Siva Samhita 2

CHAPTER II

(1) The Microcosm.

1. In this body, the mount Meru - i.e., the vertebral column - is surrounded by seven islands; there are rivers, seas, mountains, fields; and lords of the fields too.

2. There are in it seers and sages; all the stars and planets as well. There are sacred pilgrimages, shrines; and presiding deities of the shrines.

3. The sun and moon, agents of creation and destruction, also move in it. Ether, air, water and earth are also there.

(2) The Nerve Centers.

4. All the beings that exist in the three worlds are also to be found in the body; surrounding the Meru they are engaged in their respective functions.

5. (But ordinary men do not know it). He who knows all this is a Yogi; there is no doubt about it.

6. In this body, which is called Brahmanda (microcosm, literally the mundane egg), there is the nectar-rayed moon, in its proper place, on the top of the spinal cord, with eight Kalas (in the shape of a semi-circle).

7. This has its face downwards, and rains nectar day and night. The ambrosia further sub-divides itself into two subtle parts:
8. One of these, through the channel named Ida, goes over the body to nourish it, like the waters of the heavenly Ganges - certainly this ambrosia nourishes the whole body through the channel of Ida.

9. This milk-ray (moon) is on the left side. The other ray, brilliant as the purest milk and fountain of great joy, enters through the middle path (called sushumna) into the spinal cord, in order to create this moon.

10. At the bottom of the Meru there is the sun having twelve Kalas. In the right side path (Pingala) the lord of creatures carries (the fluid) through its rays upwards.

11. It certainly swallows the vital secretions, and ray-exuded nectar. Together with the atmosphere, the sun moves through the whole body.

12. The right-side vessel, which is pingala is another form of the sun, and is the giver of nirvana. The lord of creation and destruction (the sun) moves in this vessel through auspicious ecliptical signs.

(3) The Nerves.

13. In the body of man there are 3,500,000 nadis; of them the principal are fourteen;
14-15. Sushumna, Ida, Pingala, Gandhari, Hastijihvika, Kuhu, Saraswati, Pusa, Sankhini, Payaswani, Varuni, Alumbusa, Vishwodari, and Yasaswani. Among these Ida, Pingala and Sushumna are the chief.

16. Among these three, sushumna alone is the highest and beloved of the Yogis. Other vessels are subordinate to it in the body.

17. All these principal nadis (vessels) have their mouths downwards, and are like thin threads of lotus. They are all supported by the vertebral column, and represent the sun, moon and fire.

18. The innermost of these three is chitra; it is my beloved. In that there is the subtlest of all hollows called
Brahmarandhra.

19. Brilliant with five colours, pure, moving in the middle of sushumna, this chitra is the vital part of body and centre of sushumna.

20. This has been called in the Shastras the Heavenly Way; this is the giver of the joy of immortality; by contemplating it, the greatYogi destroys all sins.

(4) The Pelvic Region.

21. Two digits above the rectum and two digits below the linga (penis) is the adhara lotus, having a dimension of four digits.

22. In the pericarp of the adhara lotus there is the triangular, beautiful yoni, hidden and kept secret in all the Tantras.

23. In it is the supreme goddess Kundalini of the form of electricity, in a coil. It has three coils and a half (like a serpent), and is in the mouth of sushumna.

24. It represents the creative force of the world, and is always engaged in creation. It is the goddess of speech, whom speech cannot manifest, and who is praised by all gods.

25. The nadi called ida is on the left side coiling round the sushumna, it goes to the right nostril.

26. The nadi called pingala is on the right side; coiling round the central vessel, it enters the left nostril.

27. The nadi which is between Ida and Pingala is certainly Sushumna. It has six stages, six forces, 1 six lotuses, known to the Yogis.

28. The first five stages 2 of Sushumna are known under various names; being necessary, they have been made known in this book.

29. The other nadis, rising from <Muladhar>, go to the various parts of the body, e.g. the tongue, penis, eyes, feet, toes, ears, the abdomen, the armpit, fingers of the hands, the scrotum and the anus. Having risen from their proper place, they stop at their respective destinations, as above described.

