________________
Brahma granthi is the first knot and it is associated with mooladhara and swadhisthana chakras. It is linked with the survival instinct, the urge to procreate and with deep, instinctive knowledge, awareness and desire. When brahma granthi is transcended, the kundalini or primal energy is able to rise beyond mooladhara and swadhisthana without being pulled back down by the attractions and instinctual patterns of the personality.
The second knot is vishnu granthi, associated with manipura and anahata chakras. These two chakras are associated with the sustenance of the physical, emotional and mental aspects of human existence. Manipura sustains annamaya kosha, the physical body, governing the digestion and metabolism of food. Anahata sustains manomaya kosha, the mental body, and pranamaya kosha, the energy body. Once vishnu granthi is transcended, energy is drawn from the universe and not from the localised centres within the human being.
The final knot is rudra granthi which is associated with vishuddhi and ajna chakras. Vishuddhi and ajna sustain vijnanamaya kosha, the intuitive or higher mental body, and represent the transformation of an existing form, idea or concept into its universal aspect. When rudra granthi is pierced, individuality is dropped, the old ego awareness is left behind and the experience of unmanifest consciousness emerges beyond ajna chakra at sahasrara.
For more information on bandhas see the Bihar School of Yoga publications Yoga Darshan and Hatha Yoga Pradipika.
408
