The Sanskrit Alphabet (Part 1)

Swami Yogakanti Saraswati

AUM = A + U + M
The wonderful thing about the Sanskrit alphabet is that it works on
so many levels. English uses the Roman script, and knowing its
ABC helps us to read and write and use a dictionary, but the
classical dictionary order of Sanskrit is a master key. The
different groupings of letters according to their place of formation,
for pronunciation, from the throat to the lips is used in the structure
of the alphabet and reflects the structure of the chakras. The script
itself is called Devanagari, the script of the gods, which indicates
its power. The letters are called akshara, which means notdestructible, indestructible. We will look at the links between the
Sanskrit letters and the chakras systematically; it just takes a little
time, but let us start at the beginning.
A is for Aum and sahasrara
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was Aum. Aum starts
deep in the throat with A (its a guttural vowel sounding like the
u in cup). Then it rolls forward through the mouth to U (which
sounds like the u in pull). Finally there is the nasalised mmm
sound, which Sanskrit also classes as a vowel and is expressed
with closed lips. Pronounce Aum carefully with awareness of
where the sound vibrations are coming from and you can
experience this right now.
So Aum actually, as well as symbolically, moves us through all the
potential areas of our vocal sounds. It is given as the bija mantra,
seed sound, of sahasrara the thousand-petalled lotus which
contains all the chakras within itself and joins the material, sensory
universe to the transcendental dimension. It is also the bija mantra
of ajna chakra where instructions or guidance from that

transcendental dimension are received while we inhabit a physical

body.
Sanskrit has 16 vowels, and each vowel has its own letter in
Devanagari script. It also has 32 consonants, and each of these also
has its own letter in Devanagari, as we would expect. The akshara,
or letter for each of these consonants, indicates that the A sound
described above is included in the sound of the consonant.
However, if a consonant is to be followed by a vowel other than A,
then we indicate that by adding the shorthand symbol for that
vowel, instead of using the whole letter as we do in English.
All this means there are a few more things to learn at the
beginning, but everything is much more precise. The Devanagari
script also contains many conjunct, sanyukta, letters for special
combinations of its original letters maybe that is why sahasrara
has so many petals? Aum is the first of these special conjuncts;
there is another very important one we will meet soon, and the rest
you pick up later.
Aum creates the universe
Adi Shankaracharya, the tantric yogi who founded the Advaita
Vedanta philosophy and the Dashnami tradition of sannyasa, said
that Mandukya Upanishad is the most important upanishad. Why?
Because its twelve slokas explain Aum, which is Shabda Brahman,
the Word of the supreme consciousness, the energy vibration which
results in the manifest universe issuing from the unmanifest.
Aumityetadaksharam idam sarvam tasyopavyaakhyaanam.
Bhootam bhavadbhavishyaditi sarvam Aumkaara eva.
Yachchaanyat trikaalaateetam tadapi Aumkaara eva.
Sarvam hyetad Brahma ayam aatmaa Brahma
The word, Aum, is the universe. Everything that exists in the past,
present and future is Aum and that which exists beyond the

threefold division of time is Aum. Everything that is, is Brahman,

and
the
Self
(atman)
is
Brahman.
(Mandukya Upanishad v. 1 & 2)
The basic idea here, that the universe is made up of consciousness
and energy or vibration, sounds like the basis of modern scientific
understanding and is the underlying assumption of many spiritual
traditions. Aum encompasses all the range of sounds and
symbolises the total range of consciousness for a human being.
A is for awake
Mandukya Upanishad goes on to explain, with terse symbolism,
the syllable Aum as it relates to the different states of
consciousness that a human being can experience. A relates to
jagrat, the waking consciousness. Jagrat has nineteen mouths and
seven limbs, so clearly in this state we are busy feeding ourselves
and moving about.
Jaagaritasthaano bahishprajnah saptaanga ekonavinshatimukhah
sthoolabhugvaishvaanarah prathamah paadah.
The first aspect is jagrat, the waking state, the awareness of
external things, the terrain of Vaishvanara, the witnessing man on
Earth. It has seven limbs and nineteen mouths and its enjoyment
lies
in
the
visible
objects
of
the
world.
(Mandukya Upanishad v. 3)
Our nineteen mouths are usually explained as being the five
karmendriyas or organs of action: anus, genitals, feet, hands and
vocal cords; the five jnanendriyas or sense organs: nose, tongue,
eyes, skin and ears; the five mahabhootas or elements: earth, water,
fire, air and space; and the manas chatushtaya, the four mental
organs: manas (mind that relates to sense and thought/counter
thought), buddhi (intellect), chitta (memory) and ahamkara (ego).

Through these mouths we experience, enjoy or eat the manifest

physical world of objects.
Our seven limbs in this jagrat, waking, state are the seven chakras
that download the abundant cosmic energy into the body and mind
so we keep ticking over nicely as we get born, do our duties, learn
our lessons and die on planet Earth. It is the intriguing relationship
between the chakras and the aksharas of the Sanskrit alphabet that
this series of articles will explore.
U is for you dreamer
Of course, human beings are complex and subtle; we dont only
have one mode of consciousness. We are not entirely confined to
the eyes-open-enjoy-the-senses modality. We dream too. We have
our subtle side, hidden motivations, aims and aspirations.
Mandukya Upanishad relates U of Aum to svapna, the mainly
subconscious dream state. There is that side to us which enjoys the
subtle things of the mind and emotions and, at least each night, that
side automatically expresses itself when our jagrat side closes
down.
Svapnasthaanontah prajnah saptaanga ekonavinshatimukhah
praviviktabhuktaijaso dviteeyah paadah.
Svapna, the dreaming state is the second aspect, over which Taijas
rules. It possesses seven limbs and nineteen mouths but the objects
enjoyed
are
invisible
(subtle).
(Mandukya Upanishad v. 4)
Practices such as yoga nidra help us to extend our awareness into
this area of our personality and bring back insights gained there
so we can consciously apply them. It seems all esoteric traditions,
from the Yaqui Indians to the Australian Aborigines have their own
techniques to explore dreaming. Adepts are quite sure that
dreaming is at least as real as waking. They often point out that our

