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

Page 66

66          Treatment of Svara

३. धातवः

त्वगसृङ्मांसमेदो ऽस्थिमज्जशुक्राणि धातवः ।
सप्त स्युस्तत्र चोक्ता त्वग्रक्तं जाठरवह्निना ॥७९॥
पक्वाद्द्रवेऽन्नरसादेवं रक्तादिभिः परे ।
स्वस्वकोशाग्निना पक्वैर्जन्यन्ते धातवः क्रमात् ॥८०॥
3. Supportive tissues : 79-80
Serum¹, blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow and semen are
the seven supportive tissues. Of these the serum and the
blood are produced from chyme² created by the aid of
4. Śleṣmadharā   ,,   ... Synovial tissues
5. Purīṣadharā   ,,   ... Separates the faecal refuse in the lower
            gut
6. Pittadharā    ,,   ... Holds the chyme derived from food
7. Śukradharā   ,,   ... Bears semen and extends throughout the
            body
The folds of skin and the membranes (kalā-s) spoken of above in
constitution are conceived on the analogy of pith, i. e., as the pith in
the wood is grown layer after layer varying in strength so are they
grown about each other. Another simile is also given, viz., as the layers
of cream are formed over milk heated on slow fire, so also the various
folds of skin along with membranes are formed out of seven supportive
tissues (dhātu-s) of the body which are detailed in the next verse.
The seven supportive tissues are spoken of as being sustained in-
between the various folds and layers of the seven skins and the seven
membranes (kalā-s). The first layer called māṁsadhārā, holds within
itself, flesh as it has already been told above. Now the author is
pointing out that veins, arteries, muscles and the channels (srota-s) are
all rooted in flesh as the lotus-stalk is rooted in the mire.
Srota-s are the canals in the body, nine in number such as the
ears, eyes, mouth, nostrils, anus and the urethra opening outwards.
Females have two more, viz., the two breasts and the canal or the
channel that carries the menstrual blood.
Thus the māṁsadhārā, i.e., the flesh-holding skin is the most impor-
tant of all and having described its function, the author merely hints at

1. Tvak is used in the technical sense of rasa (serum).
2. Chyme is the nutrient-solution made out of digested food and
   drink.

Page 67

Section 2 : The Genesis of the Human Embodiment          67

४. आशयाः (सप्त)

रक्तश्लेष्मामपित्तानां पक्वस्य मरुतस्तथा ।
मूत्रस्य चाशयाः सप्त क्रमादाशयसंज्ञकाः ॥८१॥
गर्भाशयो ऽष्टमः स्त्रीणां पित्तपक्वाशयान्तरे ।
gastric fire; while the other (elements) are produced from
blood, ripening by the internal heat of their respective
tissues³. (79-80)
4. The receptacles (āśaya-s) : 81-82b
There are seven¹ containers¹ called receptacles² for
blood, phlegm, undigested food, bile, digested food, bodily
wind and urine known by their respective names³. Women
the function of the other six folds that respectively hold or support the
rest of the six elements. In fact our author has synthesised the descrip-
tion of the skins and the membranes for the sake of brevity as it will
be clear from our exposition of the subject matter, vide comments on
verse Nos. 76-77 abc.
Then the author goes on to explain how the seven supportive
tissues are produced. He says, the skin and blood are produced directly
from the essence of food and drink digested through the gastric fire,
while the rest of them are produced from blood as they are ripened in
the heat of their respective tissues.
The seven receptacles (āśaya-s) are identified as under :

1. Raktāśaya    for blood     ... Spleen and liver
2. Śleṣmāśaya   ,, phlegm     ... Breast
3. Āmāśaya    ,, undigested food... Stomach
4. Pittāśaya    ,, bile      ... Gall bladder and pancreas
5. Pakvāśaya    ,, digested food   ... Intestines
6. Vātāśaya    ,, wind      ... Lungs and colon
7. Mūtrāśaya    ,, urine      ... Urinary bladder
8. Garbhāśaya   ,, embryo     .. Uterus
9. Internal heat of the tissues is the expression for kośāgni. Kośa
   is that which has a capacity to retain something other than
   itself
10. Cavities or viscera.
11. Āśaya-s.
12. Respective names of blood etc. to be attached to the word
    āśaya, e.g., raktāśaya, vātāśaya, etc.

Page 68

68 Treatment of Svara

5. हृदयस्थ चेतनस्थानत्वम्

प्रसन्नाभ्यां कफासृग्भ्यां हृदयं पङ्कजाकृति ॥८२॥
सुषिरं स्यादधोवक्त्रं यकृत्प्लीहान्तरस्थितम् ।
एतच्च चेतनस्थानं,
have the eighth, the womb in-between the receptacles for
bile and the digested food.⁴ (81-82b)
5. Heart as the seat of intelligence : 82c-83c
The heart is hollow and in the shape of an inverted
lotus situated in-between the liver and the spleen and is
developed from clear¹ blood and phlegm. This too is the
abode of consciousness. (82c-83b)
These receptacles function as the containers or the vessels. Seven
of these are common to males and females while women have one more,
viz., uterus placed in-between the gall bladder and the intestines.
That heart as an abode or the seat of consciousness in the body is
well recognised by some schools of thought of Indian philosophy. Even
the upaniṣads proclaim that the Puruṣa, i. e., the soul or the spirit resides
in the heart. But this can be a metaphorical expression.
The expression cetana-sthānam is difficult of being rendered into
English with its philosophical implications As it is, it means the abode
of sentience. 'K' has laboured hard to forbid the reader from interpre-
ting it as the abode of Jīvātman, i. e, the transmigratory soul, and he
therefore interprets the conjunctive ca (and) as indicative of other places
such as space etc. which also is considered to be the abode of Brahman,
the absolute Being. Perhaps he, being a vedāntin, identifies cetanā with
Brahman, and therefore feels that heart should not be considered as the
only abode of sentience. Therefore, he maintains that heart is the
abode of the manifestation of Brahman, the absolute Being. One can,
however, cut across the philosophical implications by taking into account
the next verse along with this one. If so read, it is obvious that the
word cetana of the text is not used here in the sense of caitanya, i. e., pure
intelligence, but has been used in the sense of consciousness. But this too
must be taken metaphorically for consciousness being intangible can hard-
ly be located anywhere in the body with justification. But nevertheless,
consciousness works through the brain, which is controlled by the heart.
4. Cf., Suśruta Śa. Sthā. 5. 7-8.

1. Prasanna means clear in the sense of clean and pure.

Page 69

Section 2 : The Genesis of the Human Embodiment 69

6. जीवस्य अवस्थात्रयम्

, तदस्मिंस्तमसा ऽऽवृते ॥८३॥
निमीलति स्वपत्यात्मा जागति विकसत्यपि ।
द्वेधा स्वप्नसुषुप्तिभ्यां स्वापो बाह्येन्द्रियाणि चेत् ॥८४॥
लीयन्ते हृदि जागति चित्तं स्वप्नस्तदोच्यते ।
मनश्चेल्लीयते प्राणे सुषुप्तिः स्यात्तदा ऽऽत्मनः ॥८५॥
स्वमपीतः परात्मानं स्वपत्यात्मेत्यतो मतः ।
6. The three states of consciousness: 83d-86b
That (intelligent principle) being enveloped by dark-
ness¹, it (the heart-lotus) closes (upon itself) and the ātman²
(the spirit) sleeps; it (ātman) awakens, while that (the
heart) opens up. (83d-84b)
It seems that the whole expression is metaphorical. Heart is the
centre of the physical body, and as such it is used as the symbol for the
centre of consciousness, which is the ego or the soul. Man, here, is
conceived to be the complex entity : spirit-soul-body. Spirit being the
divine element in man, the Ātman which is not different from Brahman,
the absolute; the soul is the jīvātman, the embodied self, subject to trans-
migration. The heart-lotus is the symbol of self-consciousness. There-
fore, when the spirit is clouded by inertia (tamas) the heart-lotus closes
its petals upon itself and the spirit, i.e., the intelligent principle ceases
to operate, and is thus said to be asleep. Conversely, when inertia is
dissipated, the spirit awakens into self-consciousness and the heart-lotus
is opened up.
'K' interprets this in terms of Vedānta (absolutistic). He explains
the phenomenon of sleep as explained in the text as follows: "The
intelligent principle being enshrouded by the darkness of beginningless
ignorance, when the heart-lotus closes, then the ātman, the soul (i e.,
the self-conscious being, the jīva) sleeps; and when that lotus opens up,
the jīva, the self-conscious being, awakens and feels 'I am'." It is
notable that in this verse 'K' interprets ātman as jīva.
After giving the above interpretation, he then gives the substance
in the following manner: "In the state of self-conscious existence due to

1. Inertia.
2. 'K' interprets it as jīva, here.

70 Treatment of Svara
Sleep is twofold, dreamful and dreamless : when the
external senses are withdrawn into the heart and the mind
remains awake, it is said to be dreamful; but, if the mind is
withdrawn unto prāṇa³ (the vital breath) then it (the sleep)
the beginningless ignorance with regard to the real nature of one's
being, the individual obtains in the conditions of the waking state, the
dreamful state and the dreamless sleep state under the respective names
of viśva, taijasa and prājña.
This elucidation, enlightening as it is, is technical as well. The
purport is that Life-essence or the absolute Being, in the state of
individuated being lives under the influence of beginningless ignorance
in the three conditions of consciousness technically called viśva, taijasa
and prājña, that correspond to the waking, the dreamful and the dream-
less sleeping states. Ignorance is nothing but the self-imposed limitation
of personality complex, and the three states roughly correspond to the
conscious, the subconscious and the unconscious mind of modern
psychology.
What is the distinction between the dreamful and the dreamless
sleep? Because, apart from the waking state of the consciousness, these
are the two other states. The author explains that in the dreamful
sleep, energy or attention is withdrawn only from the external sense, but
the mind keeps awake, a part of the brain is actively functioning, i.e.,
the thought process keeps on going resulting in dreams. Thus, in the
absence of the sense perception, the thoughts are the only objects of
consciousness, and the distinction between the ideal and the actual form
of objects is lost to it. That is why dreams are as real in the dreamful
state as the physical world is during the waking state, and therefore one
cannot be said to be more real than the other with reference to its
consciousness.
The dreamless sleep is caused by the mind being dissolved, i.e.,
withdrawn, unto prāṇa (vital breath). One can quite understand that
in the deep sleep the mind is withdrawn, but that it is withdrawn unto
prāṇa is a paradox. The Vedānta speaks of five vestures, viz., the physi-
cal (annamayakośa), vital (prāṇamayakośa), mental (manomayakośa), psychic
(vijñānamayakośa) and blissful (ānandamayakośa). In this scheme the
mind which pertains to the mental vesture is subtler than prāṇa (vital
breath). Therefore, it is not intelligible how a subtler entity can be
dissolved in a grosser one, for usually the case is contrary.
3. It is temporarily dissolved in prāṇa which is not the physical
breath only.

