Devi Upasana

    In ‘dEvI upAsana’ activation of Kundalini and reaching sahasrara prajnya level is supposed to be the process of attaining to ‘Enlightenment’; it is by Devi’s help, support and grace that one attains mukti. Normally, the seat of Devi is supposed to be svAdhishThana plexus of Consciousness, but some thinkers shift it to a higher seat at Manipoora plexus of Consciousness. Sva – adhishthana means one’s resting place. She, the Devi, takes the Upasaka by hand to sahasrar-prajnya level (level of samyak-prajnya or Unity Consciousness) - the place of Shiva, four-finger length higher above the head (shikha). This is symbolically the realm beyond Bhu-Bhuvah-Svar. The maNipUra is also said to be the palace of Rajarajeshvari, LalitAtripurasundarI who helps sadhaka to tadatmyata, i.e., Shivasayujya or Shivasamavesha. It is a process of controlling vital-breath (prana-shakti) and channelizing it to rise through Sushumna Nadi and reach the sahasrar piercing through the impregnable junction of nerves (knots/ granthi)- Brahma granthi, VishNu granthi and Rudra granthi.

     In fact, all these are better experienced than explained in words here. The sadhaka takes recourse to intense Pranayama and controls the flow of vital-airs of his breath. He directs the inhaled breath through ‘Ida’ to pass through the central pipe ‘Sushumna’ instead of the ‘Pingala’ or vice versa, as in normal course. Normally we inhale and exhale breath via left (Ida) or right nostril (Pingala), alternately in a cycle of seven rounds but will not use the central pipe since it is closed at the bottom. This closed aperture has to be opened with Yoga and asana and Pranayama.

   Finally, it is as simple as this: ‘A child is crying and its mother busy with her household chores; finally, the mother lifts up the crying child, carries it to its father (who is busy reading a newspaper!) and leaves it on his lap; may be, she also rests with him (her consort) for a while and goes back to her place (sva adhsihtana)!

   This, indeed, is the way the upasaka is helped to attain to Shiva Sayujya by the Devi via Kundalini yoga.

   In the ordinary sense, activating Kundalini Shakti is as good as being enlightened as to real nature of oneself. To be just quiet, where is the need for all the struggle? Is it possible for anybody to be quiet? Shree Krishna has clarified this point. He says, it is simply not possible for anybody to keep quiet; hence, advises to do anything, but in his name- selflessly. Anything done with selfish interest will incur karmaphala and karma klesha.

Hence, it is advisable to take to antaryaga, dhyana and dharana with panchadashi or Shodashadashi mantra and be happy and successful. Even ‘paMcAksharI’ mantra is enough, but it is difficult!