daily lives are largely reflections of the subconscious samskaras,

impressions, motivations, memory patterns or goals that we
glimpse in our dream world (and forget about when we are awake
unless we train ourselves not to).
This seems fairly deep, but Mandukya Upanishad points out that
this dream realm also has nineteen mouths and seven limbs, so
were still moving around a lot expressing ourselves and searching
for satisfaction but we are dealing with psychic, mental and
emotional impressions rather than physical objects.
M is for mass of consciousness
As human beings we go deeper than that too. The mmm at the
end of Aum is related to sushupti, that deep part of sleep beyond
dreams. Prajna is a special type of high energy intuitive wisdom
that witnesses sushupti.
Yatra supto na kanchana kaaman kaamayate na kanchana svapnam
pashyati tatsushuptam. Sushuptasthaana ekeebhootah
prajnaanaghana evaanandamayo hyaanandabhuk chetomuktah
praajnastriteeyah paadah.
The third aspect is sushupti, deep dreamless sleep, lying beyond
desire. Prajna is the Lord of this territory and abides in deep sleep
in which all things have vanished and enjoys bliss. Prajna lies at
the doorway between the dreaming and waking states.
(Mandukya Upanishad v. 5)
No thoughts, no sensory experiences what happens then? We
dont know; sleep is what happens when were not there. But if
some state of mind is beyond the ego yet full of bliss, that sounds
like samadhi. Sage Vyasas commentary on Rishi Patanjalis Yoga
Sutras says that samadhi is the natural state of the mind its just
that it is covered with vrittis, mental patterns or modifications.
Well, it is! As weve seen there are gross ones collected from

jagrat during our waking hours and subtle ones percolating away in
swapna-dreams when we switch off from the external world for a
while. And then there are the unconscious patterns. Since Freud
established its existence and power, many have researched the
unconscious. We can do it ourselves but to witness it takes
purification, concentration and abundant energy and most of us
fall asleep doing it.
AUM for omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent.
So how will we ever get beyond sushupti to turiya, the fourth
dimension described by Mandukya Upanishad?
Naantahprajnam na bahishprajnam nobhayatah prajnam na
prajnaanaghanam na prajnam naaprajnam. Adrishtam
avyavahaaryam agraahyam alakshanam achintyam avyapadeshyam
ekaatmapratyayasaaram prapanchopashamam shaantam
shivamadvaitam chaturtham manyante sa aatmaa sa vijneyah.
Turiya, Lord of the fourth aspect according to the wise, remains
unaware of the external, intermediate and internal worlds, is
beyond both the conscious and unconsciousness. It is
indescribable, bearing no relation to anything, where sight cannot
penetrate, nor thought. Turiya enjoys pure awareness and
experiences peace, bliss and non-duality, and is none other that
atman.
Realise
this.
(Mandukya Upanishad v. 7)
If we can swim like a great fish from bank to bank of the river of
consciousness roaming freely with awareness through
wakefulness, dream and sleep will we transcend?
Amaatrashchaturthah anyahaaryah prapanchopashamah
shivodvaita evam Aumkaara aatma iva samvishatyaatmanaa
aatmaanam.

The fourth aspect is Aum itself, the sacred indivisible word. Aum
is atman, the transcendent, the beyond understanding, the cessation
of all phenomena, the blissful, the non-dual. The knower of this
highest Truth is merged in atman and attains the final goal, which
is
Brahman.
(Mandukya Upanishad v. 12)
AUM is for Aum chanting
Aum chanting activates sahasrara and ajna chakra; there we
receive divine guidance while we inhabit this body down on planet
Earth. In fact, chanting Aum is the only form of japa advocated by
Rishi Patanjali because he is really only interested in
transcendence for him reality is ajna and above raja yoga
samadhi is his theme.
For those of us still needing to fly over the mess or morass or
ocean of samsara, ajnas two petals (the two wings of the jiva-bird)
are Ham and Tham. They are written Ham and Ksham by the
tantrics, but that is a disguise of common usage. Really, say the
hatha yogis, the mantra for ajnas right wing sounds like Ham and
indicates the pranavahi, the flow of vital solar energy known also
as pingala nadi. The mantra on the left wing sounds like Tham and
indicates the manovahi, the flow of the mind, the reflective lunar
energy known also as ida nadi. It is only after balancing these two
that we can fly. In order to balance them there is Ha-Tha yoga
which is another story.
To be continued in the next issue
The Sanskrit Alphabet (Part 2)
Swami Yogakanti Saraswati
HA + THA = HATHA as in Hatha Yoga
KA + SHA = KSHA

HAM, THAM, KSHAM, AUM

SOHAM & HAMSA
In Part 1, it became clear that simply learning to be aware of
sounds, how we make use of them and how they affect us has
theoretical and practical implications. Aum both symbolises
creation at the level of the manifest universe and at the level of
human consciousness, and is the Word. It is also the bija mantra,
seed vibration, of sahasrara and ajna chakra. So remembering
Aum, or chanting it, or writing it repeatedly are simple but very
powerful practices that we can all do. Remembering Aum tunes us
back into the big realities of consciousness, life and evolution of
awareness. And this is why the sage Patanjali recommends Aum
chanting in his Yoga Sutras.
Tasya vaachakah pranavah. (1:27)
Aum is the word denoting Ishvara (the Indestructible God).
Tat japah tat artha bhaavanam. (1:28)
That (word Aum) should be recited repeatedly while dwelling
mentally on its meaning.
Tatah pratyak chetanaa adhigamopyantaraayaha abhaavashcha.
(1:29)
From that practice the consciousness turns inward and the
obstacles (to samadhi) are overcome.
A is for Aum and ajna
So Aum is for transcendence and is the beloved of the raja yogis.
But another interesting level of how the Sanskrit alphabet works is
that it describes the process of creation at the level of life forms (us
created beings). It also describes the forces that influence us beings
inhabiting material bodies on planet Earth. Hatha yoga is designed
as a stair leading to the heights of raja yoga and samadhi, but is
grounded in the dualities of existence on earth and our corporeal

life. It deals with cleaning the discs, or chakras, that control our
endocrine glands, instincts, perceptions etc., and the nadis, or
rivers of energy that flow between them like our nervous system
and habit patterns.
Ajna means command or instruction, and in ajna chakra we receive
instruction from the transcendental dimension, the inner self or
guru through intuition. Aum is the bija mantra of ajna chakra
relating to its transcendental aspect, the sushumna nadi that flows
from sahasrara. Duality is represented by ajnas two petals or
wings or nadis. One relates to the mantra Ha for pingala nadi, the
flow of masculine, solar vital prana, which leaves ajna chakra on
the right side. The other relates to the mantra Tha for ida nadi, the
flow of feminine, lunar, reflective mental energy, which leaves ajna
on the left. You may not have consciously experienced the chakras
and nadis as forces if you do not practise yoga, acupuncture,
martial arts or some such discipline, but you still have to balance
these two dimensions of your being, the external physical side and
the internal mental side; and that is what ajna chakra represents.
Now relating this to the Sanskrit alphabet and how to use it, there
are three curious points, mentioned in Part 1, that need
amplification:
1. In Sanskrit, the full form of any consonant incorporates a free
a sound. For example, the letter sounds tha, not just th. To
remove the a sound from a consonant you have to use the special
sign called a halant. So hatha is the name of the branch of yoga
specializing in equalizing the flow of Ha and Tha. Hath is
pronounced the same but without the final a sound and means
force.
2. Remember that ajna chakras bija mantra Aum has its own
special conjunct, sanyukta; it is not written just by stringing A, U
and mmm together in a line. Similarly, Ksha is another very
important sanyukta. Its components are Ka and Sha.

