The Serpent Power. Arthur Avalon

Krakacha, the latter invoked to his aid the fierce form of Shiva called Bhairava. But on Shangkara’s worshipping the God, the latter said to Krakacha, ‘Thy time has come,’ and absorbed His devotee into Himself.){78} Shangkara then showed the worthlessness of the Tantras. They are again to-day attempting to enter Hindu society, and must be again destroyed.”

      The writer of the note thus summarized omitted to notice that the Chakras are mentioned in the Upanishads, but endeavored to meet the fact that they are also described in the Purānas by the allegation that the Pauranik Chakras are in conformity with the Vedas, whereas the Tantrik Chakras are not. It is admitted that in the Shiva Purāna there is an account of the six centers, but it is said that they are not there alleged to actually exist, nor is anything mentioned of any Sādhanā in connection with them. They are, it is contended, to be imagined only for the purpose of worship. In external worship Devas and Devīs are worshipped in similar Lotuses. The Purānas, in fact, according to this view, convert what is external worship into internal worship. If, according to the Purāna, one worships an interior lotus, it is not to be supposed that there is anything there. One is worshipping merely a figment of one’s imagination, though it is curious to note that it is said that this figment secures certain advantages to the worshipper, and the latter must commence, according to this critic, with the Chakra which he is qualified to worship. It is not obvious how any question of such competency arises when each of the Chakras is imagined only. Attention is drawn to the fact that in the Linga Purāna there is nothing about the rousing of Kundalī, the piercing of the six centers, the drinking of nectar, and so forth. The Purāna merely says, “Meditate on Shiva and Devī in the different lotuses.” There is, it is thus contended, a radical difference between the two systems. “In the Pauranik description of the Chakras everything is stated clearly; but with the Tantriks all is mystery, or else how indeed, except by such mystification, could they dishonestly carry on their profession as Gurus?”

      Buddhists may dispute this critic’s understanding of their Shūnyavāda, as Tantriks will contest his account of the origin of their Shāstra. The Historian will call in question the statement that Shangkara{79} abolished the Tantra. For, according to the Shangkaravijaya, his action was not to abolish any of the sects existing at his time, but to reform and establish bonds of unity between them, and to induce them all through their differing methods to follow a common ideal. Thus, even though Krakacha was absorbed into his God, the extreme Tantrik sect of Kāpālikas which he represented is said to have continued to exist with Shangkara’s approval, though possibly in a modified form, under its leader Vatukanātha. The Brahmos, Āryasamāj, Vaishnavas, and Shaivas, may resent this critic’s remarks so far as they touch themselves. I am not here concerned with this religious faction, but will limit the following observations in reply to the subject in hand:

