The self as pure consciousness is in

reality continuous, constant and never

changing. Real knowledge is possible only
when there is no past, no future and
where everything is beyond time and
space. In order to understand the time
conception

of

the

higher

enlightened

beings they divided the time into four

yugas or ages satya yuga, treta yuga,
dwapara yuga and kaliyuga.
Satya Yuga

1,728,000 human

1,296,000 human

Dwapara Yuga-

864,000 human

yrs.
Treta Yuga
yrs.
yrs.

Kaliyuga

432,000 human

yrs.
Kaliyuga is the present time and is the
shortest. Yoga philosophy declares that
there is timeless state where there is no
death or birth or growth, where there is no
pain or sorrow, no day or night nor any
distance and such a state can be achieved
by meditating upon the self within and
realizing that I am everything and every
where.
Kundalini Yoga - a sub division of
Raja Yoga.
In theology, this pure consciousness
I is Siva and his active power this is
Shakti - the divine power, the mother of
2

universe the life force resides in mans

body in the lowest centre of the spine.
The whole world of five elements earth, water, fire, air and ether proceed
from active power of Shakti. Shakti at first
evolves mind and senses and then the five
fold elements of matter.
Shakti as Prakriti is the unmanifest
universe is like a seed, which contains the
whole tree. Her qualities are satwa or
purity and knowledge, Rajas or activity
and motion, Tamas or inertia and laziness.
The whole world is a mixture of these
three gunas of Prakriti. Shakti is the subtle
material cause of all things and its effects
as visible universe are mind and matter.

Mind is the manifestation of Shakti in the

form of force, which in turn becomes
matter or the five elements or material.
Mind as thought is dynamic; mind as
matter is static. The three bodies (Stula,
Sukshma and Karana) are evolved from
Prakriti

in

which

spirit

or

pure

consciousness is present. The karana sarir

or causal body is the seed body of Astral
and physical bodies. The Astral body of
mind and senses and the physical body is
composed of the five elements.
In

an

individual

Prakriti

Shakti

is

manifested as kundalini Shakthi or the

serpent power.

Man is microcosm; what ever exists in

the outer universe exists in him. The body
may be divided into two main parts,
namely the head and trunk on the one
hand, and the legs on the other. In man,
the centre of the body is between these
two at the base of the spine where the
legs begin. Supporting the trunk and
throughout the whole body there is the
spinal Cord. This is the axis of the body.
Since it is the axis it is called the
Merudanda.

From

centre

upwards,

consciousness freely manifests through

the spinal and the cerebral (brain) centres.
The centres are - (1) Muladhara or the
root centre at the base of the spinal
column (2) Above the genitals below the
5

navel we have swadhishtana (3) Abdomen

- Manipura (4) Heart - Anahata (5) Throat Vishuddha (6) In between eye brows - Ajna
- These are the 6 main centres. The
seventh centre is at the upper brain region
- the highest centre of consciousness and
the above of Supreme Shiva Shakti. This
centre is the Sahasrara. The Ajna is the
centre of mind. The lower five are the
centres of the 5 elements :Muladhara

Prithvi

Swadhishtana

Water

Manipura

Fire

Anuhata

Air (Vayu)

Vishuddha

Akash

These centres are called in yogic term

chakras. These chakras are centres of
Shakti

(Pranashakti)

manifested

by

Pranavayu in the living body.

The

kundalini

Shakti

rests

or

is

dormant in the muladhara and when it is

active in the lower centres man has only
finite experience. When she is aroused
and moves upward she withdraws into
herself the moving powers of her creation
and unites with pure consciousness (Siva).
This is called Kundalini Yoga. This is the
reverse process of the evolution of the
mind

and

creative

the

aspect

five

elements.

Kundalini

In

Shakti

her
also

becomes senses and prana or vital airs.

Every portion of the physical body is

associated with the astral counterpart
both the physical body and the astral body
are intimately connected.
Nadis are astral tubes that carry pranic
currents. They cannot be seen by naked
eyes. There are 72,000 Nadis. Among
them three are very important. They are
Ida, Pingala and Sushumna. Sushumna is
the most important because the kundalini
passes through this Nadi only. The first
step in Kundalini yoga is to purify the
Nadis. When sushumna is pure only then
the

kundalini

Purification

of

will

pass

Nadis

is

through
done

by

it.
the

practice of pranayama. Along with it

Bandhas and Mudras are practiced to
8

awaken the kundalini and taken to the

sahasrara chakra at the Crown through
the lower six chakras. Kundalini sleeps in
Muladhara chakra in a serpent form in 3
1/2 coils. The three coils represent the
three gunas and the 1/2 coil represents
the vikritis.
A Raja Yogin awakens the Kundalini
through devotion, self control. Yogis can
feel the movement of prana and the
movement of the awakened kundalini in
sushumna and when the coiled up energy
passes through sushumna and is taken
from

chakra

to

chakra

the

yogis

experience different kinds of knowledge,

powers and joy.

