3 The wonderful house in which we live
Have we ever given thought to our body? How wonderful is the twelve-storied house in which we live? What treasures lie hidden in it? What “gem of purest rays serene” this “dark, unfathomed cave” (the body) holds?1 The answer is generally in the negative. Is it not surprising that we have never cared to look inside the house in which we have been living for such a long time? We spend some time daily in looking after its outer cleanliness and appearance. In fact, some of us spend far too much time in trying to beautify “this muddy vesture of decay”2 and have never tried to find out what wonders lie hidden within. Thus we are absolutely ignorant of our possessing a mine of truly precious diamonds.
Guru Amar Das says:
In this cave lie inexhaustible treasures,
And the infinite Creator too resideth therein.
In some He keepeth Himself hidden,
And revealeth Himself in others
(Those who kill their ego
By means of Guru’s Shabd).3
Kabir says:
Within this muddy vessel (the body)
There are beautiful gardens
And the Gardener too.
There are gems and rubies
And their Connoisseur.
There are seven oceans, nine million stars
And their Creator.
Within it also is our Master;
But what an utter darkness!
(That nobody sees them)
Bulleh Shah, a Muslim mystic, says:
When I learned the lesson of love
My mind rebelled against church and mosque.
I entered the real temple of the Lord (the body)
Where a thousand instruments played.
I found my Beloved in my house.
This body of ours is the epitome of the universe, a microcosm that holds the macrocosm within it. Hindu sages have called it nar narayani Deh, the body that holds man and God within it. Gurus in the line of Guru Nanak have named it Har mandir, God’s temple. Guru Amar Das says:
This body is the real temple of God.4
Christ refers to it as “the temple of the living God”5 and says:
The kingdom of God is within you.6
In fact, all the saints and sages who have made research in the realms of soul and matter have come to the conclusion that our body contains everything, namely all that we see in this world of phenomena as well as that which remains hidden in the world beyond. They also claim that God can be realized only within the body, and if anyone desires to visit the subtle, astral and spiritual regions, he must search within himself. The Supreme Artist’s real handiwork can only be seen within. Whatever exists outside is false. The reality of the body and of the entire macrocosm can be seen clearly and distinctly nowhere else except within ourselves. Guru Arjun Dev says:
Within this house is everything;
Nothing is without.
Those who seek outside are in delusion.7
Now let us make some research in the secret chambers of this house, about which Jesus Christ says:
In my Father’s house are many mansions.8
Hindu sages refer to this body of ours as a ‘house with nine doors’. Sometimes it is referred to as a ‘house of ten gates’. Nine gates open outward, through which our energies are dissipated. The tenth gate opens the way to the palace of the Lord within. The nine doors comprise our two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, the mouth and the two lower outlets. The tenth is in the centre behind the two eyes. It is called tisra til, shiv-netra or the third eye. The Muslim saints call it nuqta-i suwaida.
A study of the inner structure of this house will reveal that it contains twelve stories, which can be divided into two parts. The part below the eyes is called Pinda. It contains six chakras and extends up to the eyes. Above the eyes we have Anda and Brahmanda as well as the higher regions, which make up the second part.
Yogis enter the body from the lowest chakra, called the muladhar, and stop at the eye centre, which they consider the last and the highest region.
The saints teach us to start from the eye centre, which is the headquarters of the mind and the soul in the waking state. The saints show us how to rise from this point up to Sat Lok, the fifth region above the eyes. They save their disciples the drudgery of going down and then treading the tedious, long, dreary and perilous maze of the khat chakras, kamals, centres or plexuses.
- The first chakra, called muladhar, is at the rectum. Its lord or ruling deity is Ganesh, the god with the elephant head. He is the lord of all the riddhis and siddhis*. Those desirous of attaining this stage concentrate their attention at this centre and repeat “kilyang, kilyang” ten million times. On reaching this stage the practitioner becomes the master of many siddhis and shaktis (miraculous and supernatural powers). His willpower becomes so strong that if he orders a fast running train to stop it cannot move an inch further. This centre has four petals. Its colour is reddish. Prithvi (earth) is the dominant element (tattwa) here. It is the reflection of the four-petalled lotus behind the eye centre in the upper part. It is subject to change and dissolution. At the time of our death, when the current of our spirit begins to withdraw from the body, this is the first centre to be affected. During meditation, when our soul leaves the eye centre, we are dead to the world but fully conscious within. Our ideal is to attain eternal liberation, to be one with the immortal, everlasting Lord of lords, who is without beginning and without end and whose abode neither Pralaya nor Maha Pralaya can reach.
