The Chakras

Gurusakásha: gur + un + sa + kash + ghaiṋ (1)

Gurusakásha means:

• “near the Guru”
• “under the Guru’s umbrella”
• “under the Guru’s wings”
• “under the Guru’s shelter”

It has 2 other yoga-related meanings:

• Guru dhyána [meditation on the Guru] in Guru cakra
• a particular kind of Gurusmarańa [Guru’s remembrance] or Gurusharańa [Guru’s shelter] after sleep.

There are 9 cakras [plexi] in humans

1. múládhára
2. svádhiśt́hána
3. mańipura
4. anáhata
5. vishuddha
6. lalańa
7. ájiṋá
8. Guru
9. sahasrára

From the point of view of action, 3 are most important:

1. Agni cakra

This surrounds the navel region in the mańipura cakra. It is situated in the gland of thunder-like hardness, Rudra Granthi

2. Anáhata cakra

This is in the swaying of the solar plexus, or Viśńu Granthi

3. Ajiṋá cakra

This is located in the upheavals of imagination in Brahma Granthi.

The vishuddha cakra, situated in the kúrma nád́ii [sinusoid nerve] of the throat, is the centre of speech.

The importance of this plexus is very great. It is helpful to the enlightening of intellect, and is also called the Brhaspati Granthi. In its neighbourhood exist the thyroid and parathyroid glands – the Brhaspati Granthi and the Brhaspati Upagranthi respectively.

There are, in human physiology, countless glands and sub-glands.

Different and variegated are the causes of their actions.

By their manifold interrelations with and interactions upon the lymph or shukra [which has three stages: lymph (práńarasa), spermatozoa and seminal fluid], they produce a variety of granthirasas (hormones).

The multifarious hormones, getting into the important plexi, become consumed, and only a small amount of the hormones can reach the glands and sub-glands below them. Most of the hormones of the upper portion are consumed by the solar plexus, which is contiguous with the anáhata cakra.

When the sudhárasa [bliss-causing hormones] emitted by the glands and sub-glands situated above the ájiṋá cakra are consumed in the ájiṋá cakra, the result is that the ájiṋá cakra is strongly affected by the high secretion of hormones brought about by sádhaná [spiritual practices] in that upper region, and consequently the irises of the eyes move upwards and a state of trance ensues.

A pleasant drowsiness of tandrá [somnolence] mixed with nidrá [sleepiness] overcomes the eyes, and the person is immersed in a type of slumber of a subtle loka [realm]. This kind of yoga nidrá, bháva nidrá, adhyátma nidrá is known as hypnosis in English.

Bear in mind that it has no connection with hypnotism or mesmerism. Hypnotism or mesmerism is outer-suggestion, while hypnosis is auto-suggestion.

The vishuddha cakra is bounded by the kúrma nád́ii [sinusoid nerve]. Some call it the Brhaspati cakra.

Many of the hormones secreted by the upper glands are metabolized in it and absorbed here, and very little of these hormones descend down.

If one’s sádhaná is perfect then the sound of the voice becomes sonorous and pleasant for some time, to some extent a state of intoxication ensues, the sinusoid nerve throbs a little, the body turns motionless and stonelike, and the skin becomes thin and light to some degree.

Because of the type of environment existing in the solar plexus, or the anáhata cakra, the hormones of the upper region are almost entirely absorbed there, and very little of them remains. The entrancing action of the bliss-causing hormone of the upper region, which is designated sudhárasa in Sanskrit, when it reaches here leads to the greatest sensation in this spot, and the mind gets lost in the higher realm.

The developed sádhaka [spiritual aspirant] remains submerged in this beatific condition of intoxication. It is said that Shiva remains overwhelmed under the spell of this very type of intoxication, with His eyes fixed upwards. This is not the intoxication produced by bhang [Indian hemp] or ganja [marijuana], or that of opium, nor that of wine, but is a sort of beatific intoxication brought about by sudhárasa.

The mańipura chakra is below the anáhata. The mańipura area is the primary location of dehágni [bodily fire], the main sphere of the existence of vitality.

An unborn baby, through the medium of this mańipura cakra, remains joined with the mother’s body by means of the umbilical chord.

Through this medium, the lymph from the mother’s body penetrates into the body of the infant. That is why this part of the human organism is not incinerated by the normal temperatures of fire.

After a cremation the descendants of the deceased carry this part away from the funeral pyre, along with the bone remnants, and ultimately throw it into the Ganges. This is known as asthivisarjana [immersion of the bone remnants].

Below the mańipura cakra there are also many glands and sub-glands. The hormones secreted by these are not metabolized by any of the plexi.

They go out of the body, not getting absorbed to any appreciable extent. Through particular yoga-based actions, they can be retained in the body to a great extent.

In Tantra Shástra, in Avidyá Tantra, this is called stambhana kriyá [a process to stop bodily functions]. Stool, urine, sweat and semen get excreted from the body because the concerned reflexes originate from under the navel. The influence exerted by the nerve cells of the brain controls lower nerve cells down as far as the anáhata cakra. The navel cakra, or mańipura cakra, the svádhiśt́hána cakra and the múládhára cakra are directly linked with the mundane faculties.

This is why, in the sphere of spiritual practices, the mańipura cakra and the one below it are generally not recognized as cakras for repeating the Iśt́a mantra [a personal mantra repeated in meditation].

The recognized cakras for japa [repetition of mantra] are the anáhata cakra, vishuddha cakra and ájiṋá cakra and a few other cakras and upacakras of the upper region. The Guru cakra is the highest cakra. The Guru cakra is used as the place of dhyána.

The hormones secreted by various glands and sub-glands are directly connected with the human body and mind. The nerve cells of the brain each regulate a particular kind of sentiment and thought. The glands and sub-glands of the lower regions maintain an organic link with the above-mentioned nerve cells of the brain. Particular courses of thought depend on the secretions of these hormones.

Then again, while moving along mundane mental paths, the human mind is influenced by many kinds of susceptibilities which are based on mundane activities. Under these circumstances there is a need, on the one hand, for purity of thought, and on the other, for satsauṋga [associating with good people]. The same person who is elevated in the company of good people, gets degenerated in an evil environment. This is a tested truth.

So in human life there is as much need of satsauṋga as there is the need to shun evil company. Therefore, it is necessary to look for satsauṋga and avoid asatsauṋga [associating with bad people].