3. You will notice that all the bija mantra and petal mantras of the
chakras are nasalized. That final nasalized vowel sound actually
has two different symbols in the Devanagari script. The sign called
bindu, meaning a point or drop, is used most often when nasalizing
a short vowel. The sign chandrabindu, moondrop, is mostly used
for long vowels. Because the letters for Ha, Tha and Ksha all
incorporate the short a vowel, we nasalize them just by adding
the simple bindu and get Ham, Tham and Ksham. Aum is made up
of three vowel sounds which add up to a long one, so the
chandrabindu is used there.
The icons or symbols of the chakras carved out by tradition are
power packed, terse transmissions of information and experience,
not merely decorative embellishments or rigid rules and they relate
to actual forces. For hatha yogis the petals of ajna can be written as
Ham and Tham, but tantrics wrote the latter as Ksham for
experiential reasons we can discuss later.
These two petals of ajna relate to the two major flows that descend
from ajna. The flow of vital energy called pranavahi relates
especially to pingala nadi. The flow of mental energy called
manovahi relates especially to ida nadi. Nada means to flow, nadi
means river or current. Of all the 72,000 nadis in the human body,
sushumna carries the greatest voltage of energy from sahasrara to
ajna and, if ida and pingala have been sufficiently strengthened,
purified and balanced, engulfs them in its journey down to
mooladhara, awakening kundalini, the evolutionary energy in the
individual, electrifying the consciousness and lifestyle on the way.
Ha is for hatha yoga
However absorbed we become in material objects and the sensory
world like our office, car, food, status, beliefs etc., that is not the
most potent reality that our lives depend on, and the different
perceptions and experiences induced by yogic practice help us to
keep our priorities in order. It is an incontrovertible fact that for

Earth-dwellers (us), the sun and the moon are the two great
powers. Of course, if we still have trouble accepting that milk
comes from cows rather than cardboard containers, we may tend to
overlook the significance of living in the orbit of a yellow dwarf
and of being orbited by a sizeable moon at close quarters.
Especially if we come from technological societies cut off from
nature, we may not have realized that this is bound to have
continuous profound consequences on every aspect of our daily
life. We may not even keep track of the moons phases or the suns
progress along its northern and southern paths. So how can we
know whether its a good time to die? Or, alternatively, how to live
skilfully, adapting to the changes we indwellers of the body
experience physiologically, mentally, emotionally and psychically
due to the cosmic tides?
The rishis, seers or sages, were wise enough to see our interrelatedness clearly and they designed the system of hatha yoga. Its
practices, attitudes and lifestyle balance ha-tha, the two sides to our
nature, the two lives we have to live harmoniously. One is our
relationship with the external material world of objects, people and
reactive thoughts etc. when we are extrovert. The other is our
relationship with our attitudes, reflections, samskaras, etc. when
we are introvert. We have to balance these before the sushumna
nadi flows, and the transcendental experiences of samadhi and
Ishvara become stable.
Soham Hamsa
If we keep a simple natural yogic lifestyle, we get up just before
the sun does. We clear our bodies and minds of accumulated waste
products, notice which nostril were breathing most freely through
and here we have it. Is it the right nostril, and pingala nadi, the
river of energy related to the sun, our left brain hemisphere
functions, sympathetic nervous system and practical masculinity
which is most influencing us today at sunrise? Or is it the left

nostril, ida nadi, the river of energy related to the moon, right
brain, the parasympathetic nervous system and psychic femininity
which is going to dominate today?
Really it is simple to find out, just check which nostril you are
breathing through most freely at this moment its your own
biofeedback apparatus inherited at birth, we just have to start using
it. Each morning, step out of bed with the foot corresponding to the
active flow, reminding yourself that as we breathe so shall we act
whether consciously or unconsciously.
In hatha yoga we are fully aware as we breathe in and we breathe
out. We breathe with the sure knowledge that the yellow dwarf
which emits solar radiations that are pulsing out for light years
across the galaxy is actually having a personal effect on us too.
Some attitudes and actions are most successful when pingala nadi
is dominating our personality and energy level and if we maintain
awareness, we can synchronize our own internal rhythms with the
macrocosm.
Likewise, the changing face of the moon indicates monthly
rhythms which not only affect the oceans tides and the sprouting
of plants, but also our level of lunacy, our reproductive cycles the
way you and I think and feel. Our success in some endeavours
depends on our ability to focus, to remain serious, to introvert, so it
is auspicious to do them when ida nadi is flowing freely.
Some texts such as the Shiva Swarodaya give copious advice on
which activities are suitable when ida or pingala are flowing,
apparently advocating success in an acquisitive lifestyle rather than
success in samadhi.
Dakshine charabhaagena jagadutpaadayetsadaa.
Madhyamaa bhavati krooraa dushthaa sarvatra karmasu
Sarvatra shubhakaaryeshu vaamaa bhavati siddhidaa

(Pingala) on the right aids worldly activity and the growth of the
body. The middle flow (sushumna) is wicked because any actions
done during its flow with purposeful intention (for ones self) do
not bear fruit. The flow of the left nadi (ida) gives psychic ability
(siddhi).
(Shiva Swarodaya 57b & 58)
Other texts, such as Patanjalis Yoga Sutras, are mainly interested
in achieving, maintaining and deepening samadhi. No doubt he
would recommend sushumnas flow. If asked about success in life,
he would simply advise applying a balanced state of mind to
whatever situations come in life by observing the yamas and
niyamas, so that the experience of sushumna and samadhi can be
prolonged.
The rishis who investigated the breath thoroughly found that
human beings normally breathe about 20,600 times each twentyfour hours. Some said that the breath constantly repeats the mantra:
So on the inhalation and Ham on the exhalation. Others with a
different emphasis of attention heard Ham on the exhalation and Sa
on the inhalation what does it mean? Thats another story, and
one best answered by listening to the breath rather than to some
dictionary definition. But after listening to the breath for some
time, we can place Aum at the eyebrow centre and the two petals
of the lotus flower sometimes look like the two wings of a silver
white bird, the hamsa, the mythological swan which can
discriminate between reality and unreality.
To be continued in the next issue

The Sanskrit Alphabet (Part 3)