- The swadhishthan chakra is the genital centre. The lotus of this chakra has six petals. Its colour is whitish black. Water is the chief tattwa here and onkar is the word. Brahma (this should not be confused with Brahm, the presiding deity at Trikuti, the second inner region above the eye centre in Brahmand) and Savitri are the ruling deities of this centre. Their function is to mould physical bodies for the material world, in the same manner as a potter moulds earthenware. This chakra is the reflection of the six-petalled lotus in Anda.
- The mani purak is the third chakra and it is located at the navel ganglion. This chakra or lotus has eight petals. Vishnu and Lakshmi are the presiding deities. They are the nourishers and look after the maintenance of the body. Fire is the active tattwa, and its colour is light-red. Hiryang is the recitation of this place.
- The hirday chakra, the fourth centre, has twelve petals and is located at the heart. It is the storehouse of the pranas, the vital energy in the breath. Shiva resides here with his consort, Parbati. Their duty is the dissolution of life. Air is the ruling tattwa here and blue is the colour of this centre. The recitation at this place is sohang.
- The kanth chakra, which is a sixteen-petalled lotus, is the fifth centre and is located at the throat. The presiding deity is Ashtangi (the goddess with eight arms), the mother of the three lower gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, who derive their power from her. She is known by many other names, such as Shakti, Durga, etc. Darkish blue is the colour here, and akash (ether) is the tattwa. Shiriyang is the name repeated at this centre.
- The do dal kamal (two-petalled lotus) is the sixth centre, between the two eyes. It is called shiv-netra, tisra til or third eye. This is the headquarters of our soul and mind during the waking state. From this point the currents of our soul have come down and spread throughout our whole body – in every cell and hair. This is as far as the khat chakras can take the soul. Pranayam cannot take one beyond this stage for the reason that the pranas, the energy in the breath, which form the vehicle used for ascent, merge in the Chitakash (sky within) at this stage.
Near the sacral plexus and associated with the function of elimination is the nadi (subtle channel) called kundalini, which lies coiled like a serpent. This is the root of all the nadis. From it twenty-four smaller nadis spring forth, which support the body. Out of these, ten carry the pranas to different parts of the body. Among these, ida, pingala and sushmana are the major nadis, which control the breath. They reach only as far as the shiv netra, the tisra til, the third eye. The progress of those who follow pranayam (the practice of rhythmic breathing) stops at tisra til, where these nadis end and the pranas merge in Chitakash, the place of their origin. No power can carry one further than its origin. From here, some realize their limitation and take the help of the three canals or streams of the gunas* and manage to reach Sahansdal Kamal. This is the first chakra of Brahmand, whence the way of the saints begins.
The first chakra of Brahmand has one thousand petals. From here, the management of the astral and the physical worlds is carried on. It is the seat of Niranjan, god of many religions.
Kabir Sahib has similarly given a detailed description of the various kamals in his well-known poem “Kar nainon didar mahal men piara hai”. He says:
See your Beloved (the Lord) with your own eyes. He is within you. To do so, you will have to abstain from intoxicants and animal food as well as falsehood, lust, anger and avarice. Adopt, in their place, chastity, contentment, humility and forgiveness.9
The practitioner of yoga should perform dhoti, neti and vasti and, seated in padam asan, do kumbhak and rechak*.
The yogi is to concentrate first on the mul chakra (ganglion). There the recitation should be kilyang and the four-petalled lotus of red colour will be seen. God Ganesh is the presiding deity, and one gets innumerable supernatural and miraculous powers there.
Above that is the pleasure centre which has a six-petalled lotus. God Brahma and goddess Savitri are the presiding deities. The recitation here is that of onkar. The procreation of the world is the function of this deity.
Beyond this is the eight-petalled lotus at the navel, the centre of god Vishnu, attained by recitation of hiryang.
It has from above the support of god Shiva and goddess Parbati, the presiding deities of the twelve-petalled lotus in the heart centre. The recitation here is sohang.
Above this is the goddess Avidya in the throat centre seated on a sixteen-petalled lotus, which is attained by reciting shiriyang. From here Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva derive their powers. If the yogi goes up further, he will come to the two-petalled lotus behind the eyes. The mind rules from here.
Kabir says that he has described in detail the various ganglia which are all within this physical body. If, however, one wishes to realize the endless, deathless and everlasting supreme Lord (Satnam), one should contact a true Master and listen to his satsang. He alone can guide the seeker within.
