The Sri Chakra As A Symbol of The Human Body: P.R. Krishnakumar

Ancient Science of Life, Vol No. XII Nos.
3 & 4, January – April 1993, Pages 316 - 319
THE SRI CHAKRA AS A SYMBOL OF THE HUMAN BODY

P.R. KRISHNAKUMAR
Sri Chakra Foundation, 14, Second Street, Gopalapuram South, Madras – 600 086, India.
Received: 14 December, 1992 Accepted: 26 January, 1993

ABSTRACT: Sri Chakra is the celebrated Yantra used in the worship of the primordial energy.
The Chakra is conceived as a symbol of the human body. Some salient features of this
symbolism are discussed in this article. An attempt has also been made to provide a short
introduction to the Bhavanopanishad Prayogavidhi devised by Bhaskararaya, the doyen of Sri
charka worshippers.
INTRODUCTION
According to tantra sastra man is a In the line with this vedic thought
microcosm. Whatever exists in the universe Bhavanopanishad, one of the most
exists in the human body as well. All the important Shakta Upanishads, describes the
principles and worlds are within him and in Bhavana meditation in which importance is
him dwells the supreme energy traditionally given to the material body, the mind in its
and reverentially called Sivasakti. This various gradation and the vital forces in
tantric concept is very much similar to the different fields of action and their identity
hermetic view “as above so below”. established with the corresponding powers
(Shakti) located in various parts of Sri
The Symbolism Chakra. The unraveling of this identity is
achieved by offering these members of the
The human body can be divided into two human body to the powers located on the Sri
major parts – the head and the trunk on one Chakra. This is achieved by bhavana or
hand and the legs on the other. The centre deep meditation, contemplating step by step
point of the human body lies between these the various psycho-physical parts of the
two divisions, at the base of the spine where human body, the corresponding powers in
the legs begin. This is the axis of the human the Sri Chakra and dwelling on their
body, in the same way as Mount Meru is the identity. To assist this type of meditation, a
axis of the earth. Therefore, the human forceful outward ritual in the form of nyasa
spine is called Merudanda, the Meru or the was devised by Bhaskararaya, the doyen of
axis – staff. Sri Chakra worshippers. Bhaskararaya’s
instruction is famous among the worshippers
In the tantric tradition the Sri Chakra is as Bhavanopanishad Prayogavidhi. The
represented in the form of the Meru. This meditation is briefly explained as follows.
suggests that the human body encases a
divine spark which serves as the living soul. The mediation starts from the outermost
Chakra of Sri Chakra. In the first line of
Bhavanopanishad Prayogavidhi Bhupura are located the siddhis viz., animai
(minuteness), laghima (lightness), mahima
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(greatness), isatva (lordship), vasitva the fourteen powers represented in the
(control) prakamya (power to have whatever Chaturdasa kona.
on wants), bhukti (enjoyment), iccha
(desire), prapti (attainment) and sarva The deities Sarvasiddhiprada etc located in
kamasiddhi (attainment of all desires). the outer Dasara Chakra represent the five
These are in the human complex, natural major breaths (prana, apana, vyana, udana,
state and the nine sentiments – sringara samana) and five minor breaths (naga,
(erotism), virya (heroism), karuna kurma, krukara, devadatta, dhananjaya).
(compassion), adbhuta (wonder), hasya
(humour), bhayanaka (terror), bibhatsa These ten vital breaths acting on the
(disgust), raudra (wrath) and santa digestive fire of the stomach (jadharagni)
(quiescence). become tenfold and digest all kinds of food.
These are the deities in the inner Dasara
In the second line of the Bhupura are located Chakra.
kama (lust), krodha (anger), lobha
(convetousness), moha (delusion), mada The eight deities (Vasini etc) located in the
(pride), matsarya (envy), punya (merit) and Asthakona represent cold, heat, pleasure,
papa (demerit). These are symbolized by pain, wish, sattva, rajas and tamas.
Brahmi, Maheswari, Kaumari, Vaishnavi,
Varahi, Mahendri, Chamunda and The five tanmatras (sound, touch, form,
Mahalakshmi. taste and smell) are the five flower arrows.
Mind is the sugarcane bow. Love is
Located in the line of Bhupura are the six represented as noose and hatred as goad.
centres of the body (muladhara,
swadhisthana, manipura, anahata, visuddhi, Kameswari, Vajreswari and Bhagamalini are
ajna), the nine sahasras (one above and one three deities in the primary triangle. They
below) and the indrayoni. These nine represent avyakta (the unmanifest), mahat
entities are called mudra saktis. (the vast cosmic principle of force) and
ahamkara (principle of ego).
The sixteen-petalled lotus contains sixteen
powers of attraction. These consist of the The pure absolute consciousness is
five elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether), Kameshwara and one’s own soul full of
ten senses (ear, skin, eye, tongue, nose, bliss is the supreme deity Lalita.
mouth, foot, hand, anus, genitals) and the
ever changing mind (manas). Conclusion
The eight faculties of speaking, taking, An identity is thus established part by part,
going, excreting, enjoying, rejecting, limb by limb between the human body and
accepting and ignoring are represented by Sri Chakra. It will be observed that the
the eight-petalled lotus. meditation proceeds from the outermost to
the innermost being, which is the very soul
Tantra speaks of fourteen nadis viz., of worshipper. All the beings have a natural
alambusha, kuhuh, visvodara, varuni, state (svabhava, niyati). The creation is
jastijihva, yasovati, payasvini, gandhari, nothing but an outflow of the delight of the
pusha, sankhini, saraswathi, ida, pingala Divine, the sentiments (rasa) and existence
and sushumna. These fourteen nadis form on earth are permeated by this sap of life
Pages 316 - 319

