Layayoga: The Definitive Guide to the Chakras and Kundalini (37 page)

Rishi Narada said: ‘The purification of the tanmatras-mahabhutas of which the body is composed is by the union with changeless Brahman; this is called bhutashuddhi. Splendorous Atman lies within the mind, and this is called the mental body by the yogis who have realized truth. When it is purified, all is purified’ (—Goutamiyatantra, ch. 9). Here, bhutashuddhi has been defined. It is a process of purification of the principles of the body and mind. About the process, it is stated : ‘By deep thinking, Shakti (Kundali-power) situated in her own abode (i. e. muladhara) should be aroused by the mantra ‘Hung’ and conducted from muladhara through swadhishthana, manipura, anahata, wishuddha and ajña which are situated in the anal, genital, navel, cardiac, cervical and eyebrow regions respectively. Think of muladhara, the golden lotus with four petals; think that there is a triangle which shines like moon, sun and fire in muladhara; then think deeply of Jiwatman (embodied being) in concentration; think of Kundalini who is deep red, as bright as ten million lightnings and ten million suns, and as cool as ten million moons, and like the (motionless) flame of a lamp. By thinking, Kundalini should be conducted through the path of sushumna to unite herself with Paramatman in the region of Shiwa in sahasrara by the mantra ‘Sohang’. During the process of conduction, five mahabhutas (and tanmatras), the organs of speech, feet, hands, anus and genitals which cause speech, locomotion, prehension, excretion and reproduction, and the organs of hearing, touch, sight, taste and smell and their functions—these twenty-five principles and purusha; and I-consciousness, sense-mind, intellective mind, sense-consciousness—all these should be absorbed (into Kundalini) by-thinking. . . . Finally, going down through the sushumna-path, all these principles should be replaced in their appropriate places by the mantra ‘Sohang’; this is bhutashuddhi which is followed by matrikanyasa (a hand-process with mantra)’ (—Goutamiyatantra, ch. 9).

Ishwara has said about bhutashuddhi that: ‘Supreme Kundalini-power should be made to pass with Jiwatman by the mantra ‘Hangsah’ from muladhara by piercing all centres, step by step, to sahasrara and to unite her with Supreme Brahman (by thinking); senses and conative organs of actions, bhatas, etc. and their functions, intellective mind, I-consciousness, sense-consciousness, etc.—all should be united (by absorption)’ (—Nilatantra, ch. 4). Also: ‘Oh Mother of gods, jiwatman along with Kundalini and twenty-four principles should be made to be absorbed into Paramatman by the mantra “Hung Hangsah” along with inspiratory breath-control by the practitioner’ (—Todalatantra, ch. 4).

It has been stated: ‘The purification of five bhutas (i.e. five mahabhutas and five tanmatras) and indriyas (five senses and five conative organs of actions) is very carefully done; this is why it has been termed bhutashuddhi’ (—Gayatritantra, 1.202). So, the process of purification of creative principles is termed bhutashuddhi. This purification is effected by absorption. The roused Kundalini is alone able to exhibit the full and effective absorption-power. So, it is very important that Kundalini first should be aroused. About the rousing of Kundalini, Ishwara has said: ‘Supreme Kundalini-power should be aroused by making apana go upward by pranayama in conjunction with prana-mantra (“Yang”); then Kundalini with jiwatman from anahata should be conducted by piercing all the centres to sahasrara above and unite her with Supreme Brahman’ (—Bhatashuddhitantra, ch. 3). The fire-energy should also be applied to rouse Kundalini as has been stated by Mahadewa (—Sammohanatantra, ch. 4).

Sadashiwa, in expounding the process of bhutashuddhi, says: ‘The earnest practitioner should place his hands with the palms upwards in his lap (sitting in a concentration posture); focussing his attention on muladhara, he should rouse Kundali by the mantra “Hang”; he should then conduct Kundali with all the principles associated with the “earth” to swadhuishthana by means of the mantra “Hangsah”, where these principles should be made to be absorbed in the “water”. Having the “earth” together with the smell principle and its objects and others thus absorbed into the “water”, he should get the “water” together with the taste principle, its objects and others absorbed into the “fire”; then the “fire” together with the sight principle, its objects and others into the “air”; then the “air” and the associated touch principle, its objects and others into the “void”; then the “void” together with the sound principle and its objects into I-consciousness, I-consciousness into supraconsciousness, supraconsciousness into primus, and primus into Brahman’ (—Mahanirwanatantra, 5. 93–7).