Shut your eyes, ears and mouth, and listen. By carrying out his directions, hear the sweet melody of subtle Anahat Shabd (Sound) and behold the transcendent light.
By continuous practice, and under his guidance, you will be able to cross the various stages above the eyes and realize Him – the supreme Lord of all.
Kabir says further that the centres within the physical body below the eyes are mere reflections of the centres above the eyes and are subject to dissolution.
Soami Ji says:
Of the physical body I describe the details of lotuses,
Of which there are twelve in all.
The first lotus is where Ganesh presideth.
In the second immaculate Brahma resideth.
The third doth gleam with Vishnu’s luminosity.
In the fourth are found both Shiva and Shakti.
Jivatma* doth rule over the lotus fifth,
While Parmatma hath sway over the sixth.
In the seventh lotus Kal hath his might;
He manifesteth there his spiritual light.
The eighth lotus lieth in Trikuti,
Where sun of Brahm shineth forth brilliantly.
The ninth lotus taketh us to Daswan Dwar;
Parbrahm liveth there quite afar.
Lotus achinta is found in Maha Sunn;
In the whole series it is the tenth one.
In Bhanwar Gupha see thou lotus eleventh,
And the twelfth glisteneth in Sach Khand.
The first six centres adorn the Pind,
The next three ornament Brahmand.
The highest three nobody knoweth;
To these regions the saint alone goeth.
In the six centres do yogis sojourn;
Up to the ninth yogishwars have gone.
Pind and Brahmand do both end here;
Yogis and gyanis no further go, dear.
None doth know the secret beyond;
The last three only the saints adorn.
Some say six and others say nine,
And within these most faiths do pine.
Further than this only saints do lead;
The few that reach there are blest indeed.
He alone is the saint supreme
Who can the twelfth centre redeem.10
Now the only question to be decided is which of the twelve mansions should be selected as one’s final objective? At the time of Pralaya (dissolution), the eight chakras up to Brahm (the second in the upper six) are destroyed. All who fail to cross the region of Brahm have to return and be born in the world again. In fact, this is the case with all who have not reached Sach Khand. Lord Krishna in the Gita says:
O Arjuna! The Vedas are concerned with the objects born of three gunas (they deal only with creation, sustenance and dissolution of the world). Be thou above these three gunas. Free thyself from the pairs of opposites, abide in eternal truth, detach thyself from worldly possessions and become the master of thy mind.11
Further on he says:
The value of the Vedas to a brahmin (a Hindu priest) is what a small pool of water would be to one who resideth with water all around him.12
Similarly, all the regions below Sach Khand (eleven in number) are effaced at the time of Maha Pralaya (grand dissolution). Only Sach Khand (Sat Lok) is permanent, eternal and deathless. Guru Nanak says: “Nirankar (God) resides in Sach Khand.”13 This is the only region where dissolutions and grand dissolutions do not reach.
Thus the human body has twelve chambers, divided into two major parts – the Pind and the Brahmand – each containing six chambers. The lower six are presided over by gods and goddesses, whose function is to serve the soul in various capacities. They are all subject to dissolution, although they last longer than the material body. So, none of them is worthy of being our ideal or goal. Only Sat Lok should be sought and attained.
It may be necessary to point out here that saints explain the relative positions of various stages and regions along the path, and the functions of their ruling deities, not with the intention of disparaging the teachings leading to the intermediary stages. In fact, the saints never speak ill of anyone. They are all love and they love all. But, as they come into this world for the purpose of showing sincere seekers the way back to their true home, it is necessary that the relative positions of different regions and their rulers be explained so that the seekers may not be misled into thinking that one of the regions above this one but below the highest is his true home.
Each region is so superior to everything below it that, unless the seeker has been correctly informed, he will think it to be the highest region and will have no desire to go further. In that case he may become so engrossed in the pleasures of the region that he may get stuck up there until dissolution or even grand dissolution, depending upon the height of the region attained, overtakes him. Such persons will again have to go through the cycle of births and deaths, sometimes even in species lower than the human form, until they have again accumulated sufficient good karmas to receive the great gift of a human body. The saints tell us that since it is only in human form that one can begin the real spiritual journey, why not start now?
On the other hand, if one knows beforehand that regions between this world and the highest are but stops on the way, he will not rest until he reaches his true home of eternal peace and happiness, from which he need never return. This duty lies heavily on the saints and they have to perform it in a manner so as to enlighten the true seekers.
In singing the glory of Sach Khand as the highest inner region and in emphasising the greatness of Sat Purush as the highest Lord and supreme Creator, their object is to give full and true information about the Lord.
