Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of Breath (Pranayama Yoga) The Science of Breath & the Philosophy of the Tatwas (Translated from the Sanskrit with 15 Introductory & Explanatory Essays on Nature’s Finer Forces) by Rama Prasad The Theosophical Publishing Society, London (1890) ~ Contents ~ Part One Preface I. The Tatwas II. Evolution III. The Mutual Relation of the Tatwas & Principle IV. Prana (I) V. Prana (II) VI. Prana (III) VII. Prana (IV) VIII. The Mind (I) IX. The Mind (II) X. The Cosmic Picture Gallery XI. The Manifestations of Psychic Force XII. Yoga ~ The Soul (I) XIII. Yoga (II) Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of XIV. Yoga (III) XV. The Spirit Part Two: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy of the Tatwas Glossary Preface ~ A word of explanation is necessary with regard to the the 9th and 10th volumes of the theosophist I wrote Forces. The subject of these essays interested the I was asked to issue the series of Essays in book form. I they must be almost entirely rearranged, and perhaps to the task of rewriting what I had once written. I translation of the book in Sanskrit on the Science of the Tatwas. As, however, without these Essays the book would I decided to add them to the book by way of an has been done. The Essays in the theosophist have been modifications, and corrections. Besides, I have written the explanations more complete and authoritative. Thus introductory and explanatory Essays. I was confirmed in this course by one more consideration. more than the essays touched upon, and I thought it The book is sure to throw a good deal of light upon the Aryans of India, and it will leave no doubt in a candid India had a scientific basis. It is chiefly for this the Tatwic Law from the Upanishads. There is a good deal in the book that can only be shown experiment. Those who are devoted to the pursuit of truth be ready to wait before they form any opinion about such useless to reason with. To the former class of students I have to say one word Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of can tell them that the more they study the book, the more it, and let me hope that ere long I shall have a goodly me try their best to explain and illustrate the book Rama Prasad Merut (India) 5 November 1889 Natures Finer Forces & Their Influence on Human Life & Destiny I. The Tatwas ~ The tatwas are the five modifications of the great breath throws it into five states, having distinct functions. The first outcome of the Evolutionary State of After this come in order the vayu, the taijas, the apas known as mahabhutas. The word akasa is generally ether. Unfortunately, however, sound is not known to be ether in modern English Science. Some few might also have medium of light is the same as akasa. This, I believe, is is the subtle taijas tatwa, and not the akasa. All the called ethers, but to use it for the word akasa, without misleading. We might call akasa the sonoriferous ether, apas the gustiferous ether, and prithivi the odoriferous universe the luminiferous ether, an element of refined found that the phenomena of light find no adequate remaining ethers, elements of refined matter, without phenomena of sound, touch, taste and smell find no The luminiferous ether is supposed by Modern Science to It is the vibrations of this element that are said to take place at right angles to the direction of the wave. Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of the taijas tatwa given in the book. It makes this tatwa the center of the direction is, of course, the direction whole vibration of this element makes the figure of a Suppose in the figure: AB is the direction of the wave; BC is the direction of which, seeing that in expansion the symmetrical not changed, the vibrating atom must return to its The taijas tatwa of the Ancients is then exactly the far as the nature of the vibration is concerned. There is remaining ethers, at all events in a direct manner, in akasa, the soniferous ether, constitute sound; and it is distinctive character of this form of motion. The experiment of the bell in a vacuum goes to prove that propagate sound. Any other media, however, such as the to transmit sound in various degrees. There must, media which gives birth to sound the vibration the Indian akasa. But akasa is all-pervading, just as the luminiferous transmitted to our ears when a vacuum is produced in the must make a difference between the vibrations of the light, etc., and the vibrations in the media which It is not the vibrations of the ethers the subtle ethereal vibrations transferred to different media, which gross matter the sthula Mahabhutas. The darkened room as in the space without. The minutest space surrounding walls themselves is not void of it. For all Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of not present in the interior. Why? The reason is that our vibrations of the luminiferous ether. It only sees the pervades. The capability of being set into ethereal In the space without the darkened room the ether brings the necessary state of visual vibration, and one wide view. The same is the case with every other object that object brings the atoms of that object into the necessary strength of the ethereal vibrations that the presence of pervading our planet is not sufficient to evoke the same darkening walls. The internal ether, divided from the cut off from such vibrations. The darkness of the room is notwithstanding the presence therein of the luminiferous vacuum of a bell-jar must needs be transmitted to our which stands in contact with the