Section 2 : The Genesis of the Human Embodiment 71
7. नव स्रोतांसि
श्रवणे नयने नासे वदनं गुदशेफसी ॥८६॥
becomes dreamless or the deep sleep state of the individuated
being⁴. (84c-85)
That the ātman⁵ sleeps, is so believed for it dissolves
itself⁶ unto Parātman⁷. (86ab)
7. The nine canals (srota-s) : 86c-87
The embodied human beings are provided with nine
canals (srota-s) for the elimination of bodily impurities, viz.,
The statement of the author can possibly be understood in the
sense that even while the mind is not functioning in deep sleep, the
vital breath does function, and therefore the mind can be said to dissolve
in it. Or, alternatively, the dissolution of the mind may be understood
in the restricted sense of self-consciousness only, which is related to
sense perception and body consciousness, which may not be very
satisfactory.
The phenomenon of sleep is elucidated in a few words here on the
basis of semantics. The Sanskrit expression for, 'the principle of intelli-
gence sleeps', is 'svapiti'. The author raises the question as to why the
ātman is said to be sleeping, and he answers—"svamapītaḥ parātmānam",
i. e., because it dissolves itself, discards its self imposed limitations and
thereby merges into the supreme Being; and this he does by explaining
the meaning of the word 'svapiti', semantically.
Apart from the semantics, the idea expressed is very simple.
Ātman freed from the limitations of Jīvatva becomes one with the
Paramātman; in other words, the spirit freed from the limitations of self-
consciousness is united with the supreme Deity; and this process exhi-
bits itself, in the phenomenon of sleep. This however, signifies a
temporary release.
4. Self-conscious living organism, i.e., jīva.
5. The principle of intelligence involved in a self-conscious
being.
6. Actually what is dissolved is the limitation caused by self-
consciousness.
7. The supreme Deity, the absolute Being.

Page 72

72 Treatment of Svara
बहिर्मलवहानि स्युनंव स्रोतांसि देहिनाम् ।
स्त्रीणां त्रीण्यधिकानि स्युः स्तनयोर्द्वे भगे ऽसृजः ॥८७॥
8. जालानि, कूर्चाः, मांसरज्जवः, सीवन्यश्च
अस्थिस्नायुसिरामांसस्थानि जालानि षोडश ।
षट् कूर्चाः करयोरङ्घ्योः कन्धरायां च मेहने ॥८८॥
पार्श्वयोः पृष्ठवंशस्य चतस्रो मांसरज्जवः ।
सीवन्यः पञ्च शिरसि द्वे जिह्वालिङ्गयोर्मते ॥८९॥
ears, eyes, nostrils, mouth, anus and urethra; but the females
have three more; two breasts (milk channels) and the one
that carries off the menstrual discharge.
8. Plexuses, clusters, fleshy bands and sutures : 88-89
There are in all sixteen plexuses¹ situated around
bones, ligaments, veins² and flesh; six clusters³—two in the
hands, two in feet and one each in the neck and penis; four
fleshy bands⁴ on the two sides of the backbone; five sutures⁵
in the head, one in the tongue and one in the genitals.
(88-89)
Suśruta speaks of four kinds of plexuses, i. e. jāla-s, viz. muscular,
vascular, ligamentous and bony. One each of the four kinds is found
about each of the wrists and the ankles. All the four kinds of plexuses
intermingle and cross one another to form a network. The word jāla
literally means a network and the whole body is a network of plexuses
as it were (cf., Śā. Sthā. 5.11).

1. Jāla-s : cf. Suśruta Śā. Sthā. 5.11.
2. Sirā of the text here means any tubular vessel such as vein,
   artery, nerve, etc.
3. Kūrca (lit. a brush), the clusters or groups may be made up of
   muscles, bones, vessels and ligamentous structure (cf. K. K.
   Bhishagratna, p. 162).
4. Māṁsarajju are muscular cords originating from either side
   of the spinal column. These are identified by Ghanekar (cf.
   Vol. 2, p 145) with Longissimus, Spinalis and Ilio-costalis.
5. Bhishagratna defines sīvanī as the central tendinous band which
   looks like a structure from which the muscles on the either side
   arise. Ghanekar names the sutures as, metopic suture, coronal
   suture, lambdoid suture, sagittal suture, squamosal suture and
   anococcygeal raphe.

Page 73

Section 2 : The Genesis of the Human Embodiment 73
9. अस्थीनि, तेषां सङ्ख्या भेदाश्च
चतुर्दशाष्टादश वा संमता अस्थिराशयः ।
अस्थ्नां शरीरे संख्या स्यात्षष्टियुक्तं शतत्रयम् ॥९०॥
वलयानि कपालानि रुचकास्तरुणानि च ।
नलकानीति तान्याहुः पञ्चधा ऽस्थीनि सूरयः ॥९१॥
त्रीण्येवास्थिशतान्यत्र धन्वन्तरिरभाषत ।
9. Bones, their number and types : 90-92b
The group-units¹ of bones are believed to be fourteen
or eighteen. The total number of bones in the body is three
hundred and sixty. (90)
The sages have classified the bones into five types, viz.,
valaya,² kapāla³, rucaka⁴, taruṇa⁵ and nalaka⁶. (91)
According to āyurveda the total number of bones in the body is
three hundred and sixty; but according to the works of surgery, i. e.
Suśruta etc. there are only three hundred bones in the whole body (cf.
Suśruta Śā. Sthā. 5.17, where it is said that, "One hundred and twenty
bones are to be found in the four extremities, one hundred and seventeen
in pelvis, sides, back, chest and abdominal region; and sixty-three are
located in the neck and the regions above that.").
Suśruta mentions only fourteen group-units, i. e , the collections
of bones which are found in the two ankles, the two knees and the two
groins, the two wrists, two elbows, two axillas, one in cranium and the
other in the sacral region.

1. Saṅghāta is a collection with integrity, i. e., a group working
   as a unit.
2. Valaya type includes bones found in the palm, foot, sides, back,
   chest and the abdominal region.
3. Kapāla type includes the bones situated in the knee joints,
   shoulders, hips, cheeks, palate, temples and the cranium.
4. Teeth form the rucaka type.
5. Taruṇa type includes the bones in the nose, ears, throat and
   the socket of the eyes.
6. Nalaka type of bones, as their name implies, are all the remain-
   ing ones of the cylindrical shape.
   cf. Suśruta Śā. Sthā. 5.21 and Bhishagratna, pp. 165, 166
   for further details.

Page 74

74 Treatment of Svara
10. अस्थिसन्धयः, तेषां सङ्ख्या भेदाश्च
द्वे शते त्वस्थिसन्धीनां स्यातामत्र दशोत्तरे ॥९२॥
कोरकाः प्रतरास्तुन्नाः सीवन्यः स्युरुलूखलाः ।
सामुद्गा मण्डलाः शङ्खावर्ता वायसतुण्डकाः ॥९३॥
इत्यष्टधा समुद्दिष्टा मुनीन्द्रैरस्थिसन्धयः ।
Dhanvantari,⁷ however, has spoken of only three hundred bones. (92b)
10. Bone joints, their number and types : 92c-94b
As pointed out by the sages, the joints are two hundred and ten in number, classified into eight types, viz. koraka¹,
The other four group units of bones are—one above the sacrum, one above the chest, one at the junction of the thorax and abdomen, and one at the acromial end of the scapula (cf. Suśruta Śā. Sthā. 5.15.16. Also see p. 163 Bhishagratna). It is notable that Suśruta concedes that other authorities count four more saṅghāta-s.
Obviously the joints enumerated here refer to the joints of the bones. These are divided into two classes by the modern medical science, viz., immovable, i.e., synarthrosis and movable, i.e., diarthrosis. The names of the various types such as kora etc. are indicative of the shapes they resemble, and their respective significations are elucidated in the notes. The particular joints of the body covered under each type are as under :

1. Koraka—joints in the fingers, wrists, ankles, knees and elbows.
2. Pratara—joints in the neck and the spinal columns.
3. Tunna-sīvanī—joints found in the kapāla bones of pelvis and the forehead.
4. Ulūkhala or Udūkhala—joints in the axilla (i.e. the shoulder joint, in the teeth and in the hips).
5. Sāmudga—joints in the region of the anus, vagina, shoulders and hips.
6. Maṇḍala—joints around the heart, throat, eyes and kloma.
7. Śaṅkhāvarta—joints in the bones of the ears and nostrils.
8. Vāyasatuṇḍa—joints on either side of the cheek bones.
9. An ancient authority of Indian medical science.
10. Koraka, lit. means hinged or lap-shaped.

Page 75

Section 2 : The Genesis of the Human Embodiment 75
11. अन्यसन्धीनां संख्या
पेशीस्नायुसिरासन्धिसहस्रद्वितयं मतम् ॥९४॥
12. स्नायवः
नव स्नायुशतानि स्युश्चतुर्धा स्नायवो मताः ।
प्रतानवत्यः सुषिराः कण्डराः पृथुलास्तथा ॥९५॥
pratara², tunna-sīvanī³, ulūkhala⁴, sāmudga⁵, maṇḍala⁶, śaṅkhāvarta⁷ and vāyasatuṇḍaka⁸. (92c-94b)
11. The number of other joints : 94cd
The joints of muscles, sinews and veins are considered to be two thousand. (94cd)
12. Ligaments¹ : 95-96
There are nine hundred ligaments² classified into four
(cf. Suśruta Śā. Sthā. 5. 28-32, Bhishagratna, p 167, Vol. II and Ghanekar, p. 168, Vol. II.)
The eight types of the joints have been classified by Ghanekar in consonance with the modern medicine as under :
Kora............... Pivot
Saddle
Cala, i. e.         Condyled    Diarthrosis
movable         Hinge
Vāyasatuṇḍa......... Arthrodia
Pratara............ Enarthrosis
Ulūkhala or
Acala i. e , Udūkhala........... Gomphoses
immovable                 Synarthrosis
Tunna-sīvanī   Sutures
Sāmudga............. Amphiarthroses
2. Pratara, lit. means a raft.
3. Tunna-sīvanī means seam-like or dove-tailed.
4. Ulūkhala suggests the shape of ball and socket.
5. Samudga is like the back of the palm.
6. Maṇḍala, lit means a circle or circular.
7. Śaṅkhāvarta indicates the involutions of a conch-shell.
8. Vāyasatuṇḍa means the crow-back.
1, 2. Snāyu is roughly translated as ligament in this context.

