Kundalini, The Mother of the Universe

The
by

Mystery
Rishi

of

Piercing
Singh

the
Gher al

Six

Chakras
!"#$%&

Includes an English translation of the Lalita Sahasranama, the 'Thousand Names of the Goddess,' from the Brahmanda Purana. This little self-pu lished !or" could on $undalini %oga. &er# little of this material here consists of long )uotes Gher!al states that the oo" !as pu errata e most charita l# descri ed as an antholog# of material oo" !as actuall# !ritten # Gher!al' the ma(orit# of the from other authors, nota l# *rthur *+alon. ,n page &II, lished in (ust three !ee"s, and it sho!s in the num er of and glitches.

The reason !h# this oo" is of interest is the English translation of the Lalita Sahasranama, the 'Thousand Names' of the Goddess. -hether this is also an appropriation # Gher!al, or original !or" is un"no!n, ut I !as una le to find an# other pu lic domain English translation of this piece, !hich is !ell-"no!n in India. Gher!al also authored %oga &ashisht, or .ea+en /ound.

Title Page
0ontents To the $undalini1 The 2other of the 3ni+erse Introduction The %oga and its , (ect Location of $undalini -hat the $undalini is' -hen She *!a"ens, -hat Then4 *sanas and 2udras The Po!er of the Prana#ama %oga The Po!er of 5harana, 5hi#ana, and Sam#ama %oga Samadhi %oga Introduction to Lalita Sahasranama The Lalita Sahasranama -h# -e -orship Si+a 6e+. Lead eater ,ff the Trail

Sy'bolical
Si7 0ha"ras of %oga !ith Petals and 5eit#

8. 9. :. ;. <.

The The The The The

Earth 0ha"ra is of %ello! color, has four Petals, a Beast, T!o 5eities and $undalini. -ater 0ha"ra is -hite, has Si7 Petals, a Beast and T!o 5eities. *ir 0ha"ra is Blac", has T!el+e Petals, a Beast and T!o 5eities. Ether 0ha"ra is li"e Sea -ater, has Si7teen Petals, a Beast and T!o 5eities. 2ental 0ha"ra has T!o Petals and a 5eit#.

Sahasrara is * o+e *ll and is called, the ,ne Thousand Petalled Lotus.

To the Kundalini( the Mother of the Universe)

What Yogis now, what Rishis of old, The greatness of that Mother hath told, Who from her own breast gave birth To the sky and to the earth. Thou hung the Heavens in empty space, nd holds the earth in its place, Thou made and lighted up the sun To stay and shine this earth upon. Thy power transcendent, since their birth sunder holds the heaven and earth, s chariot wheels are kept apart !y a"les made thru workman#s art. $n %hakti, who with thee can vie, Thou fills the earth, the air, the sky& Thy presence, unperceived, e"tends !eyond the world#s remotest ends. million earths, if such there be, million skies fall short of thee& billion suns can not out shine The effulgence of thy light divine. The worlds, which mortals boundless deem To thee but as a handfull seem. Mother, Thou art without a peer. 'n earth, or in yonder heavenly sphere. p. ($$ Thee, )od, such matchless powers adorn That thou without a foe was born. Thou art the *ord of *ords, dored by Men+ revered by )ods. The circling times which wear away, ll else, to thee can not decay& Thou shinest on in youthful force, While countless Yugas run their course. ,nve"ed by cares, or fears, or strife, $n bliss serene flow on thy life, With faith we claim thine aid divine, s thou art Mother, and we are thine. *n old .indu pra#er. The metrical translation from the Sans"rit !riters, # 2r. =. 2uir, !ith modifications # author.

2# sincere than"s to e+er# author and pu lisher, here )uoted in m# oo" and I also !ant to add m# than"s to Irene -ard, Grace 0urtis and 0lare 2c$inne# for their unceasing efforts to help me ring it out in three !ee"s. p. &III

If all great men !ere good and all good men !ould !rite a oo" this !orld !ould e made etter # their acti+ities. 6ishi Gher!al's oo"s are o ser+ations of nature and nature is God's >2aster-piece>. The# are historical records of true facts of the .indu oo"s on philosoph#, and are li"e a +isit to that old ancient Temple of 2athra. .is manner of teaching and !riting inspires us !ith the "no!ledge of oursel+es, to e the same as the 3ni+ersal Brotherhood1 , Self of the 3ni+erse, !ith God's poise and sense of master#. .is oo"s gi+e us the lessed assurance that !e no longer need to tra+el to get !isdom. Stud# T63T. and a sor its teachings, and the !orld !ill come to #ou, as it has to him. 2a# Peace e 3nto him, together !ith a enediction of lo+e, !ith our lessings. 5r. and 2rs. =. 5. -ard.

ntroduction
Kundalini, the Mother of the Universe) ' )od of )ods, Thou art a -ather, Mother, kinsman, friend. .nowledge, riches, all+ $ find in Thee, ll good Thy being comprehends. India is the m#sterious land chosen as her o!n # $undalini, The 2other of the 3ni+erse. -hat !e read in old histories and .ol# Bi les, and the records, can e seen there toda#. In India there are %ogis !ho perform such mar+elous feats that 5octors, Scientists and 0hemists are una le to sol+e them, and I ma# sa#, are una le to understand them. /or instance, such feats, as l#ing do!n upon la?ing logs of fire' !al"ing o+er red hot fire that has een especiall# prepared # urning ten tons of !ood,1 t!ent# men !al"ed o+er this !ithout a urn1 not e+en a hair on their feet' also feats of le+itation, !al"ing on !ater, etc., e)uall# as astonishing. %ogi .aridas, at Lahore, !illingl# permitted himself to e uried ali+e for fort# da#s under fifteen feet of earth. *fter that length of time, he !as ta"en out as normal as e+er. Such as that, and standing on one leg for #ears' head uried in the earth !ith oth legs up in the air for da#s' li+ing !ithout food for fort# #ears,1 these and man# other things can e seen in India toda#. *n# one !ishing to read further a out this ma# o tain the author's oo"let entitled@ >2ar+elous feats performed # %ogis through %oga.> I ha+e recei+ed man# letters as"ing@ >.o! can that e done4> The ans!er is, the# al!a#s do

this through the $undalini AThe 5i+ine 2otherB # a!a"ening her from her sleep, for then an# one can ha+e supernatural po!er1 this is her gift !ith unfoldment. >$undalini the Gi+er of .ealth>' >$undalini the Gi+er of -ealth>' >$undalini the Gi+er of =o# and .appiness>' >$undalini the Gi+er of /aith>' >$undalini the Gi+er of Bliss, Life, and Po!ers.> B# a!a"ening her, seeming miracles can e performed # men and !omen. The resurrection came as a li+ing faith' see >The Great 2asters of the .imala#as>1 # the author. The $undalini is al!a#s ac" of all po!ers and feats of seeming miracles. She is the *ll in *ll. S!ami &i+e"ananda sa#s@ >-hene+er there is an# manifestation of !hat is ordinaril# called supernatural po!er or !isdom, there must ha+e een a little Acontrol o+er theB current of $undalini !hich found its !a# into the Sushumna. ,nl#, in the +ast ma(orit# of such cases of supernaturalism, the# ignorantl# stum le on some practice !hich set free, Aand made them conscious ofB a minute portion, Aof the controlB of the coiled up $undalini.> The $undalini A5i+ine 2otherB, al!a#s "eeps for herself a chosen countr#, in !hich her higher !isdom is preser+ed from all dangers. That land is India. -hen she !anted to see the pla# of helplessness, !ea"ness and ignorance of the !orld, she chose that land. -hen the $undalini again !ants to raise up from ignorance to 2ight# -isdom, and a Blissful state, she chooses India again, for the purpose of raising India once more to the highest of Pure -isdom. In ages past the greatest *+atars, of India1 Sri 6ama 0handar, 6am Sri, Sri $rishna, $ing =ana", %a(na+al"#a, Guru Nana", Buddha and countless others. The present da# !e ha+e Saint 2ahatma Gandhi. -h# does the $undalini choose India4 To perfect her eing and for the purpose of perfecting harmon#. That onl# can sa+e the !orld from miser# of selfishness and hate. ,nl# India can find harmon#. That harmon# is # change of heart. Such change and harmon# comes # %oga. %oga can and !ill change the mind, heart, and action' this change is from !ithin' not from !ithout. Not # politics nor # creeds ut # the reali?ation of the Goddess $undalini, remodeling life # pure -isdom1 not # "no!ledge. This 5i+ine .armon# is not alone for suffering humanit#, ut for e+en the smallest insects, animals, etc. That change of heart, that Blessed .armon#, the son of 2other India, 2ahatma Gandhi, has sho!n the !orld. .a+e I lost m# sense of understanding to ma"e a statement a out India4 Not so, I am conscious and seeing !ith clear +ision. The India that has "ept true to Spiritualit#, in the past ages against all storms of material opposition, is no! the chosen land of 2other $undalini. I sincerel# trust that m# man# friends and see"ers of Truth, !ho are loo"ing to 0alifornia for the future Spiritual Teacher of the !orld, !ill not e hurt # the a o+e statement. Truth is Truth, although it hurts man#, man# times. *o, in the /ast this Wisdom#s showering *ight dorable, hath sprung from out the night&

0ow may the 1awns, heaven daughters, spread %hining afar, a path for man to tread.

$f $ were to look over the whole world to find out the country most richly endowed with all the wealth, power and beauty that nature can bestow, in some parts a very paradise on earth+ $ should point to $ndia. $f $ were asked under what sky the human mind has most fully developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered on the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions of some of them which well deserved the attention even of those who have studied 2lato and .ant, $ should point to $ndia. $f $ were to ask myself from what literature we, here in /urope, may draw the corrective which is most wanted in order to make our inner life more perfect, more universal, in fact more truly human, again $ should point to $ndia. 2*C 23LLE6. Pope Pius IC sa#s@ 1 >India alone has remained true to the heart of the spiritual moti+es.> A/rom Sir -oodroffe's oo"1 >Is India 0i+ili?ed4>B

The *oga and its ob+ect

-hene+er !e see or read of an# miracles of supernatural po!er sho!n # human eings in India it is al!a#s done # %oga. -hat is this %oga that gi+es such !onderful po!er, di+ine peace, longe+it#, etc.4 %oga is the science of sciences, it is the !a# that leads to Godhood. >The %oga !e practice, is not for oursel+es alone, ut for humanit#. Its o (ect is not personal 2u"ti Ali erationB, although 2u"ti is a necessar# condition of the %oga, ut the li ration of the human race. It is not personal ananda A lissB, ut the ringing do!n of the di+ine *nanda1 0hrist's $ingdom of .ea+en, our Sat#a#uga upon the earth>.1 *n e7cerpt from >The %oga and Its , (ects>. >.umanit# is e+ol+ing. %oga is the means of carr#ing that e+olution for!ard !ith great and +ictorious rapidit#>, >%ogic Sadhan>. >The goal mar"ed out for us is not to speculate a out these things ut to e7perience them. The call upon us is to gro! into the image of God, to d!ell in .im and !ith .im and e a channel of .is (o# and might and an instrument of .is !or"s. Purified from all that is *su ha Ae+ilB, transfigured in soul # .is touch !e ha+e to act in the !orld as d#namos of that di+ine electricit# and send it thrilling and radiating thru man"ind, so that !here+er one of us stands, hundreds around ma# ecome full of .is light and force, full of God and full of *nanda Athe liss of the spiritB. 0hurches, orders, theologies, philosophies ha+e failed to sa+e man"ind ecause the# ha+e usied themsel+es !ith intellectual creeds, dogmas, rites and institutions, !ith achara sudhi and darshana, as if these could sa+e man"ind, and ha+e neglected the one thing needful, the po!er and purification of the soul. -e must go ac" to the one thing needful, ta"e-up again 0hrist's Gospel of the purit# and perfection of man"ind, 2ahomed's gospel of perfect su mission, self-surrender and ser+itude of God, 0haitan#a's gospel of the perfect lo+e and (o# of God in man, 6am"rishna's gospel of the unit# of all religions and the di+init# of God in man, and gathering all these streams into one might# ri+er, one purif#ing and redeeming Ganges, pour it o+er the death-in-life of a materialistic humanit# as Bhagiratha led do!n the Ganges and flooded !ith it the ashes of his fathers, so that there ma# e a resurrection of the soul in man"ind and the Sat#a #uga for a !hile returns to the !orld. Nor is

this the !hole o (ect of the Lila or the %oga, the reason for !hich the *+atars descend is to raise up man again and again, de+eloping in him a higher and e+er higher-humanit#, a greater and #et greater de+elopment of di+ine eing, ringing more and more of hea+en again and again upon the earth until our toil is done. ,ur !or" accomplished and Sachchidananda fulfilled in all e+en here, e+en in this material uni+erse. Small is his !or", e+en if he succeeds, !ho la ours for his o!n sal+ation or the sal+ation of a fe!, infinitel# great is he e+en if he fail or succeed onl# partiall# or for a season, !ho li+es onl# to ring a out peace of soul, (o#, purit# and perfection among all man"ind.> E7cerpt from the >%oga and Its , (ects> # a 2aster.

,ocation of Kundalini
E+er# one has man# odies, ut I !ill deal !ith onl# t!o at this time, the Sthula Agross od#B and the Su"shma Athe su tle od#B. These t!o odies can e easil# understood # e+er# one. The gross od# can e felt ut the su tle od# can reason, as e+er# one has e7perienced in the dreaming state. -hat "eeps these t!o odies together4 There are ten pranas' fi+e are su tle and fi+e are gross. The gross pranas are in the gross od# and mo+e thru the gross Nadis or ner+ous s#stem. The su tle pranas are in the su tle od# and mo+e thru the su tle Nadis. These t!o pranas are connected a out the heart !hich is the organ of sensation. -hen the poets and others felt that sensation, the# called it *tma or God in the heart. The other connection of the pranas is et!een the heart and the na+el, that is the mind. The su tle od# has as man# ner+es as the gross od#. The three main ones are the Ida, Pingala and Sushumana. The Ida Ner+e is on the left side, the Pingala is on the right and et!een the t!o is Sushumana. The mouth of the Sushumana is closed # the Goddess $undalini as she is sleeping at the door of the Sushumana. The $undalini is in the su tle od# and remains there al!a#s, ut part of her di+ine energ# is in the gross od# and manifested as Prana, *pana, &#ana, Samana and 3dana. The $undalini is the creator and the sustainer of the uni+erse. She is the *ll in *ll. The est authorit# on the $undalini is the .atha %oga Pradipi"a. It sa#s@ >The $undalini is sleeping, closing the door of the Sushumana. She sleeps a o+e the $anda or !here the Nadis unite. She gi+es li eration to the %ogi and ondage to fools. .e !ho "no!s her "no!s %oga.> The location of the $anda is 89 angulis Aor a out D inchesB a o+e the anus and E inches long and E inches in readth. It is the shape of a ird's egg and co+ered !ith a soft !hite piece of >cloth.> Great 6ishi %a(na+al"#a sa#s the $anda is a out the same location. *ll authorities on %oga gi+e the location of the $anda in the lo!er part of the od# a o+e the anus' and there is sleeping the $undalini. The .atha %oga Pradipi"a sa#s further a out the $anda and $undalini@ >%ogins a!a"e the $undalini that is sleeping at the door of the Sushumana. Seated on the &a(rasan and ta"ing hold of the an"les, %ogi should slo!l# eat the $anda.> -e read in the Sharada Tila"a a out $undalini@ >-e pra# to the Parade+ata united !ith Shi+a, !hose su stance is the pure nectar or liss, red li"e unto +ermillion, the #oung flo!er of the hi iscus, the sunset s"#, !ho ha+ing crept her !a# thru the mass of sound issuing from the clashing and dashing of the t!o !inds in the midst of the Sushumana, rises to the rilliant energ# !hich glitters !ith the lustre of ten million lightnings. 2a# she the $undalini, !ho

)uic"l# goes to and returns from Shi+a, grant us the fruit of %ogaF She eing a!a"ened is the co! of plent# to $aulas, and the $alpa 0reeper of all things desired for those !ho !orship her.> The $undalini is the support of all, the %oga is the means to reach her.

