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The sacred knowledge (Kundalini awakening)

 

Week 18, Chapter 6, (shlokas 13 onwards)


The yogasanas suggested by Shri Krishna not only helps in attaining a proper state of meditation but they also remove various toxins from the body—tells Gyaneshwara. When the suitable state of the body is attained, the sacred energy residing in every human’s body ‘Kundalini’ gets awakened.

The text elaborately describes the sacred energy that is seated in the base of the spine in the form of coils- just like an offspring of a serpent seated in the shape of coils. The text also suggests various yogic techniques to awaken Kundalini and also, how the kundalini when awakens, first goes to Nabhi (chakra), then she travels throughout the organs of the body and in the state of meditation (of the yogi) settles in Sushumna nadi (the central channel). As she travels through various organs of the body, she collects all the negative energy in the form of heat (garal-roopi jwala), and when at Sushumna, she takes out all of it. The text here also tells about Ida, Pingala (the left and the right channels) nadis. From the gross level of yogic state (the physical gestures) the yogi is taken into the subtler body made of various energy centers (chakras) and subtle channels (the nadis- Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna). The text describes how the Kundalini after releasing toxins, opens the subtle energy centers, the nadis (the channels) and ‘the three knots’. Reduces mental activities to zero, unites all the chakras and the nadis, drinks the nectar dripping from Taalu (the limbic area), which eventually gives brilliance to the aura of the yogi.

Such is the effect of this nectar, that it feels the age of the yogi is reversed, he becomes almost like a child in appearance. The body glows like gold, his vision can embrace the whole sky, his body loses the portion of the earth and water. He can see the other side of the ocean, can hear the voices of heaven, can feel the emotions of even an ant (like this he attains various miraculous powers).

Tells Krishna, the kundalini herself is ‘Jagadamba’- the goddess who has given birth to the whole world (Jagad- the world; Amba- mother). She is the birthplace of ‘Omkara’. He even tells that how the Kundalini has her own intellect and when she comes to the Heart chakra, she creates a beat that can be heard by the yogi. Crossing this, she becomes and feels like air (Chaitanya Swaroop) and dissolves the illusion of duality.  After this the Kundalini flows like a stream of water and then she disappears. In this way she destroys (the panchmahabhootas) the essence of five elements—in a way she destroys the body made of five elements without really destroying it. And hence the yogi attains a very subtle form in existence however, his body still looks the same to others. Though not really the same, but full of charismatic aura and brilliance. Even though the kundalini disappears, she still remains with the yogi till she crosses Agnya chakra and after that she merges into brahma. Following this, the spirit of the yogi merges into the eternal spirit and he attains singularity.

Insists Krishna, no matter how much one tries to explain this, the state and the experience cannot be explained in words. this state of yoga is called ‘moksha’.

 

P.S. trying to cover a very elaborate description of the process of kundalini awakening. Again I insist, if my notes evoke the interest of a seeker in the subject, he/she may consider referring to the original text themselves for the sake of sincere exploration and seeking.

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