SIVA SAMHITA
CHAPTER V
PART 2

57. Between this space is the yoni having its face towards the back; that space is called the root; there dwells the goddess Kundalini. It surrounds all the nadis, and has three coils and a half; and catching its tail in its own mouth, it rests in the hole of the Sushumna.

58. It sleeps there like a serpent, and it is luminous by its own light. Like a serpent it lives between the joints; it is the goddess of speech, and is called the seed (vija).

59. Full of energy, and like burning gold, know this Kundalini to be the power (shakti) of Vishnu; it is the mother of the three qualities -- sattwa (rhythm), rajas(energy) and tamas (inertia).

60. There, beautiful like the Bandhuk flower, is placed the seed of love lam; it is brilliant like burnished gold, and is described in Yoga as eternal.

61. The Sushumna also embraces it, and the beautiful seed is there; there it rests shining brilliantly like the autumnal moon, with the luminosity of millions of suns, and the coolness of millions of moons. The goddess Tripura Bhairavi has these three (fire, sun, and moon) taken together, and collectively she is called the vija. It is also called the great energy.

62. It (vija) is endowed with powers of action (motion) and sensation, and circulates throughout the body. It is subtle, and has a flame of fire; sometimes it rises up, and at other times it falls down into the water. This is the great energy which rests in the perinaem, and is called the swayambhu-linga (the self-born).

63. All this is called the adhar-padma (the support lotus), and the four petals of it are designated by the letters (v),(d), (s,),(s).

64. Near this Swayambhu-linga is a golden region called kula (family); its presiding adept is called Dviranda, and its presiding goddess called Dakini. In the centre of that lotus is the Yoni where resides the Kundalini; the circulating bright energy above that, is called kama-vija (the seed of love). The wise man who always contemplates on this Muladhar obtains Darduri-siddhi (the frog-jumping power); and by degrees he can altogether leave the ground (i.e., rise in the air).

65. The brilliancy of the body is increased, the gastric fire becomes powerful, and freedom from disease, cleverness, and omniscience ensue. 66. He knows what has been, what is happening, and what is to be, together with their causes; he masters the unheard of sciences together with their mysteries.

67. On his tongue always dances the goddess of learning, he obtains mantra-siddhi (success in mantras), through constant repetition only.

68. This is the dictum of the Guru:--"It destroys old age, death, and troubles innumerable." The practitioner of pranayama ought always to meditate upon it; by its very contemplation, the great yogi is freed from all sins.

69. When the Yogi contemplates this Muladhar lotus -- the Swayambhu-linga-- then, undoubtedly, at that very moment, all his sins are destroyed.

70. Whatever the mind desires, he gets; by habitual exercise he sees him, who gives salvation, who is the best both in and out, and who is to be worshipped with great care. Better than Him, I know none.

71. He who leaving the Siva who is inside, worships that which is outside (viz., worships external forms), is like one who throws away the sweetmeat in his hand, and wanders away in search of food.

72. Let one thus meditate daily, without negligence, on his own ; and have no doubts that from this will come all powers.

73. By habitual exercise, he gets success in six months; and undoubtedly his vayu enters the middle channel (the Sushumna).

74. He conquers the mind, and can restrain his breath and his semen; then he gets success in this as well as the other world, without doubt.

76. He who daily contemplates on this Swadhisthan lotus, becomes an object of love and adoration to all beautiful goddesses.

77. He fearlessly recites the various Sastras and sciences unknown to him before; becomes free from all diseases, and moves throughout the universe fearlessly.

78. Death is eaten by him, he is eaten by none; he obtains the highest psychic powers like anima, laghima, etc. The vayu moves equably throughout his body; the humors of his body are also increased; the ambrosia exuding from the ethereal lotus also increases in him.

80. Its presiding adept is called Rudra--the giver of all auspicious things, and the presiding goddess of this place is called the most sacred Lakini.

