सङ्गीतरत्नाकर: प्रथम भाग (शार्ङ्गदेव - स्वरगताध्याय सविस्तार व्याख्या व अनुवाद सहित)

94 Treatment of Svara
8. मनश्चक्रम्
ततो ऽप्यस्ति मनश्चक्रं षड्दलं तत्फलानि तु ॥१३४॥
स्वप्नो रसोपभोगश्च घ्राणं रूपोपलम्भनम् ।
स्पर्शनं शब्दबोधश्च पूर्वादिषु दलेष्विति ॥१३५॥
9. सोम-चक्रम्
ततो ऽपि षोडशदलं सोमचक्रमितोरितम् ।
दलेषु षोडशस्वस्य कलाः षोडश संस्थिताः ॥१३६॥
8. Manaś-cakra : (134c-135)
Even higher than that is situated the psychophysical
centre called the 'cycle of the mind'¹ (manaś-cakra), having
six petals. The consequences attendant upon the eastern
and other petals respectively are dreams and the palatal
enjoyment, olfactory sensation and the perception of form,
touch and sound. (134c-135)
9. Soma-cakra: (136-138)
Over and above that¹ is located the psycho-physical centre
called the 'cycle of the moon' (soma-cakra) with sixteen petals
Sir John Woodroffe (cf. Serpent Power, p. 155) comprehends the
ājñā-cakra and the manaś-cakra jointly as the 'sensory motor tract' rela-
ting their functions in the following way :
"The ājñāvaha nāḍī-s, efferent or motor nerves, communicate motor
impulses to the periphery from this ājñā-cakra, this centre of command
over movements, and the efferent or sensory nerves of the special senses
in pairs, the gandhavahā nāḍī (olfactory sensory), the rūpavahā nāḍī (optic),
the śabdavahā nāḍī (auditory), the rasavahā nāḍī (gustatory), and the sparśa-
vahā nāḍī (tactile) come from the periphery (the peripheral organs of the
spacial senses) to this manaś-cakra, the sensory tract at the base of the
brain. The manaś-cakra also receives the manovahā nāḍī, a generic name
for the channels along which centrally initiated presentations (as in
dreaming and hallucination) come to the sixth lobe of the manaś-cakra."
Soma-cakra is not included into the scheme of the six main
psychophysical centres. The word soma, in this context, refers to the

1. This comprehends consciousness. The six petals symbolise five
   senses of perception and (the sixth) the mind, and the fruits
   spoken of are the five respective perceptions and ideation, the
   activity of the mind. This cycle is not included in the scheme
   of the main six psychophysical centres and seems to be con-
   cerned with the subconscious and conscious mind.
2. 'That' refers to manaś-cakra.
   Section 2 : The Genesis of the Human Embodiment
   कृपा क्षमाऽऽर्जवं धैर्यं वैराग्यं धृतिसंमदौ ।
   हास्यं रोमाञ्चनिचयो ध्यानाश्रु स्थिरता ततः ॥१३७॥
   गाम्भीर्यमुद्यमोऽच्छत्वमौदार्यैकाग्रते क्रमात् ।
   फलान्युद्यन्ति जीवस्य पूर्वादिदलगामिनः ॥१३८॥
   enshrining the sixteen phases (of the moon). The consequen-
   ces, for the individual, attendant upon the eastern and other
   petals respectively are: grace³, forgiveness⁴, straightforward-
   ness, forbearance, detachment, patience, cheerfulness, mirth,
   horripilation⁵, tears of fixed gaze⁶, stability, profundity,
   endeavour, purity of heart, generosity and one-pointedness.
   (136-138)
   10. सहस्रपत्र-चक्रम्
   चक्रं सहस्रपत्रं तु ब्रह्मरन्ध्रे सुधाधरम् ।
   तत्सुधासारधाराभिरभिवर्धयते तनुम् ॥१३९॥
3. Sahasrapatra-cakra : (139)
   'The thousand-petalled lotus¹ (sahasrapatra) which is
   moon which is symbolic of a feeling of coolness when the wild fire of
   craving is finally extinguished by rising above the ājñā and the manas
   cakra-s, i. e., above the world of opposites, the world of relative percep-
   tion and desire. Thus, this cycle of the moon is a symbol of coolness, as
   the rays of the moon are cool, refreshing and delightful, and is the
   source of altruistic sentiments and true spiritual consummation.
   The thousand petals spoken of in this lotus are symbolic of infinity.
   The sahasrāra, or sahasrapatra i. e., the thousand-lobed centre has brahma-
4. Soma-cakra corresponds to the middle cerebrum in the physical
   body and is located above the sensorium.
5. In the sense of favour 'S' defines kṛpā as an expectation of
   favour from another.
6. According to 'S' forgiveness is characterised by absence of
   anger despite the cause for it.
7. Nicaya in the compound romāñca-nicaya implies the idea of
   plurality.
8. Dhyānāśru is explained by 'K' as 'dhyānāj-jātam-aśru', i. e., the
   tears caused by concentration of the mind with open eyes.
9. Sahasrapatra-cakra Lit. the cycle of thousand petals of the text
   is suggestive of the metaphor of a wheel with thousand spokes.
   The concept is essentially of the cycle but this particular
   centre cannot precisely be called a psychophysical centre,
   since it is neither physical nor psychological as it leads the
   consciousness beyond the limitations of time, space and
   causation.