The Science of Breath & the Philosophy of the

Tatwas
(Translated from the Sanskrit with 15 Introductory & Explanatory Essays on ature!s
"iner "orces#
$y
%ama Prasad
The Theosophical Pu$lishin& Society' (ondon (1)*+#
, -ontents ,
Part .ne
Preface
I/ The Tatwas
II/ E0olution
III/ The 1utual %elation of the Tatwas & Principles ,
I2/ Prana (I#
2/ Prana (II#
2I/ Prana (III#
2II/ Prana (I2#
2III/ The 1ind (I#
I3/ The 1ind (II#
3/ The -osmic Picture 4allery
3I/ The 1anifestations of Psychic "orce
3II/ 5o&a , The Soul (I#
3III/ 5o&a (II#
3I2/ 5o&a (III#
32/ The Spirit
Part Two6
The Science of Breath & The Philosophy of the Tatwas
4lossary
Preface ,
7 word of explanation is necessary with re&ard to the $ook now offered to the pu$lic/ In
the *th and 1+th 0olumes of the theosophist I wrote certain Essays on 8ature!s "iner
"orces9/ The su$:ect of these essays interested the readers of the Theosophist so much that
I was asked to issue the series of Essays in $ook form/ I found that in order to make a $ook
they must $e almost entirely rearran&ed' and perhaps rewritten/ I was' howe0er' not e;ual
to the task of rewritin& what I had once written/ I therefore determined to pu$lish a
translation of the $ook in Sanskrit on the Science of the Breath and the Philosophy of the
Tatwas/ 7s' howe0er' without these Essays the $ook would ha0e $een ;uite unintelli&i$le'
I decided to add them to the $ook $y way of an illustrati0e introduction/ This accordin&ly
has $een done/ The Essays in the theosophist ha0e $een reprinted with certain additions'
modifications' and corrections/ Besides' I ha0e written se0en more Essays in order to make
the explanations more complete and authoritati0e/ Thus there are alto&ether 15
introductory and explanatory Essays/
I was confirmed in this course $y one more consideration/ The $ook contains a &ood deal
more than the essays touched upon' and I thou&ht it $etter to lay all of it $efore the pu$lic/
The $ook is sure to throw a &ood deal of li&ht upon the scientific researches of the ancient
7ryans of India' and it will lea0e no dou$t in a candid mind that the reli&ion of ancient
India had a scientific $asis/ It is chiefly for this reason that I ha0e drawn my illustrations of
the Tatwic (aw from the <panishads/
There is a &ood deal in the $ook that can only $e shown to $e true $y lon& and dili&ent
experiment/ Those who are de0oted to the pursuit of truth without pre:udice will no dou$t
$e ready to wait $efore they form any opinion a$out such portions of the $ook/ .thers it is
useless to reason with/
To the former class of students I ha0e to say one word more/ "rom my own experience I
can tell them that the more they study the $ook' the more wisdom they are sure to find in
it' and let me hope that ere lon& I shall ha0e a &oodly num$er of collea&ues' who will with
me try their $est to explain and illustrate the $ook still $etter' and more thorou&hly/
%ama Prasad
1erut (India#
5 o0em$er 1))*
ature!s "iner "orces
& Their Influence on =uman (ife & >estiny
I/ The Tatwas ,
The tatwas are the fi0e modifications of the &reat Breath/ 7ctin& upon prakriti' this 4reat
$reath throws it into fi0e states' ha0in& distinct 0i$ratory motions' and performin& different
functions/ The first outcome of the E0olutionary State of para$rahma is the akasa tatwa/
7fter this come in order the 0ayu' the tai:as' the apas and the prithi0i/ They are 0ariously
known as maha$hutas/ The word akasa is &enerally translated into En&lish $y the word
ether/ <nfortunately' howe0er' sound is not known to $e the distin&uishin& ;uality of
ether in modern En&lish Science/ Some few mi&ht also ha0e the idea that the modern
medium of li&ht is the same as akasa/ This' I $elie0e' is a mistake/ The luminiferous ether
is the su$tle tai:as tatwa' and not the akasa/ 7ll the fi0e su$tle tatwas mi&ht no dou$t $e
called ethers' $ut to use it for the word akasa' without any distin&uishin& epithet' is
misleadin&/ ?e mi&ht call akasa the sonoriferous ether' the 0ayu the tan&iferous ether'
apas the &ustiferous ether' and prithi0i the odoriferous ether/ @ust as there exists in the
uni0erse the luminiferous ether' an element of refined mater without which it has $een
found that the phenomena of li&ht find no ade;uate explanation' so do there exist the four
remainin& ethers' elements of refined matter' without which it will $e found that the
phenomena of sound' touch' taste and smell find no ade;uate explanation/
The luminiferous ether is supposed $y 1odern Science to $e 1atter in a most refined state/
It is the 0i$rations of this element that are said to constitute li&ht/ The 0i$rations are said to
take place at ri&ht an&les to the direction of the wa0e/ early the same is the description of
the tai:as tatwa &i0en in the $ook/ It makes this tatwa mo0e in an upward direction' and
the center of the direction is' of course' the direction of the wa0e/ Besides' it says that one
whole 0i$ration of this element makes the fi&ure of a trian&le/
Suppose in the fi&ure6
7B is the direction of the wa0eA B- is the direction of the 0i$ration/ -7 is the line alon&
which' seein& that in expansion the symmetrical arran&ements of the atoms of a $ody are
not chan&ed' the 0i$ratin& atom must return to its symmetrical position in the line 7B/
The tai:as tatwa of the 7ncients is then exactly the luminiferous ether of the 1oderns' so
far as the nature of the 0i$ration is concerned/ There is no exception' howe0er' of the four
remainin& ethers' at all e0ents in a direct manner' in 1odern Science/ The 0i$rations of
akasa' the soniferous ether' constitute soundA and it is ;uite necessary to reco&niBe the
distincti0e character of this form of motion/
The experiment of the $ell in a 0acuum &oes to pro0e that the 0i$rations of atmosphere
propa&ate sound/ 7ny other media' howe0er' such as the earth and the metals' are known
to transmit sound in 0arious de&rees/ There must' therefore' $e some one thin& in all these
media which &i0es $irth to sound C the 0i$ration that constitutes sound/ That somethin& is
the Indian akasa/
But akasa is allDper0adin&' :ust as the luminiferous ether/ ?hy' then' is not sound
transmitted to our ears when a 0acuum is produced in the $ellD:arE The real fact is that we
must make a difference $etween the 0i$rations of the elements that constitute sound and
li&ht' etc/' and the 0i$rations in the media which transmit these impressions to our senses/
It is not the 0i$rations of the ethers C the su$tle tatwas C that cause our perceptions' $ut the
ethereal 0i$rations transferred to different media' which are so many modifications of
&ross matter C the sthula 1aha$hutas/ The luminiferous ether is present :ust as much in a
darkened room as in the space without/ The minutest space within the dimensions of the
surroundin& walls themsel0es is not 0oid of it/ "or all this the luminosity of the exterior is
not present in the interior/ ?hyE The reason is that our ordinary 0ision does not see the
0i$rations of the luminiferous ether/ It only sees the 0i$rations of the media that the ether
per0ades/ The capa$ility of $ein& set into ethereal 0i$rations 0aries with different media/
In the space without the darkened room the ether $rin&s the atoms of the atmosphere into
the necessary state of 0isual 0i$ration' and one wide expanse of li&ht is presented to our
0iew/ The same is the case with e0ery other o$:ect that we see/ The ether that per0ades the
o$:ect $rin&s the atoms of that o$:ect into the necessary state of 0isual 0i$ration/ The
stren&th of the ethereal 0i$rations that the presence of the sun imparts to the ether
per0adin& our planet is not sufficient to e0oke the same state in the dead matter of the
darkenin& walls/ The internal ether' di0ided from the eternal one $y this dead mass' is itself
cut off from such 0i$rations/ The darkness of the room is thus the conse;uence'
notwithstandin& the presence therein of the luminiferous ether/ 7n electric spark in the
0acuum of a $ellD:ar must needs $e transmitted to our eyes' $ecause the &lass of the :ar
which stands in contact with the internal luminiferous ether has a &ood deal of the ;uality
of $ein& put into the state of 0isual 0i$ration' which from thence is transmitted to the
external ether and thence to the eye/ The same would ne0er $e the case if we were to use a
porcelain or an earthen :ar/ It is this capa$ility of $ein& put into the state of 0isual
0i$rations that we call transparency in &lass and similar o$:ects/
To return to the soniferous ether (akasa#6 E0ery form of &ross matter has' to a certain
extent' which 0aries with 0arious forms' what we may call auditory transparency/
ow I ha0e to say somethin& a$out the nature of the 0i$rations/ Two thin&s must $e
understood in this connection/ In the first place the external form of the 0i$ration is
somethin& like the hole of the ear6
It throws matter which is su$:ect to it' into the form of a dotted sheet6
These dots are little points' risin& a$o0e the common surface so as to produce microscopic
pits in the sheet/ It is said to mo0e $y fits and starts (sankrama#' and to mo0e in all
directions (sar0ato&ame#/ It means to say that the impulse falls $ack upon itself alon& the
line of its former path' which lies on all sides of the direction of the wa0e6
It will $e understood that these ethers produce in &ross media 0i$rations similar to their
own/ The form' therefore' into which the auditory 0i$rations throw the atmospheric air is a
true clue to the form of the ethereal 0i$ration/ 7nd the 0i$rations of atmospheric air
disco0ered $y 1odern Science are similar/
ow we come to the tan&iferous ether (0ayu#/ The 0i$rations of this ether are descri$ed as
$ein& spherical in form' and the motion is said to $e at acute an&les to the wa0e (tiryak#/
Such is the representation of these 0i$rations on the plane of the paper6
The remarks a$out the transmission of sound in the case of akasa apply here too' mutatis
mutandis/ The &ustiferous ether (apas tatwa# is said to resem$le in shape the half moon/ It
is' moreo0er' said to mo0e downward/ This direction is opposite to that of the luminiferous
ether/ This force therefore causes contraction/ =ere is the representation of the apas
0i$rations on the plane of paper6
The process of contraction will $e considered when I come to the ;ualities of the tatwas/
The odoriferous ether (prithi0i# is said to $e ;uadran&ular in shape' thus6
This is said to mo0e in the middle/ It neither mo0es at ri&ht an&les' nor at acute an&les' nor
upwards' nor downwards' $ut it mo0es alon& the line of the wa0e/ The line and the
;uadran&le are in the same plane/
These are the forms' and the modes of motion' of the fi0e ethers/
.f the fi0e sensations of men' each of these &i0es $irth to one' thus6
(1# 7kasa' Sonorifierous ether' SoundA (F# 2ayu' Tan&iferous ether' TouchA (G# Tai:as'
(uminfierous ether' -olorA (H# 7pas' 4ustiferous ether' TasteA (5# Prithi0i' .doriferous
ether' Smell/
In the process of e0olution' these coDexistin& ethers' while retainin& their &eneral' relati0e
forms and primary ;ualities' contract the ;ualities of the other tatwas/ This is known as the
process of panchikarana' or di0ision into fi0e/
If we take' as our $ook does' =' P' %' 2 and ( to $e the al&e$raic sym$ols for (1#' (F#' (G#'
(H#' and (5#' respecti0ely' after panchikarana the ethers assume the followin& forms6
.ne molecule of each ether' consistin& of ei&ht atoms' has four of the ori&inal principle
ethers' and one of the remainin& four/
The followin& ta$le will show the fi0e ;ualities of each of the tatwas after panchikarana6
Sound Touch Taste -olor Smell
(1# = ordinary I I /// ///
(F# P 0ery li&ht cool acid li&ht $lue acid
(G# % li&ht 0ery hot hot red hot
(H# 2 hea0y cool astrin&ent white astrin&ent
(5# ( deep warm sweet yellow sweet
It mi&ht $e remarked here that the su$tle tatwas exist now in the uni0erse on four planes/
The hi&her of these planes differ from the lower in ha0in& a &reater num$er of 0i$rations
per second/ The four planes are6
(1# Physical (Prana#A (F# 1ental (1anas#A (G# Psychic (2i:nana#A (H# Spiritual (7nanda#
I shall discuss' howe0er' some of the secondary ;ualities of these tatwas/
(1# Space , This is a ;uality of the akasa tatwa/ It has $een asserted that the 0i$ration of
this ether is shaped like the hole of the ear' and that in the $ody thereof are microscopic
points (0indus#/ It follows e0idently that the interstices $etween the points ser0e to &i0e
space to ethereal minima' and offer them room for locomotion (a0akasa#/
(F# (ocomotion , This is the ;uality of the 0ayu tatwa/ 2ayu is a form of motion itself' for
motion in all directions is motion in a circle' lar&e or small/ The 0ayu tatwa itself has the
form of spherical motion/ ?hen to the motion which keeps the form of the different ethers
is added to the stereotyped motion of the 0ayu' locomotion is the result/
(G# Expansion , This is the ;uality of the tai:as tatwa/ This follows e0idently from the
shape and form of motion which is &i0en to this ethereal 0i$ration/ Suppose 7B- is a lump
of metal6
If we apply fire to it' the luminiferous ether in it is set in motion' and that dri0es the &ross
atoms of the lump into similar motion/ Suppose (a# is an atom/ This $ein& impelled to
assume the shape of the tai:as' 0i$ration &oes towards (a!#' and then takes the symmetrical
position of (a9#/ Similarly does e0ery point chan&e its place round the center of the piece
of metal/ <ltimately the whole piece assumes the shape of 7!B!-!/ Expansion is thus the
result/
(H# -ontraction , This is the ;uality of the apas tatwa/ 7s has $een remarked $efore' the
direction of this ether is the re0erse of the a&ni' and it is therefore easy to understand that
contraction is the result of the play of this tatwa/
(5# -ohesion , This is the ;uality of the prithi0i tatwa/ It will $e seen that this is the
re0erse of akasa/ 7kasa &i0es room for locomotion' while prithi0i resists it/ This is the
natural result of the direction and shape of this 0i$ration/ It co0ers up the spaces of the
akasa/
(J# Smoothness , This is a ;uality of the apas tatwa/ 7s the atoms of any $ody in
contraction come near each other and assume the semiDlunar shape of the apas' they must
easily &lide o0er each other/ The 0ery shape secures easy motion for the atoms/
This' I $elie0e' is sufficient to explain the &eneral nature of the tatwas/ The different
phases of their manifestation on all the planes of life will $e taken up in their proper
places/
II/ E0olution ,
It will $e 0ery interestin& to trace the de0elopment of man and the de0elopment of the
world accordin& to the theory of the tatwas/
The tatwas' as we ha0e already seen' are the modifications of Swara/ %e&ardin& Swara' we
find in our $ook6 8In the Swara are the 2edas and the shastras' and in the Swara is music/
7ll the world is in the SwaraA Swara is the spirit itself/9 The proper translation of the word
Swara is 8the current of the lifeDwa0e9/ It is that wa0y motion which is the cause of the
e0olution of cosmic undifferentiated matter into the differentiated uni0erse' and the
in0olution of this into the primary state of nonDdifferentiation' and so on' in and out'
fore0er and e0er/ "rom whence does this motion comeE This motion is the spirit itself/ The
word atma used in the $ook' itself carries the idea of eternal motion' comin& as it does
from the root at' eternal motionA and it may $e si&nificantly remarked' that the root at is
connected with (and in fact is simply another form of# the roots ah' $reath' and as' $ein&/
7ll these roots ha0e for their ori&inal the sound produced $y the $reathin& of animals/ In
The Science of Breath the sym$ol for inspiration is sa' and for expiration ha/ It is easy to
see how these sym$ols are connected with the roots as and ah/ The current of lifeDwa0e
spoken of a$o0e is technically called =ansachasa' i/e/' the motion of ha and sa/ The word
=ansa' which is taken to mean 4od' and is made so much of in many Sanskrit works' is
only the sym$olic representation of the eternal processes of life C ha and sa/
The prime0al current of lifeDwa0e is' then' the same which in man assumes the form of
inspiratory and expiratory motion of the lun&s' and this is the allDper0adin& source of the
e0olution and the in0olution of the uni0erse/
The $ook &oes on6 8It is the Swara that has &i0en form to the first accumulations of the
di0isions of the uni0erseA the Swara causes in0olution and e0olutionA the Swara is 4od
=imself' or more properly the &reat Power (1ahashwara#/9 The Swara is the
manifestation of the impression on matter of that power which in man is known to us as
the power that knows itself/ It is to $e understood that the action of this power ne0er
ceases/ It is e0er at work' and e0olution and in0olution are the 0ery necessity of its
unchan&ea$le existence/
The Swara has two different states/ The one is known on the physical plane as the sun$reath'
the other as the moonD$reath/ I shall' howe0er' at the present sta&e of e0olution
desi&nate them as positi0e and ne&ati0e respecti0ely/ The period durin& which this current
comes $ack to the point from whence it started is known as the ni&ht of para$rahma/ The
positi0e or e0olutionary period is known as the day of para$rahmaA the ne&ati0e or
in0olutionary portion is known as the ni&ht of para$rahma/ These ni&hts and days follow
each other without $reak/ The su$Ddi0isions of this period comprehend all the phases of
existence' and it is therefore necessary to &i0e her the scale of time accordin& to the =indu
Shastras/
The >i0isions of Time ,
I shall $e&in with a Truti as the least di0ision of time/
FJDFKG truti L 1 nimesha L )KH5 second/
1) nimesha L 1 kashtha L GD1K5 seconds L ) 0ipala/
G+ kashtha L 1 kala L 1DGK5 minutes L H pala/
G+ kala L 1 mahurta L H) minutes L F &hari/
G+ mahurta L 1 day and ni&ht L FH hours L J+ &hari/
G+ days and ni&hts and odd hours L 1 Pitru:a day and ni&ht L 1 month and odd hours/
1F months L 1 >ai0a day and ni&ht L 1 year L GJ5 days' 159' G+9' G19/
GJ5 >ai0a days and ni&hts L 1 >ai0a year/
H')++ >ai0a years L 1 Satya yu&a/
G'J++ >ai0a years L 1 Treta yu&a/
F'H++ >ai0a years L 1 >wapara yu&a/
1'F++ >ai0a years L 1 Mali yu&a/
1F'+++ >ai0a years L 1 -haturyu&i (four yu&a#/
1F'+++ -haturyu&i L 1 >ai0a yu&a/
F'+++ >ai0a yu&a L 1 day and ni&ht of Brahma/
GJ5 Brahmic days and ni&hts L 1 year of Brahma/
N1 >ai0a yu&a L 1 1anwantara/
1F'+++ Brahmic years L 1 -haturyu&a of Brahma' and so one/
F++ yu&a of Brahma L 1 day and ni&ht of para$rahma/
These days and ni&hts follow each other in eternal succession' and hence eternal e0olution
and in0olution/
?e ha0e thus fi0e sets of days and ni&ht6 (1# Para$rahma' (F# Brahma' (G# >ai0a' (H#
Pitrya' (5# 1anusha/ 7 sixth is the 1anwantara day' and the 1anwantara ni&ht (pralaya#/
The days and ni&hts of para$rahma follow each other without $e&innin& or end/ The ni&ht
(the ne&ati0e period and the day (the positi0e period# $oth mer&e into the susumna (the
con:uncti0e period# and mer&e into each other/ 7nd so do the other days and ni&hts/ The
days all throu&h this di0ision are sacred to the positi0e' the hotter current' and the ni&hts
are sacred to the ne&ati0e' the cooler current/ The impressions of names and forms' and the
power of producin& an impression' lie in the positi0e phase of existence/ %ecepti0ity is
&i0en $irth to $y the ne&ati0e current/
7fter $ein& su$:ected to the ne&ati0e phase of para$rahma' Prakriti' which follows
para$rahma like a shadow' has $een saturated with e0olutionary recepti0ityA as the hotter
current sets in' chan&es are imprinted upon it' and it appears in chan&ed forms/ The first
imprint that the e0olutionary positi0e current lea0es upon Prakriti is known as akasa/
Then' $y and $y the remainin& ethers come into existence/ These modifications of Prakriti
are the ethers of the first sta&e/
Into these fi0e ethers' as now constitutin& the o$:ecti0e phase' works on the current of the
4reat Breath/ 7 further de0elopment takes place/ >ifferent centers come into existence/
The akasa throws them into a form that &i0es room for locomotion/ ?ith the $e&innin& of
the 0ayu tatwa these elementary ethers are thrown into the form of spheres/ This was the
$e&innin& of formation' or what may also $e called solidification/
These spheres are our Brahmandas/ In them the ethers assume a secondary de0elopment/
The soDcalled di0ision into fi0e takes place/ In this Brahmic sphere in which the new ethers
ha0e &ood room for locomotion' the tai:as tatwa now comes into play' and then the apas
tatwa/ E0ery tatwic ;uality is &enerated into' and preser0ed in' these spheres $y these
currents/ In process of time we ha0e a center and an atmosphere/ This sphere is the selfconscious
uni0erse/
In this sphere' accordin& to the same process' a third ethereal state comes into existence/ In
the cooler atmosphere remo0ed from the center another class of centers comes into
existence/ These di0ide the Brahmic state of matter into two different states/ 7fter this
comes into existence another state of matter whose centers $ear the names of de0as or
suns/
?e ha0e thus four states of su$tle matter in the uni0erse6
(1# Prana' life matter' with the sun for centerA (F# 1anas' mental matter' with the manu for
centerA (G# 2i:nana' psychic matter' with Brahma for centerA (H# 7nanda' spiritual matter'
with para$rahma as the infinite su$stratum/
E0ery hi&her state is positi0e with re&ard to the lower one' and e0ery lower on is &i0en
$irth to $y a com$ination of the positi0e and ne&ati0e phase of the hi&her/
(1# Prana has to do with three sets of days and ni&hts in the a$o0e di0ision of time6 (a# .ur
ordinary days and ni&htsA ($# The $ri&ht and dark half of the month which are called the
pitrya day and ni&htA (c# The northern and southern hal0es of the years' the day and ni&ht
of the de0as/
These three ni&hts actin& upon earthDmatter impart to it the recepti0ity of the cool' ne&ati0e
shady phase of lifeDmatter/ These ni&hts imprint themsel0es on the respecti0e days comin&
in after it/ The earth herself thus $ecomes a li0in& $ein&' ha0in& a north pole' in which a
central force draws the needle towards itself' and a south pole in which is centered a for
which is' so to speak' the shade of the north polar center/ It has also always a solar force
centered in the eastern half' and the lunar DD the shade of the former C centered in the
western half/
These centers come' in fact' into existence e0en $efore the earth is manifested on the &ross
plane/ So too do the centers of other planets come into existence/ 7s the sun presents
himself to the manu there come into existence two states of matter in which the sun li0es
and mo0es C the positi0e and the ne&ati0e/ 7s the solar prana' after ha0in& $een for some
time su$:ected to the ne&ati0e shady state' is su$:ected in its re0olutionary course to the
source of its positi0e phase' manu' the fi&ure of manu is imprinted upon it/ This manu is' in
fact' the uni0ersal mind' and all the planets with their inha$itants are the phases of his
existence/ .f this' howe0er' more heareafter/ 7t present we see that earthDlife or Terrestrial
Prana has four centers of force/
?hen it has $een cooled $y the ne&ati0e current' the positi0e phase imprints itself upon it'
and earthDlife in 0arious forms comes into existence/ The essays on prana will explain this
more clearly/
(F# 1anas6 this has to do with manu/ The suns re0ol0e round these centers with the whole
of their atmospheres of prana/ This system &i0es $irth to the lokas or spheres of life' of
which the planets are one class/
These lokas ha0e $een enumerated $y 2yasa in his commentary on the 5o&asutra (III/
Pada' FJth Sutra#/ The aphorism runs thus6
8By meditation upon the sun is o$tained a knowled&e of the physical creation/9
.n this' the re0ered commentator says6 8There are se0en lokas (spheres of existence#/9
(1# The Bhurloka6 this extends to the 1eruA (F# 7ntareikshaloka6 this extends from the
surface of the 1eru to the >hru' the poleDstar' and contains the planets' the nakstatras' and
the starsA (G# Beyond that is the swarloka6 this is fi0efold and sacred to 1ahendraA (H#
1aharloka6 This is sacred to the Pra:apatiA (5# @analokaA (J# Tapas loka' andA (N# Satya
loka/ These three (5' J' and N# are sacred to Brahma/
It is not my purpose to try at present to explain the meanin& of these lokas/ It is sufficient
for my present purpose to say that the planets' the stars' the lunar mansions are all
impressions of manu' :ust as the or&anisms of the earth are the impressions of the sun/ The
solar prana is prepared for this impression durin& the manwantara ni&ht/
Similarly' 2i:nana has to do with the ni&hts and days of Brahma' and 7nanda with those of
Para$rahma/
It will thus $e seen that the whole process of creation' on whate0er plane of life' is
performed most naturally $y the fi0e tatwas in their dou$le modifications' the positi0e and
ne&ati0e/ There is nothin& in the uni0erse that the <ni0ersal Tatwic (aw of Breath does
not comprehend/
7fter this $rief exposition of the theory of tatwic e0olution comes a series of Essays'
takin& up all the su$tle states of matter one $y one' and descri$in& more in detail the
workin& of the tatwic law in those planes' and also the manifestations of these planes of
life in humanity/
III/ The 1utual %elation of the Tatwas and of the Principles ,
The akasa is the most important of all the tatwas/ It must' as a matter of course' precede
and follow e0ery chan&e of state on e0ery plane of life/ ?ithout this there can $e no
manifestation or cessation of forms/ It is out of akasa that e0ery form comes' and it is in
akasa that e0ery form li0es/ The akasa is full of forms in their potential state/ It inter0enes
$etween e0ery two of the fi0e tatwas' and $etween e0ery two of the fi0e principles/
The e0olution of the tatwas is always part of the e0olution of a certain definite form/ Thus
the manifestation of the primary tatwas is with the definite aim of &i0in& what we may call
a $ody' a Prakritic form to the Iswara/ In the $osom of the Infinite Para$rahma' there are
hidden unnumera$le such centers/ .ne center takes under its influence a certain portion of
the Infinite' and there we find first of all comin& into existence the akasa tatwa/ The extent
of this akasa limits the extent of the <ni0erse' and out of it the Iswara is to come/ ?ith
this end comes out of this akasa the 2ayu tatwa/ This per0ades the whole <ni0erse and has
a certain center that ser0es to keep the whole expanse to&ether' and separate as one whole'
from other uni0erses (Brahmandas#/
It has $een mentioned' and further on will $e more clearly explained' that e0ery tatwa has
a positi0e and a ne&ati0e phase/ It is also e0ident on the analo&y of the sun that places
more distant from the center are always ne&ati0e to those which are nearer/ ?e mi&ht say
that they are cooler than these' as it will $e seen later on the heat is not peculiar to the sun
only' $ut that all the hi&her centers ha0e a &reater amount of heat than e0en the sun itself/
?ell then' in this Brahmic sphere of 2ayu' except for some space near the para$rahmic
akasa' e0ery atom of the 0ayu is reacted upon $y an opposite force/ The more distant and
therefore the cooler one reacts upon the nearer and therefore the hotter/ The e;ual and
opposite 0i$rations of the same force cancel each other' and $oth to&ether pass into the
akasic state/ Thus' while some of this space remains filled up $y the Brahmic 2ayu on
account of the constant outflow of this tatwa from the para$rahmic akasa' the remainder is
rapidly turned into akasa/ This akasa is the mother of the Brahmic a&ni tatwa/ The a&ni
tatwa workin& similarly &i0es $irth throu&h another akasa to the apas' and this similarly to
the prithi0i/ This Brahmic prithi0i thus contains the ;ualities of all the precedin& tatwas
$esides a fifth one of its own/
The first sta&e of the <ni0erse' the ocean of psychic matter has now come into existence in
its entirety/ This matter is' of course' 0ery' 0ery fine' and there is a$solutely no &rossness
in it as compared with the matter of the fifth plane/ In this ocean shines the intelli&ence of
Iswara' and this ocean' with e0erythin& that mi&ht $e manifest in it' is the selfDconscious
uni0erse/
In this psychic ocean' as $efore' the more distant atoms are ne&ati0e to the nearer ones/
=ence' except a certain space which remains filled with the psychic prithi0i on account of
the constant supply of this element from a$o0e' the rest $e&ins to chan&e into an akasa/
This second akasa is full of what are called 1anus in their potential state/ The 1anus are
so many &roups of certain mental forms' the ideals of the 0arious &enera and species of life
to appear further on/ ?e ha0e to do with one of these/
Impelled $y the e0olutionary current of the 4reat Breath' manu comes out of this akasa' in
the same way as Brahma did out of the para$rahmic akasa/ "irst and uppermost in the
mental sphere is the 2ayu' and then in re&ular order the tai:as' the apas' and the prithi0i/
This mental matter follows the same laws' and similarly $e&ins to pass into the third akasic
state' which is full of innumera$le suns/ They come out in the same way' and $e&in to
work on a similar plan' which will $e $etter understood here than hi&her up/
E0ery$ody can test here for himself that the more distant portions of the solar system are
cooler than the nearer ones/ E0ery little atom of Prana is comparati0ely cooler than the
ad:acent one towards the sun from itself/ =ence e;ual and opposite 0i$rations cancel each
other/ (ea0in&' therefore' a certain space near the sun as always filled up with the tatwas
of Prana' which are there $ein& constantly supplied from the sun' the rest of the Prana
passes into the akasic state/
It mi&ht $e noted down here that the whole of this Prana is made up of innumera$le little
points/ In the future I shall speak of these points of as trutis' and mi&ht say here that it is
these trutis that appear on the terrestrial plane as atoms (anu or paramanu#/ They mi&ht $e
spoken of as solar atoms/ These solar atoms are of 0arious classes accordin& to the
pre0alence of one or more of the constituent tatwas/
E0ery point of Prana is a perfect picture of the whole ocean/ E0ery other point is
represented in e0ery point/ E0ery atom has' therefore' for its constituents' all the four
tatwas' in 0aryin& proportions accordin& to its position in respect of others/ The different
classes of these solar atoms appear on the terrestrial plane as the 0arious elements of
chemistry/
The spectrum of e0ery terrestrial element re0eals the color or colors of the pre0alent tatwa
or tatwas of a solar atom of that su$stance/ The &reater the heat to which any su$stance is
su$:ected the nearer does the element approaches its solar state/ =eat destroys for the time
$ein& the terrestrial coatin&s of the solar atoms/
The spectrum of sodium thus shows the presence of the yellow prithi0i' that of lithium' the
red a&ni and the yellow prithi0i' that of cesium' the red a&ni' the &reen admixture' the
yellow prithi0i' and the $lue 0ayu/ %u$idium shows red' oran&e' yellow' &reen and $lue'
i/e/' the a&ni' prithi0i and a&ni' prithi0i' 0ayu and prithi0i' and 0ayu/ These classes of solar
atoms that make up all put alto&ether' the wide expanse of the solar prana' pass into the
akasic state/ ?hile the sun keeps up a constant supply of these atoms' those that are
passin& into the akasic state pass on the other side into the planetary 0ayu/ -ertain
measured portions of the solar akasa naturally separate themsel0es from others' accordin&
to the differin& creation that is to appear in those portions/ These portions of akasa are
called lokas/ The earth itself is a loka called the Bhurloka/ I shall take up the earth for
further illustration of the law/
That portion of the solar akasa that is the immediate mother of the Earth' first &i0es $irth
to the terrestrial 2ayu/ E0ery element is now in the state of the 2ayu tatwa' which may
now $e called &aseous/ The 2ayu tatwa is spherical in shape' and thus the &aseous planet
$ears similar outlines/ The center of this &aseous sphere keeps to&ether round itself the
whole expanse of &as/ 7s soon as this &aseous sphere comes into existence' it is su$:ected
to the followin& influences amon& others6
(1# The superposed influence of the solar heatA (F# The internal influence of the more
distant atoms on the nearer ones and 0ice 0ersa/
The first influence has a dou$le effect upon the &aseous sphere/ It imparts more heat to the
nearer hemisphere than to the more distant one/ The superficial air of the nearer
hemisphere ha0in& contracted a certain amount of solar ener&y' rises towards the sun/
-ooler air from $elow takes its place/ But where does the superficial air &oE It cannot pass
$eyond the limit of the terrestrial sphere' which is surrounded $y the solar akasa throu&h
which comes a supply from the solar Prana/ It therefore $e&ins to mo0e in a circle' and
thus a rotary motion is esta$lished in the sphere/ This is the ori&in of the earth!s rotation
upon its axis/
7&ain' as a certain amount of the solar ener&y is imparted to the &aseous terrestrial sphere'
the impulse of the upward motion reaches the center itself/ Therefore that center itself' and
alon& with it the whole sphere' mo0es towards the sun/ It cannot' howe0er' &o on in this
direction' for a nearer approach would destroy that $alance of forces that &i0es the earth its
peculiarities/ 7 loka that is nearer to the sun than our planet cannot ha0e the same
conditions of life/ =ence' while the sun draws the earth towards itself' those laws of life
that ha0e &i0en it a constitution' on which a&es must roll on' keep it in the sphere they ha0e
assi&ned to it/ Two forces thus come into existence/ >rawn $y one the earth would &o
towards the sunA checked $y the other it must remain where it is/ These are the centrifu&al
and the centripetal forces' and their action results in &i0in& the earth its annual re0olution/
Secondly' the internal action of the &aseous atoms upon each other ends in the chan&e of
the whole &aseous sphere' except the upper portion' into the akasic state/ This akasic state
&i0es $irth to the i&neous (pertainin& to the a&ni tatwa# state of terrestrial matter/ This
chan&es similarly into the apas' and this a&ain into the prithi0i/
The same process o$tains in the chan&es of matter with which we are now familiar/ 7n
example will $etter illustrate the whole law/
Take ice/ This is solid' or what the Science of Breath would call in the state of prithi0i/
.ne ;uality of the prithi0i tatwa' the reader will remem$er' is cohesi0e resistance/ (et us
apply heat to this ice/ 7s this heat passes into the ice' it is indicated $y the thermometer/
?hen the temperature rises to N) de&rees' the ice chan&es its state/ But the thermometer no
lon&er indicates the same amount of heat/ N) de&rees of heat ha0e $ecome latent/
(et us now apply 5GJ de&rees of heat to a pound of $oilin& water/ 7s is &enerally known'
this &reat ;uantity of heat $ecomes latent while the water passes into the &aseous state/
ow let us follow the re0erse process/ To &aseous water let us apply a certain amount of
cold/ ?hen this cold $ecomes sufficient entirely to counteract the heat that keeps it in the
&aseous state' the 0apor passes into the akasa state' and from thence into the tai:as state/ It
is not necessary that the whole of the 0apor should at once pass into the next state/ The
chan&e is &radual/ 7s the cold is &radually passin& into the 0apor' the tai:as modification is
&radually appearin& out of' and throu&h the inter0ention of akasa' into which it had passed
durin& latency/ This is $ein& indicated on the thermometer/ ?hen the whole has passed
into the i&neous state' and the thermometer has indicated 5GJ de&rees' the second akasa
comes into existence/ .ut of this second akasa comes the li;uid state at the same
temperature' the whole heat ha0in& a&ain passed into the akasa state' and therefore no
lon&er indicated $y the thermometer/
?hen cold is applied to this li;uid' heat a&ain $e&ins to come out' and when it reaches N)
de&rees' this heat ha0in& come out of and throu&h the akasa' into which it had passed' the
whole li;uid had passed into the i&neous state/ =ere it a&ain $e&ins to pass into the akasa
state/ The thermometer $e&ins to fall down' and out of this akasa $e&ins to come the
prithi0i state of water DDD ice/
Thus we see that the heat which is &i0en out $y the influence of cold passes into the akasa
state' which $ecomes the su$stratum of a hi&her phase' and the heat which is a$sor$ed
passes into another akasa state' which $ecomes the su$stratum of a lower phase/
It is in this way that the terrestrial &aseous sphere chan&es into its present state/ The
experiment descri$ed a$o0e points out many important truths a$out the relation of these
tatwas to each other/
"irst of all it explains that 0ery important assertion of the Science of Breath which says
that e0ery succeedin& tatwic state has the ;ualities of all the fore&oin& tatwic states/ Thus
we see that as the &aseous state of water is $ein& acted upon $y cold' the latent heat of
steam is $ein& cancelled and passin& into the akasa state/ This cannot $ut $e the case' since
e;ual and opposite 0i$rations of the same force always cancel each other' and the result is
the akasa/ .ut of this comes the tai:as state of matter/ This is that state in which the latent
heat of steam $ecomes patent/ It will $e o$ser0ed that this state has no permanence/ The
tai:as form of water' as indeed any other su$stance' cannot exist for any len&th of time'
$ecause the ma:or part of terrestrial matter is in the lower and therefore more ne&ati0e
states of apas and prithi0i' and whene0er for any cause any su$stance passes into the tai:as
state' the surroundin& o$:ects $e&in at once to react upon it with such force as at once to
force it into the next akasa state/ Those thin&s that now li0e in the normal state of the apas
or the prithi0i find it ;uite a&ainst the laws of their existence to remain' except under
external influence' in the tai:as (i&neous# state/ Thus an atom of &aseous water $efore
passin& into the li;uid state has already remained in the three states' the akasa' the
&aseous' and the tai:as/ It must' therefore' ha0e all the ;ualities of the three tatwas' and so
it no dou$t has/ -ohesi0e resistance is only wanted' and that is the ;uality of the prithi0i
tatwa/
ow when this atom of li;uid water passes into the icy state' what do we seeE 7ll the
states that ha0e preceded must a&ain show themsel0es/ -old will cancel the latent heat of
the li;uid state' and the akasa state will come out/ .ut of this akasa state is sure to come
the &aseous state/ This &aseous (2aya0a# state is e0idenced $y the &yrations and other
motions that are set up in the $ody of the li;uid $y the mere application of the cold/ The
motion' howe0er' is not of 0ery lon& duration' and as they are ceasin& (passin& into the
akasa state# the tai:as state is comin& out/ This too' howe0er' is not of lon& duration' and
as this is passin& into the akasa state' the ice is comin& into existence/
It will $e easy to see that all four states of terrestrial matter exist in our sphere/ The
&aseous (2aya0a# is there in what we call the atmosphereA the i&neous (tai:as# is the
normal temperature of earth lifeA the li;uid (apas# is the oceanA the solid (prithi0i# is the
terra firma/ one of these states' howe0er' exists ;uite isolated from the other/ Each is
constantly in0adin& the domain of the other' and thus it is difficult to find any portion of
space filled up only with matter in one state/ The two ad:acent tatwas are found intermixed
with each other to a &reater de&ree than those that are remo0ed from each other $y an
intermediate state/ Thus prithi0i will $e found mixed up to a &reater extent with water than
with a&ni and 0ayu' apas with a&ni than with 0ayu' and 0ayu with a&ni more than with any
other/ It would thus appear from the a$o0e' accordin& to the science of tatwas' that the
flame and other luminous $odies on earth are not in the terrestrial tai:as (i&neous# state/
They are in or near the solar state of matter/
I2/ Prana (I# ,
The -enters of PranaA The adisA The Tatwic -enters of (ifeA The .rdinary -han&e
of Breath
Prana' as already expressed' is that state of Tatwic matter which surrounds the sun' and in
which mo0es the earth and other planets/ It is the state next hi&her than matter in the
terrestrial state/ The terrestrial sphere is separated from the solar Prana $y an akasa/
Thisakasa is the immediate mother of the terrestrial 0ayu whose nati0e color is $lue/ It is
on this account that the sky looks $lue/
7lthou&h at this point in the hea0ens' the Prana chan&es into akasa' which &i0es $irth to
the terrestrial 2ayu' the rays of the sun that fall on the sphere from without are not stopped
in their inward :ourney/ They are refracted' $ut mo0e onwards into the terrestrial sphere all
the same/ Throu&h these rays the ocean of Prana' which surrounds our sphere' exerts upon
it an or&aniBin& influence/
The terrestrial Prana C the earthDlife that appears in the shape of all the li0in& or&anisms of
our planet C is' as a whole' nothin& more than a modification of the solar Prana/
7s the earth mo0es round her own axis and round the sun' twofold centers are de0eloped
in the terrestrial Prana/ >urin& the diurnal rotation e0ery place' as it is su$:ected to the
direct influence of the sun' sends forth the positi0e lifeDcurrent from the East to the ?est/
>urin& the ni&ht the same place sends forth the ne&ati0e current/
In the annual course the positi0e current tra0els from the orth to the South durin& the six
months of summer C the day of the de0as C and the ne&ati0e durin& the remainin& six
months C the ni&ht of the de0as/
The orth and East are thus sacred to the positi0e currentA the opposite ;uarters to the
ne&ati0e current/ The sun is the lord of the positi0e current' the moon of the ne&ati0e'
$ecause the ne&ati0e solar prana comes durin& the ni&ht to the earth from the moon/
The terrestrial prana is thus an ethereal $ein& with dou$le centers of work/ The first is the
northern' the second the southern/ The two hal0es of these centers are the eastern and
western centers/ >urin& the six months of summer the current of life runs from the orth
