Layayoga: The Definitive Guide to the Chakras and Kundalini (67 page)

The presence of Power Shakini in the wishuddha chakra has been generally recognized in the Tantras (—Todalatantra, ch. 7, p. 14; Mantramahodadhi, 4.23; Tripurasarasamuchchaya, 5.23; Rudrayamala, Part 2, 22.9; Shadamnayatantra, 5.267; Jñanachudamani, quoted in the Yogakalpalatika MS). Shakini has been called the doorkeeper (—Sammohanatantra, Part 2, ch. 2, p. 2). It has been said that Shakini and Sadashiwa are the same (—Rudrayamala, Part 2, 61.2). Shakini is the presiding Deity (of the wishuddha) (—Shiwasanghita, 5.125). Shakini has four arms (—Mridanitantra, quoted in the Amarasanggraha MS).

Kalicharana quotes a verse in which the concentration-form of Shakini has been described. The verse states: Deity Shakini is in the form of light; she has five beautiful faces and three eyes to each face; she holds a noose, a goad, and a book in her lotus hands and makes jñanamudra (an attitude of the right hand in which the tip of the first finger touches the tip of the thumb).

The commentator Wishwanatha also quotes a verse from a Tantra in which the concentration-form of Shakini has been stated as follows.

The divine Shakini is splendorous, having five faces with three eyes each, and beautiful teeth, and holding in her lotus hands a bow, a trident, a book, and showing jñanamudra.

He adds that the arrow, the noose, the book and the jñanamudra (in the hands of Shakini) have also been mentioned in another Tantra.

Other concentration forms of Shakini are as follows.

1 Shakini is shining white in colour; she has two arms, and a charming face with beautiful eyes, painted with collyrium; she shines with the vermilion-mark on her forehead, and is clad in black raiment and adorned with various ornaments (—Kaṅkalamalinitantra, ch. 5, p. 23).

2 Shakini has a red face with a sweet smile, and her eyes are painted with collyrium; she is beautifully ornamented and holds the thunderbolt and a staff (—Kularnawa, ch. 10, p. 53).

3 Shakini has five faces, three eyes (to each face), and four arms, holding a noose, a goad, and a book, and making the jñanamudra; she is powerful and has prominent teeth (—Koulawalitantra, ch. 22, p. 81).

4 The amiable Shakini, who gives blessings to the three worlds, is clad in yellow raiment, and beautiful and delighted; she is splendorous; she is beyond the Weda (Wedadya; from the mantra viewpoint, it is the mantra Ong) and she is the source of the Weda (Wedamata; from the mantra viewpoint, the bijas ing,
ing
, and
thang
, and the mantra Swaha); her body is moistened by the flowing streams of pure nectar; she has the most charming and smiling face with the three lotus-like beautiful eyes, well-developed breasts and matted hair and is adorned with all ornaments; she has four arms, and carries a lotus and an implement, and makes the gestures of dispelling fear and granting boons; she is also terrific when she is Goddess Shyama (—Rudrayamala, Part 2, 61.3–4).

5 Shakini is both without and with form; she is the mantra-knowledge; she is yellow in colour, three-eyed, four-armed and adorned with all ornaments; she has a smiling face; as Gouri she is united with Sadashiwa; she holds with her lotus hands the skull and the white lotus, and makes the gestures of granting boons and dispelling fear (—Rudrayamala, Part 2,62. 32–3).

Divine Shakini is yellow in colour; she has five faces and three eyes to each face, and beautiful teeth; she holds with her lotus hands a noose, a trident and a book, and shows jñanamudra (the symbol of knowledge, done by a particular position of the hand) (—Jamala, quoted in the Yogakalpalatika MS).

The differences in the forms and implements are due to the mode and object of concentration.

Moon-region

There is in the pericarp of the wishuddha the spotless circular lunar region (—Shatchakranirupana, Verse 30). Kalicharana says that Divine Shakini is in the moon-region which lies in the pericarp of the wishuddha and he quotes a passage from the Premayogataraṅgini as his support, which says that there is Power Shakini in the shining lunar region.

Kalicharana says that there is at first the akasha-region in the pericarp of the wishuddha, and inside it is a triangle, within the triangle is the lunar region and within it the akasha-bija and others. This is supported by a verse he quotes which states that concentration should be done on the full moon (that is, the circular lunar region) which is in the triangle situated in the pericarp (of the wishuddha); there (in the lunar region) concentrate on white Akasha (as Deity), clad in white raiment and seated on an elephant; there is Deity Sadashiwa.