76 Treatment of Svara
बन्धनेर्बहुभिर्बद्धा भूरिभारक्षमा भवेत् ।
नौरम्भसि यथा स्नायुशतबद्धा तनुस्तथा ॥९६॥
groups, viz., pratānavatī³ suṣirā⁴ kaṇḍarā⁵ and pṛthulā.⁶ Just
as (the planks of) a boat being tied together by many faste-
nings become strong enough to bear a huge burden (floating)
on water, so also (the joints of) the body being fastened by
the ligaments (becomes strong). (95-96)
The four groups of the snāyu-s correspond to ligaments, sphincter
muscles or valvulor bands of muscles, tendon, and flattened or ribbon-
shaped tendons or aponeuroses as stated by Ghanekar (Vol. II, pp. 158-
159) and Suśruta (Śā. Sthā. 5.38-40).
In Āyurveda the word snāyu also means a muscle, obviously the
number 900 includes ligaments, tendons and aponeuroses along with
some of the muscles. The word generally means fibrous tissue. So
the word snāyu has only loosely been translated as ligament. The four
types of ligaments are elucidated as under :

1. Pratānavatī type : The ligaments of the four extremities and
   their joints.
2. Suṣirā ,, The ligaments of stomach, intestines and the
   bladder.
3. Kaṇḍarā or ,, All the large ligaments.
   Vṛttā
4. Pṛthulā ,, The ligaments of the chest, back, sides and
   head.
   The function of the ligaments is explained by the analogy of a
   boat. The many planks by themselves cannot serve the purpose of
   a raft, but when they are joined together and tied to form a boat they
   become strong enough to carry a certain load across a river; similarly,
   the various parts of the body when fastened together by the ligaments
   render the body strong and movable. Such is the importance of the
   ligaments (cf. Bhishagratna, pp. 168, 169 and Suśruta Śā. Sthā. 5.30-36).
5. Pratānavatī lit. means ramifying or branching.
6. Suṣirā lit. means hollow.
7. Kaṇḍarā lit. means a cave and is suggestive of a cylindrical
   form; however the other name for it, viz., vṛttā implies a
   round or a ring shape.
8. Pṛthulā is derived from pṛthu which literally means thick or
   broad.
   Section 2 : The Genesis of the Human Body
9. पेश्यः
   पञ्च पेशीशतान्याहुः शरीरस्थानि सूरयः ।
   अधिका विंशतिः स्त्रीणां तत्र स्युः स्तनयोर्दश ॥९७॥
   यौवने ताः प्रवर्धन्ते दश योनौ तु तत्र च ।
   द्वे अन्तः प्रसृते बाह्ये द्वे तिस्रो गर्भमार्गगाः ॥९८॥
   शङ्खनाभ्याकृतिर्योनिस्त्र्यावर्ता ऽत्र तृतीयेके ।
   आवर्ते गर्भशय्या ऽस्ति पित्तपक्वाशयान्तरे ॥९९॥
   रोहिताभिधमत्स्यस्य सदृशी तत्र पेशिका ।

• शुक्रार्तवप्रवेशिन्यस्तिस्रः प्रच्छादिका मताः ॥१००॥

13. Muscles: 97-100
    The sages speak of five hundred muscles in the body, —
    while there are twenty more in case of women, i.e., ten in
    the two breasts that grow in youth and ten of the vagina,
    two spreading outwards¹, two inside it and three in the
    vaginal canal. (97-98)
    The vaginal canal is in the shape of a conch-shell with
    three involuted turns², at the last of which lies the foetal
    Five hundred muscles in the body along with twenty extra of
    women make five hundred and twenty which may be compared to five
    hundred and nineteen of the modern medical science. Regarding the
    twenty extra muscles of women, Bhishagratna writes on Suśruta (Śā.
    Sthā. 5. 42-43) : "Females have twenty extra muscles; ten muscles are to
    be found about the two breasts, five in each, which attain their full growth
    during puberty; four muscles are present about the parturient passage;
    and of these (four) two are about the external and two in the internal
    orifices (of the vagina), three about the region of the OS, and three about
    the passages of the ovum and the sperm." This makes the situation clear.
    The last three of these are mentioned in the next two verses.
    The uterus is like a muscle resembling rohita fish in shape. Suśruta
    (Śā. Sthā. 5. 56) says that uterus resembles the mouth of the rohita fish.
    It seems that our author too has adopted this idea from Suśruta and if
    so, then 'matsyasya' of the text may better be read as matsyāsya, signify-
    ing, not "of the resemblance of" but, "resembling the mouth of" the
14. These two constitute the sphincter vagina (cf. Ghanekar on
    Suśruta Śā. Sthā. 5 55, 56).
15. Āvarta of the text literally means a whirlpool.

• Ad. ed. reads शुक्ला०

78 Treatment of Svara
14. सिराधमनीनां सङ्ख्या
सिराधमनीनां तु लक्षाणि नवविंशतिः ।
सार्धानि स्युनंवशती षट्पञ्चाशद्युता तथा ॥१०१॥
bed³ resembling the fish called rohita⁴ in-between the gall-
bladder and the intestines. Three⁵ (muscles) are known as
the coverings (of the uterus) serving for the entrance of the
ovum and the sperm. (99-100).
14. The number of arteries and veins : 1 1
The number of arteries and veins (in the body) is 29,
50, 956. (101)
rohita fish. The mouth of the rohita fish is said to be narrow at the
mouth and expanded at the end.
The description of the vaginal canal is compared by Ghanekar
with the account given in Gray's anatomy "The vaginal canal like the
shape of a conch shell is constricted at its commencement, dilated in
the middle and narrowed near its uterine extremity (Ghanekar, Vol. II,
p. 164 commenting on Suśruta 5.55-56).
He further says that there is nothing like the whirlpools in the
constitution of the vaginal canal but its inner layer of skin is marked
with ridges.
The word sirā denotes veins, nerves, arteries and lymphatic vessels.
Our author however is dealing with the arteries separately in the subse-
quent few verses. Suśruta (Śā. Sthā. 7.2) straightaway speaks of seven
hundred sirā-s, therefore the ten primal sirā-s are peculiar to our author
who subsequently mentions that these ten branch off into seven
hundred. Suśruta who also speaks of dhamanī-s, i. e., arteries later,
describes forty principal sirā-s of four types viz., ten vāyu (wind)-carry-
ing, ten pitta (bile)-carrying, ten conveying kabha (phlegm) and ten
blood-carrying, which are respectively identified by Bhishagratna
(Vol. II, p. 192) as nerves, veins, lymphatic vessels and arteries. Some
people, however, interpret sirā-s for veins and dhamanī-s for arteries. But,
one cannot really make such a sharp distinction, for the two terms are
sometimes used indiscriminately.
3. Garbhāśaya, according to Ghanekar, also means uterus, but
here it is the foetal cavity that is indicated.
4. Matsya-sya of the text may be read as matsyāsya-sadṛśī in view
of the above comments.
5. These are the three remaining out of the ten spoken of above
(Verse 97-98 ante).
Section 1 ...
15. मूलसिराः, भिन्नसिराश्च
दश मूलसिरा ओजोवाहिन्यो हृदयाश्रयाः ।
द्वयङ्गुलं चाङ्गुलदलं यवं यवदलं तथा ॥१०२॥
गत्वा द्रुमदलस्येव सीवन्यः प्रतता यदा ।
भिद्यन्ते तास्तदा सप्त शतानि परिसंख्यया ॥१०३॥
तासु जिह्वास्थिते द्वे द्वे वाग्रसज्ञानकारणे ।
घ्राणे गन्धवहे द्वे द्वे मेषोन्मेषकृतौ दृशोः ॥१०४॥
श्रोत्रयोः शब्दवाहिन्यौ तासु द्वे शार्ङ्गिणोदिते ।
15. The number of major and minor vessels of vital essence:
102-105b
There are ten primal (blood-vessels) carrying the vital
essence abiding in the heart. (102 ab)
Spaced from two fingers¹ and a half to a barley² corn
and a half, when the capillaries spread to branch off like the
leaf-veins, then they number seven hundred. (102c-103)
Of these,³ two veins that cause speech and two causing
the perception of taste are located in the tongue; two in the
nose for the perception of smell and two in the eyes causing
the winking (of eyelids); and two pertain to the ears, carry-
ing sound (waves) as declared by Dhanvantari⁴. (104-105b)
The ten primal-tubular vessels springing from the heart are
interspaced at the length of two fingers and a half, to begin with; and
gradually they branch off into narrower and finer tubular veins etc.,
spaced at the length of a barley and a half. Thus finally the sirā-s are
counted to be seven hundred in all as mentioned by Suśruta, according
to whom they spring from the navel region.

1. Aṅgula is equal in length to eight barley corns. Twelve
   aṅgula-s make a vitasti (a span) and twenty-four aṅgula-s make
   for a hasta (a cubit).
2. A measure equal to one-sixth or one-eighth of aṅgula (i. e , the
   finger breadth).
3. Perhaps, of the ten primal ones.
4. The divine physician considered to be the father of Indian
   medicine.