-hat is the Kundalini

hen a akened( hat then. The $undalini, !hen a!a"ened, is the gi+er of all po!er, health, !ealth and success. The $undalini feeds the a # in the mother's !om . She fulfills our e+er# desire. She is the *ll in *ll. >I praise Tripura !hich is the treasure house of the race. >The $undalini, has three angles as !ell as three circles, and her Bhupura is three-lined. .er 2antra is three s#lla les, and she has three aspects. The $undalini energ# is also threefold in order that she ma# create the three Gods ABrahma, the 0reator, or air' &ishnu, the Preser+er, or !ater@ 6udra, the 5estro#er, or fireB. Since she is triple e+er#!here, she is Tripura.> >, 2other of the 3ni+erse, those !ho praise #ou # the !ords, 2other, *ll in *ll, and 2a#a, !ill o tain all. >There is nothing !hich can not e o tained on earth or in the .ea+ens, # Th# Grace.> This is as it should e, as the $undalini is Po!er of Po!ers, Light of Lights, and *ll in *ll. The $undalini is 5i+ine static and d#namic energ#. The static energ# A$undaliniB, is sleeping at the 2uladhara A6oot 0ha"raB' the d#namic energ# of the $undalini is all o+er the od# as Prana, *pana, Samana, &#ana, and 3dana. These fi+e &ital reaths, or life forces, "eep the od# together. The duties of the fi+e Pranas are as follo!s@ Prana remains in the upper part of the od#, and al!a#s mo+es up!ard' the *pana resides in the lo!er part of the od#, or a domen, and al!a#s flo!s do!n!ard' the Samana sta#s in the first section of the torso, digesting and distri uting the food su stances' the &#ana resides in the heart, and from there mo+es all o+er the od#, its dut# eing the circulation of the lood' the 3dana carries the Soul up!ard !hen the od# dies. These fi+e Pranas sta# in the grosser od#. The# are also in the finer or su tle od#1 the fi+e finer reaths corresponding to the fi+e grosser Pranas a o+e descri ed. The Prana#ama %oga, the 2udra %oga, and 5harana %oga, are all for the control of the fi+e Pranas and mind. 2ind !ithout Prana is li"e a ird !ithout !ings. The practice of the 2udras is to control the d#namic energ# of the $undalini, namel#, Prana, *pana, etc. The practice of Prana#ama is also to control the Prana, *pana, etc.1 the d#namic energ# of the $undalini, and !ith it a!a"en the static energ# of the $undalini, !hich is sleeping at the 2uladhara, or root 0ha"ra. -hen the fi+e Pranas are controlled or made to stop at the desired place, the 2uladhara 0ha"ra, or at the door of the Sushumana, it !ill !or" li"e a spar" to the static energ# of the $undalini. >-hen Prana and *pana are mi7ed, it !ill naturall# cause heat in the od#' then the od# ecomes light and po!erful. This e7treme heat !hen felt # the $undalini, causes her to a!a"en from sleep. Then she goes into the Sushumana.> A/rom .. %. P.B The dut# of the %ogin is to gather together or control the fi+e Pranas1 the life force of the $undalini1 that the d#namic energ# of the $undalini ma# e used to a!a"en the static energ# of it, as one $undalini energ# !ill mo+e the other energ#.

-hen the $undalini a!a"ens or mo+es, !hat then remains4 -hat !ill ecome of the $undalini4 She !ill go to the Si7 0ha"ras and also remain at her place. *s steam is con+erted from !ater # heat and again returns to it, so rises the d#namic energ# of the $undalini, !hich goes up to the different 0ha"ras and returns again and again.. -hile she !ill reach to the Sahasrara, still she !ill e at her home at the 2uladhara 0ha"ra. The $undalini po!er can onl# e "no!n # 2aster %ogins, ut some times e+en ordinar# %ogins can see it, ho!e+er not as clearl#, as long as the inner e#e is not open. -hen the %ogin has opened the inner e#e, then he sees the different 0ha"ras and the energ# of the $undalini, !hich is Life of Life, and Light of Lights. The follo!ing 2asterl# and Scientific e7planation of the $undalini is # Prof. P. 2u"h#opadh#a#a, and !as !ritten for *rthur *+alon and rought out in his oo". >The Serpent Po!er,> pp. EG9-E8E. I here ac"no!ledge m# than"s for the use of this e7planation, and I !ish that e+er# student of %oga !ould read >The Serpent Po!er.> 6. S. Gher!al. >-hen #ou sa# that $undali Sha"ti is the primordial Sha"ti at rest, I am led to thin" of an analog# Aand it ma# e more than an analog#B in modern science. 0osmic energ# in its ph#sical aspect ma# e considered either as static or as d#namic, the former eing a condition of e)uili rium, the latter a condition of motion or change of relati+e position. Thus a material thing apparentl# at rest Athere eing no a solute rest e7cept in pure 0onsciousness or 0hitB should e regarded as energ# or Sha"ti e)uili rated, the. +arious elements of it holding one another in chec" Aor, as the mathematicians !ill sa#, the alge raic sum of the forces eing ?eroB. ,f course, in an# gi+en case the e)uili rium is relati+e rather than a solute. The important thing to note is this polarisation of Sha"ti into t!o forms1 static and d#namic. >In the tissues of a li+ing od#, again, the operati+e energ# A!hate+er the nature of that ma# e, !hether !e elie+e in a special '+ital force' or notB polarises itself into t!o similar forms1 ana olic and "ata olic1 one tending to change and the other to conser+e the tissues, the actual condition of the tissues eing simpl# the resultant of these t!o coe7istent or concurrent acti+ities. >In the mind or e7perience also this polarisation or polarit# is patent to reflection. In m# o!n !ritings H I ha+e constantl# urged@ this polarit# et!een pure 0hit and the stress !hich is in+ol+ed in it@ there is a stress or Sha"ti de+eloping the mind through an infinit# of forms and changes' ut all these forms and changes are "no!n as in+ol+ed in the pure and un ounded ether of a!areness A0hida"ashaB. This anal#sis therefore e7hi its the primordial Sha"ti in the same t!o polar forms as efore1 static and d#namic1 and here the polarit# is most fundamental and approaches a soluteness. >Lastl#, let us consider for one moment the atom of modern science. The chemical atom has ceased to e an atom Aindi+isi le unit of matterB. -e ha+e instead the electron theor#. *ccording to this, the so-called atom is a miniature uni+erse +er# much li"e our o!n solar s#stem. *t the centre of this atomic s#stem !e ha+e a charge of positi+e electricit# round !hich a cloud of negati+e .charges Acalled electronsB is supposed to re+ol+e, (ust as m#riads of planets and smaller odies re+ol+e round the sun. The positi+e and the negati+e charges hold each other in chec", so that the atom is a condition of e)uili rated energ#, and does not therefore ordinaril# rea" up, though it ma# possi l# rea" up and set free its e)uili rated store of energ#, as pro a l# it does in the emanations of the radium. -hat do !e notice here4 The same polarit# of Sha"ti into a static and a d#namic partner1 +i?., the positi+e charge at rest at the centre, and the negati+e charges in motion round a out the centre' a. most suggesti+e analog# or illustration, perhaps, of the cosmic fact. The illustration ma# e carried into other domains of science. and philosoph#, ut I ma# as !ell for ear going into details. /or the present !e ma#,. I thin", dra! this important conclusion@

>Sha"ti, as manifesting itself in the uni+erse, di+ides itself into t!o polar aspects1 static and d#namic1 !hich implies that #ou cannot ha+e it in a d#namic form !ithout at the same time ha+ing it in a corresponding static form, much li"e the poles of a magnet. In an# gi+en sphere of acti+it# of force !e must ha+e, according to this cosmic principle, a static ac"ground1 Sha"ti at rest or 'coiled', as the Tantras sa#. >Before I proceed, let me point out !hat I concei+e to e the fundamental significance of our Tantric and Pauranic $ali. This. figure or 2urti is oth real and s#m olic, as indeed e+er# 2urti in the so-called .indu m#tholog# is. No!, the 5i+ine 2other $ali is a s#m ol of the cosmic truth (ust e7plained. Sadashi+a, on !hose reast She dances, nude and dar", is the static ac"ground of pure 0hit, !hite and inert ASha+arupaB, ecause pure 0hit is in itself S+apra"asha Aself manifestB and Nish"ri#a AactionlessB. *t the same time, apart from and e#ond 0onsciousness there can e nothing1 no po!er or Sha"ti1 hence the 5i+ine 2other stands on the osom of the 5i+ine /ather. The 2other .erself is all acti+it# and Gunama#i Ain .er aspect as Pra"riti composed of the GunasB. .er na"edness means that, though She encompasses all, there is nothing to encompass .erself' her dar"ness means that She is inscruta le, *+ang-manasagochara A e#ond the reach of thought and speechB. ,f course, this is no partition of realit# into t!o Athere lies the imperfection of the Sang"h#a doctrine of Purusha and Pra"riti, !hich is other!ise rightB, ut merel# polarisation in our e7perience of an indi+isi le fact !hich is the primordial A*d#aB Sha"ti itself. Thus 0hit is also Sha"ti. Shi+a is Sha"ti and Sha"ti is Shi+a, as the Tantras sa#. It is Gunashra#a Asupport of GunasB as !ell as Gunama#a A!hose su stance is GunasB' Nirguna Aattri utelessB as !ell as Saguna A!ith attri uteB, as said in a !ell-"no!n passage of the 0handi. >%our suggesti+e hint 9 ma"es the nature of the $undali Sha"ti rather clear to me. %ou are )uite right, perhaps, in sa#ing that the cosmic Sha"ti is the Samashti Acollecti+it#B in relation to !hich the $undali in the odies is onl# the &#ashti Aindi+idualB@ it is an illustration, a reproduction on a miniature scale, a microcosmic plan, of the !hole. The la! or principle of the !hole1 that of macrocosmic Sha"ti1 should therefore e found in the $undali. That la! !e ha+e seen to e the la! of polarisation into static-d#namic or potential-"inetic aspects. In the li+ing od#, therefore, there must e such polarisation. No!, the $undali coiled three times and a half at the 2uladhara is the indispensa le and unfailing static ac"ground of the d#namic Sha"ti operati+e in the !hole od#, carr#ing on processes and !or"ing out changes. The od#, therefore, ma# e compared to a magnet !ith t!o poles. The 2uladhara is the static pole in relation to the rest of the od#, !hich is d#namic' the !or"ing the od# necessaril# presupposes and finds such a static support, hence perhaps E the name 2uladhara, the fundamental support. In one sense, the static Sha"ti at the 2uladhara is necessaril# coe7istent !ith the creating and e+ol+ing Sha"ti of the od#, ecause the d#namic aspect or pole can ne+er e !ithout its static counterpart. In another sense, it is the Sha"ti left o+er A#ou ha+e #ourself pointed this out, and the italics are #oursB, after the Prithi+i1 the last of the Bhutas1 has een created, a maga?ine of po!er to e dra!n upon and utili?ed for further acti+it#, if there should arise an# need for such. Ta"ing the t!o senses together A#ours as !ell as mineB, Sha"ti at the 2uladhara is oth coe7istent !ith e+er# act of creation or manifestation and is the residual effect of such act1 oth cause and effect, in fact1 an idea !hich, deepl# loo"ed into, sho!s no real contradiction. There is, in fact, !hat the ph#sicist !ill descri e as a c#cle or circuit in action. Let us ta"e the impregnated o+um1 the earliest em r#ological stage of the li+ing od#. In it the $undali Sha"ti is alread# presented in its t!o polar aspects@ the o+um, !hich the mother-element represents, one pole Apossi l# the staticB, and the spermato?oon, !hich is the father-element, represents the other Apossi l# the d#namicB. : /rom their fusion proceed those processes !hich the iologist calls differentiation and integration' ut in all this process of creation the c#cle can e fairl# easil# traced. Sha"ti flo!s out of the germinal cell Afertilised o+umB, sei?es upon foreign matter, and assimilates it and there # gro!s in ul"' di+ides and su di+ides itself, and then again co-ordinates all its di+ided parts into one organic !hole. No! in all this !e ha+e the c#cle. Sei?ing upon foreign matter is an out!ardl# directed acti+it#, assimilation is an in!ardl# directed acti+it# or return current' cell di+ision and multiplication is an out!ardl# directed operation, co-ordination is in!ardl# directed' ; and so on. The force in the germ-cell is o+erflo!ing, ut also continuousl# it is flo!ing ac" into itself, the t!o operations presupposing and sustaining each other, as in e+er# circuit.

The gi+en stoc" of force in the germ-cell, !hich is static so long as the fusion of the male and female elements does not ta"e place in the !om , is the necessar# starting-point of all creati+e acti+it#' it is the primordial cause, therefore, in relation to the od#1 primordial as !ell as constantl# gi+en, unceasing. ,n the other hand, the reaction of e+er# creati+e action, the return current or flo!ing ac" of e+er# unfolding o+er flo!, constantl# rene!s this starting force, changes it !ithout changing its general condition of relati+e e)uili rium Aand this is )uite possi le, as in the case of an# material s#stemB' the force in the germ-cell ma# therefore e also regarded as a perpetual effect, something left o+er and set against the !or"ing forces of the od#. 2an# apparentl# inconsistent ideas enter into this conception, and the# ha+e to e reconciled. >8. -e start !ith a force in the germ-cell !hich is statical at first Athough, li"e a dicot#ledon seed, or e+en a modern atom, it in+ol+es !ithin itself oth a statical and a d#namical pole' other!ise, from pure rest, in+ol+ing no possi ilit# of motion, no motion could e+er ariseB. Let this e the $undali coiled. >9. Then there is creati+e impulse arising out of it' this is motion out of rest. B# this, the $undali ecomes partl# static and partl# d#namic, or e(ects, so to sa#, a d#namic pole out of it in order to e+ol+e the od#, ut remaining a static pole or ac"ground itself all along. In no part of the process has the $undali reall# uncoiled itself altogether, or e+en curtailed its three coils and a half. -ithout this 2uladhara Sha"ti remaining intact no e+olution could e possi le at all. It is the hinge upon !hich e+er#thing else turns. >E. Each creati+e act again reacts on the 2uladhara Sha"ti, so that such reaction, !ithout distur ing the relati+e rest of the coiled Sha"ti, changes its +olume or intensit#, ut does not curtail or add to the num er of coils. /or instance, e+er# natural act of respiration reacts on the coiled Sha"ti at the 2uladhara, ut it does not commonl# ma"e much difference. But Prana#ama po!erfull# reacts on it, so much so that it a!a"es the dormant po!er and sends it piercing through the centres. No!, the common description that the $undali uncoils .erself then and goes up the Sushumna, lea+ing the 2uladhara, should, I thin", e admitted !ith caution. That static ac"ground can ne+er e a solutel# dispensed !ith. *s #ou ha+e #ourself rightl# o ser+ed, 'Sha"ti can ne+er e depleted, ut this is ho! to loo" at it'. Precisel#' the $undali, !hen po!erfull# !or"ed upon # %oga, sends forth an emanation or e(ection in the li"eness of .er o!n self Ali"e the 'ethereal dou le' of the Theosophists and SpiritualistsB !hich pierces through the +arious centres until it ecomes lended, as #ou point out, !ith the 2aha"undali of Shi+a at the highest or se+enth centre. Thus, !hile this 'ethereal dou le' or, self-e(ection of the coiled po!er at the 2uladhara ascends the Sushumna, the coiled po!er itself does not and need not stir from its place. It is li"e a spar" gi+en from an o+er saturated < electro-magnetic machine' or, rather, it is li"e the emanations of radium !hich do not sensi l# detract from the energ# contained in it. This last, perhaps, is the closest ph#sical parallel of the case that !e are tr#ing to understand. *s a !ell-"no!n passage in the 3panishad has it, 'The !hole APurnaB is su tracted from the !hole, and #et the !hole remains.' I thin" our present case comes +er# near to this. The $undali at the 2uladhara is the !hole primordial Sha"ti in monad or germ or latenc#@ that is !h# it is coiled. The $undali that mounts up the Nadi is also the !hole Sha"ti in a speciall# d#namic form1 an e(ect li"eness of the Eternal Serpent. The result of the last fusion Athere are successi+e fusions in the +arious centres alsoB in the Sahasrara is also the !hole, or Purna. This is ho! I loo" at it. In this conception the permanent static ac"ground is not reall# depleted, much less is it dispensed !ith. >:. -hen again I sa# that the +olume or intensit# of the coiled po!er can e affected Athough not its configuration and relati+e e)uili riumB, I do not mean to thro! up the principle of conser+ation of energ# in relation to the $undali, !hich is the em odiment of all energ#. It is merel# the con+ersion of static ApotentialB energ# into d#namic A"ineticB energ# in part, the sum remaining constant. *s !e ha+e to deal !ith infinities here, an e7act ph#sical rendering of this principle is not to e e7pected. The %ogi therefore simpl# 'a!a"ens', and ne+er creates Sha"ti. B# the !a#, the germ-cell !hich e+ol+es the od# does not, according to modern iolog#, cease to e a germ-cell in an# stage of the complicated process. The original germ-

