AGNYA-CHAKRA
Petals : Two
Seed : Ham, Aum, Ksham
Colour : White
Shakti : Hakini with six faces with six seeds respectively (Ham, Aum, Ram, Yam, Sham, Bham, Ham)
Governing deity Half Shiva
Tatwa : Soul
Recognition of Agnya Chakra :
Watch a bird flying towards you with open wings and it sometimes turns its wings also. Keep this figure in mind and compare it with the shape and form of Agnaya chakra. You will observe that the two are not much different. The sadhaka visualizes this chakra in white peaceful light in which some times one seed and sometimes the other seed alphabet become clear. Sometimes Mother Hakini's full form, the resting subtle body, Manas chakra, some times prana flowing in Ida, pingala and sushumna nadis, sun and Moon, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, sometimes half female and sometimes half Male and half female form of Lord Shiva become visible. Once perfection is achieved the chakra becomes clearly visible and the seed alphabet forms also become more clarified.
In Agnya chakra Ham represents :
Hakini, Sun, Manas chakra, Pingla Nadi, Subtle body Five tatwas.
And 'KSHAM' represents :-
Moon, Coolness, Ida Nadi, Peace, final dissolution.
The Ham seed alphabet contains the form and qualities of all the seed alphabets. It bestows the knowledge regarding the manifest and unmanifest powers. It enlightens the secret path ways. The sadhaka does not experience any difficulty in the path because the moon provides coolness and energy by its rays. The power of Hakara (the mother Hakini) controls the complete procedure of yoga. In this procedure the Manas chakra, subtle body, Antah-karan gate, to generation of light by sun and moon gathering prana by Ida, pingla and sushumna, establishment of equilibrium in the three attributes by Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesha is achieved. It helps to get the orders of the Master for entry into Antah-karan for mother kundalini to reach thousand petalled lotus, to roam about in Brahmanda after visualization of the Thousand petalled lotus, to do the Sadhana of Brahma Randhra, to do the practice of samadhi by checking the modifications of mind, to perform practices by the subtle body, to break open the Randhra at the time of death etc. Many serious and secret practices are included in it. It is not possible to perfect the control of Agnaya chakra without the grace of the mother Hakini, because in her mouth and feet reside the manas chakra and the subtle body.
The mother Hakini has six faces and is clothed in red garments and sits in a lotus posture and keeps on watching the activities of the subtle body of the sadhaka. If the subtle body starts feeling lazy she activates it. After the completion of the activities of Brahmanda the mother Hakini keeps the subtle body always active and keeps on unfolding the secrets of Yoga to it. Thus the mother Hakini is the knower and bestower of the yoga. By meditating on the third face of the mother Hakini the manas chakra starts becoming clearer and gradually control over it develops. When the Manas chakra is controlled the sadhaka can escape the ill effects of bad sanskaras and can do practices with the subtle body. The subtle body does not become active unless the Manas chakra is controlled and the sadhaka can not attain the bless of samadhi.
The sadhaka should decide upon the karma (good and bad) according to his capacity. He should gradually leave the bad ones and create a store of good karmas and should keep on generating light by prana practices and should make efforts to the effect that this store of good karmas is never depleted. In this state the sadhaks start controlling his own karmas and by the grace of the mother 'Hakini' clearly conceives the conceptsof karma. By prayers and practices the sadhaka in a high state nullifying his karmas attains 'kaivalya'.
All the divine powers are neither male nor female in fact they are half male and half female forms. (Shiva and Parwati are not different but two attributes of the same power). The half male and half female form of Lord shiva at the Agnya chakra manifests only to purify the sentiments of the Sadhaka so that he is not illusioned by the divine vision in Brahmanda (Impure). The light, visions, sound etc. in Agnya chakra are in fact the form of the soul of the sadhaka. These forms in fact acquaint the sadhaka with the Atma Tatwa in the Agnya chakra. Ida and Pingla Nadis join sushumna at the Agnya chakra. Being the place of Mahesha etc. the representatives of the three attributes, three Nadis and the three Gods (Sun, Moon and fire) this place is called Triveni. The Sadhaka after arousing the mother in the Mooladhara brings the mother upto Agnya and strikes a balance in the three attributes and collects the pranas and reaches the Thousand petalled lotus. He does not experience any difficulty in reaching the Thousand petalled lotus through the Sushumna path which (Brahma gate) is now open.
Do the following practices in Agnya chakra :
1. Recognition of the points of Ida, Pingla and Sushumna.
2. The vision of Sun and Moon.
3. Complete visualization of the mother Hakini.
4. To awaken the subtle body and activate it.
5. Visualization of Manas chakra.
6. To make the mother kundalini and the subtle body enter the Antah-Karana.
RECOGNITION OF NADIS :
1. Do pranayama in an easy posture and in order to activate Ida and pingla nadis do kumbhaka and expand the abdomen with pressure on the navel. The neck should be kept straight.
2. Feeling of pain in both the shoulders heralds the activation of Ida and Pingla. Now repeat the breathing practice and expand the abdomen and flex the neck, a feeling of light tension at the nape region indicates activation of sushmana along with its nadis.
3. Perform ordinary prana practice. Breathe through the left nostril, hold it for some time and exhale through the right nostril. Repeat it 7 to 21 times and press the abdomen over the navel. The particles of prana reach Agnya with a jerk.
4. While drinking nectar see towards the middle of the eye brows, the nadis appear in different colours within the flow of their prana.
5. Gentle pressure on the eye lids further clarifies the vision, Go upwards following the flow in Nadis. Separate spots of these nadis become visible which disappear in a big circle. This circle is the central place of Agnya chakra and is the spot for entering into Antah karana.