80 Treatment of Svara
16. रसवाहिन्यो धमन्यः
धमन्यो रसवाहिन्यश्चतुर्विंशतिरीरिताः ॥१०५॥
कुल्याभिरिव केदारास्ताभिर्देहो ऽभिवर्धते ।
एताः प्रतिष्ठिता नाभ्यां चक्रनाभावरा इव ॥१०६॥
ऊर्ध्वं दश दशाधस्ताच्चतस्रस्तिर्यगायताः ।
ऊर्ध्वगा हृदयं प्राप्ताः प्रतायन्ते पृथक्त्रिधा ॥१०७॥
वातं पित्तं कफं रक्तं रसं द्वे द्वे विमुञ्चतः ।
शब्दं रूपं रसं गन्धं द्वे द्वे तत्रावगच्छतः ॥१०८॥
द्वे द्वे च भाषणं घोषं स्वापं बोधं च रोदनम् ।
कुर्वति द्वे नरे शुक्लं स्तन्यं तु स्रवतः स्त्रियाम् ॥१०९॥
अधोगता अपि त्रेधा पृथक्पक्वाशयस्थिताः ।
प्रवर्तयन्ति तत्राद्या दश वातादि पूर्ववत् ॥११०॥
अन्नं भुक्तं धमन्यौ द्वे वहतो ऽम्बुसमाश्रयात् ।
तोयं मूत्रं बलं द्वे द्वे नारीणामातवं त्विमे ॥१११॥
विमुञ्चतो द्वे स्त्रोतांसि द्वे स्थूलान्त्रान्विते शकृत् ।
स्वेदं समर्पयन्त्यष्टौ,
तिरश्च्यो बहुधा मताः ॥११२॥
रोमकूपेषु संस्थासां मुखानि स्वेदमुक्तये ।
प्रवेशयन्ति चाम्यङ्गलेपादिप्रभवान्रसान् ॥११३॥
16. The arteries carrying lymph-chyle (rasa) : 105c-113
The arteries carrying lymph-chyle (rasa) are known to
be twentyfour and like a field nourished by channels of
water, the body (fed by them) also grows. (105c-106b)
These (arteries) are so rooted around the umbilicus¹
as the spokes fitted into the hub of a wheel. (106cd)
Suśruta (Śā. Sthā. 91.92) refers to several authorities who empha-
size that no arbitrary distinctions should be made between sirā-s (veins),

1. This refers to the state of embryonic body during the period
   of gestation, since the allantoic arteries and the umbilical
   veins subserve the purposes of nutrition, excretion etc. reflect-
   ing the rudimentary vascular system. After the birth, the
   Section 2 : The Genesis of the Human Embodiment ...
   (Of these) ten proceed upwards, ten downwards and
   laterally. The upward coursing (arteries) reaching the heart
   ramify into three (branches) each.² (Of these) two each
   respectively conduct wind, bile, phlegm, blood and lymph-
   cycle (rasa); two each respectively perceive the sensations
   of sound, form, taste and smell, two each respectively cause
   the activity of speech, hearing, sleep, awakening and crying;
   and two go to produce semen in men and milk in women
   (107-109).
   The down-coursing arteries³ are also threefold and
   separately function in and around the intestines.⁴ The first
   ten function with respect to wind etc. on the above lines⁵,
   two carry digested food on liquid base, two each respectively
   release water⁶, urine, semen or the ovarian discharge of
   women, two are channels⁷ (srota-s) while two others attached
   dhamanī-s (arteriers) and srota-s (channels) since these are all modifica-
   tions of the original sirā-s (tubular vessels). But, however, he does not
   agree with this opinion, holding that these different terms denote diffe-
   rent functions performed by the sirā-s. However, he too admits that
   signification.
   The up-coursing thirty dhamanī-s perform the function of preserving
   the integrity of the organs of the upper portion of the body, i. e., above
   the umbilicus, such as stomach, the sides and the back of the chest, the
   neck, shoulders and the arms (cf. Bhishagratna, Vol. II, p. 210 on
   Suśruta Śā. Sthā. 9.4).
   The blood vessels (dhamanī-s) sustain and maintain the integrity of
   the lower body, i.e., such parts as the intestines, the waist, the genera-
   tive organs, the anus and the bladder.
   arteries are connected to the heart (cf. Ghanekar, Vol. II. 215
   and Bhishagratna, Vol. II, p. 209).
2. When each of the ten up-coursing arteries ramify into three,
   they make thirty in all.
3. Again the word artery is a loose translation of sirā which
   generally means a blood vessel.
4. Pakvāśaya of the text obviously refers to the small intestines.
5. That is, two serve to carry flatus (wind), two carry bile, two
   phlegm, two blood and two lymph-chyle.
6. Toya going into the bladder becomes urine.
7. These two channels are not clearly related to any function.
   Bhishagratna, relates them to the monthly course of women
   (cf. Vol. II, p. 211 on Suśruta Śā. Sthā. 9.6).
   6

82 Treatment of Svara
17. मर्मस्थानानि
जीवस्थानानि मर्माणि शतं सप्तोत्तरं विदुः ।
18. रोमाणि, श्मश्रु केशाश्च
सार्धकोटित्रयं रोम्णां श्मश्रुकेशास्त्रिलक्षकाः ॥११४॥
स्रोतःसिराश्मश्रुकेशैः सह रोम्णां तु कोटयः ।
चतुःपञ्चाशदाख्याताः सप्तषष्ट्या च सार्धया ॥११५॥
लक्षाणां संहितानां,
to the large intestines discharge the faecal matter. Eight (of
the arteries) exude⁸ perspiration. (110-112c)
The lateral-coursing vessels (arteries) are considered to
be countless. Their external orifices open into the pores of
the skin⁹ for exuding perspiration, and also through them
are entered soothing nutrients, the effects of anointment and
unguents. (113d-113)
17. The vital parts (marmasthāna-s). (114ab)
The vital parts¹ constituting the life spots (of human
organism) are known to be one hundred and seven. (114ab)
18. Hair on the body, beard and the head : 114c-116a
The hair on the body are 3,50,00,000; the hair of the
beard and the head are 3,00,000. The combined total
Compare this with Suśruta (Śā. Sthā. 9.8) who speaks of four
lateral-coursing dhamanī-s ramifying into thousands. The dhamanī-s
are porous by themselves and they transport lymph-chyle through their
pores to the entire body (cf. Suśruta Śā. Sthā. 9.9).
8. According to Suśruta (as quoted above) these eight convey
the perspiration to lateral-coursing veins.
9 Romakūpa lit. means the root(s) of the hair on the body, i.e.,
the pores into which the hair are rooted.

1. Marma is defined 'mārayantīti marmāṇi' (Ḍalhaṇa), i.e. ‘Those
   parts that (tend to) cause death; in other words, those vital
   parts which when injured cause the collapse of the entire
   organism ’ The concept of marma is unique to Āyurveda. In fact
   there are many such concepts that can hardly be rendered into
   English in terms of modern anatomy.
   Section 2 . पिण्डोत्पत्ति...
2. देहस्थरसानां मानम्
   जलादेरधुनोच्यते ।
   दशाञ्जलि जलं ज्ञेयं रसस्याञ्जलयो नव ॥११६॥
   रक्तस्याष्टौ पुरीषस्य सप्त स्युः श्लेष्मणस्तु षट् ।
   पित्तस्य पञ्च चत्वारो मूत्रस्याञ्जलयस्त्रयः ॥११७॥
   वसाया मेदसो द्वौ तु मज्ज एको ऽञ्जलिर्मतः ।
   अर्धाञ्जलिः शिरोमज्जा श्लेष्मसरो बलं तथा ॥११८॥
   number of the channels, veins, hair of the beard, on the
   head and on the body is 54,67,50,000. (114c-116a)
3. The measure of fluids in the human body : 116b-118
   Now we are to describe (the measure of) the acqueous
   element¹ (of the body). Ten añjali-s² of water, nine of
   lymph-chyle, eight of blood, seven of faecal matter, six of
   phlegm (or mucus), five of bile, four of urine, three of muscle
   fat, two of fat, one of bone marrow, half an añjali each of
   head marrow³, colloidal vital⁴ essence and seminal fluid.
   (116b-119)
   Srota-s ordinarily signify tubular structures in the body such as
   ducts, blood vessels and capillaries. This word illustrates another such
   concept which does not easily lend itself to be translated precisely.
   Our author does not write much on the marma-s and the srota-s, and
   therefore, the temptation to give detailed information on these topics on
   the basis of Suśruta is well restrained.
4. The acqueous element is found (i) associated with faecal matter,
   (ii) in the outer skin, (iii) below the skin and (iv) exuding
   from hair follicles, viz., perspiration.
5. Measure equal to the cavity formed by joining one's two hands
   in a cup-like fashion.
6. Śiromajjā of the text. Cf. Caraka Śā. Sthā. 7.15, who identifies
   it with brain (mastiṣka).
7. Śleṣmasāra of the text.

84 Treatment of Svara
20. उपसंहारः
इति प्रत्यङ्गसंक्षेपो विस्तरस्त्विह तत्त्वतः ।
अस्मद्विरचिते ऽध्यात्मविवेके वीक्ष्यतां बुधैः ॥११९॥
20. Concluding remarks: 119
Such has been the brief treatment of the sub-organs.
The enlightened ones interested in a detailed study may refer
to our work entitled "Adhyātma-viveka". (119)
As it has been stated earlier, Śārṅgadeva was himself a qualified
doctor and wrote another work referred to above on anatomy and
medicine. But this book is probably not available today. Here he
completes his treatment of human embodiment.
It has been noted (vide our comments on 1 ante) that Śāradā-
tanaya, a contemporary of our author has quite independently and
very briefly dealt with human embodiment in the context of geya-
samutpatti (the creation of music). It will be interesting to take a
comparative view of the manner of their treatment of the subject and
to discover the difference in the point of their emphasis.
Śāradātanaya deals with the following topics in his exposition of
geya-samutpatti which obviously determines his approach and relative
emphasis :
"Announcement for expounding geya, music—the thirtysix ele-
ments of creation—the creation—the entry of the knowing self into the
womb—the genesis of human embodiment—description of the body
produced from the womb, classification of prāṇa-s, their place and
function—the ten gross nāḍī-s of the heart—their bifurcation into 700
nāḍīs and so on." (cf. Bhāvaprakāśanam, pp. 180-184-Baroda Ed.)
A similar number of subjects related to human body is dealt with
in conjunction with the production of sound. A list of these subjects
will be given in Section three (8c-9), although much of what is said by
him is also relevant to the next topic of this Section, viz., "Genesis-The
Psycho-physical Viewpoint", but all the same he does not explicitly deal
with the psycho-physical centres of the body.
Section 2: The Genesis of the Human Embodiment
घ. हठयोगानुसारि निरूपणम्
(i) दशचक्राणि

1. आधार-चक्रं कुण्डलिनी च
   गुदलिङ्गान्तरे चक्रमाधाराख्यं चतुर्दलम् ।
   परमः सहजस्तद्वदानन्दो वीरपूर्वकः ॥१२०॥
   योगानन्दश्च तत्र स्यादेशानादिवले फलम् ।
   अस्ति कुण्डलिनी ब्रह्मशक्तिराधारपङ्कजे ॥१२१॥
   आब्रह्मरन्ध्रमुजुतां नीतेयममृतप्रदा ।
   D. Genesis: The psychophysical viewpoint.
   (i) Ten cakra-s (psychophysical centres): 120-145b
2. Ādhāra-cakra and kuṇḍalinī : 120-122b
   Situated in-between¹ the anus and the genitals is the
   basic psychic centre called the 'foundational cycle' (ādhāra-
   cakra), a four-petalled lotus as it were. The petals named
   Six psycho-physical centres are conceived in the astral body of
   man by certain schools of Yoga, specially, the kuṇḍalinī-yoga, the mantra-
   yoga, the rāja-yoga, etc. These function as the centres of consciousness
   at various planes and concentration and control of one or many of these
   centres bestows enormous psychic and occult powers. However, the aim
   of yoga is to train the mind to concentrate upon and penetrate through
   all these six psycho-physical centres and thereby to attain complete
   mastery over the physical and the astral body and freedom from the
   limitations of mind and matter.
   The first centre spoken of in this verse is named mūlādhāra, which
   literally means the basic support, the foundation. Here at this centre
   the kinetic energy is said to be asleep in a static mood and it can be
   aroused through meditation. The four-petalled lotus spoken of in the
   text is a symbolic expression used as an aid to meditation on the centre,
   when the slumbering energy is awakened, it rushes through the spinal
   cord to the next higher centre at a terrific speed, and the aspirant finds
3. Corresponding to the sacrococcygeal plexus.

