Description

This section is from the book "Mahanirvana Tantra (Tantra of the Great Liberation)", by
Translated by Arthur Avalon (Sir John oodroffe)! Also available from Ama"on#
Mahanirvana Tantra# Tantra of the Great Liberation!
Shatchakra-bheda
The $iercin% of the si& chakra is one of the most im$ortant sub'ects dealt (ith in the
Tantras, and is $art of the $ractical ya%a $rocess of (hich they treat! )etails of $ractice
can only be learnt from a Guru, but %enerally it may be said that the $articular is raised to
the universal life, (hich as chit is reali"able only in the sahasrara in the follo(in%
manner# The 'ivatma in the subtle body, the rece$tacle of the five vital airs ($ancha
$rana), mind in its three as$ects of manas, ahan%kara, and buddhi* the five or%ans of
action ($anchakarmendriya) and the five or%ans of $erce$tion ($ancha'nanendriya) is
united (ith the +ulakundalini! The +andar$a or +ama ,ayu in the muladhara a form of
the A$ana ,ayu is %iven a left(ard revolution and the fire (hich is round +undalini is
kindled! -y the vi'a ".un%," and the heat of the fire thus kindled, the coiled and slee$in%
+undalini is (akened! She (ho lay aslee$ around svayambhu/lin%a, (ith her coils three
circles and a half closin% the entrance of the brahma/dvara, (ill, on bein% roused, enter
that door and move u$(ards, united (ith the 'ivatma!
0n this u$(ard movement, -rahma, Savitri, )akini/Shakti, the )evas, vi'a, and vritti, are
dissolved in the body of +undalini! The Mahimandala or $rithivi is converted into the
vi'a "Lan%," and is also mer%ed in .er body! hen +undalini leaves the muladhara, that
lotus (hich, on the a(akenin% of +undalini had o$ened and turned its flo(er u$(ards,
a%ain closes and han%s do(n/(ards! As +undalini reaches the svadhishthana/chakra, that
lotus o$ens out, and lifts its flo(er u$(ards! 1$on the entrance of +undalini,
Mahavishnu, Mahalakshmi, Sarasvati, 2akini Shakti, )eva, Matrikas, and vritti,
,aikunthadhama, Golaka, and the )eva and )evi residin% therein are dissolved in the
body of +undalini! The $rithivi, or "earth" vi'a "Lan%," is dissolved in a$as, and a$as
converted into the vi'a van% remains in the body of +undalini! hen the )evi reaches the
mani$ura chakra all that is in the chakra mer%es in .er body! The ,aruna vi'a "van%" is
dissolved in fire, (hich remains in the body of the )evi as the ,i'a "ran%!" This chakra is
called the -rahma/%ranthi (or knot of -rahma)! The $iercin% of this chakra may involve
considerable $ain, $hysical disorder, and even disease! 0n this account the directions of
an e&$erienced Guru are necessary, and therefore also other modes of yo%a have been
recommended for those to (hom they are a$$licable# for in such modes activity is
$rovoked directly in the hi%her centre and it is not necessary that the lo(er chakras
should be $ierced! +undalini ne&t reaches the anahata chakra, (here all (hich is therein
is mer%ed in .er! The vi'a of Te'as, "ran%," disa$$ears in ,ayu and ,ayu converted into
its vi'a "3an%" mer%es into the body of +undalini! This chakra is kno(n as ,ishnu/
%ranthi (knot of ,ishnu)! +undalini then ascends to the abode of -harati (or Sarasvati) or
the vishuddha chakra! 1$on .er entrance, Arddha/narishvara Shiva, Shakini, the si&teen
vo(els, mantra, etc!, are dissolved in the body of +undalini! The vi'a of ,ayu, "yan%," is
dissolved in akasha, (hich itself bein% transformed into the vi'a "han%," is mer%ed in the
body of +undalini! 4iercin% the lalana chakra, the )evi reaches the a'nachakra, (here
4arama Shiva, Siddha/+ali, the )eva, %una, and all else therein, are absorbed into .er
body! The vi'a of akasha, ".an%," is mer%ed in the manas chakra, and mind itself in the
body of +undalini! The a'nachakra is kno(n as 2udra/%ranthi (or knot of 2udra or
Shiva)! After this chakra has been $ierced, +undalini of .er o(n motion unites (ith
4arama Shiva! As She $roceeds u$(ards from the t(o/$etalled lotus, the niralamba $uri,
$ranava, nada, etc!, are mer%ed in .er!
The +undalini has then in her $ro%ress u$(ards absorbed in herself the t(enty/four tattva
commencin% (ith the %ross elements, and then unites .erself and becomes one! (ith
4arama Shiva! This is the maithuna (coition) of the sattvika/$ancha/tattva! The nectar
(hich flo(s from such union floods the kshudrabrahmanda or human body! 5t is then that
the sadhaka, for%etful of all in this (orld, is immersed in ineffable bliss!
Thereafter the sadhaka, thinkin% of the vayu vi'a "yan%" as bein% in the left nostril,
inhales throu%h 5da, makin% 'a$a of the vi'a si&teen times! Then, closin% both nostrils, he
makes 'a$a of the vi'a si&ty/four times! .e then thinks that the black "man of sin"
(4a$a$urusha) in the left cavity of the abdomen is bein% dried u$ (by air), and so thinkin%
he e&hales throu%h the ri%ht nostril 4in%ala, makin% 'a$a of the vi'a thirty/t(o times! The
sadhaka then meditatin% u$on the red/coloured vi'a "ran%" in the mani$ura, inhales,
makin% si&teen 'a$a of the vi'a, and then closes the nostrils, makin% si&teen 'a$a! hile
makin% the 'a$a he thinks that the body of "the man of sin" is bein% burnt and reduced to
ashes (by fire)! .e then e&hales throu%h the ri%ht nostril (ith thirty/t(o 'a$a! .e then
meditates u$on the (hite chandravi'a "than%!" .e ne&t inhales throu%h 5da, makin% 'a$a
of the vi'a si&teen times, closes both nostrils (ith 'a$a done si&ty/four times, and e&hales
throu%h 4in%ala (ith thirty/t(o 'a$a! )urin% inhalation, holdin% of breath, and
e&halation, he should consider that a ne( celestial body is bein% formed by the nectar
(com$osed of all the letters of the al$habet, matrika/varna) dro$$in% from the moon! 5n a
similar (ay (ith the vi'a "van%," the formation of the body is continued, and (ith the vi'a
"lan%" it is com$leted and stren%thened! Lastly, (ith the mantra "So/han%," the sadhaka
leads the 'ivatma into the heart! Thus +undalini, (ho has en'oyed .er union (ith
4aramashiva, sets out on her return 'ourney the (ay she came! As she $asses throu%h
each of the chakra all that she has absorbed therefrom come out from herself and take
their several $laces in the chakra!
5n this manner she a%ain reaches the muladhara, (hen all that is described to be in the
chakras (see $$! lvii/l&iii) are in the $ositions (hich they occu$ied before her a(akenin%!
The Guru6s instructions are to %o above the a'na/chakra, but no s$ecial directions are
%iven* for after this chakra has been $ierced the sadhaka can reach the brahmasthana
unaided! -elo( the "seventh month of Shiva" the relationshi$ of Guru and sishya ceases!
The instructions of the seventh amnaya is not e&$ressed (a$rakashita)!

7ontinue to#
$rev# 8orms 0f Samadhi 3o%a
Table of 7ontents
ne&t# Sin and ,irtue
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