Swami Yogakanti Saraswati

SO + HAM = SOHAM = That I am

HAM + SA = HAMSA = I am That; swan
A Aa I, Ee, U, Oo, Ri, Ree, Lri, Lree, E, Ai, O Au Am Ah
= the 16 vowels of vishuddhi
We are learning the Sanskrit alphabet. It has theoretical and
practical implications. So far we have discussed Aum. It is the
Word (and the Word was with God and the Word was God), the
Shabda Brahman. It is the bija mantra, seed sound, of sahasrara,
which represents our transcendental aspect, and ajna chakra,
representing our connection with the transcendental, the higher
consciousness, our inner guru.
Through sushumna nadi, ajna connects us to transcendental union,
but through the two petals representing ida and pingala nadis, we
are tied into the manifest universe, which works on dualities. The
tantrics call the petals Ham and Ksham. Ksham is a sanyukta,
made up of joining two other sounds it is not a pure sound in
itself. Its two components are Ka and Sha. Originally, it was not
even the sibilant Sha, but Sa, which is in Ham-sa, the mantra of the
breath. But if you are practising khechari mudra, where the tongue
curls back in the mouth, you cant pronounce Sa or Tha and it
becomes Ksha.
Ha is for hatha yoga
The most important nadi is sushumna, then the pair, ida and
pingala, then the nadis leading to the openings of the body, which
are related to the senses, excretion and reproduction. Hatha yoga is
concerned with purifying and balancing all these nadis, especially
ida and pingala, so sushumna will flow.
Malaakulaasu naadishu maaruto naiva gachchhati
Praanaayaamah katham siddhayeta tattva jnaanam katham bhavet?
Tasmaannaadeeshuddhimaadau praanaayaamam tatobhyaset.

The vital air does not enter the nadis so long as they are full of
impurities. How then can one attain success in pranayama? How
can there be knowledge of Truth, tattwa jnana? Therefore one
should purify the nadis first, then pranayamas should be practised.
(Gherand Samhita 5:34)
Dvaasaptatisahasraani naadeedvaaraani panjare
Sushumnaa shaambhavee shaktih shoshaastveva nirarthakaah.
There are 72,000 nadis throughout the cage of this body. Sushumna
is the shambhavi, the remaining nadis are unimportant.
(Hatha Yoga Pradipika 4:18)
When ha-tha yoga achieves its goal our awareness transcends
duality. A new dimension of experience called sushumna nadi or
kundalini or samadhi awakens.
Our awareness, which previously illumined only jagrat, our
conscious mind and a little bit of svapna, the subconscious, gets
tuned in to sushupti, the unconscious and even beyond to turiya
the superconscious. Our two eyes may close to the ephemeral
reality of the material sensory dimension, but the third eye of ajna
opens to inner truth or Reality. However, as most of us do not
dwell constantly above the eyebrows, lets study the downward
flowing energies in a little more detail.
The major pranavahi flow of vital energy leaves ajna from the
right, and governs the right side of the body and left brain
hemisphere. It consists mainly of pingala nadi, but is augmented by
two other important nadis, yashashwini, which starts at the left ear,
and pusha, which starts at the right ear and goes to the right big
toe. Similarly, the manovahi flow of mental energy does mainly
consist of ida nadi but is augmented by gandhari, which starts at
the left eye, and hastijihva, which starts at the right eye and runs to
the left big toe.

Ajna chakra
Some sources say that the mantra for hastijihva is Ksham the plot
thickens! But anyway, the hatha yogis call the petals of ajna chakra
Ham and Tham because then it is clear that these petals signify
pingala and ida nadis. Also, it reinforces their belief in the
importance of personal effort or force hath whereas the tantrics,
of a more spontaneous ilk, feel effort is just laborious and
everything should be more spontaneous in higher sadhana.
The energy of these vital and reflective, solar and lunar forces in
our life and personality is channelled down from ajna throughout
our whole form. It actually ties us into the body for our lifespan
where we are affected by time and space. It is easy to see that the
sun and moon both represent and in a very real sense are time for
Earth-dwellers. What is time if not days and nights and months and
years? So is the central function of ajna to lead us beyond duality,
time/space through the mantra Aum or to lead into space and time
through Ha and Tha? Maybe these are the wormholes that
Stephen Hawkins speculates could exist in the fabric of space/time.
So ajna directs the energy down through ida and pingala and this
leads to the duality of daily life for us multi-dimensional creatures.
Ajna is known as the third eye because we have to balance insight,
the inward looking witness, as well as the expressive, dynamic
aspects of life.
Vishuddhi chakra
The next major centre below ajna is vishuddhi chakra, at the pit of
the throat. The bija mantra of vishuddhi is Ham and Ha is a
guttural sound, made in the throat. The essence of vishuddhi
chakra is akasha, the space tattwa. And Ham is the seed mantra of
space.

Space (the absence of anything) is what we first need for

manifestation to occur in. It is right on the edge between manifest
and unmanifest, existence and non-existence. Without space for
them to be in, we could have no sun, planets, mountains, bicycles,
elephants or ants there would be no room for them to be in or
breathe in. But of course, as soon as any of these things do actually
exist, thats the end of that particular bit of space. So space is the
subtlest of the five tattwas or elements: space, air, fire, water and
earth, that make up manifest creation.
Each of the five lower chakras relates directly to one of the five
tattwas and to particular sets of knowledge, needs, instincts,
senses, etc. In this aspect, the different chakras are like discs
containing distinct software programs.
In the Sanskrit alphabet, too, Ha has a special ambivalence; it is
neither vowel nor consonant. It is called the aspirate and as such is
very powerful. Sanskrit has 32 consonants and about half of them
are aspirated, so Ha permeates the alphabet. The 32 consonants, 16
vowels constitute the 50 Sanskrit letters on the petals of the major
chakras. They are called matrikas, or little mothers. Matrikas are
simple modulations of vibrations within the range of human
hearing and sound production capacities.
Ha and Tha, representing the sun and the moon and so many other
things, are both matrikas. Are they therefore just symbols for these
great forces or are they intrinsically connected with the existence
of the things they symbolize? Do the matrikas actually create these
chakras and nadis and great cosmic forces? How could these little
sounds create sun and moon? How could fragile Kunti create
Karna and the Pandavas? Mothers are wonderful beings. So Ham
is the seed mantra of vishuddhi and leads us into the manifest
universe through its essence akasha, in the form of deep space.
Tham is for cool new territory

