[Advaita-l] a possible reference to kundalini in brhadaranyopanishadbhashya?

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

Ramesh asked if there are any mentions of chakras etc. in the prasthana
trayi and if there is any mention of the number of lokas.

The second question first:  I was actually only able to find a reference
to 7 lokas in some of the minor upanishads.  The "big 10" have various
references to lokas as Ramesh mentioned but not necessarily 7.

And while there are not any refereces to Kundalini either, there is an
interesting comment in Shankaracharyas bhashya on Brhadaranyakopanishad
4.4.9.  My comments are in []

Some speak of it as white and some as blue or brown, green or red.  This
path is realized by a knower of Brahman. And also Other knowers of Brahman
who do good deeds and are one with the light.

Shankaracharya says:

tasminmokshasadhanamArge vipratipattirmumukShUNAm | katham tasmin shuklam
shuddham vimalamAhuH kechinmumukShavo nIlamanye pi~Ngalamanye haritaM
lohitaM cha yathA darshanam |

[This is one interpretation of the text]

The seekers of moksha have differences of opinion on the nature of the
path of moksha sadhana.  How? some say it is pure white, some seekers of
moksha say blue, brown, yellow, and red according to their philosophy.

[However the correct interpretation is different]

na~NyastvetAH suShumnAdyAH

But actually they [the colors] refer to the nADis, suShumnA etc.

[then a few lines down]

nanu shuklaH shuddho'dvaita mArgaH | na | nIlapItadishabdervarNavAchakaiH
saha anudravaNAt | yA~nchuklAdInyogino mokShapathAnahurna te mokShamArgaH |
saMsAra viShayA eva hi te |

Can it be said white refers to the pure Advaita path? No.  It is mentioned
alongside the words blue, yellow, etc. of the class "color".  "white" and
other paths to Moksha described by the Yogis are not truly paths to
Moksha.  They belong to samsara.

[He then goes on to quote 4.4.2 which says of a dying man, in part]

...Then the top of the heart [aorta?] brightens.  Through that brightened
top, the Atma leaves, _either_through_the_eye_or_the_head_or_through_any
part_of_the_body...

[I think the use of sushumna, yogis etc. shows that Shankaracharya was
aware of the Kundalini philosophy but not in favor of it.  The clincher
would be if the chakras were refered to by colors.  Is that so?


-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>