Disclaimer: This translation does not guarantee complete accuracy, please confirm with the original page text.
## The Nature of the Mandalas
**Yoga Shastra, Panchama Prakash, Sloka 40-47, 502.**
* **Sloka 40:** _"Tato'vidya viliyante, vishayeccha vinishyati. Vikalpa vinivartante, jnanamantarvijrumbhate."_
* **Meaning:** By restraining the mind in the heart lotus, ignorance (avidya) is destroyed; the desire for sense objects is also destroyed, thoughts and doubts disappear, and knowledge grows within the soul.
**503.** By stabilizing the mind and breath in the heart, the knowledge of one's true nature is revealed.
* **Sloka 41:** _"Kva mandale gatirvaayoḥ sankramaḥ kva kva vishramah? Ka cha naditi janiyat, tatra chitte sthirikrte."_
* **Meaning:** When the mind is stabilized in the heart lotus, in which mandala does the breath move? In which element does it enter? Where does it rest? And which nadi is active at that time? This can be known.
**504.** Now, the Mandalas are described.
* **Sloka 42:** _"Mandalanicha chatvari, nasikavivare viduh. Bhaumavarunavaayavyaagneyaakhyani yathottaram."_
* **Meaning:** In the nostrils, there are four Mandalas: 1. Bhauma (Parthiva) Mandala, 2. Varuna Mandala, 3. Vayavya Mandala, and 4. Agneya Mandala.
**505.** The nature of the Parthiva Mandala is described.
* **Sloka 43:** _"Prithvibijasampoornam, vajralanchanasamyutam. Chaturasram taptasvarnaprabham syad bhaumamandalam."_
* **Meaning:** The Parthiva Mandala is filled with the seed of earth, marked with the symbol of a thunderbolt, square in shape, and the color of heated gold.
**506.** Now, the nature of the Varuna Mandala is described.
* **Sloka 44:** _"Syadardhachandra samsthanam, varunaaksharalanchhitam. Chandraabhamamaritasandram sandram varunamandalam."_
* **Meaning:** The Varuna Mandala is shaped like the half-moon of the eighth lunar day, marked with the symbol of the Varuna letter 'gha', moon-like, radiant, and filled with the flow of nectar.
**507.** Now, the nature of the Vayavya Mandala is described.
* **Sloka 45:** _"Snigdhaanjanghanachchhayam, suvruttam bindusankulam. Durlakshyam pavanaakrantam, chanchalam vayumandalam."_
* **Meaning:** The Vayavya Mandala is dark, like a mixture of collyrium and clouds, round, marked with the symbol of a dot, difficult to perceive, surrounded by wind, and marked with the seed of wind, the letter 'ya'.
**508.** Now, the nature of the Agneya Mandala is described.
* **Sloka 46:** _"Urdhvajvalanchitam bheem, trikonam swastikaanvitam. Sphulingapingam tadbijam, jneyamagneya mandalam."_
* **Meaning:** The Agneya Mandala is filled with flames rising upwards, terrifying, triangular, marked with the symbol of a swastika, the color of fire sparks, and marked with the seed of fire, the letter 'reph'.
**509.** Now, to enlighten the unbelievers, it is said:
* **Sloka 47:** _"Abhyasen swasanvedyam, syanmandalachatushtayam. Kramena sancharannatra, vayurjeyaschaturvidhah."_
* **Meaning:** By practicing, one can experience the four Mandalas. The breath, which moves through these four Mandalas, is also of four types. This will be described in order.
**400**