81. When the Yogi contemplates on the Manipur lotus, he gets the power called the patal-sidhi-- the giver of constant happiness, He becomes lord of desires, destroys sorrows and diseases, cheats death, and can enter the body of another.

82. He can make gold, etc., see the adepts (clairvoyantly), discover medicines for diseases, and see hidden treasures.

84. In this lotus is a flame called ; by contemplating on this, one gets objects of the seen and the unseen universe.

85. Its presiding adept is Pinaki, and the Kakini is its goddess. He who always contemplates on this lotus of the heart is eagerly desired by celestial maidens.

86. He gets immeasurable knowledge, knows the past, present and future time; has clairaudience, clairvoyance and can walk in the air, whenever he likes.

87. He sees the adepts, and the goddess known as Yoginis; obtains the power known as Khechari, and conquers all who move in the air.

88. He who contemplates daily the hidden Banalinga, undoubtedly obtains the psychic powers called Khechari (moving in the air) and Bhuchari (going at will all over the world).

89. I cannot fully describe the importance of the meditation of this lotus; even the Gods Brahma, etc., keep the method of its contemplation secret.

91. He who always contemplates it, is truly the lord of the Yogis, and deserves to be called wise; by the meditation of this Vishuddha lotus, the Yogi at once understands the four Vedas with their mysteries.

92. When the Yogi, fixing his mind on this secret spot, feels angry, then undoubtedly all three worlds begin to tremble.

93. Even, if by chance, the mind of the Yogi is absorbed in this place, then he becomes unconscious of the external world, and enjoys certainly the inner world.

94. His body never grows weak, and he retains his full strength for a thousand years, it becomes harder than adamant.

95. When the Yogi leaves off this contemplation, then to him in this world, thousands of years, appear as so many moments.

97. Within that petal, there is the eternal bija (the syllable tham), brilliant as the autumnal moon. The wise anchorite, by knowing this, is never pulled down.

98. This is the great light held secret in all the Tantras; by contemplating on this, one obtains the highest success, there is no doubt of it.

99. I am the giver of salvation, I am the third linga in the turiya (the state of ecstasy, also the name of the thousand- petalled lotus). By contemplating on this, the Yogi becomes certainly like me.

100. The two vessels called the Ida and the Pingala are the real Varana and Asi. The space between them is called Varanasi (Benares, the holy city of Siva). There it is said that the Vishwanatha (the Lord of the universe) dwells.

101. The greatness of this holy place has been declared in manifold scriptures by the truth-perceiving sages. Its great secret has been very eloquently dwelt upon by them.

103. The lotus which is situated in the Brahmarandhra is called Sahasrara (the thousand-petalled). In the space in its centre, dwells the moon. From the triangular place, elixir is continually exuding. This moon-fluid of immortality unceasingly flows through the Ida. The elixir flows in a stream, --a continuous stream. Going to the left nostril, it receives from the Yogis the name of the "Ganges."

104. From the right-side portion of the Ajña lotus and going to the left nostril flows the Ida. It is here called Varana (the northward- flowing Ganges).

105. Let the Yogi contemplate on the space between the two (Ida and Pingala) as Varanasi (Benares). The Pingala also comes in the same way from the left side portion of the Ajña lotus, and goes to the right nostril, and has been called by us the Asi.

106. The lotus which is situated in the Muladhar has four petals. In the space between them, dwells the sun.

107. From that sphere of the sun, poison exudes continuously. That excessively heating venom flows through the Pingala.

108. The venom (sun-fluid of mortality) which flows there continuously in a stream goes to the right nostril, as the moon- fluid of immortality goes to the left.

109. Rising from the left-side of the Ajña lotus and going to the right nostril, this northward flowing Pingala has been called of old the Asi.

110. The two-petalled Ajña-lotus has been thus described where dwells the God Maheshwara. The Yogis described three more sacred stages above this. They are called Vindu, Nada and Sakti, and are situated in the lotus of the forehead.

