This is my third blog post on the subject of Kuṇḍalinī. If you haven’t yet read or listened to the first one, please do. In the second one (which you need not read before this one), I presented excerpts from the original Sanskrit work composed by Swami Lakshman Joo (SLJ), the last living Trika guru of Kashmīr (1907-1991), entitled Kuṇḍalinī-vijñāna-rahasya, translatable as “The Secret Wisdom of Kuṇḍalinī” or “Esoteric Insight into Kuṇḍalinī” or perhaps “The Secret of Kuṇḍalinī’s Wisdom.” In this post I finally present the complete translation of that text, which was first published (only in Sanskrit) 60 years ago. Since it is somewhat difficult to understand, I will first give you a brief summary to guide your comprehension of what follows.
The key thing to understand here is that SLJ’s text teaches three forms of Kuṇḍalinī, drawing on the work of Abhinavagupta (950-1020): Shakti-Kuṇḍalinī, Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī, and Parā-Kuṇḍalinī. These three are localized at the heart, base of the torso, and crown of the head respectively. In giving this teaching, Abhinavagupta himself was drawing on a scripture called the Triśirobhairava-tantra, sadly now lost to us. In this teaching, Kuṇḍalinī is understood as Śiva/Bhairava’s Power of Emission (visarga-śakti), which, in its universal aspect, is identical with liberated awareness, expressed as fully expanded all-encompassing I-ness (pūrṇāhaṃtā). In that context, then, these are the three aspects of Kuṇḍalinī briefly summarized (the quotes are from SLJ’s text):
1. Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī in the Base
“When, in the manner described in these verses of the Spanda-kārikā (24-25), a Śaiva yogī, not allowing his awareness to slacken even for a moment, contemplating his identity with Śiva, draws near to the state of immersion (samāveśa), then, by virtue of his unbroken self-awareness, both his outgoing and ingoing breaths dissolve into the path of Suṣumnā. As soon as this happens, his vital energy (prāṇa-śakti) descends to the perineal centre at the pelvic floor (mūlādhāra). Then in radiant expansion it flows up from there through the central channel and as it does so the yogin experiences Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī.” (This aspect of K is actually taught second in SLJ’s text.)
Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī rises in six ways, called the six piercings (taught in Tantrāloka chapter 29, in a passage I translated for my doctoral dissertation; the six are summarized in SLJ’s text): the 1) mantra, 2) resonance (nāda), 3) drop (bindu), 4) empowered, 5) cobra, and 6) supreme varities.
2. Śakti-Kuṇḍalinī (also known as Kula-Kuṇḍalinī) in the Heart
“According to the Śaiva doctrine, when a yogī is established in that state of immersion (samāveśa) in which they realize the entire universe as their own identity, as the result of sustained awareness of the nature of Śiva as identical with the Self, then they attain immersion in this power of Emission (visarga-śakti) so that they merge with this Śakti-Kuṇḍalinī state.” (this aspect of K is taught first in SLJ’s text)
3. Parā-Kuṇḍalinī in the Crown
“When the Power of Emission in the form of ultimate Awareness is directed towards one’s inner being, then, savoring one’s own [true] identity in its real nature at the innermost core, it brings about an immersion of objectivity into the domain of all-encompassing subjectivity; and likewise brings about an immersion of all-encompassing subjectivity into the domain of objectivity. [In this way,] the Power of Emission illuminates the modality of Parā-Kuṇḍalinī in the form of the Krama-mudrā, characterized by the true form of all-encompassing joy and bestowing [the state of] total fusion (sāmarasya) of these two: meditation (samādhi) and the post-meditative state (vyutthāna).” [cf. The Recognition Sutras chapter 19]
An interesting feature of SLJ’s analysis of the three Kuṇḍalinīs is that he describes the role of each in sexual sādhanā. Being himself a celibate brahmacārī, he no doubt reveals this dimension because it is present in the passage of Tantrāloka chapter three which is his primary source. More about this later in this post. Having given that orientation, we now proceed to the complete text of the Kuṇḍalinī-vijñāna-rahasya, here published for the first time in English.