86 Treatment of Svara
īśāna etc.², are invested with the fruits of supreme bliss,
spontaneous happiness, heroic joy, and the divine unity
respectively. (120-121)
In the centre of the foundational cycle³ lies the crea-
tive⁴ power of the supreme Being⁵ called kuṇḍalinī⁶, which
himself uplifted to a different plane of consciousness with a different
perception and value judgement.
Here the value of concentrating separately, i. e., individually upon
the four respective petals of the symbolic lotus is expressed in different
kinds of bliss. This concept seems to be peculiar to Saṅgītaratnākara and
'K' suggests that it relates to the position of the embodied consciousness
(the transmigratory soul) in this cakra at the time of birth. This will be
elucidated later (vide comments on .40-141b). It is not possible, nor
perhaps advisable to elucidate the whole symbolism of the kuṇḍalinī-yoga
here but the underlying idea can be summarised in the following way :
Letters of alphabet (i. e. Devanāgarī script in this case) are inscri-
bed on the petals of the lotuses of the various centres. The letters so
assigned represent symbolically the particular mantra and the presiding
deity of that mantra, and thereby are the potential sources of the power
inherent in those deities. These powers can be invoked by meditation.
In this general background, it may now be noted that the four petals of
the foundational cycle have the letters va, śa, ṣa and sa assigned to them.
Furthermore there are great many details regarding the colour, the
predominant element etc. of the various cycles with which we need not
concern ourselves here, except in a general way.
2. The names of the other three petals are āgneya, nairṛta and
vāyavya. In this respect K. R. informs as under:
"From the front clock-wise are the four points, namely
east, south, west and north, and four intermediate points,
namely, south-east, south-west, north-west, and north-east. North
east is īśāna (the position presided by Śiva). The other three
points in order of the fruits described are south-east, south-
west and north-west."
3. The ādhāra paṅkaja of the text.
4. Brahma-śakti of the text.
5. Brahman of the text.
6. Kuṇḍalinī literally means coiled up, curved, zig-zag like a
serpent; that is perhaps why Sir John Woodroffe called it the
serpent Power Kumaraswmiji of Tapovana, Dharwar, des-
cribes kuṇḍalinī in the following words: "Kuṇḍalinī is the
residual power, the power left over after the production of
the body when it coils itself around the svayambhū liṅga that
is, the conus medullaries" (cf. Chakra Vol. III, 1971, p. 112).
Section 2 : ...
2. स्वाधिष्ठान-चक्रम्
स्वाधिष्ठानं लिङ्गमूले षट्पत्रं चक्रमन्य च ॥१२२॥
पूर्वाद्विषु दलेष्वाहुः फलान्येतान्यनुक्रमात् ।
प्रश्रयः क्रूरता गर्वनाशो मूर्च्छा ततः परम् ॥१२३॥
अवज्ञा स्यादविश्वासः कामशक्तेरिदं गृहम् ।
in the event of being unfolded⁷ bestows immortality.⁸ (121c-
122b)
2. Svādhiṣṭhāna-cakra : 122c-121b
Situated at the root of the genitals is the six-petalled
lotus, the psycho-physical centre called 'self-abiding cycle'
The creative power of the supreme Being, of Brahman, the kinetic
energy, the śakti of Śiva and the māyā of Brahman, the power of creating
appearances, is stationed at the root of the spinal column. Ordinarily
this energy lies curved into a coil (i. e., three rounds and a half) and
that is why it is called kuṇḍalinī. But by concentration and meditation
its coils are unfolded and in that event it rushes up the spinal cord to
the upper cerebrum and reaches the mystic cerebral aperture (brahma-
randhra) and this results in enlightenment, an experience of timeless
being which is immortality.
Though it may be a matter of greater detail, yet in the context
of this verse it may be pointed out that according to the Ṣaṭcakra-
nirūpaṇa the foundational cycle is the place where the female principle
represented by a triangle, the yoni known as traipura is located, and in
this triangle is set the male principle represented by the svayambhū (lit.
self-born) liṅga. Kuṇḍalinī which is the creative power of the absolute
Brahman or the energy aspect of non-relational-reality, lies coiled over
the svayambhū Śiva-liṅga (referred to above) covering the entrance to the
suṣumṇā-nāḍī with her head. It is this entrance which is technically
known as Brahmadvāra (lit. the doorway to the absolute).
The word svādhiṣṭhāna (etymologically analysed as sva+adhi+
sthāna, i. e., one's own seat) is variously interpreted. Some identify sva
7. Literally, 'straightened' or 'uncoiled'.
8. Literally, 'ambrosia'.

Left Page (p. 88)

88 Treatment of Svara
(svādhiṣṭhāna-cakra).¹ The consequent fruits² of (concentration
on) the eastern and the other petals are respectively said to
be courtesy³, cruelty, freedom from pride⁴, stupor, disrespect
and distrust. This is the seat of passion.⁵ (122c-124b)
with the Śivaliṅga, i. e., the Para liṅga, the supreme one of the four
symbolic liṅga-s of this yoga. Then the word svādhiṣṭhāna would mean
abode of Śiva. But others interpret sva etymologically with reference
to the kuṇḍalinī power, implying this cycle to be the abode of its own
power. However, it would be rewarding if one were to have a look at
the result of meditating on this cakra as given in the Ṣaṭcakranirūpaṇa
(cf. verse 18 as translated by Sir John Woodroffe in his 'Serpent Power',
p. 364).
"He who meditates upon this stainless lotus, which is named
svādhiṣṭhāna, is freed immediately from all his enemies such as the fault
of ahaṁkāra (ego and so forth etc."
The enemies referred to are kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, ahaṁkāra,
i. e., desire, anger, greed, delusion and ego. It is these five that are
at the root of all self-centred activity, worldliness and sin, all that turns
man into a beast. Thus it is obvious that this cycle is the centre, the
abode of the illusive power of māyā, the kuṇḍalinī.
The six petals of the lotus bear the six letters from left to right
ba, bha, ma, ya, ra, and la, with a dot above (anusvāra).

1. Svādhiṣṭhāna literally means self-supporting. This centre
   corresponds to the sacral plexus in the physical body. The
   specific power developed through meditation on this centre is
   transcendence of the sex-consciousness.
2. The underlying idea seems to be that specific qualities are
   developed through concentration on different petals. These
   qualities are mental dispositions of various colours.
3. Courtesy is thus developed by meditating on the eastern petal
   and so on.
4. Lit. destruction of pride.
5. When kuṇḍalinī is released from this centre and is pushed up
   in the next higher one described subsequently, control with
   regard to sexual power is gained.

Right Page (p. 89)

Section 2 : The Genesis of the Human Embodiment 89
3. मणिपूर-चक्रम्
नाभौ दशदलं चक्रं मणिपूरकसंज्ञितम् ॥१२४॥
सुषुप्तिरत्र तृष्णा स्यादीर्ष्या पिशुनता तथा ।
लज्जा भयं घृणा मोहः कषायो ऽथ विषादिता ॥१२५॥
क्रमात्पूर्वादिपत्रे तु स्याद्भानुभवनं च तत् ।
3. Maṇipūraka-cakra : 124c-126b
The ten-petalled lotus, the psychophysical centre called
the 'navel cycle'¹ (maṇipūraka cakra) is located around the
navel. The results flowing out of (meditation on) the eastern
and other petals respectively are: dreamless sleep², craving,
jealousy, fault-finding nature, bashfulness, fear, hatred,
stupidity³, impropriety and dejection. This centre is the
seat of a particular prāṇa called bhānu⁴. (124c-126b)
Maṇipūra or maṇipūraka-cakra is also called nābhi-padma, i. e., the
navel lotus as it is located around the region of the root of the navel.
That is why it has conveniently been named as the 'navel cycle'. The
name maṇipūra is explained in a round-about way. It is said in the
Gautamīya Tantra (cf. Serpent Power, p. 119) that owing to the presence
of the fiery tejas (brilliance) this centre is lustrous as a gem (maṇi) and
so it is called maṇipūra.
It is suggested by Sir John Woodroffe that the gross body is evolv-
ed out of the power involved in these three centres. The higher centres
are concerned with mental development, i. e., the subtle body or the
thought body etc. During the waking state attention is ordinarily
centred on either of these three centres (cf. Serpent Power, p. 120).
The ten petals of the lotus of this cycle bear the letters ḍa, ḍha, ṇa,
ta, tha, da, dha, na, pa and pha with a dot above (anusvāra).

1. Maṇipūraka of the text indicates the abdomen. This centre
   translated as the 'navel cycle' corresponds to the solar plexus
   which forms a centre of a great function of the right and the
   left sympathetic chains piṅgalā and iḍā; with cerebro-spinal
   axis connected to this is the lumbar plexus.
2. 'S' defines dreamless sleep as the cessation of all sensual and
   mental activity.
3. Moha is defined by 'S' as a state of mind in which, even while
   awake one is unaware with regard to an object in the field of
   his normal perception.
4. Bhānu literally means the sun.