THE VISION OF SUN-MOON
1. Sit in an ordinary posture and after closing the eye apply pressure on the eternal Canthus. Shining circles in both the eyes become visible.
2. Breathe in and out forcefully at least 21 times and now do kumbhaka.
3. Contract the navel and establish them in the centre of the eye-brows.
4. Revolve the inner eyes quickly in the centre of the eye. On the left a light pale and on the Right a shining spot appears. These are the sun and moon spots and the combination of their lights clarifies the gateway of Antah karan.
Visualisation of the Mother Hakini :
It is accomplished only in kumbhaka. It is on great request of the sadhaka that the mother manifests itself. The subtle body rests at her feet. A flat out effort should be made to her to have the vision of all the six faces. By visualising and touching the third face the manas starts bearing satvic modifications only.
To activate the subtle body
The sadhaka should first have the vision of the mother Hakini before he does the practice of kundalini yoga. Repeated prayers should be done to the mother to activate the subtle body. If the sentiments are pure the subtle body gets activised and reaches the gate of Antah-karana.
The Visualisation of Manas Chakra :
It can only be done during kumbhaka i.e. holding the breath. It is shining like gems and is close to the seed Ham It has six petals. The five subtle elements are poised in it. It is activated by the Tankore of Prana. Repeated contacts by prana make it stable and the sense organs automatically are inclined to perform satvic acts. This procedure helps the sadhaka in quietening his own modifications of Mind and performs yoga practices with one pointedness and later on with the help of prana's force the Manas chakra is pushed into the Antah karana. This is also possible only in kumbhaka and it is practised as follows :
1) Sit in easy posture and regulate the flow of prana.
2) Direct the pranas from the navel in kumbhaka and establish it in the centre of eyebrows.
3) Clarify the Ham seed and search for the Manas chakra close by.
4) The Manas chakra appears revolving. Subject it to the Tankore of prana repeatedly. Perform kumbhaka repeatedly. The form of the subtle body of the shape of a Papad seed appears close to the manas chakra.
5) When the manas chakra becomes clearly visible then apply pressure on it by the stores of prana. It should be carried towards the gate way of Antah karana with pressure. This is accomplished by the satvic pranas during kumbhaka.
Entry of
the Mother Kundalini into Antah Karana
The sadhaka should perform already described practices before arousing
the mother kundalini from Mooladhara and activate the sun and Moon and
should reach the gateway of Antah-karan after touching the subtle body
and Manas chakra.
1) Arouse the mother kundalini in Mooladhara in the manner described.
2) Stop at each chakra for a fixed period.
3) Do the japa of Aum.
4) Salute the mother Hakini as soon as an entery is made in the Agnya.
5) During kumbhaka while doing japa of Aum carry the subtle body and prana
along with kundalini. The scene will be visible as in the figure below.
Ham and ksham seed alphabets are also activated by the Tankore of prana and separate japa of these seeds. Nectar drinking. listening to Nada and pressure application on the eyes must be done.
1. Sit in a posture and perform the above practices.
2. Now continue all the practices.
3. Repeatedly give Tankore at the place of Ham, Aum and ksham in desending, ascending and descending orders.
4. After a few days practice Ham-Kasham, Ham or Ksham, Ham, Aum, Ksham seeds become visible. These are usually made up of white colour.
Practice for Analysis of Karma :
The sanskaras of many previous births are present in the subtle body in the form of fine particles. From time to time these small particles appear in the form of complete karma just as a tiny seed of a Banyan tree assumes the shape of a full grown tree. These particles keep on revolving in the subtle body. These come out of the subtle body and are attracted by the Manas chakra. The Manas chakra is influenced by these particles and inspiration for a particular act arises. This will so generated takes the physical shape with the help of sense organs. In fact acts done by the sense organs are the external physical forms of sanskaras. The reverse order of the process described above results in formation of sankaras and the wheel of karma goes on.
This karma wheel can be obstructed at the following places :
1) The sanskaras are not allowed to escape the subtle body.
2) The particles are not allowed to approach the manas chakra or their path is obstructed.
3) The manas is stabilized.
4) By knowledge the sense organs are prevented to do bad deeds.
5) The store of pranas be made so huge that all the previous sanskara may disappear.
The sadhaka of kundalini yoga has to create for himself a huge store of pranas for no practice will be successful without it. The store of prana produces a rise in the pressure in the central region of the eye brows, consequent to this raised pressure the bad karmas are not able to give their effect in full and gradually disappear. This prana store is also essential for a general conduction of prana through the nadis. These pranas also act in the Brahmanda for breaking the Randhra. The sadhaka therefore must create a formidable store of pranas, unmindful of other things and should not get entangled in the wheel of karma and its effects. He should repeatedly remember the mother Hakini Master, the Lord Shiva etc. and enter the Antakarana and should direct the mother kundalini to the Thousand petalled lotus.
If any obstruction is experienced he should remember the Master and should recite either sham sham sham sham sham sham sham or ham ham ham ham ham ham ham, mantras at least seven times. The japa of Aum also removes the obstruction. The sadhaka of kundalini yoga must perfect the practices of Aum visualization, subtle body practices and practices of prana and these have been already described in previous chapters. During the process of piercing of the Agnya chakra by the mother kundalini the pranas and the subtle body are made to enter the Antah-karana. During this practice never forget to do nectar drinking during the process of Antah Kumbhak, i.e., holding the breath after inhalation, otherwise the intensity of light decreases.
Aum
Shantih, Shantih, Shantih
Yogi Raja the Master.