Kulananda Tantra

Siddhas and devatas become pleased with the colour red used in worship and given in knowledge -
Kaulajnananirnaya XI, 35
Like the Akulavira Tantra, this text is also ascribed to Matsyendranath, described in the colophon as
Matsyendra Pada. This tantra was also published in Bagchi's original Kaulajnananirnaya of the School of
Matsyendranath, but omitted from the edition published by Prachya Prakashan in 1986. Bagchi found the
text in the Darbar Library, No.135 and says it is transcribed in Newari script.
This text is, however, briefer than the Akulavira at only 60 verses, with a few lacunae and omissions
marked with asterisks ***. We suspect the worst here - that these are verses with sexual content and which
Bagchi has chosen to leave out. The tantra follows a more familiar tantrik pattern, with information about
the chakras, the granthis, and piercing the chakras. Opening with the salutation OM namo bhairavaaya, the
first four verses describe a familiar scene on Kailasa mountain, where Devadeva, the world guru, is
questioned by Uma Devi. However, she wants to know about practices and methods relating to the
destruction of old age and death, of samarasa, and of techniques and results of the siddhas, many of which
are described in the Kaulajnananirnaya. The text is given below in iTrans format.
In verses seven to 16, Bhairava describes the place of the supreme where a sadhaka should meditate, as
well as the heart lotus and the granthis, or knots. Devi asks him about piercing (bheda) these, as he has not
spoken of them before.
In reply, Bhairava (vv 18-23), begins by describing the Brahmasthana lotus, which he says has 64 petals,
and follows with descriptions of other lotuses including the brow lotus between the two eyes, which
appears, although the reading is unclear, to conquer time, as well as giving the ability to see and hear things
going on at a distance.
In verse 24, Devi asks about removing wrinkles and decay. Bhairava says (vv 25-34) that while this
knowledge is hard to get even for the gods, he will speak of it. A 32 petal lotus exists in the head, and there
one should meditate on nectar, made up of the 16 kalas of the Moon, which one should cause to fall to the
heart, and then towards the navel chakras. Meditating on the nectar as black in colour, it removes wrinkles
and the like within the space of a month, he declares. Another method, he says, involves meditating on the
place of 64 petals (described above), the place which is the abode of all the gods. Meditating here destroys
the effect of poison, fever and disease. Another method, says Bhairava, seems to be a meditation on
junction places, which appear to be situated in the head, the place of Urdhva Shakti, as bright as millions
upon millions of fires.
The goddess asks, in verse 35, about methods called dhunanam and kampanam, practices which are often
referred to in the Kaulajnananirnaya. Bhairava replies at some length on these and other topics (vv 36-54).
These siddhis seem to be achieved by meditating on the Mahavaha Nadi, described as situated in the
kuchelya, which may be the same as the bankhnala (see Gorakhbodh). There is a lacuna in the next verse
which refers to the heart chakra and the Tivrachakra. Meditating here bestows dhunanam and kampanam
siddhis. In verse 38, Bhairava speaks of khechara. Shakti has the appearance of a coiled serpent (kundalya).
When she reaches the head, it produces khechara siddha. Bhairava then describes a process involving five
svaras or syllables, which a sadhaka is to meditate on concentratedly. Another meditation on the vayus is
described.
The state of samarasa is described towards the close of this brief text. Here one is to meditate on Devi as
abhava, free of all distinctions. The methods outlined in the tantra, he concludes not only give the ability to
see and hear at a distance, but allows yogis to enter other's bodies. A translation of this text is on our to-do
list.
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