The Secret of Kuṇḍalinī’s Wisdom
Authorship: composed by Swami Lakshman Joo (1907-1991), with the (previously uncredited) help of Paṇḍit Dinanāth Yakṣa (1921-2004); first two-thirds translated by Alexis Sanderson (with edits and minor alterations by CW) and final one-third by Christopher Wallis*
Benediction verse:
May Kuṇḍalinī, the power which manifests the universe, bestow on you the floods of her cosmic joy, flashing up from her source, one with the vast and sublime illumination perceived in her radiance, causing the six cakras[1] to vibrate, arousing in awareness the sweet resonance produced by her passage, imparting satiation as she attains union with the Lord in the thousand-petalled lotus, stable [yet] pervading the universe.
Introduction
The term Kuṇḍalinī refers to Śiva’s power of Emission (visarga-śakti) which, inasmuch as it is universal, is identical with I-ness (ahaṃtā) in its fullest expansion. The revealed texts of our tradition say that She has three and a half coils. Of these, the first is that mode of selfhood in which the objects of cognition predominates, the second that in which the act of cognition predominates, the third that I-ness in which the cognizer predominates, while the remaining half-coil is that ‘I’ whose essential nature is the state of pure awareness [beyond individuality and doership].
1. Śakti-Kuṇḍalinī
When supreme consciousness (parā saṃvit) becomes self-aware in the subtlest possible manner, it first shines forth [within itself alone] with the impulse to manifest itself as the diverse phenomena which constitute the universe out of that freedom which is [simply] its urge to extroversion; then this supreme power (parā-śakti) is termed in all our scriptures ‘Śakti-Kuṇḍalinī’ [associated with icchā-śakti], representing to itself the world of objective diversity as one with itself . . . . [This is] an act of blissful relish within her Self alone. She is that power of Śiva which is his initial emergence [towards objectivity] (ādya-unmeṣa).
Moreover, according to the Śaiva doctrine, when a yogī is established in that state of immersion (samāveśa) in which they realize the entire universe as their own identity, as the result of sustained awareness of the nature of Śiva as identical with his Self, then they attain immersion in this power of Emission (visarga-śakti) so that they merge with this Śakti-Kuṇḍalinī state.
The nature of Śakti-Kuṇḍalinī is described in the Tantrasadbhāva as follows: “The ultimate and subtle power termed nirācāra (‘beyond conduct’) rests, introverted, enveloping the subjective centre of awareness in the heart (hṛd-bindu). . . .”
The same goddess Śakti-Kuṇḍalinī has been described in the Tantrāloka (3.138-9, citing the Triśirobhairava-tantra) . . . “This [Power] is the light of all things; when bereft[2] of the [actual] emission of all the entities which she will subsequently make manifest, she is Śakti-Kuṇḍalinī, whose nature is Parāparā, and she is likewise Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī [whose nature is Aparā], and, in the region of final emission [at the crown], she is Parā-Kuṇḍalinī. She is also called the Sky of Śiva and the Abode of the absolute Self.”[3] In fact this is the ‘intermediate’, the germinal state of that power of Emission which is otherwise called Parāparā, ‘power uniting both its absolute and finite aspects’. (With the power of Emission’s finite aspect being Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī and absolute aspect being Parā-Kuṇḍalinī.)
1b. Śakti-Kuṇḍalinī in sexual sādhana
The Kaula yogi also realizes this Śakti-Kuṇḍalinī. He realizes it as Kāma-tattva (‘the essence of desire’) through the contemplation of the power of desire (kāma-kalā) during the secret [sexual] rite (caryā-krama) at that moment of immersion (samāveśa) which is the co-penetration (saṅghaṭṭa) of siddha and yoginī. As the holy master Abhinavagupta has said (TĀ 3.146): “This phoneme ‘H’ which is the power of Emission in its state of latency is termed Kāmatattva in the Kula-gahvara-tantra.” [and] “The fulfillment of desire is the reality experienced in co-penetration.”[4]
The master Vātūlanātha too has mentioned this Śakti-Kuṇḍalinī in the following sūtra:“Through the co-penetration of the siddha(s) and yoginī(s), the great celebratory unification (mahā-melāpa) arises.” If a Kaula yogī establishes himself or herself therein even for an instant s/he experiences through the melting away of the duality of Śiva and Śakti as subject and object of awareness (vedya-vedaka) an equilibrium (sthiti) which is the supreme fusion in identity of essence (mahā-sāmarasya) of the two.