cell splits up into t!o@ one half graduall# de+elops itself into the od# of a plant or animal1 this is the somatic cell' the other half remains encased !ithin the od# practicall# unchanged, and is transmitted in the process of reproduction to the offspring1 that is, the germ-plasm. No!, this germ-plasm is un ro"en through the !hole line of propagation. This is -eismann's doctrine of 'continuit# of the germ-plasm,' !hich has een !idel# accepted, though it is ut an h#pothesis.> In a su se)uent postscript the Professor !rote@ >8. Sha"ti eing either static or d#namic, e+er# d#namic form necessaril# presupposes a static ac"ground. * purel# d#namic acti+it# A!hich is motion in its ph#sical aspectB is impossi le !ithout a static support or ground A*dharaB. .ence the philosophical doctrine of a solute motion or change, as taught # old .eraclitus and the Buddhists and # modern Bergson, is !rong' it is ased neither upon correct logic nor upon clear intuition. The constitution of an atom re+eals the static-d#namic polarisation of Sha"ti' other and more comple7 forms of e7istence also do the same. In the li+ing od# this necessar# static ac"ground is 2uladhara, !here Sha"ti is $undali coiled. *ll the functional acti+it# of the od#, starting from the de+elopment of the germ-cell, is correlated to, and sustained # the Sha"ti concentrated at, the 2uladhara. 0osmic creation, too, ending !ith the e+olution of Prithi+i Tatt+a Ait is, ho!e+er, an unending process in a different sense, and there perhaps .enr# Bergson, !ho claims that the creati+e impulse is e+er original and resourceful, is rightB, also presupposes a cosmic static ac"ground Ao+er and a o+e 0hida"asha-ether of 0onsciousnessB, !hich is the 2aha"undali Sha"ti in the 0hinma#adeha A od# of 0onsciousnessB of Paramesh+ara or Paramesh+ari Athe Supreme Lord in male an female aspectB. In the earliest stage of creation,. !hen the !orld arises onl# as a mist in 5i+ine 0onsciousness, it re)uires, as the principle or pole of Tat AThatB, the correlate principle or pole of *ham AIB' in the de+elopment of the former, the latter ser+es as the static ac"ground. In our o!n e7periences, too, '*pperception' or consciousness of self is the sustaining ac"ground1 a string, so to sa#, !hich holds together all the loose eads of our elements of feeling. The sustaining ground or *dhara, as the seat of static force, therefore is found, in one form or other, in e+er# phase and stage of creati+e e+olution. The a solute or ultimate form is, of course, 0hit-Sha"ti A0onsciousness as po!erB itself, the unfailing light of a!areness a out !hich our Ga#atri A2antraB sa#s@ '-hich sustains and impels all the acti+ities of Buddhi.' This fact is s#m olised # the $ali-murti@ not a mere s#m ol, ho!e+er. >9. 2# remar"s a out the rising or a!a"ening of the Serpent Po!er at the 2uladhara ha+e een, perhaps, almost of the nature of a parado7. The coiled po!er, though a!a"ened, uncoiled, and rising, ne+er reall# stirs from its place' onl# a sort of 'ethereal dou le' or 'e(ect' is unloosed and sent up through the s#stem of centers. No!, in plain language, this ethereal dou le or e(ect means the d#namic e)ui+alent of the static po!er concentrated at the 2ula, or root. -hene+er, # Prana#ama of Bi(amantra, or an# other suita le means, the 2uladhara ecomes, li"e an electro-magnetic machine, o+ersaturated Athough the $undali Sha"ti at the 2ula is infinite and e7haustless, #et the capacit# of a gi+en finite organism to contain it in a static form is limited, and therefore there ma# e o+ersaturationB, a d#namic or operati+e e)ui+alent of the static po!er is set up, possi l# # a la! similar to Nature's la! of induction, # !hich the static po!er itself is not depleted or rendered other than static. It is not that static energ# at the 2ula !holl# passes o+er into a d#namic form1 the coiled $undali lea+ing the 2ula, thus ma"ing it a +oid' that cannot e, and, !ere it so, all d#namic operation in the od# !ould cease directl# for !ant of a ac"ground. The coiled po!er remains coiled or static, and #et something apparentl# passes out of the 2ula1 +i?., the d#namic e)ui+alent. This parado7 can perhaps e e7plained in t!o !a#s@ >AaB ,ne e7planation !as suggested in m# main letter. The potential $undali Sha"ti ecomes partl# con+erted into "inetic Sha"ti, and #et, since Sha"ti, e+en as gi+en in the 2ula-center, is an infinitude, it is not depleted' the potential store al!a#s remains une7hausted. I referred to a passage in the 3panishad a out Purna. In this case the d#namic e)ui+alent is a partial con+ersion of one mode of energ# into another. In La#a-%oga Ahere descri edB it is ordinaril# so. -hen, ho!e+er, the infinite potential ecomes an infinite "inetic1 !hen, that is to sa#, the coiled po!er at the 2ula ecomes a solutel# uncoiled1 !e ha+e necessaril# the dissolution of

the three odies ASthula, Linga, and $arana1 gross, su tle, and causalB, and conse)uentl# &idehamu"ti A odiless li erationB, ecause the static ac"ground in relation to a particular form of e7istence has no! !holl# gi+en !a#, according to our h#pothesis. But 2aha"undali remains' hence indi+idual 2u"ti Ali erationB need not mean dissolution of Samsara Atransmigrating !orldsB itself. 0ommonl#, ho!e+er, as the Tantra sa#s, 'Pit+a pit+a punah pit+a,' etc. I >A B The other e7planation is suggested # the la! of induction. Ta"e an electromagnetic machine@ 'if a suita le su stance e placed near it, !ill induce in it an e)ui+alent and opposite "ind of electro-magnetism J !ithout loosing its o!n stoc" of energ#. In conduction, energ# flo!s o+er into another thing, so that the source loses and the other thing gains !hat it has lost, and its gain is similar in "ind to the loss. Not so induction. There the source does not lose, and the induced energ# is e)ui+alent and opposite in "ind to the inducing energ#. Thus a positi+e charge !ill induce an e)ui+alent negati+e charge in a neigh ouring o (ect. No!, shall !e suppose that the 2uladhara, !hen it ecomes o+er-saturated, induces in the neigh ouring centre Asa#, S+adhishthanaB a d#namic Anot staticB e)ui+alent4 D Is this !hat the rise of the Serpent Po!er reall# means4 The e7planation, I am tempted to thin", is not perhaps altogether fantastic.> /ootnotes 9;@H >*pproaches to Truth>, >The Patent -onder>, +alua le presentments in modern terms of the ancient &edantic teaching. 9D@9 That $undalini in the static Sha"ti. EG@E 0ertainl#. E8@: The process of fertilisation is dealt !ith in the 2atri"a heda Tantra. E8@; This outflo! and inflo! is a common Tantri" notion. E:@<. ,+ercharged. :G@I >.a+ing drun", ha+ing drun", ha+ing again drun">, a passage in the $ularna+a Tantra signif#ing not actual drin"ing Aas some supposeB, ut repeated raising of $undalini. :G@J -e ma# sa# >Ta"e a magnet> and >magnetism>. :8@D .ere is the seat of the first mo+ing, or Pash#anti Sha da.

The /sanas of *oga

The first *sana gi+es strength, and cures diseases of the muscles and ner+es of the od#. There are eight#-four *sanas. Some of them are used to retain #outh' others are used to produce calm, peace and harmon#. The Pratyahara *oga This %oga is the est for controlling lust, passions, etc. It is used to stop the thin"ing principle, or ring the mind under control. The lo!er mind is ignorance itself, and until this fluttering mind is made to come to one point, the lessed state of peace cannot e attained. *ll danger is caused # ignorance. There is no danger that comes from !isdom. >.e is mightier !ho controls his spirit, than he !ho con)uers the cit#.>

*ll the dangers come from uncontrolled mind. If e+er# one !ould control the mind, all the miseries of this !orld !ould cease. *ll inharmon# in the home is caused # lac" of understanding of each other, and uncontrolled thoughts. -hen people learn to control themsel+es and understand each other, then the poor =udge of the di+orce courts !ill e relie+ed.

Mudras 'ove the Kundalini

There are Eight#-four 2udras in %oga. -h# do %ogins practice 2udras and the fi+e 5haranas4 To control the fi+e Life or &ital /orces that are !or"ing in the human od#. -hen these fi+e forces are controlled, %ogins attain emancipation, or li eration. -hat are the fi+e forces and from !hence the# come4 The names of these forces are@ Prana, /0ana, Sa'ana, 1yana, and Udana, and the# come from the $undalini. The# are part of the $undalini's energ# Ad#namicB. Through 2udras the %ogins succeed in gathering these fi+e forces together, ringing them to their home, the 2other $undalini, !hich is sleeping at the 2uladhara 0ha"ra, as Static energ# of the 2other of the 3ni+erse. %ogins force the Prana and *pana to the place !here this Static energ# of the $undalini is sleeping. Thus the# a!a"en her. 2irst) The 3arth 4harana. >-hen the %ogin opens the 'Earth 0ha"ra' # the po!er of the $undalini, he con)uers the earth, and no earthl# element can in(ure him. .e !al"s o+er the land, freed from death.> Second) The -ater 4harana. >Ne7t the %ogin mo+es the $undalini energ# up to the second 0ha"ra1 the '-ater 0ha"ra'. B# opening this 0ha"ra the %ogin is free from all sorro!, no !ater can e+er harm him. *lthough he e thro!n in the deepest !ater, >he !ill ne+er die in the !ater.> This 2udra should e "ept +er# carefull# secret, as # re+ealing this, success is lost.> Third, The 2ire 4harana. >The %ogin should mo+e the $undalini energ# up to the '/ire 0ha"ra.' -hen the %ogin opens this 0ha"ra, "no!n as /ire 5harana1 the "iller of the fear of death1 then >fire can not harm or urn the %ogin.> -hat else is there for him to fear4> 2ourth, The /ir 4harana. >The %ogin opens this 0ha"ra # ringing the $undalini energ# up!ard, and as soon as he has succeeded in opening the '*ir 0ha"ra,' he has mastered le+itation. This 2udra is the destro#er of death, and the %ogin !ill ne+er e distur ed # air. This can not e taught to the faithless' # doing so all success !ould e lost.> 2ifth, The 3ther 4harana) >.ere the %ogin mo+es the energ# of the 2other $undalini up!ard and opens the 'Ether 0ha"ra.' *s soon as he is successful in opening this 0ha"ra, he has opened the door of li eration or emancipation1 he !ill ne+er die unless he !ills it.> >-hen the %ogin has learned the fi+e 5haranas, the human od# can +isit and re-+isit the .ea+ens, and he can go !here+er he li"es, as s!iftl# as the mind. >%ogins should also practice the Bhastri"a $um ha"a. That, too, !ill a!a"en the $undalini. .e

should mo+e or a!a"en the $undalini again and again, and though he e in the mouth of death, he need not fear it. >-hen the *pana rises up!ard to the '/ire 0ha"ra,' the flame of di+ine fire gro!s strong and right, eing fanned # *pana. -hen the *pana fire mi7es !ith the Prana, !hich is naturall# hot, the spiritual heat of the od# ecomes right and po!erful.> -hen the $undalini feels this e7tra heat, she !ill a!a"en from sleep' then she goes into the Sushumna. *s a "e# can open a door, so %ogi should open the door of li eration # a!a"ening the $undalini. The $undalini is coiled li"e a serpent, and # 2udra or Prana#ama processes the $undalini !ill certainl# mo+e and open the mouth of the Sushumna. >-ithout mo+ing the $undalini, there are no other means that !ill clear a!a# the impurities of the I9GG Nadis. >%ogins should practice the Bhastri"a $um ha"a, three hours dail#' then he need ha+e no fear of death. >The Great Goddess $undalini, the Energ# of the Self, sleeps in the 2uladhara. She has the form of a serpent, ha+ing three coils and a half. *s long as she is asleep in the od#, Afiner od#B, the (i+a is a mere animal, and true !isdom does not arise, though %ogi ma# practice ten million %oga. >-hen $undalini is sleeping it is a!a"ened # the "ind Guru Athe spiritual teacherB' then all the 0ha"ra's "nots are pierced, and the Prana then goes thru the Sushumna. The mind is then controlled, and the %ogi arises a o+e death. %ogi should practice dail# some of the follo!ing 2udras@ 2aha 2udra, Na ho 2udra, 3di#ana, 2aha Bandha, 2aha &edha, $echari, =alandhara, %oni, &iparita"arna, $a"i, Sam ha+i and others. >2aha 2udra should e practiced !ith the =alanhara Bandha. Practice of this 2udra !ill cure fe+er, o!el trou le, enlargement of the spleen, indigestion, consumption, lepros# and an# other diseases. It !ill a!a"en the $undalini. It is called the Great 2udra # the !ise. Practice of the 2udras should e e)ual on oth sides. >The Na ho 2udra should e practiced, and it is eas# to practice. It, too, ma"es the %ogi safe from all diseases, and the od# ne+er ecomes old ut "eeps perpetual #outh. >The 2aha Bandha 2udra should e practiced !ith =alandhara 2udra, !hich !ill ring the Prana do!n!ard. .e !ho practices this 2udra !ill control the Prana and *prana and mo+e the $undalini. >The 2aha &edha 2udra is the est 2udra to a!a"en the $undalini, ut should e practiced !ith the Bandha and 2aha Bandha. It gi+es success to %ogi o+er all nature's finer forces. >%ogi should practice in secret, and not tell an# one if he desires success. >The 3di#ana, or /l#ing 3p 2udra, mo+es the Goddess $undalini, and !ho masters this 2udra !ill e 2aster of all po!ers, li"e le+itation, etc. This 2udra ma"es it eas# to attain emancipation, and is the "e# that unloc"s the door of li eration. >The 2ula Bandha 2udra is the est 2udra to control the *pana and Prana, and is the "e# to e+erlasting #outh. 2i7ing the Prana and *pana causes heat in the od#' that heat causes the $undalini to a!a"en1 then she goes up!ard thru the Sushumna. In that Sushumna all !isdom and po!ers are.