to the South' and durin& the months of winter the ne&ati0e current &oes the other way/
?ith e0ery month' with e0ery day' with e0ery nimesha this current completes a minor
course' and while this current continues in this course the diurnal rotation &i0es it an
eastern or western direction/ The northern current runs durin& the day of man from East to
?est' and durin& the ni&ht from ?est to East/ The directions of the other current are
respecti0ely opposite to the a$o0e/ So practically there are only two directions C the
eastern and western/ The difference of the northern and southern currents is not practically
felt in terrestrial life/ These two currents produce in the terrestrial prana two
distin&uisha$le modifications of the composin& ethers/ The rays of either of these ethereal
modifications proceedin& from their different centers run into each other C the one &i0in&
life' stren&th' form and other ;ualities to the other/ 7lon& the rays emer&in& from the
northern center' run the currents of positi0e pranaA alon& those emer&in& from the
southern' the currents of ne&ati0e prana/ The eastern and western channels of these
currents are respecti0ely called Pin&ala and Ida' two of the cele$rated nadis of the
Tantrists/ It will $e $etter to discuss the other $earin&s of Prana' when we ha0e localiBed it
in the human $ody/
The influence of this terrestrial Prana de0elops two centers of work in the &ross matter
that is to form a human $ody/ Part of the matter &athers round the northern' and part round
the southern center/ The northern center de0elops into the $rainA the southern into the
heart/ The &eneral shape of the terrestrial Prana is somethin& like an ellipse/ In this the
northern focus is in the $rainA the southern in the heart/ The column alon& which the
positi0e matter &athers runs $etween these foci/
The line in the middle is the place where the eastern and western C ri&ht and left C
di0isions of the column :oin/ The column is the medulla o$lon&ata the central line is also
susumna' the ri&ht and left di0isions the Pin&ala and Ida/ The rays of Prana that di0er&e
either way from these nadis are only their ramifications' and constitute to&ether with them
the ner0ous system/
The ne&ati0e Prana &athers round the southern center/ This' too' takes a form similar to the
former/ The ri&ht and left di0isions of this column are the ri&ht and left di0isions of the
heart/
Each di0ision has two principal ramifications' and each ramification a&ain ramifies into
others/ The two openin&s either way are one a 0ein' and one an artery' the four openin&
into four cham$ers C the four petals of the lotus of the heart/ The ri&ht part of the heart
a&ain' with all its ramifications' is called Pin&ala' the left Ida' and the middle part
susumna/
There is reason to think' howe0er' that the heart only is spoken of as the lotus' while the
three fore&oin& names are set apart for the ner0ous system/ The current of Prana works
forward and $ackward' in and out/ The cause of this lies in the momentary of the $ein& of
Prana/ 7s the year ad0ances' e0ery moment a chan&e of state takes place in the terrestrial
prana' on account of the 0aryin& stren&ths of the solar and lunar currents/ Thus' e0ery
moment is' strictly speakin&' a new $ein& of Prana/ 7s Buddha says' all life is momentary/
The 1oment that is the first to throw into matter the &erm that will de0elop the two centers
is the first cause of or&aniBed life/ If the succeedin& 1oments are friendly in their tatwic
effect to the first cause' the or&anism &ains stren&th and de0elopsA if not' the impulse is
rendered fruitless/ The &eneral effect of these succeedin& moments keeps up &eneral lifeA
$ut the impulse of any one moment tends to pass off as the others come in/ 7 system of
forward and $ackward motion is thus esta$lished/ .ne 1oment of Prana proceedin& from
the center of work &oes to the farthest ends of the &ross 0essels C ner0es and $lood 0essels
C of the or&anism/ The succeedin& moment &i0es it' howe0er' the $ackwards impulse/ 7
few moments are taken in the completion of the forward impulse' and the determination of
the $ackward one/ This period differs in different or&anisms/ 7s the Prana runs forward'
the lun&s inspireA as it recedes' the process of expiration sets in/
The Prana mo0es in the Pin&ala when it mo0es from the northern center towards the east'
and from the southern towards the westA it mo0es in Ida when it mo0es from the northern
center towards the west' and from the southern center towards the east/ This means that in
the former case the Prana mo0es from the $rain' towards the ri&ht' throu&h the heart' to
the left and $ack to the $rainA and from the heart to the left throu&h the $rain to the ri&ht
$ack to the heart/ In the latter the case is the re0erse/ To use other terms' in the former case
the Prana mo0es from the ner0ous system to the ri&ht throu&h the system of $lood 0essels
to the left' and $ack a&ain to the ner0ous systemA or' from the system of $lood 0essels to
the left throu&h the ner0ous system to the ri&ht' and $ack a&ain to the system of $lood
0essels/ These two currents coincide/ In the latter the case is the re0erse/ The left part of
the $ody containin& the ner0es and the $lood 0essels may $e called Ida' the ri&ht the
Pin&ala/ The ri&ht and left $ronchi form as well the part respecti0ely of Pin&ala and Ida'
as any other parts of the ri&ht and left di0isions of the $ody/ But what is susumnaE .ne of
the names of susumna is sandhi' the place where the two C Ida and Pin&ala C :oin/ It is
really that place from which the Prana may mo0e either way C ri&ht or left C or' under
certain circumstances' $oth ways/ It is that place which the Prana must pass when it
chan&es from the ri&ht to the left' and from the left to the ri&ht/ It is therefore $ooth the
spinal canal and the cardiac canal/ The spinal canal extends from the Brahmarandhra' the
northern center of Prana throu&h the whole 0erte$ral column (Brahmadanda#/ The cardiac
canal extends from the southern center midway $etween the two lo$es of the heart/ 7s the
Prana mo0es from the spinal canal towards the ri&ht hand to the heart' the ri&ht lun&
worksA the $reath comes in and out of the ri&ht nostril/ ?hen it reaches the southern canal'
you cannot feel the $reath out of either nostril/ 7s' howe0er' it &oes out of the cardiac
canal to the left' the $reath $e&ins to come out of the left nostril' and flows throu&h that
until the Prana a&ain reaches the spinal canal/ There' a&ain' you cease to feel the $reath
out of either nostril/ The effect of these two positions of Prana is identical upon the flow
of $reath' and' therefore' I think that $oth the northern and southern canals are desi&nated
$y susumna/ If we may speak in this way' let us ima&ine that a plane passes midway
$etween the spinal and cardiac canals/ This plane will pass throu&h the hollow of the
susumna/ But let it $e understood that there is no such plane in reality/ It will perhaps $e
more correct to say that as the rays of the positi0e Ida and Pin&ala spread either way as
ner0es' and those of the ne&ati0e as $loodD0essels' the rays of susumna spread all o0er the
$ody midway $etween the ner0es and $lood 0essels' the positi0e and ne&ati0e nadis/ The
followin& is the description of susumna in the Science of Breath6
8?hen the $reath &oes in and out' one moment $y the left and the other $y the ri&ht nostril'
that too is susumna/ ?hen Prana is in that nadi the fires of death $urnA this is called
0ishu0a/ ?hen it mo0es one moment in the ri&ht' and the other in the left' let it $e called
the <ne;ual State (0ishama$ha0a#A when it mo0es thorou&h $oth at once' the wise ha0e
called it 0ishu0aI
8OIt is susumnaP at the time of the passin& of the Prana from the Ida into the Pin&ala' or
0ice 0ersaA and also of the chan&e of one tatwa into another/9
Then the susumna has two other functions/ It is called 0edoD0eda in one of its
manifestations' and sandhyasandhi in the other/ 7s' howe0er' the ri&ht and left directions
of the cardiac Prana coincide with the left and ri&ht of the spinal current' there are some
writers who dispense with the dou$le susumna/ 7ccordin& to them' the spinal canal alone
is the susumna/ The <ttara&ita and (atachakra nirupana are works in this class/ This
method of explanation takes away a &ood deal of difficulty/ The hi&hest recommendation
of this 0iew is its comparati0e simplicity/ The ri&ht side current from the heart' and the left
side current from the spine may $oth $e reckoned without difficulty as the left side spinal
currents' and so may the remainin& two currents $e reckoned as the ri&ht side spinal
currents/
.ne more consideration is in fa0or of this 0iew/ The ner0ous system represents the sun' the
system of $lood 0essels the moon/ =ence the real force of life dwells in the ner0es/ The
positi0e and ne&ati0e C the solar and lunar C phases of life matter are only different phases
of Prana' the solar matter/ The more distant and therefore the cooler matter is ne&ati0e to
the nearer' and therefore' the hotter/ It is solar life that manifests itself in the 0arious
phases of the moon/ To pass out of technicalities' it is ner0ous force that manifests itself in
0arious forms' in the system of $lood 0essels/ The $lood 0essels are only the receptacles of
ner0ous force/ =ence' in the ner0ous system' the real life of the &ross $ody is the true Ida'
Pin&ala and susumna/ These are' in such a case' the spinal column' and the ri&ht and left
sympathetics' with all their ramifications throu&hout the $ody/
The de0elopment of the two centers is thus the first sta&e in the de0elopment of the fetus/
The matter that &athers up under the influence of the northern center is the spinal columnA
the matter that &athers up round the southern center is the heart/ The diurnal rotation
di0ides these columns or canals into the ri&ht and left di0isions/ Then the correlati0e
influence of these two centers upon each other de0elops an upper and lower di0ision in
each of these centers/ This happens somewhat in the same way' and on the same principle'
as a (eyden :ar is char&ed with positi0e electricity $y a ne&ati0e rod/ Each of these centers
is thus di0ided into four parts6
(1# The ri&ht side positi0e' (F# the left side positi0e' (G# the ri&ht side ne&ati0e' and (H# the
left side ne&ati0e/
In the heart these four di0isions are called the ri&ht and left auricles and 0entricles/ The
Tantras style these four di0isions the four petals of the cardiac lotus' and indicate them $y
0arious letters/ The positi0e petals of the heart form the center from which proceed the
positi0e $lood 0essels' the arteriesA the ne&ati0e petals are the startin& points of the
ne&ati0e $lood 0essels' the 0eins/ This ne&ati0e prana is pre&nant with ten forces6
(1# Prana' (F# 7pana' (G# Samana' (H# 2yana' (5# <dana' (J# Mrikila' (N# a&a' ()#
>e0adatta' (*# >ha0an:aya' (1+# Murma/
These ten forces are called 0ayu/ The word 0ayu is deri0ed from the root 0a' to mo0e' and
means nothin& more than a moti0e power/ The Tantrists do not mean to &i0e it the idea of
a &as/ =enceforth I shall speak of the 0ayu as the forces or moti0e powers of prana/ These
ten manifestations of Prana are reduced $y some writers to the first fi0e alone' holdin& that
the remainin& ones are only modifications of the former' which are the allDimportant of the
functions of prana/ This' howe0er' is only a ;uestion of di0ision/ "rom the left side
positi0e petal the prana &athers up into a nadi that ramifies within the chest into the lun&s'
and a&ain &athers up into a nadi that opens into the ri&ht side ne&ati0e petal/ This entire
course forms somethin& like a circle (chakra#/ This nadi is called in modern science the
pulmonary artery and 0ein/ Two lun&s come into existence $y the alternate workin&s of the
positi0e and ne&ati0e prana of the eastern and western powers/
Similarly' from the ri&ht side positi0e petal $ranch se0eral nadi that &o $oth upwards and
downwards in two directions' the former under the influence of the northern' the latter
under the influence of the southern powers/ Both these nadi open after a circular march
throu&hout the upper and lower portions of the $ody into the left side ne&ati0e petal/
Between the left side positi0e and the ri&ht side ne&ati0e petal is one chakra (disk#/ This
chakra comprises the pulmonary artery' the lun&s' and the pulmonary 0ein/ The chest &i0es
room to this chakra' which is positi0e with respect to the lower portions of the $ody' in
which run the ramifications of the lower chakra' which latter :oins the ri&ht side positi0e
and the left side ne&ati0e petals/
In the a$o0e chakra (in the ca0ity of the chest# is the seat of prana' the first and most
important of the ten manifestations/ Inspiration and expiration $ein& a true index of the
chan&es of prana' the pulmonary manifestations thereof ha0e the same name/ ?ith the
chan&es of prana we ha0e a correspondin& chan&e in the other functions of life/ The lower
ne&ati0e chakra contains the principal seats of some of the other manifestations of life/
This apana is located in the lon& intestine' samana in the na0el' and so on/
7lso' udana is located in the throatA 0yana all o0er the $ody/ <dana causes $elchin&A
kurma in the eyes causes them to shut and openA krikila in the stomach causes hun&er/ In
short' proceedin& from the four petals of the heart we ha0e an entire network of these
$lood 0essels/ There are two sets of these $lood 0essels side $y side in e0ery part of the
$ody' connected $y innumera$le little channels' the capillaries/
?e read in the Prasnopnisat6
8"rom the heart Oramify theP nadi/ .f these there are 1+1 principal ones (Pradhana nadi#/
Each of these $ranches into 1++/ Each of these a&ain into NF'+++/9
Thus' there are 1+'1++ $ranch nadi' and NFN'F++'+++ still smaller ones' or what are called
twi&Dnadi/ The terminolo&y is imitated from a tree/ There is the root in the heart/ "rom
these proceed 0arious stems/ These ramify into $ranches' and these a&ain into twi& 0esselsA
all these nadi put to&ether are NFN'F1+'F+1/
ow' of these the one is the susumnaA the rest are di0ided half and half o0er the two hal0es
of the $ody/ So we read in the Mathopnishat' Jth 0alli' 1Jth mantra6
87 hundred and one nadi are connected with the heart/ .f these one passes out into the
head/ 4oin& out $y that one $ecomes immortal/ The others $ecome the cause in sendin&
the life principle out of 0arious other states/9
This one that &oes to the head' remarks the commentator' is the susumna/ The susumna
then is that nadi whose ner0ous su$stratum or reser0oir of force is the spine/ .f the
remainin& principal nadis' the Ida is the reser0oir of the life force that works in the left part
of the $ody' ha0in& 5+ principal nadi/ So also has the ri&ht part of the $ody 5+ principal
nadi/ These &o on di0idin& as a$o0e/ The nadi of the third de&ree $ecome so minute as to
$e 0isi$le only $y a microscope/ The ramifications of the susumna all o0er the $ody ser0e
durin& life to carry the prana from the positi0e to the ne&ati0e portions of the $ody' and
0ice 0ersa/ In case of $lood these are the modern capillaries/
The 2edantins' of course' take the heart to $e the startin& point of this ramification/ The
5o&is' howe0er' proceed from the na0el/ Thus in The Science of Breath we read6
8"rom the root in the na0el proceed NF'+++ nadi spreadin& all o0er the $ody/ There sleeps
the &oddess Mundalini like a serpent/ "rom this center (the na0el# ten nadi &o upwards' ten
downwards' and two and two crookedly/9
The num$er NF'+++ is the result of their own peculiar reckonin&/ It matters little which
di0ision we adopt if we understand the truth of the case/
7lon& these nadi run the 0arious forces that form and keep up the physiolo&ical man/
These channels &ather up into 0arious parts of the $ody as centers of the 0arious
manifestations of prana/ It is like water fallin& from a hill' &atherin& into 0arious lakes'
each lake lettin& out se0eral streams/ These centers are6
(1# =and power centers' (F# "oot power centers' (G# Speech power centers' (H# Excreti0e
power centers' (5# 4enerati0e power centers' (J# >i&esti0e and a$sor$in& power centers'
(N# Breathin& power centers' and ()# the fi0e sense power centers/
Those nadi that proceed to the outlets of the $ody perform the most important functions of
the $ody' and they are hence said to $e the ten principal ones in the whole system/ These
are6
(1# 4handari &oes to the left eyeA (F# =asti:ihi0a &oes to the ri&ht eyeA (G# Pasta &oes to
the ri&ht earA (H# 5ashawani &oes to the left earA (5# 7lamhusha' or alammukha (as it is
0ariously spelled in one ms/# &oes to the mouth/ This e0idently is the alimentary canalA (J#
Muhu &oes to the &enerati0e or&ansA (N# Shankini &oes to the excreti0e or&ansA ()# Ida is
the nadi that leads to the left nostrilA (*# Pin&ala is the one that leads to the ri&ht nostril/ It
appears that these names are &i0en to these local nadi for the same reason that the
pulmonary manifestation of prana is known $y the same nameA (1+# Susumna has already
$een explained in its 0arious phases and manifestations/
There are two more outlets of the $ody that recei0e their natural de0elopment in the
female6 the $reasts/ It is ;uite possi$le that the nadi >anini' of which no specific mention
has $een made' mi&ht &o to one of these/ ?hate0er it may $e' the principle of the di0ision
and classification is clear' and this is somethin& actually &ained/
-enters of moral and intellectual powers also exist in the system/ Thus we read in the
2ishramopnishat (The followin& fi&ure will ser0e to illustrate the translation#6
8(1# ?hile the mind rests in the eastern portion (or petal#' which is white in color' then it is
inclined towards patience' &enerosity' and re0erence/
8(F# ?hile the mind rests in the southeastern portion' which is red in color' then it is
inclined towards sleep' torpor and e0il inclination/
8(G# ?hile the mind rests in the southern portion' which is $lack in color' then it is inclined
towards an&er' melancholy' and $ad tendencies/
8(H# ?hile the mind rests in the southwestern portion' which is $lue in color' then it is
inclined towards :ealousy and cunnin&/
8(5# ?hile the mind rests in the western portion' which is $rown in color' then it is
inclined towards smiles' amorousness' and :ocoseness/
8(J# ?hile the mind rests in the northwestern portion' which is indi&o in color' then it is
inclined towards anxiety' restless dissatisfaction' and apathy/
8(N# ?hile the mind rests in the northern portion' which is yellow in color' then it is
inclined towards lo0e and en:oyment and adornment/
8()# ?hile the mind rests in the northeastern portion' which is white in color' then it is
inclined towards pity' for&i0eness' reflection' and reli&ion/
8(*# ?hile the mind rests in the sandhi (con:unctions# of these portions' then disease and
confusion in $ody and home' and the mind inclines towards the three humors/
8(1+# ?hile the mind rests in the middle portion' which is 0iolet in color' then
-onsciousness &oes $eyond the ;ualities Othree ;ualities of 1ayaP and it inclines toward
Intelli&ence/9
?hen any of these centers is in action the mind is conscious of the same sort of feelin&s'
and inclines towards them/ 1esmeric passes ser0e only to excite these centers/
These centers are located in the head as well as in the chest' and also in the a$dominal
re&ion and the loins' etc/
It is these centers' to&ether with the heart itself' that $ear the name of padma or kamala
(lotus#/ Some of these are lar&e' some small' some 0ery small/ 7 tantric lotus is the type of
a 0e&eta$le or&anism' a root with 0arious $ranches/ These centers are the reser0oirs of
0arious powers' and hence the roots of the padmaA the nadi ramifyin& these centers are
their 0arious $ranches/
The ner0ous plexus of the modern anatomists coincide with these centers/ "rom what has
$een said a$o0e it will appear that the centers are constituted $y $lood 0essels/ But the
only difference $etween the ner0es and the $lood 0essels is the difference $etween the
0ehicles of the positi0e and ne&ati0e prana/ The ner0es are the positi0e' and the $lood
0essels are the ne&ati0e system of the $ody/ ?here0er there are ner0es there are
correspondin& $lood 0essels/ Both of them are indiscriminately called nadi/ .ne set has for
its center the lotus of the heart' the other the thousandDpetalled lotus of the $rain/ The
system of $lood 0essels is an exact picture of the ner0ous systemA it is' in fact' only its
shadow/ (ike the heart' the $rain has its upper and lower di0isions DD the cere$rum and the
cere$ellum C and its ri&ht and left di0isions as well/ The ner0es &oin& to 0ery part of the
$ody and comin& $ack from thence to&ether with those &oin& to the upper and lower
portions correspond to the four petals of the heart/ This system' too' has as many centers of
ener&y as the former/ Both these centers coincide in position/ They are' in fact' the same6
the ner0ous plexuses and &an&lia of modern anatomy/ Thus' in my opinion' the tantric
padma are not only the centers of ner0ous power C the positi0e northern prana C $ut
necessarily of the ne&ati0e prana as well/
The translation of the Science of Breath that is now presented to the reader has two
sections enumeratin& the 0arious actions that are to $e done durin& the flow of the positi0e
and ne&ati0e $reath/ They show nothin& more than what can in some cases $e 0ery easily
0erified' that certain actions are $etter done $y positi0e ener&y' and others $y ne&ati0e
ener&y/ The takin& in of chemicals and their chan&es are actions' as well as any others/
Some of the chemicals are $etter assimilated $y the ne&ati0e for example' milk and other
fatty su$stances#' others $y the positi0e Prana (other food' that which is di&ested in the
stomach#/ Some of our sensations produce more lastin& effects upon the ne&ati0e' others
upon the positi0e prana/
Prana has now arran&ed the &ross matter in the wom$ into the ner0ous and $lood 0essel
systems/ The Prana' as has $een seen' is made of the fi0e tatwa' and the nadi ser0e only as
lines for tatwic currents to run on/ The centers of power noticed a$o0e are centers of tatwic
power/ The tatwic centers in the ri&ht part of the $ody are solar' and those in the left are
lunar/ Both these solar and lunar centers are of fi0e descriptions/ Their kind is determined
$y what are called the ner0ous &an&lia/ The semiDlunar &an&lia are the reser0oirs of the
apas tatwa/ Similarly' we ha0e the reser0oirs of the other forces/ "rom these central
reser0oirs the tatwic currents run o0er the same lines' and do the 0arious actions allotted to
them in physiolo&ical anatomy/
E0erythin& in the human $ody that has more less of the cohesi0e resistance is made up of
the prithi0i tatwa/ But in this the 0arious tatwas work imprintin& differin& ;ualities upon
the 0arious parts of the $ody/
The 0ayu tatwa' amon& others' performs the functions of &i0in& $irth to' and nourishin&
the skinA the positi0e &i0es us the positi0e' and the ne&ati0e the ne&ati0e skin/ Each of
these has fi0e layers6
(1# Pure 0ayu' (F# 2ayuDa&ni' (G# 2ayuDprithi0i' (H# 2ayuDapas' (5# 2ayuDakasa/ These fi0e
classes of cells ha0e the followin& fi&ures6
(1# Pure 2ayu , This is the complete sphere of the 2ayu6
(F# 2ayuD7&ni , The trian&le is superposed o0er the sphere' and the cells ha0e somethin&
like the followin& shape6
(G# 2ayuDPrithi0i , This is the result of the superposition of the ;uadran&ular Prithi0i o0er
the spherical 2ayu6
(H# 2ayuD7pas , Somethin& like an ellipse' the semiDmoon superposed o0er the sphere6
(5# 2ayuD7kasa , The sphere flattened $y the superposition of the circle and dotted6
7 microscopic examination of the skin will show that the cells of the skin ha0e this
appearance/
Similarly' $one' muscle and fat are &i0en $irth to $y the prithi0i' the a&ni' and the apas/
7kasa appears in 0arious positions/ ?here0er there is any room for any su$stance' there is
akasa/ The $lood is a mixture of nutriti0e su$stances kept in the fluidic state $y the apas
tatwa of Prana/
It is thus seen that while Terrestrial Prana is an exact manifestation of the Solar Prana' the
human manifestation is an exact manifestation of either/ The microcosm is an exact picture
of the macrocosm/ The four petals of the lotus of the heart $ranch really into twel0e nadi
(M' Mh' &' &n' n' M!' Mh!' :' :h' n' t' the#/ Similarly the $rain has twel0e pairs of ner0es/
These are the twel0e si&ns of the Qodiac' $oth in their positi0e and ne&ati0e phases/ In
e0ery si&n the sun rises G1 times/ Therefore we ha0e G1 pairs of ner0es/ Instead of pairs'
we speak in the lan&ua&e of the Tantras of a chakra (disk or circle#/ ?here0er these G1
chakra connect with the 1F pairs (chakras# of ner0es in the $rain' pass throu&hout the
$ody' we ha0e runnin& side $y side the $lood 0essels proceedin& from the 1F nadis of the
heart/ The only difference $etween the spinal and cardiac chakras is that the former lie
crosswise' while the latter lie len&thwise in the $ody/ The sympathetic chords consist of
lines of tatwic centers6 the padma or kamal/ These centers lie on all the G1 chakra noticed
a$o0e/ Thus from the two centers of work' the $rain and the heart' the si&ns of the Qodiac
in their positi0e and ne&ati0e aspects C a system of nadi $ranch off/ The nadi from either
center run into one another so much that one set is found always side $y side with the
other/ The G1 chakra are 0arious tatwic centersA one set is positi0e' and the other is
ne&ati0e/ The former owe alle&iance to the $rain' with which they are connected $y the
sympathetic chordsA the latter owe alle&iance to the heart' with which they ha0e 0arious
connections/ This dou$le system is called Pin&ala on the ri&ht side' and Ida on the left/
The &an&lia of the apas centers are semiDlunar' those of the tai:as' the 0ayu' the prithi0i'
and the akasa respecti0ely trian&ular' spherical' ;uadran&ular' and circular/ Those of the
composite tatwa ha0e composite fi&ures/ Each tatwic center has &an&lia of all the tatwa
surroundin& it/
Prana mo0es in this system of nadi/ 7s the sun passes into the si&n of 7ries in the
1acrocosm' the Prana passes into the correspondin& nadi (ner0es# of the $rain/ "rom
thence it descends e0ery day towards the spine/ ?ith the rise of the sun it descends into the
first spinal chakra towards the ri&ht/ It thus passes into the Pin&ala/ It mo0es alon& the
ner0es of the ri&ht side' at the same time passin& little $y little into the $lood 0essels/ <p to
noon of e0ery day the stren&th of this Prana is &reater in the ner0ous chakra than in the
0enous/ 7t noon they $ecome of e;ual stren&th/ In the e0enin& (with sunset#' the Prana
with its entire stren&th has passed into the $lood 0essels/ "rom thence it &athers up into the
heart' the ne&ati0e southern center/ Then it spreads into the left side $lood 0essels'
&radually passin& into the ner0es/ 7t midni&ht the stren&th is e;ualiBedA in the mornin&
(pratasandhia# the prana is :ust in the spineA from thence it $e&ins to tra0el alon& the
second chakra/ This is the course of the solar current of prana/ The moon &i0es $irth to
other minor currents/ The moon mo0es 1F odd times more than the sun/ Therefore' while
the sun passes o0er one chakra (i/e/' durin& J+ &hari C day and ni&ht#' the moon passes
o0er 1F odd chakra/ Therefore we ha0e 1F odd chan&es of prana durin& FH hours/ Suppose
the moon too $e&ins in 7riesA she $e&ins like the sun in the first chakra' and takes 5) min/
H sec/ in reachin& the spine to the heart' and as many minutes from the heart $ack to the
spine/
Both these prana mo0e in their respecti0e course alon& the tatwic centers/ Either of them is
present at any one time all o0er the same class of tatwic centers' in any one part of the
$ody/ It manifests itself first in the 0ayu centers' then in the tai:as' thirdly in the prithi0i'
and fourthly in the apas centers/ 7kasa comes after each' and immediately precedes the
susumna/ 7s the lunar current passes from the spine towards the ri&ht' the $reath comes
out of the ri&ht nostril' and as lon& as the current of Prana remains in the $ack part of the
$ody' the tatwa chan&es from the 0ayu to the apas/ 7s the current passes into the front part
of the ri&ht half' the tatwa chan&es $ack from the apas to the 0ayu/ 7s the prana passes
into the heart' the $reath is not felt at all in the nose/ 7s it proceeds from the heart to the
left' the $reath $e&ins to flow out of the left nostril' and as lon& as it is in the front part of
the $ody' the tatwa chan&e from the 0ayu to the apas/ They chan&e $ack a&ain a $efore'
until the prana reaches the spine' when we ha0e the akasa of susumna/ Such is the e0en
chan&e of prana that we ha0e in the state of perfect health/ The impulse that has $een
&i0en to the localiBed prana $y the sun and moon forces that &i0e acti0e power and
existence to its prototype Prana' makes it work in the same way fore0er and e0er/ The
workin& of the human free will and other forces chan&e the nature of the local prana' and
indi0idualiBe it in such a way as to render it distin&uisha$le from the uni0ersal Terrestrial
and Ecliptical prana/ ?ith the 0aryin& nature of prana' the order of the tatwa and the
positi0e and ne&ati0e currents may $e affected in 0arious de&rees/ >isease is the result of
this 0ariation/ In fact' the flow of $reath is the truest indication of the chan&es of tatwa in
the $ody/ The $alance of the positi0e and ne&ati0e currents of tatwa results in health' and
the distur$ance of their harmony in disease/ The science of the flow of $reath is therefore
of the hi&hest importance to e0ery man who 0alues his own health and that of his fellow
creatures/ 7t the same time' it is the most important' useful and comprehensi0e' the easiest
and the most interestin& $ranch of 5o&a/ It teaches us how to &uide our will so as to effect
desired chan&es in the order and nature of our positi0e and ne&ati0e tatwic currents/ This it
does in the followin& way/ 7ll physical action is prana in a certain state/ ?ithout prana
there is no action' and e0ery action is the result of the differin& harmonies of tatwic
currents/ Thus' motion in any one part of the $ody is the result of the acti0ity of the 0ayu
centers in that part of the $ody/ In the same way' whene0er there is acti0ity in the prithi0i
centers' we ha0e a feelin& of en:oyment and satisfaction/ The causes of the other sensations
are similar/
?e find that while lyin& down we chan&e sides when the $reath passes out of that nostril/
Therefore we conclude that if we lie on any side the $reath will flow out the opposite
nostril/ Therefore' whene0er we see that it is desira$le to chan&e the ne&ati0e conditions of
our $ody to the positi0e' we resort to this expedient/ 7n in0esti&ation into the
physiolo&ical effects of prana on the &ross coil' and the counter effects of &ross action
upon prana' will form the su$:ect of the next essay/
2/ Prana (II# ,
The Pranamaya Mosha (-oil of (ife# chan&es into three &eneral states durin& day and
ni&ht6 the wakin&' the dreamin&' and the sleepin& (:a&rata' swapna' susupti#/ These three
chan&es produce correspondin& chan&es in the manamaya Mosha (the mental coil#' and
thence arises the consciousness of the chan&es of life/ The mind' in fact' lies $ehind the
prana/ The strin&s (tatwic lines# of the former instrument are finer than those of the latterA
that is' in the former we ha0e a &reater num$er of 0i$rations than in the latter durin& the
same space of time/ Their tensions stand to each other' howe0er' in such a relation that
with the 0i$rations of the one' the other of itself $e&ins to 0i$rate/ The chan&es &i0e to the
mind' therefore' a similar appearance' and consciousness of the phenomenon is caused/
This' howe0er' some time after/ 1y present o$:ect is to descri$e all those chan&es of
prana' natural or induced' that make up the sum total of our worldly experience' and
which' durin& a&es of e0olution' ha0e called the mind itself out of the state of latency/
These chan&es' as I ha0e said' di0ide themsel0es into three &eneral states6 the wakin&' the
dreamin&' and the sleepin&/ ?akin& is the positi0e' sleepin& the ne&ati0e state of pranaA
dreamin& is the con:unction of the two (susumna sandhi#/ 7s stated in the fore&oin& essay'
the solar current tra0els in a positi0e direction durin& the day' and we are awake/ 7s ni&ht
approaches the positi0e current has made itself lord of the $ody/ It &ains so much stren&th
that the sensuous and acti0e or&ans lose sympathy with the external world/ Perception and
action cease' and the wakin& state passes off/ The excess of the positi0e current slackens'
as it were' the tatwic chords of the different centers of work' and they accordin&ly cease to
answer to the ordinary ethereal chan&es of external nature/ If at this point the stren&th of
the positi0e current passed $eyond ordinary limits' death would ensue' prana would cease
to ha0e any connection with the &ross $ody' the ordinary 0ehicle of the external tatwic
chan&es/ But :ust at the moment the prana passes out of the heart' the ne&ati0e current sets
in' and it $e&ins to counteract the effects of the former/ 7s the prana reaches the spine' the
effects of the positi0e current ha0e entirely passed of' and we awake/ If at this moment the
stren&th of the ne&ati0e current passes the ordinary limit $y some cause or other' death
would ensue' $ut :ust at this moment the positi0e current sets in with midni&ht' and $e&ins
to counteract the effect of the former/ 7 $alance of the positi0e and ne&ati0e currents thus
keeps $ody and soul to&ether/ ?ith excess in the stren&th of either current' death makes
its appearance/ Thus we see that there are two kinds of death6 the positi0e or spinal' and
the ne&ati0e or cardiac/ In the former the four hi&her principles pass out of the $ody
throu&h the head' the $rahmarandhra' alon& the spineA in the latter they pass out of the
mouth throu&h the lun&s and the trachea/ Besides these there are &enerally speakin& a$out
six tatwic deaths/ 7ll these deaths chalk out different paths for the hi&her principle/ .f
these' howe0er' more hereafter/ 7t this sta&e' let us in0esti&ate the chan&es of prana more
thorou&hly/
There are certain manifestations of prana that we find e;ually at work in all three states/
7s I ha0e said $efore' some writers ha0e di0ided these manifestations into fi0e heads/
They ha0e different centers of work in different parts of the $ody' from whence they assert
their dominion o0er e0ery part of the physical coil/ Thus6
Positi0e6 (1# Prana' ri&ht lun&A e&ati0e6 Prana' left lun&/ Prana is that manifestation of
the life coil which draws atmospheric air from without into the system/
Positi0e6 (F# 7pana' the apparatus that passes off feces' lon& intestine' etc/A e&ati0e6
7pana' the urinary apparatus/ 7pana is the manifestation that throws' from the inside' out
of the system' thin&s that are not wanted there/
Positi0e6 (G# Samana' stomachA e&ati0e6 Samana' duodenum/ Samana is that
manifestation which draws in and carries the :uice of food to e0ery part of the $ody/
Positi0e6 (H# 2yana' all o0er the $ody' appearin& in 0aryin& states with different or&ans (on
the ri&ht side#A e&ati0e6 2yana' all o0er the $ody (on the left side#/ 2yana is that
manifestation which inclines the currents of life $ack to the centers C the heart and the
$rain/ It is' therefore' this manifestation that causes death' local or &eneral/
Positi0e6 (5# <dana' at the spinal and cardiac centers (ri&ht side#' and the re&ion of the
throatA e&ati0e6 <dana' the spinal and cardiac centers (left side#/
If Prana recedes from any part of the $ody (for some reason or other#' that part loses its
power of action/ This is local death/ It is in this way that we $ecome deaf' dum$' $lind' etc/
It is in this way that our di&esti0e powers suffer' and so on/ 4eneral death is similar in its
operations/ ?ith the excess of the stren&th of either of the two currents' the prana remains
in the susumna' and does not pass out/ The ac;uired power of work of the $ody then
$ein&s to pass off/ The farther from the centers (the heart and the $rain#' the sooner they
die/ It is thus that the pulse first ceases to $e felt in the extremities' and then nearer and
nearer the heart' until we find it nowhere/
7&ain' it is this upward impulse that' under fa0ora$le conditions' causes &rowth' li&htness'
and a&ility/
Besides the or&ans of the $ody already mentioned or indicated' the manifestation of 0yana
ser0es to keep in form the fi0e or&ans of sense' and the fi0e or&ans of action/ The or&ans of
the &ross $ody and the powers of prana that manifest themsel0es in work ha0e $oth the
same names/ Thus we ha0e6
7cti0e .r&ans & Powers6 (1# 2ak' the coal or&ans and the power of speechA (F# Pani' the
hands and the manual powerA (G# Pada' the feet and the walkin& powerA (H# Payu' anusA (5#
<pastha' the &enerati0e or&ans and the powers that draw these to&ether/
Sensuous .r&ans & Powers6 (1# -haksus' eye and ocular powerA (F# Twak' skin and
tan&iferous powerA (G# Srotra' ear and sonoriferous powerA (H# %asama' ton&ue and
&ustatory powerA (5# -o$rana' nose and odoriferous power/
The real fact is that the different powers are the correspondin& or&ans of the principle of
life/ It will now $e instructi0e to trace the tatwic chan&es and influences of these 0arious
manifestations of life/
Prana6 >urin& health prana works all o0er the system in one class of tatwic centers at one
time/ ?e thus see that $oth durin& the course of the positi0e and ne&ati0e current we ha0e
fi0e tatwic chan&es/ The color of prana durin& the rei&n of the positi0e and ne&ati0e
current is pure whiteA durin& that of the positi0e' reddish white/ The former is calmer and
smoother than the latter/
The tatwic chan&es &i0e to each of these fi0e new phases of color/ Thus6
Positi0e , reddish whiteK e&ati0e , pure white6
(1# The 0ayu tatwa' $lueA (F# The a&ni tatwa' redA (G# The prithi0i' yellowA (H# The apas'
whiteA (5# The akasa tatwa' dark
It is e0ident that there is a difference $etween the positi0e and ne&ati0e tatwic phases of
color/ There are thus ten &eneral phases of color/
The positi0e current (reddish white# is hotter than the ne&ati0e (the pure white#/ Therefore
it may $e &enerally said that the positi0e current is hot' and the ne&ati0e cool/ Each of
these then under&oes fi0e tatwic chan&es of temperature/ The a&ni is the hottest' the yellow
next to itA the 0ayu $ecomes cool' and the apas is the coolest/ The akasa has a state that
neither cools nor heats/ This state is the most dan&erous of all' and if prolon&ed it causes
death' disease and de$ility/ It is e0ident that' if the coolin& tatwa does not set in to
counteract the accumulated effect of the latter in due time' the functions of life will $e
impaired/ The :ust color and the :ust temperature at which these functions work in their
0i&or will $e distur$ed' and disease' death and de$ility are nothin& more than this
distur$ance in 0arious de&rees/ The case is similar if the heatin& tatwa does not set in in
due time after the coolin& one/
It will $e easy to understand that these chan&es of tatwic colors and temperatures are not
a$rupt/ The one passes of easily and smoothly into the other' and the tatwic mixtures
produce innumera$le colors C as many' in fact' as the solar prana has $een shown to
possess/ Each of these colors tend to keep the $ody healthy if it remains in action :ust as
lon& as it ou&ht' $ut no sooner does the duration chan&e than disease results/ There is a
possi$ility' therefore' of as many and more diseases as there are colors in the sun/
If any one color is prolon&ed' there must $e some one or more that ha0e &i0en the period
of their duration to itA similarly' if one color takes less time than it ou&ht to' there must $e
some one or more that take its place/ This su&&ests two methods of the treatment of
diseases/ But $efore speakin& of these' it will $e necessary to in0esti&ate as fully as
possi$le the causes that len&then and shorten the ideal periods of the tatwas/
To return at present to Prana6 This pulmonary manifestation of the principle of life is the
most important of all' $ecause its workin&s furnish us with a most faithful measure of the
tatwic state of the $ody/ It is on this account that the name prana has $een &i0en $y preeminence
to this manifestation/
ow' as the prana works in the pulmonary tai:as centers (i/e/' the centers of the
luminiferous ether#' the lun&s are thrown into a trian&ular form of expansion' atmospheric
air runs in' and the process of inspiration is complete/ ?ith e0ery truti' a $ackwards
impulse is &i0en to the currents of prana/ The lun&s are thrown into their stationary state
with this returnin& current' and the excess air is expelled/ The air that is thus thrown out of
the lun&s $ears a trian&ular form/ To some extent' the water 0apor that this air contains
furnishes us with a method of testin& this truth $y experiment/ If we take a smooth' shinin&
lookin& &lass' put it under the nose' and $reath steadily upon its cool surface' the water
0apor of the air will $e condensed' and it will $e seen that this $ears a particular fi&ure/ In
the case of pure a&ni' this fi&ure will $e a trian&le/ (et another person look steadily at the
lookin& &lass $ecause the impression passes off rather ;uickly/
?ith the course of the other tatwas the lun&s are thrown into their respecti0e shapes' and
the lookin& &lass &i0es us the same fi&ures/ Thus' in apas we ha0e the semiDmoon' in 0ayu
the sphere' and in prithi0i the ;uadran&le/ ?ith the composition of these tatwas we may
ha0e other fi&ures6 o$lon&s' s;uares' spheroids' and so on/
It may also $e mentioned that the luminiferous ether carries the materials drawn from the
atmospheric air to the centers of the luminiferous ether' and thence to e0ery part of the
$ody/ The other ethers also carry these materials to their respecti0e centers/ It is not
necessary to trace the workin& of the other manifestations one $y one/ It may' howe0er' $e
said that althou&h all the fi0e tatwas work in all the fi0e manifestations' each of these
manifestations is sacred to one of these tatwas/ Thus in prana the 0ayu tatwa pre0ails' in
samana the a&ni' in apana the prithi0i' in 0yana the apas' in udana the akasa/ I may
remind the reader that the &eneral color of prana is white' and this will show how the apas