The presence of the lunar region in the pericarp of the wishuddha chakra has been mentioned in the Nirwanatantra, ch. 8, p. 10. The Nirwanatantra says that there is the very beautiful Jana-world where the great spiritual darkness ends; outside it (but inside the pericarp) is the lunar region . . . in the pericarp lies the gemmed region where is a six-cornered diagram; inside the diagram is the half-bull-half-lion on which is seated (Power) Gouri united with Sadashiwa on her right side. This seems to indicate that there is the lunar region in the pericarp; within it the gemmed region; within the latter is a hexagon, inside which is the Deity in Ardhanarishwara-form.

It has been stated that in the region where the filaments of the wishuddha lotus are (that is, the region surrounded by the filaments; this is the pericarp) there is a beautiful sky-blue triangle where lies Sadashiwa (—Sammohanatantra, Part 2, ch. 2, p. 2). The triangle has been farther explained in the Mridanitantra, which says that there (in the pericarp of the wishuddha) is the akasha-region which is a triangle and of smoke colour; inside it is the akasha-bija (Hang) who is four-armed and seated on an elephant; in his lap is the four-faced, three-eyed Sadashiwa; here also is situated Power Shakini who has four arms.

The whole thing may be summarized as follows.

In the pericarp of the wishuddha chakra there is the akasha-region which is circular in shape and white in colour (—Shatchakranirupana, Verse 28). The triangle (mentioned in the Sammohanatantra, Part 2, ch. 2, p. 2) is not to be considered as situated directly in the pericarp, but inside the akasha-region which is in the pericarp. The triangle is the essential part of the circular akasha-region, and, therefore, it has also been termed the triangular akasha-region (—Mridanitantra). The triangle is either skyblue (—Sammohanatantra, Part 2) or smoke (—Mridanitantra) in colour. Inside this triangle is the circular lunar region (—the verse quoted by Kalicharana). Akasha (in the bija-form) lies inside the lunar region (—
ibid
.). According to some other authorities, there appears to be a gemmed region inside the lunar region, and inside the gemmed region is a hexagon, and inside it is Ardhanarishwara (—Nirwanatantra, ch. 8, p. 10). As Sadashiwa in the form of Ardhanarishwara, is in the hexagon, so the akasha-bija in whose lap Sadashiwa is (—Mridanitantra) must be in the hexagon.

According to some authorities the jiwatman (the embodied being) is situated in the wishuddha chakra (—Jñanarnawa, quoted in the Yogakalpalatika MS) and concentration should be done on him (—Purashcharyarnawa, ch. 6, p. 492). The wishuddha chakra is the centre for udana-wayu (—Amritanadopanishad, Mantra 34; Dewibhagawata, 7.32,40). According to some other authorities the centre of prana-wayu is in the wishuddha (—Mantramaharnawa, ch. 4, p. 42). The wishuddha is also the centre of the principles of hearing and speech (—Kaṅkala malinitantra, ch. 2, p. 5; Mantramaharnawa, ch. 4, p. 42).

Explanation

The akasha-power and udana-wayu radiate through the sixteen petaline processes of the wishuddha chakra into the ida-piṅgala field. The petaline power phenomenon consists of 16 radiations designated by the first sixteen matrikaunits from ang to ah. The colours of the petals and the matrika-letters indicate the nature of the radiations. The smoke colour of the petals indicates the concentration of udana-wayu.

The original colours of the matrika-letters form
ang
to
ah
are as follows: ang, ang, ing,
ung
,
lring
, aing are white; ing, ung, lring, ang are yellow; ring, eng, ong, oung,
ah
are red. These matrika-letters become red in the wishuddha. It indicates the concentration of pranawayu. When the matrika-letters become golden, the concentration of wyana-wayu is indicated. Through the processes of japa of the matrika-letters as mantra and thought-concentration the petals are transformed into a circle of smoke colour when all powers shall be internalized. This mantra-form is the unit of concentration at the wishuddha level.

Akasha-principle

The central force of the wishuddha chakra is the akasha-principle which is seen first as a round white form in concentration, and as the depth of concentration increases, a triangle of the colour of sky-blue appears inside it. Then a moon-white circular form, termed the lunar region, appears within the triangle, and finally the akasha-bija Hang is seen in the lunar region.