It has been stated: ‘Thereafter bhutashuddhi should be done. Placing his hands with palms upwards in his lap, the calm practitioner should concentrate on Kulakundalini who is the source of spiritual knowledge and is in muladhara; she is coiled like a sleeping serpent (that is, in a latent form) with three and a half coils around Swayambhu-liṅga, subtle, splendorous like ten million lightnings and all knowledge. After the concentration, Kundalini should be roused by the mantra “Hangsah”, or Pranawa, or Kurchabija (“Hang”)’ (—from Yamala, quoted in Tarabhaktisudharnawa, ch. 5). Here, one of the three mantras has been advised for rousing and conducting Kundalini.

Apana-raising, pranayama and mantra are most important factors in the process of rousing Kundalini. It has been stated: ‘By inspiring through the left nostril and at the same time contracting slightly the anus and pressing the palate with the retroverted tongue, Kundali-power should be united with Shiwa; expiration should also be done through the left nostril’ (from Merutantra, quoted in Purashcharyarnawa, ch. 3), Here it is disclosed that Kundali-power which is in muladhara should be aroused by left inspiratory-expiratory breath-control along with anal-lock and tongue-lock. Then the roused Kundalini should be conducted to sahasrara to unite her with Parama Shiwa. Apana-energy is raised upwards by anal-lock.

About tongue-lock, Shiwa has said: ‘A yogi should practise pressing the palate with the tongue by folding it. Gradually he will be able to reach the uvula. When the palatine region is pressed with the tongue, a kind of cool lifeful substance is secreted by the utilization of which the yogi is able to prolong his life. The tip of the tongue should press on the uvula. The life-substance secreted from the white lotus (i.e. Sahasrara) is in concentration. The yogi gains control over hunger and thirst and prolongs his life to a very great extent by bathing his body with this life-substance’ (—Shiwapurana, 6. 47. 83–5).

To be able to execute tongue-lock correctly, the tongue should be made soft and elongated by milking-process and lingual exercise. Milking is the pulling of the tongue by wrapping it with a soft, fine, wet cloth. Lingual exercise consists in retroversion and stretching of the tongue, done alternately while assuming the adamantine posture (wajrasana).

Tongue-lock consists in pressing with the tip of the retroverted tongue the soft palate and uvula. This tongue-palate contact, when continued for a long time and with breath-suspension dries the part which is usually wet with mucus secreted by the palatine glands, and creates a state in which a radiation of life-force occurs through this part. An advanced yogi is able to reenergize his whole body with it, and, as a result, he attains a disease-free body and long life.

Pranayama plays an important role in rousing Kundalini. It has been stated: ‘Subtle Supreme Kundalini should be roused from Muladhara by Kumbhakapranayama (breath-suspension)’ (—Mantramaharnawa, 1. leaf 41). Pranayama is a fundamental part of bhutashuddhi. It is a special pranayama termed bhutashuddhi pranayama. But there is a modified form of bhutashuddhi which is done only by deep thinking and without pranayama. It has been stated: ‘Divine Kundalini along with five bhutas should be united in thought-concentration; then “I am that” should be thought in concentration’ (—Uddisha, quoted in Purashcharyarnawa, ch. 3). That deep thinking is the most important part of bhutashuddhi has been stated by Shiwa. He says: ‘So, in bhutashuddhi thought-concentration (bhawana yoga) alone (is used)’ (—Shaktisaṅgamatantra, Tara Section, 12.13). Mind is purified by bhutashuddhi. It is stated: ‘The purification of the mind and the embodied being is effected by bhutashuddhi’ (—Shadamnayatantra, 4.151).

It has been stated: ‘Sitting on a comfortable seat consisting of Kusha grass and on the top of which is spread the skin of the black antelope, the practitioner should assume the lotus posture and perform bhutashuddhi’ (—Skandapurana, 2.5.4.20). So, lotus posture is considered a suitable posture for bhutashuddhi. But the posture to be assumed is mainly determined by the form of the process adopted. Accomplished posture is also very good, especially when apana-control is introduced in the practice.