tatwa pre0ails in 2yana/ The darkness of akasa is the darkness of death' etc/' caused $y the
manifestation of udana/
>urin& life these ten chan&es are always takin& place at the inter0als of a$out FJ minutes
each/ In wakin&' in sleep' or in dream' these chan&es ne0er cease/ It is only in the two
susumnas or the akasa that these chan&es $ecome potential for a moment' $ecause it is
from these that these tatwic manifestations show themsel0es on the plane of the $ody/ If
this moment is prolon&ed' the forces of prana remain potential' and in death the prana is
thus in the potential state/ ?hen those causes that tended to len&then the period of i' and
thus cause death' are remo0ed' this indi0idual prana passes out of the potential into the
actual' positi0e' or ne&ati0e state as the case may $e/ It will ener&iBe matter' and will
de0elop it into the shape towards which its accumulated potentialities tend/
Somethin& may now $e said a$out the work of the sensuous and acti0e or&ans/
It may $e &enerally said that all work is tatwic motion/ This work is capa$le of $ein&
carried on durin& the wakin& state' and not in sleep or dream/ These ten or&ans ha0e ten
&eneral colors' &enerally thus6
Sensuous .r&ans6 (1# Eye' a&ni' redA (F# Ear' akasa' darkA (G# ose' prithi0i' yellowA (H#
Ton&ue (taste#' apas' whiteA (5# Skin' 0ayu' $lueA
7cti0e .r&ans6 (1# =and' 0ayu' $lueA (F# "oot' i' yellowA (G# Ton&ue (speech#' apas' whiteA
(H# 7nus' akasa' darkA (5# 4enitals' i' red/
7lthou&h these are the &enerally pre0alent tatwas in these 0arious centers' all the other
tatwas exist in a su$ordinate position/ Thus in the eye we ha0e a reddish yellow' reddish
white' reddish dark' reddish $lue' and similarly in the other or&ans/ This di0ision into fi0e
of each of these colors is only &eneralA in reality there is an almost innumera$le 0ariation
of colors in each of these/
?ith e0ery act of e0ery one of these ten or&ans' the or&an specially and the whole $ody
&enerally assumes a different color' the color of that particular tatwic motion which
constitutes that act/
7ll these chan&es of Prana constitute the sum total of our worldly experience/ "urnished
with this apparatus' prana $e&ins its human pil&rima&e' in company with a mind' which is
e0ol0ed only to the extent of connectin& the 8I am9 of the ahankara or 0i:nana' the fourth
principle from $elow' with these manifestations of prana/ Time imprints upon it all the
innumera$le colors of the uni0erse/ The 0isual' the tan&i$le' the &ustatory' the auditory'
and the olfactory appearances in all their 0ariety &ather into prana :ust as our daily
experience carries many messa&es at one and the same time/ In the same way do the
appearances of the acti0e or&ans' and the fi0e remainin& &eneral functions of the $ody'
&ather up in this prana to manifest themsel0es in due time/
7 few illustrations will render all this clear6
Sexual %elations ,
The &enerati0e a&ni tatwa of the male is positi0e' and that of the female is ne&ati0e/ The
former is hotter' harsher' and more restless than the latterA the latter is cooler' smoother'
and calmer than the former/ These two currents tend to run into each other' and a feelin& of
satisfaction is the result if the two currents are allowed to take their courseA if not' a feelin&
of uneasiness is the result/ The &enesis of these feelin&s will $e my su$:ect under the head
of the manomaya kosha (mental principle#/ =ere I shall only speak of the coloration of
prana $y the action or inaction of this or&an/ The positi0e a&ni tends to run into the
ne&ati0e' and 0ice 0ersa/ If it is not allowed to do so' the repeated impulses of this tatwa
turn upon themsel0es' the center &ains stren&th' and e0ery day the whole prana is colored
deeper and deeper red/ The centers of the a&ni tatwa all o0er the $ody $ecome stron&er in
their action' while all the others contract a &eneral tin&e of the red/ The eyes and the
stomach $ecome stron&er/ This' howe0er' is the case only within certain limits and under
certain circumstances/ If the a&ni &ains too much stren&th' all the other centers of the
remainin& tatwas $ecome 0itiated in their action $y an o0erDcoloration of a&ni' and disease
and de$ility result/ If' howe0er' man indul&es in this luxury more often than he should' and
in more than one place' the male prana &ets colored $y the female a&ni' and 0ice 0ersa/
This tends to weaken all the centers of this tatwa' and &i0es a feminine color to the whole
prana/ The stomach $ecomes cooled down' the eyes &row weak' and 0irile manly power
departs/ If' howe0er' more than one indi0idual female a&ni takes possession of the male
prana' and 0ice 0ersa' the &eneral anta&onistic tatwa $ecomes deeper and stron&er/ The
whole prana is 0itiated to a &reater extent' &reater de$ility is the result' and spermatorrhea'
impotence' and other such anta&onistic colors take possession of the prana/ Besides' the
separate indi0idualities of the male or female a&ni that has taken possession of any one
prana will tend to repel each other/
?alkin& ,
Suppose now that a man is &i0en to walkin&/ The prithi0i tatwa of the feet &ains stren&th'
and the yellow color per0ades the whole prana/ The centers of the prithi0i all o0er the
$ody $e&in to work more $risklyA a&ni recei0es a mild and wholesome addition to its
power' the whole system tends towards healthy e;uili$rium' neither too hot' nor too cold'
and a &eneral feelin& of satisfaction accompanied with 0i&or' playfulness' and a relish of
en:oyment is the result/
Speech ,
(et me take one more illustration from the operation of 2ak (speech#' and I shall $e done
with the or&ans of action/ The power (Sakti# of speech (2ak' saraswati# is one of the most
important &oddesses of the =indu pantheon/ The apas tatwa is the chief in&redient of
prana that &oes towards the formation of this or&an/ Therefore the color of the &oddess is
said to $e white/ The 0ocal chord with the larynx in front form the 0ina (musical
instrument# of the &oddess/
In the a$o0e fi&ure of the 0ocal apparatus' 7B is the thyroid' a $road cartila&e formin& the
pro:ection of the throat' and much more prominent in men than in women/ Below this is
the annular cartila&e -' the crecoid/ Behind this' or we may say on this' are stretched the
chord a and $/
7tmospheric air passin& o0er these chords in the act of $reathin& sets these chords in
0i$ration' and sound is the result/ .rdinarily these chords are too loose to &i0e any sound/
The apas tatwa' the milkDwhite &oddess of speech' performs the allDimportant function of
makin& these chords tense/ 7s the semiDlunar current of the apas tatwa passes alon& the
muscles of these chords' they are as it were shri0eled up and cur0es are formed in the
chordsA they $ecome ti&hter/
The depth of these cur0es depends upon the stren&th of the apas current/ The deeper these
cur0es' the tenser are the chords/ The thyroid ser0es to 0ary the intensity of the 0oice thus
produced/ The thyroid ser0es to 0ary the intensity of the 0oice thus produced/ This will do
here' and it is enou&h to show that the real moti0e power in the production of 0oice is the
apas tatwa or Prana/ 7s will $e easily understood' there are certain ethereal conditions of
the external world that excite the centers of the apas tatwaA the current passes alon& the
0ocal chords' they are made tense' and sound is produced/ But the excitement of these
centers also comes from the soul throu&h the mind/ The use of this sound in the course of
e0olution as the 0ehicle of thou&ht is the marria&e of Brahma (the 2i:ana mayakosha' the
soul# with Saraswati' the power of speech as located in man/
The apas tatwa of the 0ocal apparatus' althou&h it is the chief moti0e power in the
production of sound' is modified accordin& to the circumstance $y the composition of the
other tatwas in 0arious de&rees/ 7s far as human ken reaches' a$out H* of these 0ariations
ha0e $een recorded under the name of swara/ "irst' there are se0en &eneral notes/ These
may $e positi0e and ne&ati0e (ti0ra and komala#' and then each of these may ha0e three
su$di0isions/ These notes are then composed into ei&ht ra&a' and each ra&a has se0eral
ra&ini/ The simple ra&ini may then $e compounded into others' and each ra&ini may ha0e
a &ood many arran&ements of notes/ The 0ariations of sound thus $ecome almost
innumera$le/ 7ll these 0ariations are caused $y the 0aryin& tensions of the 0ocal chords'
the 2ina of Saraswati' and the tensions 0ary $y the 0aryin& stren&th of the apas current'
caused $y the superposition of the other tatwas/
Each 0ariation of sound has a color of its own that affects the whole prana in its own wayA
the tatwic effect of all these sounds is noted in $ooks of music/ 2arious diseases may $e
cured' and &ood or $ad tendencies imprinted on the prana $y the power of sound/
Saraswati is an allDpowerful &oddess' and controls our prana for &ood or e0il as the case
may $e/ If a son& or note is colored $y the a&ni tatwa' the sound colors the prana red' and
similarly the 0ayu' the apas' the akasa' and the prithi0i' $lue' white' dark' and yellow/ The
red colored son& causes heatA it may cause an&er' sleep' di&estion' and redness of color/
The akasa colored son& causes fear' for&etfulness' etc/ Son&s may similarly &i0e our prana
the color of lo0e' enmity' adoration' morality' or immorality' as the case may $e/
(et us turn to another key/ If the words we utter $ear the color of the a&ni tatwa C an&er'
lo0e' lust C our prana is colored red' and this redness turns upon oursel0es/ It may $urn up
our su$stance' and we may look lean and lank and ha0e 1+'+++ other diseases/ Terri$le
retri$ution of an&ry wordsR If our words are full of di0ine lo0e and adoration' kindness and
morality' words that &i0e pleasure and satisfaction to whoe0er hears them C the colors of
the prithi0i and the apas C we $ecome lo0in& and $elo0ed' adorin& and adored' kind and
moral' pleasin& and pleased' satisfyin& and e0er satisfied/ The discipline of speech itself C
the satya of Patan:ali C is thus one of the hi&hest practices of 5o&a/
Sensuous impressions color the prana in a similar way/ If we are &i0en to too much of si&htseein&'
to the hearin& of pleasant sounds' to the smellin& of dainty smells' etc/' the colors
of these tatwas will $e o0erly stren&thened' and will &ain a mastery o0er our prana/ If we
are too fond of seein& $eautiful women' hearin& the music of their 0oices' hea0en help us'
for the least and most &eneral effect will $e that our pranas will recei0e the feminine
coloration/ If it were only for the lo0e of women' man should a0oid this o0erDindul&ence'
for feminine ;ualities in men do not o$tain fa0or in the eyes of women/
These illustrations are sufficient to explain how the tatwic colors of external nature &ather
up in prana/ It may $e necessary to say that no new colors enter into the formation of
prana/ 7ll the colors of the uni0erse are present there already' :ust as they are in the sun'
the prototype of prana/ The coloration I ha0e spoken of is only the stren&thenin& of this
particular color to an extent that throws the others in shade/ It is this distur$ance of $alance
that in the first place causes the 0ariety of human prana' and in the second those
innumera$le diseases to which flesh is heir/
"rom this point it is e0ident that e0ery action of man &i0es his prana a separate color' and
the color affects the &ross $ody in turn/ But when' at what time' does the particular tatwic
color affect the $odyE .rdinarily it is under similar tatwic conditions of the external
uni0erse/ This means that if the a&ni tatwa has &ained stren&th in any prana at any one
particular di0ision of time' the stren&th will show itself when that particular di0ision of
time recurs a&ain/ Before attemptin& a solution of this pro$lem' it is necessary to
understand the followin& truths6
The sun is the chief lifeD&i0er of e0ery or&anism in the system/ The moment that a new
or&anism has come into existence' the sun chan&es his capacity in relation to that
or&anism/ =e now $ecomes the sustainer of positi0e life in that or&anism/ 7lon& with this
the moon $e&ins to influence the or&anism in her own way/ She $ecomes the sustainer of
ne&ati0e life/ The planets each esta$lish their own currents in the or&anism/ "or the sake of
simplicity' I ha0e as yet spoken only of the sun and moon' the respecti0e lords of the
positi0e and ne&ati0e currents of the ri&ht and left hal0es of the $ody' of the $rain and the
heart' of the ner0es and the $lood 0essels/ These are the two chief sources of life' $ut it
must $e remem$ered that the planets exercise a modifyin& influence o0er these currents/
The real tatwic condition of any moment is determined $y all the se0en planets' :ust like
the sun and the moon/ Each planet' after determinin& the &eneral tatwic condition of the
moment' &oes to introduce chan&es in the or&anism $orn at that moment/ These chan&es
correspond with the manifestation of that color of prana that rose at that time/ Thus'
suppose the red color has entered prana when the moon is in the second de&ree of the si&n
of (i$ra/ If there is no distur$in& influence of any other luminary' the red color will
manifest itself whene0er the moon is in the same positionA in the other case' when the
distur$in& influence is remo0ed/ It may show itself in a month' or it may $e postponed for
a&es/ It is 0ery difficult to determine the time when an act will ha0e its effect/ It depends a
&ood deal upon the stren&th of the impression/ The stren&th of the impression may $e
di0ided into ten de&rees' althou&h some writers ha0e &one further/
(1# 1omentary6 This de&ree of stren&th has its effect then and thereA
(F# G+ de&rees stren&th6 In this case the effect will show itself when each planet is in the
same si&n as at the time of the impressionA
(G# 15 de&rees stren&th6 =oraA (H# 1+ de&rees stren&th6 >reskanaA (5# F++ de&rees stren&th6
a0aanshaA (J# 15+ de&rees stren&th6 >wadasansaA (N# J+ or 1 de&ree stren&th6 TrinsansaA
()# 19 stren&th6 MalaA (*# 1!!! stren&th6 2ipalaA (1+# 1!!!! stren&th6 Truti/
Suppose in any prana' on account of any action' the a&ni tatwa o$tains the stron&est
possi$le pre0alence consistent with the preser0ation of the $ody' the tatwa will $e&in to
ha0e its effect then and there until it has exhausted itself to a certain extent/ It will then
$ecome latent and show itself when at any time the same planets sit in the same mansions/
Examples will illustrate $etter/ Suppose the followin& ad0ancement of the planets at any
moment denotes the tatwic condition when any &i0en color has entered the prana6
The Grd of 7pril' Tuesday ,
Planet Si&n >e&ree 1inute Second
Sun 11 FF 5F 55
1oon ) 1J 5 *
1ercury 1+ F5 HF FN
2enus 11 FJ G5 1N
1ars 5 F) 1 H+
@upiter N 15 H1 5G
Saturn G * GG G+
It is at this time' we suppose' that the act a$o0e referred to is committed/ The present effect
will pass off with the two hours! lunar current that may $e passin& at that time/ Then it will
$ecome latent' and remain so till the time when these planets are in the same position
a&ain/ 7s has $een seen' these positions mi&ht $e nine or more in num$er/
7s soon as the exact time passes of when a color has o$tained predominance in prana' the
effect thereof on the &ross $ody $ecomes latent/ It shows itself a&ain in a &eneral way
when the stars sit in the same mansions/ Some of the stren&th is worn off at this time' and
the force $ecomes latent to show itself in &reater minuteness when at any time the halfmansions
coincide' and so on with the remainin& parts noticed a$o0e/ There may $e any
num$er of times when there is only an approach to coincidence' and then the effect will
tend to show itself' thou&h at that time it will remain only a tendency/
These o$ser0ation' althou&h necessarily 0ery mea&er' tend to show that the impression
produced upon prana $y any act' howe0er insi&nificant' really takes a&es to pass off' when
the stars coincide in position to a de&ree with that when the act was committed/ Therefore'
a knowled&e of astronomy is hi&hly essential in occult 2edic reli&ion/ The followin&
o$ser0ation may' howe0er' render the a$o0e a little more intelli&i$le/
7s often remarked' the prana mayokosha is an exact picture of the Terrestrial Prana/ The
periodical currents of the finer forces of nature that are in the earth pass accordin& to the
same laws in the principle of lifeA :ust like the Qodiac' the prana mayakosha is su$di0ided
into mansions' etc/ The northern and southern inclinations of the axis &i0e us a heart and a
$rain/ Each of these has 1F ramifications $ranchin& off from itA these are the 1F si&ns of
the Qodiac/ The daily rotation than &i0es us the G1 chakras spoken of pre0iously/ There is
the positi0e semiDmansion and the ne&ati0e semiDmansion/ Then we ha0e the oneDthird' the
oneDninth' the oneDtwelfth' and so on to a de&ree' or the di0isions and su$di0isions thereof/
Each chakra' $oth diurnal and annual' is in fact a circle of GJ+ de&rees' :ust like the &reat
circles of the hea0enly spheres/ Throu&h the chakra a course of se0en descriptions of lifecurrents
is esta$lished6
(1# Solar' (F# lunar' (G# 1ars' a&ni' (H# 1ercury' prithi0i' (5# @upiter' 0ayu' (J# 2enus'
apas' (N# Saturn' akasa/
It is ;uite possi$le that alon& the same chakra there may $e passin& all or any one or more
of these differin& currents at one and the same time/ The reader is reminded of the
tele&raph currents of modern electricity/ It is e0ident that the real state of prana is
determined $y the position of these localiBed currents/ ow if any one or more of these
tatwic currents is stren&thened $y any act of ours' under any position of the currents' it is
only when we ha0e to a de&ree the same position of the currents that the tatwic current will
makes it appearance at full stren&th/ There may also $e appearances of sli&ht power at
0arious times' $ut the full stren&th will ne0er $e exhausted until we ha0e the same position
of these currents to the minutest di0ision of a de&ree/ This takes a&es upon a&es' and it is
;uite impossi$le that the effect should pass off in the present life/ =ence rises the necessity
of a second life upon this earth/
The accumulated tatwic effects of a life!s work &i0e each life a &eneral tin&e of its own/
This tin&e wears off &radually as the component colors pass off or weaken in stren&th' one
$y one/ ?hen each of the component colors is one $y one sufficiently worn off' the
&eneral color of a life passes off/ The &ross $ody that was &i0en $irth to $y this particular
color ceases to respond to the now &enerally different colored prana/ The prana does not
pass out of the susumna/ >eath is the result/
>eath ,
7s already said' the two ordinary forms of death are the positi0e throu&h the $rain' and the
ne&ati0e throu&h the heart/ This is death throu&h the susumna/ In this all the tatwas are
potential/ >eath may also take place throu&h the other nadis/ In this case there must always
$e the pre0alence of one or more tatwas/
The prana &oes towards different re&ions after death' accordin& to the paths throu&h which
it passes out of the $ody/ Thus6
(1# The ne&ati0e susumna takes it to the moonA (F# the positi0e susumna takes it to the sunA
(G# the a&ni of the other nadi takes it to the hill known as %aura0a (fire#A (H# the apas of
the other nadi takes it to the hill known as 7m$arisha' and so on' the akasa' the 0ayu' and
the prithi0i take it to 7ndhatanusra' Malasutra' and 1aha kala (See 5o&a Sutra' pada 111'
7phorism FJ' commentary#/
The ne&ati0e path is the most &eneral one that the prana takes/ This path takes it to the
moon (the chandraloka# $ecause the moon is the lord of the ne&ati0e system' and the
ne&ati0e currents' and the ne&ati0e susumna the heart' which therefore is a continuation of
the lunar prana/ The prana that has the &eneral ne&ati0e color cannot mo0e $ut alon& this
path' and it is transferred naturally to the reser0oirs' the centers of the ne&ati0e prana/
Those men in whom the two hours! lunar current is passin& more or less re&ularly take this
path/
The prana that has lost the intensity of its terrestrial color ener&iBes lunar matter accordin&
to its own stren&th' and thus esta$lishes for itself there a sort of passi0e life/ =ere the mind
is in a state of dream/ The tatwic impressions of &athered up forces pass $efore it in the
same way as they pass $efore it in our earthly dreams/ The only difference is that in that
state there is not the superimposed force of indi&estion to render the tatwic impressions so
stron& and sudden as to $e terri$le/ That dreamy state is characteriBed $y extreme
calmness/ ?hate0er our mind has in it of the interestin& experiences of this world'
whate0er we ha0e thou&ht' heard' seen or en:oyed' the sense of satisfaction and en:oyment'
the $liss and playfulness of the apas and the prithi0i tatwa' the lan&uid sense of lo0e of the
a&ni' the a&reea$le for&etfulness of the akasa' all make their appearance one after the other
in perfect calm/ The painful impressions make no appearance' $ecause the painful arises
when any impression forces itself upon the mind that is out of harmony with its
surroundin&s/ In this state the mind li0es in -handraloka' as will $e $etter understood
when I come to speak of the tatwic causes of dreams/
7&es roll on in this state' when the mind has' accordin& to the same &eneral laws that
o$tain for prana' worn out the impressions of a former life/ The intense tatwic colors that
the ceaseless acti0ity of prana had called into existence now fade away' until at last the
mind comes upon a chronic le0el with the prana/ Both of them ha0e now lost the tin&e of a
former life/ It may $e said of prana that it has a new appearance' and of the mind that it
has a new consciousness/ ?hen they are $oth in this state' $oth 0ery weak' the
accumulated tatwic effects of prana $e&in to show themsel0es with the return of the stars
to the same positions/ These draw us $ack from the lunar to the terrestrial prana/ 7t this
sta&e' the mind has no indi0iduality worth takin& account of' so that it is drawn $y prana
to where0er its affinities carry it/ It comes and :oins with those solar rays that $ear a
similar color' with all those mi&hty potentialities that show themsel0es in the future man
remainin& ;uite latent/ It passes with the rays of the sun accordin& to the ordinary laws of
0e&etation into &rain that $ears similar colors/ Each &rain has a separate indi0iduality'
which accounts for its separate indi0iduality from others of its $rothers' and in many there
may $e human potentialities &i0in& it an indi0iduality of its own/ The &rain or &rains
produce the 0irile semen' which assumes the shape of human $ein&s in the wom$s of
women/ This is re$irth/
Similarly do human indi0idualities come $ack from the fi0e states that are known as hells/
These are the states of posthumous existence fixed for those men who en:oy to an
excessi0e and 0iolent de&ree the 0arious impressions of each of the tatwas/ 7s the tatwic
intensity' which distur$s the $alance and therefore causes pain' wears off in time' the
indi0idual prana passes off to the lunar sphere' and thence under&oes the same states that
ha0e $een descri$ed a$o0e/
7lon& the positi0e path throu&h the $rahmarandhra pass those prana that pass $eyond the
&eneral effects of Time' and therefore do not return to the earth under ordinary laws/ It is
Time that $rin&s $ack prana from the moon' when he is e0en the most &eneral' and the
least stron& tatwic condition comes into play with the return of identical astral positionsA
$ut the sun $ein& the keeper of Time himself' and the stron&est factor in the determination
of his tatwic condition' it would $e impossi$le for solar Time to affect solar prana/
Therefore' only that prana tra0els towards the sun in which there is almost no
preponderance of any tatwic color/ This is the state of the prana of 5o&in alone/ By the
constant practice of the ei&ht $ranches of 5o&a' the prana is purified of any 0ery stron&ly
personifyin& colors' and since it is e0ident that on such a prana Time can ha0e no effect'
under ordinary circumstances' they pass off to the sun/ These prana ha0e no distinct
personifyin& colorsA all of them that &o to the sun ha0e almost the same &eneral tin&e/ But
their minds are different/ They can $e distin&uished from each other accordin& to the
particular $ranch of science that they ha0e culti0ated' or accordin& to the particular and
0aryin& methods of mental impro0ement that they ha0e followed on earth/ In this state the
mind is not dependent' as in the moon' upon the impressions of prana/ -onstant practice of
5o&a has rendered it an independent worker' dependin& only upon the soul' and moldin&
the prana to its own shapes' and &i0in& it its own colors/ This is a kind of 1oksha/
7lthou&h the sun is the most potent lord of life' and the tatwic condition of prana now has
no effect upon the prana that has passed to the sun' the planetary currents still ha0e some
sli&ht effect upon it' and there are times when this effect is 0ery stron&' so that the earthly
conditions in which they ha0e pre0iously li0ed are called $ack a&ain to their minds/ 7
desire to do the same sort of &ood they did the world in their pre0ious life takes possession
of them' and impelled $y this desire they sometimes come $ack to earth/ Snakaracharya
has noticed in his commentary of the Brahmasutra that 7pantaramah' a 2edic rishi' thus
appeared on earth as MrishnaDdwaipayana' a$out the end of the >wapara and the
$e&innin& of the Maliyu&a/
2I/ Prana (III# ,
7s it is desira$le that as much as possi$le should $e known a$out Prana' I &i0e $elow
some ;uotations on the su$:ect from the Prasnopnishat/ They will &i0e additional interest
to the su$:ect' and present it in a more comprehensi0e and far more attracti0e &ar$/
Six thin&s are to $e known a$out Prana' says the <panishad6
8=e who knows the $irth (1#' the comin& in (F#' the places of manifestation (G#' the rule
(H#' the macrocosmic appearance (5#' and the microcosmic appearance of Prana $ecomes
immortal $y that knowled&e/9
Practical knowled&e of the laws of life' i/e/' to li0e up to them' must naturally end in the
passin& of the soul out of the shadowy side of life into the ori&inal li&ht of the Sun/ This
means immortality' that is' passin& $eyond the power of terrestrial death/
But to &o on with what the <panishad has to say a$out the six thin&s to $e known a$out
Prana6
The Birth of Prana ,
The Prana is $orn from the 7tmaA it is caused in the atma' like the shadow in the $ody/
The human $ody' or any other or&anism' $ecomes the cause of throwin& a shade in the
ocean of prana' as it comes $etween the sun and the portion of space on the other side of
the or&anism/ Similarly' the prana is thrown as a shade in the macrocosmic soul (Iswara#
$ecause the macrocosmic mind (manu# inter0enes/ Briefly the prana is the shade of 1anu
caused $y the li&ht of the (o&os' the macrocosmic center/ The suns are &i0en $irth to in
this shade' $y the impression of the macrocosmic mental ideas into this shade/ These suns'
the centers of Prana' $ecome in their turn the positi0e startin& point of further
de0elopment/ The manus throwin& their shade $y the inter0ention of the suns' &i0e $irth in
those shades to planets' etc/ The suns throwin& their shades $y the inter0ention of planets'
&i0e $irth to moons/ Then these different centers $e&in to act upon the planets' and the sun
descends on the planets in the shape of 0arious or&anisms' man included/
The 1acrocosmic 7ppearance ,
This prana is found in the macrocosm as the ocean of life with the sun for its center/ It
assumes two phases of existence6 (1# the prana' the solar' positi0e lifeDmatter' and (F# the
rayi' the lunar' ne&ati0e lifeDmatter/ The former is the northern phase and the easternA the
latter is the southern phase and the western/ In e0ery 1oment of Terrestrial life' we ha0e
thus the northern and southern centers of prana' the centers from which the southern and
northern phases of lifeDmatter take their start at any moment/ The eastern and western
hal0es are there too/
7t e0ery moment of time C i/e/' in e0ery truti C there are millions of truti C perfect
or&anisms C in space/ This mi&ht re;uire some explanation/ The units of time and space
are the same6 a truti/
Take any one truti of time/ It is well known that e0ery moment of time the tatwic rays of
prana &o in e0ery direction from e0ery point to e0ery other point/ =ence it is clear enou&h
that e0ery truti of space is a perfect picture of the whole apparatus of prana' with all its
centers and sides' and positi0e and ne&ati0e relations/ To express a &ood deal in a few
words' e0ery truti of space is a perfect or&anism/ In the ocean of Prana that surrounds the
sun there are innumera$le such truti/
?hile essentially the same' it is easy to understand that the followin& items will make a
difference in the &eneral color' appearance' and forms of these trutis6 (1# distance from the
solar centerA (F# inclination from the solar axis/
Take the earth for illustration/ That Bone of solar life' takin& into consideration $oth the
distance and the inclination in which the earth mo0es' &i0es $irth to earthDlife/ This Bone of
earthDlife is known as the ecliptic/ ow e0ery truti of space in this ecliptic is a separate
indi0idual or&anism/ 7s the earth mo0es in her annual course' i/e/' as the truti of time
chan&es' these permanent truti of space chan&e the phases of their life/ But their
permanency is ne0er impaired/ They retain their indi0iduality all the same/
7ll the planetary influences reach these trutis always' where0er the planets may $e in their
:ourney/ The chan&in& distance and inclination is' of course' always causin& a chan&e of
lifeDphase/
This truti of space' from its permanent position in the ecliptic' while maintainin& its
connection with all the planets' at the same time sends its tatwic rays to e0ery other ;uarter
of space/ They also come to the earth/
It is a condition of earth life that the positi0e and ne&ati0e currents' the prana and the rayi'
$e e;ually $alanced/ Therefore' when the two phases of life matter are e;ually stron& in
this ecliptical truti' the tatwic rays that come from it to the earth ener&iBe &ross matter
there/ The moment that the $alance is distur$ed $y the tatwic influence of the planets' or
$y some other cause' terrestrial death ensues/ This simply means that the tatwic rays of the
truti that fall on earth cease to ener&iBe &ross matter' althou&h they do fall there all the
same' and althou&h the truti is there all the same in its permanent ecliptical a$ode/ In this
posthumous state' the human truti will ener&iBe &ross matter in that ;uarter of space whose
laws of relati0e' ne&ati0e and positi0e predominance coincide with that state/ Thus' when
the ne&ati0e life matter' the rayi' $ecomes o0erly stron&' the ener&iBation of the truti is
transferred from the earth to the moon/ Similarly it may pass to other spheres/ ?hen the
terrestrial $alance is restored a&ain' when this posthumous life has $een li0ed' the
ener&iBation is transferred to the earth a&ain/
Such is the macrocosmic appearance of Prana' with the pictures of all the or&anisms of the
earth/
The -omin& In .f Prana ,
=ow does this prana maya kosha C this truti of the macrocosm C come into this $odyE
Briefly' 8By actions at whose root lies the mind9' says the <panishad/ It was explained
pre0iously how e0ery action chan&es the nature of the prana maya kosha' and it will $e
explained in the essay on the 8-osmic Picture 4allery9 how these chan&es are represented
in the cosmical counterpart of our lifeDprinciple/ It is e0ident that $y these actions chan&e
is produced in the &eneral relati0e nature of the prana and the rayi' which has $een spoken
of pre0iously/ It is hardly necessary to say that the mind C the human free will C lies at the
root of those actions that distur$ the tatwic $alance of the lifeDprinciple/ =ence' 8The
prana comes into this $ody $y actions' at whose root lies the mind/9
The Places of 1anifestation ,
87s the paramount Power appoints its ser0ants' tellin&' S%ule such and such 0illa&es!' so
does the Prana/ It puts its different manifestations in different places/ The apana (this
dischar&es faces and urine# is in the Payu (anus# and the upastha/ The manifestations
known as si&ht and hearin& (-hakahus and Srotra# are in the eye and ear/ The prana
remains itself' &oin& out of mouth and nose/ Between (the places of prana and apana'
a$out the na0el# li0es the Samana/ It is this that carries e;ually (all o0er the $ody# the food
(and drink# that is thrown in the fire/ =ence are those se0en li&hts ($y means of prana'
li&ht of knowled&e is thrown o0er color' form' sound' etc/#
8In the heart is of course this atma (the pranamaya kosha# and in it' of course' the other
coils/ =ere there are a hundred and one nadi/ .f these there are a hundred in each/ In each
of these $ranch nadis there are NF'+++ other nadi/ In these mo0es the 0yana/
8By one (the Susumna# &oin& upward' the udana carries to &ood worlds $y means of
&oodness' and to $ad ones $y means of e0ilA $y $oth to the world of men/
8The sun is' of course' the macrocosmic pranaA he rises' and there$y helps the eyesi&ht/
The Power that is in the earth keeps up the power of apana/ The akasa (the ethereal
matter# that is $etween hea0en and earth' helps the samana/
8The ethereal lifeDmatter (independent of its $ein& $etween hea0en and earth# which fills
macrocosmic space' is 0yana/
8The tai:as C the luminfierous ether C is udanaA hence he whose natural fire is cooled down
approaches death/
8Then the man &oes toward the second $irthA the or&ans and senses &o into the mindA the
mind of the man comes to the Prana (its manifestations now ceasin&#/ The prana is
com$ined with the tai:asA &oin& with the soul' it carries her to the spheres that are in 0iew/9
The different manifestations of Prana in the $ody' and the places where they manifest
themsel0es ha0e $een dwelt upon/ But other statements of interest appear in this extract/ It
is said that this atma' this prana maya kosha' with the other coils of course' is located in
the heart/ The heart' as has $een seen' represents the ne&ati0e side of life' the rayi/ ?hen
the positi0e prana impresses itself upon the rayi C the heart and the nadis that flow from it
C the forms of life and the actions of man come into existence/ It is therefore' properly
speakin&' the reflection in the heart that works in the world' i/e/' is the proper lord of the
sensuous and acti0e or&ans of life/ If this $ein& of the heart learns not to li0e here' the
sensuous and acti0e or&ans $oth lose their lifeA the connection with the world ceases/ The
$ein& of the $rain that has no immediate connection with the world' except throu&h the
heart' now remains in unrestrained purity/ This means to say that the soul &oes to the
suryaloka (the Sun#/
The next point of interest is the description of the functions of the External Prana' which
lie at the root of' and help the workin& of the indi0idualiBed prana/ It is said that the Sun is
the Prana/ This is e0ident enou&h' and has $een mentioned man times $efore this/ =ere it
is meant to say that the most important function of life' inspiration and expiration' the
function of which' accordin& to the Science of Breath' is the .ne (aw of existence in the
<ni0erse on all the planes of life' is $rou&ht into existence and kept in acti0ity $y the sun
in himself/ It is the solar $reath that constitutes his existence' and this reflected in man
producin& matter &i0es $irth to human $reath/
The Sun then appears in another phase/ =e rises' and as he does' he supports the eyes in
their natural action/
Similarly' the power that is in the earth sustains the apana manifestation of prana/ It is the
power that draws e0erythin& towards the earth' says the commentator/ In modern lan&ua&e'
it is &ra0ity/
Somethin& more mi&ht $e said here a$out the udana manifestation of prana/ 7s e0ery$ody
knows' there is a phase of microcosmic prana that carries e0erythin&' names' forms' si&ht'
sounds' and all other sensations' from one place to another/ This is otherwise known as the
uni0ersal a&ni' or the Te:as of the text/ The localiBed manifestation of Prana is called
udana' that which carries the lifeDprinciple from one place to another/ The particular
destination is determined $y past actions' and this uni0ersal a&ni carries the prana' with the
soul' to different worlds/
2II/ Prana (I2# ,
This Prana is then a mi&hty $ein&' and if its localiBed manifestations were to work in
unison' and with temperance' doin& their own duty' $ut not usurpin& the time and place of
others' there would $e $ut little e0il in the world/
But each of these manifestations asserts its sole power o0er the $ewildered human soul/
Each of these claims the whole life of man to $e its own proper domain6
8The akasa' the 0ayu' the a&ni' the prithi0i' the apas' speech' si&ht and hearin& C all of
them say clearly that they are the sole monarchs of the human $ody/9
The principal prana' he whose manifestations all these are' tells them6
8Be not for&etfulA it is I who sustain the human $ody' di0idin& myself into fi0e/9
If the fi0e manifestations of Prana with all their minor su$di0isions re0olt a&ainst him' if
each $e&in to assert its own lordship and cease to work for the &eneral $enefit of the lord
paramount' the real life' misery makes its sad appearance to harass the poor human soul/
8But the manifestation of prana' $linded $y i&norance'9 would not 8put forth9 in the
admonitions of their lord/ 8=e lea0es the $ody' and as he lea0es' all the other minor pranas
lea0e it tooA they stay there as he stays/9 Then their eyes are opened/ 87s the $ees follow
the ;ueen $ee in e0ery posture' so does pranaA these' speech' the mind' the eye' the ear'
follow him with de0otion' and thus praise him/9
8=e is the a&ni' the cause of heatA he is the sun (the &i0er of li&ht#A he is the cloud' he is the
Indra' he is the 2ayu' he is the prithi0i' he is the rayi' and the de0a' the sat' and the asat'
and he is the immortal/
O%ayi and asat are the ne&ati0e' de0a and sat the positi0e phases of lifeDmatter/P
8(ike the spokes in the na0e of a wheel' e0erythin& is sustained in prana6 the hymns of the
%ik' the 5a:ur' and the Sama 2eda' the sacrifice' the Mshatriya' and the Brahmin' etc/
8Thou art the Pro&enitorA thou mo0est in the wom$A thou art $orn in the shape of the father
or the motherA to thee' . Prana' that puts up in the $ody with thy manifestations' these
creatures offer presents/
8Thou art the carrier of offerin&s to the de0a' thou art the carrier of o$lations to the fathersA
thou art the action and the power of the senses and other manifestations of life/
8Thou art' . Prana' in power the &reat lord' the %udra Othe destroyerP and the Preser0erA
thou mo0est in the sky as the sun' thou art the preser0er of the li&ht of hea0en/
8?hen thou rainest' these creatures are full of :oy $ecause they hope to ha0e plenty of
food/
8Thou art Prana' pure $y natureA thou art the consumer of all o$lations' as the Ekarshi fire
Oof the 7thar0aA thou art the preser0er of all existenceA we are to thee the offerers of foodA
thou art our father as the %ecorder Oor' the (ifeD&i0er of the %ecorderP/
81ake healthy that appearance of thine which is located in the speech' the ear' the eye' and
that which is stretched towards the mindA do not fly away/
8?hate0er exists in the three hea0ens' all of it is in the power of prana/ Protect us like a
mother her offsprin&A &i0e us wealth and intellect/9
?ith this I conclude my description of Prana' the second principle of the <ni0erse' and
the human $ody/ The epithets $estowed upon this mi&hty $ein& in the a$o0e extract will $e
easy of understandin& in the li&ht of all that has &one $efore/ It is now time to trace the
workin& of the uni0ersal Tatwic (aw of Breath on the next hi&her pane of life' the mind
(manomayakosha#/
2III/ The 1ind (I# ,
Introduction,
o theory of the life of the <ni0erse is at once so simple and so &rand as the theory of
$reath (Swara#/ It is the one uni0ersal motion' which makes its appearance in maya $y
0irtue of the unseen su$stratum of the -osmos' the para$rahma of the 2edantins/ The
most appropriate expression for Swara in En&lish is the 8current of life9/ The Indian
Science of Breath in0esti&ates and formulates the laws' or rather the one <ni0ersal (aw'
accordin& to which this current of life' this moti0e power of <ni0ersal Intelli&ence'
runnin& (as Emerson so $eautifully puts it# alon& the wire of thou&ht' &o0erns e0olution
and in0olution and all the phenomena of human life' physiolo&ical' mental and spiritual/ In
the whole len&th and $readth of this uni0erse there is no phenomenon' &reat or small' that
does not find its most natural' most intelli&i$le' most apposite explanation in the theory of
the fi0e modes of manifestation of this uni0ersal motion6 the fi0e elementary tatwas/ In the
fore&oin& essays I ha0e tried to explain &enerally how e0ery physiolo&ical phenomenon
was &o0erned $y the fi0e tatwas/ The o$:ect of the present essay is to $riefly run o0er the
0arious phenomena relatin& to the third hi&her $ody of man C the manomaya kosha' the
mind C and note how symmetrically and uni0ersally the tatwas $rin& a$out the formation
and work of this principle/
Mnowled&e ,
It is what is in &eneral lan&ua&e called knowled&e that distin&uishes the mind from
physiolo&ical life (prana#' $ut it will $e seen on a little consideration that different de&rees
of knowled&e mi&ht 0ery well $e taken as the distin&uishin& characteristics of the fi0e
states of matter' which in man we call the fi0e principles/ "or what is knowled&e $ut a kind
of tatwic motion of $reath' ele0ated into selfDconsciousness $y the presence' in a &reater or
lesser de&ree' of the element of ahankara (e&oism#E =is is no dou$t the 0iew taken of
knowled&e $y the 2edantic philosopher when he speaks of intelli&ence as $ein& the moti0e
power' the first cause of the uni0erse/ The word swara is only a synonym of intelli&ence'
the one manifestation of the .ne descendin& into prakriti/
8I see somethin&9 means' accordin& to our 0iew of knowled&e' that my manomaya kosha
has $een put into 0isual 0i$ration/ 8I hear9 means that my mind is in a state of auditory
0i$ration/ 8I feel9 means that my mind is in a state of tan&i$le 0i$ration/ 7nd so on with