111. He who always contemplates on the hidden Ajña lotus, at once destroys all the karmas of his past life, without any opposition.

112. Remaining in this place, when the Yogi meditates constantly, then to him all forms, worships and prayers appear as worthless.

113. The Yakshas, Rakshashas, Gandharvas, Apsaras, and Kinnaras, all serve at his feet. They become obedient to his command.

114. By reversing the tongue and placing it in the long hollow of the palate, let the Yogi enter into contemplation, that destroys all fears. All his sins, whose mind remains steady here even for a second, -- are at once destroyed.

115. All the fruits which have been described above as resulting from the contemplation of the other five lotuses, are obtained through the knowledge of this one Ajña lotus alone.

116. The wise one, who continually practices contemplation of this Ajña lotus, becomes free from the mighty chain of desires, and enjoys happiness.

117. When at the time of death, the Yogi contemplates on this lotus, leaving this life, that holy one is absorbed in the Paramatma.

118. He who contemplates on this, standing or walking, sleeping or waking, is not touched by sins, even if it were possible for him to do sinful works.

119. The Yogi becomes free from the chain by his own exertion. The importance of the contemplation of the two-petalled lotus cannot be fully described. Even the gods like Brahma, etc., have learnt only a portion of its grandeur from me.

121. From the base or root of the palate, the Sushumna extends downwards, till it reaches the Muladhar and the perinaeum: all vessels surround it, or are supported by it. These nadis are the seeds of mystery, or the sources of all principles which constitute a man, and show the road to Brahma (i.e. give salvation).

122. The lotus which is at the root of the palate is called the Sahasrar (the thousand-petalled); in its centre, there is a Yoni (seat or force-centre) which has its face downwards.

123. In that is the root of the Sushumna, together with its hole; this is called the Brahmarandhra (the hole of Brahma), extending up to the Muladhar padma.

124. In that hole of the Sushumna there dwells as its inner force the Kundalini. In the Sushumna there is also a constant current of force called chitra, its actions or modifications should be called, in my opinion as Brahmarandhra, etc.

125. By simply remembering this, one obtains the knowledge of Brahman, all sins are destroyed, and one is never born again as man.

126. Let him thrust the moving thumb into its mouth : by this the air, which flows through the body, is stopped.

127. Owing to this (vayu) man wanders in the circle of the universe; the Yogis, therefore, do not desire to keep up this circulation; all the nadis are bound by eight knots; only this kundalini can pierce these knots and pass out of the Brahmarandhra, and show the way to salvation.

128. When the air is confined full in all the vessels, then the Kundalini leaves these knots and forces its way out of the Brahmarandhra.

129. Then the vital air continually flows in the Sushumna. On the right and the left side of the Muladhar, are situated the Ida and the Pingala. The Sushumna passes through the middle of it.

130. The hollow of the Sushumna in the sphere of the adhar is called the Brahmarandhra. The wise one who knows this is emancipated from the chain of karma.

131. All these three vessels meet certainly at the mouth of the Brahmarandhra; by bathing at this place one certainly obtains salvation.

133. We have said before that the Ida is the Ganges and the Pingala is the daughter of the sun (the Jamuna), in the middle the Sushumna is the Saraswati;-- the place where all three join is a most inaccessible one.

134. He who performs mental bathing at the junction of the White (Ida) and the Black (Pingala) becomes free from all sins, and reaches the eternal Brahma.

135. He who performs the funeral rites of his ancestors at the junction of these three rivers (Triveni) procures salvation for his ancestors and himself reaches the highest end.

136. He who daily performs the threefold duties (i.e., the regular, occasional and optional ones) by mentally meditating on this place, receives the unfading reward.

137. He who once bathes at this sacred place enjoys heavenly felicity, his manifold sins are burned, he becomes a pure-minded Yogi.

138. Whether pure or impure, in whatever state one might be, by performing ablution at this mystic place, he becomes undoubtedly holy.