Now there is another chakra called soma or manas chakra in the

upanishads and yogic texts. It is not generally mentioned in the
Satyananda tradition because for the most part, we are Earthdwellers, mooladhara to manipura people. The office and what we
might eat and with whom does rather rule our day. But, up beyond
ajna is a whole galaxy of chakras that we dont much use. Soma,
the moon chakra, is one of the major ones next up from ajna and its
bija mantra is Tham. If we are journeying towards subtlety, we
pass through there.
Its a fascinating point really. From ajna, if we return our
awareness towards earth and mooladhara, then the next chakra is
vishuddhi with its bija mantra Ham. That leads to the space
necessary for the manifestation of this material universe and that is
also the mantra for pingala nadi, which conducts the physical, vital
energy. On the other hand, if we move our awareness up beyond
the eyebrows and ajna, then the next centre, soma, has the bija
mantra Tham which is connected with ida nadi and reflective
mental energy. The inter-relationship of mantras here indicates that
we are looking at a subtle integrated network on many levels.
To keep grounded and speak of things which can be spoken of,
however, we will beam down to vishuddhi chakra via its mantra
Ham.
A is for adhara
The vishuddhi lotus flower has 16 petals and these have been
explained in various ways. They are called adharas or bases. And
one thing it seems the sources agree on is that the Devanagari
letters of the 16 Sanskrit vowels are inscribed on them. And
vishuddhi is the centre for communication just as the vowels are
the interlinking communication bases of all the other letters of the
alphabet.

The chart shows the 16 Sanskrit vowels, their full akshara or letter
for each consonant in Devanagari, and the sort of English vowel
they sound most like. They are in the alphabetical order used in a
Sanskrit dictionary. The order in which these matrikas are found
when you read them from the 12 oclock position, clockwise
around vishuddhi chakra, is listed at the beginning of the article.
In Part 1 we mentioned that every consonants letter includes an
() sound automatically. If the a () sound is not required it must
be deleted by the halant sign ( ) or replaced by the shorthand
symbol of the required vowel, not by adding the whole vowel as
we do in English. So is therefore written using the matra for
o () rather than the whole akshara letter .
If you count down the chart, all the odd numbers from 1 to 13 are
short vowels; all the even numbers from 2 to 14 are their
corresponding long vowels. Why not chant them? A, aa, i, ee, etc.
like when you were a little kid in school? See if you can
remember their order. Its good to learn another language it
makes our brains dendrites develop and keeps us young, unafraid
of death and full of the nectar of life! Its also an appropriate
sadhana because the jnanendriya, or organ of knowledge, on
vishuddhis disc is the vocal cords for producing sounds and the
karmendriya, organ of action, is the ear for listening to the
sounds.
Why not write them? Try to write them clearly just as they are
printed on the page. Practise a little likhit japa, written repetition,
of the matrikas of vishuddhi and develop your powers of
communication. It may seem a big effort but none of the other
chakras we will discuss have so many petals and once you learn
this lot you have all the vowels! So () here is a little space
Ham ().
To be continued in the next issue

The Sanskrit Alphabet (Part 4)

Swami Yogakanti Saraswati
Kam (), Kham (), Gam (), Gham (), Jnam (),
Cham (), Chham (), Jam (), Jham (), Nyam (),
Tam (), Tham () = the 12 petals of anahata
Revision
Now we are in time and space. The time is counted out by the sun
and moon externally and by the energies of pingala and ida nadis
(conveying the solar and lunar forces) internally.
Sooryaachandramasau dhattah kaalam raatrimadivaatmakam
Bhoktree sushumnaa kaalasya guhyametadudaahyatam.
The sun and moon divide time into day and night. Sushumna is the
consumer of time. This is the conveyed secret.
(Hatha Yoga Pradipika 4:17)
So, time relates to the two petals of ajna. Space opens up before us
in vishuddhi chakra, with its 16 petals indicating the adharas, the
bases of manifest consciousness. The 16 adharas are explained at
different levels. The simplest and most profound explanation
relates to the four dimensions of consciousness: jagrat (waking),
svapna (dream), sushupti (deep sleep) and turiya (the fourth
dimension that transcends). This is the classification of a human
beings potential modes of consciousness as explained by the
Mandukya Upanishad that we referred to in Part 1 of this series.
Other not so famous upanishads such as the Advayataraka and the
Mangalbhraman further subdivide each of these states into four so
we have jagrat/jagrat, jagrat/svapna, jagrat/sushupti, jagrat/turiya,
then svapna/jagrat, svapna/svapna etc. Swami Niranjanananda
explains this in his books on yoga darshan.

Remember that the mantras of vishuddhis 16 petals are the 16

Sanskrit vowels and we started practising with them in Part 3.
Vishuddhi chakra relates to akasha tattwa, the space element, and
their bija mantra, seed vibration, is Ham (). Of course, when
there is space and time, communication is needed, for now things
can move apart before these first steps towards manifestation,
when everything was in total union, who would need to
communicate with whom? So vishuddhi is not only the chakra of
space, but also of communication.
A is for anahata
The next chakra down in order of manifestation is anahata where
the memory of union is most precious. The union of Shiva and
Shakti, consciousness and energy, is symbolized by the interlacing
of two triangles: one upright (Shiva) and one inverted (Shakti). The
bija mantra, is Yam (). What is air? It is gaseous, just atoms or
simple molecules (tiny dances of energy in the space of
consciousness).
Anahata chakra has twelve petals. Their mantras form the next
group of Sanskrit letters that we will learn, and they are listed at
the top of the first page. In Devanagari, the script of the gods, first
come the 16 vowels of vishuddhi, then the 32 Sanskrit consonants
are very systematically arranged on a phonetic basis, according to
their precise sound and how it is made. The akshara, indestructible
Sanskrit letters, are phonetic which means that the name and
sound of each letter is the same, and it never changes.
The first 25 consonants are arranged in five sets of five letters.
Each set is called a varna. The first set of five sounds is made in
the throat and to pronounce each varna we move further forward in
the mouth from the throat till the last set is pronounced at the lips.

The varna of anahata

The order of the chakras petal matrikas is also the order of the
sounds in the Sanskrit alphabet. The first varna is called kanthya in
Sanskrit, meaning velar or guttural in English; its sounds are
produced in the throat. Pronouncing the aksharas of the varnas is
similar to reading anahata like a clock. The five aksharas of the
alphabets first varna start with ka (), then comes kha (), ga
(), gha () and jna (). To recite anahatas petal mantras you
just add the m sound of bindu to each.
The second varna is called talavya, meaning palatal in English, and
its sounds are produced at the back of the palate by the tongue
making a soft sound. In anahata and dictionary order, they are ch
(), chh (), ja (), jha () and a nya sound ().
The third varna is called moordhanya, which means cerebral or
retroflex in English, and its letters are pronounced by the tongue
curling back and touching the front part of the upper palate with a
hard sound. The aksharas of anahatas last two petals are the first
two retroflex consonants written as ta () and tha ().
As an exercise in awareness, just close the eyes and feel inside the
mouth. Be aware of how these sounds are made. It makes us
realize that speech for the most part is an unconscious activity
the mouth does it without our awareness unless we have special
training for some reason.
Now we know that breathing is also an activity which is
unconscious for the most part. We also know the enormous
benefits we gain by breathing consciously with awareness in the
discipline of yoga. So what are the consequences of placing similar
awareness on speech and sounds? In yoga, nada yoga, mantra yoga
and even swara yoga investigate just that point.