the other senses/ 8I lo0e9 means that my mind is in a state of amatory 0i$ration (a form of
attraction#/
The first state' that of the anandamaya' is the state of the hi&hest knowled&e/ There is then
$ut one center' the su$stratum for the whole infinity of para$rahma' and the ethereal
0i$rations of his $reath are one throu&hout the whole expanse of infinity/ There is $ut one
intelli&ence' $ut one knowled&e/ The whole uni0erse with all its potentialities and
actualities is a part of that knowled&e/ This is the hi&hest state of $liss/ There is no
consciousness of self here' for the I has only a relati0e existence' and there must $e a Thou
or a =e $efore there can $e an I/
The e&o takes form when' in the second plane of existence' more than one minor center
comes into existence/ It is for this reason that the name ahankara has $een &i0en to this
state of matter/ The ethereal impulses of those centers are confined to their own particular
domain in space' and they differ in each center/ They can' howe0er' affect each other in
:ust the same way as the indi0idualiBed ethereal impulses of one man are affected $y those
of others/ The tatwic motion of one center of Brahma is carried alon& the same uni0ersal
lines to the other/ Two differin& motions are thus found in one center/ The stron&er
impulse is called the I' the weaker the Thou or the =e as the case may $e/
Then comes manas/ 2ira: is the center' and manu the atmosphere of this state/ These
centers are $eyond the ken of ordinary humanity' $ut they work under laws similar to those
rulin& the rest of the cosmos/ The suns mo0e the 0irats in the same way as the planets
mo0e around the sun/
The "unctions of the 1ind ,
The composition of the manu is similar to that of prana6 it is composed of a still finer
&rade of the fi0e tatwas' and this increased fineness endows the tatwas with different
functions/
The fi0e functions of prana ha0e $een &i0en/ The followin& are the fi0e functions of
manas' as &i0en $y Patan:ali and accepted $y 2yasa6
(1# 1eans of knowled&e (Pramana#' (F# "alse knowled&e (2iparyaya#' (G# -omplex
ima&ination (2ikalpa#' (H# Sleep (idra#' (5# 1emory (Smrite#/
7ll the manifestation of the mind fall under one or another of these fi0e heads/ Thus'
Pramana includes6
(1# Perception (pratyaksha#' (F# Inference (anumana#' (G# 7uthority (7&ama#/
2iparyana includes6
(1# I&norance (a0idya' tamas#' (F# E&oism (asinita' moha#' (G# %etention (ra:a'
mahamoka#' (H# %epulsion (tamisra' dwesha#' (5# Tenacity of life (a$hinwesha'
andhatamisra#/
The remainin& three ha0e no definite su$di0isions/ ow I shall show that all the
modifications of thou&ht are forms of tatwic motion on the mental plane/
Pramana (1eans of Mnowled&e# ,
The word pramana (means of knowled&e# is deri0ed from two roots' the predicati0e ma'
and the deri0ati0e root ana' with the prefix pra/ The ori&inal idea of the root ma is 8to &o9'
8to mo0e9' and hence 8to measure9/ The Prefix pra &i0es the root idea of fullness'
connected as it is with the root pri' to fill/ That which mo0es exactly up or down to the
same hei&ht with any other thin& is the pramana of that thin&/ In $ecomin& the pramana of
any other thin&' the first thin& assumes certain ;ualities that it did not ha0e $efore/ This is
always $rou&ht a$out $y a chan&e of state caused $y a certain kind of motion' for it is
always motion that causes chan&e of state/ In fact' this is also the exact meanin& of the
word pramana' as applied to a particular manifestation of the mind/
Pramana is a particular tatwic motion of the mental $odyA its effect is to put the mental
$ody into a state similar to that of somethin& else/ The mind can under&o as many chan&es
as the external tatwas are capa$le of imprintin& upon it' and these chan&es ha0e $een
classified into three &eneral heads $y Patan:ali/
Pratyaksha (Perception# ,
This is that chan&e of state which the operations of the fi0e sensuous or&ans produce in the
mind/ The word is a compound of 8I9' each' and 8aksha9' sensuous power' or&an of sense/
=ence is that sympathetic tatwic 0i$ration that an or&an of sense in contact with its o$:ect
produces in the mind/ These chan&es can $e classified under fi0e heads' accordin& to the
num$er of the senses/
The eye &i0es $irth to the tai:as 0i$rations' the ton&ue' the skin' the ear' and the nose
respecti0ely to the apas' the 0ayu' the akasa and the prithi0i 0i$rations/ The pure a&ni
causes the perception of red' the tai:asDprithi0i of yellow' the tai:asDapas of white' the
tai:asD0ayu of $lue' and so on/ .ther colors are produced in the mind $y mixed 0i$rations
in a thousand 0aryin& de&rees/ The apas &i0es softness' the 0ayu rou&hness' the a&ni
harshness/ ?e see throu&h the eyes not only color' $ut also form/ It will $e remem$ered
that a particular form has $een assi&ned to e0ery tatwic 0i$ration' and all the forms of
&ross matter answer to correspondin& tatwic 0i$rations/ Thus' form can $e percei0ed
throu&h e0ery sense/ The eyes can see form' the ton&ue can taste it' the skin can touch it'
and so on/ This may pro$a$ly appear to $e a no0el assertion' $ut it must $e remem$ered
that 0irtue is not an act/ The ear would hear form' if the more &eneral use of the eye and
skin for this purpose had not almost stifled it into inaction/
The pure apas 0i$rations cause an astrin&ent taste' the apasDprithi0i a sweet' the apasDa&ni
hot' the apasD0ayu acid' and so on/ Innumera$le other 0i$rations of taste are caused $y
intermediate 0i$rations in 0arious de&rees/
The case is similar with the 0ocal and other chan&es of 0i$ration/ It is clear that our
percepti0e knowled&e is nothin& more than a 0erita$le tatwic motion of the mental $ody'
caused $y the sympathetic communications of the 0i$rations of prana' :ust as a strin&ed
instrument of a certain tension $e&ins to 0i$rate spontaneously when 0i$ration is set up in
another similar instrument/
7numana (Inference# ,
The word anumana has the same roots as the word pramana/ The only difference is in the
prefix/ ?e ha0e here anu' 8after9' instead of pra/ Inference (anumana# is therefore aftermotion/
?hen the mind is capa$le of sustainin& two 0i$rations at one and the same time'
then if any one of these 0i$rations is set up and percei0ed' the second 0i$ration must also
manifest itself/ Thus' suppose a man pinches me/ The complex 0i$rations that make up the
perception of the action of man pinchin& me are produced in my mind/ I reco&niBe the
phenomena/ 7lmost simultaneously with these 0i$rations another set of 0i$rations is
produced in me/ I call this pain/ ow here are two kinds of tatwic motion' one comin&
after the other/ If at any other time I feel similar pain' the ima&e of the man pinchin& will
$e recalled to my consciousness/ This afterDmotion is 8inference9/ Induction and deduction
are $oth modifications of this afterDmotion/ The sun always appears to rise in a certain
direction/ The concept of that direction $ecomes fore0er associated in my mind with the
risin& of the sun/ ?hene0er I think of the phenomenon of sunrise' the concept of that
direction presents itself/ Therefore I say that' as a rule' the sun rises in that direction/
Inference is therefore nothin& more than a tatwic motion comin& after another related one/
7&ama (7uthority# ,
The third modification of what is called the means of knowled&e (pramana# is authority
(a&ama#/ ?hat is thisE I read in my &eo&raphy' or hear from the lips of my teacher that
Britain is surrounded $y the ocean/ ow what has connected these words in my mind with
the picture of Britain' the ocean' and their mutual relationsE -ertainly it is not perception'
and therefore not inference' which must $y nature work throu&h sensuous knowled&e/
?hat thenE There must $e some third modification/
The fact that words possess the power to raise a certain picture in our minds is one of 0ery
deep interest/ E0ery Indian philosopher reco&niBes it as a third modification of the mind'
$ut it recei0es no reco&nition at the hands of modern European philosophy/
There is' howe0er' little dou$t that the color correspondin& to this mental modification
differs from that correspondin& to either perception or inference/ The color $elon&in& the
percepti0e modifications of the mind is always sin&le in nature/ 7 certain phase of the
tai:as 0i$ration must always pre0ail in the 0isual modification' and similarly the 0i$rations
of other tatwas correspond to our different sensuous modifications/ Each manifestation has
its own distincti0e color/ The red will appear as well in the 0isual as in the auditory or any
other 0i$ration' $ut the red of the 0isual will $e $ri&ht and pureA that of the or&an of smell
will $e tin&ed with yellowA that of the or&an of touch with $lue' and the soniferous ether
will $e rather dark/ There is' therefore' not the least likelihood that the 0ocal 0i$ration will
coincide with the pure percepti0e 0i$ration/ The coal 0i$rations are dou$le in their nature'
and they can only (if at all# coincide with the inferential 0i$rationsA and here' too' they can
only coincide with the auditory 0i$rations/ 7 little consideration will' howe0er' show that
there is some difference $etween the 0ocal and inferential 0i$rations/ In inference' a
certain modification of sound in our mind is followed $y a certain 0isual picture' and $oth
these 0i$rations retain an e;ually important position in our mind/ ?e place two precepts
to&ether' compare them' and then say that one follows the other/ In the 0er$al modification
there is no comparison' no simultaneous consciousness' no placin& to&ether of the two
precepts/ The one causes the other' $ut we are not at all conscious of the fact/ In inference
the simultaneous presence for some time of $oth the cause and the effect $rin&s a$out a
chan&e in the color of the effect/ The difference is less &reat in the 0ocal as compared with
the inferential 0i$ration/ 7xiomatic knowled&e is not inferential in the present' tou&h it has
no dou$t $een so in the pastA in the present it has $ecome nati0e to the mind/
2iparyaya ("alse Mnowled&e# ,
This is the second mental modification/ This word also is deri0ed from a root meanin&
motion 6 i or ay/ 8to &o9' 8to mo0e9/ The prefix pari is connected with the root pra' and
&i0es the same radical meanin& as pramana/ The word Paryaya has the same radical
meanin& as pramana/ The word 2iparyaya therefore means 8a motion remo0ed from the
motion that coincides with the o$:ect9/ The 0i$rations of pramana coincide in nature with
the 0i$rations of 0iparyaya/ -ertain ac;uired conditions of the mind imprint on the
precepts a new color of their own' and thus distin&uish them from the precepts of
pramana/ There are fi0e modifications of this manifestation/
70idya (I&norance# ,
This is the &eneral field for the manifestation of all the modifications of false knowled&e/
The word comes from the root 0id' 8to know9' the prefix a' and the suffix ya/ The ori&inal
meanin& of the 0idya is' therefore' 8the state of a thin& as it is9' or expressed in terms of
the mental plane in one word' 8knowled&e9/ 7s lon& as in the face of a human $ein& I see
a face and nothin& else' my mental 0i$ration is said to $e 0idya/ But as soon as I see a
moon or somethin& else not a face' when it is a face I am lookin& at' my mental 0i$ration
is no lon&er said to $e 0idya' $ut a0idya/ 70idya (i&norance# is therefore not a ne&ati0e
conceptionA it is :ust as positi0e as 0idya itself/ It is a &reat mistake to suppose that words
ha0in& the pri0ati0e prefixes always imply a$stractions and ne0er realities/ This' howe0er'
is $y the $ye/ The state of a0idya is that state in which the mental 0i$ration is distur$ed $y
that of akasa' and some other tatwas' which thus result in the production of false
appearances/ The &eneral appearance of a0idya is akasa' darkness' and this is why tamas is
a synonym of this word/
This &eneral pre0alence of darkness is caused $y some defect in indi0idual minds' $ecause'
as we find from daily experience' a &i0en o$:ect does not excite the same set of 0i$rations
in all minds/ ?hat' then is the mental defectE It is to $e found in the nature of the storedDup
potential ener&y of the mind/ This storin&Dup of potential ener&y is a pro$lem of the
deepest importance in philosophy' and the doctrine of transmi&ration of souls finds its
most intelli&i$le explanation in this/ The law mi&ht $e enunciated as follows6
The (aw of 2asana ,
If anythin& $e set in any particular kind of tatwic motion' internal or external' it ac;uires
for a second time the capa$ility of easily $ein& set in motion' and of conse;uently resistin&
a different sort of motion/ If the thin& is su$:ected to the same motion for some time' the
motion $ecomes a necessary attri$ute of the thin&/ The superposed motion $ecomes' so to
speak' 8second nature9/
Thus' if a man accustoms his $ody to a particular form of exercise' certain muscles in his
$ody are 0ery easily set into motion/ 7ny other form of exercise that re;uires the use of
other muscles will $e found fati&uin& on account of the resistance set up $y muscular
ha$its/ The case is similar with the mind/ If I ha0e a deepDrooted con0iction' as some do to
this day' that the earth is flat and the sun mo0es around it' it may re;uire a&es to dislod&e
it/ 7 thousand examples mi&ht $e cited of such phenomena/ It is' howe0er' only necessary
in this place to state that the capacity of turnin& easily to one mental state and offerin&
resistance to another one is what I mean $y this storedDup ener&y/ It is 0ariously called
0asana or Sansakara in Sanskrit/
The word 0asana comes from the root 0as' 8to dwell9/ It means the dwellin& or fixin& of
some form of 0i$ratory motion in the mind/ It is $y 0asana that certain truths $ecome
nati0e to the mind' and not only certain soDcalled truths' $ut all the soDcalled natural
tendencies' moral' physical' spiritual' $ecome in this way nati0e to the mind/ The only
difference in different 0asana is their respecti0e sta$ility/ The 0asana that are imprinted
upon the mind as the result of the ordinary e0olutionary course of nature ne0er chan&e/
The products of independent human actions are of two kinds/ If actions result in tendencies
that check the e0olutionary pro&ressi0e tide of nature' the effect of the action exhausts
itself in time $y the repellant force of the undercurrent of e0olution/ If' howe0er' the two
coincide in direction' increased stren&th is the result/ The latter sort of actions we call
0irtuous' the former 0icious/
It is this 0asana' this temporary dominion of the opposite current' that causes false
knowled&e/ Suppose the positi0e &enerati0e current has in any man the stren&th a' if too it
is presented a ne&ati0e female current of the same de&ree of stren&th a' the two will try to
unite/ 7n attraction that we term sexual lo0e will then $e set up/ If these two currents are
not allowed to unite' they increase in stren&th and react on the $ody itself to its in:uryA if
allowed to unite' they exhaust themsel0es/ This exhaustion causes a relief to the mind' the
pro&ressi0e e0olutionary current asserts itself with &reater force' and thus a feelin& of
satisfaction is the result/ This tatwic distur$ance of the mind will' as lon& as it has
sufficient stren&th' &i0e its own color to all perceptions and concepts/ They will not appear
in their true li&ht' $ut as causes of satisfaction/ Thus they say that true lo0ers see all thin&s
roseDcolored/ The appearance of a face we lo0e to see causes a partial runnin& of currents
into one another' and a certain amount of satisfaction is the result/ ?e for&e that we are
seein& a face6 we are only conscious of some cause resultin& in a state of satisfaction/ That
cause of satisfaction we call $y different names/ Sometimes we call it a flower' at others
we call it a moon/ Sometimes we feel that the current of life is flowin& from those dear
eyes' at others we reco&niBe nectar itself in that dear em$race/ Such are the manifestations
of a0idya/ 7s Patan:ali says' a0idya consists in the perception of the eternal' the pure' the
pleasin&' and the spiritual instead of or rather in the nonDeternal' the impure' the painful'
and the nonDspiritual/ Such is the &enesis of a0idya' which' as has $een remarked' is a
su$stantial rality' and not a mere ne&ati0e conception/
This mental phenomenon causes the four remainin& ones/
7smita (E&oism# ,
E&oism (7smita# is the con0iction that real life (purusha swara# is one with the 0arious
mental and physiolo&ical modifications' that the hi&her self is one with the lower one' that
the sum of our percepts and concepts is the real e&o' and that there is nothin& $eyond/ In
the present cycle of e0olution and in the pre0ious ones' the mind has $een chiefly occupied
with these percepts and concepts/ The real power of life is ne0er seen makin& any separate
appearance' hence the feelin& that the e&o must $e the same with the mental phenomena/ It
is plain that a0idya' as defined a$o0e' lies at the root of this manifestation/
%a&a (>esire to %etain# ,
The misleadin& feelin& of satisfaction a$o0e mentioned under a0idya is the cause of this
condition/ ?hen any o$:ect repeatedly produces in our mind this feelin& of satisfaction'
our mind en&enders the ha$it of fallin& a&ain and a&ain into the same state of tatwic
0i$ration/ The feelin& of satisfaction and the picture of the o$:ect that seemed to cause that
satisfaction tend to appear to&ether' and this is a hankerin& after the o$:ect' a desire not to
let it escape us C that is to say' %a&a/
Pleasure ,
=ere may in0esti&ate more thorou&hly the nature of this feelin& of satisfaction and its
opposite6 pleasure and pain/ The Sanskrit words for these two mental states are
respecti0ely sukha and dukkha/ Both come from the root khan' 8to di&9A the prefixes su
and dus make the difference/ The former prefix con0eys the idea of 8ease9 and it deri0es
this idea from the unrestrained easy flow of $reath/ The radical idea of sukha is' therefore'
unrestrained di&&in& C di&&in& where the soil offers $ut little resistance/ Transferred to the
mind' that act $ecomes sukha' which makes an easy impression upon it/ The act must' in
the nature of its 0i$rations' coincide with the then pre0ailin& conditions of the mental
0i$rations/ Before any percepts or concepts had taken root in the mind' there was no desire'
no pleasure/ The &enesis of desire and what is called pleasure C that is' the sense of
satisfaction caused $y the impressions produced $y external o$:ects C $e&ins with certain
percepts and concepts takin& root in the mind/ This takin& root really is only an
o0ercloudin& of the ori&inal set of impressions arisin& out of e0olutionary mental pro&ress/
?hen contact with the external o$:ect momentarily remo0es that cloud from the clear
horiBon of the mind' the soul is conscious of a feelin& of satisfaction that a0idya connects
with the external o$:ect/ This' as shown a$o0e' &i0es $irth to desire/
Pain & >wesha ,
The &enesis of pain and the desire to repel (dwesha# is similar/ The radical idea of dukkha
(pain# is the act of di&&in& where a &ood deal of resistance is experienced/ Transferred to
the mind' it si&nifies an act that encounters resistance from the mind/ The mind does not
easily &i0e place to these 0i$rationsA it tries to repel them with all its mi&ht/ There arises a
feelin& of pri0ation/ It is as if somethin& of its nature was $ein& taken away' and an alien
phenomenon introduced/ The consciousness of pri0ation' or want' is pain' and the
repulsi0e power that these alien 0i$rations excite in the mind is known $y the name of
dwesha (desire to repel#/ The word dwesha comes from the root dwesh' which is a
compound of du and ish/ Ish itself appears to $e a compound root' i and s/ The final s is
connected to the root su' 8to $reath9' 8to $e in one!s natural state9/ The root i means 8to
&o9' and the root ish' therefore' means to &o toward one!s natural state/ Transferred to the
mind' the word $ecomes a synonym of ra&a/ The word du in dwesh performs the same
function as dus in dukkh/ =ence dwesh comes to mean Ta hankerin& after repulsionT/
7n&er' :ealousy' hatred' etc/' are all modifications of this' as lo0e' affection and friendship
are those of ra&a/ By what has $een said a$o0e' it is easy to follow up the &enesis of the
principle of Ttenacity of lifeT/ I must now try to assi&n these actions to their pre0ailin&
tatwas/
The &eneral color of a0idya is' as already said' that of akasa' darkness/ .therwise' the a&ni
tatwa pre0ails in an&er/ If this is accompanied $y 0ayu' there will $e a &ood deal of motion
in the $ody' prithi0i will make it stu$$orn' and apas easily mana&ea$le/ 7kasa will &i0e a
tin&e of fear/
The same tatwa pre0ails in lo0e/ Prithi0i makes it a$idin&' 0ayu chan&ea$le' a&ni frettin&'
apas lukewarm' and akasa $lind/
7kasa pre0ails in fearA it tends to produce a hollow in the 0eins themsel0es/ In prithi0i the
timid man is rooted to the spot' with 0ayu he runs away' with apas he succum$s to flattery'
and a&ni tends to make one 0en&eful/
2ikalpa ,
2ikalpa is that knowled&e which the words imply or si&nify' $ut for which there is no
reality on the physical plane/ The sounds of nature connected with its si&ht ha0e &i0en us
names for precepts/ ?ith the additions or su$tractions of the percepts we ha0e also had
additions and su$tractions of the sounds connected therewith/ The sounds constitute our
words/
In 0ikalpa two or more precepts are added to&ether in such a way as to &i0e $irth to a
concept ha0in& no correspondin& reality on the physical plane/ This is a necessary result of
the uni0ersal law of 0isana/ ?hen the mind is ha$ituated to a perception of more
phenomena than one' all of them ha0e a tendency to appear a&ainA and whene0er two or
more such phenomena coincide in time' we ha0e in our mind a picture of a third
somethin&/ That somethin& may or may not exist in the physical plane/ If it does not' the
phenomenon is 0ikalpa/ If it does' howe0er' we call it Samadhi/
idra (Sleep# ,
This also is a phenomenon of the manomaya kosha mind/ Indian philosophers speak of
three states in this connection6 wakin&' dream' and sleep/
?akin& ,
This is the ordinary state when the principle of life works in connection with the mind/ The
mind then recei0es impressions of the external o$:ects throu&h the action of the senses/
The other faculties of the mind are purely mental' and they may work in the wakin& as in
the dreamin& state/ The only difference is that in dreams the mind does not under&o the
percepti0e chan&es/ =ow is thisE These chan&es of state are always passi0e' and the soul
has no choice in $ein& su$:ected to them/ They come and &o as a necessary result of the
workin& of swara in all its fi0e modifications/ 7s has $een explained in the articles on
Prana' the different sensuous or&ans cease to respond to external tatwic chan&es when the
positi0e current &ains more than ordinary stren&th in the $ody/ The positi0e force appears
to us in the shape of heat' the ne&ati0e in the shape of cold/ Therefore I may speak of these
forces as heat and cold/
>reams ,
The <panishad says that in dreamless sleep the soul sleeps in the $lood 0essels (nadi#' the
pericardium (puritat#' the hollow of the heart/ =as the system of $lood 0essels' the
ne&ati0e center of Prana' anythin& to do with dreams alsoE The state of dream' accordin&
to the Indian sa&e' is an intermediate one $etween wakin& and sleepin&' and it is $ut
reasona$le to suppose that there must $e somethin& in this system that accounts for $oth
these phenomena/ ?hat is that somethin&E It is 0ariously spoken of as the pitta' the a&ni'
and the sun/ It is needless to say that these words are meant to denote one and the same
thin&/ It is the effect produced on the $ody $y the solar $reath in &eneral' and the a&ni
tatwa in particular/ The word pitta mi&ht mislead many' and therefore it is necessary to
state that the word does not necessarily always mean lull/ There is one pitta that Sanskrit
physiolo&y locates specifically in the heart/ This is called the sadhaka pitta/ It is nothin&
more or less than cardiac temperature' and it is with this that we ha0e to do in sleep or
dream/
7ccordin& to the Indian philosopher' it is the cardiac temperature that causes the three
states in 0aryin& de&rees/ This and nothin& more is the meanin& of the 2edic text that the
soul sleeps in the pericardium' etc/ 7ll the functions of life are carried on properly as lon&
as we ha0e a perfect $alance of the positi0e and ne&ati0e currents' heat and cold/ The mean
of the solar and lunar temperatures is the temperature at which the prana keeps up its
connection with the &ross $ody/ The mean is struck after an exposure of a whole day and
ni&ht/ ?ithin this period the temperature is su$:ected to two &eneral 0ariations/ The one is
the extreme of the positi0eA the other the extreme of the ne&ati0e/ ?hen the positi0e
reaches its daily extreme the sensuous or&ans pass out of time with the external tatwas/
It is a matter of daily experience that the sensuous or&ans respond to external tatwic
0i$rations within certain limits/ If the limit is exceeded either way' the or&ans $ecome
insensi$le to these 0i$rations/ There is' therefore' a certain de&ree of temperature at which
the sensuous or&ans can ordinarily workA when this limit is exceed either way' the or&ans
$ecome incapa$le of recei0in& any impression from without/ >urin& day the positi0e life
current &athers stren&th in the heart/ The ordinary workin& temperature is naturally
exceeded $y this &atherin& up of the forces' and the senses sleep/ They recei0e no
impression from without/ This is sufficient to produce the dreamin& state/ 7s yet the
chords of the &ross $ody (sthula sharira# alone ha0e slackened' and the soul sees the mind
no lon&er affected $y external impressions/ The mind is' howe0er' ha$ituated to 0arious
precepts and concepts' and $y the mere force of ha$it passes into 0arious states/ The
$reath' as it modifies into the fi0e tatwic states' $ecomes the cause of the 0aryin&
impressions comin& up/ 7s already said' the soul has no part in callin& up these 0isions of
its own free will/ It is $y the workin& of a necessary law of life that the mind under&oes the
0arious chan&es of the wakin& and the sleepin& states/ The soul does nothin& in con:urin&
up the phantasms of a dream' otherwise it would $e impossi$le to explain horri$le dreams/
?hy' indeed' if the soul is entirely free in dreamin& does it sometimes call into $ein& the
hideous appearances that' with one terri$le shock' seem to send our 0ery $lood $ack to our
heartE o soul would e0er act thus if it could help it/
The fact is that the impressions of a dream chan&e with the tatwas/ 7s one tatwa easily
&lides into the other' one thou&ht &i0es place to another/ The akasa causes fear' shame'
desire' and an&erA the 0ayu takes us to different placesA the tai:as shows us &old and sil0er'
and the prithi0i may $rin& us en:oyment' smiles' dalliance' and so on/ 7nd then we mi&ht
ha0e composite tatwic 0i$rations/ ?e mi&ht see men and women' dances and $attles'
councils and popular &atherin&sA we mi&ht walk in &ardens' smell the choicest flowers' see
the most $eautiful spotsA we mi&ht shake hands with our friends' we mi&ht deli0er
speeches' we mi&ht tra0el into different lands/ 7ll these impressions are caused $y the
tatwic state of the mental coil' $rou&ht a$out either $y (1# physical deran&ement' (F#
ordinary tatwic chan&es' (G# or some other comin& natural chan&e of state/
7s there are three different causes' there are three different kinds of dreams/ The first cause
is physical deran&ement/ ?hen the natural currents of prana are distur$ed so that disease
results' or are a$out to $e so distur$ed' the mind in the ordinary way under&oes these
tatwic chan&es/ The sympathetic chords of the minds are excited' and we dream of all the
disa&reea$le accompaniments of whate0er disease may $e within our physical atmosphere
in store for us/ Such dreams are akin in their nature to the ra0in&s of deliriumA there is only
a difference in stren&th and 0iolence/ ?hen ill' we may in a similar way dream of health
and its surroundin&s/
The second kind of dream is caused $y ordinary tatwic chan&es/ ?hen the past' the
present' and the future tatwic condition of our surroundin&s is uniform in its nature' when
there is no chan&e' and when no chan&e is in store for us' the stream of dreams is most
calm and e;ua$le in its easy flow/ 7s the atmospheric and the healthful physiolo&ical
tatwas &lide smoothly one into the other' so do the impressions of our minds in this class of
dreams/ .rdinarily we cannot e0en remem$er these dreams' for in them there is nothin& of
special excitement to keep them in our memory/
The third kind of chan&e is similar to the firstA there is only a difference in the nature of the
effects/ These we call the effects of disease or health' as the case may $eA here we mi&ht
&roup the results under the &eneral name of prosperity or calamity/
The process of this sort of mental excitement is' howe0er' the same in $oth/ The currents
of life' pre&nant with all sorts of &ood and e0il' are sufficient in stren&th while yet potential
and only tendin& towards the actual' to set the sympathetic chords of the mind in 0i$ration/
The purer the mind' and the freer from dust of the world' the more sensiti0e it is to the
sli&htest and the remotes tendency of prana towards some chan&e/ -onse;uently we
$ecome conscious of comin& e0ents in dreams/ This explains the nature of prophetic
dreams/ To wei&h the force of these dreams' howe0er' to find out exactly what each dream
means' is a most difficult task' and under ordinary circumstances ;uite impossi$le/ ?e
may make 1+'+++ mistakes at e0er step' and we need nothin& less than a perfect 5o&i for
the ri&ht understandin& of e0en our own dreams' to say nothin& of those of others/ (et us
explain and illustrate the difficulties that surround us in the ri&ht understandin& of our
dreams/ 7 man in the same ;uarter of the city in which I li0e' $ut unknown to me' is a$out
to die/ The tatwic currents of his $ody' pre&nant with death' distur$ the atmospheric
tatwas' and throu&h their instrumentality are spread in 0arious de&rees all o0er the world/
They reach me' too' and excite the sympathetic chords of my mind while I am sleepin&/
There $ein& no special room in my mind for that man' my impression will $e only &eneral/
7 human $ein&' fair or u&ly' male or female' lamented or not' and ha0in& other similar
;ualities' will come into the mid on his death$ed/ But what manE The power of complex
ima&ination' unless stron&ly kept in check $y the hardest exercise of yo&a' will ha0e its
play' and it is almost certain that a man who has pre0iously $een connected in my mind
with all these tatwic ;ualities will make his appearance in my consciousness/ It is e0ident
that I shall $e on the wron& track/ That someone is dead or dyin&' we may $e sure' $ut who
or where is impossi$le for ordinary men to disco0er/ 7nd not only does the manifestation
of 0ikalpa put us on the wron& track' $ut all the manifestations of the mind do that/ The
state of samadhi' which is nothin& more than puttin& one!s self into a state of the most
perfect amena$ility to tatwic surroundin&s' is therefore impossi$le unless all the other
manifestations are held in perfect check/ Patan:ali says' 85o&a is keepin& in check the
manifestations of the mind/9
Sleep ,
The dreamy state is maintained as lon& as and when the cardiac temperature is not stron&
enou&h to affect the mental coil/ But with increasin& positi0e stren&th' that too must $e
affected/ The manas and the prana are made of the same materials and are su$:ect to the
same laws/ The more su$tle these materials are' howe0er' the stron&er must $e the forces
that produce similar chan&es/ 7ll the coils are tuned to&ether' and chan&es in the one affect
the other/ The 0i$rations per second of the first one are' howe0er' lar&er in num$er than
those of the lower one' and this causes its su$tlety/ The hi&her are always affected throu&h
the immediately lower principles/ Thus the external tatwas will affect prana immediately'
$ut the mind can only $e affected throu&h the prana and not directly/ The cardiac
temperature is only an indication of the de&ree of heat in prana/ ?hen sufficient stren&th
is &athered up there' the prana affects the mental coil/ That too now passes out of tune
with the soul/ The mental 0i$ration can only work at a certain temperatureA $eyond that it
must &o to rest/ In this state we ha0e no more dreams/ The only manifestation of the mind
is that of rest/ This is the state of dreamless sleep/
I pass on now to the fifth and last mental manifestation/
Smrite (%etention' 1emory# ,
7s Professor 1ax 1uller has remarked' the ori&inal idea at the root smri (from which
smrite# is 8to make soft' to melt9/ The process of makin& soft or meltin& consists in the
meltin& thin& assumin& a consistency nearer and nearer to the tatwic consistency of the
meltin& force/ 7ll chan&e of state is e;ui0alent to the assumption on the part of the thin&
chan&in&' of the state of tatwa that causes the chan&e/ =ence the secondary idea of the
root' 8to lo0e9/ (o0e is that state of mind in which it melts into the state of the o$:ect of
lo0e/ This chan&e is analo&ous to the chemical chan&e that &i0es us a photo&raph on a
sensiti0e plate/ 7s in this phenomenon the materials on the sensiti0e plate are melted into
the state of the reflected li&ht' so the sensiti0e plate of the mind melts into the state of its
percepts/ The impression upon the mind is deeper' the &reater the force of the imprintin&
rays and the &reater the sympathy $etween the mind and the o$:ect percei0ed/ This
sympathy is created $y stored up potential ener&y' and the percepti0e rays themsel0es act
with &reater force when the mind is in a sympathetic state/
E0ery percept takes root in the mind' as explained a$o0e/ It is nothin& more than a chan&e
of the tatwic state of the mind' and what is left $ehind is only a capacity for sooner fallin&
into the same state a&ain/ The mind falls $ack into the same state when it is under the
influence of the same tatwic surroundin&s/ The presence of the same thin& calls $ack the
same mental state/
The tatwic surroundin&s may $e of two descriptions' astral and local/ The astral influence
is the effect upon the indi0idual prana of the condition of the terrestrial prana at that time/
If this effect appears as the a&ni tatwa' those of our concepts that ha0e a prominent
connection with this tatwa will make their appearance in the mind/ Some of these are a
hankerin& after wealth' a desire for pro&eny' etc/ If we ha0e the 0ayu tatwa' a desire to
tra0el may take possession of our minds and so on/ 7 minute tatwic analysis of all of our
concepts is of the &reatest interestA suffice it to say here that the tatwic condition of prana
often calls up into the mind o$:ects that ha0e made the o$:ects of perception in similar
pre0ious conditions/ It is this power that underlies dreams of one class/ In the wakin& state
too this phase of memory often acts as reminiscence/
(ocal surroundin& are constituted $y those o$:ect which the mind has $een accustomed to
percei0e to&ether with the immediate o$:ect of memory/ This is the power of association/
Both these phenomena constitute memory proper (smrite#/ =ere the o$:ect comes first into
the mind' and afterwards the act and the surroundin&s of perception/ 7nother 0ery
important kind of memory is what is called $uddhi' literary memory/ This is the power $y
which we call to mind what we ha0e learned of scientific facts/ The process of storin& up
these facts in the mind is the same' $ut the comin& $ack into consciousness differs in this'
that here the act first comes into the mind and then the o$:ect/ 7ll the fi0e tatwas and the
fore&oin& mental phenomena may cause the phenomenon of memory/ (iterary memory
has a &ood deal to do with yo&a' i/e/' the exercise of free will to direct the ener&ies of the
mind into desira$le channels/ ?hile those impressions that take root in the mind on
account of natural surroundin&s make the mind the unwillin& sla0e of the external world'
$uddhi may lead it to $liss and freedom/ But will these tatwic surroundin&s always $rin&
related phenomena into consciousnessE oR This depends upon their correlati0e stren&th/ It
is well known that when the 0i$rations per second of akasa (sound# pass $eyond a certain
limit either way' they do not affect the tympanum/ It is' for example' only a certain num$er
of 0i$rations per second of the tai:as tatwa that affects the eye' and so on with the other
senses/ The case with the mind is similar/ It is only when mental and external tatwic
tensions are e;ual that the mind $e&ins to 0i$rate as it comes into contact with the external
world/ @ust as the 0aryin& states of the external or&ans make us more or less sensiti0e to
ordinary sensation' so different men mi&ht not hear the same sounds' mi&ht not see the
same si&hts' the mental tatwas mi&ht not $e affected $y percepts of the same stren&th' or
mi&ht $e affected in different de&rees $y percepts of the same stren&th/ The ;uestion is'
how is the 0ariation of this mental tatwic stren&th producedE By exercise' and the a$sence
of exercise/ If we accustom the mind' :ust as we do the $ody' to any particular precept or
concept' the mind easily turns to those percepts and concepts/ If' howe0er' we &i0e up the
exercise' the mind $ecomes stiff and ceases $y de&rees to respond to these percepts and
concepts/ This is the phenomenon of for&ettin&/ (et a student whose literary exercises is
:ust openin& the $uds of his mind' whose mind is :ust &ainin& stren&th enou&h to see into
the causes and effects of thin&s' &i0e up his exercise/ =is mind will $e&in to lose that nice
perception/ The stiffer the mind $ecomes the less will the casual relation affect him' and
the less he will know of it' until at last he loses all his power/
-easeless influence and acti0ity of one sort $ein& impossi$le in the ordinary course of
time' e0ery impression tends to pass away as soon as it is made/ Its de&ree of sta$ility
depends upon the duration of the exercise/ But althou&h acti0ity of one sort is
impractica$le' acti0ity of some sort is always present in the mind/ ?ith e0ery action the
color of the mind chan&es' and one color may take so deep a root in the mind as to remain
there for a&es upon a&es' to say nothin& of minutes' hours' days and years/ @ust as time
takes a&es to demolish the impressions of the physical plane' :ust as marks of incision upon
the skin may not pass away e0en in two decades' so also it takes a&es to demolish the
impressions of the mind/ =undreds and thousands of years may this $e spent in de0achan
in order to wear away those anta&onistic impressions that the mind has contracted in
earthly life/ By anta&onistic impressions' I mean those impressions that are not compati$le
with the state of moksha' and ha0e a$out them a tin&e of earthly life/
?ith e0ery moment the mind chan&es its color' whether the impression $e addin& or
su$tractin&/ These chan&es are temporary/ But there is at the same time a permanent
chan&e &oin& on in the color of the mind/ ?ith e0ery little act of our worldly experience'
the e0olutionary tide of pro&ress is &ainin& stren&th and passin& into 0ariety/ The color is
constantly chan&in&/ But the same &eneral color is maintained under ordinary
circumstances' durin& one earthly life/ <nder extraordinary circumstances we mi&ht ha0e
men ha0in& two memories/ <nder such circumstances as in the case of approachin& death'
the accumulated forces of a whole life com$ine into a different color/ The tension' so to
speak' $ecomes different from what it was $efore/ othin& can put the mind into the same
state a&ain/ This &eneral color of the mind differin& from that of other minds' and yet
retainin& its &eneral character for a whole life' &i0es us the consciousness of personal
identity/ In e0ery act that has $een done' or that is' or mi&ht $e done' the soul sees the
same &eneral color' and hence the feelin& of personal identity/ In death the &eneral color
chan&es' and althou&h we ha0e the same mind' we ha0e a different consciousness/ =ence
no continuance of the feelin& of personal identity is possi$le throu&h death/
Such is a $rief account of the manomaya kosha' the mental coil in the ordinary state/ The
influence of the hi&her principle (the 0i:nana maya kosha# throu&h the exercise of yo&a
induces in the mind a num$er of other manifestations/ Psychic manifestations show
themsel0es in the mind and the prana' in the same way as mental manifestations are seen
influencin& and re&ulatin& the prana/
I3/ The 1ind (II# ,
7s has $een seen' the uni0erse has fi0e planes of existence (which may also $e di0ided
into se0en#/ The forms of the earth' which are little pictures of the uni0erse' also ha0e the
same fi0e planes/ In some of these or&anisms the hi&her planes of existence are a$solutely
latent/ In man' in the present a&e' the 2i:nana maya kosha and the lower principles make
their appearance/
?e ha0e had an insi&ht into the nature of the macrocosmic prana' and we ha0e seen that
almost e0ery point in this ocean of life represents a separate indi0idual or&anism/
The case is similar with the macrocosmic mind/ E0ery truti of that center takes in the
whole of the macrocosmic mind in the same way/ "rom e0ery point the tatwic rays of the
mental ocean &o to e0ery point' and thus e0ery point is a little picture of the uni0ersal
mind/ This is the indi0idual mind/
The <ni0esal mind is the ori&inal of all the centers of Prana' in the same way as the solar
prana is the ori&inal of the species of earthDlife/ Indi0idual mind' too' is similarly the
ori&inal of all the indi0idual manifestations of the prana maya kosha/ Similarly the soul'
and the indi0idual spirit on the hi&hest plane' is the perfect picture of all that comes $elow/
?ith the four hi&her planes of life there are four different states of consciousness' the
wakin&' the dreamin&' the sleepin&' and the Tureya/
?ith these remarks the followin& extract from the Prasnopnishat will $e intelli&i$le and
instructi0e/
8ow Sauryayana 4ar&ya asked him' SSir' in this $ody' what sleeps' and what remains
awakenedE ?hich of these luminous $ein&s sees dreamsE ?ho has this restE In whom do
all these OmanifestationsP rest in the potential unmanifested stateE!