which assumes a nine fold form such as touch, etc. Whatever man has to receive
sringara, birya, karuna, etc. These fine from High above is transmitted through the
sentiments soon become distorted and take mind, which is equated with the sugarcane
shape as kama, krodha etc with their bow in the hands of the Divine Mother. If
attendant punya or papa. These have their one allows the mid to be docile instrument
impact on the human complex which in the hands of the Divine, one is able to
operates through nine centre. These centres grasp all things beyond the mind. Going
are the foci to which are directed. The beyond the realm of the mind one
meditation therefore, takes up one’s niyati experience the principles of ego, the vast all
and the nine rasas, their distorted forms and pervading mahat and unmanifest.
the deals with the centre of activity. Everything is then sensed as absolute, pure
consciousness and along with it is
Next comes the physical body which is experienced the state of bliss. This is the
made up of the panchabhuta and their culmination of this type of meditation.
manifestation in the body as five organs of
knowledge and five organs of action. Then This tantric discipline is not intended to
come the pranasarira, the fourteen nadi, the withdraw the aspirant into state of laya, but
ten breaths and their tenfold action. Further to make him participate in the world of
on the manomaya is taken up with the names and forms as one in identify with
attendant cold, heat, pleasure, pain, etc. Siva and Sakthi. Both enjoyment (bhukthi)
Then we reach the realm of the illumined and liberation (mukthi) are the aims of the
mind acting through the tanmatras of sound, sadhana.
REFERNCES
1. Sir John Woodroffe. Sakthi and Sakta.

2. T .V. Kapali Sastry. Collected Works Vol.2
3. S. Mira. Bhavanopanishad with commentary of Bhaskararaya.
4. S. Shankaranarayan. Sri Chakra.
Pages 316 - 319

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What is the symbolism of the Sri Chakra?

What is the Bhavanopanishad Prayogavidhi meditation?

Ancient Science of Life, Vol No. XII Nos.

3 & 4, January – April 1993, Pages 316 - 319

THE SRI CHAKRA AS A SYMBOL OF THE HUMAN BODY

Received: 14 December, 1992 Accepted: 26 January, 1993

Pages 316 - 319

Pages 316 - 319

1. Sir John Woodroffe. Sakthi and Sakta.

Pages 316 - 319

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