>=alandhara 2udra is the !ell tried 2udra for "eeping old age, deca# and death a!a#. It sa+es the nectar and "eeps the +ital force mo+ing in the right Nadi. -ho practices this 2udra dail#, ecomes an adept. %ogi should practice 2aha Bandha, 3di#ana and =alandhara all at once. >$hechari 2udra is the $ing of all the '2udras. It is hard to attain. The %ogi !ho masters it e+en for half an hour, !ill o+ercome hunger, thirst, deca# and death1 his od# ecomes di+ine. The earth, !ater, fire, air and ether can not harm that od#. %oni 2udra, &iparita"aran 2udra, &a(roni 2udra, Sa"ti 2udra, 2andu"i 2udra and Sam ha+i 2udra are !ell tried, and !ill a!a"en the $undalini. >The fi+e 5haranas should e learned from a 2aster. -ith these 5haranas a %ogi goes !here+er he !ants to !ith his ph#sical od#' he ma# go to .ea+en, !al" on !ater, air and fire. and is 2aster of *ll. E7cept for the practice of $undalini, !hat other means ate there to purif# the Nadis4 ,nce setting this po!er mo+ing, %ogi should practice constantl#. -ho can practice a #ama, need ha+e no fear of death. .atha %oga and 6a(a %oga should e practiced together, as .atha %oga is dependent upon 6a(a %oga and 6a(a %oga is dependent upon .atha %oga. These 2udras should not e taught to the !ic"ed and faithless, ut the# should e taught to calm, peaceful and faithful students. *nd he !ho teaches the secret of the 2udras is the real Guru. .e can e called Ish!ar AGodB, in human form. >-hat more shall tell, , 5e+i4 There is nothing in this !orld li"e the 2udras to attain the human goal )uic"l# and successfull#.>

The 0o er of the Pranaya'a *oga)

-hat is Prana#ama4 It is the stepping stone of the %ogi, or in other !ords the foundation, the helpmate of the %ogi in controlling his enemies1 freeing him from diseases. The Prana#ama is the means # !hich the %ogi masters le+itation, !al"s upon the !ater, and also the means of li+ing uried ali+e for #ears. Prana#ama is the 2aster $e# # !hich %ogis open the door of li eration, and master all the forces. Prana#ama is the est method for suffering humanit# to o+ercome diseases, con)uer fear, o+ercome ner+ousness or despondenc#. It opens the door of Blessed Peace, it gi+es hope to the hopeless, po!er to the poor, faith to the faithless. There is no other !a# to control the mind, as mind is nothing !ithout desire or thought' desires and thoughts are nothing !ithout Prana. -hat is Prana4 Prana is e+er#thing. >Prana is /ire' Prana is the Sun' the 0loud' the -ind' Prana is the $iller of 5emons' Prana is the Earth. It is !hat is and is not, immortal. H H H Prana is the center of e+er#thing.> 1 Prasna 3panishad. Prana is li"e the forces of electricit#. E+er#thing that mo+es is mo+ed # Prana. Prana mo+es the lungs, then air goes in and out as reath. Prana is ac" of e+er#thing as force. The mind is lord of the senses and the organs1 the Prana is lord of the mind@ The mind is the motor1 the Prana is the po!er that mo+es the motor. The Prana is the great po!er of the 2other $undalini. /rom the Prana there are orn other Pranas, namel#,1 *pana, Samana, &#ana, and 3dana. These are in the +arious parts of the od#, ut Prana is the po!er ac" of *ll and *ll. .o! do %ogis control this po!er4 B# Prana#ama. Prana is the &ital or life force1 %ama, ho! to

control it. This is !h# %ogis call Prana#ama the stepping stone, or helpmate. Let us see !hat .. %. Pradipi"a, the most famous, sa#s@ >-hen the reath is irregular, the mind !anders, ut !hen the reath is under control the mind is also under control. Because of this, %ogis li+e as long as the# !ant to.> E+er#one should learn to control the reath, # the practice of Prana#ama. >2an li+es as long as he has reath in his od#. -hen the reath goes out he is said to e dead.> >*s long as the Nadis Aner+esB are not pure, the Prana can not go through the Sushumna, and as long as Prana does not go through the Sushumna there is no success for the %ogi. *s soon as the Nadis are purified, the %ogi succeeds in doing Prana#ama, and then his od# ecomes slender and light. This is the sign of Prana#ama success, for then the Prana goes through the Sushumna. >There is no success !ithout purification of the Nadis, and there is no purification of the Nadis !ithout Prana#ama. >The Brahma AGod of 0reationB, de+otes himself to the practice of Prana#ama, and is free from the fear of death. >-hen Prana goes through the Sushumna, the mind ecomes one-pointed. This is called 3nmani *+astha Athe steadiness of the mindB. >It is through the practice of Prana#ama %oga, that %ogi attains Sidhis Amaster o+er Nature's /orces, Le+itation, etc.B. >B# forcing the Prana do!n!ard and raising the *pana up!ard, the %ogi ecomes #oung, though he e old in #ears.> There are eight different Prana#amas, that should e learned from a teacher !ho has mastered them. *n# of the Prana#ama practice can cure the diseases of the ner+ous s#stem, as countless testimonial letters on file !ill sho!, as 6e+. *. $. Bur"land, 2iss E. Lindsa# and others. The same authorit# sa#s further@ >-hen Prana#ama, called $e+ala $um ha"a, has een mastered, there is nothing in the three !orlds that can not e attained.> It is # the po!er of Prana#ama that the %ogis do the !onderful feats of le+itation, !al"ing on !ater, etc. This is not their goal1 the# onl# !ant li eration1 ut there is no li eration !ithout a!a"ening the $undalini. If the us# people of the !orld !ill practice Prana#ama (ust a fe! months, the# !ill e happil# surprised to see its effect upon the od# and mind. The od# !ill ecome light and acti+e. Idleness !ill +anish li"e dar"ness efore the light. Prana#ama is eas# to practice. *n# one can do it, the #oung, the old, diseased or maimed. It is the "e# to e+erlasting #outh. >Prana#ama !ill ha+e a !onderfull# soothing effect on one !hene+er the# are at !ar !ith themsel+es. The# !ill gain instantaneous peace. Is the !orld going hard !ith #ou4 5o #ou feel #ou are losing out in the race of life4 Then I sa#, practice Prana#ama' after the practice #ou !ill emerge !onderfull# rene!ed and renascent, read# to forge ahead in the attle of life, !ith ne! +igour, ne! faith in #ourself and ne! hope. *re #ou face to face !ith a pro lem that

re)uires a cool rain and clear thin"ing, profound and mature (udgement4 2# ad+ice to #ou is that efore tac"ling the pro lem, attain mental poise # practicing Prana#ama. There is nothing li"e it for gi+ing poise, peace and alance. In the midst of the greatest stress and storm, in the thic" of the attle, stead# #ourself for a supreme effort # practicing Prana#ama. Practice this dail# !ithout fail, and #ou !ill notice ho! mar+elousl#, #our mental, ph#sical and spiritual po!ers, are de+eloped. %ou !ill then al!a#s e master of #ourself and of the situation. %ou !ill al!a#s ha+e a tremendous amount of surplus energ#, mentall#, ph#sicall# and spirituall#, upon !hich to dra!. >This !ill ma"e #our life natural and peaceful, free from ner+ous e7haustion and !orr#, ecause it !ill ena le #ou to "eep #our +ital force of life e+er rene!ed and reinforced. It !ill ena le #ou to charge #our atter#, to electrif# it e+er# da#. Toda# #ou resem le a small oat tossing on the !a+es of a storm# life !ithout oars, at the merc# of !ind and !a+e, al!a#s in danger of roc"s and shoals. Practice Prana#ama and #ou !ill plough thru the +ast sea of life li"e a giant dreadnought. >Learn Prana#ama1 practice Prana#ama, and e master of #ourself and #our circumstances.> E7cerpt from the *uthor's Prana#ama1 Lessons Three and /our.

The 0o er of 4harana, 4hiyana, and Sa'ya'a *oga)

The different practices of 5harana %oga to control the mind po!er and attain success are stepping stones in %oga. Thru the po!er of 5harana %oga, %ogis ha+e pro+en that the# can control e+er# function of the od#, such as heart action etc.' also controlling !ild easts, reptiles, etc.. Sending thought directions to one !hen he looses his !a#. I ha+e een helped man# times # m# 2aster thru the po!er of 5harana %oga, as once eing lost in the mountains, and again !hen there !as no food or shelter, he sent me telepathic messages directing me !hich !a# I should go, although he !as hundreds of miles from the place !here I !as. The po!er of 5harana is the most !onderful of the !ondrous. ,nce !hen sitting # the 2aster in a small to!n, a chic"en-ha!" s!ooped do!n upon a small chic"en. The little fello! fought for his life. The mother hen did all she could # fighting and s)ualling, ut that !as not enough, the poor chic"en !as in the mouth of death. The 2aster loo"ed up at the ha!" once and the ha!" and chic"en came to earth. Then and there oth !ere friendl#, and remained in the compan# of each other for some time. It !as a great (o# for me to see a chic"en and a ha!" associating together peacefull#1 it !as indeed hea+enl#. *t sunset m# 2aster once again loo"ed upon the chic"en and the ha!"' lo, at once the chic"en ran to his mother, and the ha!" fle! in the air. That !as all done # the po!er of Sam#ama. -hat is Sam#ama and 5harana4 It is of three "inds@ gross, su tle and luminous. 2aster# of mind and de+elopment of !ill, -hat is !ill4 %ogis "no! !ill is po!er. It can do an#thing for #ou and !ill set #ou free. The 2aster said@ >B# !ill man ma# ecome a 5e+a Ali"e GodB, or the opposite.> The Bi le sa#s@ >*s a man thin"eth in his heart, so is he.> The difference et!een a human eing and the 5i+ine@ man desires the God !ill, .is !ill !or"s. *s long as man desires, #et dou ts his po!er, the dou t is the "iller.

2a"e up #our mind. Stic" !ith the !ill, that #ou can do a thing, and it is then alread# half done. But !hen #ou dou t in #ourself1 that #ou can not, it !ill ne+er e done. %ou de+elop the !ill and ecome li"e Brahma. The %ogis open the inner e#e # 5harana, and # opening the inner e#e nature ecomes li"e an open oo". There is nothing hidden from them. The# see their inner od# as an ordinar# man sees the outer od#. The# see ho! the different glands !or"' see the connection et!een the t!o odies, the gross and the su tle' see !here the 0ha"ras are, see, the fi+e Pranas and "no! ho! to gather them together to hold on one 0ha"ra to open it. The# "no! all. -h# do !e not all see such things as the %ogis see4 Because the %ogis ha+e de+eloped their inner e#e and ha+e made their mind a great facult#. This can e compared to the great telescope. *s the great telescope re+eals the hidden secrets of the stars, so the inner e#e of the %ogi re+eals to him !hat he !as, !hat is God and !here .e is. %ogi found That AGodB !ithin himself. Nothing is hidden from God' so nothing from %ogi. The scientists and others ma# call the %ogi !hate+er the# !ish, as +er# often %ogis are called fa"es, etc. The lame is not !ith the scientists or scoffers, ut is due to their ignorance, as the# are ignorant of the lessed po!ers of the %ogi or the po!er that is hidden !ithin e+er# one.

The follo!ing e7cerpt from the >San *ntonio Light>, of 2arcia 9, 8DEG.1 >*merican 2aga?ine Section.> This is a remar"a le full page article, !ith complete illustrations. >The distinguished Ne! %or" ner+e specialist, 5r. /rederic" Tilne#, declared in his recent oo" on the de+elopment of the human rain that this organ is still used to onl# a small percentage of its real capacit#. 5r. 0onstantin +on Economo, of &ienna, as distinguished in European neurolog# as is 5r. Tilne# in the 3nited States, has stated this elief e+en more definitel#. >Both these e7perts had chiefl# in mind, their statements ma"e clear, the intelligence of the human mind and its po!er to ma"e correct (udgments. The# might ha+e said +irtuall# the same things, ho!e+er, a out the po!er of the !ill to control oth mind and od#. >/or generations these po!ers of the !ill ha+e een !ell "no!s in special instances, li"e the fa"irs of India or the religious fanatics !ho lie on eds of sharp spi"es, !ho eat themsel+es in fren?# and #et feel no pain. No! scientific men are coming to the opinion that all human minds possess much these same po!ers of de+eloped !ill. *ll that is necessar# is that the latent po!er of the mind e appreciated and applied. In a recent hospital case the patient, not !ishing to ta"e as anesthetic, merel# !ent to sleep # !ill po!er, first telling the surgeon to go ahead. ,ther patients e7amined scientificall# # the doctors turn out to ha+e the a ilit# of stopping the heart at temporaril# or of interrupting the normal pulse in the !rist, all # the po!er of the !ill. Sight, hearing, smell and other senses ma# e either decreased or increased in sensiti+it# # !ill po!er. 5etermination, long supposed to e a useful +irtue onl# in some "ind of contest, turns out to e as +alua le in man's contest !ith his o!n od# as an#!here else. >The Indian fa"irs, long supposed # man# people to e merel# cheats and liars, ut no! recogni?ed # scientific men as possessing unusual po!ers of mental control of the od#, are still perhaps the est e7amples of !hat the !ill can do to odil# machiner#. Not long ago one of these fa"irs, Tahra Be#, ga+e in London an e7hi ition to !hich numerous medical men !ere in+ited. /ort# ph#sicians and scientists sat on the stage of the theatre !here the e7hi ition

!as gi+en. *ll !ere permitted to e7amine the fa"ir during the demonstrations. Tric"er# !as +irtuall# impossi le and e7perts agree that none !as used. >Some of Tahra Be#'s demonstrations !ere familiar ones of stage h#pnotists. Thro!ing himself into a trance-li"e state, he made his od# )uite rigid. The stiff od# !as then laid on a series of sa res, not full# sharp ut still edged enough to e uncomforta le. * large stone !as laid on the fa"ir's rigid chest and !as pounded !ith a sledge. >Brought out of his rigid condition, the fa"ir then thrust hat pins through his chee"s, and through folds of flesh on chest and arms. * pen"nife similarl# thrust through a fold of flesh produced a leeding !ound, or a loodless one, !hiche+er the fa"ir suggested and announced in ad+ance. Li"e his predecessors in India, Tahra Be# then la# do!n on a ed of si7-inch nails dri+en point up!ard through a !ooden door and reclined on this remar"a le couch !hile an assistant !eighing a out 8<G pounds stood for se+eral minutes on the fa"ir's chest. >*fter this demonstration the fa"ir's ac", e7amined # some of the ph#sicians present, sho!ed distinct mar"s of the points of the nails ut no lood !as shed and the fa"ir claimed to feel no pain. That the hat points and "ni+es !ere actuall# thrust through the flesh and that some of these !ounds actuall# did not leed as the# !ould ha+e done in normal odies, !as also attested # the medical committee. >No claim !as made # this particular fa"ir of an#thing supernatural in his performance, nor is an# such claim in the least (ustified. That an#one can accomplish +er# much the same feats !ith some training and a strong enough !ill is pro+ed # the fact that man# persons ha+e done so' nota l# a Parisian sceptic named Paul .eu?e, !ho dis elie+ed the supernatural claims of some of the earlier fa"irs and managed, it is said, !ith ut one rehearsal, to duplicate the feats of l#ing on the ed of nails and of thrusting pins and "ni+es into his flesh !ithout causing pain or dra!ing lood. >Last #ear there !as prominent in Berlin a still more remar"a le e7ample of this "ind of odil# control # !ill po!er' a miner named Paul 5ie el !ho similarl# !as a le to thrust "ni+es into his od#, to cut himself !ithout leeding and e+en to allo! arro!s to e shot into his chest !ithout apparent harm. ,ne of 5ie el's tric"s !hich attracted great attention !as an apparent a ilit# to leed at !ill from his s"in, as !ell as to pre+ent leeding. >,ne theor# held # ph#siologists is that the li+ing cells !hich ma"e up the ner+es and !hich ordinaril# are in contact !ith each other so that ner+e messages can pass, !ithdra! a little at their points of contact so that the ner+e path is ro"en. The diagrams of the .indu fa"ir on this page illustrate the process. *pparentl# an effort of the !ill sometimes can accomplish this rea"ing of the ner+e circuits, much as can e done # drugs li"e cocaine, !hich are used as anesthetics. In oth instances the ner+e rea" means, that no messages of pain or other sensations can pass to the rain. 0ontrol of the !ill o+er the flo! of lood is e)uall# !ell esta lished # scientific e+idence. 5r. *. S. .#man, of Ne! %or" 0it#, has pu lished accounts of three patients !ho !ere a le # efforts of their !ill completel# to stop the pulse in the !rist' the pulse !hich a ph#sician usuall# feels !hen he !ishes to count the rate of the heart eat. *n East Indian ph#sician, 5r. &asant G. 6ele, has descri ed similarl# and at length the characteristics of an Indian hol# man !hose a ilities In similar directions !ere e7amined # a committee of ph#sicians in Bom a#. >This %ogi !as a le, the ph#sicians found, to stop the pulse eat in either arm for more than t!o minutes. The pulse in his temple on either side could e stopped similarl#. E+en the heart of this man stopped eating for si7 seconds # the ph#sician's !atch, !hen ordered to do so # the o!ner's !ill. >-hat happens in the case of the %ogis, fa"irs and others !ho can control leeding or pulse eats is, the scientists elie+e, that these ner+es, not ordinaril# su (ect to control # the mind, are trained # long practice and efforts of the !ill to respond to +oluntar# orders. 2uch the same thing happens !hen people train the muscles of their scalps to o e# orders from ner+es no! fee le and unused, so that these people can mo+e their ears a little as man's animal