internal luminiferous of being put into the state of visual vibration, which external ether and thence to the eye. The same would porcelain or an earthen jar. It is this capability of vibrations that we call transparency in glass and similar To return to the soniferous ether (akasa): Every form of extent, which varies with various forms, what we may call Now I have to say something about the nature of the understood in this connection. In the first place the something like the hole of the ear: It throws matter which is subject to it, into the form of These dots are little points, rising above the common Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of pits in the sheet. It is said to move by fits and starts directions (sarvatogame). It means to say that the line of its former path, which lies on all sides of the It will be understood that these ethers produce in gross own. The form, therefore, into which the auditory true clue to the form of the ethereal vibration. And the discovered by Modern Science are similar. Now we come to the tangiferous ether (vayu). The being spherical in form, and the motion is said to be at Such is the representation of these vibrations on the The remarks about the transmission of sound in the case mutandis. The gustiferous ether (apas tatwa) is said to is, moreover, said to move downward. This direction is ether. This force therefore causes contraction. Here is vibrations on the plane of paper: The process of contraction will be considered when I come The odoriferous ether (prithivi) is said to be Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of This is said to move in the middle. It neither moves at upwards, nor downwards, but it moves along the line of quadrangle are in the same plane. These are the forms, and the modes of motion, of the five Of the five sensations of men, each of these gives birth (1) Akasa, Sonorifierous ether, Sound; (2) Vayu, Luminfierous ether, Color; (4) Apas, Gustiferous ether, ether, Smell. In the process of evolution, these co-existing ethers, forms and primary qualities, contract the qualities of process of panchikarana, or division into five. If we take, as our book does, H, P, R, V and L to be the (4), and (5), respectively, after panchikarana the ethers Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of One molecule of each ether, consisting of eight atoms, ethers, and one of the remaining four. The following table will show the five qualities of each Sound Touch Taste Color Smell (1) H ordinary … … (2) P very light cool acid light blue acid (3) R light very hot hot red hot (4) V heavy cool astringent white astringent (5) L deep warm sweet yellow sweet It might be remarked here that the subtle tatwas exist The higher of these planes differ from the lower in per second. The four planes are: (1) Physical (Prana); (2) Mental (Manas); (3) Psychic I shall discuss, however, some of the secondary qualities Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of (1) Space ~ This is a quality of the akasa tatwa. It has this ether is shaped like the hole of the ear, and that points (vindus). It follows evidently that the space to ethereal minima, and offer them room for (2) Locomotion ~ This is the quality of the vayu tatwa. motion in all directions is motion in a circle, large or form of spherical motion. When to the motion which keeps is added to the stereotyped motion of the vayu, (3) Expansion ~ This is the quality of the taijas tatwa. shape and form of motion which is given to this ethereal of metal: If we apply fire to it, the luminiferous ether in it is atoms of the lump into similar motion. Suppose (a) is an assume the shape of the taijas, vibration goes towards position of (a). Similarly does every point change of metal. Ultimately the whole piece assumes the shape of result. (4) Contraction ~ This is the quality of the apas tatwa. direction of this ether is the reverse of the agni, and contraction is the result of the play of this tatwa. (5) Cohesion ~ This is the quality of the prithivi tatwa. reverse of akasa. Akasa gives room for locomotion, while natural result of the direction and shape of this akasa. (6) Smoothness ~ This is a quality of the apas tatwa. As contraction come near each other and assume the Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of easily glide over each other. The very shape secures easy This, I believe, is sufficient to explain the general phases of their manifestation on all the planes of life places. II. Evolution ~ It will be very interesting to trace the development of world according to the theory of the tatwas. The tatwas, as we have already seen, are the find in our book: In the Swara are the Vedas and All the world is in the Swara; Swara is the spirit Swara is the current of the life-wave. It is evolution of cosmic undifferentiated matter into the involution of this into the primary state of forever and ever. From whence does this motion come? This word atma used in the book, itself carries the idea of from the root at, eternal motion; and it may be connected with (and in fact is simply another form of) All these roots have for their original the sound The Science of Breath the symbol for inspiration is sa, see how these symbols are connected with the roots as and spoken of above is technically called Hansachasa, i.e., Hansa, which is taken to mean God, and is made so much of only the symbolic representation of the eternal processes The primeval current of life-wave is, then, the same inspiratory and expiratory motion of the lungs, and this evolution and the involution of the universe. The