With

the

practice

of

Asanas,

pranayama, mudras, meditation etc. heat

and energy is produced. After a long and
continuous practice all the impurities of
sushumna is freed making way for the
kundalini Shakti to pass upward. Only very
few yogis can awaken the kundalini. Only
when one becomes completely without
desire and full of dispassion can retain the
kundalini Shakti (otherwise it will create
problems)

and

then

one

powers and ananda and bliss.

10

experiences

11

SHAKTI AS KUNDALINI AND

THE EVOLUTION OF THE
CHAKRAS
Energy body, Bio plasmic body, Aura
all are the same body around the Stula
Sharira called Sukshma Sharira or subtle
body

providing

energy

to

the

whole

physical body, being interpenetrating to

each other. The energy body is connected
through Nadis and chakras or energy
centres.
The nadis are like the fibres and
chakras are like lotus and being supported
by

the

vertebral

downwards

12

column

spread

(Shiva Samhita -1117)

These

nadis

are

the

astral

tubes

carrying prana Shakti. There are more

than

72,000

nadis.

The

three

most

important ones are the Ida - Chandra Nadi,

Pingla - Surya Nadi and the Sushumna in
the middle. According to yoga, the Ida and
pingala are the main channels along which
the afferent and efferent currents flow.
One carries the sensation to the brain and
the other flows from the brain to the body
Sushumna is the hollow channel along
which the kundalini flows upward.
Kundalini is cosmic energy symbolised
by a sleeping serpent coiled in the chakra

13

at the base of the spine called muladhara

and is of 3 1/2 coils.
All the astral centres or the chakras
and the physical centres have a very close
relationship.
The main chakras are Astral Body

Physical Body

Chakras

Plexus

1. Muladhara Chakra

Sacral plexus.

2. Swadhishtana Chakra

Prostatic

plexus.
3. Manipura Chakra

Solar plexus.

4. Anahata chakra

Cardiac

plexus
5. Vishudha Chakra

Laryngeal plexus

14

6. Ajna Chakra

Cavernous

plexus
These

chakras

are

centres

of

consciousness and are connected with

gross regions of the Nerve plexus, which
are influenced through meditation on the
chakras.
1.

The muladhara chakra is at the

base of the spine represents the earth
element.

From

this

chakra

four

important nadis emanate which are

like petals of lotus. The kundalini is in
the centre of this chakra lies dormant.
Ganesha is the devata of this chakra.
A

yogi

who

concentrates

and

meditates on this chakra acquires the

15

full knowledge of kundalini and the

means

to

awaken

it.

When

the

kundalini is awakened the yogi is

capable of rising above the ground
and also steadiness of mind. Sahaja
Ananda is felt. It controls the energy
level of the whole body, skeletal
system, skin, blood, excretory system
etc.
2.

Swadhishthana chakra is located

within the sushumna nadi at the root
of the reproductory organ. Devi is the
presiding deity of this charka. It is a
region of water element. This chakra
controls the urinogenital functions and
organs of the physical body. A yogi
who meditates on this chakra has no
16

fear of water. Intuitions, control over

senses are the result. He has no fear
of death. There are 6 petals in this
chakra.
3.

Manipura chakra is located within

the sushumna nadi in the region of
the naval, controls the stomach, liver,
pancreas etc. It is the region of fire
element. The yogi who meditates on
this chakra can acquire abundance
and prosperity as well as freedom
from diseases. He has no fear of fire.
This chakra controls our emotions and
ego and ahankar. This chakra has 10
petals. The presiding deity of this
charka is Brahma.

17

4.

Anahata chakra lies in the centre of

the chest and controls the heart. This
chakra is the centre of air element
and centre of universal love and
peace. It has 12 petals. The yogi who
meditates on this chakra can hear the
sound of the shabda Brahman and can
control the Vayu Tattva and can fly at
will and enter the body of another. He
feels

cosmic

love

and

all

sattvic

qualities. Vishnu is the presiding deity

of this charka.
5.

Vishuddha chakra is situated at the

base of the throat. There are 16 petals
in this chakra. It is in the region of
Akasha Tattva. A yogi who meditates
on this chakra will not perish and
18

attains highest success. It is the

centre of creativity and becomes a
Trikalajnani i.e. knower of present,
past and future. Saraswati-Vani is the
presiding deity of this charka.
6.

Ajna Chakra is situated in between

the eyebrows i.e. the Trikuti. Two
petals are there. A yogi who meditates
on this chakra destroys all the karmas
of the past life. This chakra is the
highest chakra represented by the
mind. Wonderful spiritual experiences
are obtained. One can see in one selfextraordinary

spiritual

knowledge and will power.