8=e answered him' S. 4ar&ya' as the rays of the settin& sun are all collected in the
luminous shell' and then &o out a&ain' as he rises a&ain and a&ain' so all that is collected in
the luminous shell of mind $eyond/ "or this reason then' the man does not hear' does not
see' does not smell' does not taste' does not touch' does not take' does not coha$it' does not
excrete' does not &o on/ They say that he sleeps/ The fires of prana alone remain awakened
in his $ody/ The apana is the 4arhapatya fireA the 2yana is the ri&ht hand fire/ The prana
is the aha0anurya fire' which is made $y the 4arhapatya/ That which carries e;ually
e0erywhere the o$lations of food and air' is the samana/ The mind (manas# is the sacrificer
(0a:mana#/ The <dana is the fruit of the sacrifice/ =e carries the sacrificer e0ery day to
Brahma/ =ere this luminous $ein& Othe mindP en:oys &reat thin&s in dreams/ ?hate0er was
seen' he sees a&ain as if it were realA whate0er was experienced in different countries' in
different directions' he experiences the same a&ain and a&ain C the seen and the unseen' the
heard or the unheard' thou&ht or not thou&ht upon/ =e sees all' appearin& as the self of all
manifestations/
8!?hen he is o0erpowered $y the tai:as' then this luminous $ein& sees no dreams in this
stateA then there appears in the $ody this rest Othe dreamless sleepP/
8!In this state' my dear pupil' all Othat is enumerated $elowP stays in the ulterior atma' like
$irds that resort to a tree for ha$itation C the prithi0i composite and the prithi0i noncompositeA
the apas composite and the apas nonDcompositeA the tai:as composite and the
tai:as nonDcompositeA the 0ayu composite and the 0ayu nonDcompositeA the akasa
composite and the akasa nonDcompositeA the si&ht and the 0isi$le' the hearin& and the
audi$le' the smell and the smella$le' the taste and the tastea$le' the touch and the tan&i$le'
the speech and the uttera$le' the hands and whate0er mi&ht $e &rasped' the &enerati0e
or&an and the excrements' the feet and that which may $e &one o0er' the faculty and the
o$:ect of dou$t' the faculty and the o$:ect of e&oism' the faculty and the o$:ect of memory'
the li&ht and that which mi&ht $e enli&htened' the prana and that which keeps it to&ether/
8!The soul is the 2i:nana atma' the seer' the toucher' the hearer' the smeller' the taster' the
dou$ter' the ascertainer' the a&ent/ This soul Othe 2i:nana atmaP stays in the ulterior'
unchan&ea$le atma Othe anandaP/
8!So there are four atma C the life' the mind' the soul' the spirit/ The ultimate force that lies
at the root macrocosmic Power of all the manifestation of soul' mind' and the life the
principle' is the spirit/!9
By composite is meant that tatwa which has come into existence after the di0ision into
fi0e' noticed in the first essay/ The nonDcomposite means a tatwa $efore the di0ision into
fi0e/
The principal interest of this ;uotation lies in presentin& in authoritati0e fashion the 0iews
that ha0e already $een propounded/ The next essay explains one of the most important
functions of the macrocosmic Power and 1ind' that of recordin& the human actions' and
touches upon some other rather important truths/
3/ The -osmic Picture 4allery ,
?e are directed $y our 4uru in the philosophy of tatwas to look into 0acant space toward
the sky' when the sky is perfectly clear' and fix your attention there with the utmost
possi$le stren&th/
?e are told that after sufficient practice we shall see there a 0ariety of pictures C the most
$eautiful landscapes' the most &or&eous palaces of the world' and men' women and
children in all the 0aryin& aspects of life/ =ow is such a thin& possi$leE ?hat do we learn
$y this practical lesson in the science of attentionE
I think I ha0e descri$ed with sufficient explicitness in the essays' the ocean of prana with
the sun for its center' and ha0e &i0en a hint sufficiently su&&esti0e of the nature of the
macrocosmic mental and psychic atmospheres/ It is of the essential nature of these
atmospheres that e0ery point therein forms a center of action and reaction for the whole
ocean/ "rom what has already $een said' it will $e plain that each of these atmospheres has
a limit of its own/ The terrestrial atmosphere extends only to a few miles' and the external
$oundary line of this sphere must' it will $e readily understood' &i0e it the appearance of
an oran&e' :ust like that of the earth/ The case is the same with the solar prana' and the
hi&her atmospheres/ To $e&in with the terrestrial Prana' which has the measured limits of
our atmosphere/ E0ery little atom of our earth' and the most perfect or&anisms' as well as
the most imperfect' makes a center of action and reaction for the tatwic currents of
terrestrial Prana/ The prana has the capa$ility of $ein& thrown into the shape of e0ery
or&anism or' to use a different lan&ua&e' the rays of prana as they fall upon e0ery or&anism
are returned from that or&anism accordin& to the wellDknown laws of reflection/ These
rays' as is a&ain well known' carry within themsel0es our pictures/ Bearin& these within
them' they &o up to the limit of the terrestrial prana noted a$o0e/ It will $e easy to
concei0e that within the ima&inary sphere that surrounds our terrestrial prana' we now
ha0e a ma&nified picture of our central or&anism/ ot one or&anism only' $ut all the
smallest points' the most imperfect $e&innin&s of or&aniBed life' as well as the most perfect
or&anisms C all are pictured in this ima&inary sphere/ It is a ma&nificent pictureD&alleryA all
that is seen or heard' touched' tasted or smelled on the face of the earth has a &lorious and
ma&nified picture there/ 7t the limit of this terrestrial prana' the pictureDformin& tatwic
rays exercise a dou$le function/
"irstly they throw the sympathetic tatwic chords of the solar prana into similar motion/
That is to say' these pictures are now consi&ned to the solar prana' from whence in due
course they reach step $y step to the uni0ersal intelli&ence itself/
Secondly' these rays react upon themsel0es' and turnin& $ack from the limitin& sphere' are
a&ain reflected $ack to the center/
It is these pictures that the attenti0e mind sees in its noonday &aBe into 0acancy' and it is
these pictures' seen in this mysterious way' that &i0e us the finest food for our ima&ination
and intellect' and supply us with a farDreachin& clue to the nature and workin& of the laws
that &o0ern the life of the macrocosm and the microcosm/ "or these pictures tell us that the
smallest of our actions' on whate0er plane of our existence' actions that may $e so
insi&nificant to us as to pass unnoticed e0en $y oursel0es' are destined to recei0e an
e0erlastin& record' as the effect of the past and the cause of the future/ These pictures a&ain
tell us of the existence of the fi0e uni0ersal tatwas that play so important a part in the
uni0erse/ It is these pictures that lead us to the disco0ery of the manifold constitution of
man and the uni0erse' and of those powers of the mind that ha0e not yet recei0ed
reco&nition at the hands of the official science of the day/
That these truths ha0e found place in the <panishad may $e seen from the followin&
;uotation from the Ishopnishat' mantra H6
8The 7tma does not mo0e6 is one6 is faster than the mind6 the senses reach it not6 as it is
the foremost in motion/ It &oes $eyond the others in rapid motion while itself at rest' in it
the %ecorder preser0es the actions/9
In the a$o0e ;uotation it is the word 1atarishwa that I translate 8%ecorder9/ .rdinarily the
word is translated as air' and so far as I know' the word has ne0er $een understood clearly
in the sense of the 8%ecorder9/ 1y 0iew' therefore' may $e further explained with
ad0anta&e/
The word is a compound of the words matari and swah/ The word matari is the locati0e
case of matri which ordinarily means mother' $ut which is rendered here as space' as the
su$stratum of distance' from the root ma' to measure/ The second word of the compound
means the $reather' comin& as it does from the root Swas' to $reathe/ =ence the compound
means 8he who $reathes in space9/ In explainin& this word the commentator
Sankaracharya &oes on to say6
8The word S1atarishwa!' which has $een deri0ed as a$o0e' means the 2ayu Othe mo0erP
which carries in it all the manifestations of prana' which is action itself' that which is the
su$stratum of all the &roups of causes and effects' and in which all the causes and effects
are held like $eads in a thread' that which is &i0en the name of sutra Othe threadP inasmuch
as it holds in itself the whole of the world/9
It is further said that the 8actions9 in the a$o0e ;uotation which this matarishwa holds in
itself are all the mo0ements of the indi0idualiBed prana' as well as the actions of heatin&'
li&htin&' ruinin&' etc/' of the macrocosmic powers known as 7&ni' etc/
ow such a thin& can $y no means $e the atmospheric air/ It is e0idently that phase of
prana which acts as carryin& the pictures of all actions' all motions from e0ery point of
space to e0ery other point and to the limits of the surya mandala/ This phase of prana is
nothin& more or less than the %ecorder/ It holds in itself fore0er and e0er all the causes and
effects' the antecedents and conse;uents of this world of ours/
It is action itself/ This means that all action is a chan&e of phase of prana/
It is said in the a$o0e ;uotation that this %ecorder li0es in the atma/ Inasmuch as the atma
exists' this Power always performs its function/ The prana draws its life itself from the
atma' and accordin&ly we find a similarity $etween the dualities of the two/ It is said of the
atma in the a$o0e extract that it does not mo0e' and yet it mo0es faster than the mind/
These appear to $e contradictory ;ualities at first si&h' and it is such ;ualities that make the
ordinary 4od of commonplace theolo&ians the a$surd $ein& he always looks to $e/ (et us'
howe0er' apply these ;ualities to prana' and once understood on this plane' they will $e
;uite as clearly understood on the hi&hest plane' the atma/ It has $een said more than once
that from e0ery point of the ocean of prana the tatwic rays fly in e0ery direction' to e0ery
point within the surya mandala/ Thus the ocean of prana is in eternal motion/ "or all this'
howe0er' does one point of this ocean e0er chan&e its placeE .f course not/ Thus while
e0ery point keeps its place' e0ery point at the same time &oes and shows itself in e0ery
other point/
It is the same simple way that the allDper0adin& atma is in eternal motion and yet always at
rest/
The case is similar with all the planes of lifeA all our actions' all our thou&hts' all our
aspirations' recei0e an e0erlastin& record in the $ooks of 1atarishwa/
I must now notice these pictures in a little more detail/ The science of photo&raphy tells us
that under certain conditions the 0isual pictures can $e cau&ht on the plane of the sensiti0e
film/ But how can we account for the readin& of letters at a distance of H+ miles or moreE
Such phenomena are a matter of personal experience to me/ 2ery recently' while sittin&
a$stracted' or it may $e in a kind of dream' a$out H o!clock in the mornin&' I read a
postcard written $y a friend to a friend a$out me' the 0ery same ni&ht' at a distance of
almost G+ miles/ .ne more thin& must $e noticed here' I think/ 7lmost half the card spoke
a$out me' and the rest referred to other matters that mi&ht ha0e a passin& interest for me'
$ut could not $e en&rossin&/ ow this rest of the card did not come $efore my eyes 0ery
clearly' and I felt that with all my effort I could not e0en keep my eye upon those lines or a
sufficiently lon& time to understand them' $ut was irresisti$ly drawn towards the para&raph
that spoke of me' and which I could read 0ery clearly/ "our days after this' the addressee
showed it to meA it was exactly the same' sentence $y sentence (so far as I could
remem$er#' as I had seen $efore/ I mention this phenomenon in particular' as in it the
0arious prere;uisites for the production of these phenomena are clearly defined/ ?e learn
from an analysis of this incident the followin& facts6
(1# ?hen he was writin&' the writer of the card meant that I should read the card' and
especially the para&raph that concerned me/
(F# I was 0ery anxious to know the news a$out me that the card contained/
(G# In the frame of mind mentioned a$o0e my friend wrote the card/ ?hat happenedE The
picture of his thou&hts on the card' $oth on the physical and the mental plane' flew in
e0ery direction alon& the tatwic rays of the macrocosmic prana and mind/ 7 picture was
immediately made on the macrocosmic spheres' and from thence it $ent its rays towards
the destination of the postcard/ o dou$t all minds in the earth recei0ed a shock of this
current of thou&ht at the same time/ But my mind alone was sensiti0e to the card and the
news it contained/ It was' therefore' on my mind alone that any impression was made/ The
rays were' as it were' refracted into my mind' and the result descri$ed a$o0e followed/
It follows from this illustration that in order to recei0e the pictorial rays of the prana we
must ha0e a mind in a state of sympathy' and not of antipathyA that is to say' a mind free
from all action or intense feelin& for the time $ein& is the fittest receptacle for the pictorial
representations of the cosmos' and so for a correct knowled&e of the past and the future/
7nd if we ha0e an intense desire to know the thin&' so much the $etter for us/ It is in this
way that the di0ine occultist reads the records of the past in the $ook of nature' and it is on
this road that the $e&inner of this science must walk accordin& to the direction of our
4uru/
It must $e understood that e0erythin& in e0ery aspect that has $een or is $ein& n our planet
has a le&i$le record in the $ook of nature' and the tatwic rays of the prana and the mind are
constantly $rin&in& the outlines of these pictures $ack to us/ It is to a &reat extent due to
this that the past ne0er lea0es us' $ut always li0es within us' althou&h many of its most
ma&nificent monuments ha0e $een fore0er effaced from the face of our planet for the
ordinary &aBe/ These returnin& rays are always inclined toward the center that ori&inally
&a0e them $irth/ In the case of the mineral surroundin&s of terrestrial phenomena these
centers are preser0ed intact for a&es upon a&es' and it is ;uite possi$le for any sensiti0e
mind' at any time' to turn these rays towards itself $y comin& into contact with any
material remains of historic phenomena/ 7 stone unearthed at Pompeii is pictured as part
of the &reat e0ent that destroyed the city' and the rays of that picture naturally are inclined
towards that piece of stone/ If 1rs/ >enton puts the stone to her forehead' a sympathetic
and recepti0e condition is the only preDre;uisite for the transference of the whole picture to
her mind/ This sympathetic state of mind may $e natural to a person' or it may $e ac;uired/
It may $e mentioned that what we are in the ha$it of callin& natural powers are really
ac;uired' $ut they ha0e $een ac;uired in pre0ious incarnations/ Shi0a says6
8There are some to whom the tatwas $ecome known' when the mind is purified $y
ha$ituation' either $y the ac;uired 0elocity of other $irths or $y the kindness of the 4uru/9
It seems that two pieces of &ranite' the same to all intents and purposes externally' may
ha0e an entirely different tatwic color' for the color of a thin& depends to a 0ery &reat
extent upon its tatwic surroundin&/ It is this occult color that constitutes the real soul of
thin&s' althou&h the reader must $y this time know that the Sanskrit word prana is more
appropriate/
It is no myth to say that the practiced yo&i mi&ht $rin& the picture of any part of the world'
past or present' $efore his mind!s eye with a sin&le effort of his will/ 7nd not only 0isual
pictures' as our illustration mi&ht lead the reader to think/ The preser0ation and formation
of 0isual pictures is only the work of the luminiferous ether' the tai:as tatwa/ The other
tatwas perform their functions as well/ The akasa or soniferous ether preser0es all the
sounds that ha0e e0er $een heard or are $ein& heard on earth' and similarly the remainin&
three other preser0e the records of the remainin& sensations/ ?e see' therefore' that
com$inin& all these pictures' a yo&i in contemplation mi&ht ha0e $efore his mind!s eye any
man at any distance whatsoe0er and mi&ht hear his 0oice also/ 4lyndon' in Italy' seein&
and hearin& the con0ersation of 2iola and Qanoni in their distant home' is therefore not
merely a dream of the poetA it is a scientific reality/ The only thin& necessary is to ha0e a
sympathetic mind/ The phenomena of mental telepathy' psychometry' clair0oyance and
clairaudience' are all phases of this tatwic action/ .nce understood' it is all a 0ery simple
affair/ It may $e useful in this place to offer some reflections as to how these pictorial
representations of a man!s present &o to shape his future/ I shall first attempt to show how
complete the record is/ 7t the outset I may remind the reader of what I ha0e said a$out the
tatwic color of e0erythin&/ It is this that &i0es indi0iduality e0en to a piece of stone/
This pictorial whole is only the cosmic counterpart of the indi0idual prana maya kosha
(the coil of life#/ It is possi$le that anyone who may not ha0e thorou&hly understood the
manner of the storin& up of tatwic ener&y in the indi0idual prana may more easily
comprehend the phenomena in its cosmic counterpart/ In fact' the macrocosmic and
microcosmic phenomena are $oth links of the same chain' and $oth will conduce to the
thorou&h understandin& of the whole/ Suppose a man stands on a mountain' with the finest
prospect of nature stretched out $efore his eyes/ 7s he stands there contemplatin& this
wealth of $eauty' his picture in this posture is at once made in the ecliptic/ ot only is his
externalA appearance pictured' $ut the hue of is life recei0es the fullest representation/ If
the a&ni tatwa pre0ails in him at that moment' if there is the li&ht of satisfaction in his face'
if the look in his eyes is calm' collected and pleasant' if he is so much a$sor$ed in the &aBe
as to for&et e0erythin& else' tatwas separate or in composite will do their duty' and all the
satisfaction' calmness' pleasure' attention or inattention will $e represented to the finest
de&ree in the sphere of the ecliptic/ If he walks or runs' comes down or :umps up or
forward' the tatwic rays of prana picture the &eneratin& and the &enerated colors with the
utmost faithfulness in the same retenti0e sphere/
7 man stands with a weapon in his hand' with the look of cruelty in his eye' with the &low
of inhumanity in his 0eins' his 0ictim' man or animal' helpless or stru&&lin& $efore him/
The whole phenomenon is instantly recorded/ There stands the murderer and the 0ictim in
their truest possi$le colors' there is the solitary room or the :un&le' the dirty shed or the
filthy slau&hterhouseA all are there as surely and certainly as they are in the eye of the
murderer r the 0ictim himself/
(et us a&ain chan&e the scene/ ?e ha0e a liar $efore us/ =e tells a lie' and there$y in:ures
some $rother man/ o sooner is the word uttered than the akasa sets to work with all
possi$le acti0ity/ There we ha0e the most faithful representation/ The liar is there from the
reflection that the thou&ht if the in:ured person throws into the indi0idual pranaA there is
the in:ured man also/ The words are there with all the ener&y of the contemplated wron&/
7nd if that contemplated wron& is completed' there is also the chan&e for the worse that
his mendacity has produced in the 0ictim/ There is nothin& of the surroundin&s' the
antecedent and the conse;uent postures C the causes and effects C that is not represented
there/
The scene chan&es' and we come to a thief/ (et the ni&ht $e as dark as it may' let the thief
$e a circumspect and wary as he canA our picture is there with all its colors well defined'
thou&h perhaps not so prominent/ The time' the house' the wall' the sleepin& and in:ured
inmates' the stolen property' the su$se;uent day' the sorrowful householders' with all the
antecedent and conse;uent postures' are pictured/ 7nd this is not only for the murderer' the
thief' or the liar' $ut for the adulterer' the for&er' the 0illain who thinks his crime is hidden
from e0ery human eye/ Their deeds' like all deeds that ha0e e0er $een done' are 0i0idly'
clearly' exactly recorded in nature!s picture &allery/ Instances mi&ht $e multiplied' $ut it is
unnecessary/ ?hat has $een said is sufficient to explain the principle' and the application
is useful and not 0ery difficult/ But now we must $rin& our pictures $ack from our &allery/
?e ha0e seen that time and space and all the possi$le factors of a phenomenon recei0e an
accurate representation there' and these tatwic rays are united to the time that saw them
lea0in& their record on the plane of our pictorial re&ion/ ?hen' in the course of a&es' the
same Time throws its shade a&ain upon the earth' the pictorial rays' stored up lon& since'
ener&iBe manDproducin& matter' and shape it accordin& to their own potential ener&y'
which now $e&ins to $ecome acti0e/ It will $e readily conceded that the sun di0es life to
the earth C to men as well as to 0e&eta$les and minerals/ Solar life takes human shape in
the wom$ of the mother' and this is only an infusion of some one set of our pictorial rays
into the sympathetic life that already shows itself on our planet/ These rays thus produce
for themsel0es a &ross human $ody in the wom$ of the mother' and then ha0in& the now
somewhat different and differin& maternal $ody' start on their terrestrial :ourney/ 7s time
ad0ances' the pictorial representation chan&es it tatwic postures' and with it the &ross $ody
does the same/
In the case of the re$irth of the man we saw &aBin& on the mountains' the calm' watchful'
contented attitude of the mind that he culti0ated then has its influence upon the or&anism
now' and once more the man en:oys the $eauty of nature and so is pleased and happy/
But now take the case of the cruel murderer/ =e is $y nature cruel' and he still yearns to
murder and destroy' and he could not $e restrained from his horri$le practicesA $ut the
picture of the e$$in& life of his 0ictim is now part and parcel of his constitution' the pain'
the terror' and the feelin& of despair and helplessness are there in all their stren&th/
.ccasionally he feels as if the $lood of life were lea0in& his 0ery 0eins/ There is no
apparent cause' and yet he suffers painA he is su$:ect to unaccounta$le fits of terror' despair
and helplessness/ =is life is misera$leA slowly $ut surely it wanes away/
(et the curtain fall on this sta&e/ The incarnated thief now comes on the sta&e/ =is friends
lea0e him one $y one or he is dri0en away from them/ The picture of the lonely house must
assert its power o0er him/ =e is doomed to a lonely house/ The picture of some$ody
comin& into the house throu&h some unfre;uented part and stealin& some of his property'
makes its appearance with the fullest stren&th/ The man is doomed to eternal cowardice/
=e draws towards himself the same &rief and heartDrendin& that he caused to others lon&
a&o/ This posture of heartDrendin& &rief has its influence upon him in the ordinary way'
and it creates its surroundin& under the same influence/
These illustrations are sufficient to explain the law accordin& to which these cosmic
pictures &o0ern our future li0es/ ?hate0er other sins may $e committed under the
innumera$le circumstance of life' their tatwic effects can $e traced easily throu&h the
pictorial representations of the cosmos/
It is not difficult to understand that the picture of each indi0idual or&anism upon the face
of the earth is pictured in prana' and it is these pictures' in my opinion' that correspond to
the ideas of Plato on the hi&hest plane of existence/ 7 0ery interestin& ;uestion arises at
this point/ 7re these pictures of eternal existence' or do they only come into existence after
formations ha0e taken place on the terrestrial planeE Ex nihilo nihil fit is a wellDknown
doctrine of philosophy' and I hold with 2yasa that the representations (what we now call
pictures# of all o$:ects in their &eneric' specific' and indi0idual capacities ha0e $een
existin& fore0er in the uni0ersal mind/ Swara' or what may $e called the Breath of 4od'
the Breath of (ife' is nothin& more or less than a$stract intelli&ence' as has $een explained'
or intelli&ent motion' if such an expression is $etter understood/ .ur $ook says6
8In the swara are pictured' or represented' the 2edas and the Sastras' in the swara the
hi&hest 4andhar0as' and in the swara all the three worldsA the swara is atma itself/9
It is not necessary to enter more thorou&hly into a discussion of this pro$lemA the
su&&estion is sufficient/ It mi&ht $e said' howe0er' that all formation in pro&ress on the
face of our planet is the assumin& $y e0erythin& under the influence of solar ideas of the
shape of these ideas/ The process is ;uite similar to the process of wet earth takin&
impressions of anythin& that is pressed upon it/ The idea of anythin& is its soul/
=uman souls (prana maya kosha# exist in this sphere :ust like the souls of other thin&s' and
are affected in that home of theirs $y terrestrial experience in the manner mentioned a$o0e/
In the course of a&es' these ideas make their appearance in the physical plane a&ain and
a&ain' accordin& to the laws hinted at pre0iously/
I ha0e also said that these pictures ha0e their counterparts in the mental and the hi&her
atmospheres/ ow it mi&ht $e said that :ust as these solar pictures recur a&ain and a&ain'
there are times at which these mental pictures also recur/ The ordinary deaths known to us
are terrestrial deaths/ This means to say that the influence of the solar pictures is
withdrawn for some time from the earth/ 7fter some time' the duration dependin& upon the
colors of the picture' they throw their influence a&ain upon the earth' and we ha0e
terrestrial re$irth/ ?e may die any num$er of terrestrial deaths' and yet our solar life mi&ht
not $e extinct/
But men of the present manwantara mi&ht die solar deaths under certain circumstances/
Then they pass out of the influence of the sun and are $orn a&ain only in the re&ion of the
second 1anu/ 1en who now die solar deaths will remain in the state of $liss all throu&h
the present manwantara/ Their re$irth mi&ht also $e delayed for more than one
manwantara/ 7ll these pictures remain in the $osom of 1anu durin& the
manwantarapralaya/ In the same way' men mi&ht under&o hi&her deaths' and pass their
time in a state of e0en hi&her and more endurin& $liss/ The mental coil may $e $roken' too'
:ust as the &ross' the terrestrial' and the solar mi&ht $e' and then the $lessed soul remains in
$liss and un$orn until the dawn of the second day of Brahma/ =i&her still and lon&er still
is the state that follows Brahmic death/ Then the spirit is at rest for the remainin& Malpa
and the 1ahapralaya that follows/ 7fter this it will $e easy to understand the meanin& of
the =indu doctrine' that durin& the ni&ht of Brahma the human soul and the whole of the
uni0erse is hidden in the $osom of Brahma like the tree in the seed/
3I/ The 1anifestations of Psychic "orce ,
Psychic "orce is the form of matter known as 0i:nana in acti0e connection with the mental
and life matters/ In the ;uotation &i0en a$o0e from the Ishnopnishat' it has $een said that
the de0a C the macrocosmic and microcosmic manifestations of prana C do not reach the
atma' inasmuch as it mo0es faster than e0en the mind/ The tatwas of prana mo0e with a
certain momentum/ The mind has &reater 0elocity' and psychic matter &reater still/ In the
presence of the hi&her' the lower plane always appears to $e at rest' and is always
amena$le to its influence/ -reation is a manifestation of the 0arious macrocosmic spheres
with their 0arious centers/ In each of these spheres C the prana' the manas' and the 0i:nana
C the uni0ersal tatwic rays &i0e $irth to innumera$le indi0idualities on their own planes/
Each truti on the plane of prana is a lifeDcoil (prana maya kosha#/ The rays that &i0e
existence to each of these truti come from each and all of the other truti' which are situated
in the space allotted to each of the fi0e tatwas and their innumera$le admixtures' and
which represent therefore all the possi$le tatwic manifestations of life/
.n the plane of manas each mental truti represents an indi0idual mind/ Each indi0idual
mind is &i0en $irth to $y mental tatwic rays from the other ;uarter/ These rays came from
all the other truti situated under the dominion of each of the fi0e tatwas and their
innumera$le admixtures and representin& therefore all the possi$le tatwic phases of mental
life/
.n the psychic plane' each truti represents an indi0idual soul $rou&ht into existence $y the
psychic tatwas flyin& from e0ery point to e0ery other point/ These rays come from e0ery
truti situated under the dominion of each of the fi0e tatwas and their innumera$le
admixtures' and thus representin& all the possi$le manifestations of psychic life/
The latter class of truti on the 0arious planes of existence are the soDcalled &ods and
&oddesses/ The former class are coils that manifest themsel0es in earthly life/
Each psychic truti is thus a little reser0oir of e0ery possi$le tatwic phase of life that mi&ht
manifest itself on the lower planes of existence/ 7nd so' sendin& its rays downward :ust
like the sun' these truti manifest themsel0es in the truti of the lower planes/ 7ccordin& to
the pre0alent phase of tatwic color in these three sets of truti' the 0i:ana (psychic# selects
its mind' the mind selects its coil' and in the end the lifeDcoil creates its ha$itation in the
earth/
The first function of the indi0idual truti 0i:ana is to sustain in the life of the mental truti
:ust as the macrocosmic 0i:ana sustains the life of the macrocosmic mind/ 7nd so also does
the mental truti sustain the life of the indi0idual truti of prana/ In this state' the souls are
conscious only of their su$:ecti0ity with reference to the mind and the prana/ They know
that they sustain the lower truti' they know themsel0es' they know all the other psychic
truti' and they know the whole of the macrocosm of Iswara' the tatwic rays reflectin&
e0ery point into their ind0idual consciousness/ They are omniscientA they are perfectly
happy $ecause they are perfectly $alanced/
?hen the prana maya kosha enters the ha$itation of earth' the soul is assailed $y finitude
for the first time/ This means a curtailment' or rather the creation of a new curtailed
consciousness/ "or lon& a&es the soul takes no note of these finite sensations' $ut as the
impressions &ain &reater and &reater stren&th they are deluded into a $elief of identity with
these finite impressions/ "rom a$solute su$:ecti0ity consciousness is transferred to relati0e
passi0ity/ 7 new world of appearances is created/ This is their fall/ =ow these sensations
and perceptions' etc/' are $orn' and how they affect the soul' already has $een discussed/
=ow the soul is awakened out of this for&etfulness and what it does then to li$erate itself
will come further on/
It will $e seen at this sta&e that the soul li0es two li0es' an acti0e and a passi0e/ In the
acti0e capacity it &oes on &o0ernin& and sustainin& the su$stantial life of the lower truti/ In
the passi0e capacity it for&ets itself and deludes itself into identity with the chan&es of the
lower truti imprinted upon them $y the external tatwas/ The consciousness is transferred to
finite phases/
The whole fi&ht of the soul upon reawakenin& consists in the attempt to do away with its
passi0e capacity and re&ain this pristine purity/ This fi&ht is yo&a' and the powers that
yo&a e0okes in the mind and the prana are nothin& more than tatwic manifestations of the
psychic force' calculated to destroy the power of the external world on the soul/ This
constant chan&e of phase in the new unreal finite coils of existence is the upward march of
the life current from the $e&innin&s of relati0e consciousness to the ori&inal a$solute state/
There is no difficulty in understandin& the how of these manifestations/ They are there in
the psychic reser0oir' and they simply show themsel0es when the lower trutis assume the
state of sympathetic polish and tatwic inclination/ Thus the spectrum only shows itself
when certain o$:ects assume the polish and form of a prism/
.rdinarily the psychic force does not manifest itself either in the prana or the mind in any
uncommon phase/ =umanity pro&resses as a whole' and whate0er manifestations of this
force take place' they take in races as a whole/ "inite minds are therefore slow to reco&niBe
it/
But all the indi0iduals of a race do not ha0e the same stren&th of tatwic phase/ Some show
&reater sympathy with the psychic force in one or more of its component tatwic phases/
Such or&anisms are called mediums/ In them the particular tatwic phase of psychic force
with which they are in &reater sympathy than the rest of their mind' makes its uncommon
appearance/ This difference of indi0idual sympathy is caused $y a difference of de&ree in
the commissions and omission of different indi0iduals' or $y the practice of yo&a/
In this way' this psychic force mi&ht manifest itself in the shape of all the innumera$le
possi$ilities of tatwic com$ination/ So far as theory is concerned' these manifestations
mi&ht co0er the whole domain of tatwic manifestations in the 0isi$le macrocosm (and also
in the in0isi$le' which' howe0er' we do not know#/ These manifestations may 0iolate all
our present notions of time and space' cause and effect' force and matter/ Intelli&ently
utiliBed' this force mi&ht 0ery well perform the functions of the 0ril of 8The -omin&
%ace9/ The followin& essays will trace some of these manifestations on the plane of the
mind/
3II/ 5o&a DD The Soul (I# ,
I ha0e descri$ed two principles of the human constitution6 prana and manas/ Somethin&
also has $een said a$out the nature and relations of the soul/ The &ross $ody was omitted
as needin& no special handlin&/
The fi0e manifestations of each of the two principles (the prana and the manas#' it may $e
mentioned' may $e either fortunate or unfortunate/ Those manifestations are fortunate
which are consonant with our true culture' which lead us to our hi&hest spiritual
de0elopment' the summum $onum of humanity/ Those that keep us chained to the sphere of
recurrin& $irths and deaths may $e called unfortunate/ .n each of the two planes of life
(prana and manas# there is a possi$ility of dou$le existence/ ?e mi&ht ha0e a fortunate
and an unfortunate prana' a happy and an unhappy mind/ -onsiderin& these two to $e four'
the num$er of principles of the human constitution mi&ht $e raised from fi0e to se0en/ The
unhappy intelli&ences of the one plane ally themsel0es with the unhappy ones of the other'
the happy ones with the happy' and we ha0e in the human constitution an arran&ement of
principles somethin& like the followin&6
(1# The &ross $ody (sthula sarira#' (F# the unhappy prana' (G# the unhappy mind' (H# the
happy prana' (5# the happy mind' (J# the soul (0i:ana#' and (N# the spirit (ananda#/
The fundamental di0ision in the fi0efold di0ision is upadhi' the particular and distinct state
of matter (prakriti# in each caseA in the se0enfold di0ision it is the nature of Marma with
reference to its effect upon human e0olution/
Both the sets of these powers' the $lessed and the unhappy' work upon the same plane' and
althou&h the $lessed manifestations tend in the lon& run towards the state of moksha' that
state is not reached unless and until the hi&her powers (the siddhi# are induced in the mind
$y the exercise of yo&a/ 5o&a is a power of the soul/ Therefore it is necessary to say
somethin& a$out the soul and 5o&a $efore the hi&her powers of the mind can $e
intelli&i$ly descri$ed/ 5o&a is the science of human culture in the hi&hest sense of the
word/ Its purpose is the purification and stren&thenin& of the mind/ By its exercise is filled
with hi&h aspirations' and ac;uires di0ine powers' while the unhappy tendencies die out/
The second and third principles are $urnt up $y the fire of di0ine knowled&e' and the state
of what is called sal0ation in life is attained/ By and $ye the fourth principle too $ecomes
neutraliBed' and the soul passes into a state of manwantaric moksha/ The soul may pass
hi&her still accordin& to the stren&th of her exercise/ ?hen the mind too is at rest' as in
sound sleep (sushupti# durin& life' the omniscience of the 0i:nana is reached/ There is still
a hi&her state6 the state of ananda/ Such are the results of yo&a/ I must now descri$e the
nature of the thin& and the process of ac;uirement/
So far as the nature of 5o&a is concerned' I may say that mankind has reached its present
state of de0elopment $y the exercise of this &reat power/ ature herself is a &reat 5o&i' and
humanity has $een' and is $ein&' purified into perfection $y the exercise of her sleepless
will/ 1an need only imitate the &reat teacher to shorten the road to perfection for his
indi0idual self/ =ow are we to render oursel0es fit for that &reat imitationE ?hat are the
steps on the &reat ladder of perfectionE These thin&s ha0e $een disco0ered for us $y the
&reat sa&es of yore' and Patan:ali!s little $ook is only a short and su&&esti0e transcript of
so much of our past experiences and future potentialities as is recorded in the $ook of
nature/ This little $ook uses the word 5o&a in a dou$le si&nification/ The first is a state of
the mind otherwise called samadhiA the second is a set of acts and o$ser0ances that induce
that state in the mind/ The definition &i0en $y the sa&e is a ne&ati0e one' and is applica$le
only on the plane of the mind/ The source of the positi0e power lies in the hi&her principleA
the soul 5o&a (it is said# is the keepin& in check of the fi0e manifestations of the mind/ The
0ery wordin& of the definition is in0ol0ed in the supposition of the existence of a power
that can control and keep the mental manifestations in check/ This power is familiar to us
as freedom of the will/ 7lthou&h the soul is deluded $y the manifestations of e&oism
(asmita# on the mental plane into re&ardin& herself as a sla0e of the second and third
principles' that is not the fact' and the awakenin& takes place as soon as the chord of
e&oism is slackened to a certain extent/ This is the first step in the initiation $y nature
herself of the race of man/ It is a matter of necessity/ The sideD$yDside workin& with each
other of the second and third and the fourth and fifth principles weakens the hold of natural
mental asmita upon the soul/ 8I am these' or of these mental manifestations9' says E&oism/
Such a state of affairs' howe0er' cannot last lon&/ These manifestations are dou$le in
natureA the one is :ust the re0erse of the other/ ?hich of them is one with the e&o6 the
unhappy or the $lessedE o sooner is this ;uestion asked than the awakenin& takes place/
It is impossi$le to answer any of these ;uestions in the affirmati0e' and the soul naturally
ends in disco0erin& that she is a separate thin& from the mind' and that althou&h she has
$een the sla0e' she mi&ht $e (what she naturally is# the (ord of the mind/ <p to this time
the soul has $een tossed this way or that in o$edience to the tatwic 0i$rations of the mind/
=er $lind sympathy with the mental manifestations &i0es her unison with the mind' and
hence the tossin&/ The chord of sympathy is loosened $y the wakin&/ The stron&er the
nature' the &reater the departure from unison/ Instead of the soul $ein& tossed $y the
mental 0i$rations' it is now time that the mind should 0i$rate in o$edience to the 0i$rations
of the soul/ This assumption of lordship is the freedom of the will' and this o$edience of
the mind to the 0i$rations of the soul is 5o&a/ The manifestations e0oked in the mind $y
the external tatwas must now &i0e way to the stron&er motion comin& from the soul/ By
and $ye the mental colors chan&e their 0ery nature' and the mind comes to coincide with
the soul/ In other words' the indi0idual mental principle is neutraliBed' and the soul is free
in her omniscience/
(et us now trace the ac;uirements of the mind step $y step up to samadhi/
Samadhi' or the mental state induced $y the practice of 5o&a' has two descriptions/ 7s
lon& as the mind is not perfectly a$sor$ed in the soul the state is called sampra:nata/ That
is the state in which the disco0ery of new truths follows la$or in e0ery department of
nature/ The second is the state of perfect mental a$sorption/ It is called asampra:nata/ In
this there is no knowin&' no disco0erin& of unknown thin&s/ It is a state of intuiti0e
omniscience/ Two ;uestions are naturally su&&ested at the awakenin& sta&e6
8If I am these manifestations' which of them am IE I think I am none of them/ ?hat am I
thenE ?hat are theseE9
The second ;uestion is sol0ed in the sampra:nata samadhi' the first in the other/ Before
enterin& further into the nature of samadhi' a word a$out ha$ituation and apathy/ These
two are mentioned $y Patan:ali as the two means of checkin& mental manifestation' and it
is 0ery important to understand them thorou&hly The manifestation of apathy is the
reflection in the mind of the color of the soul when she $ecomes aware of her free nature
and conse;uently is dis&usted at the mastery of the passions/ It is a necessary conse;uence
of the awakenin&/ =a$ituation is the repetition of the state so as to confirm it in the mind/
The confirmation of the mind in this state means a state of ordinary mental inacti0ity/ By
this I mean that the fi0e ordinary manifestations are at rest for the first time/ This $ein& so'
the mind is for the time $ein& left free to recei0e any influences/ =ere for the first time we
see the influence of the soul in the shape of curiosity (2itarka#/ ?hat is thisE ?hat is thatE
=ow is thisE =ow is thatE This is the form in which curiosity shows itself in the mind/
-uriosity is a desire to know' and a ;uestion is a manifestation of such a desire/ But how
does man $ecome familiar with ;uestionsE The mental shape of curiosity and ;uestion will
$e understood easily $y payin& a little attention to the remarks I ha0e made on the &enesis
of desire/ The process of the $irth of philosophical curiosity is similar to that of the $irth of
desire/ In the latter the impulse comes from the external world throu&h Prana' and in the
former' directly from the soul/ The place of pleasure in this is supplied $y the reflection
into the mind of the knowled&e of the soul that self and independence are $etter than nonself
and the ensla0in& cords thereof/ The stren&th of the philosophical curiosity depends
upon the stren&th of this reflection' and as this reflection is rather faint in the $e&innin& (as
it &enerally is in the present state of the spiritual de0elopment#' the hold of philosophical
curiosity upon the mind $ears almost no comparison in stren&th with the hold of desire/
Philosophical curiosity is then the first step of mental ascent towards 5o&a/ To $e&in with'
we place $efore our mind e0ery possi$le manifestation of nature' and try to fit in e0ery