90 Treatment of Svara
4. अनाहत-चक्रम्
हृदये ऽनाहतं चक्रं शिवस्य प्रणवाकृतेः ॥१२६॥
पूजास्थानं तदिच्छन्ति दलैर्द्वादशभिर्युतम् ।
लौल्यप्रणाशः प्रकटी वितर्को ऽप्यनुतापिता ॥१२७॥
आशा प्रकाशश्चिन्ता च समीहा समता ततः ।
क्रमेण दम्भो वैकल्यं विवेको ऽहंकृतिस्तथा ॥१२८॥
फलान्येतानि पूर्वादिदलसंस्थस्यात्मनो जगुः ।
4. Anāhata-cakra : 126c-129b
In the heart is located the psycho-physical centre called
the 'cycle of the unmanifest'¹ (anāhata-cakra), with twelve
petals which is considered to be the place of worshipping
lord Śiva in the form of Om.² (126-127b)
The consequences meeting the mind concentrated upon
eastern and other petals respectively are freedom from fick-
leness, clear thinking³, repentance, hope, light⁴, worry, desire
The anāhata-cakra is the psycho-physical centre wherein manifests
'Śabda-brahman' a concept which can best be conveyed in English by
the expression 'the absolute manifested as the inarticulate word'. This
centre is said to be the seat of the embodied consciousness, i. e., the
Jīvātman. Anāhata nāda or Unmanifest sound is associated with this centre
which is considered to be the pulse of life. It is said in the Ṣaṭcakranirū-
paṇa that one who meditates on this centre becomes a master of speech
and gains the power to create and to destroy. This lotus is the seat of
Śiva and the residence of haṁsa (the Ātman, cf. verse 26). Its twelve

1. Anāhata of the text literally means unstruck, i. e., unmanifest.
   This corresponds to cardiac plexus and controls the heart.
2. Om, properly written as aum is the sacred syllable of mystic
   value. Every vedic chant begins with Om and every mantra
   begins with Om. The three letters, two vowels combined into
   its make, 'a' and 'u' and the consonant 'm' symbolise the
   three phases of consciousness, viz. the waking state, the dream
   state and the dreamless sleep state; while, the dot given above
   it, the 'candrabindu' denotes the turīya, i. e., total Being. There
   are great many details about it but suffice it to note that the
   letters of Om are symbolic.
3. Literally, vitarka means deliberation.
   4 'S' defines it as 'the absence of the non-perception of form'.
   Section 2 : The Genesis of the ...
4. विशुद्धि-चक्रम्
   कण्ठे ऽस्ति भारतीस्थानं विशुद्धिः षोडशच्छदम् ॥१२९॥
   तत्र प्रणव उद्गीथो हुंफड् वषडथ स्वधा ।
   स्वाहा नमो ऽमृतं सप्त स्वराः षड्जादयो विषम् ॥१३०॥
   इति पूर्वादिपत्रस्थे फलान्यात्मनि षोडश ।
   for warding off evil, equanimity, vanity, mental instability,
   discernment and will.⁵ (127c-129b)
5. Viśuddhi-cakra : 129cd-131b
   The psycho-physical centre with sixteen petals, called
   the 'cycle of purity'¹ (viśuddhi cakra) is situated in the throat-
   larynx and is known as the abode of Bhāratī, the goddess of
   learning. Contemplation on the eastern and other petals
   offers the following results respectively : praṇava², udgītha³,
   petals bear the letters; ka, kha, ga, gha, ṅa, ca, cha, ja, jha, jña: ta and tha
   with a dot above.
   This centre is situated at the base of the throat. Viśuddhi-cakra is
   so called because the ego-soul having perceived the spirit-soul, i e., the
   jīvātman, the embodied consciousness having discovered the ātman, the
   boundless being within, in the 'cycle of the unmanifest', the anāhata-
   cakra, gets 'purified'. Thus it is endowed with the power to perceive
   the three phases of time, viz. the past, present and future. This centre is
   considered to be the gateway to the final emancipation from all limita-
   tions of consciousness. The sixteen petals of the lotus have sixteen
   vowels (from a to aḥ) for their symbols with a dot above them.
   Ṣaṭcakranirūpaṇa describes the results of meditating upon this centre
   as under (cf. verse 31 as translated by Sir John Woodroffe in (Serpent
   Power, p. 391):
6. Literally, ahaṅkṛti may be translated as ego.
7. Viśuddhi literally means purity. This corresponds to the
   layryngeal plexus.
8. Oṁkāra is prefixed to every vedic chant.
9. Udgītha is the second part of a Sāman chant which has five
   parts in all, viz., prastāva, udgītha, pratihāra, upadrava and
   nidhāna, in serial order. Oṁkāra is also used in the commence-
   ment of the udgītha as we are informed by 'K'.

92 Treatment of Svara
6. ललना-चक्रम्
ललनाऽऽख्यं घण्टिकायां चक्रं द्वादशपत्रकम् ॥१३१॥
मदो मानस्ततः स्नेहः शोकः खेदश्च लुब्धता ।
अरतिः संभ्रमश्चोर्मिः श्रद्धातोषोपरोधिताः ॥१३२॥
फलानि ललनाचक्रे स्युः पूर्वादिदलेष्विति ।
humphaṭ⁴, vaṣaṭ⁵, svadhā⁶, svāhā⁷, namaḥ⁸, nectar⁹, the seven
tones ṣaḍja¹⁰ etc. and poison. (129c-131b)
6. Lalanā-cakra : 101c-133b
The psychophysical centre called lalanā¹ with twelve
petals is situated in the back of the neck. The consequences
emerging out of (concentration upon) the eastern and the
other petals respectively are—arrogance, haughtiness, affec-
tion, sorrow,² agony,³ greed, disenchantment, emotional
“He who has attained complete knowledge of the Ātman (Brahman)
becomes, by concentrating his mind (citta) on this lotus, a great sage,
eloquent and wise, and enjoys uninterrupted peace of mind. He sees
the three periods and becomes the benefactor of all, free from disease
and sorrow and long-lived, and like haṁsa, the destroyer of endless
dangers.”
The lalanā-cakra, though well-recognised, is not counted among the
six main psycho-physical centres in the body demonstrated in such
4. Humphaṭ is a non-inflectional syllable uttered while pouring
an oblation into the sacrificial fire.
5,6,7. These too are similar syllables as humphaṭ.
8. Namaḥ lit. salutation.
9. The ambrosia.
10. The names of the other notes are ṛṣabha, gāndhāra, madhyama,
pañcama, dhaivata and niṣāda as we shall come across further
in the text.

1. This word has not been translated, for it is not found worth-
   while to do so in this case The word literally means a woman,
   a wanton woman or tongue and it seems the word cannot be
   significantly interpreted in any of these terms. So the word
   has to be accepted as a technical one.
2. ‘S’ defines śoka (sorrow) as misery caused by known factors.
3. And he (‘S’) defines kheda (agony) as misery due to unknown
   causes.

Section 2 : The Genesis of the Svara...
7. आज्ञा-चक्रम्
भ्रूमध्ये त्रिदलं चक्रमाज्ञासंज्ञं फलानि तु ॥१३३॥
आविर्भावाः सत्त्वरजस्तमसां क्रमतो मताः ।
excitement, the basic urge for living,⁴ devotion,⁵ satisfaction
and cleverness (131c-133 b).
7. Ājñā-cakra : 133c-134
The psycho-physical centre called the ‘cycle of supreme
command’¹ (ājñā cakra), having three petals is located in-
between the two eye-brows. The results of (contemplating
upon) the various petals respectively are the manifestations
of the three guṇā-s—sattva, rajas and tamas². (133c-134b)
standard works as Ṣaṭcakranirūpaṇa. This centre is also called kāla-cakra
by some writers and is located at the root of the palate.
Ājñā-cakra is so called because it is said that the ājñā (command)
of the guru, the supreme preceptor is obtained directly by contemplating
in the region of this centre. (cf. Rudrayāmala Ch. XXVII, V. 68 cited
by Arthur Avalon in his English translation of the Ṣaṭcakra-nirūpaṇa,
Serpent Power, p. 395—footnote 6). This cycle is the seat of the mind,
of mahat and prakṛti, i. e., the mindstuff (consciousness), intellect. ego
and will. A successful yogi, at the time of death, establishes his vital
breath in this centre and consequently abides in the timeless being after
death. The two petals of this lotus bear the letters ha and kṣa. This
completes the garland of letters of fifty petals in all.
4. Six basic urges for life are known in the Āgama-s, as quoted
by ‘S’.
बुभुक्षा च पिपासा च शोकमोहौ जरामृती ।
ऊर्मयः षडिति प्राणबुद्धिदेहेषु संस्थिताः ॥
Hunger, thirst, sorrow, delusion, decay and death—these
are the basic urges resident in the vital breath, the mind and
the body.
5. Śraddhā also means faith, it is rather an attitude of reverence,
faith and devotion combined with love.

1. Ājñā literally means ‘command’. Concentration on this centre
   gives one the command of the body and the mind. One
   becomes the commander of one’s forces. This centre corres-
   ponds to the cerebellum, identified by some with the pineal
   gland, the centre of the third or the spiritual eye.
2. These three comprehend the entire nature.

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.

96 Treatment of Svara
11. गीतादिसिद्धौ चक्राणां साधकत्वं बाधकत्वञ्च
अनाहतदले पूर्वेऽष्टमे चैकादशे तथा ।
द्वादशे च स्थितो जीवो गीतादेः सिद्धिमृच्छति ॥१४०॥
the source of nectar² is located in the cerebral aperture³
(brahma-randhra). Spilling innumerable streams of ambrosia⁴,
it nourishes the body. (139)
11. Meditation of cakra-s as related to the cultivation of
music :
The embodied soul¹ established in the (contemplation
of) first, eighth, eleventh and the twelfth petals of the 'cycle
of the unmanifest'² (anāhata-cakra) attains proficiency in music
randhra, the cerebral aperture as its location. This aperture is symbolic
of void called parama vyoma or the highest ether or in other words, the
subtlest space (cf. Ṣaṭcakranirūpaṇa verses 40-48). The purport is as
follows :
"Within it is the full moon, without any spot whatsoever, resplen-
dent as in a clear sky. It shakes its rays in profusion, and is moist and
cool like nectar. Inside this, shines the great void which is served in
secret by all the gods." (Adapted with modifications from Arthur
Avalon's translation, the Serpent Power, p. 430).
So in the void, which is identified with bindu, parabindu or Īśvara or
called śūnya is the light which is formless (cf. Toḍala Tantra, 6th Ullāsa
as cited by Arthur Avalon; Serpent Power, p. 431). Thus consciousness,
when established in it, transcends time. And it is this transcendental
consciousness that obviously is variously named as immortality, ambrosia,
nectar and so on.
Now, first of all it may be made clear that 'K' has taken the view
(vide his comments on 121 ante) that at the time of birth the embodied
2. This is obviously a metaphorical expression, for nectar when
drunk bestows immortality, according to Indian mythology.
3. This is the void, the space in which is projected the entire
vision of life and action.
4. Sudhāsāra of the text. This can be interpreted to mean the
harmony of body, mind and soul resulting from immortality.

