Introduction to Tantra Sastra - Aghori

108
INTRODUCTION TO TANTRA ŚĀSTRA
ing of the Vedanta, Prakṛ ti is Herself thought of as the
Brahman, of which She is the energy, and with which,
therefore, She is already one. Thinking then of the black
Puruṣa, which is the image of all sin, the body is purified
by mantra, accompanied by kumbhaka and recaka, 1 and
the sadhaka meditates upon the new celestial (deva)
body, which has thus been made and which is then
strengthened by a “celestial gaze.” 2
NYĀSA
This word, which comes from the root “to place,”
means placing the tips of the fingers and palm of the
right hand on various parts of the body, accompanied by
particular mantras. The nyāsas are of various kinds. 3
Jīva-nyāsa 4 follows upon bhūta-śuddhi. After the purification
of the old, and the formation of the celestial
body, the sādhaka proceeds by jīva-nyāsa to infuse the
body with the life of the Devī. Placing his hand on his
heart, he says the “soham” mantra (“I am He”), thereby
identifying himself with the Devī. Then placing the eight
Kula-kuṇ ḍ alinīs in their several places, he says the following
mantras: Āiṃ, Krīṃ, Klīṃ, Yaṃ, Raṃ, Laṃ,
Vaṃ, Śaṃ, Ṣ aṃ, Saṃ, Hoṃ, Hauṃ, Haṃsah: the vital
airs of the highly blessed and auspicious Primordial
Kālikā are here. 5 “Āiṃ, etc., the embodied spirit of the
highly blessed and auspicious Kālikā is placed here.” 6
1 See Prāṇāyāma, s.v. Yoga, post.
2 Vide post.
3 See Kriya-kāda-vāridhi (p. 120, chap. ii et seq.)
4 See Mahānirvāṇa-Tantra, Chapter V, verse 105, where a fuller account
is given of the above.
5 Śrimad-ādyā-Kālikāyāh prāṇā iha prānah.
6 Śrimad-ādyā-Kālikāyāh Jīva iha sthitah.