Not only that, there is the power of satya, the first of the yamas
recommended by Patanjali, to be considered too. Satya, speaking
the truth, is related to the root sat, which means Truth, Existence or
Reality. Patanjali says that if you perfect satya, the siddhi or
attainment is that whatever you say will happen. He is referring to
the power of the word to create, and that conviction of the creative
power of sound vibrations is the basis of mantra yoga, nada yoga,
ajapa japa, the Vedas, the Bible and so forth. Also, in many
primitive cultures keeping ones word was a mark of honour. Men
and women were known to die to keep their word. It was thought
to be something essential for integrity of character. What more can
be said?
Phenomenal reality is for phenomena
The word anahata means unstruck. It refers to the subtle
vibrations that exist but are not made by two objects colliding, as is
the case with the gross sounds perceptible to the senses. This
implies tuning into the subtle vibration of Truth that underlies
phenomenal reality. Phenomenal reality means the reality we piece
together from our senses and then pretend is Reality. Phenomenal
reality is like the movie projected by the beam of light that we
relate to, more or less, as if it is real, though we know it isnt.
Phenomenal reality the sensory material world we inhabit is
not even as real as the underlying reality of physics, i.e. that
everything is actually made up of energy dancing in space.
Nevertheless, in anahata we become more involved. For the
embryo in the womb the first sense to develop is touch. This is the
sense that relates to anahata and is the twin of feeling in the sense
of emotion from the sticky, tacky, tamasic ones right through to
the selfless sattwic kind of feelings. So in anahata the movie
begins. The yogi attempts to view the movie as though it is real
while maintaining awareness of the underlying Reality. So we love
other beings, from mountains to fishes to people, while

maintaining the awareness that they are manifestations of Ishvara

or God, the immortal Reality within phenomenal reality.
Kh is for Kham Brahman
Khechari mudra is the state or attitude where the tongue is rolled
back inside the mouth, stimulating the higher chakras and energy
junctions from inside, and the mind is merged in Reality. The
upanishads say Kham Brahman, space is Brahman. Brahman
means the transcendental Reality, Kham means space, and Hatha
Yoga Pradipika explains that khechari means moving freely in Khe
(which is another inflection of the word for space).
Chittam charati khe yasmat-jihvaa charati khe gataa
Tenaishaa khecharee naama mudraa siddhairniroopitaa.
The mind moves in Brahman, Khe, because the tongue moves in
space, Khe. Therefore, the perfected ones have named this mudra
khechari,
moving
in
space
or
Brahman.
(Hatha Yoga Pradipika 3:41)
Why all this talk of space when we have left vishuddhi and are
looking at anahata? Nothing can exist without space, similarly each
of the consonant petals of anahata refer to vishuddhi because they
include the a vowel sound () as the unseen part of their
inheritance. Also they all include bindu, the m sound which is one
of vishuddhis vowels. Also, we can now see the power of (), the
aspirate Ha sound which is the basic bija mantra of vishuddhi and
its element space. If you look at the following table of the petals of
anahata, you will see that half are aspirated sounds. The power of
Ha!
Roman English sound Akshara Varna
script
Ka as in kangaroo Kanthya

Kha khaki
Ga gulf
Gha ghetto
Gna ashtanga
Ch chump Talavya
Chh Saacchidananda
Ja jump
Jha hedgehog
Nya canyon
Ta ton Moordhanya
Tha hatha
If only we could read their story
Well, matrikas, the sounds and symbols of the Sanskrit alphabet,
are known endearingly as little mothers, because of their
propensity to create things. The of sahasrara created and
of ajna, the 16 vowels create vishuddhis petals and the first two
and a bit varnas give anahatas petals. The essence of vishuddhi is
Ham () akasha, space, and the essence of anahata is Yam ()
vayu, air, or atoms in gaseous form. Vishuddhi and anahata chakras
are similar in their subtlety, but anahata is filling in the space with
energies and feelings and the breath of life.
Lets not be too ambitious, and just practise writing these new
letters and memorizing them in order. Practise their pronunciation.
Feel where the sounds are made when you say them. Feel where
the tongue touches the palate in khechari mudra, listen to the
breath. Remember the message of anahata as we maintain the
witness position in our daily dramas. Listen for the subtle
messages in the silences and we will find another story.

To The Sanskrit Alphabet (Part 5)

Swami Yogakanti Saraswati
Dam (), Dham (), Nam (), Tam (), Tham (),
Dam (), Dham ( ), Nam (), Pam (), Pham ()
= the matrikas of manipura
In Part 4, we had started exploring the 32 Sanskrit consonants and
found that the first 25 of them were arranged in five sets, varna,
comprised of five letters each. Varna is an interesting word, often
translated as caste, as in the infamous caste system, it also means
colour. As each mantra has its own particular colour, there is a very
interesting story hidden in this word. To put it simply, mantra
means that which when repeated (mananaat) brings liberation
(trayate) and is the vibration perceived as sound. Yantra means
vehicle or form which brings liberation and is the vibration
perceived as a vision, as a form, usually in sparse geometric lines
like the blueprints of a building, along with its colour. Mandala
means the circular form emanating from the vibration and often
contains symbolic life forms.
When the scriptures and gurus describe the colour of a chakra that
they see, they do not always agree. Are some of them mistaken?
Are apples always the same colour as each other? Is one apple the
same colour all its life? A chakra is fundamentally composed of
forces or elements that we perceive as mantra and/or yantra,
mandala according to the way we tune into things. According to
the intensity of the energy in any nadi, for example, its colour
would be more intense and this would influence the whole chakra.
So we can see that knowledge of the colour of a chakra is not a
static thing to be memorised, it is a living experience that comes
sometimes as a by-product of sadhana.