possi$le phase of it with e0ery related manifestation/ In plain lan&ua&e' it is to apply
oursel0es to the in0esti&ation of all the $ranches of natural science one $y one/
This is the natural result of curiosity/ By this attempt to disco0er the relations already
existin& or possi$le' essential or potential' amon& the phenomena of nature' another power
is induced in the mind/ Patan:ali calls this power 0ichara' meditation/ The radical idea of
the word is to &o amon& the 0arious relations of the portions that make up the whole
su$:ect of our contemplation/ It is only a deeper hold on the mind of the philosophical
curiosity noticed a$o0e/ The third state of this samadhi is what is called ananda' happiness
or $liss/ 7s lon& as there is curiosity or meditation' the mind is only assumin& the
consistency of the soul/ This means to say that as yet the 0i$rations of the soul are only
makin& way into the mindA they ha0e not yet entirely succeeded/ ?hen the third sta&e is
arri0ed at' howe0er' the mind is sufficiently polished to recei0e the full and clear ima&e of
the sixth coil/ The mind is conscious of this ima&e as $liss/ E0ery man who has de0oted
himself to the study of nature has $een in that co0eted state for howe0er short a time/ It is
0ery difficult to make it intelli&i$le $y description' $ut I am sure that the ma:ority of my
readers are not stran&ers to it/
But whence does this $liss comeE ?hat is itE I ha0e called it a reflection of the soul/ But
first of all' what is the soulE "rom what I ha0e written up to this time' the reader will no
dou$t surmise that I understand the soul to $e only a picture of the &ross $ody' the prana'
and the mind' so far only as its constitution is concerned/
I ha0e mentioned that in the macrocosm the sun is in the center' the prana the atmosphere
of the second principle' and that the ecliptic marks the shape of this principle/ I ha0e also
mentioned that the indi0idual human principle is only a picture of this macrocosmic whole/
I ha0e mentioned a&ain that in the macrocosm 0irat is the center and manu the atmosphere
of second principle/ This atmosphere is made of the fi0e uni0ersal tatwas' :ust like prana'
the only difference $ein& that the mental tatwas under&o a &reater num$er of 0i$rations per
second than the tatwas of prana/ I ha0e also said that the indi0idual mind is an exact
picture of the macrocosmic mind' the aspect differin& with the surroundin&s of time' :ust as
in the case of prana/
ow I ha0e to say the same with re&ard to the soul/ In the macrocosm there is Brahma for
the center' and 0i:ana for the atmosphere of this principle/ 7s the earth mo0es in prana' as
the sun mo0es in manu' as the manu (or 0irat# $reathes in 0i:ana' so the soul $reathes in
the hi&hest atmosphere of ananda/ Brahma is the center of spiritual life' as the sun is the
center of prana' and 0irat the center of mental life/ These centers are similar in luminosity
to the sun' $ut ordinary senses cannot percei0e them $ecause the num$er of tatwic
0i$rations per second is $eyond their power/
The soul of the uni0erse (the 0i:ana maya kosha#' with Brahma for its center' is our
psychic ideal/
The tatwic wires of this sphere extend o0er what we call a Brahmanda/ This they do in a
way similar to the tatwic rays of prana with which we are familiar throu&h the medium of
&ross matter/ This center with this uni0erse forms the selfDconscious uni0erse/ 7ll the
lower centers exist within the $osom of this atmosphere/
<nder the influence of &ross matter the mental macrocosm re&isters the external picturesA
that is to say' it &ains the power of manifestin& itself in the fi0e ways I ha0e descri$ed in
the essay on mind/ <nder the Brahma' howe0er' the mental macrocosm (1anu# attains the
hi&her powers under discussion/ This dou$le influence chan&es' after a time' the nature of
1anu itself/ The uni0erse has' as it were' a new mind after e0ery manwantara/ This
chan&e is always for the $etter/ The mind is e0er spiritualiBin&/ The later the 1anu the
more spiritual/ 7 time will come when the present macrocosmic mind will $e entirely
a$sor$ed into the soul/ The same is the case with the microcosm of man/ Thus Brahma is
$y nature omniscient/ =e is conscious of a self/ The types of e0erythin& that was or is to $e
in the process of time are $ut so many 0aryin& compositions of his tatwas/ E0ery phase of
the uni0erse' with its antecedents and conse;uents' is in him/ It is himself' his own selfconsciousness/
.ne mind is a$sor$ed in him in the space of fourteen manwantara/ The
motion of the mental tatwas is so much accelerated that they $ecome spiritual/ By the time
that this takes place in the <ni0erse the 0i$rations of the tatwas of prana too are $ein&
accelerated under the influence of 1anu until the prana itself is turned into the 1anu of
the next period/ 7nd a&ain' while this is $ein& done' the &ross matter is similarly
de0elopin& itself into prana/
This is the process of in0olution' $ut for the present let us lea0e it here and resume the
su$:ect/
The human soul is an exact picture of this macrocosmic principle/ It is omniscient like its
prototype' and has the same constitution/ But the omniscience of the human soul is yet
latent on account of her for&etfulness/ The sixth principle (a$solute# has de0eloped only a
little/ =umanity in &eneral has only a 0ery dim notion of infinity' of 4odhead' and of all
such su$:ects/ This means that the rays of the infinite are only :ust e0okin& our sixth
principle into acti0e life at this sta&e of our pro&ress/ ?hen in the process of time the rays
of the infinite &ather sufficient stren&th' our soul will come out in her true li&ht/ ?e mi&ht
accelerate this process $y 0aira&ya (apathy#' which &i0es stren&th to 5o&a' as we ha0e
seen/
The means of stren&thenin& 5o&a deser0e separate consideration/ Some of them help to
remo0e those influences and forces that are anta&onistic to pro&ressA others' such as the
contemplation of the di0ine principle' accelerate the process of de0elopment of the human
soul' and the conse;uent a$sorption of the mind in the soul/ 7t present I ha0e simply to
disco0er the nature of the $lissful samadhi' which I spoke of as $ein& caused $y the
reflection of the soul in the mind/
This reflection simply means the assumption $y the mind of the state of the soul/ The mind
passes from its own ordinary state to the state of the hi&her ener&y of the soul/ The &reater
num$er of tatwic 0i$rations per second make their way in the matter of a lower num$er of
tatwic 0i$rations per second/ The En&lish lan&ua&e reco&niBes this risin& up of the mind'
this passin& out of itself' as elation' and this is the meanin& of the word ananda as
;ualifyin& the third state of the sampra:nata samadhi/ The ananda maya kosha takes its
name from its $ein& the state of the hi&hest uphea0al/ E0ery moment of ananda is a step
towards the a$sorption of the mind as it chan&es its nature' passin& fore0er into a hi&her
state of consistency/ That state which in ananda only appeared in the moment of triumph
now $ecomes part and parcel of the mind/ This confirmation of the hi&her ener&y is known
$y the name of 7smita' which may $e translated $y the word e&oism' $ut means makin&
part and parcel of self/
3III/ 5o&a (II# ,
The o$:ect in 0iew in this article is to mark the sta&es alon& the road of mental matter to its
final a$sorption in the soul/ In the last essay I $rou&ht the mind to the state of sampra:nata
samadhi/ It is in this state that the mind ac;uires the power of disco0erin& new truths' and
seein& new com$inations of thin&s existent/ 7s this state has $een attained in the lon&
cycle of $y&one a&es' man has ac;uired a knowled&e of science to its present sta&e of
de0elopment' and the attainment of this ;uantum of knowled&e has $een the means of
raisin& our minds to our present pitch of perfection' when we ha0e learned to say that these
&reat powers are nati0e to the human mind/ 7s I ha0e shown' these powers ha0e $ecome
nati0e to the mind only after lon& su$mission of the mind to the influence of the soul/
By the constant exercise of this samadhi the mind learns to incline towards those cosmic
influences that are in their 0ery nature anta&onistic to those $ad powers of our constitution
that check our pro&ress/ These powers tend to die out naturally/ The ultimate &oal of this
march is that the state of mind when its manifestation $ecome entirely potential/ The soul'
if she pleases' mi&ht propel them $y her inherent power into the domain of the actual' $ut
they lose all power to draw the soul after them/
?hen this state is reached' or when it is a$out to $e reached' certain powers $e&in to show
themsel0es in the mind' which in the present cycle are $y no means common/ This state is
technically called para0aira&ya' or the =i&her 7pathy/
The word 0aira&ya usually is rendered into En&lish as apathy' and is looked upon with
disfa0or $y modern thinkers/ This is' I $elie0e' owin& to a misconception of the meanin&
of the word/ It is &enerally understood that misanthropy is the only indication' or perhaps
the hi&hest perfection' of this mental state/ othin& can $e further from the intention of
those sa&es who put 0aira&ya down as the hi&hest means of the attainment of $liss/
2aira&ya or apathy is defined $y 2yasa in his commentary on The 7phorisms of 5o&a as
the 8final state of perfected knowled&e9/ It is that state in which the mind' comin& to know
the real nature of thin&s' would no lon&er $e deluded into false pleasure $y the
manifestations of a0idya/ ?hen this upward inclination $ecomes confirmed' when this
ha$it of soarin& towards the di0ine $ecomes second nature' the name of para0aira&ya is
&i0en to the complementary mental state/
This state is reached in many ways' and the road is marked $y many clearly defined sta&es/
.ne way is the practice of sampra:nata samadhi/ By the constant practice of this samadhi'
to which the mind runs of itself when it once tastes the $liss of the fourth sta&e of that
state' the mind is ha$ituated to a state of faith in the efficacy of the pursuit/ This faith is
nothin& more than a state of mental lucidity in which the yet unknown truths of nature
$e&in to throw their shadows $efore them/ The mind $e&ins to feel truth in any and e0ery
place' and drawn $y the taste of $liss (ananda#' sets to work out the process of its
e0olution with &reater and &reater Beal/ This faith has $een called Sraddha $y Patan:ali'
and he calls the conse;uent Beal 2irya/
-onfirmed in this Beal and workin& on' the manifestation of memory comes in naturally/
This is a hi&h state of e0olution/ E0ery truth $ecomes present $efore the mind!s eye at the
sli&htest thou&ht' and the four sta&es of samadhi make their appearance a&ain and a&ain till
the mind $ecomes 0ery nearly a mirror of ature/
This corresponds to the state of para0aira&ya' which in the second place would also $e
attained $y the contemplation of the =i&h Prototype of the Soul/ This is the Iswara of
Ptan:ali' the macrocosmic soul that remains fore0er in that entity!s soul of pristine purity/
It is this Iswara of that I ha0e spoken as the selfDconscious uni0erse/
This Iswara' as I concei0e it' is only a macrocosmic center' similar in nature to the sun'
thou&h hi&her in function/
7s the sun with his ocean of Prana is the prototype of our lifeDprinciple' prana maya
kosha' so Iswara is the &reat prototype of our souls/ ?hat is the sixth principle of not only
a phase of the existence of this &reat $ein& prolon&ed as a separate phase into the lower
principles' yet destined to emer&e a&ain into its own true selfE @ust as I ha0e shown that the
principles of life li0e in the sun after our terrestrial death' to recur a&ain and a&ain into
actual life' so too the soul li0es in the Iswara in a similar fashion/ ?e may look upon this
entity as $ein& the &roup of all the li$erated souls' $ut at the same time we must remem$er
that the unli$erated souls also are his unde0eloped reflections' destined in the lon& run to
attain their ori&inal state/ It is therefore necessary to assume the independent existence of
Iswara' and of other souls in Iswara/
This macrocosmic psychic center' this ideal of the sixth principle in man' is the &reat
reser0oir of e0ery actual force in the uni0erse/ =e is the true type of the perfection of the
human soul/ The incidents of mental and physical existence which' howe0er perfect in
themsel0es' are to =is more comprehensi0e nature mere imperfections' find no place in
=im/ There is no misery for =im C the fi0e comprehensi0e miseries of Patan:ali are
enumerated a$o0e C for misery can arise only in the retro&rade process of the first
awakenin& of the mind' only $ein& caused $y sensation' and the human sixth principle not
yet &ainin& sufficient stren&th in the process of time to draw the mind towards itself and
out of the domain of the senses' to make it what its prototype ori&inally is' the rod of
dominion' and not as sensation has made it' the instrument of sla0ery/
By this conemplation of the sixth principle of the <ni0erse' a sympathy is esta$lished
naturally $etween it and the human soul/ That sympathy is only necessary for the
<ni0ersal Tatwic (aw to work with &reater effect/ The human soul $e&ins to $e cleansed
of the dust of the world and in its turn affects the mind in a similar way' and therein the
yo&i $ecomes conscious of this influence $y the slackenin& of the fetters for&ed $y
Prakriti' and a daily' hourly stren&thenin& of hea0enward aspirations/
The human soul then $e&ins to $ecome a center of power for its own little uni0erse' :ust as
Iswara is the center of power in =is uni0erse/ The microcosm then $ecomes a perfect little
picture of the macrocosm/ ?hen perfection is attained' all the mental and physiolo&ical
tatwas of the microcosm' and to a certain extent of the surroundin& world' $ecome the
sla0es of the soul/ ?hitherso it may incline' the tatwas are at its $ack/ =e may will' and the
atmospheric 2ayu tatwa' with any amount of stren&th he pleases or is capa$le of centerin&'
will set in motion any piece of furniture within the reach of his will/ =e may will' and at
the instant the apas tatwa will slake your thirst' cure your fe0er' or in fact wash off the
&erms of any disease/ =e may will' and any and e0ery tatwa on either of the lower planes
will do its work for him/ These hi&h powers do not wait to come in all of a sudden' $ut
show themsel0es &radually' and accordin& to the special aptitudes in special forms/
But a description of these powers is not my present $usiness/ 1y only purpose is to show
in what way' accordin& to the uni0ersal law of nature' $y contemplation of the
macrocosmic sixth principle' that the human soul $ecomes the means for the mind
attainin& the state called para0aira&ya/
Besides these two' the author of The 7phorisms of 5o&a enumerates fi0e more ways in
which the minds of those who are already $y the power of pre0ious karma inclined
towards the di0ine' are seen to work out their way to the sate of para0aira&ya/
This first way is the ha$ituatin& of the mind to the manifestations of pleasure' sympathy'
elation' and pity toward the comforta$le' the misera$le' and the 0icious respecti0ely/ E0ery
&ood man will tell us that the manifestation of :oy at the comfort of another is a hi&h
0irtue/ ?hy' what harm is there in :ealousyE I think no other science except the philosophy
of the tatwas explains with any amount of satisfaction the reason why of such ;uestions/
?e ha0e seen that in a state of en:oyment' comfort' pleasure' satisfaction' and the like' the
prithi0i or the apas tatwa pre0ails in the prana and the mind/ It is e0ident that if we put our
minds in the same' we induce either of the two tatwas in our life and mental principles/
?hat will $e the resultE 7 process of purification will set in/ Both the principles will $ein&
to $e cleansed of any trace of defect that the excess of any remainin& tatwas may ha0e
&i0en to our constitution/
7ll those physiolo&ical or mental causes that induce inattention in the mind are remo0ed/
Bodily distempers take their lea0e for they are the result of the distur$ance of the $alance
of the physiolo&ical tatwas' and comfort' pleasure and en:oyment are forei&n to these/ The
one induces the other/ 7s the $alance of the tatwas $rin&s comfort and en:oyment of life'
so the sense of comfort and en:oyment that colors our prana and mind when we put
oursel0es in sympathy with the comforta$le' restores the $alance of our tatwas/
7nd when the $alance of tatwas is restored' what remainsE >isinclination to work' dou$t'
laBiness and other feelin&s of that kind can no lon&er stand' and the only result is the
restoration of the mind to perfect calmness/ 7s 2yasa says in his commentary' the ?hite
(aw makes its appearance in the mind/ Such and in a similar way is the result of the
manifestation of the other ;ualities/ But for such a result to $eachie0ed' there must $e lon&
and powerful application/
The next method is Pranayama' deep expiration and inspiration/ This too conduces to the
same end and in the same way/ The drawin& of deep $reaths in and out has to some extent
the same effect as runnin& and other hard exercise/ The heat that is produced $urns down
certain elements of disease' which if it desira$le should $e $urnt/ But the practice in its
effects differs for the $etter from hard exercise/ In hard exercise the susumna $e&ins to
play' and that is not &ood for physiolo&ical health/ Pranayama' if properly performed'
howe0er' is $eneficial from a physiolo&ical as well as from a mental point of 0iew/ The
first effect that is produced in pranayama is the &eneral pre0alence of the prithi0i tatwa/ It
is unnecessary to remind the reader that the apas tatwa carries the $reath lowest down' and
that the Prithi0i is the next/ In our attempt to draw deeper $reaths than usual' the prithi0i
tatwa cannot $ut $e introduced' and the &eneral pre0alence of this tatwa' with the
conse;uent &olden tin&e of the circle of li&ht round our heads' can ne0er fail to cause fixity
of purpose and stren&th of attention/ The apas tatwa comes in next/ This is the sil0ery hue
of innocence that encircles the head of a saint and marks the attainment of para0aira&ya/
The next is the attainment of the twoDfold lucidity C the sensuous and the cardiac/ The
sensuous lucidity is the power of the senses to percei0e the chan&es of prana/ The
pre0iously trained attention' accordin& to special aptitudes' is centered on any one of the
fi0e senses or more/ If centered in the eyes' one can see the physiolo&ical and atmospheric
colors of prana/ I can affirm this $y personal experience/ I can see the 0arious colors of the
seasons/ I can see the rain comin& an hour' two hours' and sometimes e0en two days
$efore an actual shower/ Bri&ht sheets of the &reen washed into coolness and purity $y the
white make their appearance anywhere a$out me C in the room' in the hea0ens' on the ta$le
$efore me' on the wall in front/ ?hen this happens' I am sure that rain is in the air and will
come down soon/ If the &reen is streaked with red' it takes some time to come' $ut it is
surely preparin&/
These remarks are enou&h for color/ The power can $e made to show itself $y a sustained
attempt to look into space' or anythin& else' as the moon' a star' a :ewel' and so on/ The
remainin& four senses also attain similar powers' and sounds' smells' tastes and touches
that ordinary humanity cannot percei0e $e&in to $e percei0ed $y the 5o&i/
The cardiac lucidity is the power of the mind to feel and also that of the senses to percei0e
thou&hts/ In the article on Prana' I ha0e &i0en a chart of the head' specifyin& the places
and &i0in& the colors of the 0arious kinds of mental manifestations/ These colors are seen
$y anyone who has or ac;uires the power' and they constitute the surest $ook in which to
read the thou&hts of any man/ By sustained practice one will reco&niBe the finest shades/
.ne can also feel these thou&hts/ The modifications of thou&ht mo0in& alon& the uni0ersal
tatwic wires affect any and e0ery man/ They each impart a distinct impulse to the prana
maya kosha' and thus a distin&uisha$le impulse to the thro$s of the $rain and the more
easily percei0a$le thro$s of the heart/ 7 man who studies these thro$s of the heart and sits
with his attention centered into the heart (while it is of course open to e0ery influence#
learns to feel e0ery influence there/ The effect on the heart of the mental modifications of
other people is a fact that' so far as ;uality is concerned' may $e 0erified $y the
commonest experience/
This sensuous or cardiac lucidity' as the case may $e' once attained kills skepticism' and in
the end conduces to the state of para0aira&ya/
In the next place' says Patan:ali' one may rely upon the knowled&e o$taina$le throu&h
dreams and sleep/ But this will do for the present/
3I2/ 5o&a C The Soul (III# ,
The fi0e ethereal currents of sensation are focused in the $rain' and motion is transmitted
to the mental principle from these fi0e centers of force/ These 0arious foci ser0e a
connectin& links $etween the mental and the lifeDprinciples/ The 0isual currents produce in
the mind the capa$ility of $ecomin& conscious of color/ In other words' they produce eyes
in the mind/ Similarly' the mind &ets the capa$ility of recei0in& the impressions of the four
remainin& sensations/ This capa$ility is ac;uired after the exposure of a&es/ -ycles upon
cycles pass' and the mind is not yet capa$le of recei0in& these tatwic 0i$rations/ The wa0e
of life $e&ins its or&aniBed :ourney upon earth with 0e&eta$le forms/ Since that time
external currents $e&in to affect the 0e&eta$le or&anism' and this is the $e&innin& of what
we call sensation/ The modifications of the external tatwas throu&h the indi0idualiBed
0e&eta$le life strike the chords of the latent mind' $ut it will not yet respond/ It is not in
sympathy/ =i&her and hi&her throu&h 0e&eta$le forms the lifeDwa0e tra0elsA &reater and
&reater is the force with which it strikes the mental chords' and $etter and $etter is the
capa$ility of that principle to respond to the tatwic calls of life/ ?hen we reach the animal
kin&dom the external tatwic foci are :ust 0isi$le/ These are the sensuous or&ans' each of
which has the capa$ility of focusin& its own peculiar tatwic rays into itself/ In the lowest
forms of animal life they are :ust 0isi$le' and this is a si&n that the mental principle is then
in a comparati0ely hi&h state of perfection6 it has $e&un to respond somewhat to the
external tatwic call/ It mi&ht $e remarked here that this is the superposed relati0e mind'
and not the a$solute ori&inal mental truti' $oth of which I ha0e already descri$ed/ It is the
uprisin& of this e0olutionary finite structure on all the planes of life that has led a 4erman
philosopher to the conclusion that 4od is Becomin&/ This is true of course' $ut it is only
true of the finite <ni0erse of names and forms and not of the a$solute towards which it is
mo0in&/
To resume6 The exposure of this animal life to the external tatwas is lon&er and lon&er' and
the stren&th $ecomes &reater and &reater in their 0arious foci' the formation of these foci
$ecomes hi&her and hi&her' the external call upon the mind is stron&er and stron&er' and
the mental response is more and more perfect/ 7 time comes in the pro&ress of this mental
e0olution when the fi0e mental senses are perfectly de0eloped' as is marked $y the
de0elopment of the external senses/ ?e call the action of the fi0e mental senses the
phenomenon of perception/ .n the manifestation of this perception is raised the mi&hty
fa$ric of perception of those mental manifestations that I ha0e discussed in the essay on
1ind/ The way in which this e0olution takes place is sketched there too/
The external tatwas of &ross matter create &ross foci in a &ross $ody from whence to send
their currents/ The soul does the same/ The tatwic currents of the external soul' Iswara'
create similar centers of action in connection with the mind/ But the tatwic 0i$rations of
the soul are finer than those of the lifeDprinciple/ The mental matter takes a lon&er time to
respond to the call of Iswara than it does to answer to the call of Prana/ It is not till the lifewa0e
reaches humanity that the 0i$rations of the soul $e&in to show themsel0es in the
mind/ The foci of psychic currents are located in what is called the 0i:nana maya kosha'
the psychic coil/ 7t the time of the $e&innin& of human life' the psychic foci &o on &ainin&
stren&th' race after race' till we reach the point that I ha0e called the awakenin& of the soul/
That process ends in the confirmation of the state of para0aira&ya/ "rom this state there
are only a few steps to the power of what has $een called ulterior or psychic perception/
.ur former perception may now $e called animal perception/ 7nd :ust as the mi&hty fa$ric
of inference and 0er$al authority has $een raised on the $asis of animal perception' a more
mi&hty fa$ric of inference and 0er$al authority has $een raised on the $asis of psychic
perception $y ancient 7ryan sa&es/ ?e shall come to that $y and $ye/
7s practice confirms the state of para0aira&ya in the 5o&i!s mind' it &ets the most perfect
calm/ It is open to all sorts of tatwic influences' without any sensuous distur$ance/ The
next power that conse;uently shows itself is called samapatti/ I define this word as that
mental state in which it $ecomes capa$le of recei0in& the reflection of the su$:ecti0e and
the o$:ecti0e worlds' and the means of knowled&e at the sli&htest motion' howe0er
imparted/
Intuition has four sta&es6 (1# Sa 0itarka' 0er$al' (F# ir 0itarka' wordless' (G# Sa 0ichara'
meditati0e' (H# ir 0ichara' ultraDmeditati0e/
The state of intuition has $een likened to a $ri&ht' pure' transparent' colorless crystal/ Place
whate0er you will $ehind such a crystal' and it will show itself in the color of that o$:ect/
7nd so does the mind $eha0e in this state/ (et the tatwic rays that constitute the o$:ecti0e
world fall on it' and it shows itself in the colors of the o$:ecti0e world/ %emo0e these
colors' and it is a&ain as pure as crystal' ready to show in itself any other colors that mi&ht
$e presented to it/ Think of the elementary forces of ature' the tatwa' think of the &ross
o$:ects where they work' think of the or&ans of sense and their &enesis and the method of
their operations' think of the soul' li$erated or $ound' and the mind readily falls into each
of these states/ It retains no particular color that mi&ht oppose or 0itiate any other color
enterin& it/ The first sta&e of intuition is 0er$al/ It is the most common in this a&e and
therefore the most easily intelli&i$le/ (et the reader think of a mind in which no color is
e0oked at the sound of scientific words/ (et him think of thousands of those men in whose
minds the sounds of their own lan&ua&e' full of hi&h and &reat ideas' is as stran&e as
=e$rew/ Take an uneducated En&lish peasant and teach him to read -omus/ >o you think
those $eautiful words will carry to him all they are intended to con0eyE But why an
uneducated peasantE >id the &reat @ohnson himself understand the $eauties of 1iltonE
Take a&ain a common school$oy' and read to him in his own lan&ua&e the truths of
philosophy/ >oes that lan&ua&e' e0en if you &a0e him its lexico&raphic meanin&' con0ey
any idea to his mindE Take the <panishad' and read it to any pandit who can understand
Sanskrit reasona$ly well/ >oes anyone dou$t (I do not# that he does not understand all that
those no$le words con0eyE ?ith such a mind' let him compare the mind of a really
educated man' a mind that almost intuiti0ely takes in the true sense of words/ To take in
the full sense that words are intended to con0ey is not an easy task' e0en for the hi&hly
educated/ Pre:udice' deepDseated anta&onistic theories' the stren&th of one!s own
con0ictions' and perhaps some other characteristics of the mind pro0e to $e an
insurmounta$le o$stacle/ E0en a @ohn Stuart 1ill could not properly understand the
philosophy of Sir ?illiam =amilton/ .ne of the &reatest .riental scholars says that
Patan:ali!s system is no philosophy at allR 7nother has expressed himself to the effect that
Patan:ali!s 7phorisms on 5o&a are mere fanaticismR There are many tantras of which'
thou&h we mi&ht translate them into any lan&ua&e' 0ery few of us really know the
meanin&/ This is a 0ery &ra0e shortcomin&' and sometimes much to $e re&retted/ It
disappears only with the manifestation of 0er$al intuition/ In this state the 5o&i is at once
en rapport with the author of the $ook' and this is $ecause his mind is free from e0ery
$lindin& pre:udice' and is in fact a pure' $ri&ht' colorless crystal' ready to show any phase
of color that mi&ht come in contact with it/
The next sta&e of intuition is wordless/ In this you no lon&er stand in need of $ooks to
initiate yourself into the secrets of nature/ 5our mind $ecomes capa$le of ser0in& these
truths from their fountainhead6 true pictures of e0erythin& in e0ery state of the o$:ecti0e
word which throu&h the a&ency of prana are represented in the uni0ersal mind' pictures
that are the souls of these thin&s' their own true sel0es' pre&nant with e0ery state in which
the thin& has passed' or has to pass' the realities of the 0arious and 0aryin& phases of the
phenomenal world' the thin& which in a ta$le' a &lass' a pen' and in fact any and e0ery
thin&' is hard or soft' lon& or short' white or $lack/
These state ha0e for their o$:ect the &ross phenomenal world/ The next two sta&es of
intuition ha0e for their o$:ect the world of forces that lies at the root of the chan&es of the
&ross world' the world of su$tle $odies/ The meditati0e intuition has for its o$:ect only the
present manifestation of the currents of the su$tle $ody' the forces that are already showin&
or &oin& to show themsel0es/ In this state' for example' the 5o&i knows intuiti0ely the
present forces of the atmospheric Prana as they are &atherin& stren&th enou&h to &i0e us a
shower of rain or snow' $ut he does not know what has &i0en them their present acti0ity'
or whether the potential will e0er $ecome the actual' and if yes' to what extent/ =e knows
the forces that are workin& at the present moment in that tree' that horse' that man' the
powers that keep these thin&s in the state they are in' $ut he does not know the antecedents
and conse;uents of that state/
The next state has for its o$:ect all the three states of su$tle $odies/ The present state is
know of course' $ut with it the 5o&i draws in the whole history of the o$:ect from
$e&innin& to end/ Place $efore him a rose' and he knows its su$tle principle in all this
states' antecedents and conse;uents/ =e is familiar with the little $e&innin&s of the $ush
and its &rowth in 0arious sta&esA he knows how the $uddin& $e&an' how the $ud opened'
and how it &rows into a $eautiful flower/ =e knows what its end shall $e' and when/ Put
$efore him a closed letter' and he knows not only what that letter contains' $ut he can trace
those thou&hts to the $rain whence they proceeded' to the hand that wrote the letter' to the
room in which they were written' and so on/ It is in this state too that the mind knows
mind' without the medium of words/
These four states constitute what is called the o$:ecti0e trance (sa0i:a samadhi#/
.ccasionally these powers show themsel0es in many minds/ But that simply shows that the
fa0ored mortal is on the ri&ht track/ =e must make sure of the point if he would win/
?hen the last sta&e of this samadhi is confirmed in the mind' our psychic senses &ain the
power of that amount of certain knowled&e which is the portion of our animal senses/ The
authority of these senses is supreme with us' so far as the &ross world is concerned/ In a
similar way there is no room left for us to dou$t the truth of the knowled&e that our
psychic senses $rin& us/ The hi&h power of knowin& e0ery supersensuous truth with
perfect certainty is known as %itam$hara' or psychic perception/
The knowled&e that psychic perception &i0es us is $y no means to $e confounded with the
knowled&e o$tained throu&h inference' ima&ination' or the records of others! experience/
Inference' ima&ination' and 0er$al authority' $ased on animal perception' can only work
upon knowled&e o$tained throu&h animal senses/ But psychic perception and inference
$ased upon that has for its o$:ect thin&s of the supersensuous world' the realities that
underlie the phenomenal existence with which we are familiar/ That perception takes in the
fact of the existence and the nature of Prakriti' the most su$tle state of matter' :ust as
animal perception takes in &ross matter/
7nimal perception draws the mind towards &ross matter' the world that has &i0en it $irth/
So does psychic perception draw the mind towards the soul/ The practice of o$:ecti0e
samadhi destroys itself/ The mind takes in so much of the hi&her ener&y of the soul that it
loses its mental consistency/ >own &oes the entire structure of unreal names and forms/
The soul li0es in herself' and not in the mind as now/
?ith this the &reater part of my work is done/ It is now clear that what we call man li0es
chiefly in the mind/ The mind has two entities to affect it/ The one is the lifeDprinciple' the
other the psychic principle' the once producin& certain chan&es in the mind from $elow'
the other from a$o0e/ These chan&es ha0e $een recorded' and it has $een found that the
dominion of the soul is more desira$le than that of the life principle/ ?hen the mind loses
itself entirely in the soul' man $ecomes 4od/
The o$:ect of these essays has $een rou&hly to portray the nature' function and mutual
relation of the principlesA in other words' to trace the operation of the uni0ersal tatwic law
on all the planes of existence/ This has $een $riefly done/ 7 &ood deal more remains to $e
said a$out the powers latent in the Prana and the mind' which show themsel0es in special
departments of the pro&ress of man/ That need not' howe0er' form part of the present
series' and therefore I close this series with some description of the first and last principle
of the cosmos6 the Spirit/
32/ The Spirit ,
This is the anandamaya kosha' literally the coil of $liss of the 2edantins/ ?ith the power
of psychic perception' the soul knows the existence of this entity' $ut in the present sta&e
of human de0elopment it has hardly made its presence directly felt in the human
constitution/ The characteristic difference $etween the soul and the spirit is the a$sence of
the 8I9 in the latter/
It is the dawn of the day of e0olution/ It is the first settin&Din of the positi0e current of the
&reat $reath/ It is the first state of cosmic acti0ity after the ni&ht of 1ahapralaya/ 7s we
ha0e seen' the $reath in e0ery state of existence has three states6 the positi0e' the ne&ati0e'
and the susumna/ The susumna is pre&nant with either of the two states/ This is the state
that is descri$ed in the Parameshthi sukta of the %i& 2eda as neither Sat (positi0e# nor 7sat
(ne&ati0e#/ This is the primary state of para$rahma' in which the whole uni0erse lies
hidden like a tree in the seed/ 7s $illows rise and lose themsel0es in an ocean' the two
states of e0olution and in0olution take their rise in this state' and in due time are lost in the
same/ ?hat is Prakriti itself in this state of potential omnipotenceE The phenomena of
Prakriti owe their ori&in and existence to the modifications of the &reat $reath/ ?hen that
&reat $reath is in the state of susumna' can we not say that Prakriti itself is held in that
state $y susumnaE It is in fact para$rahma that is all in all/ Prakriti is only the shadow of
that su$stance' and like a shadow it follows the modifications of =is &reat $reath/ The first
modification of the &reat $reath is the settin& in of the e0olutionary (positi0e# current# In
this state' Prakriti is ready to modify into the ethers of the first de&ree' which make up the
atmosphere from which Iswara draws life/ In the first state of e0olution' the Su$:ect
(para$rahma# whose $reath causes these modifications of Prakriti' is known as Sat' the
fountainhead of all existence/ The I is latent in this state/ aturally enou&h' $ecause it is
the differentiation that &i0es $irth to the I/ But what is this stateE 1ust man $e annihilated
$efore he reaches this state of what from the standpoint of man is called nir0ana or
paranir0anaE There is no reason to suppose that it is the state of annihilation any more
than a certain amount of latent heat is annihilated in water/ The simple fact is that the color
that constitutes the e&o $ecomes latent in the spirit!s hi&her form of ener&y/ It is a state of
consciousness or knowled&e a$o0e self' not certainly destroyin& it/
The indi0idual spirit $ears the same relation to the Sat which the indi0idual soul $ears to
the Iswara' the indi0idual mind to the 2irat' and the indi0idual lifeDprinciple to the Prana/
Each center is &i0en $irth to $y the tatwic rays of that de&ree/ Each is a drop in its own
ocean/ The <panishad explains this state under many names/ The -hhando&0a' howe0er'
has a 0ery comprehensi0e dialo&ue on this su$:ect $etween <ddalaka and his son
Shwetakete/
Professor 1ax 1uller has made some 0ery ;uestiona$le remarks on certain assertions in
this dialo&ue' callin& them 8more or less fanciful9/ These remarks could ne0er ha0e fallen
from so learned a man had he known and understood somethin& of the ancient Science of
Breath and the Philosophy of the Tatwas/ The <panishad can ne0er $e 0ery intelli&i$le
without this comprehensi0e science/ It must $e remem$ered that the <panishads
themsel0es ha0e in many places clearly laid down that a teacher is wanted for the proper
understandin& of these di0ine words/ ow the teacher tau&ht nothin& else $ut the Science
of Breath' which is said to $e the secret doctrine of all secret doctrines/ It is' in fact' the
key to all that is tau&ht in the <panishad/ The little $ook that tries to explain these essays
to the world appears from its 0ery arran&ement to $e a compilation of 0arious couplets on
the same su$:ect' inherited from 0arious esoteric circles/ In fact' this handful of stanBas has
its chief 0alue as a key to 7ryan philosophy and occult science' $ut e0en this little $ook
will hardly ser0e to dispel the &loom of a&es/
To return' howe0er' to the dialo&ue $etween the father and the son6 it is contained in the
sixth Prapathaka of the -hhando&ya <panishad/
8In the $e&innin&' my dear' there was only that which is one only' without a second/
.thers say in the $e&innin& there was that only' which is not one only' without a second'
and from which is not' that which is was $orn/9
This is the translation of Professor max 1uller/ otwithstandin& the authority of his &reat
name' and real scholarship' I 0enture to think that the sense of the <panishad is totally lost
si&ht of in this translation/ The words of the ori&inal are6
8Sad e0a saumyedama&re asit/T
I cannot find any word in the translation &i0in& the sense of the word idam in the ori&inal/
Idam means 8this9' and it has $een explained as meanin& the phenomenal world/ This that
is percei0ed' etc/ Therefore real translation of the text would $e6
8This (world# was Sat alone in the $e&innin&/9
Perhaps in the translation of Professor 1uller the word 8there9 is printed $y mistake for
8this9/ If this is the case' the defect in the translation is at once cured/
The text means that the first state of the world $efore differentiation was the state known
as Sat/ "rom what comes afterwards' it appears that this is the state of the <ni0erse in
which all its phenomena' material' mental and psychic' are held in posse/ The word e0a'
which in the translation stands for the word 8alone9 or 8only9' si&nifies that in the
$e&innin& of the >ay of E0olution the uni0erse had not all the fi0e' or e0en two or more of
the fi0e planes of existence to&ether/ ow such is the case' $ut in the $e&innin& the Sat
existed alone/
The Sat is one only' without a second/ There is no ;ualification of time in these two
epithets/ The Sat is one alone' not like the Prana' the 2irat' and Iswara' ha0in& all three
existin& simultaneously' a shadowy side of existence/
The next sentence &oes on to say that in the $e&innin& there was 7sat alone/ 7s Professor
1uller renders it' 8There OEP was that only which is not/9
ow this carries no meanin&' notwithstandin& the 4reek accompaniment/ That the word
7sat is used in the sense of 8that which is not9 or $riefly 8nothin&9' there is no dou$t/ But
there is also no dou$t that such is not the meanin& of the <panishad/ The words are used
here in the same sense in which they are used in the 8osad asit9 hymn of the %i&0eda/
8Then there was neither the Sat nor the 7sat/9
This of course is a state ;uite other than the Sat of the <panishad/ It is nothin& more than
the susumna of the Brahmic $reath/ 7fter this in the $e&innin& of e0olution the Brahma
$ecame Sat/ This is the positi0e potential phase/ The 7sat is nothin& more than the cooler
ne&ati0e life current that rules durin& the ni&ht of 1aha pralaya/ ?hen the shadowy
Prakriti has under&one the preparatory influence of the ne&ati0e current' the day of
e0olution sets in with the $e&innin& of the positi0e current/ The dispute as to $e&innin& is
merely of a technical nature/ In reality there is no $e&innin&/ It is all a motion in the circle'
and from this point of 0iew we may put whate0er state we like in the $e&innin&/
But the 7sat philosopher ar&ues that unless the 1aya under&o the preparatory influence of
the i&ht' there can $e no creation/ =ence' accordin& to him' we must put 7sat at the
$e&innin&/
The sa&e <ddalaka would not consent to this/ 7ccordin& to him' the acti0e impressi0e
force is in the Sat' the positi0e state' :ust as all the lifeDforms take their ori&in from Prana
(the positi0e life matter# and not from %ayi (the ne&ati0e life matter# C see the
Prasnopnishat/ It is only impressi$ility that exists I the 7satA the real names and forms of
the phenomenal <ni0erse do not exist there/ In fact' the name 7sat has $een &i0en to the
primary state of the e0ol0in& uni0erse for this 0ery reason/ If we would translate these two
words into En&lish' we would ha0e to coin two 0ery uni;ue compounds6 Sat (thatDinDwhichis#
and 7sat (thatDinDwhichDisDnot#/
It is only such a renderin& that would carry the true idea' and hence it is ad0isa$le to retain
the Sanskrit words and explain them as well as one can/
That actually existin& state in which the names and forms do not exist cannot 0ery properly
stand as the cause of the names and forms that do not exist/ =ence the Sat alone was in the
$e&innin&' etc/
The indi0idual spirit has the same relation to the Sat as the soul has to the Iswara/
That will do for now/ It is enou&h to show that there is no annihilation anywhere in the
<ni0erse/ ir0ana simply means the enli&htenment (which is not extinction# of the
phenomenal rays/
The Science of Breath & The Philosophy of the
Tatwas
(Translated from the Sanskrit#
1/ The &oddess said6 1y (ord 1ahade0a' the &od of &ods' $e kind to me' and tell me the
wisdom that comprehends e0erythin&/
F/ =ow did the uni0erse come outE =ow does it &o onE =ow does it disappearE Tell me' .