30. From all these (fourteen) nadis, there arise gradually other branches and sub-branches, so that at last they become three hundred thousand and a half in number, and supply their respective places.

3 1 . These nadis are spread through the body cross-wise and length-wise; they are vehicles of sensation and keep watch over the movements of the air i.e., they regulate the motor functions also.

(5) The Abdominal Region.

32. In the abdomen there burns the fire - digester of food - situated in the middle of the sphere of the sun having twelve Kalas. Know this as the fire of Vaiswanara; it is born from a portion of my own energy, and digests the various foods of creatures, being inside their bodies.

33. This fire increases life, and gives strength and nourishment, makes the body full of energy, destroys all diseases, and gives health.

34. The wise Yogi, having kindled this Viswanaric fire according to proper rites, should sacrifice food into it every day, in conformity with the teachings of his spiritual teacher.

35. This body called the Brahmanda (microcosm) has many parts, but I have enumerated the most important of them in this book. (Surely) they ought to be known.

36. Various are their names, and innumerable are the places in this human body; all of them cannot be enumerated here.

(6) The Jivatma.

37. In the body thus described, there dwelleth the Jiva, all-pervading, adorned with the garland of endless desires and chained to the body) by karma.

38. The Jiva possessed of many qualities and the agent of all events, enjoys the fruits of his various karmas amassed in the past life.

39. Whatever is seen among men (whether pleasure or pain) is born of karma. All creatures enjoy or suffer, according to the results of their actions.
That is, the functions of the Cord, vfe.Reflection, co-ordination, etc.
The parts of which the Spinal Cord is composed are the Tantrik stages vfe.:-Cervical, Dorsal, Lumbar, Sacral and Coccygeal.

40. The desires, etc., which cause pleasure or pain, act according to the past karma of the Jiva.

41. The Jiva that has accumulated an excess of good and virtuous actions receives a happy life; and in the world he gets pleasant and good things to enjoy, without any trouble.

42. In proportion to the force of his karma, man suffers misery or enjoys pleasure. The Jiva that has accumulated an excess of evil never stays in peace - it is not separate from its karmas; except karma, there is nothing in this world. From the Intelligence veiled by maya, all things have been evolved.

43. As in their proper season, various creatures are born to enjoy the consequences of their karma; as through mistake a pearl-shell is taken for silver, so through the taint of one's own karmas, a man mistakes Brahman for the material universe.

44. From desire all these delusions arise; they can be eradicated with great difficulty; when the salvation-giving knowledge of the unreality of the world arises, then are desires destroyed.

45. Being engrossed in the manifested (objective) world, the delusion arises about that which is the manifestor - the subject. There is no other, (cause of this delusion). Verily, verily, I tell you the truth.

46. The illusion of the manifested (objective world) is destroyed when the Maker of the Manifest becomes manifest. This illusion does not cease so long as one thinks, "Brahma is not."
47. By looking closely and deeply into the matter, this false knowledge vanishes. It cannot be removed otherwise; the delusion of silver remains.

48. As long as knowledge does not arise about the stainless Manifestor of the universe, so long all things appear separate and many.

49. When this body, obtained through karma, is made the means of obtaining nirvana (divine beatitude); then only the carrying of the burden becomes fruitful - not otherwise.

50. Of whatever nature is the original desire (vasana), that clings to and accompanies the Jiva (through various incarnations); similar is the delusion which it suffers, according to its deeds and misdeeds.

51. If the practiser of Yoga wishes to cross the ocean of the world, he should perform all the duties of his ashrama, (the condition of life), renouncing all the fruits of his works.

52. Persons attached to sensual objects and desirous of sensual pleasures, descend from the road of nirvana, through the delusion of much talk, and fall into sinful deeds.

53. When a person does not see anything else here, having seen the Self by the self; then there is no sin (for him if he) renounces all ritual works. This is my opinion.

54. All desires and the rest are dissolved through Gnosis only, and not otherwise. When all (minor) tattwas (principles) cease to exist, then My Tattva becomes manifest.