19

strength,

This chakra is the seat of sukshma

prakriti.

Intuitional

knowledge

is

obtained through this chakra. This is

the seat of Atman as Om - Pranava.
All the 8 siddhis are obtained by the
yogi. The presiding deity is Siva.
7.

Sahasrara chakra situated at the

crown of the head. It is a thousand
petaled
united

lotus.
with

sahasrara
supreme
conscious

When
Lord

chakra
bliss

Shiva
the

and

state

kundalini

and

in

is
the

yogi

enjoys

attains

super

the

highest

knowledge. He becomes full blown

Jnani. All the chakras are connected to
this chakra and situated above all
chakras. The corresponding physical
20

centre is the Brain. When kundalini

passes from chakras to chakra layer
after layer of the mind becomes
opened and the yogi enters
higher

state

every

chakra

of

consciousness.

various

siddhis

into
At
are

obtained. The Ida and Pingala are on

the sides of the spine. Ida flows
through the left nostril and pingala
flows through the right nostril.

21

22

Kundalini is the Goddess of speech.

She gives Mukti and Jnana. She is the
source of knowledge and bliss. She is
prana Shakti; the supreme force, the
mother of prana and the whole creation,
preservation and dissolution are all in her.
She maintains the individual soul through
the

subtle

prana,

so

kundalini

has

connection with subtle prana; subtle prana

has connection with the subtle nadis and
chakras. They are connected to the mind
and the mind is connected to the whole
body. Prana is the working force. It is
dynamic. This static Shakti is affected by
pranayama and other yogic practices and
becomes dynamic. These two functions of
static and dynamic are termed as sleeping
and awakening of the kundalini. The yogi
23

who has got a pure heart and mind free

from

passions

and

desires

will

be

awakened

by

benefited by awakening kundalini.

Kundalini

can

be

pranayama, asanas and mudras by hatha

yogis, by concentration and training of the
mind by Raja Yogis, by devotion and self
surrender by Bhaktas, by analytical will by
the jnana yogis, by selfless service by the
karma yogis. No Samadhi is possible
without awakening the kundalini. When it
is awakened he is dead to the physical
world. There is no body consciousness. It
is the union with Shiva enjoying the
nectar.

24

Before

rousing

the

kundalini

Dehasuddhi (purity of body) Nadisuddhi,

Manas suddhi and Buddhi suddhi, all are
to be practiced. For the purification of the
body we use the shatkarmas i.e. Dhauti,
Neti, Basti, nauli, Tratak and Kapalbhati.
For Nadi sudhi we use pranayamas.
Sukka

pranayama,

nadi

shoddan,

Bhastrika Suryabeda, Ujjayi, etc. are the

pranayams help is nadi cleaning.
Asanas help to achieve dridhata i.e.
strength Mudras give sthirata - steadiness.
Pratyahara gives Dhairya - boldness.
Dhyana gives perception of self and

25

Samadhi gives kaivalya - freedom and

bliss.
Meditative
Siddhasana,

Postures
Sukhasana,

Padmasana,
Swastikasana,

Vajrasana.
Bandhas and Mudras are certain
postures of the body by which kundalini is
successfully awakened.
In gheranda samhita there are 25
mudras and bhandas are described. Some
of them are as follows: Mula

Bandha,

Jalandhra

Uddiyana Bandha, Maha Bandha.

Mudras
Gyan Mudra

Bajroli Mudra
26

Bandha,

Vayu Mudra

Vipareek Karani Mudra

Akasha Mudra

Maha Mudra

Prithvi Mudra
Varuna Mudra
Surya Mudra
Prana Mudra
Shivalinga Mudra
Yoni Mudra
Yoga Mudra
Khechari Mudra
(a) Mudras are static psycho physiological
neuro muscular, control and practice.
It is a special technique.
(b) The root meaning of the word Mudra is
that which gives almost immediately a
sense of well-being and happiness. Mudra

27

directly affects the working of certain

changes in the Endocrinal balance and
thus in the state of the mind.
Nasti mudrasamam kinchit
Siddhidam kshitimandale.
There is nothing in this world like
Mudras for giving success.
Mula Bandha - Press the yoni with the
left heel keep the right heel pressed at the
space first above the genital. Contract the
anus and draw the apana vayu upwards.
This is called Mula Bandha. The takes the
Apana Vayu upwards and united to prana
vayu. This helps to awaken the kundalini.

28

Jalandhara Bandha - contract the throat.

Press the chin firmly against the chest.
This bandha is practiced at the end of
puraka and beginning of kumbhaka. The
gastric fire in the nabhi region consumes
the nectar from the sahasrara chakra. But
this Bandha prevents this.

29