ancestors used to do. >E+en life and death ma# e affected # the !ill. 2a(or .. E. Smith, *ssistant Police 0ommissioner of the Gold 0oast 0olon#, in *frica, recentl# reported an instance in !hich a highl# intelligent nati+e !illed himself to die as a result of a )uarrel and supposed !itchcraft. E+en on his od# alter death European ph#sicians could disco+er no reason !hatsoe+er for death or e+en for illness. >But if a strong !ill can stop a fa"ir's heart eat at !ill, ma"e him leed or not leed at !ill, certainl# it can "eep an# od# from #ielding to !ea"ness or crime.> .o! do %ogis de+elop that po!er4 I am sorr# this cannot e e7plained in a oo". It can onl# e taught to those !ho are see"ing truth, not to the faithless. But I !ill e7plain as much as can e gi+en in an# oo". /irst I !ill gi+e the idea of Sam#ama from $atha 3panishad@ >The -ise should sin" the Speech into 2ind. 2ind should sin" into Intellect. Intellect should sin" into Self. The Self should sin" into the Great Self. The Great Self should sin" into Eternal Peace ASelf-GodB. /irst. Lips should close, ears should open. Second. 2ind should stop !andering a out. Third. Thoughts should he suppressed, the Intuition should e de+eloped. /ourth. Intuition should e suppressed and Ego should e felt. /ifth. Ego should e merged, lended into the Great Self. The Great Self into Self Peace.> AGod1 3ni+ersal SoulB. The a o+e reference is to the practice of %oga "no!n as Sam#ama. -hat the %ogi gains # Sam#ama. >The direct perception gi+es the %ogi the right meaning, the inspiration gi+es him the !ord, the intuition gi+es him the right conclusion and discrimination sa+es him from error.> The %ogi sees the truth face to face. *n# one can de+elop the a o+e po!er # dail# practice of %oga. >But man can ecome a!are of things !hich the senses can't grasp, Budhigrah#am atiudri#am Athe reason or intellectB The proof of this #ou can get dail#, !hen the %ogi's po!er is de+eloped. This fact that man can see !ith his Budhi AintellectB, the truth a out a thing he has ne+er seen or "no!n efore, is enough to destro# the materialistic idea of thought. >-hat is "no!ledge4 In !hat does it consist4 -e must distinguish et!een "no!ledge in itself and the means of "no!ledge. *gain, among the means !e must distinguish et!een the instruments and the operations performed !ith the instruments. >B# $no!ledge !e means a!areness, ta"ing a thing into acti+e consciousness, into our 0haitan#am. But !hen !e sa#, ta"ing it into our 0haitan#am. !hat do !e impl#4 -hence do !e ta"e it4 The European sa#s from outside, !e sa# from inside, from 0haitan#am itself. In other !ords, all "no!ledge is an act of consciousness operating on something in the consciousness itself. In the first place e+er#thing !e "no! e7ists in Para rahma, that is, in our indi+isi le, uni+ersal self-e7istence. It is there, ut not #et e7pressed, not +#a"ta. Then it e7ists in pure 0hit Athe essential consciousness of the SpiritB, !hich is the !om of things as

an idea of form, name and )ualit#. It has name, form and )ualit# in the $arana or 2ahat, the casual, t#pal and ideal state of consciousness. Then it gets the possi ilit# of change, de+elopment or modification in the Su"shma, the su tle, mental or plastic state of consciousness. /inall# it gets the actual change, de+elopment, modification or e+olution in the Sthula, the material or e+olutionar# state of consciousness. In the $arana there is no e+olution, nothing e+er changes, all is eternal. The $arana is Sat#am. In the Su"shma all is preparation of change' it is full of imagination or anritam, therefore it is S!appa, not reall# false, ut not immediatel# applica le to the $arana or Sthula. In the Sthula all e+ol+es. It is partial sat-#am de+eloping # the turning of old Sat#am de+eloping # the turning of old sattion, and the turning of ne! anritam into ne! sat#am, !hich is called creation. In the sat#am, !hich is called creation. In the $arana there is no creation, no irth, no death, all e7ists for e+er1 the onl# change is from t#pe to t#pe, from fulfilment to fulfilment. >Therefore to "no! is reall# to e conscious of the thing in an# or all of these three states. The "no!ledge of the Sthula is science. The "no!ledge of the Su"shma is philosoph#, religion and metaph#sics. The "no!ledge of the $arana is %oga. -hen a man "no!s the Sthula, he "no!s it !ith his senses, that is, !ith the 2anas, he "no!s the Su"shma !ith reason of the inspired intellect, he "no!s the $arana !ith the =nanam or spiritual reali?ation. Therefore complete "no!ledge consists of three operations, first, o (ecti+e 3pala dhi or e7perience, secondl#, intellectual statement of #our understanding of the thing, thirdl#, su (ecti+e 3pala dhi or spiritual e7perience. The scientist egins from the ottom and clim s if he can, to the top. The %ogin egins from the top and descends for perfect proof to the ottom. %ou are not scientists, #ou are sadha"s. Therefore, !hen #ou spea" of "no!ledge #ou must understand the process' #ou realise a thing # su (ecti+e e7perience, Bha+a, then, thin" a out it and formulate #our e7perience in *rtha and &a", the com ination !hich forms thought' #ou +erif# or test #our e7perience # ph#sical or o (ecti+e e7perience. >/or instance #ou see a man. %ou !ant to "no! !hat he is, !hat he thin"s and !hat he does. .o! does the scientist or the material man do it4 .e !atches the man, he notes !hat he sa#s, !hat are his e7pressions of speech and face. !hat are his actions, !hat sort of people he li+es !ith, etc. *ll this is o (ecti+e. Then he reasons from his o (ecti+e e7perience. .e sa#s1 >The man sa#s this or that, so he must thin" so and so or he must ha+e such and such a character' his actions sho! the same,> his face sho!s the same, and so he gees on reasoning. If he dies not gets all the necessar# facts, he fills them up from his imagination of from his memor#, that is his e7perience of other men, of himself or of human life as read of in oo"s or heard of from other people. .e percei+es, he o ser+es, contrasts, compares, deducts, infers, imagines, remem ers and the composite result he calls reason, "no!ledge, fact. In realit# he has arri+ed at a pro a ilit#, for it is impossi le for him to e sure that his conclusions are correct or an#thing indeed correct in his thought, e7cept the actual o ser+ation, perceptions of his e#e, ear, nose, touch and taste. *n#thing e#ond this the material man distrusts. Nothing is true to him e7cept !hat he o ser+es !ith his senses or !hat agrees !ith his sensor# perceptions. >No! !hat does the %ogin do4 .e simpl# puts himself into relation !ith the thing itself. Not !ith its form, name or )ualit# ut !ith itself. .e ma# ne+er ha+e seen the form, heard the name or had e7perience of the )ualit#, ut still he can "no! the thing. Because it is the thing itself and it is in himself and one !ith himself, that is in the 2aha"arana in a man. There all meet the *tman and are so entirel# one !ith the *tman that # merel# eing in contact !ith it, I can "no! e+er#thing a out it. /e! %ogins reach that state. But all the same, e+en in the $arana I can put m#self in relation !ith the thing and "no! it # Bha+a. I put m#self, m# soul, into relation !ith the soul of the man I stud# or the thing I stud#' Pra(na in me ecomes one !ith the Pra(na in him or it. .o! do I do this4 Simpl# # ecoming passi+e and facing him or it in m# Buddhi. If m# Buddhi is )uite pure or fairl# purified, if m# 2anas is shanta, then I get

the truth a out him. I get it # Bha+a, # spiritual or su (ecti+e reali?ation. >Then I ha+e to ma"e the thing I ha+e got clear and precise. To do that I must state it intellectuall# to m# mind, that is. I must thin" a out it. I ha+e these ideas I am telling #ou in m#self as une7pressed "no!ledge' the# shape themsel+es in !ords, &a", and ta"e on a precise meaning, *rtha. That is thought. 2ost people thin" +aguel#' half e7pressing the thing in an imperfect &a" and a partial *rtha. The %ogin must not do that. .is thoughts must e7press themsel+es in clear and perfect sentences. .e ma# "no! a thing !ithout thin"ing it out, ut if he thin"s, he must thin" dearl# and perfectl#. >The %ogin reasons !hen necessar#, ut not li"e the man of science. .e sees the thing !ith his prophetic po!er interpreting the truth into thought' the prat#a"sha gi+es him the *rtha, the inspiration gi+es him the &a", the intuition gi+es him to right conclusion a out it, the right siddhanta, the &i+e"a guards him from error. Behold the truth # these four simple operations perfectl# thought out. If he has to argue, then the intuition gi+es him the right arguments. .e has not to proceed painfull# from one s#llogism to another as the logician does. >/inall#, he +erifies his "no!ledge # the facts of the o (ecti+e !orld. .e has seen the truth a out the man # merel# loo"ing at him or at the idea of him' he has thought it out clearl# and no! he compares his idea !ith the man's action, speech etc. Not to test his truth' for he "no!s that a man's action, speech etc. onl# partiall# e7press the man and mislead the student' ut in order to see ho! the truth he "no!s from the $arana is eing !or"ed out in the Sthula. .e trusts the man's o (ecti+e life onl# so far as it is in agreement !ith the deeper truth he has gained # %oga. >%ou see the immense difference. The onl# difficult# is that #ou ha+e een accustomed to use the senses and the reason to the su ordination and almost to the e7clusion of the higher faculties. Therefore #ou find it difficult to ma"e the higher faculties acti+e. >If onl# #ou could start from the eginning, !ith the Bha+a, the *tma(nana, ho! eas# it !ould eF That !ill #et happen. But first, #ou ha+e to get rid of the lo!er Buddhi, of the Indri#as in the manas, and a!a"en the acti+it# of the higher faculties. The# !ill see for #ou, hear for #ou, as !ell as thin" for #ou. /irst, then, get #our san"aras right. 3nderstand intellectuall# !hat I ha+e told #ou and !ill #et tell #ou. Then # use of the -ill, "eep the reason, imagination, memor#, thought, sensations sufficientl# )uiet for the higher Buddhi to "no! itself as separate and different from these lo!er )ualities. *s the higher separates itself and ecomes more and more acti+e, the lo!er, alread# discouraged, !ill ecome less and less acti+e and finall# trou le #ou no more. Therefore -ill first, then # -ill, # Sha"ti, the =nanam. /irst $ali, then Sur#a. I shall e7plain the +arious faculties !hen I ha+e finished !ith the rest of the s#stem.> /rom >%ogic Sadhan> # 2aster *ra inda Ghose.

Sa'adhi *oga
>Salutation to the Si+a, !ho is in the form of po!er of all science, the Nada and Bindu. *n# one de+oted to these !ill o tain the state !hich is a o+e the 2a#a,> Samadhi is man# stages, ut an# Samadhi can destro# the enem# death, and ring one to the

5i+ine State of Supreme Bliss. -hen the Prana A&ital or Life /orceB and mind are controlled, a state of harmon# arises1 that is Samadhi. *s salt thro!n in !ater ecomes one !ith the !ater, so the controlled mind ecomes one !ith *tma1 that is Samadhi. >Those !ho reall# understand the greatness of %oga, and o tain it thru practice, and # the help of a "ind Guru, are emancipated. >3nderstanding of -isdom, and directl# reali?ing the one *tma as Para rahma A3ni+ersal SoulB is emancipation, and it gi+es po!er o+er all of Nature's forces1 "no!n as Sidhis and *nima.> >-ithout the help of a Spiritual teacher, and !ithout sincere effort of the student, the real reali?ation of Truth, and the state of Samadhi cannot e attained # the student.> >-hen a %ogi has a!a"ened the $undalini A2other GodB # practicing the 2udras, then Prana mo+es thru the Sushumna, and ha+ing aroused all the 0ha"ras, the %ogi arises a o+e all $arma, and is then freed from cause and effect'1 that state is Samadhi. >The mind is the cause of $arma' !hen the mind and Prana Aits mo+ing po!erB is controlled # dail# practice of 2udras. then the lo!er mental acti+it# ceases. The higher self then manifests. %ogi attains the unchanging state. .e is master o+er time, matter and space'1 that state is Samadhi. -hen the mind is poised, the Prana mo+es in the Sushumna, and real reali?ation is o tained. -h# should one fear death, as the# are a o+e deca# and death4 No one can attain !isdom as long as the Prana and mind are not controlled. .e !ho controls the Prana and mind attain li eration. >2an# sa# li eration can e onl# attained # -isdom' then !hat is the use of %oga4> The Si+a ans!ered@ >* attle is !on # a s!ord' ut !hat is the use of a s!ord !ithout a !arrior and +alor4 So oth are needed.> >Those great men and !omen ha+e attained pure !isdom and li eration ha+e not practiced %oga, ha+e the#4> >The# ha+e practiced %oga in their past li+es.> I !ill drop this matter here as I do not !ant to pro+e or spend an# time on the past. 2# o (ect is to sho! ho! to a!a"en the $undalini and reach the lessed state of Samadhi. The human od# has a great num er of Nadis, the three main ones,1 Ida and Pin-gala on each side of the spine, the Sushumna in the middle. The Prana mo+es thru the Ida and Pingala onl#' the Sushumna eing closed. -hen %ogi learns the secret of controlling the Prana and *pana, then he can a!a"en the $undalini, and force the Prana to go thru the Sushumna. -hen this has een accomplished1 Samadhi follo!s. *ll other means are !aste of time. Thus %ogi should not follo! other means if he desires to a!a"en the $undalini and reach Samadhi. The mind is made to mo+e # t!o things, the Prana and desire. If Prana is controlled, desire is also controlled. Therefore, the Prana and mind are as one. *s long as the mind is not mastered, so long the senses are not mastered. -hen the three are controlled, then the %oga can hold them on an# 0ha"ra, and a!a"en or mo+e the $undalini. B# control of the Prana and mind the %ogi gains strength' # this strength he arises a o+e all diseases. So %ogi should practice Prana#ama and the 2udras to master Prana. The mind is the master of the organs of sense, the Prana is the master of the mind. -hen the Prana and the mind are under control the %ogi attains lessed peace, !hich can onl# e "no!n # e7perience. The lo!er mind is ignorance itself. -hen the mind is controlled, ignorance, !hich is the 2other of 2a#a AillusionB, dies. The %ogi attains Samadhi or the state of Brahma. E+er# one !ishes to attain the La#a %oga, ut it is difficult to attain. To do so the Sham ha+i 2udra is the est to practice. This 2udra cannot e attained until the Prana and the mind are

controlled' then Sham ha+i 2udra should e practiced as it raises the %ogi a o+e time, matter, space and ether. .e controls the po!er of nature's forces, as le+itation and !al"ing on !ater, and he can li+e as long as he desires. ut this is not the o (ect of the .indu %ogis. Their o (ect is not to attain !onderful po!ers. ut Seedless Samadhi1 the Brahmic state1 !hich is a o+e all other states' it is di+ine peace and common to all. -hen the %ogi succeeds in controlling Prana, from the Ida and Pingala Nadis, and ma"es it go thru the Sushumna, he has reached the state !herein he e7periences T63T., !hich is the Light of Lights, and is the Source of *ll. This is the goal of all. %ogis practice different 2udras to control Prana. -hen Prana is controlled and made to mo+e thru the Sushumna, the state of Samadhi follo!s. This is the correct method -hen %ogi desires to cheat death and time, he raises the Prana up to the *(na 0ha"ra, placing the Prana and the mind in the $undalini, then # stead# meditation %ogi mo+es the $undalini. .e then places the *tma in the Brahma and Brahma in the *tma. .e is then in Samadhi1 *LL in *LL. The e7ternal !orlds are created # the lo!er mind. B# controlling the lo!er mind, the e7ternal !orld is finished. Then meditating on the ,ne 6ealit#, the %ogi ecomes that 6ealit# or Brahma. .e is not affected # matter, space or time. .e is a o+e all. *ll things in the !orld are percei+ed # mind. -hen the mind is controlled there remains no dualit#. -hen the mind is merged in the *tma, that state is the * solute, and is Satchitanada Atruth, !isdom, lissB. >Salutation to Sushumna, to the $undalini, to the Stream of Nectar flo!ing from the 2oon>.