(ord' the philosophy of the uni0erse/
LLL
otes , 8The &od said9A 8the &oddess said9A 8said the &od9A 8said the &oddess9/ The whole
$ook is couched in the form of a dialo&ue $etween the &od Si0a and his wife Par0ati/ 7ll
the tantras ha0e the same form/ It is hardly consistent with facts to hold that Si0a and
Par0ati were a human pair in some ancient period/ The former is &enerally spoken of in
this $ook as Iswara' the latter as >e0i or Shakti/ @ud&in& from its method of composition'
the $ook under notice does not seem to ha0e $een written $y Si0a/ In the first place' there
are se0eral stanBas in the $ook that appear to $e the composition of different authors' $ut in
the present form $y some compiler/ Secondly' the author says in one place that he was
&oin& to descri$e certain experiments as he had seen them in the Si0a&ama (The Teachin&
of Si0a#/ In the end of one ms/' howe0er' it si said that the $ook comprises the ei&hth
chapter of Si0a&ama/
In the Menopnishat the &reat commentator Shankaracharya interprets <ma =aim0ait
(another name of Par0ati# as Brahma 2idya' the >i0ine Science or Theosophia/ There'
howe0er' the &oddess appears as a teacheress' and she mi&ht well $e interpreted as
Theosophia/ That explanation will hardly hold &ood here/ =ere Si0a and Par0ati seem to
$e the male and female principles/ They are the $est ac;uainted with their own workin&s/
The &od' the male principle' explainin& to Sakti' the female principle' the 0arious modes in
which the finer forces of nature imprint themsel0es upon the &rosser planes' mi&ht $e the
sym$ol of the eternal impression of all thou&hts and li0in& or&anisms into the Sakti (the
cooler matter rayi# $y Si0a' the hotter male principle/
LLL
G/ Said the &od6 The uni0erse came out of tatwa or the tatwasA it &oes on $y the
instrumentality of the tatwasA it disappears in the tatwasA $y the tatwas is known the nature
of the uni0erse/
LLL
otes , In the ori&inal the sin&ular num$er is often used to denote the common ;uality of
the fi0e tatwas' that $y which each is known as such/
The uni0erse comprehends all the manifestations with which we are familiar' either on the
physical' the mental' or the psychic plane/ 7ll of them ha0e come out of the tatwas/ The
tatwas are the forces that lie at the root of all these manifestations -reation' preser0ation'
and destruction' or more strictly speakin&' appearance' sustenance' and disappearance of
the phenomena with which we are ac;uainted are tatwic chan&es of state/
LLL
H/ Said the &oddess6 The Mnowers of the tatwas ha0e ascertained the tatwa to $e the
hi&hest rootA what' . 4od' is the nature of the tatwasE Throw li&ht upon the tatwas/
5/ Said the &od6 <nmanifested' formless' one &i0er of li&ht is the &reat PowerA from that
appeared the soniferous ether (akasa#A from that had $irth the tan&iferous ether/
LLL
otes , This is the para$rahma of the 2edantins' the first chan&e of state that stands at the
top of e0olution/ This is the first positi0e phase of life/ 7ll the <panishads concur in this/
In the $e&innin& all this was Sat (the positi0e phase of Brahma#/ "rom this state the fi0e
ethers (tatwas or maha$hutas as they are also called# come out $y de&rees/ 8"rom him
came the 7kasa and so on9' said the <panishad/ This state of para$rahma is called in the
text 8<nmanifested9/ 1anifestation for us only $e&ins with the 8E&o9' the sixth principle
of our constitutionA all $eyond that is naturally unmanifested' 8"ormless9/ This epithet is
&i0en $ecause forms only show themsel0es when the tatwas and the two states of matter'
the male and female' the hotter and the cooler' come into existence/ 7s yet there is only
one uni0ersal state of matter/ =ence that state is also &i0en the epithet .ne/
=e is also called the 4i0er of (i&ht/ This li&ht is the real life/ It is this state that transmutes
into the fi0e ethers that form the atmosphere of the sixth principle of the uni0erse/
LLL
J/ "rom the tan&iferous ether' the luminiferous ether' and from this the &ustiferous etherA
from thence was the $irth of the odiferous ether/ These are the fi0e ethers and they ha0e
fi0eDfold extension/
N/ .f these the uni0erse came outA $y these it &oes onA into these it disappearsA e0en amon&
these it shows itself a&ain/
)/ The $ody is made of the fi0e tatwasA the fi0e tatwas' . "air .ne' exist therein in the
su$tle formA they are known $y the learned who de0ote themsel0es to the tatwas/
LLL
otes , The $ody' human as well as e0ery other' is made of the fi0e tatwas in their &ross
form/ In this &ross $ody play the fi0e tatwas in their su$tle form/ They &o0ern it
physiolo&ically' mentally' psychically and spiritually/ These are therefore the four su$tle
forms of the tatwas/
LLL
*/ .n this account shall I speak of the rise of $reath in the $odyA $y knowin& the nature of
inspiration and expiration comes into $ein& the knowled&e of the three times/
LLL
otes , 1an can de0ote himself most easily to his own $ody/ .n this account the laws of
the rise of the $reath in the $ody ha0e $een descri$ed here/
Mnowled&e of the three times (the past' the present and the future# is nothin& more than a
scientific knowled&e of the causes and effects of phenomena/ Mnow the present tatwic
state of thin&s' know its antecedent and conse;uent states' and you ha0e a knowled&e of
the three times/
LLL
1+/ This science of the rise of $reath' the hidden of the hidden' the shower of the true
4ood' is a pearl on the head of the wise/
11/ This knowled&e is the su$tle of the su$tleA it is easily understoodA it causes the $elief of
truthA it excites wonder in the world of un$elie0ersA it is the support amon& unskeptical
people/
1F/ The science of the rise of $reath is to $e &i0en to the calm' the pure' the 0irtuous' the
firm and the &rateful' sin&leDminded de0ote of the &uru/
1G/ It is not to $e &i0en to the 0icious' the impure' the an&ry' the untruthful' the adulterer'
and him who has wasted his su$stance/
1H/ =ear' thou &oddess' the wisdom which is found in the $odyA omniscience is caused $y
it' if well understood/
15/ In the swara are the 2edas and the shastrasA in the swara the hi&hest &andhar0aA in the
swara are all the three worldsA the swara is the reflection of the para$rahma/
LLL
otes , 8In the swara are the 2edas9' etc/ Swara is the current of the lifeDwa0e/ It is the
same as the intelli&ence of the 2edantins/ The assertion in this stanBa mi&ht ha0e two
meanin&s/ It mi&ht mean that the thin&s descri$ed in the 2edas are in the swara' or it
mi&ht mean that the description itself is there/ It mi&ht mean that $oth are there/ This is of
course an a$solute fact/ There is nothin& in the manifested uni0erse that has not recei0ed
existence from the 4reat Breath' which is the Prana of the uni0erse on the hi&hest plane of
life/
LLL
1J/ ?ithout a knowled&e of the $reath (swara#' the astrolo&er is a hose without its lord' a
speaker without learnin&' a trunk without a head/
1N/ ?hoe0er knows the analysis of the adis' and the Prana' the analysis of the tatwa' and
the analysis of the con:uncti0e susumna &ets sal0ation/
1)/ It is always auspicious in the seen or the unseen uni0erse' when the power of $reath is
masteredA they' . "air .ne' that the knowled&e of the science of $reath is somewhat
auspicious/
LLL
otes , This stanBa points to the difference $etween practical and theoretical occultism/
The practice is hi&hly auspicious' of course' $ut the theory too puts us on the ri&ht track'
and therefore is somewhat auspicious/
LLL
1*/ The parts and the first accumulations of the uni0erse were made $y the swara' and the
swara is 0isi$le as the &reat Power' the -reator' and the >estroyer/
LLL
otes , "or some reflections on this su$:ect' the reader is referred to the Essay on
E0olution/
LLL
F+/ 7 knowled&e more secret than the science of Breath' wealth more useful than the
science of Breath' a friend more true than the science of $reath' was ne0er seen or heard of/
F1/ 7n enemy is killed durin& the power of the $reath' and also friends are $rou&ht
to&etherA wealth is &ot durin& the power of $reath' and comfort and reputation durin& the
same/
LLL
otes , E0ery phenomenon is nothin& more than a phase of tatwic motion/
LLL
FF/ .n account of the force of $reath one &ets a female child or meets a kin&A $y the force
of $reath are &ods propitiated' and $y the $reath is a kin& in anyone!s power/
FG/ (ocomotion is caused $y the power of $reath' and food too is taken $y the power of
$reathA urine and faeces also are dischar&ed durin& the power of $reath/
FH/ 7ll the Sastras and Purana' etc/' $e&innin& with the 2edas and the <panishads'
contain no principle $eyond the knowled&e of swara (the $reath#/
F5/ 7ll are names and forms/ 7mon& all these people wander mistaken/ They are fools
steeped in i&norance unless the tatwas are known/
LLL
otes , 7ll the phenomena f the uni0erse are names and forms/ 7ll these names and forms
li0e in the swara of para$rahma' or comparati0ely in the su$tler tatwas/ But there nothin&
is distin&uisha$le/ They are only distin&uished as such when they are imprinted upon the
&rosser planes/ The impression takes place $y the instrumentality of %ayi' the cooler state
of lifeDmatter' which is only the shade of Prana' the ori&inal state/ =ence the names and
forms are all unreal/
LLL
FJ/ This science of the rise of $reath is the hi&hest of all the hi&h sciencesA it is a flame for
illuminatin& the mansion of the soul/
FN/ The knowled&e cannot $e imparted to this man or that man except in answer to a
;uestionA it is therefore to $e known $y one!s own exertions in the soul' $y the soul' and
soul alone/
LLL
otes , This is the cele$rated dictum' 8Mnow thyself $y thyself9' which differs from the
4reek one in the addition of the last two words/
LLL
F)/ either the lunar day' nor the constellations' nor the solar day' nor planet' nor &odA
neither rain nor the 2yatipata' nor the con:unctions 2aidhrita' etc/
LLL
otes , These are all of them the 0arious phases of the fi0e different tatwic states/ They
ha0e a natural effect upon the terrestrial life/ The effect differs with the thin& influenced/
The rays of the tatwic state of time will only $e reflected into any or&anism if the
reflectin& surface is akin/ The yo&i who has power o0er his $reath can put it into any tatwic
state he chooses' and the anta&onistic effect of time are simply thrown off/
LLL
F*/ or the $ad con:unctions' &oddess' e0er ha0e powerA when one &ets the pure power of
swara' e0erythin& has &ood effect/
G+/ In the $ody are the adi ha0in& many forms and well extendedA they ou&ht to $e
known in the $ody $y the wise' for the sake of knowled&e/
G1/ Branchin& off from the root in the na0el' NF'+++ of them extend in the $ody/
LLL
otes , The 5o&i takes the na0el to $e the startin& point of the system of adi/ So says
Patan:ali' the &reat 5o&i philosopher6
8The systems of the $ody are known $y concentration on the na0el/9
The 2edantins take the heart to $e the startin& point of the system/ The former assi&n as
the reason' the existence in the na0el of the Power Mundalini' the latter the existence in the
heart of the cardiac soul (the (in&am atma#' which is the real life of the &ross $ody/ This'
howe0er' is immaterial/ ?e may $e&in where0er we like' if we only understand truly the
location of the lifeDprinciple and its 0arious manifestations/
LLL
GF/ In the na0el is the Power Mundalini sleepin& like a serpentA thence ten adi &o upwards
and ten downwards/
LLL
otes , 8The Power Mundalini96 This power sleeps in the de0eloped or&anism/ It is that
power which draws in &ross matter from the mother or&anism throu&h the um$ilical cord'
and distri$utes it to the different places where the seminal Prana &i0es it form/ ?hen the
child separates from the mother the Power &oes to sleep/ She is no more wanted now/ The
dimensions of the child depend upon the supplies of the Mundalini/ It is said that it is
possi$le to awake the &oddess e0en in the unde0eloped or&anism $y certain practices of
5o&a/ ?hen this is done the 5o&i &ets the power of len&thenin& or shortenin& the lim$s/
LLL
GG/ Two and two of the adi &o crosswiseA they are thus twentyDfour in num$er/ The
principal are the ten adi in which act the ten forces/
GH/ -rosswise' or upwards' or downwards' in them is manifested the prana all o0er the
$ody/ They are in the $ody in the shape of -hakras supportin& all the manifestations of
Prana/
G5/ .f all these' ten are principalA out of the ten' three are the hi&hest6 Ida' Pin&ala' and the
Susumna/
GJ/ 4andhari' =asti:ih0a' Pusha and 5ashaswaniA 7lam$usha' Muhui' Sankhini' and also
>amini/
GN/ Ida is in the left part' Pin&ala in the ri&ht' Susumna in the middleA 4andhari in the left
eye/
G)/ In the ri&ht eye =asti:ih0aA in the ri&ht ear PushaA 5ashaswani in the left earA in the
mouth 7lam$usha/
G*/ Muhu in the place of the &enerati0e or&anA in the anus Shankhini/ In this way one at
each outlet stand the adi/
H+/ Ida' Pin&ala' and Susumna stand in the way of the Prana' these ten adi extend
0ariously in the $ody/
LLL
otes , "or a dissertation on these three adi' the reader is referred to the articles on
Prana/ .n a small scale' the ri&ht and left cham$ers of the heart and the ri&ht and left
portions of the spinal column are the Pin&ala and Ida/ The canal $etween these two is the
Susumna/ Takin& the $lood 0essel system to $e a mere reflection of the ner0ous system'
the terminolo&y mi&ht $e applied to the ner0ous alone/ It appears' howe0er' that the adi
of the Tantra comprehend $oth these systems/ In the ner0ous system there is the real
power' and this must $e present e0erywhere where there is any manifestation of life/
LLL
H1/ These are the names of the adis/ ow I &i0e the names of the forces6 (1# Prana' (F#
7pana' (G# Samana' (H# <dana' and (5# 2yana /
HF/ (J# a&a' (N# Murma' ()# Mrikila' (*# >e0adatta' and (1+# >hanan:aya/ In the chest
li0es always the pranaA the apana in the circle of the anus/
HG/ The Samana in the circle of the na0el' the <dana in the midst of the throatA the 2yana
per0ades all o0er the $ody/ These are the ten principal forces/
HH/ The fi0e $e&innin& with the Prana ha0e $een descri$ed/ The remainin& fi0e $e&in with
a&a/ Their names and places too I &i0e6
H5/ The a&a is known in $elchin&A the Murma in the twinklin& of the eyeA the Mrikila is
known as the cause of hun&erA the >e0adatta is known in yawnin&/
HJ/ The allDper0adin& >hanan:aya does not lea0e e0en the dead $ody/ 7ll these mo0e in
all the adis where they put on the appearance of life/
HN/ (et the wise man know the manifest mo0ements of the indi0idualiBed prana $y the
three adi6 Ida' Pin&ala' and Susumna/
H)/ The Ida is to $e known in the left half and the Pin&ala in the ri&ht/
H*/ The moon is placed in the IdaA the sun in the Pin&alaA the Susumna has the nature of
Sam$hu' and Sam$hu is the self of =ansa Oinspiration and expiration $othP/
5+/ Expiration is called =aA inspiration is SaA =a is the Si0a Othe maleP' and Sa the Sakti
Othe femaleP/
51/ 7ppearin& as Sakti' stands the moon' causin& the left adi to flowA causin& the ri&ht
adi to flow' the sun appears as Sam$hu OmaleP/
5F/ 7ny charity &i0en $y the wise while the $reath is in the left nostril' multiplies krore
upon krore of times in this world/
5G/ (et the 5o&i look into his face' with one mind and with attention' and thus let him
know entirely the motion of the sun and the moon/
5H/ (et him meditate upon the tatwa when the prana is calm' ne0er when it is distur$edA his
desire will $e fulfilled' he will ha0e &reat $enefit and 0ictory/
55/ To those men who practice' and thus always keep the sun and moon in proper order'
knowled&e of the past and the future $ecomes as easy as if they were in their hand/
5J/ In the left adi the appearance of the $reath is that of the 7mrita (ectar#A it is the
&reat nourisher of the world/ In the ri&ht' the motionDimpartin& portion' the world is always
$orn/
LLL
otes , 7 krore L 1+ million/ The e&ati0e phase of Prana has the ;ualities of 7mrita' the
&i0er of eternal life/ The ne&ati0e matter' the moon' is cooler than the positi0e matter' the
sun/ The former is %ayi' the latter Prana/ The former recei0es the impressions from the
latter' and this plays the part of impartin& impressions to that/ The moon' therefore' is the
real life of all names and forms/ In her they li0eA she keeps them up/ She is' therefore' the
7mrita' the nectar of life/ The ri&ht adi is' from the &reater temperature it possesses' the
imparter of names and forms' or $riefly' the motionDimpartin& phase of life matter/ It is the
tendency of the sun to always cause chan&es in names and forms' and &i0in& new
impressions in the place of the old/ =ence the sun is the &reat destroyer of forms/ =e is the
father of the forms' $ut the real preser0er is the moon/
LL
5N/ The middle one' the susumna' mo0es 0ery cruelly' and is 0ery $ad in all actsA
e0erywhere in auspicious acts the left OadiP causes stren&th/
5)/ In &oin& out the left is auspiciousA in &oin& in the ri&ht is auspiciousA the moon must $e
known to $e e0en' the sun odd/
5*/ The moon is female' the sun is maleA the moon is fair' the sun is dark Oas compared to
the moonP/ >urin& the flow of the adi of the moon let calm acts $e done/
J+/ >urin& the flow of the adi of the sun harsh works are to $e doneA durin& the flow of
the susumna are to $e done acts resultin& in the attainments of psychic powers and
sal0ation/
J1/ In the $ri&ht fortni&ht the moon comes in first' in the dark one the sunA $e&innin& from
the first lunar day they rise one after the other in order' after three days each/
JF/ The moon and the sun ha0e each the white Onorthward' upwardP and the $lack
Osouthward' downwardP duration of FD1KF &hari/ They flow in order durin& the J+ &hari of
a day/
JG/ Then $y a &hari each OFH minutesP the fi0e tatwas flow/ The days $e&in with the
pratipat Othe first lunar dayP/ ?hen the order is re0ersed the effect is re0ersed/
JH/ In the $ri&ht fortni&ht the left Ois powerfulP' in the dark the ri&htA let the yo&i with
attention $rin& these into order' $e&innin& with the first lunar day/
J5/ If the $reath rises Oat sunriseP $y way of the moon' and sets in $y that of the sun' it
confers &roups of &ood ;ualitiesA in the re0erse' the re0erse/
JJ/ (et the moon flow the whole day throu&h' and the sun the whole ni&htA he who
practices thus is no dou$t a yo&i/
JN/ The moon is checked $y the sun' the sun $y the moonA he who knows this practice'
tramples in a moment o0er the three worlds/
J)/ >urin& Thursdays' "ridays' ?ednesdays and 1ondays the left adi &i0es success in
all acts' especially in the white fortni&ht/
J*/ >urin& Sundays' Tuesdays and Saturdays the ri&ht adi &i0es success in all harsh acts'
especially in the $lack fortni&ht/
N+/ >urin& the fi0e &haris each' the tatwas ha0e their distinct rise in order' &hari $y &hari/
N1/ Thus there are twel0e chan&es durin& the day and ni&ht/ The Taurus' -ancer' 2ir&o'
Scorpio' -apricorn' and Pisces are in the moon Oi/e/' the $reath rises in the left adi in
these si&nsP/
NF/ >urin& 7ries' 4emini' (eo' (i$ra' Sa&ittarius' and 7;uarius the rise of the $reath is in
the ri&ht adi/ "rom this &ood or $ad is ascertained/
NG/ The sun is centered in the east and north' the moon in the west and south/ (et none &o
west and south durin& the flow of the ri&ht adi/
NH/ (et none &o east and north durin& the flow of the left adiA if anyone does &o' he will
ha0e the fear of ro$$ers and will not return/
N5/ The wise who desire &ood mi&ht not therefore &o in these directions durin& these
inter0alsA then there dou$tlessly will $e sufferin& and death/
NJ/ ?hen the moon flows durin& the $ri&ht fortni&ht' it is $eneficial to the manA comfort is
caused in mild deeds/
NN/ ?hen the moon rises at the time of the rise of $reath' and 0ice 0ersa' ;uarrel and
dan&er make appearance' and all &ood disappears/
The ?ron& Swara ,
N)/ ?hen in the mornin& the wron& $reath takes its rise' that is the sun in place of the
moon' and the moon in place of the sun' then6
N*/ >urin& the first day the mind is confusedA durin& the second loss of wealthA durin& the
third they speak of motionA durin& the fourth the destruction of the desired Oo$:ectP/
)+/ >urin& the fifth the destruction of worldly positionA durin& the sixth the destruction of
all o$:ectsA durin& the se0enth disease and painA durin& the ei&ht' death/
)1/ ?hen for these ei&ht days' at all the three times' the $reath is wron&' then the effect is
simply $ad/ ?hen there is somethin& less there is some &ood/
)F/ ?hen in the mornin& and the noon there is the moon' and in the e0enin& the sun' then
there is always success and $enefit/ The re0erse &i0es pain/
)G/ ?hene0er the $reath is in the ri&ht or the left adi' the :ourney will $e successful if the
ri&ht or the left' as the case may $e' is the first step/
)H/ 4oin& four steps O$y the left step firstP when the moon flows' and fi0e steps O$y the
ri&ht step firstP when the sun flows' causes success all o0er the three worlds/
)5/ .ne must &o on an e0en num$er of steps durin& the moon' and an odd one durin& the
sun' raisin& first the foot O$elon& to theP full adi/
)J/ If $y the hand of that part of the $ody in which the $reath mi&ht $e flowin& at the time
of wakin&' one touches his face' he is successful in his desires/
)N/ In takin& a thin& from another' and in &oin& out of the house' we take $y the hand in
whose correspondin& half the adi flows' and $e&in motion $y raisin& the same foot/
))/ There will $e no confusion' no ;uarrel' no piercin& with thornsA he will come $ack
comforta$le and free from all accidents/
)*/ Those who desire success in their undertakin&s must talk with teachers' relations'
kin&s' and ministers and others who can fulfill one!s desires' keepin& them towards the full
half of the $ody/
*+/ Those who desire success' $enefit' and comfort must talk with enemies' thie0es'
creditors' and such others' keepin& them towards the empty half of the $ody/
*1/ To distant countries one must &o durin& the moonA to rather near countries durin& the
sun/
*F/ ?hate0er of income' etc/' and comin&s to&ether' has $een descri$ed $efore' comes to
pass without dou$t in the adis notices $efore/
*G/ ?hate0er has $een said $efore to $e the effect of the empty adi' is all in accordance
with what has $een said $y the omniscient/
*H/ 7ll transactions or dealin&s with $ad men where there is enmity or deceit' an&ry lords
or thie0es' etc/' are dan&erous towards the full half of the $ody/
*5/ In &oin& on a distant :ourney' the moon is auspicious' and &i0es ceaseless success in
the aimA the sun is &ood in comin& in' and in the $e&innin& of any hasty work/
*J/ >urin& the flow of the moon' poison is destroyedA durin& that of the sun' power is
o$tained o0er any $ody/ >urin& the susumna sal0ation is o$tained/ .ne power stands in
three forms6 the sun' the moon' and the susumna/
*N/ It mi&ht happen that when somethin& is to $e done' the $reath is not ri&htly flowin&' or
con0ersely' when the $reath is flowin& as it ou&ht to $e' there is no occasion for the action
to $e done/ =ow then is a man of $usiness to follow the promptin&s of pranaE
*)/ 7uspicious or inauspicious acts are always to $e done day and ni&ht/ ?hen need $e the
proper adi is to $e set in motion/
The Ida ,
**/ In those acts which are desired to ha0e dura$le effect' in &oin& on a distant :ourney' in
enterin& an order of life (7shrama# or a palace' in amassin& wealthA
1++/ In sinkin& wells' ponds' tanks' etc' in erectin& columns and idols' in $uyin& utensils'
in marria&e' in ha0in& clothes' :ewels and ornaments preparedA
1+1/ In preparin& coolin& and nourishin& di0ine medicines' in seein& one!s lord' in trade'
in collection of &rainA
1+F/ In &oin& into a new house' in takin& char&e of some office' in culti0ation' in throwin&
the seed' in auspicious peaceDmakin&' in &oin& out' the moon is auspicious/
1+G/ In such acts as $e&innin& to read' etc/' in seein& relationsI in 0irtue' in learnin& from
some spiritual teacher' in rehearsin& a 1antraA
1+H/ In readin& the aphorisms of the Science of Time' in $rin&in& ;uadrupeds home' in the
treatment of diseases' in callin& upon mastersA
1+5/ In ridin& horses and elephants' in doin& &ood to others' in makin& depositsA
1+J/ In sin&in&' in playin& upon instruments' in thinkin& of the science of musical sounds'
in enterin& any town' in coronationA
1+N/ In disease' sorrow' de:ection' fe0er' and swoon' in esta$lishin& relations with one!s
people' in enterin& any town or 0illa&e' in coronationA
1+)/ In the adornment of their person $y women' when the rain is comin&' in the worship
of the teacher' in preparin& poisons' etc/' . "air .neR The moon is auspicious/
1+*/ 7lso such acts as the practice of 5o&a &i0e success in Ida/ E0en in Ida let one &i0e up
the akasa and tai:as modifications of prana/
11+/ In day or in ni&ht all works are successfulA in all auspicious works the flow of the
moon is &ood/
The Pin&ala ,
111/ In all harsh acts' in the readin& and teachin& of difficult sciencesI in &ettin& into a
shipA
11F/ In all $ad acts' in drinkin&' in rehearsin& the 1antra of such a &od as Bhaira0a' in
administerin& poison to enemiesA
11G/ In learnin& the Shastras' in &oin&' in huntin&' in the sellin& of animals' in the difficult
collection of $ricks' wood' stone and :ewels' etc/A
11H/ In the practice of music' in the 5antras and tantras' in clim$in& a hi&h place or
mountain' in &am$lin&' in theft' in the $reakin& of an elephant or a horse' in a carria&e or
otherwise/
115/ In ridin& a new donkey' camel' or $uffalo' or an elephant or horse' in crossin& a
stream' in medicine' in writin&A
11J/ In athletic sports' in killin& or producin& confusion' in practicin& the six Marmas' etc/'
in o$tainin& power of 5akshinis' 5akshas' 2etalas' Poisons and Bhutas' etc/A
11N/ In killin&' in causin& lo0eI in enmity' in mesmeriBin&' causin& one to do anythin& at
$iddin&' in drawin& anyone towards anythin&' in causin& distress and confusion' in charity'
and $uyin& and sellin&/
11)/ In practicin& with swords' in inimical $attle' in amorous en:oyment' in seekin& the
kin&' in eatin&' in $athin&' in mercantile ne&otiations' in harsh and hot deeds' the sun is
auspicious/
11*/ @ust after eatin&I in winnin& the fa0or of women' the sun is auspicious/ The wise
ou&ht to sleep' too' durin& the flow of the sun $reath/
1F+/ 7ll harsh acts' all those 0arious acts which in their nature must $e transitory and
temporary' find success durin& the sun/ There is no dou$t in this/
The Susumna ,
1F1/ ?hen the $reath mo0es one moment in the left and the other in the ri&ht' the Ostate of
pranaP too is known a susumna/ It is the destroyer of acts/
LLL
otes , It will $e seen that in this section three phases of the Susumna ha0e $een noticed6
(1# ?hen the $reath comes one moment out of one nostril and next out of the otherA (F#
?hen the $reath at once flows out of $oth nostrils with e;ual forceA (G# ?hen the $reath
flows out of one nostril with &reater force than it does out of the other/ The first is called
the <ne;ual state (2ishama$ha0a#/ The second and third are called the 2ishu0at or
2ishu0a/
LLL
1FF/ ?hen the prana is in that adi the fires of death $urn/ It is called 2ishu0at' the
destroyer of all actions/
1FG/ ?hen $oth the adis' which ou&ht to flow one after the other' then without dou$t
there is dan&er for him who is thus afflicted/
1FH/ ?hen it is at one moment in the ri&ht' the other moment in the left' it is called the
une;ual state/ The effect is the re0erse of what is desired' and so it ou&ht to $e known' .