book goes on: It is the Swara that has given divisions of the universe; the Swara causes involution Himself, or more properly the great Power manifestation of the impression on matter of that power the power that knows itself. It is to be understood that ceases. It is ever at work, and evolution and involution unchangeable existence. The Swara has two different states. The one is known on the other as the moon-breath. I shall, however, at the Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of designate them as positive and negative respectively. The comes back to the point from whence it started is known positive or evolutionary period is known as the day of involutionary portion is known as the night of each other without break. The sub-divisions of this existence, and it is therefore necessary to give her the Shastras. The Divisions of Time ~ I shall begin with a Truti as the least division of 26-2/3 truti = 1 nimesha = 8/45 second. 18 nimesha = 1 kashtha = 3-1/5 seconds = 8 vipala. 30 kashtha = 1 kala = 1-3/5 minutes = 4 pala. 30 kala = 1 mahurta = 48 minutes = 2 ghari. 30 mahurta = 1 day and night = 24 hours = 60 ghari. 30 days and nights and odd hours = 1 Pitruja day and 12 months = 1 Daiva day and night = 1 year = 365 days, 365 Daiva days and nights = 1 Daiva year. 4,800 Daiva years = 1 Satya yuga. 3,600 Daiva years = 1 Treta yuga. 2,400 Daiva years = 1 Dwapara yuga. 1,200 Daiva years = 1 Kali yuga. 12,000 Daiva years = 1 Chaturyugi (four yuga). 12,000 Chaturyugi = 1 Daiva yuga. 2,000 Daiva yuga = 1 day and night of Brahma. 365 Brahmic days and nights = 1 year of Brahma. 71 Daiva yuga = 1 Manwantara. 12,000 Brahmic years = 1 Chaturyuga of Brahma, and so 200 yuga of Brahma = 1 day and night of parabrahma. These days and nights follow each other in eternal and involution. We have thus five sets of days and night: (1) Parabrahma, Pitrya, (5) Manusha. A sixth is the Manwantara day, and The days and nights of parabrahma follow each other (the negative period and the day (the positive period) conjunctive period) and merge into each other. And so do days all through this division are sacred to the are sacred to the negative, the cooler current. The Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of power of producing an impression, lie in the positive given birth to by the negative current. After being subjected to the negative phase of parabrahma like a shadow, has been saturated with current sets in, changes are imprinted upon it, and it imprint that the evolutionary positive current leaves Then, by and by the remaining ethers come into existence. are the ethers of the first stage. Into these five ethers, as now constituting the objective Great Breath. A further development takes place. The akasa throws them into a form that gives room for the vayu tatwa these elementary ethers are thrown into beginning of formation, or what may also be called These spheres are our Brahmandas. In them the ethers The so-called division into five takes place. In this have good room for locomotion, the taijas tatwa now comes tatwa. Every tatwic quality is generated into, and currents. In process of time we have a center and an universe. In this sphere, according to the same process, a third the cooler atmosphere removed from the center another existence. These divide the Brahmic state of matter into comes into existence another state of matter whose suns. We have thus four states of subtle matter in the (1) Prana, life matter, with the sun for center; (2) center; (3) Vijnana, psychic matter, with Brahma for with parabrahma as the infinite substratum. Every higher state is positive with regard to the lower birth to by a combination of the positive and negative (1) Prana has to do with three sets of days and nights in ordinary days and nights; (b) The bright and dark half of pitrya day and night; (c) The northern and southern of the devas. Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of These three nights acting upon earth-matter impart to it shady phase of life-matter. These nights imprint in after it. The earth herself thus becomes a living central force draws the needle towards itself, and a which is, so to speak, the shade of the north polar centered in the eastern half, and the lunar — the shade western half. These centers come, in fact, into existence even before plane. So too do the centers of other planets come into himself to the manu there come into existence two states and moves the positive and the negative. As the time subjected to the negative shady state, is subjected source of its positive phase, manu, the figure of manu is fact, the universal mind, and all the planets with their existence. Of this, however, more heareafter. At present Prana has four centers of force. When it has been cooled by the negative current, the and earth-life in various forms comes into existence. The more clearly. (2) Manas: this has to do with manu. The suns revolve of their atmospheres of prana. This system gives birth to which the planets are one class. These lokas have been enumerated by Vyasa in his Pada, 26th Sutra). The aphorism runs thus: By meditation upon the sun is obtained a knowledge On this, the revered commentator says: There are (1) The Bhurloka: this extends to the Meru; (2) surface of the Meru to the Dhru, the pole-star, and the stars; (3) Beyond that is the swarloka: this is Maharloka: This is sacred to the Prajapati; (5) Janaloka; loka. These three (5, 6, and 7) are sacred to Brahma. It is not my purpose to try at present to explain the for my present purpose to say that the