The 5ada Practice6 The Great %ogin Gora"hnath has gi+en out the practice of Nada to help those !ho are una le to reali?e the pure truth. The %ogi should sit in the Sidhasan and practice the Sham ha+i 2udra, and should listen !ith fi7ed mind to the sound of the self, !hich !ill e heard in the right side of the head. The sounds !ill e ten1 from the ocean roar to a +er# su tle sound1 ut %ogi should "eep the mind fi7ed on Nada !hich is the goal. -hen the %ogi is sitting in Sidhasan practicing Sham ha+i !ith %oni 2udra, he should force the Prana to the heart center, as the sound egins there. -hen Prana ecomes one !ith the Nada, then the %ogi should mo+e it to the &ishudha 0ha"ra. *s soon as %ogi succeeds in ta"ing the Nada !ith Prana to the &ishudha 0ha"ra, he !ill ecome li"e 5e+as, and the Brahmanada A5i+ine BlissB !ill surel# follo!. /rom the &ishudha 0ha"ra %ogi should forci l# ta"e the Prana and the Nada to the *(na 0ha"ra. This is the source of all Sidhis. 6eaching here the %ogi controls all the finer forces of nature and mental "no!ledge. .e arises a o+e nature's elements and mind, and is one !ith *tma, a o+e the !orld's miseries. .is mind is listening to the inner sound of the Nada.1 it is the lessed (o# that can e "no!n # one !ho has attained that state. ,ne state more remains for the %ogi' that is going up from the *(na 0ha"ra to the Sir 0ha"ra or the Thousand Petal Lotus. In %ogi !ill hear the sound of flutes. .e has this Lotus, %ogi !ill hear the sound of flutes. .e has then reached the highest state of Bliss. .e is e)ual to God, as he can create and destro# an# material thing, if he so !ishes. But creation and destruction are not the o (ect of the %ogi' he !ants to e li erated, and in this State he is li eration itself. >Practice of Nada is most eas#, e+en a fee le minded person can succeed # dail# practice. The practitioner !ill soon start to feel the (o# that arises # the Nada in the heart. That (o# cannot e e7plained # !ords as it is 5i+ine =o#, a o+e the reach of mental "no!ledge.

Sic" and suffering humanit# should practice Sham ha+i, that the# could hear the Nada sound, or the Inner &oice. >Benefits to the students that practice Nada1 as soon as their mind forms the ha its of listening to the inner sound of the Nada, it !ill ne+er e distur ed # e7ternal sounds. B# dail# practice of Nada, the mind ecomes firm and attracted # Nada,1 it surel# ecomes one !ith Nada. *s the sharp goad is est to control the mad elephant, so the Nada is est to control the mind. The Nada holds the mind fi7ed, as a ird cannot fl# !ithout !ings. Those %ogis !ho ha+e mastered the Nada practice are ne+er distur ed # an# other sound' the# are li erated and emancipated.>1 .. %. Pradipi"a. %ogi in Samadhi does not feel pain, thirst, hunger, heat or cold, nothing can harm him, his od# does not deca#, death ne+er comes, near him. .e is e)ual to God. The /ollo!ing is ta"en from The %oga *phorisms.1 0hapter III1 I&. Translation and 0ommentar# # S-*2I &I&E$*N*N5*

8. 5harana is holding the mind on to some particular o (ect. 9. *n un ro"en flo! of "no!ledge in that o (ect is 5h#ana. E. -hen that, gi+ing up all forms, reflects onl# the meaning, it is Samadhi. :. ATheseB three A!hen practicedB in regard to one o (ect is Sam#ama. ;. B# the con)uest of that comes light of "no!ledge. -hen one has succeeded in ma"ing this Sam#ama, all po!ers come under his control. This is the great instrument of the %ogi. The o (ects of "no!ledge are infinite, and the# are di+ided into the gross, grosser, grossest, and the fine, finer, finest, and so on. This Sam#ama should e first applied to gross things, and !hen #ou egin to get "no!ledge of this gross, slo!l#, # stages. it should e rought to finer things. <1 That should e emplo#ed in stages. This is a note of !arning not to attempt to go too fast. 8;1 The succession of changes is the cause of manifold e+olution. 8<1 B# ma"ing Sam#ama on the three sorts of changes comes the "no!ledge of past and future. -e must not lose sight of the first definition of Sam#ama. -hen the mind has attained to that state !hen it identifies itself !ith the internal impression of the o (ect, lea+ing the e7ternal, and !hen, # long practice, that is retained # the mind, and the mind can get into that state in a moment, that is Sam#ama. If a man in that state !ants to "no! the past and future he has to ma"e a Sam#ama on the changes in the Sams"aras A888. 8EB. Some are !or"ing no! at present, some ha+e !or"ed out, and some are !aiting to !or"' so # mar"ing a Sam#ama on these he "no!s the past and future. 981 B# ma"ing Sam#ama on the form of the od#, the percepti ilit# of the form eing

o structed, and the po!er of manifestation in the e#e eing separated, the %ogi's od# ecomes unseen. * %ogi standing in the midst of this room can apparentl# +anish. .e does not reall# +anish, ut he !ill not e seen # an# one. The form and the od# are, as it !ere, separated. %ou must remem er that this can onl# e done !hen the %ogi has attained to that po!er of concentration !hen form and the thing formed ha+e een separated. Then he ma"es a Sam#ama on that, and the po!er to percei+e forms is o structed, ecause the po!er of percei+ing forms comes from the (unction of form and the thing formed. 9;1 B# ma"ing Sam#ama on the strength of the elephant, and others, their respecti+e strength comes to the %ogi. -hen a %ogi has attained to this Sam#ama and !ants strength, he ma"es a Sam#ama on the strength of the elephant, and gets it. Infinite energ# is at the disposal of e+er# one, if he onl# "no!s ho! to get it. The %ogi has disco+ered the science of getting it. 9<1 B# ma"ing Sam#ama on the effulgent light, A8.E<B comes the "no!ledge of the fine, the o structed and the remote. -hen the %ogi ma"es Sam#ama on that effulgent light in the heart he sees things, !hich are +er# remote, things for instance, that are happening in a distant place, and !hich are o structed # mountain arriers, and also things !hich are +er# fine. ED1 -hen the cause of ondage of the 0hitta has ecome loosened, the %ogi, # his "no!ledge of its channels of acti+it# Athe ner+esB, enters another's od#. The %ogi can enter a dead od#, and ma"e it get up and mo+e, e+en !hile he himself is !or"ing in another od#. ,r he can enter a li+ing od#, and hold that man's mind and organs in chec", and for the time eing act thru the od# of that man. That is done # the %ogi coming to this discrimination of Purusha and nature. If he !ants to enter another's od# he ma"es a Sam#ama on that od# and enters it, ecause, not onl# is-his Soul omnipresent, ut his mind also, as the %ogi teaches. It is one it of the uni+ersal mind. No!, ho!e+er, it can onl# !or" thru the ner+e currents in this od#, ut !hen the %ogi has loosened himself from these ner+e currents. he can !or" thru other things. :81 B# the con)uest of the current Samana he is surrounded # a la?e of light. -hene+er he li"es light flashes from his od#. :91 B# ma"ing Sam#ama on the relation et!een the ear and the *"asa comes di+ine hearing. There is the *"asa, the ether, and the instrument, the ear. B# ma"ing Sam#ama on them the %ogi gets supernormal hearing' he hears e+er#thing. *n#thing spo"en or sounded miles a!a# he can hear. :E1 B# ma"ing Sam#ama on the relation et!een the *"asa and the od# and ecoming light as cotton-!ool, etc., through meditation on them, the %ogi goes through the s"ies. This *"asa is the material of this od#' it is onl# *"asa in a certain form that has ecome the od#. If the %ogi ma"es a Sam#ama on this *"asa material of his od#, it ac)uires the lightness of *"asa, and he can go an#!here through the air. So in the other case also. ::1 B# ma"ing Sam#ama on the 'real modification' of the mind, outside of od#, called great

this disem odiedness, comes disappearance of the co+ering to light. The mind in its foolishness thin"s that it is !or"ing in this od#. -h# should I e ound # one s#stem of ner+es, and put the Ego onl# in one od#, if the mind is omnipresent4 There is no reason !h# I should. The %,GI !ants to feel the Ego !here+er he li"es. The mental !a+es !hich arise in the a sence of egoism in the od# are called 'real modifications' or 'great disem odiedness.' -hen he has succeeded in ma"ing S*2%*2* on these modifications, all co+ering to light goes a!a#, and all dar"ness and ignorance +anish. E+er#thing appears to him to e full of "no!ledge. :;. B# ma"ing Sam#ama on the gross and fine forms of the elements, their essential traits, the inherence of the Gunas in them and on their contri uting to the e7perience of the soul, comes master# of the elements. :<1 /rom that comes minuteness, and the rest of the po!ers, 'glorification of the od#' and indestructi leness of the odil# )ualities. This means that the %ogi has attained the eight po!ers. .e can ma"e himself as minute as a particle, or as huge as a mountain, as hea+# as the earth, or as light as the air' he can reach an#thing he li"es, he can rule e+er#thing he !ants, he can con)uer e+er#thing he !ants, and so on. * lion !ill sit at his feet li"e a lam , and all his desires e fulfilled at !ill. :I1 The 'glorification of the od#' is eaut#, comple7ion, strength, admantine hardness. The od# ecomes indestructi le. Nothing can in(ure it. Nothing can destro# it until the %ogi !ishes. >Brea"ing the rod of time he li+es in this uni+erse !ith his od#>. In the &edas it is !ritten that for that man there is no more disease, death or pain. ;91 The %ogi should not feel allured or flattered # the o+ertures of celestial eings, for fear of e+il again. There are other dangers too' gods and other eings come to tempt the %ogi. The# do not !ant an#one to e perfectl# free. The# are (ealous, (ust as !e are, and !orse than us sometimes. The# are +er# much afraid of losing their places. Those %ogis !ho do not reach perfection die and ecome gods' lea+ing the direct road the# go into one of the side streets, and get these po!ers. Then again the# ha+e to e orn' ut he !ho is strong enough to !ithstand these temptations, and go straight to the goal, ecomes free. 81 The Siddhis Apo!ersB are attained # irth, chemical means, po!er of !ords, mortification or concentration. Sometimes a man is orn !ith the Siddhis, po!ers, of course those he had earned in his pre+ious incarnation. This time he is orn, as it !ere, to en(o# the fruits of them. It is said of $apila, the great father of the San"h#a Philosoph#, that he !as a orn Siddha, !hich means, literall#, a man !ho has attained to success. The %ogis claim that these po!ers can e gained # chemical means. *ll of #ou "no! that chemistr# originall# egan as alchem#' men !ent in search of the philosopher's stone and eli7irs of life, and so forth. In India there !as a sect called the 6asa#anas. Their idea !as that idealit#, "no!ledge, spiritualit# and religion, !ere all +er# right, ut that the od# !as the onl# instrument # !hich to attain to all these. If the od# came to an end e+er# no! and again it !ould ta"e so much more time to attain to the goal. /or instance, a man !ants to practice %oga, or !ants to ecome spiritual. Before he has ad+anced +er# far he dies. Then he ta"es another od# and egins again, then dies, and so on. In this !a# much time !ill e lost

in d#ing and eing orn again. If the od# could e made strong and perfect, so that it !ould get rid of irth and death, !e should ha+e so much more time to ecome spiritual. So these 6asa#anas sa#, first ma"e the od# +er# strong. The# claim that this od# can e made immortal. Their idea is that if the mind manufactures the od#, and if it e true that each mind is onl# one outlet to the infinite energ#, there should e no limit to each outlet getting an# amount of po!er from outside. -h# is it impossi le to "eep our odies all the time4 -e ha+e to manufacture all the odies that !e e+er ha+e. *s coon as this od# dies !e shall ha+e to manufacture another. If !e can do that, !h# cannot !e do it (ust here and no!, !ithout getting out of the present od#4 The theor# is perfectl# correct. If it is possi le that !e li+e after death, and ma"e other odies, !h# is it impossi le that !e should ha+e the po!er of ma"ing odies here, !ithout entirel# dissol+ing this od#, simpl# changing it continuall#4 The# also thought that in mercur# and in sulphur !as hidden the most !onderful po!er, and that # certain preparations of these a man could "eep the od# as long as he li"ed. ,thers elie+ed that certain drugs could ring po!ers, such as fl#ing thru the air. 2an# of the most !onderful medicines of the present da# !e o!e to the 6asa#anas, nota l# the use of metals in medicine. 0ertain sects of %ogis claim that man# of their principal teachers are still li+ing in their old odies. Patan(ali, the great authorit# on %oga, does not den# this. /rom the 2a#a+ati 2emorial Edition. /or more of this read 6a(a %oga, # S!ami &i+e"ananda.

7ntroduction to ,alita Sahasrana'a)

- The 2other of the 3ni+erse This is the !or" of Sri Bhas"arara#a. I ha+e translated it for the Truth See"er, as it is +er# highl# respected # all de+otees of the $undalini, The 2other of the 3ni+erse. It is the est (apa to please the 2other of the 3ni+erse. *ll 2antras are hidden in this (apa, the fulfilment of all desires. The sic" ha+e een healed # onl# reading it, the poor ha+e attained !ealth, and fears ha+e een remo+ed. >To o tain the fa+or of the 2other of the 3ni+erse, one should repeat the Thousand Names.> >.e !ho recites m# Thousand Names once, is m# de+otee. .e shall e "no!n as dear to me, and I !ill gi+e him all that he desires !hen ha+ing !orshipped me in the Sir 0ha"ras.> The &#u Purana sa#s@ >,ne should repeat 5e+i's names on the !ater, in the forest, on the land, and an# place !here fear arises from !ild animals or thie+es. The names of 5e+i's should e repeated al!a#s, for such a one !ill e li erated from himself and ondage.> The $e i"a Purana sa#s@ >, 2other of the 3ni+erse, those !ho praise Thee # !ords, 1 *m i"a, =aganma#a and 2a#a !ill o tain *ll.> >The &andi"a and Tantri"a rites of repeating once the Thousand Names are etter than athing in the .ol# Ganges, or other places.> /or the purification of oneself and fulfilment of desires, repeat the Thousand Names. S!ami &i+e"ananda, !rote in his oo" 6a(a %oga, a out, 'The po!er of !ords.' >There are certain sacred !ords called 2antrams, !hich ha+e po!er, !hen repeated under proper conditions, to produce these e7traordinar# po!ers. -e are li+ing in the midst of such a mass of miracles, da# and night, that !e do not thin" an#thing of them. There is no limit to man's po!er, the po!er of !ords and the po!er of mind.>

The reader !ill find these Thousand sa#ings, li"e the 3panishads teachings, eginning from Gross to Su tle and more Su tle Truth. The repetition of man# !ords !ill e found here ut these are most important.

-hy

orshi0 Siva 8Shiva, Shiva God9

8:y U'esh Chandra Chakravarty9 /rom time immemorial the .indus are !orshipping God Si+a !ho is master of truth, eaut# and liss. /rom the highest .imala#as on the north do!n to 6ames!ar in the south and from 0handranath hill on the east to 5!ar"a on the !est the !hole of India is filled up !ith Si+atemples here and there. So it is )uite needless to gi+e an# ac)uaintance of God Si+a to the Indians !hom the# are e+er-familiar !ith. Their ins and outs are e+er-filled up !ith the attri utes of Si+a and hearts e+er spring !ith (o# in .is +er# !orshipF This Si+a-!orship is not onl# an o (ect of out!ard form of .indu-!orship, ut the Greatest Saint *char#a San"ara !ho perfectl# realised !ithin himself the true meaning of Indian !orship of God Si+a, declared )uite clearl# in one of the h#mns called >Nir+ana Shat"am> as follo!s@ 1 >I am e#ond all imaginations and forms, I do not o e# an# sense ut all senses o e# 2e' there is nothing !ithout 2e, I am Si+a .imself in the +er# Shape of Soul and =o#. This is the real description of Si+a, the !orshippers !ho proceed in their !a# !ith this true ac)uaintance of the !orshipped are surel# lessed. .is !orship re)uired no particular arrangement, 1 .e is e+er satisfied !ith t!o little pra#ers and offerings, 1 a drop of !ater, a leaf of el and chee"-slap sounds onl# please .im the most. -e ha+e no second thing to offer to .im, the *tman or Soul is the onl# o (ect of .is offer. In .is !ell-"no!n h#mn of salutation !e find the follo!ing e7pression@ 1 '-e o! Thee do!n , God, full of infinite !elfare and calmness and the root cause of all the three !orlds. I offer m# soul unto Thee. Thou God of gods and Goal of all.> Surrendering of the Self is .is onl# mode of !orship, !hich transform an earthl# eing to 5i+ine eing full of hea+enl# liss. .ence a lessed hol# person sing most loudl# the highl# esteemed song >*m Si+a .imself am Si+a .imself in the +er# shape of Soul and =o#F> True Significance Si+a !orship does not re)uire the e7act image of Si+a as depicted in the h#mn of .ol# Scripture, ut it prefers a right s#m ol of 5i+init# !idel# "no!n as >Si+a-LingamF -hat is Lingam4 -e must thin" deepl# and ma"e out its real e7planation. Lingam means sign or s#m ol. -orship of Such 5i+ine S#m ol is a current usage amongst all nations of the !orld. The .indus !orship Lingam, the Bouddhas, Stupa, the 2ahomedans, a Blue Stone Pulpit in $a a and the 0hristians a 0ross Staff' thus almost e+er# great nation !orships a 5i+ine s#m ol of !hate+er shape it ma# e. The modern historians are of opinion that the Buddhistic Stupa or Pagoda !as transformed into Si+a Lingam # might# influence of *char#a San"ara. But actuall# the !orship of Si+a Lingam is eing practised # the .indus from un"no!n prehistoric time. -e find the origin of its histor# in the last chapter of '5harma Samhita' of 'Si+a 2aha Puranam' that !hen the !orld !as totall# destro#ed and there !as nothing ut unending flood of !ater and three original representations of Godhood namel# Brahma, &ishnu and 6udra, Brahma and &ishnu re)uested 6udra most fer+entl# for recreation of the uni+erse. 6udra gladl# consented and immersed .imself in a long deep meditation. Some thousand #ears eing passed in this !a# and finding no possi ilit# of creation # .im, &ishnu as"ed Brahma to perform the tas", !ho finished it instantl#. 6udra then rose from the meditation and finding e+er#thing alread# created # Brahma, ecause fired !ith !rath and at once attempted to destro#. *t this Brahma and &ishnu came efore .im and e7tinguished .is !rath # entreaties, and singing long pra#er ire .is praise. Easil# pleased .e !as gladdened instantl# !ith that and !ith the re)uest of Brahma and others, .e thre! off .is fier# +igour produced through !rath unto the Sun, !ho got the splendid illumination to light up the !orld.