"air .neR
1F5/ The wise call it 2ishu0at when $oth the adis flow/ >o neither harsh not mild acts at
that timeA $oth will $e fruitless/
1FJ/ In life' in death' in askin& ;uestions' in income' or its a$sence' in success or its want'
e0erywhere the re0erse is the case durin& the flow of the 2ishu0at/ %emem$er then the
(ord of the <ni0erse/
1FN/ The Iswara is to $e remem$ered $y acts such as the practice of 5o&aA nothin& else is
to $e done at that time $y those who desire success' income and comfort/
1F)/ Pronounce a curse or $enediction when with the sun the Susumna flows slowlyA it will
all $e useless/
1F*/ ?hen the une;ual state takes rise' do not so much as think of :ourneyin&/ @ourneyin&
durin& this state undou$tedly causes pain and death/
1G+/ ?hen the adi chan&es or the tatwa chan&es' nothin& auspicious shall $e done $y
way of charity' etc/
1G1/ In the front' in the left' and a$o0e is the moon/ .n the $ack' on the ri&ht' and $elow is
the sun/ in this way the wise ou&ht to know the distinction $etween the full and empty/
LLL
otes , Two or more phases of con:unction ha0e $een noticed6 (1# Sandhya Sandhi' and
(F# 2edo0eda/
7ccordin& to some philosophers' these do not exist/ These two are said to $e $ut the names
of the two fore&oin& ones/ This' howe0er' is not the thesis of the present writer/ =e holds
that $oth these states exist separately/
The Sandhya Sandhi is that Susumna throu&h which disappearance takes place into the
hi&her matter $eyond/ The physiolo&ical Susumna is the reser0oir of man!s potential
physiolo&ical life/ "rom that state takes its $irth either the positi0e or the ne&ati0e phase of
life/
But the Susumna is the child of a hi&her phase of life/ The positi0e and ne&ati0e mental
forces accordin& to similar laws &i0e $irth to this potential pranamaya kosha/ The world'
as some writers ha0e said' is the outcome of mental motion (Sankala' 1einah sphurana#/
The state of the con:unction of these two mental states is the Sandhya Sandhi/ The same
name seems to ha0e $een &i0en to the hi&her susumna/ ?hen the two phases of mental
matter are neutraliBed in the Susumna' the pranamaya kosha loses its 0itality and
disappears/
This is that state in which is thrown the reflection of the =i&her 7tma' and from whence it
is possi$le for it to come into the mind/
LLL
1GF/ The 1essen&er who is a$o0e' in front' or on the left' is in the way of the moon' and
he who is $elow in the $ack and on the front' is in the way of the sun/
1GG/ The con:unction' which has no $e&innin&' is .ne' and is without OpotentialP
nourishment or confusion C that throu&h which disappearance takes place in the su$tle
matter $eyond C is called Sandhya Sandhi/
1GH/ Some say there is no separate Sandhya Sandhi' $ut the state in which the prana is in
the 2ishu0at is called Sandhya Sandhi/
1G5/ There is no separate 2edo0edaA it does not exist/ That con:unction is called 2edo0eda
$y which the hi&hest 7tma is known/
The Tatwas ,
1GJ/ Said the &oddess6 4reat (ordR 4od of the &odsR In thy mind is the &reat secret that
&i0es sal0ation to the worldA tell me all that/
1GN/ Said the &od6 There is no 4od $eyond the secret knowled&e of $reathA the 5o&i who is
de0oted to the science of $reath is the hi&hest 5o&i/
1G)/ -reation takes place from the fi0e tatwasA the tatwa disappears in tatwaA the fi0e
tatwas constitute the o$:ects of the hi&hest knowled&eA $eyond the fi0e tatwas is the
"ormless/
1G*/ The Prithi0i' the 7pas' the Tai:as' the 2ayu' and the 7kasa are the fi0e tatwasA
e0erythin& is of the fi0e tatwas/ %e0ered is he who knows this/
1H+/ In the $ein&s of all the worlds the tatwas are the same all o0erA from the Satyaloka the
arran&ement of adi only differs/
LLL
otes , See the Essay on the Tatwas/ =ow e0erythin&' e0ery possi$le phenomenon of the
soul' the mind' the prana' and the &ross matter is of the tatwas' the introductory Essays
ha0e tried to explain/
The ner0ous system is different in all the lokas/ It has $een said many a time that the tatwic
rays flyin& in e0ery direction from e0ery point &i0e $irth to innumera$le truti that are
minimiBed pictures of the macrocosm/ ow it will $e easy to understand that these pictures
are formed in different planes' which are differently inclined to the solar axis' and lie at
different distances from the sun/ .ur planet is at a certain distance from the sun' and life is
so arran&ed on this planet that the lunar and solar lifeDcurrents must ha0e e;ual force if the
or&anism is to $e maintained/ The tatwas also must $e $alanced/ There mi&ht $e other
planes of life in which the respecti0e powers of the two currents and the tatwas mi&ht $e
&reater or less than they are on the earth/ This difference will secure a difference in the
arran&ements of the adi' and also in their shape/
?e experience this sort of thin& e0en on our earth/ >ifferent animals and 0e&eta$les ha0e
different shapes/ This is simply on account of the different truti stretchin& on different
planes' differently inclined to the solar axis/ Suppose for the sale of illustration that the
followin& is the sphere of the macrocosmic prana6
?orks on astrolo&y assi&n different or&ans to these astral di0isions' and for the purpose of
illustration I shall assume these without further explanation/ Thus we ha0e on a lar&er
scale6
These twel0e re&ions comprehend the whole $ody in and out/ ow suppose that there is a
plane 7DB ha0in& a certain inclination to the axis of the sun' S/ "rom e0ery point in the
twel0e re&ions rays fall in e0ery truti of the plane 7DB/ Then there are other planes' -D>
and ED"' etc/
It is e0ident that the rays fallin& on all these planes from the twel0e re&ions will 0ary in
relati0e stren&th and position on different planes/ It is e0ident that on all these planes the
different or&ans will differ in shape' in stren&th' and in relati0e position/ This &i0es $irth to
more or less 0aryin& ner0ous systems in all the lokas' and the 0arious shapes of the
or&anisms of the earth/
7s in e0olution the necessities of the mind are chan&ed' the pranamaya Moshas chan&e
their planes' and it is thus that they are chan&ed on earth accordin& to the occult theory of
e0olution/
LLL
1H1/ In the left as well as the ri&ht there is the fi0eDfold rise Oof the tatwasP/ The knowled&e
of the tatwas is ei&htDfold/ =ear me' . "air .ne6 I shall tell thee/
1HF/ The first is the num$er of the tatwasA the second the con:unction of $reathA the third
are the si&ns of the $reathA the fourth the place of the tatwasA
1HG/ The fifth is the color of the tatwasA the sixth is the prana itselfA the se0enth is their
tasteA the ei&hth is their mode of 0i$ration/
1HH/ =ear of the threeDfold Prana6 the 2ishu0ata' the 7cti0e Ochara' the motor' sunP' the
Passi0e Oachara or sthira' the recei0er of motion' the moonP C in these ei&ht forms/ There
is nothin&' . (otusD"aced 4oddess' $eyond the $reath/
1H5/ ?hen $y the effect of time the power of seein& does come it must $e seen with &reat
effort/ The 5o&i acts for the purpose of decei0in& time/
LLL
otes , TThe 5o&i acts for the purpose of decei0in& time/T Time is the order of appearance
of the 0arious tatwic phases of a li0in& or&anism/ In man this order is re&ulated $y his
pre0ious Marma/ By the power of pre0ious Marma' the human or&anism assumes different
recepti0e states' and in accordance with the recepti0ity the tatwic influence of time C the
solar prana C cause pains or en:oyments of different sorts/
By the practice of 5o&a the 5o&i masters the tatwic chan&es of his $ody/ Time is cheated/
If he pushes the &erm of disease out of his $ody no epidemic will e0er affect him/
LLL
1HJ/ (et a man shut his ears $y his thum$s' his nostrils $y the middle fin&ers' his mouth $y
the last fin&ers and those last $ut one' and his eyes $y the remainin& fin&ers/
1HN/ In this state the fi0e tatwas are &radually known as the yellow' the white' the red' the
$lue' and the spotted without any other distinct upadhi OdifferentiaP/
1H)/ (ookin& into a mirror' let the $reath $e thrown upon itA thus let the wise man know
the difference amon& the tatwas $y their forms/
1H*/ Uuadran&ular' semiDlunar' trian&ular' spherical' and spotted are respecti0ely the forms
of the fi0e tatwas/
15+/ Thus the first' prithi0i' flows midwayA the second' apas' flows downwardA the third'
a&ni' flows upwardsA the fourth' 0ayu' flows at acute an&lesA the akasa flows $etween
e0ery two/
151/ The apas tatwa is whiteA the prithi0i yellowA the a&ni redA the 0ayu skyD$lueA the akasa
foreshadows e0ery color/
15F/ "irst of all flows the 0ayu tatwaA secondly' the tai:asA thirdly' the prithi0iA and
fourthly' the apas/
15G/ Between the two shoulders is located a&niA in the root of the na0el 0ayuA in the knees
the apasA in the feet the prithi0iA in the head the akasa/
15H/ The prithi0i tatwa is sweetA the apas astrin&entA the tai:as pun&entA the 0ayu acidA the
akasa $itter/
155/ The 0ayu flows ei&ht fin&ers $readthA the a&ni fourA the prithi0i twel0eA the apas
sixteen/
15J/ The upward motion tends to deathA the downward to calmnessA the one at acute an&les
to restlessnessA the middle one to enduranceA the akasa is common to all/
15N/ >urin& the flow of the prithi0i are performed acts which are expected to li0e lon&A
durin& the apas passi0e actsA durin& the tai:as harsh actsA durin& the 0ayu' killin&' etc/
15)/ othin& ou&ht to $e done durin& the akasa except the practice of 5o&aA all other acts
will remain without their desired effect/
15*/ >urin& the prithi0i and the apas success is o$tained A death comes in the tai:asA
reduction in the 0ayu/ The akasa is known $y the tatwic philosophers to $e alto&ether
useless/
1J+/ >urin& the prithi0i income is lateA durin& the apas' immediateA loss comes into
existence $y the tai:as and the 0ayuA akasa is alto&ether useless/
1J1/ The prithi0i tatwa is yellow' has slow motion' mo0es in the middle' comes in its flow
up to the end of the sternum' is hea0y in sound' has sli&ht heat in temperature/ It &i0es
success in works that are expected to stay lon&/
1JF/ The apas tatwa is white' has rapid motion' mo0es downwards' comes in its flow
sixteen fin&ers downward Oup to the na0elP' is hea0y in sound' is cool in temperature/
1JG/ The tai:as tatwa is red' mo0es in whirls Oa0arta&ahP' mo0es upwards' comes in its
flow four fin&ers downwards Oup to the end of the chinP' is 0ery hi&h in temperature/ It
&i0es $irth to harsh actions Oactions which' so to speak' set one on fireP/
1JH/ The 0ayu tatwa is skyD$lue' mo0es at acute an&les' comes in flow ei&ht fin&ers
downward' is hot or cool in temperature/ It &i0es success in those works that are transitory/
1J5/ The akasa tatwa is the common surface of all' foreshadows the ;ualities of all the
tatwas/ It &i0es yo&a to the yo&i/
1JJ/ 5ellow and ;uadran&ular' sweet and mo0in& in the middle' and the &i0er of
en:oyment is the prithi0i tatwa' which flows twel0e fin&ers downwards/
1JN/ ?hite' semiDlunar' astrin&ent' mo0in& downwards' and the causer of $enefit is the
apas tatwa' which is sixteen fin&ers in flow/
1J)/ DDD
1J*/ Blue' spherical' acid' mo0in& at acute an&les' the &i0er of locomotion is the 0ayu
tatwa' which is ei&ht fin&ers in flow/
1N+/ "oreshadowin& all colors' of the shape of an ear' $itter in taste' mo0in& e0erywhere
throu&h the &i0er of 1oksha is the akasa tatwa' which is useless in all worldly works/
1N1/ The prithi0i and the apas are auspicious tatwas' the tai:as is middlin& in its effects'
the akasa and 0ayu are inauspicious and cause loss and death to mankind/
1NF/ The apas tatwa is in the eastA the prithi0i in the westA the 0ayu in the northA the tai:as
in the southA the akasa in the middle corners/
1NG/ ?hen the prithi0i and the apas are in the moon' and the a&ni in the sun' then there is
dou$tless success in mild and harsh acts respecti0ely/
1NH/ The prithi0i causes income durin& the day' the apas durin& the ni&htA death comes in
the tai:asA reduction in the 0ayuA the akasa sometimes $urns/
1N5/ In fitness for li0in&' in success' in income' in culti0ation Oor6 in en:oyment and
&rowthP' in amassin& wealth' in understandin& the meanin& of the mantras' in ;uestions
a$out $attle' in comin& and &oin&A
1NJ/ Benefit results durin& the apas tatwaA auspicious stay where0er it is durin& the
prithi0iA $y the 0ayu they &o away elsewhereA the akasa and the tai:as cause loss and death/
1NN/ In the prithi0i comes the thou&ht of roots O1alaPA in the apas and the 0ayu that of
li0in& thin&sA in the tai:as comes the thou&ht of mineralsA in the akasa there is 0oid/
1N)/ In the prithi0i one thinks of $ein&s of many feetA in the apas and 0ayu of $ipedsA in
the tai:as of ;uadrupedsA in the akasa of the footless/
1N*/ 1ars is said to $e the tai:as' the Sun the prithi0i' Saturn the apas' and the %ahu the
0ayu in the ri&ht adi/
1)+/ The 1oon is in the apas' @upiter the prithi0i' 1ercury the 0ayu' and 2enus the tai:as
in the left adiA for all acts dou$tless/
LLL
otes , The tatwic 0alue of the planets descri$ed in these two 0erses seems to $e the
opinion of only a few/ The opinion of the writer' which is also the opinion of the &reat
astrolo&er 2arahamchira' is expressed in stanBa 1)1/
LLL
1)1/ @upiter is the prithi0iA the 1oon and 2enus are the apasA the Sun and 1ars are the
tai:asA the >ra&on' the Metu' and Saturn are 2ayuA 1ercury is the akasa/
1)F/ Say durin& the prithi0i the ;uestion that is a$out earthly thin&s Oroots' malaPA durin&
the apas a$out lifeA durin& the tai:as a$out mineralsA durin& the akasa nothin&/
1)G/ (ea0in& the Sun and the 1oon' when the $reath &oes to the %ahu know that it OpranaP
is in motion and desires another place/
1)H/ (1# Pleasure' *F# &rowth' (G# affection' (H# playfulness' (5# success' (J# lau&hin&' (N#
in the prithi0i and the apasA want of power in the or&ans' ()# fe0er' (*# trem$lin&' (1+#
&oin& out of one!s country in the tai:as and 0ayu/
1)5/ (11# (oss of the life' su$stance' (1F# and death in the akasa C these twel0e are the
phases of the moon Oi/e/' the forms' etc/' that the ne&ati0e matter assumesPA they ou&ht
always to $e known with pains $y the wise/
LLL
otes , These twel0e are the phases of the moon/ The moon here means the power that
&i0es sustenance to names and forms/ That power' the rayi' appears in twel0e forms'
accordin& to tatwic chan&es/ The flow of the left adi in its diurnal course is not meant
here/
LLL
1)J/ In the East' the ?est' the South' and the orth' the tatwas' prithi0i' etc/' are powerful'
so let it $e said/
1)N/ "air .ne' the $ody must $e known as made of the fi0e 1aha$hutas6 the prithi0i' the
apas' the tai:as' the 0ayu' and the akasa/
1))/ Bone' muscle' skin' adi and hair6 these are the fi0efold prithi0i as laid down $y the
Brahma0idya Othe di0ine scienceP/
1)*/ The semen' the female &enital fluid' fat' urine and sali0a6 these are the fi0efold apas
as laid down $y the Brahma0idya/
1*+/ =un&er' thirst' sleep' li&ht' drowsiness6 these are the fi0efold a&ni as laid down $y the
Brahma0idya/
1*1/ %emo0in&' walkin&' smellin&' contraction and inflation6 these are the fi0efold 0ayu as
laid down $y the Brahma0idya/
1*F/ >esire to ha0e' desire to repel' shame' fear and for&etfulness6 these are the fi0efold
akasa as laid down $y the di0ine science/
1*G/ The prithi0i has fi0e ;ualities' the apas four' the tai:as three' the 0ayu two' the akasa
one/ This is a portion of tatwic knowled&e/
1*H/ The prithi0i is 5+ pala Opala L 1KG ounceP' the apas H+A the tai:as G+A the 0ayu F+A the
akasa 1+/
1*5/ In the prithi0i income is delayedA in the apas it comes at onceA in the 0ayu it is 0ery
littleA in the a&ni e0en what is at hand is destroyed/
1*J/ OThe lunar mansionsP (1# >hanestha' (F# %ohini' (G# @yestha' (H# 7naradha' (5#
Srawana' (J# 7$hi:i' and (N# <ttarashadh6 these are said to $e the prithi0i tatwa/
1*N/ (1# Bharani' (F# Mrithka' (G# Pushya' (H# 1a&ha' (5# Pur0aphal&uni' (J#
Pur0a$hadrapada' and (N# Swath6 these are said to $e the tai:as tatwa/
1*)/ (1# Pur0a shada' (F# Shelesha' (G# 1ula' (H# 7rdra' (5# %e0ati' (J# <ttara
$hadrapada' and (N# Sata$hisha6 these are the apas tatwa' . Belo0edR
1**/ (1# 2ishakha' (F# <ttara&phal&uni' (G# =asta' (H# -hitra' (5# Punar0asu/ (J# 7shwani'
and (N# 1ri&ashirsha6 these are the 0ayu tatwa/
F++/ ?hate0er &ood or $ad the messen&er asks a$out' standin& towards the flowin& adi'
comes not to pass as he desires/ In the empty adi it is the re0erse/
F+1/ E0en when the adi is full' $ut the tatwa is not con&enial' there is no success/ The sun
or the moon &i0es success only when com$ines with the con&enial tatwa/
F+F/ %ama &ot 0ictory in an auspicious tatwaA so did 7r:una/ The Maura0as were all killed
in $attle on account of the anta&onistic tatwa/
F+G/ By the ac;uired 0elocity of other $irths' or $y the kindness of the &uru' some men
come to know the nature of the tatwas $y a mind purified $y ha$ituation/
The 1editation of the "i0e Tatwas ,
F+H/ 1editate upon the prithi0i tatwa with ( Oor (amP as its al&e$raic sym$ol' as $ein&
;uadran&ular' yellow' sweetDsmellin&' and conferrin& a color as pure as that of &old'
freedom from disease and li&htness of the $ody/
F+5/ 1ediate upon the apas tatwa with 2 Oor 2amP as its al&e$raic sym$ol' as $ein& semilunar'
white as the moon' and &i0in& endurance of hun&er and thirst' etc/' and producin& a
sensation similar to that of a plun&e in water/
F+J/ 1editate upon the tai:as tatwa with % Oor %amP as the al&e$raic sym$ol' as $ein&
trian&ular' red' and &i0in& the power of consumin& a &ood deal of food and drink' and the
endurance of $urnin& heat/
F+N/ 1editate upon the 0ayu tatwa with P Oor PamP as the al&e$raic sym$ol' as $ein&
spherical' skyD$lue' and &i0in& the power of &oin& into the space' and flyin& like $ird/
F+)/ 1editate upon the akasa tatwa with = Oor =amP as the al&e$raic sym$ol' formless'
foreshadowin& many colors' and as &i0in& the knowled&e of the three times' and the
powers 7nima' etc/
F+*/ ?here there is a man who knows the science of $reath' there can $e no wealth $etter
than him/ It is known that $y the Mnowled&e of $reath one &ets &ood fruit without much
ado/
The 7uspicious 2ictory ,
F1+/ 4reat (ordR The &od of &ods' the &i0er of happiness' the science of the rise of $reath
is a 0ery hi&h scienceA how does it comprehend the Mnowled&e of the three timesE
F11/ Said the &od6 "air oneR The knowled&e of three times refers to three thin&s' and
nothin& else6 (1# "ortune' (F# 2ictory in $attle' and (G# 4ood or $ad Oend of other actionsP/
F1F/ .n account of the tatwa any act is &ood or $ad in effectA on account of the tatwa
comes 0ictory or discomfitureA on account of the tatwa comes scarcity and wealth/ The
tatwas are said to show themsel0es in these three states/
F1G/ Said the &oddess6 4reat (ordR The &od of &ods' the allDcomprehendin& ocean of this
world is the &reatest friend and helpDmate of men' he who causes the fulfillment of all his
worksE
F1H/ Si0a said6 The Prana alone is the hi&hest friend' the Prana is the &reatest helpmate'
"air oneR There is no friend $etter than Prana/
F15/ Said the &oddess6 =ow does the force of Prana stand in the $odyE ?hat is the
appearance of Prana in the $odyE =ow is the Prana known $y the 5o&i to $e actin& in the
tatwasE
F1J/ Si0a said6 In the city of the $ody the Prana is the (ord ProtectorA while &oin& in' it is
1+ fin&ersA while &oin& out' 1F/
LLL
otes , This section refers to the human 7ura/ The su$tle Prana surrounds the &ross
human $ody like a halo of li&ht/ The natural len&th from the $ody to the circumference of
this halo is 1F fin&ers of the man whose Prana is measured/ This len&th is affected durin&
the ordinary course of inspiration and expiration/ 7t the time of inspiration the len&th is
reduced to 1+ fin&ersA at the time of expiration it is restored to 1F/ >urin& certain other
actions too' the len&th 0aries/ Thus' in walkin& the len&th of Prana $ecomes FHA in
runnin&' HF/
In coha$itation it $ecomes J5A in sleepin&' 1++/ In eatin& and speakin&' it $ecomes 1)/
In ordinary men' the len&th is 1F fin&ers/ The ordinary len&th is' howe0er' reduced in
extraordinary men/ Thus' in those men who are free from desire' the len&th of Prana is
reduced $y one fin&erA it $ecomes 11/ In men who are always pleasant' always hilarious'
the len&th is 1+ fin&ers/ 7 poet has * fin&ers/ 7 speaker has )/ 7 ser has s
N/ 7 le0itator has J' and so on/ See the followin& stanBas/
LLL
F1N/ In walkin& it is FH fin&ers' in runnin& HFA in coha$itation J5A in sleepin& 1++ fin&ers/
F1)/ The natural len&th of Prana' my &oddess' is 1F fin&ers/ In eatin& and speakin& it
stretches to 1) fin&ers/
F1*/ ?hen the Prana is reduced $y one fin&er' freedom from desire is the result/ Pleasure
results when it is reduced $y FA poetical power when $y GA
FF+/ Power of speech when $y HA second si&ht when $y 5A le0itation when $y JA &reat
rapidity when $y NA
FF1/ The ei&ht siddhi when $y )A the nine niddhis when $y *A the ten fi&ures when $y 1+'
the loss of the shadow when $y 11A
FFF/ ?hen it is reduced $y 1F the inspiratory and expiratory motions drink of the fountain
of immortality at the sun Othe center of PranaP/ ?hen the prana fills the $ody up to the end
of nails e0en' for whom else then is foodE
FFG/ Thus has $een descri$ed the law of prana/ It can $e known $y the teachin& of a &uru'
not $y millions of sciences and shastra/
FFH/ If the moon does not set in $y chance in the mornin&' and the sun in the e0enin&' they
do so respecti0ely after midday and midni&ht/
The Battle ,
FF5/ In distant warfare the moon is 0ictoriousA in near places the sun/ ?hen the foot is
raised first in &oin& $elon&s to the flowin& adi' complete success is the result/
FFJ/ In $e&innin& a :ourney' in marria&e' in enterin& any town' etc/' in all auspicious acts'
the flow of the moon is &ood/
FFN/ Puttin& the enemy!s army towards the empty adi' and one!s own towards the full'
when the tatwa is con&enial' one mi&ht con;uer the whole world/
FF)/ (et one &i0e $attle in the direction towards which the $reath flowsA 0ictory is certain'
e0en if Indra is in front/
FF*/ If a man puts a ;uestion a$out $attle' he will win if he is towards the flowin& adi'
lose if he is towards the other/
FG+/ The prithi0i tatwa points to wounds in the $elly' the apas in the feetA the a&ni in the
thi&hsA the 0ayu in the hands/
FG1/ The akasa in the head/ These fi0efold wounds ha0e $een descri$ed in the Science of
Breath/
FGF/ =e whose name has e0en letters wins' if he asks the ;uestion durin& the flow of the
moon/ =e who has an odd num$er of letters in his name wins if he asks the ;uestion durin&
the flow of the sun/
FGG/ ?hen the ;uestion is put durin& the moon there will $e a peaceful terminationA durin&
the sun the fi&ht must come/
FGH/ >urin& the prithi0i tatwa' the fi&ht will $e e;ual/ >urin& the apas the result will $e
e;ual/ >urin& the tai:as there will $e defeat/ >urin& the 0ayu and the akasa death will
ensue/
FG5/ ?hen $y some cause the flow of the $reath is not clearly felt at the time of the
;uestion' let the wise man resort to the followin& expedientA
FGJ/ Sittin& motionless let him ha0e a flower thrown upon himself/ The flower will fall on
the full side/ So let him &i0e the answer/
FGN/ =ere or elsewhere the knower of the laws of $reath is 0ery powerfulA who is more
powerful than heE
FG)/ Said the &oddess6 These are the laws of 0ictory when men fi&ht amon& themsel0esA
how does 0ictory come when they fi&ht with 5ama Othe &od of deathPE
FG*/ (et him meditate upon the (ord when the prana is calmA durin& the flow of the moon
and then &i0e up life when after that the two pranas coincide/ =e will ha0e what he
desires6 &reat $enefit and success/
FH+/ The whole unmanifested world has come out of the unmanifested/ That manifested
world disappears in the unmanifested when the fact is known/
=ow To Produce Sexual 7ttachment ,
FH1/ Said the &oddess6 4reat (ordR Thou hast &i0en a description of the $attle amon& men'
and with >eathA tell me now how to produce attachment $etween the sexes/
FHF/ Said the &od6 It has $een said $y the 5o&is that if one places himself in the sphere of
prana' $y drawin& the moon with the sun' the female will $e eternally attached/
LLL
otes , The sphere of Prana means the halo of this force which surrounds the &ross $ody/
7t the time when the male prana has the pure color of the sun' and the female that of the
moon' let the two halos $e $rou&ht to&ether/ They are at that moment in their own element/
7s the two halos come to&ether' they all exchan&e color/ ?ith a certain amount of natural
satisfaction the indi0idual sun will contract the ha$it of $ein& satisfied $y the indi0idual
female prana' and 0ice 0ersa/ This must of course $e repeated for some time in order to
&i0e each of the two pranas the permanent color of the other/ .ne more thin& must $e
done/ 7ny anta&onistic colors must not $e allowed to take e0en the sli&htest hold of either
of these pranas/ If this is done the two will learn to repel each other' and instead of
attachment enmity will result/
LLL
FHG/ The prana is cau&ht $y the prana if the prana does &i0e himself up/ ?hen the prana
&oes in the place of the prana' short life is destroyed/
LLL
otes , The first and third pranas in the 0erse mean either the male or the female' while
the second means the re0erse of either/ It means that the male or female prana takes with
its su$stance the female or male prana' if either of the latter allow/ This permission must
ha0e two phases/ There must $e a willin& mind' otherwise an anta&onistic color will $e
introduced and conse;uent repulsion/
There must also $e an acti0e throwin& out of any anta&onistic colors that mi&ht $e present
in the prana' and also a shuttin& up of $oth mind and prana a&ainst any anta&onistic
influences/
?hen the male or female prana &oes in the place of' i/e/' is saturated in the female or male
prana' life is at an end/ The ne&ati0e prana &i0es &eneral stren&th to positi0e and 0ice
0ersa/ Stren&th causes lon& life/ But in order to recei0e len&th of life there must $e a
complete saturation' which is impossi$le with the presence in any one of these pranas of
any other anta&onistic prana/
LLL
FHH CFH*/ DDD
F5+/ ?hen in the $e&innin& of the monthly period the males ha0e the sun and the females
the moon' e0en the $arren woman &ets a child/
F51/ In ;uestions a$out the result of a pre&nancy' a female child is $orn if the moon $e
flowin&A a male durin& the flow of the sun/ If $oth are flowin&' the fetus will $e destroyed/
F5F/ 7t the time of this ;uestion' when the messen&er is towards the moon' a female child
is $ornA when towards the sun' a male childA when in the middle' a hermaphrodite/ ?hen
he is towards the full adi a son is $orn/
F5G/ The prithi0i $rin&s a sonA the apas a sonA in 0ayu comes a &irlA in the tai:as the fetus is
destroyedA the akasa $rin&s a hermaphrodite/
F5H/ ?hen the nostril is empty' nothin& is $ornA when two tatwas :oin' twins are $orn/
?hen one is passin& into another' the fetus is destroyed/ ?hen this happens durin& the
flow of the moon' the result is a female childA when the sun' a male/
F55/ >urin& the 0ishu0u con:unction the fetus is destroyed' or a hermaphrodite is $orn/ "air
.neR I tell thee' the knower of the tatwas can know all this/
F5J/ ?hen at the time of conception the 0ayu tatwa flows' the child will $e a suffererA
when the apas tatwa flows' the child will $e happy and renowned/ ?hen the tai:as tatwa
flows' the fetus is destroyed' or the child is shortDli0ed/ ?hen the prithi0i tatwa flows' the
child is wealthy and full of en:oyment/
F5N/ >urin& the apas tatwa the child that is concei0ed is always wealthy' happy' and full
of en:oyment/ >urin& the akasa the fetus is destroyed/
F5)/ >urin& the prithi0i a son is $orn' durin& the apas a &irl/ >urin& other tatwas either the
fetus is destroyed or the child is shortDli0ed/
LLL
otes , These two stanBas (F5G' F5)# seem at first si&ht to record different truths/ But they
refer to different pranas6 the one to the positi0e' the other to the ne&ati0e/
LLL
F5*/ -hildren are $orn when the sun &oes into the moon and the moon &oes into the sun/
This can $e easily known from a teacher' not $y millions of sciences and shastras/
LLL
otes , The female cells in the o0ary are the moon/ They ha0e the capa$ility of $ein&
impressed into any form $y the male cells' the sun/ The semen is hotter than the &erm cells
of the female/ 7s the former act upon the latter' these expand/ The former only act upon
the latter when these present themsel0es to themA this is expressed $y sayin& that the sun
enters the moon' and the moon enters the sun/ ?hen $oth of these thus enter each other'
the female matter that recei0es constant nourishment $y the help of the Power Mund7lini
$e&ins to expand alon& the lines stretched for it $y the inherent power of the sun/ In the
semen lies hidden the future man' :ust as a tree in the seed/ This is a 0erita$le picture of the
sun' or we mi&ht say a macrocosmic prana/ The semen 0irile is' in fact' the mirror in
which on account of tatwic affinity is reflected the indi0idual truti' with which the reader
must now $e familiar/ The semen thus is the reser0oir of the whole pranamaya Mosha/
LLL
The 5ear ,
FJ+/ .n the first lunar day of the white fortni&ht of the month of -haitra' let the wise yo&i
see $oth the northward and southward :ourney of the sun $y an analysis of the tatwas/
LLL
otes , .n this day $e&ins the sanwat year of the era of Min& 2ikramaditya/
LLL
FJ1/ If at the time of the rise of the moon' the prithi0i' the apas' or the 0ayu taTwa is
flowin&' all kinds of &rain will $e plentiful/
FJF/ The flow of the tai:as and the akasa &i0es fearful famines/ This is the nature of Time/
In this way is known the effect of Time in the year' the month' and the day/
FJG/ If the susumna' which is $ad in all worldly concerns' is flowin&' there will $e
confusion in the land' su$0ersion of the kin&dom' or fear thereof' epidemic' and all sorts of
diseases/
FJH/ ?hen the sun passes into 7ries' let the yo&i meditate upon the $reath and' findin& out
the pre0alent tatwa' tell the world what will $e the nature of the next year/
LLL
otes , .n this day the solar year $e&ins/ The tatwic color of the <ni0ersal Prana' the
External one' is determined at any time $y the positions of the sun and moon and $y those
of the planets' whose presence exercises a 0ery potent influence upon the tatwic 0alue of
any moment/ This tatwic 0alue chan&es accordin& to a uni0ersal law/
If at any time the apas tatwa is flowin&' it can ne0er a$ruptly chan&e into the tai:as' $ut
must do so &rade $y &rade/ These atmospheric tai:as run many minor courses/ =ence it is
possi$le' thou&h extremely difficult and complicated' to calculate from the tatwic 0alue of
one moment the tatwic 0alue of any future moment/
The li0in& world is always affected $y these tatwic chan&es/ In the act of $reathin& nature
has furnished a 0ery exact and faithful scale for the measurement of tatwic chan&es/ =ence
the yo&i' who can li0e in conformity with time and space' can foretell the future 0ery
easily/ 7hR But how 0ery difficult it is to li0e in perfect harmony with time and spaceR
LLL
FJ5/ The &ood aspect of the year' the month' and the day is known $y the tatwas' prithi0i'
etc/' and the $ad one $y the akasa and the 0ayu/
FJJ/ If the prithi0i tatwa flows there will $e plenty and prosperity in the kin&dom' and the
earth will $e full of &ood cropsA there will $e much comfort and en:oyment/
FJN/ If the apas tatwa flows there will $e plenty of rain' plenty of &rain' &reat comfort' and
wellD&rown fields/
FJ)/ If the a&ni tatwa flows there will $e famine' su$0ersion' or fear thereofA there will $e
fearful epidemics and the least possi$le rain/
FJ*/ If the 0ayu tatwa flows when the sun &oes into 7ries' there will $e confusion'
accidents' famine' little rain' or the itis Osix afflictions that distress crops6 too much rain'
etc/P/
FN+/ If the akasa tatwa flows when the sun &oes into 7ries' there will $e want of &rain and
comfort/
FN1/ ?hen the full $reath is in its own proper place' with its own proper tatwa' success of
all sorts is the result/ If the sun and the moon are the re0erse' &rain must $e laid up Oa&ainst
a scarcityP/
FNF/ If the a&ni tatwa flows there will $e ine;uality of pricesA if akasa' there will $e
continuous scarcity/ (et thin&s $e laid up thenA there will $e a rise in the prices two months
thereafter/
FNG/ ?hen the $reath is chan&in& into the sun it &i0es $irth to fearful diseases/ ?hen the
akasa and the 0ayu are con:oined with the tai:as' the earth will $ecome the picture of hell/
LLL
otes , The distur$ance of tatwic $alance is diseaseA hence e0ery tatwa has its own
diseases/
LLL
The >iseased ,
FNH/ In the prithi0i tatwa there is its own diseaseA in the apas the disease of the same
tatwaA and so in the tai:as' the 0ayu' and the akasa' similar and hereditary diseases/
LLL
otes , ?hen two men come to&ether their pranas exchan&e color/ It is on this account
that you can measure from the momentary reflection in your own $ody the color of any
other man that is near you/ The present of e0ery man is the father of is future/ =ence you
can predict the end of any disease' or the time of death/
7ll that has $een ascertained to $e true on these heads has $een descri$ed in the 0arious
sections of this $ook/
The 8messen&er9 in FN5 is the man who comes to ask ;uestions a$out anythin&/
LLL
FN5/ ?hen the messen&er comes first towards the empty half of the $ody' and then
towards the full half' he a$out whom the ;uestion is put will surely li0e' e0en if he is
OapparentlyP lyin& in the swoon Oof deathP/
FNJ/ If the ;uestion is put to the yo&i while sittin& in the same direction with the patient' he
will li0e e0en thou&h many a disease mi&ht ha0e &athered stren&th in his $ody/
FNN/ ?hen the $reath is in the ri&ht nostril' and the messen&er speaks of his afflictions in
piteous accents' the patient will li0e/
FN)/ If the ;uestion is asked while holdin& the picture of the patient towards the prana and
lookin& at it' the patient will li0e/
FN*/ ?hen durin& the flow of the sun or the moon' the yo&i &ets into a carria&e and the
;uestion is put to him while there' the messa&e will ha0e success in his desire/
F)+/ ?hen at the time of the ;uestion the yo&i sits upstairs while the patient is downstairs'
he will certainly li0e/ If the patient is upstairs' he will certainly &o to the house of 5ama
Othe &od of deathP/
F)1/ If at the time of the ;uestion the messen&er is towards the empty nostril' he will ha0e
success/ If the re0erse is the case' the result too is the re0erse/
F)F/ ?hen the patient is towards the moon and the asker towards the sun the patient will
certainly die' e0en if he is surrounded $y hundreds of physicians/
F)G/ ?hen the patient is towards the sun' and the asker towards the moon' then too the
patient dies' e0en if Sam$hu $e his protector/
F)H/ ?hen one tatwa is out of its proper time' people are su$dued $y diseaseA when two
are wron&' they cause misfortune to friends and relationA if it is out of place for two
fortni&hts death is the result/
The Prediction of >eath ,
F)5/ In the $e&innin& of a month' a fortni&ht' and a year' let the wise man try to find out
the time of death from the mo0ements of prana/
F)J/ The lamp of the fi0e tatwas recei0es its oil from the moon/ Protect it from the solar
fireA life will there$y $ecome lon& and stationary/
F)N/ If $y masterin& the flow of $reath' the sun is kept in check' life is prolon&ed/ E0en
solar time is cheated/
F))/ The moon falls from hea0en &i0in& the nectar of life to the lotuses of the $ody/ By the
constant practice of &ood actions and yo&a one $ecomes immortal $y the lunar nectar/
F)*/ 1ake the sun flow durin& the day' the sun durin& the ni&ht/ =e who practices thus is
dou$tless a true yo&i/
F*+/ If for one ni&ht and day continuously the $reath flows in one adi' full three years
will $rin& death/
F*1/ =e whose $reath flows $y the Pin&ala two whole days and ni&hts continuously has'
as the knowers of the tatwas say' two years more to li0e/
F*F/ If the moon flows continuously durin& the ni&ht and the sun durin& the day' death will
come within six months/
F*G/ ?hen the sun flows alto&ether' and the moon is not alto&ether seen' death comes $y a
fortni&ht/ So says the science of death/
F*H/ =e whose $reath flows from one nostril for three ni&hts continuously has' so say the
wise' a year only to li0e/
F*5/ Take a 0essel of the Mansya alloy/ "ill it with water' and see in it the reflection of the
sun/ If in the midst of the reflection is seen a hole' the seer will die within ten days/ If the
reflection is smoky' death will come the same day/ If it is seen towards the south' ?est and
orth respecti0ely' death will come within six' two and three months/ Thus has $een
descri$ed the measure of life $y the omniscient/
F*J/ OIf a man sees the fi&ure of the messen&ers of death he is sure to dieP/ The messen&er
of death has red or reddish clothes' matted hair' diseased teeth' oilD$esmeared $ody' a
weepin& and redDhot face' a $ody $esmeared with ashes' flyin& flames of fire' ha0in&
hea0y lon& rods' and standin& towards the empty adi/
F*N/ ?hen the skin is cool $ut the inside is hot' death must come within a month/
F*)/ ?hen a man chan&es suddenly and unaccounta$ly from &ood ha$its to $ad' or from
$ad ha$its to &ood' he is sure to die/
F**/ =e whose $reath that comes out of the nose is cool' $ut that which comes out of the
mouth is hot like fire' is sure to die of &reat heat/
G++/ =e who sees hideous fi&ures' and $ri&ht li&ht without makin& out the flame' li0es not
for nine months/
G+1/ =e who suddenly $e&ins to feel hea0y $odies li&ht' and li&ht $odies hea0y' and he
who $ein& dark in color $e&ins in disease to look &oldDcolored' must dieR
G+F/ =e whose hands' chest' and feet $ecome at once dry after $athin& has not ten ni&hts to
li0e/
G+G/ =e who $ecomes dim of si&ht' and cannot see his face in the pupil of another!s eye
must dou$tless die/
G+H/ ow I shall tell thee somethin& a$out the shady "i&ure O-hya PurushaP/ Mnowin&
this' man 0ery soon $ecomes the knower of the three times/
G+5/ I shall speak of those experiments $y means of which e0en distant death is known/ I
shall descri$e all these in accordance with the Si0a&ama/
G+J/ 4oin& to a lonely place and standin& with the $ack towards the sun let a man look
with attention into the neck of the shade he throws on the &round/
G+N/ (et him see this for as lon& a time as he can calmly repeat the words6 8.m Mram
para$rahman namah9 for 1+) times/ Then let him look up into the sky/ =e will thus see
Shankara Othe fi&ure of a $ein& capa$le of appearin& in many colorsP/
G+)/ By doin& this for six months' the yo&i $ecomes the lord of those who walk on earthA
$y two years he $ecomes a$solutely independent and his own master/
G+*/ =e o$tains the knowled&e of the three times and &reat $liss/ There is nothin&
impossi$le for the constant practice of 5o&a/
G1+/ The 5o&i who sees this fi&ure in the clear hea0ens ha0in& a dark color' dies within six
months/
G11/ ?hen it is yellow there is fear of diseaseA when it is red there will $e lossA when it has
many colors there will $e &reat confusion and de:ection/
G1F/ If the fi&ure $e wantin& in feet' shanks' a$domen and the ri&ht arm' a relation is sure
to die/
G1G/ If the left arm is wantin&' the wife will dieA when the chest and the ri&ht arm is
wantin&' death and destruction will come/
G1H/ ?hen the feces and &as escape at once' the man is sure to die in ten days/
G15/ ?hen the moon flows alto&ether' and the sun is not seen at all' death comes surely
within a month/
G1J/ Those whose death is near cease to see the 7randhati' the >ruh0a' the steps of
2ishnu' and the circle of the mothers as they are pointed out to them/
G1N/ The 7rundhati is the ton&ueA the >hru0a the tip of the noseA the eye$rows are the
steps of 2ishnuA the pupil of the eye is the circle of the mothers/
G1)/ The man who ceases to see the eye$rows dies within nine daysA he who ceases to see
the pupil of the eye dies within fi0e daysA he who ceases to see the nose dies within three
daysA he who ceases to see the ton&ue dies within one day/
G1*/ The pupil of the eye is seen $y pressin& the eye near the nose/
The adis ,
GF+ The Ida is also technically called 4an&aA the Pin&ala' 5amunaA the Susumna'
SaraswatiA the con:unction is called Praya&a/
GF1/ (et the 5o&i sit in the posture called padmasana' and perform pranayama/
GFF/ The 5o&i must know the puraka' the rechaka' and the third Mum$haka for o$tainin&
power o0er the $ody/
GFG/ The puraka causes &rowth and nourishment' and e;ualiBes the humorsA the Mum$haka
causes sta$ility' and increases the security of life/
GFH/ The %echaka takes away all the sins/ =e who practices this reaches the state of yo&a/
GF5/ In the Mum$haka hold the air in as much as possi$leA let it &o out $y the moon and in
$y the sun/
GFJ/ The sun drinks the moon' the moon drinks the sunA $y saturatin& one with the other'
one may li0e till the moon and the planets/
GFN/ The adi flows in one!s own $ody/ =a0e power o0er thatA if it is not let &o throu&h
the mouth or nose' one $ecomes a youn& man/
GF)/ ?hen the mouth' nose' eyes and ears are stopped $y the fin&ers' the tatwas $e&in to
take their rise $efore the eyes/
GF*/ =e who knows their color' their motion' their taste' their places' and their si&ns'
$ecomes in this world e;ual to the &od %udra/
GG+/ =e who knows all this' and reads it always' is freed from all pain and &ets what he
desires/
GG1/ =e who has the knowled&e of $reath in his head' has fortune at his feet/
GGF/ (ike the .ne in the 2edas' and the sun in the <ni0erse' is the knower of the Science
of Breath to $e honored/ =e who knows the Science of Breath and the Philosophy of the
Tatwas' knows not e0en millions of elixirs to $e e;ual to it/
GGG/ There is nothin& in the world that will release you of the de$t of the man who &i0es
you the knowled&e of the word O.mP and of $reath/
GGH/ Sittin& in his own place' with measured food' and sleep' let the 5o&i meditate upon
the hi&hest 7tma Owhose reflection the Breath isP/ ?hate0er he says will come to pass/
The End/