A is for anahata varnas and outcasts

In Part 4, we focused on the first 12 consonants in alphabetical
order and thus studied the first two varna mala, garlands of letters,
and started the third. These sounds related to the twelve mantras on
the petals of anahata chakra, the heart centre. Now the theme to
pick up is the inter-relatedness of the chakras, and this is reflected
in the relationship between the varnas and the chakras.
Anahatas first five petal mantras comprise the first varna and are
therefore kanthya, guttural sounds, and as these are made in the
throat it emphasises anahatas connection with vishuddhi chakra
because vishuddhis location point is the throat. Also, the aspirate
Ha (), which forms the essence of vishuddhis bija mantra Ham
(), is a guttural sound though not a member of kanthya varna
or any other. Pronounce Ha () right now and feel the activity in
the back of the throat.
Ha () is not the only outcast. Only 25 of the 32 Sanskrit
consonants are members of the varna. Are the missing seven in
some way inferior? Let us see. Certainly if Ha () is a guideline
they are not lacking in any way; this is a Karna among letters, an
unacknowledged emperor, the aspirate sound which freely gives its
strength to half the consonants!
The second varna is comprised of the set called talavya, palatals,
being sounds pronounced with the tongue at the back of the palate.
Now this group of sounds seems central to anahata. Firstly, they
are soft and tactile, and anahata relates to feelings both because
its jnanendriya, organ of knowledge, is the tactile skin and because
anahata is the realm of emotional feelings. Also Yam () is the
bija mantra of anahata and Ya () is also a palatal consonant
(though once again not a member of the varna). Pronounce Ya ()
right now and you can feel the tongue gently touching the back of
the palate go on experiment! You cant see it but you can feel it.

The last two petals of anahata belong to the third varna, the
moordhanya, retroflex group where the tongue curls back and
strikes the front of the palate giving hard sounds. This third varna
is shared between anahata and manipura.
Transformation in manipura
The mantras of manipuras ten petals, in clockwise order, begin
with the remaining three consonants from moordhanya varna: da
(), dha () and a na sound (). So we can see that anahata and
manipura are mutually interactive, just as the wind fans the flames.
Vaayuh parichito yasmaadagninaa saha kundaleem
Bodhayitvaa sushumnaayaam pravishedanirodhatah.
When the vayu is increased then the gastric fire (samana) should
be taken along with kundalini in the aroused sushumna and
blocked.
(Hatha Yoga Pradipika 4:19)
The mantras of the next five petals relate to the dantya varna,
dental sounds. So the tongue moves forward and hits the back of
the teeth for Ta (), Tha (), Da (), Dha () and Na (). Dantya
varna is the only complete varna in manipura and so is of actual
importance. Also manipura chakra has fire as its tattwa or essence
and so its bija mantra is Ram (). The fire symbolises
transformation. Digestive fire transforms our food into our body,
domestic fire transforms wood into heat and light, yogic fire
transforms man into superman, and so forth. Ra () is a dental
sound, but is not confined to any varna.
The last two petals begin oshthya varga, and are the labial
consonants produced by the lips. Practise these sounds so you can
feel them: pa (), pha ().

Roman English sound Akshara Varna

script
Da as in dunk moordhanya
Dha redhead
Na ant
Ta tattwa dantya
Tha thirst
Da bud
Dha dhyana
Na number
Pa punk oshthya
Pha elephant
In precisely the same way that the sounds of anahata glide into
those of manipura, those of manipura phase smoothly into
swadhisthana. It reflects the interactive relationship between the
chakras. The fire dries up the wetness of swadhisthana and
transforms it into clouds and the gases of the sky.
Similarly, in our personalities, once we overcome the limitations of
the habitual instinctive swadhisthana/mooladhara survival mode
programming of the old brain, we can move into manipuras more
expansive vision. As the drive for power that is characteristic of
manipura gets refined, working only for oneself and ones own
movie expands into a feeling for others and it becomes appropriate
to activate anahatas wish fulfilling tree. Helping others becomes
as important as helping oneself. Like the sensitive elephants who
broke their chains and ran from the beach to the hills, we may also
pick up other people not related to us in any way, and carry them
on our backs to safety from the tsunami.
U are the immortal atman
Awakening manipura means we overcome that fear which is an
underlying shadow side of the lower chakras, mooladhara and
swadhisthana. The fear of the unknown, whether it be the

unconscious lurking within us like a crocodile or the fear of death,

abhinivesha.
We have to overcome abhinivesha as the first step in overcoming
the five kleshas, or causes of pain. How do we overcome this fear
of death? By self-confidence, atma vishvas, knowing that the body
is just a phenomena, but we are the immortal atma, learning the
lessons our lives are spelling out. In manipura we overcome fear
and its consequences and obsessions. We move into the agni
mandala, the circle of fire. Because there is light we begin to see,
so the eyes are the jnanendriya, organs of wisdom, for manipura.
And we become free to move, so the feet are its karmendriya,
organs of action.
M is for meditate
So manipura sadhana? Draw a lotus flower with ten petals, write
in the matrikas on the correct petals and meditate on the journey of
life.
Yadyat pashyati cahkshurbhyaam tattadaatmeti bhaavayet.
Yadyachichrinoti karnabhyaam tattadaatmeti bhaavayet
Labhate naasayaa yadyat tattadaatmeti bhaavayet.
Jihyayaa yadrasam hyeti tattadaatmeti bhaavayet
Trachaa yadyat sprishedyogee tattadaatmeti bhaavayet
Evam jnaanendriyaanaam tu tattadaatmeti dhaarayet.
Whatever one sees with ones eyes let one consider as Atman
Whatever one hears with ones ears let one consider as Atman
Whatever one smells with ones nose let one consider as Atman
Whatever one tastes with ones tongue let one consider as Atman
and
Whatever the yogi touches with the skin let one consider to be
Atman.
(Yogatattvopanishad 6971)

The Sanskrit Alphabet (Part 6)

Swami Yogakanti Saraswati (Australia)
Bam ( ), Bham (), Mam (), Yam (), Ram (), Lam
()
= the matrikas of swadhisthana
Vam ( ), Sham (), Sham (), Sam ()
= the matrikas of mooladhara
Swadhisthana our own place
Yoga Chudamani Upanishad stresses the importance of manipura
as the solid base for kundalini awakening. The tradition states that
kundalini can start many times from mooladhara and fall back; one
is established only when manipura is awakened and the willpower,
the ability to perform tapas and endure the purifying fiery nature, is
awakened along with it. However, it is not awakening manipura
alone that enables kundalini to stabilize; its a matter of balance.
We need a balanced human personality. And swadhisthana is the
deep ocean of the unconscious, where the samskaras and karmic
imprints roll about, the ocean from which our lives evolved.
Manipura and swadhisthana chakras are mutually interactive, but
swadhisthana dampens the flames and brings us down to earth. See
how the consonant sounds related to the mantras of swadhisthanas
petals interrelate.
What is the first thing you notice? Three of the six are not varna
members. In fact, we have already met two of these outcasts
because they are the bija mantras of anahata and manipura chakras.
Yam () is for anahata and its vayu tattwa, air element. Ram
() is for manipura chakra and its agni tattwa, fire element. Hatha
Yoga Pradipika mentioned the interaction of these two elements as
vital in the awakening of kundalini and here are their mantras
ensconced in swadhisthana!