planets, the Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of impressions of manu, just as the organisms of the earth solar prana is prepared for this impression during the Similarly, Vijnana has to do with the nights and days of Parabrahma. It will thus be seen that the whole process of creation, performed most naturally by the five tatwas in their negative. There is nothing in the universe that the not comprehend. After this brief exposition of the theory of tatwic taking up all the subtle states of matter one by one, and working of the tatwic law in those planes, and also the life in humanity. III. The Mutual Relation of the Tatwas and of the The akasa is the most important of all the tatwas. It and follow every change of state on every plane of life. manifestation or cessation of forms. It is out of akasa akasa that every form lives. The akasa is full of forms between every two of the five tatwas, and between every The evolution of the tatwas is always part of the the manifestation of the primary tatwas is with the a body, a Prakritic form to the Iswara. In the bosom of hidden unnumerable such centers. One center takes under the Infinite, and there we find first of all coming into of this akasa limits the extent of the Universe, and out this end comes out of this akasa the Vayu tatwa. This a certain center that serves to keep the whole expanse from other universes (Brahmandas). It has been mentioned, and further on will be more a positive and a negative phase. It is also evident on more distant from the center are always negative to those that they are cooler than these, as it will be seen later only, but that all the higher centers have a greater Well then, in this Brahmic sphere of Vayu, except for akasa, every atom of the vayu is reacted upon by an Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of therefore the cooler one reacts upon the nearer and opposite vibrations of the same force cancel each other, akasic state. Thus, while some of this space remains account of the constant outflow of this tatwa from the rapidly turned into akasa. This akasa is the mother of tatwa working similarly gives birth through another akasa the prithivi. This Brahmic prithivi thus contains the besides a fifth one of its own. The first stage of the Universe, the ocean of psychic its entirety. This matter is, of course, very, very fine, in it as compared with the matter of the fifth plane. In Iswara, and this ocean, with everything that might be universe. In this psychic ocean, as before, the more distant atoms Hence, except a certain space which remains filled with the constant supply of this element from above, the rest This second akasa is full of what are called Manus in so many groups of certain mental forms, the ideals of the to appear further on. We have to do with one of Impelled by the evolutionary current of the Great Breath, the same way as Brahma did out of the parabrahmic akasa. mental sphere is the Vayu, and then in regular order the This mental matter follows the same laws, and similarly state, which is full of innumerable suns. They come out work on a similar plan, which will be better understood Everybody can test here for himself that the more distant cooler than the nearer ones. Every little atom of Prana adjacent one towards the sun from itself. Hence equal and other. Leaving, therefore, a certain space near the sun of Prana, which are there being constantly supplied from passes into the akasic state. It might be noted down here that the whole of this Prana points. In the future I shall speak of these points of as these trutis that appear on the terrestrial plane as spoken of as solar atoms. These solar atoms are of prevalence of one or more of the constituent tatwas. Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of Every point of Prana is a perfect picture of the whole represented in every point. Every atom has, therefore, tatwas, in varying proportions according to its position classes of these solar atoms appear on the terrestrial chemistry. The spectrum of every terrestrial element reveals the or tatwas of a solar atom of that substance. The greater subjected the nearer does the element approaches its being the terrestrial coatings of the solar atoms. The spectrum of sodium thus shows the presence of the red agni and the yellow prithivi, that of cesium, the red yellow prithivi, and the blue vayu. Rubidium shows red, i.e., the agni, prithivi and agni, prithivi, vayu and atoms that make up all put altogether, the wide expanse akasic state. While the sun keeps up a constant supply of passing into the akasic state pass on the other side into measured portions of the solar akasa naturally separate to the differing creation that is to appear in those called lokas. The earth itself is a loka called the further illustration of the law. That portion of the solar akasa that is the immediate to the terrestrial Vayu. Every element is now in the now be called gaseous. The Vayu tatwa is spherical in bears similar outlines. The center of this gaseous sphere whole expanse of gas. As soon as this gaseous sphere to the following influences among others: (1) The superposed influence of the solar heat; (2) The distant atoms on the nearer ones and vice versa. The first influence has a double effect upon the gaseous nearer hemisphere than to the more distant one. The hemisphere having contracted a certain amount of solar Cooler air from below takes its place. But where does the beyond the limit of the terrestrial sphere, which is which comes a supply from the solar Prana. It therefore thus a rotary motion is established in the sphere. This upon its axis. Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of Again, as a certain amount of the solar energy is the impulse of the upward motion reaches the center along with it the whole sphere, moves towards the sun. It direction, for a nearer approach would destroy that peculiarities. A loka that is nearer to the sun than our conditions of life. Hence, while the sun draws the earth that have given it a constitution, on which ages must assigned to it. Two forces thus come into existence. towards the sun; checked by the other it must remain and the centripetal forces, and their action results in Secondly, the internal action of the gaseous atoms upon the whole gaseous sphere, except the upper portion, into gives birth to the igneous (pertaining to the agni tatwa) changes similarly into the apas, and this again into the The same process obtains in the changes of matter with example will better illustrate the whole law. Take ice. This is solid, or what the Science of Breath One quality of the prithivi tatwa, the reader will apply heat to this ice. As this heat passes into the ice, When the temperature rises to 78 degrees, the ice changes longer indicates the same amount of heat. 78 degrees of Let us now apply 536 degrees of heat to a pound of this great quantity of heat becomes latent while the Now let us follow the reverse process. To gaseous water cold. When this cold becomes sufficient entirely to gaseous state, the vapor passes into the akasa state, and is not necessary that the whole of the vapor should at change is gradual. As the cold is gradually passing into gradually appearing out of, and through the intervention during latency. This is being indicated on the into the igneous state, and the thermometer has indicated comes into existence. Out of this second akasa comes the temperature, the whole heat having again passed into the longer indicated by the thermometer. When cold is applied to this liquid, heat again begins to degrees, this heat having come out of and through the Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of whole liquid had passed into the igneous state. Here it state. The thermometer begins to fall down, and out of prithivi state of water — ice. Thus we see that the heat which is given out by the state, which becomes the substratum of a higher phase, passes into another akasa state, which becomes the It is in this way that the terrestrial gaseous sphere experiment described above points out many important tatwas to each other. First of all it explains that very important assertion of that every succeeding tatwic state has the qualities of we see that as the gaseous state of water is being acted steam is being cancelled and passing into the akasa equal and opposite vibrations of the same force always the akasa. Out of this comes the taijas state of matter. heat of steam becomes patent. It will be observed that taijas form of water, as indeed any other substance, because the major part of terrestrial matter is in the states of apas and prithivi, and whenever for any cause state, the surrounding objects begin at once to react force it into the next akasa state. Those things that now or the prithivi find it quite against the laws of their external influence, in the taijas (igneous) state. Thus passing into the liquid state has already remained in the gaseous, and the taijas. It must, therefore, have all the it no doubt has. Cohesive resistance is only wanted, and tatwa. Now when this atom of liquid water passes into the icy states that have preceded must again show themselves. the liquid state, and the akasa state will come out. Out the gaseous state. This gaseous (Vayava) state is motions that are set up in the body of the liquid by the motion, however, is not of very long duration, and as akasa state) the taijas state is coming out. This too, as this is passing into the akasa state, the ice is It will be easy to see that all four states of gaseous (Vayava) is there in what we call the atmosphere; Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of normal temperature of earth life; the liquid (apas) is terra firma. None of these states, however, exists quite constantly invading the domain of the other, and thus it space filled up only with matter in one state. The two with each other to a greater degree than those that are intermediate state. Thus prithivi will be found mixed up with agni and vayu, apas with agni than with vayu, and other. It would thus appear from the above, according to flame and other luminous bodies on earth are not in the They are in or near the solar state of matter. IV. Prana (I) ~ The Centers of Prana; The Nadis; The Tatwic Centers of of Breath Prana, as already expressed, is that state of Tatwic which moves the earth and other planets. It is the state terrestrial state. The terrestrial sphere is separated Thisakasa is the immediate mother of the terrestrial vayu on this account that the sky looks blue. Although at this point in the heavens, the Prana changes the terrestrial Vayu, the rays of the sun that fall on in their inward journey. They are refracted, but move the same. Through these rays the ocean of Prana, which it an organizing influence. The terrestrial Prana the earth-life that appears our planet is, as a whole, nothing more than a As the earth moves round her own axis and round the sun, in the terrestrial Prana. During the diurnal rotation direct influence of the sun, sends forth the positive During the night the same place sends forth the negative In the annual course the positive current travels from months of summer