SAUNDARYA LAHARI
VERSE 39
tava svadhisthane hutavaham adhisthaya niratam
tam ide samvartam janani mahatim tam ca samayam
yad aloke lokan dahati mahati krodhakalite
dayardra ya drstis sistram upacaram racayati
tam ide samvartam janani mahatim tam ca samayam
yad aloke lokan dahati mahati krodhakalite
dayardra ya drstis sistram upacaram racayati
O Mother, I praise, placing in your Svadhisthana the fire of sacrifice,
Ever looking on it as the great fire of doom, and placing there her also
Called Samaya, so that when the worlds are burning due to his anger,
Her mercy-moist regard renders to it the cooling touch of early spring.
Ever looking on it as the great fire of doom, and placing there her also
Called Samaya, so that when the worlds are burning due to his anger,
Her mercy-moist regard renders to it the cooling touch of early spring.
Water cools and fire burns within the totality of the absolute content of reality, viewed as a phenotype and not as a noumenon. We can think of these two factors, fire and water, as participating from opposite sides of the total situation. When viewed from such an overall perspective, we can appreciate how even this Chakra called Svadhisthana is also based on the principle of the cancellation of counterparts. On a hot summer day a cool and perfumed breeze can act as an absolute source of consolation, even if it should only last for a few moments. The joy of cancellation does not depend upon the duration of the state of consolation and could be enjoyed for itself in the span of a split second.
1. "Svadhisthana"
The term svadhisthana suggests that this is a Chakra founded on itself. We have examined the status of the previous verse, which corresponds to the Chakra conventionally named Anahata, which name suggests that something like a bell remains unstruck. A bell that has not been struck would represent a neutral position between the possibility of its sound and its own material existence. When we come to the Svadhisthana, we have to put its locus a little lower in the vertical axis, because the basis of the Chakra is within itself, not on the numerator side of effects. It has a negative reference, but the numerator against which the cancellation within its scope is to take place has itself a highly positive status. Finally, lower and higher are meant to have no differentiating significance between Chakras and Adharas.
The term svadhisthana suggests that this is a Chakra founded on itself. We have examined the status of the previous verse, which corresponds to the Chakra conventionally named Anahata, which name suggests that something like a bell remains unstruck. A bell that has not been struck would represent a neutral position between the possibility of its sound and its own material existence. When we come to the Svadhisthana, we have to put its locus a little lower in the vertical axis, because the basis of the Chakra is within itself, not on the numerator side of effects. It has a negative reference, but the numerator against which the cancellation within its scope is to take place has itself a highly positive status. Finally, lower and higher are meant to have no differentiating significance between Chakras and Adharas.
2. "The fire of sacrifice" (hutavaham)
We find here two references to fire, one to the fire of sacrifice and one to the fire of doom. We have to locate these two fires correctly in their proper structural positions before we can grasp the status of this Chakra. The fire of sacrifice could be imagined to be somewhere near the region of the navel, just below the O Point - on the side of existence - because such a fire has to be really capable of burning at least some fuel. This idea of "The fire of sacrifice" is verified in Verse 78.
We find here two references to fire, one to the fire of sacrifice and one to the fire of doom. We have to locate these two fires correctly in their proper structural positions before we can grasp the status of this Chakra. The fire of sacrifice could be imagined to be somewhere near the region of the navel, just below the O Point - on the side of existence - because such a fire has to be really capable of burning at least some fuel. This idea of "The fire of sacrifice" is verified in Verse 78.
3. "Fire of doom" (samvartam)
The "fire of doom" cannot be located in the same position as the fire of sacrifice. Doomsday is always in the future and has necessarily an apocalyptic status. The function of doom is thus to be imagined as having a numerator reference, even when that picture has been produced far beyond the Omega Point in the possible world of prospective values. To balance this exaggerated apocalyptic tendency, there is a need to postulate its counterpart in the form of a feminine elemental factor which has to be essential rather than subsistential. Such a factor is what is meant to be implied by the second goddess named Samaya.
The "fire of doom" cannot be located in the same position as the fire of sacrifice. Doomsday is always in the future and has necessarily an apocalyptic status. The function of doom is thus to be imagined as having a numerator reference, even when that picture has been produced far beyond the Omega Point in the possible world of prospective values. To balance this exaggerated apocalyptic tendency, there is a need to postulate its counterpart in the form of a feminine elemental factor which has to be essential rather than subsistential. Such a factor is what is meant to be implied by the second goddess named Samaya.
4. "Samaya"
We are familiar with this goddess favoured by the Tantric school of Samayins, which we discussed in our comments on Verse 33. The total overall Goddess, having an absolutist status, cannot be held responsible for any partial or unilateral functions. This must be the reason why Sankara resorts to a goddess already known in the context of mother-worship, and who introduces her here as capable of counteracting the heat implied in the omega point reference.
We are familiar with this goddess favoured by the Tantric school of Samayins, which we discussed in our comments on Verse 33. The total overall Goddess, having an absolutist status, cannot be held responsible for any partial or unilateral functions. This must be the reason why Sankara resorts to a goddess already known in the context of mother-worship, and who introduces her here as capable of counteracting the heat implied in the omega point reference.
5. "Cooling touch" (sisiram)
We have already explained that this cooling need not be eternally operating. Cartesian occasionalism permits the notion of cancellation taking place at a given moment and thus revealing the will of the Absolute. Taken in this sense, even in the world of suffering in actual existence, there are pleasant moments of absolute joy, which Wordsworth would perhaps call "intimations of immortality".
We have already explained that this cooling need not be eternally operating. Cartesian occasionalism permits the notion of cancellation taking place at a given moment and thus revealing the will of the Absolute. Taken in this sense, even in the world of suffering in actual existence, there are pleasant moments of absolute joy, which Wordsworth would perhaps call "intimations of immortality".
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