139. At the time of death let him bathe himself in the water of this Triveni (the Trinity of rivers): he who dies thinking on this, reaches salvation then and there.

140. There is no greater secret than this throughout the three worlds. This should be kept secret with great care. It ought never to be revealed.

141. If the mind becomes steadily fixed even for half a second at the Brahmarandhra, one becomes free from sins and reaches the highest end.

142. The holy Yogi whose mind is absorbed in this, is absorbed in me after having enjoyed the powers called anima, laghima etc.

143. The man knowing this Brahmarandhra, becomes my beloved in this world; conquering sins, he becomes entitled to salvation; by spreading knowledge, he saves thousands of people.

144. The Four-faced and gods can hardly obtain this knowledge, it is the most invaluable treasure of the Yogis; this mystery of the Brahmarandhra should be kept a great secret.

146. By contemplating on this the Yogi becomes adorable in this world, and is respected by gods and adepts.

147. In the sinus of the forehead let him contemplate on the ocean of milk; from that place let him meditate on the moon, which is in the Sahasrara.

148. In the sinus of the forehead there is the nectar-containing moon, having sixteen digits (kalas, , full). Let him contemplate on this stainless one. By constant practice, he sees it in three days. By merely seeing it, the practitioner burns all his sins.

149. The future reveals itself to him, his mind becomes pure; and though he might have committed the five great sins, by a moment's contemplation of this he destroys them.

150. All the heavenly bodies (planets, etc.,) become auspicious, all dangers are destroyed, all accidents are warded off, success is obtained in war; the Khechari and the Bhuchari powers are acquired by the seeing of the moon which is in the head. By mere contemplation on it all these results ensue, there is no doubt of it. By constant practice of Yoga one verily becomes an adept. Verily, verily, again most verily, he becomes certainly my equal. The continual study of the science of Yoga, gives success to the Yogis.

152. Its name is verily the Kailas mount, where dwells the great Lord (Shiva), who is called Nakula and is without destruction, and without increase or decrease.

153. Men, as soon as they discover this most secret place, become free from re-births in this universe. By the practice of this Yoga he gets the power of creating or destroying the creation, this aggregate of elements.

154. When the mind is steadily fixed at this place, which is the residence of the Great Swan and is called Kailas, then that Yogi, devoid of disease and subduing all accidents, lives for a great age, free from death.

155. When the mind of the Yogi is absorbed in the Great God called the Kula, then the fullness of the Samadhi is attained, then the Yogi gets steadfastness.

156. By constant meditation one forgets the world, then in sooth the Yogi obtains wonderful power.

157. Let the Yogi continually drink the nectar which flows out of it; by this he gives law to death, and conquers the kula. Here the kula kundalini force is absorbed, after this the quadruple creation is absorbed in the Param Atman.

159. When the modifications of the thinking principle are suspended, then one certainly becomes a Yogi; then is known the Indivisible, holy, pure Gnosis.

160. Let him contemplate on his own reflection in the sky as beyond the Cosmic Egg: in the manner previously described. Through that let him think on the Great Void unceasingly.

161. The Great Void, whose beginning is void, whose middle is void, whose end is void, has the brilliancy of tens of millions of suns, and the coolness of tens of millions of moons. By contemplating continually on this, one obtains success.

162. Let him practice with energy daily this dhyana, within a year he will obtain all success undoubtedly.

163. He whose mind is absorbed in that place even for a second, is certainly a Yogi, and a good devotee, and is reverenced in all worlds.

164. All his stores of sins are at once verily destroyed.

165. By seeing it one never returns to the path of this mortal universe; let the Yogi, therefore, practice this with great care by the path of the Swadhisthan.

166. I cannot describe the grandeur of this contemplation. He who practices, knows. He becomes respected by me.

167. By meditation one at once knows the wonderful effects of this Yoga (i.e., of the contemplation of the void); undoubtedly he attains the psychic powers, called anima and laghima, etc.

