The Death of the Yogi and After
Skandha II., Chap. 2
When all desires are controlled by meditation, and the Yogi is lost in the contemplation of Vishnu, he sits in proper posture, pressing his feet against the anus and perseveringly draws the vital air upwards to the six centres. He draws the air in the navel centre (Manipur) to the cardiac plexus, thence to the plexus beneath the throat (Visúddha), thence gradually by intuition to the root of the palate. (Śridhara Svâmi calls this last the higher part of Visúddha chakra, and remarks that the vital air is not displaced from that position. This may be called the pharyngeal plexus.) Thence he takes the vital air to Ajna chakra, which is situated between the two eye-brows. Then he controls the seven holes (the ears, the eyes, the nostrils and the mouth). He then looks steadily for half a Muhurta, and if he has not a trace of desire left in him gives up the body and the Indriyas, passes out through the Brahmâ-randhra and attains the state of Vishnu.
[It will be noticed above that six plexuses are mentioned other than the Sacral and the prostatic.
In the death of the desireless Yogi, there is no record of thereafter, for nothing is known beyond our cosmos.]
“But, O king,” said Suka, “if the Yogi seeks for the highest cosmic state or for the roamings of aerial Siddhas over the whole of cosmos, in full control of the eight Siddhis, he will then take his Manas and Indriyas with him. It is said that these Masters of Yoga can move both inside and outside Trilokî, for their Linga Sarira consists of the atoms of air. The state attained by those that acquire Samâdhi by Upâsana, Tapas and Yoga cannot be reached by Vedic Karma. In space when the Yogi moves towards the Brahmâ Loka or Satya Loka, he first goes by means of his Sushumnâ Nâdi to Vaisvânara or the fire-god for the Sushumnâ by its light extends beyond the body. His impurities being all washed away, he goes upwards to the Sisumâra Chakra of Hari (i.e., up to the highest point of Trilokî, as will be explained afterwards). Then crossing that Chakra of Vishnu, which is the navel of the Universe, he reaches the Mahar Loka with his pure Linga Sarira. There the dwellers of Svarga cannot go. Mahar Loka is the abode of Brahmâvids, where Bhrigu and other adepts who live for a whole Kalpa dwell.
“The Yogi remains in Mahar Loka till the end of the Kalpa, when, seeing the Trilokî burnt up by fire from the mouth of Ananta or Sankarshana, the fires reaching even Mahar Loka’s he moves towards the abode of Paramesthi (Satya Loka or Brahmâ Loka). This highest Loka lasts for two Parârddhas and is adorned by the chariots of the kings of Siddhas. There is no sorrow in Brahmâ Loka, no infirmity, no death, no misery, no fear of any kind. But the Yogi suffers from mental pain caused by sympathy with those that suffer for their ignorance of the supreme state in the recurrence of births with their endless miseries.
“There are three courses for those that go to Brahmâ Loka. Some by the excellence of their merits get responsible cosmical positions at the next Kalpa. Others remain in the Brahmâ Loka till the end of the cosmos or Brahmânda. The Upâsakas of Bhagavân however may at their will pierce through the cosmos or Brahmânda and reach the trans-cosmic plane of Vishnu. The text goes on to say how this is done. The cosmos consists of seven Pâtalas and seven Lokas, together forming the fourteen-fold Bhuvana, which extends over 50 Krores of Yojanas (1 Yojana = 8 miles). Surrounding this is a covering of the earthy principle, such as was not used up in the formation of the cosmos, extending over one krore of yojanas. (According to some this covering extends over 50 krores of yojanas.) The second cover is of water, extending over ten times as much space as earth, the third of fire, the fourth of air, the fifth of âkása, the sixth of Ahankâra, the seventh of Mahat, each covering ten times as much space as the one preceding. The eighth cover is Prakriti, which is all pervading. The Linga Sarira of the Yogi in passing through the earthy cover, becomes earthy, through water becomes watery, and through fire, fiery. With the fiery body he goes to the air cover and with the airy cover to the âkása cover. He passes also through the Tanmâtras and senses them. He passes through Prâna itself and becomes all action. Having thus crossed the Sthûla and Sûkshma coverings, the Yogi reaches the sixth covering that of the Transformable or Ahankâra Tatva, which is the absorber of the Tanmâtras and of the Indriyas. Thence he goes to Mahat Tatva and thence to Pradhâna, where all the Gunas find their resting place. Then becoming all Pradhâna himself full of bliss, he attains with the exhaustion of all upâdhis the trans-cosmic Atmâ, which is Peace and Bliss.
“These are the two ways to Mukti, the one prompt and the other deferred as sung in the Vedas.”
The following Diagram may be of some help in understanding the above: —
KEY TO THE CIRCLE.
M’ = Mahat cover 1,000,000 Krores or 50,000,000 Krores Yojanas.
A” = Ahankâra cover 100,000 or 5,000,000 Krores Yojanas.
A’ = Âkâs cover 10,000 or 500,000 Krores Yojanas.
V = Vayu cover 1000 or 50.000 Krores Yojanas.
T’ = Tejas cover 100 or 5000 Krores Yojanas.
A = Âpas cover 10 or 500 Krores Yojanas.
E = Earth cover 1 or 50 Krores Yojanas.
S’= Satya Loka
T = Tapas Loka
J = Jana Loka
M = Mahar Loka
S = Svar Loka
B’ = Bhuvar Loka
B = Bhûr Loka
P = Seven Pâtâlas
S’ to P = 50 Krores Yojanas.
A’ to E = Includes Tanmatras, Indriyas and Prana.
Prakriti surrounds the whole circle.