhini is Supreme Kundalini in the spiral form. From the view-point of sahasrara, Shaṅkhini is above the circular moon-region where lies the first point of wisarga. Technically, the first point of wisarga lies just beyond amakala. The second bindu of wisarga lies under Supreme Bindu, and Shaṅkhini is above it.

Above wisarga is dhruwa-mandala (—Sammohanatantra, Part 2, ch. 2, p. 2). Dhruwa-mandala is infinity of Parama Shiwa. Wisarga goes upward from ama-kala and passes through Wishnu-waktra and Guru-waktra to reach dhruwa-mandala. Shaṅkhini as Supreme Kundalini goes beyond wisarga and reaches dhruwamandala to be united with Sakala Shiwa, and finally to be absorbed into Parama Shiwa.

Explanation

Aditya (God Shiwa) is Sarya (Illumination); he is the possessor of light-power (rashmi), so he is called Harina; the light-power is in the nature of consciousness, so he is Jatawedas; he is the source of vital power (prana), so he is Parayana: he is without a second and splendorous (eka-jyotih); he is with 1000 light-powers (sahasrarashmi) and exists in 100 forms; he is life in all beings and gives heat; he is in all forms (wishwa-rupa) (—Prashnopanishad, 1.8).

The secret of the sahasrara has been technically expounded by Rishi Pippalada in the above mantra. Aditya—the first God as Shiwa with his aroused Shakti (Power) technically known as Shiwa-Shakti principle, is from Aditi—the infinite Supreme Mother. He is the Sun as he is in the nature of illumination. He is endowed with the light-power having the aspects of illumination and consciousness. He is the one without a second, and splendorous. This indicates that he is with Supreme Kundalini who is all splendour. Shiwa is in spiritual union with the radiant Kundali-power so he is ‘Sun’. Kundalini at the Supreme Bindu level is Shabdabrahman where lies parashabda—the principle of sound. At this stage, prana—the living-energy principle of the Supreme Mother in her power aspect—becomes concentrated to the highest point to be able to make parashabda manifest as radiant sound (pashyanti) which is Pranawa (
Ong
). There is a congregation of 1000 light-powers in pranawa, and there is a summation of 50 sound units which constitute matrika. At the next stage, the radiant sound begins to be transformed into suprasound (madhyama), and in this process 1000 petals are created by the 1000 light-powers which constitute the sahasrara; and the 50 matrika sounds are released from the pranawa sound and become distinct and are combined with the light-powers in twenty-fold strength. Each matrika sound has twenty aspects, viz., Kundali-power, three bindus, three gunas, three specific powers, five dewatas and five pranas, which make twenty. Because of this fact, the petals are arranged in twenty layers, each layer consisting of fifty petals which contain fifty matrika-letters.

The light-power is from Shiwa-Shakti. Shiwa is represented in white colour and Shakti in red colour. The colour of the light-power is a mixture of white and red which produces kamala colour which is pale-red. So the light-power is of kamala colour and its petaline expansion is called kamala (lotus) having 1000 petals. Another name of kamala is sahasrapatra (a thousand petals) (—Shabdakalpadrumah). ‘ka’ of kamala means Surya (‘sun’), endowed with illuminating power; ‘mala’ of kamala indicates the expression of this power as rashmis—light-powers. So kamala is the thousand-fold manifestation of the illuminating power as light-powers in the form of petals. Also, ‘ka’ is illumination and is represented by the bija-mantra Wang (—Tantrabhidhana), and ‘mala’, derived from mrij, which means ‘to sound’ (—Apte). This indicates that the illuminating power in operation emits sounds. These sounds are the matrika sounds as suprasound phenomenon. The 1000 rashmis which are kamala and inseparably associated with matrika sounds form the sahasrara.

The particularized forms of matrika develop in the lower six chakras from the ajña to the maladhara. These six chakras have fifty petaline processes derived from the light-powers of the sahasrara in their specific manifestation. The fifty matrika-letters are arranged on the petals of these chakras. The fifty matrika sounds become 100 when combined with the evolutionary and involutionary modes of practice, that is, working on in both regular and reversed orders. God Surya exists in 100 forms. It has also been stated in the Akshyupānishad (Sec. 1) that God Surya (‘Sun’) is in the form of light (jyotirupa) and radiates 1000 light-powers (sahasrarashmi), and is in 100 forms. The splendorous Kundali-power makes Shiwa also splendorous and he becomes Surya. Kundalini in her prana aspect becomes Supreme Nada when prana is infused with potential sound-power, and then she becomes Supreme Bindu in which prana-power is supremely concentrated and ready to emit the potential nada, which is now the principle of sound, as radiant sound which is in the form of pranawa. From the radiant sound arises the suprasound which emits 1000 light-powers and along with it fifty matrika sounds in twenty strengths, which create the thousand-petalled lotus. From the sahasrara arises the hundred-petalled nirwana chakra. This is why it has been stated that the God Sarya exists in 100 forms.

The Infinite Power, that is, Shakti of Shiwa, has the power to contract infinitely to be Bindu—Immense Potential, which becomes the centre of immense creative energy. This infinitely contracted Bindu is non-magnitudinous and non-positional, but it swells to create around it a finite ‘field’ termed sahasrara. The infinitely condensed power in Bindu is prana-energy as a dynamic triangle in which the infused nadapower remaining in substance, determines the character of the emission of prana necessary for creative evolution. The hidden nada assumes a–u–m in trace and in equilibrium represented by the triangle. The pranic concentration at a certain point effects the emission of a–u–m as radiant sound. It is the first manifested central light-force containing in it 1000 light-powers. When the radiant sound is transformed into suprasound the 1000 light-powers become distinct and assume a petaline form, and the sound aspect emits matrika-sounds. This petaline process and its ground elements constitute sahasrara.