The Ha aspect (which is the real bija aspect of Hang) develops in concentration as Deity Akasha (Ambara) white in colour, four-armed and seated on a white elephant; he holds a noose and a goad, and makes the gestures of granting boons and dispelling fear. The power imbedded in the bija aspect of Hang is fully roused when it assumes a divine form. The basic aspect of the power is the greatest development of physical power arising from the purity of the body; this is represented by the white elephant. Associated with the physical power is the power of control being exercised on the body and mind; it is represented by the goad (aṅkusha). Under this condition, the disciple begins to be free from bondage, which is represented by the noose (pasha). The gesture of granting boons (waramudra) and that of dispelling fear (abhayamudra) are indicative of imparting spiritual knowledge and removing all obstacles in the spiritual path. The mantra-forms of hasti (elephant) are shang, krang and prang; of aṅkusha (goad) are jhang,
tang
, shang and krong; and of pasha (noose) is ang.

At the next stage of concentration, Deity Sadashiwa emerges from the bindu of Hang. He is usually seen in the form of Ardhanarishwara (half male-form and half female-form). The right half is Sadashiwa who is white in colour, has five faces and three eyes in each face; he has ten arms and holds a trident, a chisel, a sword, the thunderbolt, fire, the great snake, a bell, a goad and a noose and shows the gesture of dispelling fear; he is clad in a tiger’s skin and is seated on the bull side of the bull-lion.

The white colour indicates that the Sadashiwa’s form is of pure sattwa (sentience), expressing divine knowledge. His five faces indicate the concentration-knowledge of the five principles represented by the mantras Lang, Wang, Rang, Yang and Hang. In each face there are three eyes. When the two eyes do not see the world, because of their being absorbed in concentration, the third eye opens and expresses samadhi-prajña (true knowledge arising from superconcentration). The trident (shula) indicates the power of absorption of the primus (prakriti) consisting of three primary attributes. The chisel (taṅka) indicates that living spiritual strength which removes all unspirituality. The sword (kripana) indicates the destruction of all forms which apparently limit the infinite formless Being. The thunderbolt (wajra) is the adamantine control of apana-function. The fire (dahana) is the Kundalini-fire of absorption of all cosmic principles. The great serpent (nagendra) is the roused Kundali’-power. The bell (ghanta) indicates the silent sound of mantra. The clothed tiger’s skin indicates that all power has been controlled and spiritualized for the attainment of samadhi, or liberation.

Ardhanarishwara indicates the union of Shakti (Power) with Shiwa (Supreme Consciousness) as one and the same. The full realization of this occurs at the level of Parama Shiwa (Supreme Consciousness). Below the level of Sadashiwa, Shiwa and Shakti remain separate, but oneness is experienced in concentration. At the material level, both the male and the female forms are of Shakti, and consciousness-in-concentration is the experience of Shiwa in relation to Shakti as Kundalini. But these forms constitute different entities. This causes a differentiation in the pranic force in its life-creating aspect and effects a bifurcation as red-energy (rajas) and white-energy (shukra). The red-energy operates fully and freely in the female form and develops essential feminine qualities which maintain femininity. On the other hand, the white-energy does the same thing in the male. God Brahma as Ardhanarishwara made half part of his body male and the other half female, and they were separated for creative purposes. Owing to the natural affinity of the two forms of energy, man and woman are attracted to each other; each tries to get in contact as much as possible, but there is an inescapable power-limitation when the energy-flow begins to ebb. This only serves a part of our purpose. Unless one is able to ingest the essence of the substance-energy from each other during multi-levelled contacts by exercising control and by applying well-mastered motions, adequately and controllingly, the inner instability will continue and the mental diversiform will not cease. The Ardhanarishwara form of Sadashiwa is the form in which the female process has been united with the male process to manifest the full power phenomena, leading to full union of Shakti in Shiwa. The power aspect of Sadashiwa is Gouri—the eternal Power. When in form, She is of golden colour and three-eyed. The golden colour indicates that the all-directing wyana-force has been centralized in her to effect the motionlessness of the prana-wayus.

When the Power of Sadashiwa is taken as a separate form, she is Power Shakini. As a distinct power-form, Shakini is the presiding Deity of the wishuddha chakra and its door-keeper. This means that the worship and concentration of Shakini are absolutely necessary to acquire competence to be able to do spiritual practices in the wishuddha chakra, and for the removal of all obstacles.

Shakini is white like Sadashiwa. She has also five faces and three eyes to each face like Sadashiwa. She holds in her four hands a bow, an arrow, a noose and a goad. The bow (chapa) and the arrow (shara) indicate the concentration power developed to its deepest form. Her yellow raiment indicates the full control of the pranawayus through the centralization of wyanawayu. She is on the lion part of the bull-lion. It indicates that all power-manifestation is under her full control. The mantra-forms of chapa (bow) are ung, kang and ghang, and that of shara (arrow) is phat (—Warnabijakoshah).