Brahma has explained a form of bhutashuddhi in which pranayama in conjunction with the mantra pranawa has been used to purify all the principles—five forms of metamatter, five tanons, senses, conative organs, sense-mind, sense-consciousness, intellective mind, I-consciousness and others; pranayama is executed in a special manner with pranawa to control prana- and apana-energy (—Liṅgapurana, Section 1. 73. 11–16).

Absorptive Thought-concentration

Consciousness, when super-purified and in a state of superconcentration at its fourth stage, is of splendorous Kundalini. It is the final state of subconsciousness. This consciousness is finally absorbed into Kundalini. But before the attainment of the final form of superconsciousness, consciousness undergoes three stages of superconcentration: concentration-on-material-form (superconcentration, first stage), concentration-on-mahabhuta-tanmatras (superconcentration, second stage), and concentration-on-divine-form (superconcentration, third stage).

To transform concentration into superconcentration, it has first to be developed into dharana and dhyana. Dhyann is changed ultimately into the deepest form of concentration in which the I-ness feeling sinks, and only an object in its subtle form is held in consciousness, uninterruptedly and continuously. This is samadhi—superconcentration.

But dharana must be established in a form of consciousness which is multiform in character. This is due to the fact that this form of consciousness is maintained by the constant penetration into it of the sensory forms of smell, taste, sight, touch and sound through the sensory channels and in which sense-mind plays a fundamental role. The sensory images in the consciousness evoke intellection to a certain degree and also conscious thoughts associated with images. According to the types of sensory images, affectivity and conativeness or specific intellectuality are aroused. So sense-consciousness is the perceptual field (sangjñana) in which intellection, affectivity and conation play their roles, and, in this manner, sense-consciousness constantly changes its form.

In such an undulatory form of consciousness, concentration is not easy. Concentrative mind (dhi) does not radiate into such consciousness. Conscious thoughts associated with perception often become the centre of exciting conative activities in which the organs of speech, prehension and locomotion, and organic and sexual functions are involved. When all these conative actions go on, consciousness is unable to exhibit holding-power to the extent of developing concentration. When the actions are controlled by appropriate postures (asanas), the body may be motionless, but the associated thoughts remain uncontrolled. Those thoughts directly concerned with the movements may cease to appear in that form; but, actually, they immediately change their character and begin to flow in consciousness in many new forms. But unless the flowing of thoughts is controlled, concentrative mind fails to operate in consciousness.

There are four remain levels in perceptive consciousness: perceptual, conative, affective and intellective. Conative, affective and intellective phenomena are based on perception. At the conative level, all the five conative organs of action are in operation and conscious thoughts arising from perceptivity and conativeness are multiform and consciousness is in a state of restlessness. Such a form of consciousness is unfavourable to concentration. Holding-power is not remaintained in such consciousness. But as such a form of consciousness is a fact in our common mode of existence, yogis have introduced two methods of developing concentration in a state when actions are a predominating factor. They are: karmayoga and mantrayoga.

Karma (action) may be divided into two categories: white and black. White actions are based on yama and niyama, and are done for the good of others, without having any self-interest. Black actions are those which are associated with hostility, falsehood, theft, discontent and excessive sexuality. In an ordinary life, man does both kinds of action. But only white actions are elements of karmayoga, while black actions impede it and impurify consciousness. These black actions which are habitually done should be controlled by doing the habitual white actions in a more intensified manner and often, and by the practices of yama, niyama and pranayama. Organic actions should be harmonized and sexual control should be achieved by the appropriate processes of hathayoga. Actions should be executed in the following manner: (1) dedication of all actions to God or Ishtadewata; (2) cultivation of unattachment to actions and their results. This is the path of karmayoga. Through it, consciousness becomes spiritually purified, and holding-power is developed.

Another means is mantrayoga. In mantrayoga, speech is transformed into the waikhari form of mantra. By japa (mantra-process of repeating mantra), the waikhari sound which is an approximate imitation of mantra-nada is correctly established in the mind. First of all wachika (verbal, which others can hear) japa should be practised for that purpose. Then upangshu (mantra is uttered in such a low voice that only the practitioner himself can hear, but not others) japa should be practised. Finally, manasa (mantra is uttered only mentally, without producing any sound) japa should be practised. In manasa-japa, the sounds of the matrika-units of the mantra should be thought. This sound-thought will be gradually established in the consciousness; that is, conscious thought is made of mantra-sounds by manasa japa. This can be achieved by repeated practice. From sound-thoughts will emerge holding-power.