The 5i+ine &igour of God Si+a, placed thus in the Sun is !orshipped thrice a da# # all as Ga+atri, Sa+itri and Saras!ati. Thereafter Si+a !ho secured endless life seeds for the creation through long meditation, put off the Lingam or S#m ol !hich is the stoc" of life-seeds and thre! it do!n on the earth. Thus eing thro!n off it egan to e7pand oth do!n!ard and up!ard and made un eara le horror to the !orld. &ishnu !ent do!n!ard and Brahma up!ard to get t!o ends of the same ut eing utterl# unsuccessful !ere sta#ing )uite unhapp#. *t this moment some !ords !ere heard to e uttered in the Ethereal plane that >If this la?ing S#m ol of 5i+ine +igour e !orshipped # all it !ould e pleased and the horri le temper !ould e transformed into road calmness to the entire !elfare of the !orld. B# !orshipping the S#m ol all !ould !orship God Si+a. Thereupon all did the same !hole-heartedl# and happiness of the !orld !as restored for e+er and the !orshippers !ere filled up !ith the spirit of 5i+init# and full# realised !ithin themsel+es the perfect Godhood of Si+a. Three 4ivine 2or's /rom the +er# time of this !ell-"no!n fact a out the origin of Effulgent and Eternal Lingam or S#m ol, the .indus ha+e een !orshipping God Si+a in Pure and 5i+ine S#m ol. Si+a is not onl# the lord of destruction, a description in the 'Si+asta"am' composed # *char#a San"ara gi+es out the perfectness of God Si+a in three 5i+ine forms for three di+isions of !or", namel# Brahma as 0reator, &ishnu as Supporter and 6udra as 5estro#er. .is s#m ol is e+erem raced # the S#m ol of Nature, the -orld 2other. .ere lies a +er# high idea of .indu s#stem of !orship !hich e7press as clear as da#light the true meaning of !orshipping /atherhood and 2otherhood of God s#m oli?ed together. E+er#one eing the child of /ather God and 2other Nature possesses full right to !orship !hat s#m oli?e Them oth. Is it not4 %es, actuall# this is the uni+ersal s#stem of !orship not at all confined in an# countr#, communit# or sect. This is )uite natural (ust as a child pa#s its due respect to the father and mother. In other !ords it is the !orship of Self or *tman and the reali?ation of Godhood !ithin the !orshipper himself. The spinal column standing on the ple7us !hich is triangular in form is the s#m ol of that !orship. /rom the ple7us right up comes the hollo! canal called Susumna or *ntarasun#a and from the left and the right sides come t!o fine ner+es "no!n as Ida and Pingala coiled round this hollo! canal or the spinal column forming +erte ra. These are the upper end or terminus of the hollo! canal !herein to e found a mesh !or" of fine ner+e tissues !hich is on the central part of the rain, other!ise called cere ellum apart from cere rum and medulla o longata. In m#thological language this mesh or net!or" of tissues is called the thousand petalled lotus or Sahasrar. This is !hat !e find in ph#siological structures. Inside the hollo! canal "no!n as Susumna three concentric ner+e tissues e)uall# hollo! inside are also mentioned in the oo". The first or the outer one is called &a?ra-naree or Indra-naree. The second one inside the first casing is called Sur#a-naree or Solar canal and still further inside another hollo! canal mentioned is "no!n as Brahmanaree or the hollo! canal for 5i+init#. Sy'bolic 4rift This !hole ph#siological representation is s#m oli?ed in stone image "no!n as Sthanu and Gauripatta. The !orshipper is to unloosen a it of clog or small glo ule on the top of the Sthanu and then the !orship !ill egin, ecause it is supposed that the internal passage to the higher plane is naturall# loc"ed up !hich must e remo+ed, so that the internal flo! or the passage of energ# might come up to the highest plane "no!n as Sahasrar. To put in Ps#chological language the *tman or the Ego !hich is supposed to e inside the hollo! canal or Susumna of the person is to e !orshipped or meditated upon. /rom the do!n ple7us si7 stages are mentioned as lotuses. These lotuses and stages are to e tra+ersed # rigid

meditation upon one's o!n Self and the ad(oining ner+e tissues of the centre are called particular lotuses. -e ha+e 2uludhara, S!adhisthana, 2anipura' Bisuddha 0ha"ra, *nahata, *(na 0ha"ra and Sahasrar. Thus !orshipping these representations one is !orshipping his ,!nself or Ego. .ence no rigid ritualities are ordained neither an# caste distinction nor specialit# of persons are re)uired. E+er# person can !orship Si+a )uite independentl#. It is the most non-sectarian, non- igoted form of !orship. This !orship is the !orth# self pro(ection or super-imposition of one's o!n Self or *dh#as of the *tman as s#m oli?ed in some material casing or stone representation. No! in the Bamachari period !hen e+er#thing !as e7plained out through the s#m ol of creati+e agencies "no!n as Brahma-&i(a and Sristhi &i(a, the +erte ra or the Sthanu is called the male s#m ol or Phallus of creation and the ple7us or Gouripatta is called the female s#m ol or Phallus of production. Thus the creati+e aspect of the original idea is !ell-preser+ed in the representation !hich form an alter mode of e7planation. The Sthanu is the representation of the Eternal column or Image "no!n as =#otirmo# or Effulgent Image and the Gouripatta is represented recepti+it# of the 5i+ine Energ# !hich rings forth the creation. In 0ommon parlance it is called /irmament and Earth or 0reati+e /ather and 2other in procreation. 2arch 9, 8DEG. /rom The *. B. Patri"a

Rev) leadbeater off the trail

The harm to %oga philosoph# that has een done # misinformation thru the >Theosophist> 6e+. 0. -. Lead eater is indeed +er# great. 2ost readers of Theosophical and ,ccult literature elie+e 6e+. Lead eater to e a friend to the .indus, ut after reading his oo", >The Inner Life> and >The 0ha"ras>, I am forced to sa# # the information he has gi+en, he is the greatest enem# of %oga philosoph#, and has gi+en a ad name to %oga. This ma# ha+e een done unconsciousl#. Ne+ertheless, it is hard to elie+e, as in >The 0ha"ras> he in no instance has corrected the misinformation made in >The Inner Life>. /or e7ample. in >The 0ha"ras> he tries to pro+e a difference in the petals of the different centers from that !hich is gi+en in %oga philosoph#. *ccording to 6e+. Lead eater all the %ogis of the past and present, e+en the founder of %oga philosoph# are !rong a out the 0ha"ras, and their petals. *ll %ogis and our oo"s claim Sahasrara, has one thousand petals ut in one of his chapters, 6e+. Lead eater sa#s he found there !ere onl# Nine .undred and Si7t# and not ',ne Thousand'. The *(na 0ha"ra has t!o petals, according to %oga, ut 6e+. Lead eater claims he found Ninet#-si7 petals in the *(na 0ha"ra. *ll his counts are opposite the %ogis' 0ha"ras, e7cept one. .e claims he found Nine .undred and Si7t# and Ninet#-si7. E+er# %ogi cannot help ut laugh, ecause there are reall# no petals at all. I !ill e7plain here, the s#m ols these petals stand for. E+er# %ogi "no!s, and the students of %oga Philosoph# "no!, that 6e+. Lead eater is 'off the trail,' and did not stop to consider the origin of our ,ne Thousand Petals. But undou tedl# he had something else in mind. In %oga Philosoph# these 0ha"ras are s#m ols' the first1 Earth, the second1 -ater, third-/ire,

fourth1 *ir, fifth1 Ether and si7th1 2ental. The 'Thousand-Petaled' !e do not call a 0ha"ra, as it is a o+e the nature element and mind. In these si7 s#m ols !e ha+e the 'Garland of Letters', as there are fift# letters in the Sans"rit alpha et and each petal of these centers represent a letter. In the first or 6oot 0ha"ra, %oga puts four petals, si7 in the second, ten in the third, t!el+e in the fourth, si7teen in the fifth and t!o in the si7th, et!een the e#es. That includes the occult s#m ol of the Sans"rit alpha et. B# repeating all of the fift# alpha etical letters t!ent# times !e ha+e ,ne Thousand1 the s#m ol of the 'Thousand-petals'. -e !ould li"e to "no! (ust !here 6e+. Lead eater gets his idea that there are onl# D<G. No! is he not off the trail, reader4 No! I !ill gi+e #ou his o!n !ords a out a!a"ening the $undalini@ >,ne +er# common effect of rousing it prematurel# is that it rushes do!n!ards in the od# instead of up!ards, and thus e7cites the most undesira le passions1 e7cites them and intensifies their effects to such a degree that it ecomes impossi le for the man to resist them. ecause a force has een rought into pla#, in !hose presence he is as helpless as a s!immer efore the (a!s of a shar">. The reader !ill find this "ind of stuff in 0hapter /our and in the ne7t 0hapter he contradicts as follo!s@ >It is said in some cases $undalini has een a!a"ened not onl# # the !ill, ut also # an accident' # a lo! or # ph#sical pressure. I heard recentl# from one of our Theosophical lecturers that he had come across an e7ample of the "ind !hen touring in 0anada. * lad#, !ho "ne! nothing at all of these matters fell do!n the cellar steps in her house. She la# for some time unconscious, and !hen she a!o"e she found herself clair+o#ant, a le to read the thoughts passing in other people's minds, and to see !hat !as going on in e+er# room in the house' and this clair+o#ance has remained a permanent possession. ,ne assumes that in this case in falling, the lad# must ha+e recei+ed a lo! at the ase of the spine e7actl# in such a position and of such a nature as to shoc" the $undalini into partial acti+it#.> The miseries and dangers spo"en of in the pre+ious chapter, do not appear to ha+e een monstrous in this case. I !ill no! sho! m# readers at !hat 6e+. Lead eater is dri+ing. *nd he does not hesitate, if, at the same time he gi+es a ad name to the %oga Philosoph#, ecause he !ants follo!ers of his method of opening the $undalini, and reall# one can hardl# lame 6e+. Lead eater, as it seems to e the custom of the -est to first gi+e the other man a ad name and then, see" his follo!ers. /or nearl# half a centur# I ha+e met 2aster %ogis !ho ha+e a!a"ened their $undalini and not in a single instance did the# claim the# had opened it. 6e+. Lead eater is the first man to come to m# attention, !ho claims he has opened his $undalini. /or the rest of the people he sa#s@ > ut most people cannot gain it during the present incarnation, if it is the first in !hich the# ha+e egun to ta"e these matters seriousl# in hand, ut it is reall# for the ma(orit#, the !or" of a later round altogether. The con)uest of the serpent-fire has to e repeated in each incarnation, since the +ehicles are ne! each time, ut after it has een once thoroughl# achie+ed these repetitions !ill e an eas# matter.> Then on the same page he gi+es his o!n personal e7perience@ >It ma# e of use if I mention m# o!n e7perience in this matter. In the earlier part of m# residence in India fort# #ears ago I made no effort to rouse the fire, not indeed "no!ing +er# much a out it, and ha+ing the opinion that, in order to do an#thing !ith it, it !as necessar# to e orn !ith a speciall# ps#chic od#, !hich I did not possess. But one da# one of the 2asters made a suggestion to me !ith regard to a certain "ind of meditation !hich !ould e+o"e this force. Naturall# I at once put the suggestion into practice, and in course of time !as successful. I ha+e no dou t, ho!e+er, that .e !atched the e7periment, and !ould ha+e chec"ed me if it had ecome dangerous. I am told that there are Indian ascetics !ho teach this to their pupils, of course "eeping them under careful

super+ision during the process. But I do not m# self "no! of an# such, nor !ould I ha+e confidence in them unless the# !ere speciall# recommended # someone !hom I "ne! to e possessed of real "no!ledge.> 6e+. Lead eater claims he has opened the $undalini, still he !ill not ha+e the confidence in the .indu 2aster, unless the# !ere speciall# recommended # some ghost on the *stral Plane. /ollo!ing, I !ill sho! ho! he !ants #ou to open the $undalini@ >People often as" me !hat I ad+ise them to do !ith regard to the arousing of this force. I ad+ise them to do e7actl# !hat I m#self did. I recommend them to thro! themsel+es into theosophical !or" and !ait until the# recei+e a definite command from some 2aster !ho !ill underta"e to superintend their ps#chic de+elopment, continuing in the meantime all the ordinar# e7ercises of meditation that are "no!n to them. The# should not care in the least !hether such de+elopment comes in this incarnation or in the ne7t, ut should regard the matter from the point of +ie! of the ego and not of the personalit#, feeling a solutel# certain that the 2asters are al!a#s !atching for those !hom The# can help, that it is entirel# impossi le for an#one to e o+erloo"ed, and that The# !ill un)uestiona l# gi+e Their directions !hen The# thin" that the right time has come.> It !ould reall# e a great (o# to all %ogis if, 6e+. Lead eater !ill lea+e the %oga Philosoph# alone and gi+e to the !orld !hat he !ants, ut # all means, call it # some other name. This is not a pleasure to me to criticise some other !riter, ut I elie+e it is the dut# of e+er# %ogi, to gi+e to those !ho are see"ing information, onl# that !hich he Athe %ogiB "no!s to e correct a out the $undalini1 the 2other of the 3ni+erse. The follo!ing is an article on the same su (ect, # *rthur *+alon. .e, too, )uestions 6e+. Lead eater's remar"s. /rom pp. < to 8J 2r. *. *+alon's, >The Serpent Po!er.> >-e ma# here notice the account of a !ell-"no!n >Theosophical> author A2r. 0. -. Lead eaterB, regarding !hat he calls the >/orce 0entres> and the >Serpent /ire,> of !hich he !rites that he has had personal e7perience. Though 2r. Lead eater also refers to the %oga Shastra, it ma# perhaps e7clude error if !e here point out that his account does not profess to e a representation of the teaching of the Indian %ogis A!hose competence for their o!n %oga the author some!hat disparagesB, ut that it is put for!ard as the *uthor's o!n original e7planation Afortified, as he concei+es, # certain portions of Indian teachingB of the personal e7perience !hich Ahe !ritesB he himself has had. This e7perience appears to consist in the conscious arousing of the >Serpent /ire,> 8 !ith the enhanced >astral> and mental +ision !hich he elie+es has sho!n him !hat he tells us. 9 The centres, or 0ha"ras, of the human od# are # 2r. Lead eater descri ed to e +ortices of >etheric> matter E into !hich rush from the >astral> : !orld, and at right angles to the plane of the !hirling disc, the se+enfold force of the Logos ringing >di+ine life> into the ph#sical od#. Though all these se+en forces operate on all the centres, in each of them one form of the force is greatl# predominant. These inrushing forces are alleged to set up on the surface of the >etheric dou le> ;a secondar# forces at right angles to themsel+es. The primar# force on entrance into the +orte7 radiates again in straight lines, ut at right angles. The num er of these radiations of the primal force is said to determine the num er of >petals> < Aas the .indus call themB !hich the >Lotus> or +orte7 e7hi its. The secondar# force rushing round the +orte7 produces, it is said, the appearance of the petals of a flo!er, or, >perhaps more accuratel#, saucers or shallo! +ases of !a+# iridescent glass>. In this !a#1 that is, # supposition of an etheric +orte7 su (ect to an incoming force of the Logos1 oth the >Lotuses>