Thus it should be clearly understood that only the Kaula yogī who experiences the state of Śakti-Kuṇḍalinī within the great celebratory unification of the co-penetration of siddha and yoginī during the secret [sexual] rite is entitled to undertake it, and nobody else. Therefore none but those of the highest spiritual development, who are fully established in the recognition of their all-inclusive identity (paripūrṇa-svātma) are qualified for this secret [sexual] rite, the source of the ultimate penetration & immersion (samāveśa).
2. Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī
Now I shall explain the nature of Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī. The power of Emission, its nature the blissful aesthetic relish (camatkāra) of consciousness, is described in our revealed texts as Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī when it cognizes Emission’s emergence (unmeṣa-daśā) within itself, in accordance with the teaching in Tantrāloka 3.141, “This state of Emission is the projection of one’s own self by one’s own self in one’s own self,” and represents itself as the generic life-force energy, in accordance with [Kallaṭa’s] axiom, “Consciousness’s initial transformation is as life-force energy.” . . . It is this same power of consciousness, in its Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī aspect, that is experienced by Kaula yogins flashing forth in that reality which is the first instant of ejaculation (visarga, in a triple meaning here, including also the exhale and the emission of phenomenal experience of any kind).
But here I shall add something on the basis of my own (viz., SLJ’s) understanding. The Stanzas on Pulsation say: “Taking their stand on that [thought-free centre] both moon and sun (inhale and exhale / object and cognition) dissolve into the path of Suṣumnā and leave behind the sphere of Brahmā (the objective world), rising beyond it. Then in that great void within which sun and moon have utterly dissolved, the unaware remains as if immersed in dreamless sleep; but the awareness of one who is awake remains unshrouded.”(SK 24-25)[5] When, in the manner described in these verses, a Śaiva yogī, not allowing his awareness to slacken even for a moment, contemplating his identity with Śiva, draws near to the state of immersion (samāveśa), then, by virtue of his unbroken self-awareness, both his outgoing and ingoing breaths dissolve into the path of Suṣumnā. As soon as this happens, his vital energy (prāṇa-śakti) descends to the perineal centre at the pelvic floor (mūlādhāra). Then in radiant expansion it flows up from there through the central channel and as it does so the yogin experiences the state of Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī.
There are here two possible ways for yogis. The first is as follows. For some, when the outgoing and ingoing breaths dissolve into the central channel, they first turn downwards and, having broken through the lambikā-centre, producing a sound like the roar one hears when one [partially] blocks one’s ears with one’s fingers, penetrate the perineal centre. First the yogin experiences this centre spinning at great speed and emitting the sound I have described. Then the vital energy ascends therefrom and flowing up through the central channel pierces the second cakra which is located [in this system] in the region of the navel, so that it too begins to rotate and resonate powerfully. At this stage the yogin experiences both centres spinning simultaneously. Then the yogin’s vital energy, rising from the navel-centre darts upwards and penetrates the heart-centre. The yogin experiences it rotating the same way. Then the vital energy, continuing to rise through the central channel and reaching the throat, penetrates in a flash both the centre in the throat and that located between the eyebrows, so that these too begin to spin at high speed. Such is the experiences of yogis alone. When the [kuṇḍalinī of the] yogin has pierced the centre in the abode of bindu (between the brows), he experiences, within the pulsation of Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī, the rapid simultaneous rotation of all the centres from the perineal to that between the eyebrows. (See the description of vedha-dīkṣā at Tantrāloka 29.237-8, translated in an appendix of my doctoral dissertation.) [The second possible way for yogis, piśācāveśa, is omitted here, because of the confusion it might cause practitioners. SLJ cites a verse from the Kularatna-tantra aka the Ratnamālā on this subject, but I am not confident he fully understood his source material.]