1. Jīva generally signifies a transmigratory soul embodied in a
   physical body.
2. The anāhata, lit. means unstruck. It may once again be
   noted that this centre corresponds to the cardiac plexus.

Section 2 : The Genesis of the Human Embodiment
चतुर्थषष्ठदशमैर्दलैर्गीतादि नश्यति ।
विशुद्धेरष्टमादीनि दलान्यष्टौ श्रितानि तु ॥१४१॥
दद्युर्गीतादिसंसिद्धिं षोडशं तद्विनाशनम् ।
दशमैकादशे पत्रे ललनायां तु सिद्धिदे ॥१४२॥
नाशकं प्रथमं तुर्यं पञ्चमं च दलं विदुः ।
ब्रह्मरन्ध्रस्थितो जीवः सुधया संप्लुतो यथा ॥१४३॥
तुष्टो गीतादिकार्याणि प्रप्रकर्षाणि साधयेत् ।
एषां शेषेषु पत्रेषु चक्रेष्वन्येषु च स्थितः ॥१४४॥
जीवो गीतादिसंसिद्धिं न कदाचिदवाप्नुयात् ।
etc.³; while (by concentration on) the fourth, sixth and tenth
of the petals one destroys one's capacity for music etc.
(140-141b)
In the 'cycle of purity'⁴ (viśuddhi-cakra) contemplation
on eight petals from the eighth onwards leads to success in
musical arts etc.⁵, while the sixteenth petal is destructive for
this purpose. (141c-142b).
The tenth and the eleventh petals of the psycho-physical
centre called lalanā bestow success (in the musical arts), while
its first, fourth and fifth petals are known to be detrimental.
(142c-143b)
The embodied soul⁶ whose attention is focussed in the
soul is fixed psychologically on one of the petals of these cycles, i.e.,
the psycho-physical centres in terms of attention, and according to the
point of attention it gains the predisposition of character as already
described in the foregoing pages. This particular verse seems to lend
an indirect support to this view though if one were dogmatic, one may
not yet find enough evidence for it.
3. Gītādi lit. means 'singing' or 'song' etc., but gīta or vocal
music is basic to Indian music as it has already been mention-
ed. Moreover, 'gīta' also is used in the general sense of music,
so it has been translated as such. 'S' includes instrumental
music and dance as well after the concept of saṅgīta.
4. Viśuddhi lit. means purity.
5. Gītādi lit. gīta etc. implies vocal and instrumental music and
dancing and may even include dance-drama
6. In other words the 'individual organism', which is sensitive to
perception.
7

98 Treatment of Svara
(ii) ब्रह्मग्रन्थि :
आधाराद् द्व्यङ्गुलादूर्ध्वं मेहनाद् द्व्यङ्गुलावधः ॥१४५॥
एकाङ्गुलं देहमध्यं तप्तजाम्बूनदप्रभम् ।
तत्रास्तेऽग्निशिखा तन्वी चक्रात्तस्मान्नवाङ्गुले ॥१४६॥
aperture of the upper cerebrum⁷, being immersed in ambro-
sia⁸, finds fulfilment⁹ and should therefore cultivate the
musical arts¹⁰ with great excellence. (143c-144b)
The embodied soul¹¹ cannot in any way accomplish
anything (worthwhile) in the (field of) musical arts by concen-
trating¹¹ on any other petals or psycho-physical centres.
(144c-145b)
(ii) Brahma-granthi : 145c-148
Two finger-length above the base¹ and two finger-
breadth below the genitals² in the space of one finger-breadth
is the centre of the body, shining like molten³ gold. (145c-
146b)
There is located a slender flame of fire at a distance of
nine fingers from that centre⁴, and it is there that the life-
7. The brahma-randhra of the text.
8. The ambrosia of immortality, the timeless consciousness.
9. The person concerned realises the goal of individual existence
by attaining immortality and so has nothing more to achieve
in life and is thus free to devote himself to music etc.
10. This includes vocal and instrumental music and dance.
11. The individual while at the time of birth, if interested in art
should devote himself to such of the petals as are conducive;
that seems to be the idea.

1. The base is the foundational cycle, the mūlādhāra-cakra.
2. Mehāna of the text literally means penis, but even so the word
   is used in the general sense of sexual organ.
3. Tapta literally means—heated, but the author is using a simile
   in order to give an idea of the abstract. The flame itself is a
   symbolic expression for the creative power of life.
4. It is not clear if nine fingers is the distance from the mūlādhāra-
   cakra or the centre of the body just spoken of. 'K' does not
   comment and 'S' offers both the alternative interpretations
   without a judgement. But it seems that the centre of the body
   should be the point of reference, for otherwise there will be no
   relevance for describing it.
   Section 2 : The Genesis of the Human Embodiment 99
   देहस्य कन्दोऽस्त्युत्सेधादायामाभ्यां चतुरङ्गुलः ।
   ब्रह्मग्रन्थिरिति प्रोक्तं तस्य नाम पुरातनैः ॥१४७॥
   तन्मध्ये नाभिचक्रं तु द्वादशारमवस्थितम् ।
   लूतेव तन्तुजालस्था तत्र जीवो भ्रमत्ययम् ॥१४८॥
   source of the body is found, four fingers in elevation as well
   as in extension. This⁵ has been called 'brahma-granthi'⁶ by
   the ancients. (146c-147)
   Right in its⁷ centre is situated the 'cycle of the umbi-
   licus'⁸ (nābhi cakra) with twelve spokes, and like the spider
   caught in (its own) net, yonder there wanders the self-consci-
   ous being.⁹ (148)
   (iii) सुषुम्णा, नाड्यन्तराणि च
   सुषुम्णया ब्रह्मरन्ध्रमारोहत्यवरोहति ।
   जीवः प्राणसमारूढो रज्ज्वां कोह्लाटिको यथा ॥१४९॥
   (iii) Suṣumṇā and other nāḍī-s : 149-163b
   Mounted upon the vital breath¹, the self-conscious
   entity², through the suṣumṇā keeps on ascending to the
   cerebral aperture³ and descending back⁴, moving like a
   tight rope⁵ dancer. (149)
5. 'This' refers to the life-source of the body.
6. Literally, the knot of Brahman, i. e., the root of life force.
7. That is, in the centre of the brahma-granthi.
8. The nābhi-cakra, perhaps the same as maṇipūraka with the
   difference that it has been said to have only ten petals, where-
   as this one is described as having twelve spokes.
9. The self-conscious being is the jīva; this idea or concept is
   not native to European culture and therefore is foreign to
   English tongue; that is why it is being elucidated in different
   ways on different occasions.
10. A metaphor is used, the rope of a dancer is compared to prāṇa,
    as the dancer ascends by the rope; so the jīva ascends by
    prāṇa.
11. That is, jīva
12. This is technically known as brahma-randhra.
13. Descending back to the base, i.e., the foundational cycle, the
    mūlādhāra.
14. This rope seems to be vertical rather than horizontal. Perhaps
    it has an allusion to the Indian rope trick. This simile can

100 Treatment of Svara
सुषुम्णां परितो नाड्यः कन्दादाब्रह्मरन्ध्रतः ।
कन्दीकृत्य स्थिताः कन्दं शाखाभिस्तन्वते तनुम् ॥१५०॥
ताश्च भूरितरास्तासु मुख्याः प्रोक्ताश्चतुर्दश ।
सुषुम्नेडा पिङ्गला च कुहूरथ सरस्वती ॥१५१॥
गान्धारी हस्तिजिह्वा च वारुणी च यशस्विनी ।
विश्वोदरा शङ्खिनी च ततः पूषा पयस्विनी ॥१५२॥
अलम्बुसेति तत्राद्यास्तिस्रो मुख्यतमा मताः ।
सुषुम्णा तिसृषु श्रेष्ठा वैष्णवी मुक्तिमार्गगा ॥१५३॥
कन्दमध्ये स्थिता तस्या इडा सव्ये ऽथ दक्षिणे ।
पिङ्गलेडापिङ्गलयोश्चरतश्चन्द्रभास्करौ ॥१५४॥
क्रमात्कालगतेर्हेतू सुषुम्णा कालशोषिणी ।
सरस्वती कुहूश्चास्ते सुषुम्णायास्तु पार्श्वयोः ॥१५५॥
इडायाः पृष्ठपूर्वस्थे गान्धारीहस्तिजिह्विके ।
क्रमात्पूषायशस्विन्यौ पिङ्गलापृष्ठपूर्वयोः ॥१५६॥
विश्वोदरा मध्यदेशे स्यात्कुहूहस्तिजिह्वयोः ।
मध्ये कुहूयशस्विन्योर्वारुणी संस्थिता मता ॥१५७॥
पूषासरस्वतीमध्यमधिशेते पयस्विनी ।
गान्धारिकासरस्वत्योर्मध्ये वसति शङ्खिनी ॥१५८॥
अलम्बुसा कन्दमध्ये,
तत्रेडापिङ्गले क्रमात् ।
सव्यदक्षिणनासान्तं कुहूरामेहनं पुरः ॥१५९॥
सरस्वत्यूर्ध्वमाजिह्वं गान्धार्याः पृष्ठतः स्थिता ।
आवामनेत्रमासव्यपादाङ्गुष्ठं तु संस्थिता ॥१६०॥
हस्तिजिह्वा सव्यगा तु वारुण्यथ यशस्विनी ।
आ ऽङ्गुष्ठाद्दक्षिणाङ्घ्रिस्था देहे विश्वोदरा ऽखिले ॥१६१॥
Section 2 : The Genesis of the ...
शङ्खिनी सव्यकर्णान्तं पूषा त्वायाम्यनेत्रतः ।
पयस्विनी तु वितता दक्षिणश्रवणावधि ॥१६२॥
अलम्बुसा पायुमूलमवष्टभ्य व्यवस्थिता ।
From the life-centre⁶ to the cerebral aperture⁷ the
nāḍī-s⁸, surrounding the suṣumṇā⁹ and enmeshing the life-
centre by their network, enlarge the body by developing
their branches. (150)
These nāḍī-s are in a large number; but fourteen out
of them are important, viz., suṣumṇā, piṅgalā, iḍā, kuhū,
sarasvatī, gāndhārī, hastijihvā, vāruṇī, yaśasvinī, viśvodarā, śaṅkhinī,
pūṣā, payasvinī and alambusā. The first three¹⁰ of these again
are considered to be most significant. (151-153b)
From verse No. 151 to 159(a) the relative position of nāḍī-s is
described.
also have an allegorical significance. The self-consciousness
of the individual attains various levels of psychological being,
which in ordinary people are never held steadily and there-
fore give rise to various emotions and sentiments in their
behaviour Through the practice of kuṇḍalinī-yoga the mind
is trained to concentrate on a partciular psychophysical centre
and thereby master a particular level of consciousness. But
this again is a very delicate practice, which can be well
compared with tight rope dancing, requiring a perfect balance
between the opposites.
6. The life-centre is the life-source spoken of in verse No. 147
ante. It is the same as brahma granthi.
7. That is the brahma randhra.
8. Nāḍī-s, as already explained, are the tubular vessels. The
whole body is a network of the nāḍī-s. But the nāḍī-s spoken
of in this context have a special significance in the science of
yoga.
9. Suṣumṇā is the name given to the central-most nāḍī that
proceeds from the end of the spinal column and opens into
the cerebral aperture The dormant creative energy, when
awakened in the foundational cycle, rises up along this nāḍī.
10. The first three are suṣumṇā, piṅgalā and iḍā. Piṅgalā is to
the right and iḍā to the left of suṣumṇā. Prāṇa generally
flows through these two.