You may think this is nothing to get excited about, but Lam ()
is the bija mantra of mooladhara chakra and of its essence, prithvi
tattwa, the earth element. That means swadhisthana chakra is the
home of vibrations causing our programming at three major levels,
anahata, manipura and mooladhara, besides its own. No wonder
swadhisthana is named as it is: swa meaning our own, adi meaning
original and sthana meaning place, so adhisthana meaning home,
and swadhisthana, our original home. Swadhisthana is undeniably
genetic and its karmendriya is the genitals and its jnanendriya is
the tongue.
Sadhana for swadhisthana? Draw the lotus flower with petals,
write in the matrikas on the correct petals and meditate on the
meaning of life.
Mooladhara
Vam (), mooladharas first petal reading clockwise, is the bija
mantra of swadhisthana chakra. Lam (), swadhisthanas last
petal, is the bija mantra of mooladhara chakra. Such a close
connection between two chakras is not found anywhere else. Vam
() and Lam () tie the two centres together in a way that
explains the innate connection between sexuality and selfpreservation, the instincts programmed in at swadhisthana and
mooladhara, and the two primal instincts in just about all living
beings. Men and women, cockatoos and peacocks, mosquitoes, all
the birds, beasts and flowers live and die under their sway.
Some say mooladhara is self-preservation/security/fear, while
swadhisthana programs sexuality/preservation of species/joy;
others say its the other way round. That is because men and
women are slightly different. The male gonads are down around
mooladhara, whereas the female ones are up beyond swadhisthana
which must imply something. Maybe it explains a lot about the
different attitudes towards sexuality, security and reproduction that

are naturally held by men and women this could be an exciting

new area for yoga psychology.
We met mooladharas three sibilants in ajna when we were
discussing how the tantrics named the solar petal of ajna chakra
Ksham (), which is a conjunct letter made up of Sha () and
Ka (). It is from here in mooladhara that the Soham mantra of
the breath commences on the inhalation. You may remember that
the mantra of the breath includes the dental sibilant Sa (), but a
dental sibilant means the tongue should be up close to the teeth.
When you practise khechari mudra, the tongue is rolled back in the
retroflex, moordhanya, position and so the sound becomes Sha
().
None of mooladharas three sibilant consonants are part of the five
varga which organize the first 25 consonants; rather they are the
tail end of the alphabet, just before that powerful aspirate Ha ()
gives the final rattle. And speaking of snakes, this is of course the
resting place of the goddess Kundalini who lies coiled in three and
a half matras, speaking with Harry Potter and others of the chosen
in her sibilant tongue.
So none of the petal mantras of mooladhara are members of the
varna, and of course Lam (), its bija mantra, is also
an outcast but then there always have been those rumours that
mankinds consciousness slipped down to mooladhara. That there
was a fall of consciousness from our own home in swadhisthana,
which links us to the higher chakras, and into the pit, with the
snake, whose one aim in life now is to get out of the tamasic state
and unite with the higher consciousness again in sahasrara.
Revision and rebirth
So we see that swadhisthana chakra has, as half of its petals, the
bija mantras of anahata (), manipura () and mooladhara

() chakras, which indicates its close connection with them. It is

in many ways the womb chakra and the womb is in its immediate
field of influence. Its name indicates that it is our original place,
swa-adi-sthana, and we all came from the womb or used to until,
perhaps, very recently.
The womb extends between mooladhara/swadhisthana and
manipura. The kanda and medhra, which together form the root
source of most of the nadis in the human body, are described as
occupying the same space, albeit as energy formations rather than
physical structures.
Oordhvam vitastimaatram tu vistaaram chatur-angulam
Mridulam dhavalam proktam beshtitaambaralakshanam.
The kanda, situated above the anus, is one hand span high and four
fingers breadth wide; it is soft and white as if enveloped in cloth.
(Hatha Yoga Pradipika 3:113)
And in Yogachudamani Upanishad,
Oordhvam medhraadadhonaabheh kandayonih khagaandavaat
Tatra naadyah samutpannaah sahasraanih dvisaptatih.
Above the medhra and below the navel, the kanda is like a birds
egg. From there 72,000 nadis emanate.
(Yoga Chudamani Upanishad 15)
In one way mooladhara, swadhisthana and manipura are separate
levels. From another perspective they are one system. They are so
integrated that scriptures and masters attribute characteristics of
one to the other frequently, both today and in classical texts. For
example, in Saundarya Lahari, a poem by Adi Shankaracharya,
chanted in praise of the Divine Mother who is responsible for
creation, characteristics of swadhisthana and manipura are reversed
for some purpose.

There is so much to learn and we are just starting the alphabet.

There are mantras to be made and each mantra has its own yantra
which one visualizes while chanting. The yantra for mantra 5 of
Saundarya Lahari is fascinating because it combines all the bija
mantras of vishuddhi, anahata, manipura, swadhisthana and
mooladhara chakras, plus the three sibilants. The central mantra,
which appears to be the bija mantra, is Tham (), which relates to
ida nadi and the more feminine side of our nature and to the soma
or manas chakra beyond ajna that we referred to in Part 1.
Haristvaam aaraadhya pranata-jana-saubhaagya-jananeem
Puraa naaree bhootvaa pura-ripum api kshobham anayat
Smaropi tvaam natvaa rati-nayana-lehyena vapushaa
Muneenaam apiantah prabhavati hi mohaaya mahataam.
Adoring You, the bestower of prosperity on all your worshippers,
Hari (Vishnu) was able to become a charming female and stir
waves of passion in the mind of Hara (Shiva), the destroyer of the
three cities.
Also
Smara (Kaama-dev the god of love) got a form by adoring you a
veritable feast for the eyes of his consort Rati, with which he has
been able to cause infatuation even in the minds of sages.
(Saundarya Lahari v. 5)
If you meditate on this, it seems that the yantra is grounded in the
square representing mooladharas earth tattwa and contains all
mooladharas mantras. The Devi, relating to the moons reflective
energies and the more feminine side of our own nature, descends to
mooladhara after creating all the chakras from vishuddhi to
mooladhara through the vibrations of their bija mantras. Because
of this descent of divine grace, material forms materialize. And
how does that relate to the actual meaning of the verse? Well, that

is another story, but we have begun. As Rishi Gheranda said to his

disciple Chandrakapila when they first met:
Abhyaasaatkaadivarnaanaam yathaa shaastraani bodhayet
Tathaa yogam samaasaadya tattvajnaanam cha labhyate.
Just as by learning the alphabet one can study all the sciences,
shastras, so by thoroughly mastering yoga one attains knowledge
of
reality,
tattwa
jnana.
(Gherand Samhita 1:5)