<<Sanderson’s translation (edited by C.W.) breaks off here,*
and C.W.’s translation begins>>
Now, the yogin contemplating/touching the power of desire (kāma-kalā) during the secret [sexual] rite (caryā-krama) consisting of the co-penetration (saṅghaṭṭa) of siddha and yoginī experiences this state of Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī on the occasion of entering the ‘principle of poison/pervasion’ (viṣa-tattva). For that condition which is first experienced in the state of the great celebratory unification (the mahā-melāpa, which has the character previously described) is alluded to in the scriptures in the form of the ‘principle of poison/pervasion’.
It is described in the revered Kula-gahvara-tantra as ‘initiation by penetration’ (vedha-dīkṣā) which has six varieties: the Mantra, Resonance (nāda), Drop (bindu), Empowered, Cobra, and Supreme varieties (verse citation of the KGT follows, with no additional information). The nature of these six kinds of vedha-dīkṣā is taught below.
(1) Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī rises from the mūlādhāra-cakra in the form of the mantra that consists of the all-encompassing identity (AHAṂ). Due to the power of the all-encompassing identity (pūrṇāhantā), it pierces all the cakras. This is called the initiation through penetration of mantra, the first [of the six].[6]
(2) The second form has the character of resonance (nāda), surging up through a sequence of upward flow through the central [channel]; this is called ‘initiation through penetration of resonance’.[7]
(3) The third occurs when Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī has the nature of [sexual] vigor which pierces the whole group of cakras; this is indicated by the name ‘initiation through penetration of the drop’ (bindu).[8]
(4) The fourth occurs when Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī assumes the form of Energy/the Goddess (śakti), intent upon the activity of the piercing of the cakras—this is ‘initiation though empowered penetration’.
(5) Adopting the character of a serpent and rising up, piercing the cakras [on her path], the fifth is ‘initiation through cobra-penetration’.
(6) Finally, the sixth, the ultimate penetration, is when her inclination is to pierce all the cakras having assumed the form and nature of the Ultimate Power, Parā.[9]
3. Parā-Kuṇḍalinī
Now the nature of Parā-Kuṇḍalinī is touched upon. When the power of Emission in the form of ultimate Awareness is directed towards one’s inner being (antar-bhāva), then, savoring one’s own [true] identity in its real nature at the innermost core, it brings about an immersion of objectivity into the domain of all-encompassing subjectivity; and likewise brings about an immersion of all-encompassing subjectivity into the domain of objectivity. [In this way,] the power of Emission illuminates the state of Parā-Kuṇḍalinī in the form of the Krama-mudrā, characterized by the true form of all-encompassing joy and bestowing the total fusion (sāmarasya) of meditation (samādhi) and the post-meditative state (vyutthāna).
As ‘all-encompassing joy’ is defined in the revered Tantrāloka:
That in which there is no division whatsoever, since it pulsates as everything; That whose awareness is unbroken, expanding with supreme nectar; That in which there is no need for meditation or any other practice—That alone is what Śambhunātha taught me as the “all-encompassing joy”. ~ TĀ 5.51-52
Here I will write something corresponding to my own (viz., SLJ’s) experience [of Parā-Kuṇḍalinī]. When the prāṇas of a Śaiva yogī who has received the strongest kind of śaktipāta penetrate into the central channel, then his life-force energy may flow up the central channel without needing to pierce the six cakras successively, reaching the aperture of the absolute [at the crown of the head] and revealing its true nature as the Joy of Awareness. In this way, immersion into the Krama-mudrā arises for such a yogī.
As taught in the Krama-sūtra (as cited by Kṣemarāja in chapter 19 of his Recognition Sutras):
“By means of the Krama-mudrā, whose nature is internal, the practitioner becomes immersed even while focused outward. In this process, first one enters within from the external; then, because of that Immersion, from the interiorized state an ‘entry’ into external forms comes about. Thus the ‘seal-sequence’ (mudrā-krama) has both internal and external aspects.”