      The criticism, notwithstanding its “pious” acerbity against forms of doctrine of which the writer disapproved, contains some just observations. I am not here concerned to establish the reality or value of this Yoga method, nor is proof on either of these points available except through actual experiment and experience. De experientia non est disputandum. From a doctrinal and historical point of view, however, it seems that this critic did not have a sufficient knowledge{80} of the subject which he has thus so vigorously condemned, or of the wide acceptance which this Yoga has received in India. It is true that Karma with Jnāna are means for the attainment of Moksha. These and Bhakti (devotion) which may partake of the character of the first or the second, according to the nature of its display,{81} are all contained in the eight processes of Yoga. Thus, they include Tapas, a form of Karma yoga,{82} and Dhyāna, a process of Jnāna yoga. As will be later pointed out, the “eight-limbed” yoga (Ashtāngayoga) includes Hatha processes, such as Āsana and Prānāyāma. What Hathayogīs have done is to develop the physical or Hatha processes and aspect. The true view of Hathavidyā recognizes that it is an auxiliary of Jnāna whereby Moksha is obtained. It is also obviously true that all Bliss is not Moksha. Ānanda (Bliss) of a kind may be secured through drink or drugs, but no one supposes that this is liberating Bliss. Similarly, Hathayoga processes may secure various forms of gross or subtle bodily Bliss which are not The Bliss. There is, however, a misunderstanding of the system here described when it is described as merely materialistic. It has, like other forms of Yoga, a material side or Hatha aspect, since man is gross, subtle, and spiritual; but it has a Jnāna aspect also. As the Jīva is both material and spiritual, discipline and progress in both the aspects is needed. Kundalī is aroused by Mantra, which is Consciousness (Chaitanya) embodied in sound. “It is he whose being is immersed in the Brahman,” who arouses the Devī Kundalī by the Mantra Hūngkāra (v. 50). The Devī is Herself Shuddha Sattva{83} (v. 51). “The wise and excellent Yogī, wrapt in Samādhi and devoted to the Lotus Feet of his Guru, should lead Kulakundalī along with Jīva to Her Lord the Parashiva in the abode of liberation within the pure Lotus, and meditate upon Her who grants all desires as the Chaitanyarūpā Bhagavatī (that is, the Devī whose substance is Consciousness itself); and as he leads Kulakundalī he should make all things absorb in Her.” Meditation is made on every center in which She operates. In the Ājnā center Manas can only unite with and be absorbed into Kundalī by becoming one with the Jnānashakti which She is, for She is all Shaktis. The Layayoga is therefore a combination of Karma and Jnāna. The former mediately and the latter directly achieves Moksha. In the Ājnā is Manas and Om, and on this the Sādhaka meditates (v. 33). The Sādhaka’s Ātmā must be transformed into a meditation on this lotus (v. 34). His Ātmā is the Dhyāna of Om, which is the inner Ātmā of those whose Buddhi is pure. He realizes that he and the Brahman are one, and that Brahman is alone real (Sat) and all else unreal (Asat). He thus becomes an Advaitavādī, or one who realizes the identity of the individual and universal Self (ib.). The mind (Chetas) by repeated practice (Abhyāsa) is here dissolved, and such practice is mental operation itself (v. 36). For the Yogī meditating on the Mantra whereby he realizes the unity of Prāna and Manas closes the “house which hangs without support.” That is, he disengages the Manas from all contact with the objective world (v. 36), in order to attain the Unmanî Avasthā. Here is Paramashiva. The Tantrik does not suppose that there are several Shivas in the sense of several distinct Deities. The Brahman is one. Rudra, Shiva, Paramashiva, and so forth, are but names for different manifestations of the One. When it is said that any Devatā is in any Chakra, it is meant that that is the seat of the operation of the Brahman, which operation in its Daiva aspect is known as Devatā. As these operations vary, so do the Devatās. The Hangsah of the Sahasrāra contains in Himself all Devatās (v. 44). It is here in the Ājnā that the Yogī places at the time of death his Prāna and enters the supreme Purusha, “who was before the three worlds, and who is known by the Vedānta” (v. 38). It is true that this action, like others, is accompanied by Hatha processes. But these are associated with meditation. This meditation unites Kundalī and Jīvātmā with the Bindu which is Shiva and Shakti (Shivashaktimaya), and the Yogī after such union, piercing the Brahmarandhra, is freed from the body at death and becomes one with Brahman (ib.). The secondary causal body (Kāranāvāntara Sharīra) above Ājnā and below Sahasrāra is to be seen only through meditation (v. 39), when perfection has been obtained in Yoga practice. V. 40 refers to Samādhì Yoga.

      Passing to the Sahasrāra, it is said, “well concealed and attainable only by great effort, is that subtle ‘Void’ (Shūnya) which is the chief root of liberation” (v. 42). In Paramashiva are united two forms of Bliss (v. 42)—namely, Rasa or Paramānanda Rasa (that is, the bliss of Moksha) and Virasa (or the bliss which is the product of the union of Shiva and Shakti). It is from the latter union that there arise the universe and the nectar which floods the lesser world (Kshudrabrahmānda), or the body. The ascetic (Yati) of pure mind is instructed in the knowledge by which he realizes the unity of the Jīvātmā and Paramātmā (v. 43). It is “that most excellent of men who has controlled his mind (Niyata-nìja-chitta)—that is, concentrated the inner faculties (Antahkarana) on the Sahasrāra, and has known it—who is freed from rebirth,” and thus attains Moksha (v. 45). He becomes Jīvanmukta, remaining only so long in the body as is necessary to work out the Karma, the activity of which has already commenced—just as a revolving wheel will yet run a little time after the cause of its revolving has ceased. It is the Bhagavatī Nirvāna-Kalā which grants divine liberating knowledge—that is, Tattvajnāna, or knowledge of the Brahman (v. 47). Within Her is Nityānanda, which is “pure Consciousness itself” (v. 49),