the day of the devas and months the night of the devas. The North and East are thus sacred to the positive negative current. The sun is the lord of the positive Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of because the negative solar prana comes during the night The terrestrial prana is thus an ethereal being with northern, the second the southern. The two halves of western centers. During the six months of summer the to the South, and during the months of winter the With every month, with every day, with every nimesha this course, and while this current continues in this course eastern or western direction. The northern current runs West, and during the night from West to East. The respectively opposite to the above. So practically there eastern and western. The difference of the northern and felt in terrestrial life. These two currents produce in distinguishable modifications of the composing ethers. modifications proceeding from their different centers run life, strength, form and other qualities to the other. northern center, run the currents of positive prana; southern, the currents of negative prana. The eastern and currents are respectively called Pingala and Ida, two of Tantrists. It will be better to discuss the other in the human body. The influence of this terrestrial Prana develops two that is to form a human body. Part of the matter gathers the southern center. The northern center develops into heart. The general shape of the terrestrial Prana is northern focus is in the brain; the southern in the positive matter gathers runs between these foci. The line in the middle is the place where the eastern and divisions of the column join. The column is the medulla susumna, the right and left divisions the Pingala and either way from these nadis are only their ramifications, the nervous system. The negative Prana gathers round the southern center. former. The right and left divisions of this column are heart. Each division has two principal ramifications, and each others. The two openings either way are one a vein, and Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of into four chambers the four petals of the lotus of again, with all its ramifications, is called Pingala, the susumna. There is reason to think, however, that the heart only is three foregoing names are set apart for the nervous forward and backward, in and out. The cause of this lies Prana. As the year advances, every moment a change of prana, on account of the varying strengths of the solar moment is, strictly speaking, a new being of Prana. As The Moment that is the first to throw into matter the is the first cause of organized life. If the succeeding effect to the first cause, the organism gains strength rendered fruitless. The general effect of these but the impulse of any one moment tends to pass off as forward and backward motion is thus established. One the center of work goes to the farthest ends of the gross of the organism. The succeeding moment gives it, few moments are taken in the completion of the forward the backward one. This period differs in different the lungs inspire; as it recedes, the process of The Prana moves in the Pingala when it moves from the and from the southern towards the west; it moves in Ida center towards the west, and from the southern center the former case the Prana moves from the brain, towards the left and back to the brain; and from the heart to the back to the heart. In the latter the case is the reverse. the Prana moves from the nervous system to the right to the left, and back again to the nervous system; or, the left through the nervous system to the right, and vessels. These two currents coincide. In the latter the the body containing the nerves and the blood vessels may Pingala. The right and left bronchi form as well the part as any other parts of the right and left divisions of the the names of susumna is sandhi, the place where the two really that place from which the Prana may move either certain circumstances, both ways. It is that place which changes from the right to the left, and from the left to spinal canal and the cardiac canal. The spinal canal northern center of Prana through the whole vertebral canal extends from the southern center midway between the Prana moves from the spinal canal towards the right hand Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of works; the breath comes in and out of the right nostril. you cannot feel the breath out of either nostril. As, canal to the left, the breath begins to come out of the until the Prana again reaches the spinal canal. There, out of either nostril. The effect of these two positions of breath, and, therefore, I think that both the northern by susumna. If we may speak in this way, let us imagine between the spinal and cardiac canals. This plane will susumna. But let it be understood that there is no such more correct to say that as the rays of the positive Ida nerves, and those of the negative as blood-vessels, the body midway between the nerves and blood vessels, the following is the description of susumna in the Science of When the breath goes in and out, one moment by the that too is susumna. When Prana is in that nadi the fires vishuva. When it moves one moment in the right, and the the Unequal State (vishamabhava); when it moves thorough called it vishuva [It is susumna] at the time of the passing vice versa; and also of the change of one tatwa into Then the susumna has two other functions. It is called manifestations, and sandhyasandhi in the other. As, of the cardiac Prana coincide with the left and right