168. Thus have I described the Raja Yoga, it is kept secret in all the Tantras; now I shall describe to you briefly the Rajadhiraj Yoga.

170. Knowing through the arguments of the Vedanta that the Jiva is independent and self-supported, let him make his mind also self-supported; and let him not contemplate anything else.

171. Undoubtedly, by this contemplation the highest success (maha-siddhi) is obtained, by making the mind functionless; he himself becomes perfectly Full.

172. He who practices this always, is the real passionless Yogi, he never uses the word "I", but always finds himself full of Atman.

173. What is bondage, what is emancipation? To him ever all is one; undoubtedly, he who practices this always, is the really emancipated.

174. He is the Yogi, he is the true devotee, he is worshipped in all worlds, who contemplates the Jivatma and the Paramatma as related to each other as "I" and "Am", who renounces "I" and "Thou" and contemplates the indivisible; the Yogi free from all attachment takes shelter of that contemplation in which, through the knowledge of super-imposition and negation, all is desolved.

175. Leaving that Brahma, who is manifest, who is knowledge, who is bliss, and who is absolute consciousness, the deluded wander about, vainly discussing the manifested and the unmanifested.

176. He who meditates on this movable and immovable universe, that is really unmanifest, but abandons the supreme Brahma -- directly manifest -- is verily absorbed in this universe.

177. The Yogi, free from all attachment, consistently exerts himself in keeping up this practice that leads to Gnosis, so that there may not be again the up-heaval of Ignorance.

178. The wise one, by restraining all his senses from their objects, and being free from all company, remains in the midst of these objects, as if in deep sleep, i.e., does not perceive them.

179. Thus constantly practicing the Self-luminous becomes manifest: here end all the teachings of the Guru, (they can help the student no further). Henceforth he must help himself, they can no more increase his reason or power, henceforth by the mere force of his own practice he must gain the Gnosis.

180. That Gnosis from which the speech and mind turn back baffled, is only to be obtained through practice; for then this pure Gnosis bursts forth of itself.

181. The Hatha Yoga cannot be obtained without the Raja Yoga, nor can the Raja Yoga be obtained without the Hatha yoga. Therefore, let the Yogi first learn the Hatha Yoga from the instructions of the wise Guru.

182. He who, while living in this physical body, does not practice Yoga, is merely living for the sake of sensual enjoyments. 183. From the time he begins till the time he gains perfect mastery, let the Yogi eat moderately and abstemiously, otherwise, however clever, he cannot gain success.

184. The wise Yogi in an assembly should utter words of highest good, but should not talk much: he eats a little to keep up his physical frame; let him renounce the company of men, let him renounce the company of men, verily, let him renounce all company: otherwise he cannot attain mukti (salvation); verily, I tell you the truth.

185. Let him practice this in secrecy, free from the company of men, in a retired place. For the sake of appearance, he should remain in society, but should not have his heart in it. He should not renounce the duties of his profession, caste or rank; but let him perform these merely, as an instrument of the Lord, without any thought of the event. By thus doing there is no sin.

186. Even the house-holder (grihastha), by wisely following this method, may obtain success, there is no doubt of it.

187. Remaining in the midst of the family, always doing the duties of the house-holder, he who is free from merits and demerits, and has restrained his senses, attain s salvation. The house-holder practicing Yoga is not touched by sins, if to protect mankind he does any sin, he is not polluted by it.

189. By knowing this highest of the mantras, the Yogi certainly attains success (siddhi): this gives all power and pleasure to the one-pointed Yogi.

190. In the four-petalled Muladhar lotus is the bija of speech, brilliant as lightening (i.e., the syllable aim).

191. In the heart is the bija of love, beautiful as the bandhuk flower (klim). In the space between the two eye-brows (i.e., in the Ajña lotus), is the bija of Sakti (strim), brilliant as tens of millions of moons. These three seeds should be kept secret -- they give enjoyment and emancipation. Let the Yogi repeat these three (i.e., Om, aim, klim, and strim) and try to attain success.