Moreover, experiencing such a state of immersion, due solely to the power of its aesthetic rapure alone, the yogī sees the totality of the objects [of consciousness] melting into the Sky of Awareness even in the post-meditative state, as s/he rouses [from meditation] little by little. When this occurs [it may happen that] when all his or her senses manifest [their objects as if separately] for a moment, together with the exhale and inhale, they then dissolve into his or her very own Self. Thus like playing on a swing, flowing back and forth, experiencing only the state of immersion both internally and externally, he enters the radiant abode of Parā-Kuṇḍalinī,
by means of which there is an immersion into the Upper Kuṇḍalinī in the context of the Power of Activity (kriyā-śakti); through its influence, a Kaula yogī accesses & shares in the domain of the Stainless at the culmination of the co-penetration of Siddha and Yoginī [in the caryā-krama rite]. As has been said: “The goddess Activity is stainless.” (TĀ 3.173b)[10] Thus in accordance with the esoteric teaching on the power of desire (kāma-kalā), the principle of desire inheres within the Power of Will (icchā-śakti), the principle of poison/pervasion inheres within the Power of Insight (jñāna-śakti), and the principle of the stainless inheres within the Power of Activity (kriyā-śakti).[11] Likewise, the Power of Will is Śakti-Kuṇḍalinī, the Power of Insight is Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī, and the the Power of Activity is Parā-Kuṇḍalinī. This is taught in the Śaiva āgamas in various places. ||
FOOTNOTES:
* Sanderson explains why he translated only two-thirds of the text (in 1978) in footnote 53 of his article “Swami Lakshman Joo and his place in the Kashmirian Tradition” in Saṃvidullāsaḥ, edited by Bettina Bäumer. His incomplete translation was published in S. Bhaṭṭ’s Kashmiri Paṇḍits, 1995.
[1] The six cakras SLJ has in mind, as we see later, are the janmādhāra, navel, heart, throat, bhrū-madhya, and the crown. -But NB, elsewhere he doesn’t count the sahasrāra as a cakra.-
[2] Here MD emends visargarahitā to visargasahitā, which would change the meaning to the opposite, that is, “conjoined with the emission…”; but he provides no support for this emendation.
[3] Citing here more of the relevant passage than SLJ originally did. Cf. Dyczkowski’s TĀ, vol. 2, pp. 242-51
[4] This line translates a metrical half-verse presented in the original text as if from Tantrāloka 3.141, but it is not found there, but rather at 3.170. Sanderson’s translation neglects the word tattvaṃ, so I have emended to include it. We might also translate this half-verse (following MD) as “The fullness of desire (or plenitude of passion) is the reality experienced in [sexual] union.” (cf. II p. 289) The next half-verse reads: “The nectar-principle of Poison [is experienced] when the obscuration [of objectification] falls away from the individual.” (ibid. p. 291)
[5] My translation of those two verses:
Having taken refuge in that state, the ‘moon’ and ‘sun’ both set into the Graceful Path through the upward way, leaving behind the Egg of Brahmā. Then in that great Void in which ‘moon’ and ‘sun’ have melted away, those who have not recognized their essence-nature enter a sleep-like state, but those who are awakened (prabuddha) shall remain open & unveiled. || Sp.Kā. 24-25
[6] SLJ’s oral commentary: “This kind of piercing takes place when the yogi intensely desires and longs for the recognition of Supreme I-Consciousness.”
[7] SLJ: “This piercing occurs when the yogi desires to uplift people.”
[8] SLJ says this results in “super-sexual joy”.
[9] SLJ: “It is experienced by those who are always bent upon finding the Lord and nothing else. They are not interested in this world, they only want to surrender themselves completely to the Lord.”
[10] The following half-verse says “Immersion into this triad is said to be Śiva (the transcendent) and Bhairava (the immanent).” (MD II p. 297)
[11] SLJ adds, following Abh., “When these three states are united with each other that is the state of Bhairava.”
