Comparative and Critical Study of Mantrashastra

Author(s): Mohanlal Bhagwandas Jhaveri, K V Abhayankar
Publisher: Sarabhai Manilal Nawab

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INTRODUCTION
becomes threefold as the Kāmakalā, * or creative will. This triangle of Divine Desire Kāmakalā is personified as the Great Devi Tripura. sundari.
SIX CHAKRAS "Out of the six bodily chakras five lower ones are situated within the spine in the cord-a compound of grey and white brain matter. Müladhāra is the lowest in filum ternianale in a position midway in the perineum between the root of the genitals and the anus. Proceeding upwards controlling genitals is the Svădhishthāna, controlling the navel region-abdomen Manipūra, controlling the heart Anahata and controlling the throat-larynx Viśuddha. Between the eyebrows is Ajpå the sixth Chakra. Above them all in the cerebrum is Sahasrara a thousand-petalled lotus, the highest centre of manifestation of Consciousness in the body.
These six Chakras or lotuses have respectively four, six, ten, twelve, sixteen and two petals which are configurations made by the position of Yoga-Nadis at any particular centre. These Nādis are not those known to the Vaidyas of medical shāstras but subtle channels (Vivara) along which the Pranik currents flow. The letters of the Sanskrit alphabet numbering 50 (excluding second La) are in the petals of the six Chakras which also together number 50. & (Ha) and (Kşa) are in the two petals of Ajna Chakra, the Sixteen farts (vowels) in the sixteen petals of Visuddha, the 12 consonants (Ka) to 3(tha) in the twelve petals of Anāhata,the 10 consonants
(Da) to (Fa) in the ten petals of Manipura, the six consonants a (Ba) to (La) in the six petals of Svadhisthana, and the remaining four consonants a (Va)to # (Sa) in the four petals of Mūlādhāra. "The six Chakras have their correspondences in physical body in the following nerve plexuses commencing from the lowest the Múladhāra:-The Sacrococcygeal plexus, the Sacral plexus, the Solar plexus (which forms the great junction of the right and left sympathetic chains Idā and Pingala) with the cerebro-spinal axis. Connected with this is the Lumbar plexus. Then follows the Cardiac plexus (Anāhata) Laryngeal plexus and lastly the Ajnā or cerebellum identified by some with the pineal Gland, the centre of the third or spiritual eye) with its two lobes and above this the Manas Chakra or sensorium with its six lobes, the Soma chakra or middle Cerebrum and lastly the Sahasrāra or upper Cerebrum. To some extent these localizations are yet tentative. The six Chakras themselves are vital centres of consciousness really within the spinal column in the white and grey matter there." Shakti and Shakta p. 410
* नादबिन्दुकलाभ्यासाज्ज्योतिरुत्पद्यते पुनः। तत्प्राप्तौ च मनुष्याणां जायते परमं पदम् ।। श्री चिन्तामणिकल्पः॥