The 6 chakras of Kundalini, Vishudhi chakra and Anaahata chakra

From nāma 475 to 534 (60 nāma-s) discuss in detail about the six cakra-s or psychic centres of kuṇḍalinī andsahasrārā. Each cakra or psychic centre is presided over by a deity called yogini and there are seven such yogini-s. The seven cakra-s in the body (considering sahasrāra as a cakra for easier understanding) represent particular body element such as skin, blood, muscle, fat, bone, marrow and semen or egg. Each yogini is described in 10 or 9 or 7 nāma-s.  It is to be clearly understood that these nāma-s are not direct reference toLalitāmbikā.  Since Lalitāmbikā is described to be in the form of kuṇḍalinī energy, and the kuṇḍalinī energy has to transcend these cakra-s to reach sahasrāra from mūlādhāra, worshipping the presiding deities of thesecakra-s have been undertaken Vāc Devi-s.  However, the order of worship neither commences from the basecakra to the crown cakra nor from the crown cakra to the base cakra.  It begins with viśuddhi cakra, goes down to the lower cakra-s then to ājñā and ends with sahasrāra.  Each of these yogini-s has their own dhyānaverses, japa mantra-s, etc.  They have their own assistants and the most important among them is also referred against each of the yogini-s.  Their complexion, their armouries, qualities, the food they like, etc have also been described.  Sanskrit acoustics has fifty alphabets.  All these fifty alphabets are placed in the six cakra-s.  A detailed discussion is provided on the number of Sanskrit alphabets in nāma 833. The order in which they are mentioned in this Sahasranāma is based on two concepts.  Each of these yogini-s has many faces.  The yogini at viśuddhi cakra has one face and the yogini at sahasrāra has many faces.  Probably Vāc Devi-s could have prioritized these yogini-s based on the number their faces.  Alternatively, Vāc Devi-s could have chosen this order based on the type of bodily element, each of these yogini-s represent.  With this brief introduction, we now proceed to discuss about yogini-s presiding over the seven cakra-s (including sahasrāra) in the next sixty nāma-s.

 

विशुद्धि-चक्र-निलया(475)  

Vishudi-chakra-nilaya 

Vishudi chakra is also known as throat chakra. Vishudi chakra is smoky purple in colour. It appears like a sixteen petal lotus with sixteen vowels of Sanskrit with bindus (dot) inscribed on each of the petals. Each of these chakras has one predominant bija and bija for vishudi chakra is ‘ham’. This bija is white in colour and covered by akash tatwa and seated on a white elephant.  This nama says ‘vishudi-chakra-nilaya’ which means ‘she resides in vishudi chakra’. But who resides in this chakra is mentioned only in nama 484, which says ‘Dakinishvari’, the name of the yogini who controls this chakra. 

आरक्तवर्णा(476)

Arakthavarna

The yogini’s (Dakini) complexion is mild red.

त्रिलोचना(477)

Trilochana

Dakini has three eyes.

खट्वाङ्गादि-प्रहरणा (478)

Khatvangadi-praharana

‘Katvangam’ is a club fitted with human skull.

वदनैक-समन्विता (479)

Vadanaika-samanvita

She has a single face. The order of priority of the chakras is based upon the number of faces each yogini has. Dakini is single faced and she represents akash tatwa.

पायसान्न-प्रिया (480)

Payasanna-priya

This nama says that yogini of vishudi chakra Dakini is fond of this payasam,  which is a sweet made of rice or cereal cooked with sugar and milk. 

त्वक्स्था (481)

Tvakstha

She (Dakini) presides over skin and sensation of touch. 

पशुलोक-भयङ्करी (482)

Pashuloka-bhanyankari

Pashu means those who are ignorant. Here ignorance means lack of knowledge about the Brahman.Dakinishwari is frightful to those who are ignorant.

अमृतादि-महा-शक्ति-संवृता (483)

Amrtadi-maha-shakthi-samvrta 

Dakinishvari is surrounded by sixteen shakthis.  Shakthis in this context refer to the lower level of goddesses like Amrutha,  Aakarshini,  etc.,  who are controlled by Dakinishvari. This nama says that these shakthis are powerful , "Maha shakthi ".

डाकिनीश्वरी (484)

Dakinishvari

The name of yogini who has been described from nama 475 to 484 (10 namas) is Dakinishvari, the presiding deity of vishudi chakra.

अनाहताब्ज-निलया (485)

Anāhatābja-nilayā

Anāhata cakra is known as heart cakra, which is below the throat carka or viśuddhi cakra in the heart area  in the spinal cord.  This cakra represents air element and yaṁ (यं) is the bīja for this cakra.  Yogini who presides over this cakra is Rākiṇī. 

श्यामाभा (486)

Śyāmābhā

The description of Rākiṇī now begins.  She has greenish dark complexion and of sixteen years of age. 

वदनद्वया (487)

Vadanadvayā

Rākiṇī has two faces.

दंष्ट्रोज्वला (488)

Daṁṣṭrojvalā

Rākiṇī has terrifying teeth (also referred as tusk) like that of a wild boar.

अक्षमालादि-धरा (489)

Akṣamālādi-dharā

Rākiṇī is wearing a garland made of fifty one beads, representing all the fifty one alphabets of Sanskrit.  This cakra is capable of producing sound on its own (during deep meditation, the sound of ॐ is heard from this cakra) . 

रुधिर-संस्थिता (490)

Rudhira-saṁsthitā

Rākiṇī presides over blood, the element next to the skin.

कालरात्र्यादि-शक्त्यौघवृता (491)

Kālarātryādi-śaktyaughavṛtā

Rākiṇī is surrounded by twelve of her assistants like Kālarātrī devi, each presiding over a petal. 

She is said to be a form of Durgā. It is also said that on the eve of one’s death, this devi appears in dream bespeaking the death.  Kālarātrī also refers to a particular night in the life of a man on the seventh day of the seventh month of the seventy-seventh year, after which period a man is exempt from attending to ordinances prescribed by dharma śāstra-s.

स्निग्धौदन-प्रिया (492)

Snigdhaudana-priyā

Rākiṇī is fond of rice mixed with ghee.  This food item is capable of producing quality blood.

महावीरेन्द्र-वरदा (493)

Mahāvīrendra-varadā

Vīra mean the senses and one who wins over these Vīra -s is called vīrendra.  It is also said that one who has transcended the concepts of “I” and “this” is called Vīra and she derives pleasure in granting them boons .

राकिण्यम्बा-स्वरूपिणी (494)

Rākiṇyambā-svarūpiṇī

She assumes the form of Rākiṇī, who has been described from nāma 485 to 494 (ten nāma-s).