* * *
Summary of the relation of the present teaching to classical Tantrik sexual sādhanā (caryā-krama):
Caryā-krama 1
‘The Kaula yogi also realizes this Śakti-Kuṇḍalinī. He realizes it as Kāmatattva (‘the essence of desire’) through the contemplation of the power of desire (kāma-kalā) during the secret [sexual] rite (caryā-krama) at that moment of immersion (samāveśa) which is the co-penetration (saṅghaṭṭa) of siddha and yoginī. As the holy master Abhinavagupta has said (TĀ 3.146): “This phoneme ‘H’ which is the power of Emission in its state of latency is termed Kāmatattva in the Kula-gahvara-tantra.” [and] “The fulfillment of desire is the reality experienced in co-penetration.” The master Vātūlanātha too has alluded to this Śakti-Kuṇḍalinī in the following sūtra: “Through the co-penetration of the siddha(s) and yoginī(s), the great celebratory unification (mahā-melāpa) arises.”
If a Kaula yogī establishes himself or herself therein even for an instant s/he experiences through the melting away of the duality of Śiva and Śakti as subject and object of awareness (vedya-vedaka) an equilibrium (sthiti) which is the supreme fusion in identity of essence (mahā-sāmarasya) of the two.
Thus it should be clearly understood that only the Kaula yogī who experiences the state of Śakti-Kuṇḍalinī within the great celebratory unification of the co-penetration of siddha and yoginī during the secret [sexual] rite is entitled to undertake it, and nobody else. Therefore none but those of the highest spiritual development, who are fully established in the recognition of their all-inclusive identity (paripūrṇa-svātma) are qualified for this secret [sexual] rite, the source of the ultimate penetration & immersion (samāveśa).
Caryā-krama 2
It is this same power of consciousness, in its Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī aspect, that is experienced by Kaula yogins flashing forth in that reality which is the first instant of ejaculation (visarga, in a triple meaning here, including also the exhale and the emission of phenomenal experience of any kind).
Now, the yogin contemplating the power of desire (kāma-kalā) during the secret [sexual] rite (caryā-krama) consisting of the co-penetration (saṅghaṭṭa) of siddha and yoginī experiences this state of Prāṇa-Kuṇḍalinī on the occasion of entering the ‘principle of poison/pervasion’ (viṣa-tattva). For that condition which is experienced in the first instance in the state of the great celebratory unification (which has the character previously described) is described in the scriptures in the form of the ‘principle of poison/pervasion’.
Caryā-krama 3
His immersion into the Upper Kuṇḍalinī occurs in the context of the Power of Activity (kriyā-śakti); through its influence, a Kaula yogī accesses & shares in the domain of the Stainless on the occasion of the co-penetration of Siddha and Yoginī [in the caryā-krama rite].
Thus in accordance with the esoteric teaching on the power of desire (kāma-kalā), the principle of desire inheres within the Power of Will (icchā-śakti), the principle of poison/pervasion inheres within the Power of Insight (jñāna-śakti), and the principle of the stainless inheres within the Power of Activity (kriyā-śakti).’
NOTES:
Kula-gahvara-tantra (cited in TĀ3.168-9): “Out of love for you, the ‘Principle of Poison,’ called the ‘vowelless phoneme,’ has been revealed. Its form is that of the Cavity of the Crow’s Beak, and in relation to it, no dhāraṇā or dhyāna is necessary.”
Abhinava’s PTv: “…touch that has laid hold of the Nectar and is sealed with the mudrā of the Cavity of the Crow’s Beak, which is the Kiss consonant with the [ever] arising Sound” (trans. MD), where the ‘Cavity of the Crow’s Beak’ is almost certainly an esoteric reference to the clitoral hood, within which is the ‘sprout of passion’ (also called the sparśa-liṅga), that is, the clitoris (cf. Jayaratha on the VM/NṢA). Jayaratha in TĀ 32: “the energy of the unstruck sound, the vowelless phoneme [S], has the form of the madhya-prāṇa-śakti [connected to] the Cavity of the Crow’s Beak”. (trans. MD) The mouth forms the shape of a kiss (cumbikā mudrā) and the unstruck sound resonates upward from the Cavity during the space between the breaths.