Saints have no personal motive in making these statements. Their sole purpose is to shed light on the high status of the soul and its relation to the Supreme Being. Then we realize that there is no individual soul but that all is He in various states of consciousness. We aim to reach the highest state, which is God-realization. We are now involved in duality, mine and thine, good and bad and the like, but the saints teach us how to rise above all this and realize our own highest state of consciousness. Thus, when they point out the stages and their rulers on the way, it is like showing us a road map that indicates the transit stops en route to our destination. Therefore we should not be content to settle down until we reach our real home. This is what the saints tell us as clearly as it can be told in mortal language. In doing so, they are simply reminding us not to forget our goal. Our body may be likened to a precious sandalwood forest, which we can exchange for millions of rupees (spiritual values) but we, in our ignorance, reduce it to charcoal in the fires of the five passions. The following anecdote aptly illustrates this point.
A poor old man lived in a forest and eked out his living by making charcoal from scraps of wood and selling it. One time, as a reward for rescuing a king who had lost his way in the forest, the poor man was given a beautiful grove full of the most fragrant type of sandalwood trees. These trees were of a special quality from which very expensive and rare perfume was made. One of these trees, in its natural state and without any effort on the part of the old man, alone was worth more than the poor man could have earned during the rest of his life by producing and selling wood as charcoal.
Of course, the poor old man was very happy over this gift, but did not realize what a great fortune was bestowed on him. So, in order to make a living, he resorted to making charcoal out of the sandalwood trees and selling it in the market for a pittance.
After a long time the king happened to pass that way again and noticed that the most valuable grove had been reduced to ashes, also that the old man was in the same poor condition as before. When the king inquired as to what had happened, the old man related that he had been earning his living by making charcoal from the trees. The king then asked him if he had any of the sandalwood left. The old man replied that he had nothing except a small piece, perhaps one or two feet long. The king told him to go to the same bazaar where he had been selling the charcoal and sell this piece of wood without first turning it into charcoal. There were some wealthy people in the bazaar who noticed the excellent quality and rare fragrance of this piece of sandalwood. Recognising its value, they all wanted to buy it. The result was that the old man earned hundreds of rupees out of that one small piece of sandalwood.
He returned to the king with the money, and the king said: “You have not appreciated the value of this wood. Had you appreciated it, you could have earned millions instead of the paltry sum you did by selling it as charcoal, and that too after going through the unnecessary labour of first making charcoal out of it.” On realizing his mistake, the old man asked the king for another such gift that he might make proper use of it. The king replied that such a gift is bestowed only once in a lifetime.
In the same way, the true value of the human body is realized at the time of death, when man regrets that he has squandered his most precious possession. The result is that he has to go to hell or to lower births. Similarly, the Bible says that we are selling our birthright for a mess of pottage.
Thus we should choose that path which is safest, shortest, easiest and of highest reach. Such a path is Surat Shabd Yoga. The path through the lower chakras, you have seen, is so long, tedious and hazardous that it took the followers thousands of years of intense hard work to reach only up to Sahansdal Kamal. Moreover, that was the dharma (duty) of past yugas. In the first place, the span of life is not as long now as it was then; besides, who can now undergo the rigours and painful severity of those sadhanas (spiritual disciplines)?
The path of the saints is so easy that from a child to an old man – men, women, healthy or sick – all can follow it without trouble. You are not to change your religion or renounce the world, nor even alter your mode of living. There are no rites, rituals or ceremonies to be observed. Only you have to give two and one-half or three hours daily to your most important duty, which is devotion to God. A true Master will teach you the technique of Surat Shabd Yoga, which enables you to hear the Voice of God.
To recapitulate:
- The human body is a storehouse of treasures and the temple of the living God.
- This mansion has twelve stories which can be divided in two parts, six of which are in Pind and extend up to the eyes, and the remaining six lie above the eyes in And and Brahmand.
- During dissolution, eight of these stories including Brahm are destroyed. In grand dissolution eleven of them are effaced. The lowest six (ganglia) are presided over by deities who depart before man’s actual death.
- Only Sach Khand or Sat Lok is permanent and eternal and fit for our abode. All efforts should be directed to attaining this region.
- The safest, shortest and easiest path is that of Surat Shabd Yoga, and this can be learnt only from a perfect adept.
- The prerequisite is to give two and one-half to three hours daily to spiritual practices with love, faith and devotion. Thus we hear the Voice of God which alone can lead us to deliverance.