of writers who dispense with the double susumna. According is the susumna. The Uttaragita and Latachakra nirupana method of explanation takes away a good deal of of this view is its comparative simplicity. The right side current from the spine may both be reckoned without currents, and so may the remaining two currents be currents. One more consideration is in favor of this view. The system of blood vessels the moon. Hence the real force of positive and negative the solar and lunar of Prana, the solar matter. The more distant and the nearer, and therefore, the hotter. It is solar life phases of the moon. To pass out of technicalities, it is various forms, in the system of blood vessels. The blood nervous force. Hence, in the nervous system, the real Pingala and susumna. These are, in such a case, the Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of sympathetics, with all their ramifications throughout the The development of the two centers is thus the first The matter that gathers up under the influence of the the matter that gathers up round the southern center is divides these columns or canals into the right and left influence of these two centers upon each other develops each of these centers. This happens somewhat in the same as a Leyden jar is charged with positive electricity by a is thus divided into four parts: (1) The right side positive, (2) the left side positive, left side negative. In the heart these four divisions are called the right Tantras style these four divisions the four petals of the various letters. The positive petals of the heart form positive blood vessels, the arteries; the negative petals negative blood vessels, the veins. This negative prana is (1) Prana, (2) Apana, (3) Samana, (4) Vyana, (5) Udana, Devadatta, (9) Dhavanjaya, (10) Kurma. These ten forces are called vayu. The word vayu is means nothing more than a motive power. The Tantrists do a gas. Henceforth I shall speak of the vayu as the forces ten manifestations of Prana are reduced by some writers the remaining ones are only modifications of the former, functions of prana. This, however, is only a question of positive petal the prana gathers up into a nadi that and again gathers up into a nadi that opens into the course forms something like a circle (chakra). This nadi pulmonary artery and vein. Two lungs come into existence positive and negative prana of the eastern and western Similarly, from the right side positive petal branch downwards in two directions, the former under the under the influence of the southern powers. Both these throughout the upper and lower portions of the body into Between the left side positive and the right side chakra comprises the pulmonary artery, the lungs, and the Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of room to this chakra, which is positive with respect to which run the ramifications of the lower chakra, which and the left side negative petals. In the above chakra (in the cavity of the chest) is the important of the ten manifestations. Inspiration and changes of prana, the pulmonary manifestations thereof changes of prana we have a corresponding change in the negative chakra contains the principal seats of some of This apana is located in the long intestine, samana in Also, udana is located in the throat; vyana all over the kurma in the eyes causes them to shut and open; krikila short, proceeding from the four petals of the heart we blood vessels. There are two sets of these blood vessels body, connected by innumerable little channels, the We read in the Prasnopnisat: From the heart [ramify the] nadi. Of these Each of these branches into 100. Each of these again into Thus, there are 10,100 branch nadi, and 727,200,000 still twig-nadi. The terminology is imitated from a tree. There these proceed various stems. These ramify into branches, all these nadi put together are 727,210,201. Now, of these the one is the susumna; the rest are of the body. So we read in the Kathopnishat, 6th valli, A hundred and one nadi are connected with the head. Going out by that one becomes immortal. The others the life principle out of various other states. This one that goes to the head, remarks the commentator, then is that nadi whose nervous substratum or reservoir remaining principal nadis, the Ida is the reservoir of of the body, having 50 principal nadi. So also has the nadi. These go on dividing as above. The nadi of the be visible only by a microscope. The ramifications of the during life to carry the prana from the positive to the vice versa. In case of blood these are the modern Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of The Vedantins, of course, take the heart to be the Yogis, however, proceed from the navel. Thus in The From the root in the navel proceed 72,000 nadi the goddess Kundalini like a serpent. From this center downwards, and two and two crookedly. The number 72,000 is the result of their own peculiar division we adopt if we understand the truth of the Along these nadi run the various forces that form and These channels gather up into various parts of the body manifestations of prana. It is like water falling from a each lake letting out several streams. These centers (1) Hand power centers, (2) Foot power centers, (3) power centers, (5) Generative power centers, (6) (7) Breathing power centers, and (8) the five sense power Those nadi that proceed to the outlets of the body the body, and they are hence said to be the ten principal are: (1) Ghandari goes to the left eye; (2) Hastijihiva goes the right ear; (4) Yashawani goes to the left ear; (5) variously