descri ed in the .indu oo"s and the num er of their petals is accounted for # the author, !ho su stitutes for the S+adhishthana centre a si7-petalled lotus at the spleen, ; and corrects the num er of petals of the lotus in the head, !hich he sa#s is not a thousand, as the oo" of this %oga sa#, > ut e7actl# D<G>. <a >There are some resem lances et!een this account and the teaching of the %oga Shastra, !ith !hich in a general !a# the author cited appears to ha+e some ac)uaintance, and !hich ma# ha+e suggested to him some features of his account. There are firstl# se+en centres, !hich !ith one e7ception correspond !ith the 0ha"ras descri ed. The author sa#s that there are three other lo!er centres, ut that concentration on them is full of danger. -hat these are is not stated. There is no centre lo!er, that I am a!are of, than the 2uladhara Aas the name >root-centre> itself impliesB, and the onl# centre near to it !hich is e7cluded, in the a o+ementioned account, is the *pas Tatt+a centre, or S+adhishthana. Ne7t there is the /orce >the Serpent /ire,> !hich the .indus call $undalini, in the lo!est centre, the 2uladhara. Lastl#, the effect of the rousing of this force, !hich is accomplished # !ill po!er A%oga alaB, J is said to e7alt the ph#sical consciousness through the ascending planes to the >hea+en !orld>. To use the .indu e7pression, the o (ect and aim of Shatcha"ra heda is %oga. This is ultimatel# union !ith the Supreme Self or Paramatma' ut it is o +ious, that as the od# in its natural state is alread#, though unconsciousl#, in %oga, other!ise it !ould not e7ist, each conscious step up!ards is %oga, and there are man# stages of such efore complete or $ai+al#a 2u"ti is attained. This and, indeed, man# of the. preceding stages are far e#ond the >hea+en !orld> of !hich the author spea"s. %ogis are not concerned !ith the >hea+en !orld,> ut see" to surpass it' other!ise the# are not %ogis at all. -hat, according to this theor#, manifested force apparentl# does is this@ it enhances the mental and moral )ualities of the self-operator as the# e7isted at the time of its disco+er#. But if this e so, such enhancement ma# e as little desira le as the original state. *part from the necessit# for the possession of health and strength, the thought, !ill, and moralit#, !hich it is proposed to su (ect to its influence must e first purified and strengthened efore the# are intensified # the +i+if#ing influence of the aroused force. /urther, as I ha+e else!here pointed out, D the %ogis sa# that the piercing of the Brahmagranthi or >"not> 8G sometimes in+ol+es considera le pain, ph#sical disorder, and e+en disease, as is not unli"el# to follo! from concentration on such a centre as the na+el ANa hipadmaB. >To use .indu terms, the Sadha"a must e competent A*dhi"ariB, a matter to e determined # his Guru, from !hom alone the actual method of %oga, can e learned. The incidental dangers, ho!e+er, stated # 2r. Lead eater go e#ond an# mentioned to me # Indians themsel+es, !ho seem to e in general una!are of the su (ect of >phallic sorcer#>, to !hich reference is made # 2r. Lead eater, !ho spea"s of schools of Aapparentl# -esternB 'Blac" 2agic> !hich are said to use $undalini for the purpose of stimulating the se7ual centre. *nother author sa#s@ 88 >The mere da ler in the pseudo-occult !ill onl# degrade his intellect !ith the puerilities of ps#chism, ecome the pre# of the e+il influence of the phantasmal !orld, or ruin his soul # the foul practices of phallic sorcer#1 as thousands of misguided people are doing e+en in this age.> Is this so4 It is possi le that per+erse or misguided concentration on se7ual and connected centres ma# ha+e the effect alluded to. *nd it ma# e that the 0ommentator La"shmidara alludes to this !hen he spea"s of 3ttara $aulas !ho arouse $undalini in the 2uladhara to satisf# their desire for !orld-en(o#ment and do not attempt to lead .er up!ards to the .ighest 0entre !hich is the o (ect of %oga see"ings super!orldl# liss. ,f such, a Sans"rit +erse runs >the# are the true prostitutes>. I ha+e, ho!e+er, ne+er heard Indians refer to this matter, pro a l# ecause, it does not elong to %oga in its ordinar# sense, as also # reason of the antecedent discipline re)uired of those !ho !ould underta"e this %oga, the nature of their practice, and the aim the# ha+e in +ie!, such a possi ilit# does not come under consideration.

The Indian !ho practices this or an# other "ind of spiritual %oga ordinaril# does so not on account of a curious interest in occultism or !ith a desire to gain >astral> or similar e7periences. 89 .is attitude in this as in all other matters is essentiall# a religious one, ased on a firm faith in Brahman ASthiranishthaB, and inspired # a desire for union !ith It !hich is li eration. >*ssuming for argument the alleged correspondence, then the >etheric centres> or 0ha"ras of 2r. Lead eater's account appear to e centres of energ# of Prana-+a#u1 or &ital /orce. The lotuses are also this and centres of the uni+ersal consciousness. $undalini is the static form of the creati+e energ# in odies !hich is the source of all energies, including Prana. *ccording to 2r. Lead eater's theor#, $undalini is some force !hich is distinct from Prana, understanding this term to mean +italit# of the life-principle, !hich on entrance into the od# sho!s itself in +arious manifestations of life !hich are the minor Pranas, of !hich inspiration is called # the general name of the force itself APranaB. &erses 8G and 88 sa#s of $undalini@ >It is She !ho maintains all the eings Athat is, (i+a, (i+atmaB of the !orld # means of inspiration and e7piration.> She is thus the Prana 5e+ata, ut, as She is A0omm., ++. 8G and 88B Srishtisthitila#atmi"a, all forces therefore are in .er. She is, in fact, the Sha da rahman or >-ord> in odies. The theor# discussed appears to di+erge from that of the %ogis !hen !e consider the nature of the 0ha"ras and the )uestion of their +i+ification. *ccording to 2r. Lead eater's account, the 0ha"ras are all +ortices of >etheric matter>, apparentl# of the same "ind and su (ect to the same e7ternal influence of the inrushing se+enfold force of the >Logos> ut differing in this, that in each of the 0ha"ras one or other of their se+enfold forces is predominant. *gain, if, as has een stated, the astral od# corresponds !ith the 2anoma#a"osha, then the +i+ification of the 0ha"ras appears to e, according to 2r. Lead eater, a rousing of the $ami" side of the mental sheath. *ccording to the .indu doctrine, these 0ha"ras are differing centres of consciousness, +italit#, and Tatt+i" energ#. Each of the fi+e lo!er 0ha"ras is the centre of energ# of a gross Tatt+a1 that is, of that form of Tatt+i" acti+it# or Tanmatra !hich manifests the 2aha huta or sensi le matter. The si7th is the centre of the su tle mental Tatt+a, and the Sahasrara is not called a 0ha"ra at all. Nor, as stated, is the splenic centre included among the si7 0ha"ras !hich are dealt !ith in this account. >In the Indian s#stem the total num er of the petals corresponds !ith the num er of the letters of the Sans"rit *lpha et, 8E and the num er of the petals of an# specific lotus is determined # the disposition of the su tile >ner+es> Nadis around it. These petals, further, ear su tile sound-po!ers, and are fift# in num er, as are the letters of the Sans"rit *lpha et. >This !or" also descri es certain things !hich are gained # contemplation on each of the 0ha"ras. Some of them are of general character, such as long life, freedom from desire and sin, control of the senses, "no!ledge, po!er of speech, and fame. Some of these and other )ualities are results common to concentration on more than one 0ha"ra. ,thers are stated in connection !ith the contemplation upon one centre onl#. Such statements seem to e made, not necessaril# !ith the intention of accuratel# recording the specific. result, if an#, !hich follo!s upon concentration upon a particular centre, ut # !a# of praise for increased selfcontrol, or Stuti-+ada' as !here it is said in +. 98 that contemplation on the Na hi-padma gains for the %ogi po!er to destro# and create the !orld. >It is also said that master# of the centres ma# produce +arious Siddhis or po!ers in respect of the predominating elements there. *nd this is, in fact, alleged. 8: Pandit *nanta Shastri sa#s@ 8; >-e can meet !ith se+eral persons e+er# da# el o!ing us in the streets or a?aars !ho in all sincerit# attempted to reach the highest plane of liss, ut fell +ictims on the !a# to the illusions of the ps#chic !orld, and stopped at one or the other of the si7 0ha"ras. The# are of +ar#ing degrees of attainment, and are seen to possess some po!er !hich is not found

e+en in the est intellectuals of the ordinar# run of man"ind. That this school of practical ps#cholog# !as !or"ing +er# !ell in India at one time is e+ident from these li+ing instances Anot to spea" of the num erless treatises on the su (ectB of men roaming a out in all parts of the countr#.> The mere rousing of the Serpent po!er does not, from the spiritual %oga standpoint, amount to much. Nothing, ho!e+er, of real moment, from the higher %ogis' point of +ie!, is achie+ed until the *(na 0ha"ra is reached. .ere, again, it is said that the Sadha"a !hose *tma is nothing ut a meditation on this lotus > ecomes the creator, preser+er, and destro#er, of the three !orlds>' and #et, as the commentator points out A+. E:B, >This is ut the highest Prashangsa-+ada or Stuti+ada1 that is, compliment1 !hich in Sans"rit literature is as often +oid of realit# as it is in our ordinar# life. Though much is here gained, it is not until the Tatt+as of this centre are also a sor ed, and complete "no!ledge 8< of the Sahasrara is gained, that the %ogi attains that !hich is oth his aim and the moti+e of his la our, cessation from re irth !hich follo!s on the control and concentration of the 0hitta on the Shi+asthanam, the * ode of Bliss. It is not to e supposed that simpl# ecause the Serpent /ire has een aroused that one has there # ecome a %ogi or achie+ed the end of %oga. There are other points of difference !hich the reader !ill disco+er for himself, ut into !hich I do not enter, as m# o (ect in comparing the t!o accounts has een to esta lish a general contrast et!een this modern account and that of the Indian schools. I ma#, ho!e+er, add that the differences are not onl# as to details. The st#le of thought differs in a !a# not eas# shortl# to descri e, ut !hich !ill e )uic"l# recognised # those !ho ha+e some familiarit# !ith the Indian Scriptures and mode of thought. The latter is e+er disposed to interpret all processes and their results from a su (ecti+e standpoint, though for the purposes of Sadhana the o (ecti+e aspect is not ignored. The Indian theor# is highl# philosophical. Thus, to ta"e ut one instance, !hilst 2r. Lead eater attri utes the po!er of ecoming large or small at !ill A*nima and 2ahima SiddhiB to a fle7i le tu e or >microscopic sna"e> in the forehead, the .indu sa#s that all po!ers ASiddhiB are the attri utes A*ish+ar##aB of the Lord Ish+ara, or 0reati+e 0onsciousness, and that in the degree that the =i+a realises that consciousness 8I he shares the po!ers inherent in the degree of his attainment. The a o+e is an e7cerpt from 2r. *+alon's introduction to his oo", >The Serpent Po!er>. E+er# student of %oga should read it. -/INIS,m, ,m. ,m.

2ootnotes 8;E@8 This and the follo!ing notes compare his and the Indian theor#. The 5e+i or Goddess is called Bhu(angi or serpent ecause at the lo!est centre A2uladharaB she lies >coiled> round the Linga. >0oiled>1 at rest. The 0osmic Po!er in odies is here at rest' !hen rouged it is felt as intense heat. 8;E@9 0ertain Siddhis or occult po!ers are ac)uired at each center as the practitioner !or"s his !a# up!ards. 8;:@E The petals of the lotus are Pranasha"ti manifested # Prana+a#u or +ital force. Each lotus is a centre of a different form of >matter> ABhutaB there predominant1 * .*. 8;:@: This a -estern term1 *. *. 8;:@;a Not mentioned in the account here gi+en.1 *. *.

8;:@< See last note ut three. 8;;@; Not mentioned in the account here gi+en.1 *. *. 8;;@<a So little attention seems to e gi+en to e7actitude in this matter that one of the letters is dropped in order to ma"e 8,GGG petals1 that is <G KL 9G. >Thousand> is, here onl# s#m olic of magnitude.1 *. *. 8;<@J -ith the aid of odil# purification, certain *sans and 2udras A+. poetB. 8;I@D1 In the first edition of m# 2ahanir+ana Tantra. 0CCI&. 8;I@8G There are three '"nots> !hich ha+e to e pierced or centres !here the force of 2a#a is particular, strong. 8;J@88 >The *pocal#pse 3nsealed,> p. <9. 8;D@89 Those !ho do practise magic of the "ind mentioned !or" onl# in the lo!est centre, ha+e recourse to the Pra#oga, !hich leads to 2a#i"a Shiddhi, !here # commerce is had !ith female spirits and the li"e. The process in this !or" descri ed is one upon the path of li eration and has nothing to do !ith se7ual lac" magic. 8<8@8E -hich are sometimes gi+en as ;G and sometimes as ;8. 8<9@8:1 See %ogatatt+e 3panishad, !here contemplation on the earth centre secures master# o+er, etc. *t the same time it points out that these >po!ers> are o stacles to li eration. 8<9@8;1 *nandalahari, p. E;. 8<E@8< This, it is o +ious, comes onl# after long effort, and follo!ing on less complete e7periences and results. *ccording to Indian notions, success ASiddhiB in %oga ma# e the fruit of e7periences of man# preceding li+es. $undalini must e graduall# raised from one centre to another until she reaches the Lotus in the cere rum. The length of time re)uired +aries in the indi+idual1 it ma# e #ears ordinaril# or in e7ceptional cased months. 8<;@8I *s this is # the 5e+i's grace, She is called >the gi+er of the eight Siddhis> AIshit+ad#ashtasiddhidaB. See Trishati, II. :I. She gi+es *ish+ar##a. The follo!ing ad+ertisements follo!ed the original oo". I ha+e transcri ed them for completeness. The addresses and prices in these ad+ertisements are long out of date and !e cannot pro+ide further information a out this.1 =B.. The follo!ing oo" is also at this site at this location@ *;G/ 1/S<7S<T ;R <3/135 2;U54 AB# the *uthorB It is the oo" for the truth-see"ers !ho are hungr# for Spiritualit#. It is the guidance for the dail# life. The !or" of the Great 2aster, !ho made it so +er# eas# # illustration, that, e+en a ten #ear old child can understand it. This oo" contains the follo!ing chapters@ 81 91 E1 :1 ;1 Sri 6am, the Truth See"er. .o! -ise should Li+e. .o! Su"a attained Li eration. The -a# to the Blessed State. The 0reation of the 3ni+erse' Se+en States of -isdom and Se+en States of Ignorance.

<1 Mueen 0hundalai. The Greatest -oman %ogin, re+eals the 2#steries of the $undalini. .er students do not !ant to go to .ea+en, as the# found .ea+en E+er#!here. I1 .o! $ing =ana" attained Emancipation, at same time doing his dail# duties. J1 .o! Egoist Bali attained Samadhi. D1 .o! the $ing of .unters attained 6eali?ation of the Self. 8G1 Long Li+ed %ogi and Secret of his Longe+it#. 881 Le+itation and the Goal of the %ogi. 891 $atha 3panishad or 2#ster# of 5eath. 6ead this oo" and #ou !ill ne+er miss the 0onsciousness of God !ithin #ou. T<3 :;;K *;U=13 :335 -/7T75G 2;R *t last a oo" gi+ing an intimate glimpse into the li+es of the great 2asters, # one !ho li+ed among them. 6ead their priceless !ords of teaching, and read of the mar+els the# dail# perform. No other oo" li"e this has come out of India. In its pages %,3, too, ma# !al" eside the 2*STE6S, ma# listen to the Eternal &oice of the *ges chant the song of the Infinite, ma# e+en dine on Prana. -hen #ou are thru !ith the oo", #ou !ill ha+e had a +isit !ith me to the .ol# Temples of the .imala#ans. Great 2asters of the .imala#as. Their Li+es *nd Temple Teachings. B# 6ishi Singh Gher!al. The Prasna 3panishad. 2ar+elous /eats Performed # %ogis, through %oga. 5octors, Scientists and 0hemists una le to sol+e the m#steries. B# Same *uthor