102 Treatment of Svara
Suṣumṇā is the supreme among these three; with Viṣṇu
as its presiding deity, it leads to the pathway of liberation.
It is established in the centre of the life-source¹¹ and is flank-
ed by iḍā on the left and piṅgalā on the right. The vital
breath moving through iḍā and piṅgalā is called moon¹² and
the sun¹³, for they determine the movement of time¹⁴; but,
suṣumṇā destroys¹⁵ time. (153 c-155b)
Sarasvatī¹⁶ and kuhū are on the either sides of suṣumṇā.
Gāndhārī and hastijihvā are respectively situated behind and
in front of iḍā; while pūṣā and yaśasvinī are similarly¹⁷ situated
with respect to piṅgalā. (155c-156)
Viśvodarā lies in the midst of kuhū and hastijihvā, and
vāruṇī likewise is in the midst of kuhū and yaśasvinī. Payasvinī
The psychophysical view of genesis presented by the author, point-
ing out the different psychophysical centres and their relation to music
ends here. An analytical study of this relationship is presented in
appendix II. It may, however, be observed that Śāradātanaya, a con-
temporary of, but somewhat anterior to Śārṅgadeva, provides us the
rudiments of the hypothesis incorporating this relationship. He relates
the seven tones to seven different places located in the body (cf. our
comments on 8-9 of Section 3) right from the Brahmagranthi. These
places roughly correspond to the psychophysical centres. It can, therefore,
be concluded that the line of thought linking musical sound (āhata nāda)
to the yogic experience of anāhata-nāda already existed in his time.
11. That is, the brahma-granthi in the centre of the body.
12. Candra of the text.
13. Bhāskara of the text.
14. Just as the sun and the moon serve as the standards for time, or
just as time is measured in terms of their movement, so is time
measured in terms of the movement of the vital breath through
iḍā and piṅgalā respectively; for it has been found by yogic
observation that the breathing process goes on alternatively
through the right or the left nostril for specific periods of time.
15. Suṣumṇā destroys the sense of time (kāla) for when the creative
power is aroused in the foundational cycle and rises upto the
thousand-petalled cerebral aperture (brahma-randhra), all
duality ceases and there is only oneness in consciousness.
Time is transcended in eternity.
16. Cf. Arthur Avalon (John Woodroffe): The Serpent Power,
pp. 113 and 114 for a detailed account of this topic in terms
of modern anatomy.
17. That is, pūṣā is located behind and yaśasvinī in the front of
piṅgalā.
Section ...
lies, in between pūṣā and sarasvatī, while śaṅkhinī exists bet-
ween gāndhārī and sarasvatī and alambuṣā is in the midst of
the life-centre¹⁸. (157-159a)
Now¹⁹, iḍā and piṅgalā (extend) upto the tips of the
left and the right nostrils respectively, and kuhū to the front
of the genitals.²⁰ Sarasvatī extends upto the tongue, while
gāndhārī is set by the back (of the body). Hastijihvā runs from
the left eye to the toes²¹ of the left foot; while vāruṇī pervades
the entire body; on the other hand, yaśasvinī extends from
the toe²² upto the right foot; while viśvodarā pervades the
whole body. Śaṅkhinī extends upto the left ear and pūṣā upto
the right eye, while payasvinī is extended to the extremity of
the right ear. Alambuṣā stands coiled around the root of the
anus. (159b-163b)
ङ उपसंहारः
नादस्य भुक्तिमुक्तिसाधकत्वम्
एवंविधे तु देहे ऽस्मिन्मलसंचयसंवृते ॥ १६३॥
प्रसाधयन्ति धीमन्तो भुक्तिं मुक्तिमुपायतः ।
E. Conclusion : The value of music for enjoyment
(bhukti) and for enlightenment (mukti). (163c-168ab)
Such is the body, a heap of filth surrounded by impuri-
ties of all sorts; and yet intelligent people utilise it as a means
for worldly enjoyment and for salvation (163c-164b)
The purport of the author seems to point out that the physical
body is so full of impurities and is a breeding ground for disease and
decay, yet intelligent people do not discard it on that account; the
18. The same as the life-source, called brahmagranthi.
19. From verse No. 159 (bcd) to 163 (ab) the extension of the
respective nāḍī-s is described. 20. Literally, penis.
21. Aṅguṣṭha of the text refers to the thumb.
22. As hastijihvā runs from the left eye to the toe in the left foot,
one might well expect in keeping with the law of symmetry in
nature, that corresponding to it, Yaśasvinī should run from
the right eye to the toe in the right foot; the present descrip-
tion, at any rate, sounds cryptic.

104 Treatment of Svara
तत्र स्यात्सगुणाद्ध्यानाद्भुक्तिर्मुक्तिस्तु निर्गुणात् ।। १६४ ।।
ध्यानमेकाग्रचित्तैकसाध्यं न सुकरं नृणाम् ।
तस्मादत्र सुखोपायं श्रीमन्नादमनाहतम् ।। १६५ ।।
गुरूपदिष्टमार्गेण मुनयः समुपासते ।
सो ऽपि रक्तिविहीनत्वान्न मनोरञ्जको नृणाम् ।। १६६ ।।
तस्मादाहतनादस्य श्रुत्यादिद्वारतो ऽखिलम् ।
गेयं वितन्वतो लोकरञ्जनं भवभञ्जनम् ।। १६७ ।।
उत्पत्तिमभिधास्यामस्तथा श्रुत्याविहेतुताम् ।
The pursuit of the manifest¹ (saguṇa) leads to worldly
enjoyment and the meditation of the unmanifest² (nirguṇa)
leads to salvation. (164cd).
wise do not, due to the imperfections of the body, hate it and grow
indifferent to its proper upkeep and care ; on the contrary, they find
in it a suitable means, not only for enjoying life in this world, but also
for saving their souls in the other world as well. i e., for gaining
immortality, the final beatitude.
The author further makes it clear that Life or Divinity may be
conceived either as manifest and conditioned from the individual view-
point, i.e , delimited in time-space, or as absolute, non-dual reality from
the universal point of view.
He further informs that the individual's point of view, delimited
in time-space as it is, leads to worldly enjoyment. The word,
‘enjoyment’, i. e., bhukti is neutral and comprehends both pleasure and
pain, delight and sorrow, all the pairs of opposites in feeling, knowing
and willing; bhukti in fact is experience. This he calls the pursuit of
the manifest, i e., conditioned reality which implies the unmanifest, the
unconditioned. Meditation of the unconditioned, the unmanifest,
Brahman without any attributes, without any specific conditions leads to
freedom, to perfection, to spiritual emancipation.
A reference may, in this context, be invited to Bhaṭṭa Nāyaka’s
concept of bhoga, explaining aesthetic experience being subjectively
as well as objectively true and yet free from the limitations of individu-
ality. Thus, in his view, the effective operation of the media lies

1. Literally, Brahman with attributes implying conditioned existence.
2. Literally, attributeless Brahman implying unconditioned
   Section 2 . The Genesis of the Human Embodiment...
   Contemplation attainable through one-pointed concen-
   tration of attention is not conveniently within the reach of
   people³; therefore, under the circumstances⁴, the sages take
   resort to the easier means of worshipping the unmanifest
   nāda⁵, by the procedure laid down by the preceptors. Even
   that, being devoid of emotional colour⁶, does not interest the
   (common) people. (165-166)
   in their efficiency to liberate the subjective self well as the object
   presented from the limitations of personality. From this point of view
   music being an auditory art, has greater advantages than other art
   media. Music is truly a universal language and therefore is capable of
   being used as a medium not only of aesthetic experience but also of
   spiritual experience. Indeed, music has been used as a powerful instru-
   ment for spiritual and religious awakening, specially in India. The
   author is stressing the point (as also in the next verse) that even though
   all human endeavour may culminate in the awakening of the unmanifest
   (anāhata) nāda within, it can best be achieved through the pursuit of the
   manifest (āhata) nāda, i. e., through the cultivation of musical arts
   which cater to the individual, the social and the spiritual good of
   humanity at the material and the spiritual levels at the same time.
   Now, it has been stated in the previous verse that devotion to the
   manifestation of deity or the manifest deity leads to worldly experience;
   while, one-pointed attention fixed upon the unmanifest, the attributeless,
   unconditioned Brahman leads to final emancipation. With regard to
   worldly experience as well, the goal ultimately is to rise above need for
   further experience and be free from limitations of every sort. The
   intelligent people as it has been said, make use of the body as a means
   of gaining experience as well as salvation. Experiencing the sense
   objects and their pursuit is open to all and is also within the reach of
   almost all the human beings, but salvation is attained, as far as our
   text is concerned, by contemplating the formless, the limitless reality;
   and that is not approachable by all, even though that is the accepted
   goal of all human existence. It is not possible for everybody to meditate
   upon the attributeless Brahman, because it requires one-pointed concent-
   ration of mind to be held without the aid of a visible object. It requires
   a code of self-discipline without any external stimulus or any other
   source of inspiration.
3. Ordinary people are meant, i. e., the average human being.
4. Since the direct approach is beyond the reach of an average human being, in such a case.
5. Nāda is primordial sound