192. Let him learn this from his Guru, let him repeat it neither too fast nor too slowly, keeping the mind free from all doubts, and understanding the mystic relation between the letters of the mantra.

193. The wise Yogi, intently fixing his attention on this mantra, performing all the duties peculiar to his caste, should perform one hundred thousand homs (fire sacrifices), and then repeat this mantra three hundred thousand times in the presence of the Goddess Tripura.

194. At the end of this sacred repetition (japa), let the wise Yogi again perform hom, in a triangular hollow, with sugar, milk, butter and the flower of karari (oleander).

195. By this performance of Homa-Japa-Homa, the Goddess Tripura Bhairavi, who has been propitiated by the above mantra, becomes pleased, and grants all the desires of the Yogi.

196. Having satisfied the Guru and having received this highest of mantras, in the proper way, and performing its repetition in the way laid down, with mind concentrated, even the most heavy-burdened with past Karmas attains success.

197. The Yogi, who having controlled his senses, repeats this mantra one hundred thousand times, gains the power of attracting others.

198. By repeating it two of times he can control all persons --they come to him as freely as women go to a pilgrimage. They give him all that they possess, and remain always under his control.

199. By repeating this mantra three lacs of times, all the deities presiding over the spheres as well as the spheres, are brought under his dominion.

200. By repeating this six lacs of times, he becomes the vehicle of power-- yea, the protector of the world -- surrounded by servants.

201. By repeating this twelve of times, the lords of Yakshas, Rakshas and Nagas come under his control; all obey his command constantly.

202. By repeating this fifteen lacs of times, the Siddhas, the Viddyadharas, the Gandharvas, the Apsaras come under the control of the Yogi. There is no doubt of it. He attains immediately the knowledge of all audition and thus all-knowinghood.

203. By repeating this eighteen lacs of times, he, in his body, can rise from the ground: he attains verily the luminous body; he goes all over the universe, wherever he likes; he sees the pores of the earth, i.e., he sees the interspaces and the molecules of this solid earth.

204. By repeating this 28 lacs of times, he becomes the lord of the Viddyadharas, the wise Yogi becomes (i.e., can assume what-ever form he desires). By repeating these thirty lacs of times he becomes equal to Brahma and Vishnu. He becomes a Rudra, by sixty lac repetitions, by eighty lac repetitions he becomes all-enjoyer, by repeating one tens of millions of times, the great Yogi is absorbed in the Pram Brahman. Such a practitioner is hardly to be found throughout the three worlds.

205. O Goddess! Shiva, the destroyer of Tripura, is the One first and highest cause. The wise attains Him, who is unchanging, undecaying, all peace, immeasurable and free from all ills -- the Highest Goal.

206. O Great Goddess! this science of Shiva is a great science (mahavidya), it had always been kept secret. Therefore, this science revealed by me, the wise should keep secret.

207. The Yogi, desirous of success, should keep the Hatha Yoga as a great secret. It becomes fruitful while kept secret, revealed it loses power.

208. The wise one, who reads it daily from beginning to end, undoubtedly, gradually obtains success in Yoga. He attains emancipation who honors it daily.

209. Let this science be recited to all holy men, who desire emancipation. By practice success is obtained, without it how can success follow?

210. Therefore, the Yogi should perform Yoga according to the rules of practice. He who is contented with what he gets, who restrains his senses, being a house-holder, who is not absorbed in the house-hold duties, certainly attains emancipation by the practice of Yoga.

211. Even the lordly house-holders obtain success by japa, if they perform the duties of Yoga properly. Let, therefore, a house-holder also exert in Yoga (his wealth and condition of life are no obstacles in this).

212. Living in the house amidst wife and children, but being free from attachments to them, practicing Yoga in secrecy, a house- holder even finds marks of success (slowly crowning his efforts), and thus following this teaching of mine, he ever lives in blissful happiness.