Bindu is void. Here, Bindu is Supreme Bindu because it is in a state of infinite contraction and so the void is supreme void. Supreme void indicates a state which is beyond mind-matter, without names and objects. This void, consequently, is the void of matter and also mind. It is non-material and non-mental power around Shiwa-consciousness. The power is Kundali-power into which mind-matter phenomena have been absorbed, and the supreme void has been created, and this void is Kundali-power in its highest spiritual form, lying around Shiwa. This void is the centre of sahasrara.

There is a possibility in man of reducing all his experiences into a form in which consciousness becomes samprajñana (superconsciousness) of the highest order, which is only attainable in the highest stage of samprajñata samadhi, which is able to receive and retain the prototype of Sakala Shiwa—Being-Consciousness-Bliss without names and forms. This experience is finally developed into a unique form—the Supreme Spiritual Reality—one and whole, infinite and supreme. Here are neither experiencer nor what is to be experienced but only that Reality, which is there because of his power of beingness. It is being which is also consciousness and bliss. This infinity is reachable when the samadhi-consciousness is recoiled into Supreme Power which at the infinite point is nothing else than that Reality—Parama Shiwa.

It has been said that yoga should be done between Kundalini and Atman—the supreme reality, which is in the nature of illumination and bliss, beyond mental consciousness, beyond the universe but is the essence of it; which is in himself, and is supremely subtle, that is, only ‘is’; and the reality is beyond the sahasrara (—Gandharwatantra, ch. 29, p. 112). Shiwa is illumination itself. It does not require a revealer to know him. But the unchanging persistence of Shiwa, the very beingness of Shiwa indicates his power. The power to exist, to persist is his. Consequently, Shiwa and his Power are not two entities, but one and the same, and is understandable as two aspects of the same entity-illumination or Shiwa aspect, and Power or Shakti aspect. Even the idea of two aspects of the same entity arises from the mind having dualistic functions. In the intellectual state, illumination and being do not represent one, but two aspects. On the other hand, this mental duality melts away in asamprajñata samadhi, and Shiwa and Shakti are revealed as one and the same, not as two aspects of one thing. Shiwa is revealed as Shakti, and Shakti as Shiwa. Difficulties arise when we subject this real non-dualistic revelation to time, and, consequently, it is brought down to the mental level. This Being-Power from a purely power aspect is Becoming-Power which manifests its supreme wibhuti (yoga-power) as nama (ideas) and rupa (form). In supreme yoga, Shiwa and Shakti is one and the same—Shakti manifests in Shiwa as his beingness and Shiwa being in Shakti is illumination.

Shakti as Supreme Power is also able to manifest its power as yoga-power which effects the universe of mind-matter as a finite phenomenon by veiling the Infinite. The supreme state in which Shiwa is Shakti and Shakti is Shiwa is beyond intellectual thoughts. Really it is neither dualistic nor nondualistic, but beyond dualistic and nondualistic. It is the state of asamprajñata samadhi. Asamprajñata samadhi is beyond the sahasrara. In the asamprajñata samadhi state, Supreme Power is Supreme Kundalini and she is one and the same with Parama Shiwa.

Kundalini as Kulakundalini is in the muladhara chakra in yoga-sleep (samadhi) in Shiwa as Swayambhu-liṅga. She is a non-entity in undulatory consciousness, so she is called as if sleeping. In a living form, she is roused in concentrated consciousness. The roused Kundalini is termed Wahni (‘Fire’)-Kundalini of deep red colour who extends from the muladhara to the bottom of the anahata. In the anahata, she becomes Surya (‘Sun’)-Kundalini who is of very bright vermilion colour and extends to the bottom of the ajña chakra. In the ajña chakra, she becomes Chandra(‘Moon’)-Kundalini of shining moon-colour and is nectarous and extends to the nirwana chakra. In the sahasrara she becomes Turya(samadhi)-Kundalini who is in the nature of pure consciousness and becomes reflected in the consciousness in samprajñata samadhi.

Kundalini is roused in the muladhara and conducted through all chakras into the sahasrara by the Kundalini-yoga process. Dhyana is the fundamental part of this yoga. Dhyana is done stage by stage on Kundalini throughout the chakra system from the muladhara to the nirwana, first on Fire-Kundalini, then on Sun-Kundalini and finally on Moon-Kundalini. The roused Kundalini in dhyana exhibits her absorbing power, and sense-perceptions together with mental factors associated with them are absorbed in the five lower chakras and the ajña and the manas chakras. Intellection and thoughts are absorbed in the indu chakra. Moon-Kundalini then passes from the nirwana chakra through the wisarga (power-bridge) to the power-triangle lying inside the moon-like lustrous and nectarous circular pericarp of the guru chakra. From the power-triangle Kundalini goes into the lightning-like luminous triangle situated inside the shining circular moon-region which is within the pericarp of the sahasrara. Here Moon-Kundalini becomes Turya-Kundalini, that is, the form of Kundalini realizable only in samprajñata samadhi.