spelled in one ms.) goes to the mouth. This Kuhu goes to the generative organs; (7) Shankini goes to the nadi that leads to the left nostril; (9) Pingala is appears that these names are given to these local nadi pulmonary manifestation of prana is known by the same been explained in its various phases and There are two more outlets of the body that receive their female: the breasts. It is quite possible that the nadi has been made, might go to one of these. Whatever it may and classification is clear, and this is something Centers of moral and intellectual powers also exist in Vishramopnishat (The following figure will serve to Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of (1) While the mind rests in the eastern portion (or inclined towards patience, generosity, and reverence. (2) While the mind rests in the southeastern inclined towards sleep, torpor and evil inclination. (3) While the mind rests in the southern portion, towards anger, melancholy, and bad tendencies. (4) While the mind rests in the southwestern inclined towards jealousy and cunning. (5) While the mind rests in the western portion, inclined towards smiles, amorousness, and jocoseness. (6) While the mind rests in the northwestern inclined towards anxiety, restless dissatisfaction, and (7) While the mind rests in the northern portion, inclined towards love and enjoyment and adornment. (8) While the mind rests in the northeastern inclined towards pity, forgiveness, reflection, and (9) While the mind rests in the sandhi confusion in body and home, and the mind inclines towards Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of (10) While the mind rests in the middle portion, Consciousness goes beyond the qualities [three Intelligence. When any of these centers is in action the mind is and inclines towards them. Mesmeric passes serve only to These centers are located in the head as well as in the region and the loins, etc. It is these centers, together with the heart itself, that (lotus). Some of these are large, some small, some very a vegetable organism, a root with various branches. These various powers, and hence the roots of the padma; the their various branches. The nervous plexus of the modern anatomists coincide with been said above it will appear that the centers are only difference between the nerves and the blood vessels vehicles of the positive and negative prana. The nerves vessels are the negative system of the body. Wherever corresponding blood vessels. Both of them are its center the lotus of the heart, the other the system of blood vessels is an exact picture of the shadow. Like the heart, the brain has its upper and lower cerebellum and its right and left divisions as body and coming back from thence together with those portions correspond to the four petals of the heart. This energy as the former. Both these centers coincide in the nervous plexuses and ganglia of modern anatomy. Thus, padma are not only the centers of nervous power necessarily of the negative prana as well. The translation of the Science of Breath that is now sections enumerating the various actions that are to be and negative breath. They show nothing more than what can verified, that certain actions are better done by energy. The taking in of chemicals and their changes are Some of the chemicals are better assimilated by the fatty substances), others by the positive Prana (other stomach). Some of our sensations produce more lasting upon the positive prana. Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of Prana has now arranged the gross matter in the womb into systems. The Prana, as has been seen, is made of the five lines for tatwic currents to run on. The centers of power power. The tatwic centers in the right part of the body lunar. Both these solar and lunar centers are of five by what are called the nervous ganglia. The semi-lunar apas tatwa. Similarly, we have the reservoirs of the reservoirs the tatwic currents run over the same lines, them in physiological anatomy. Everything in the human body that has more less of the the prithivi tatwa. But in this the various tatwas work the various parts of the body. The vayu tatwa, among others, performs the functions of the skin; the positive gives us the positive, and the these has five layers: (1) Pure vayu, (2) Vayu-agni, (3) Vayu-prithivi, (4) classes of cells have the following figures: (1) Pure Vayu ~ This is the complete sphere of the (2) Vayu-Agni ~ The triangle is superposed over the like the following shape: (3) Vayu-Prithivi ~ This is the result of the the spherical Vayu: Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of (4) Vayu-Apas ~ Something like an ellipse, the semi-moon (5) Vayu-Akasa ~ The sphere flattened by the A microscopic examination of the skin will show that the appearance. Similarly, bone, muscle and fat are given birth to by the Akasa appears in various positions. Wherever there is any akasa. The blood is a mixture of nutritive substances tatwa of Prana. It is thus seen that while Terrestrial Prana is an exact human manifestation is an exact manifestation of either. of the macrocosm. The four petals of the lotus of the (K, Kh, g, gn, n, K, Kh, j, jh, n, t, the). These are the twelve signs of the Zodiac, both in their every sign the sun rises 31 times. Therefore we have 31 we speak in the language of the Tantras of a chakra (disk chakra connect with the 12 pairs (chakras) of nerves in body, we have running side by side the blood vessels heart. The only difference between the spinal and cardiac crosswise, while the latter lie lengthwise in the body. lines of tatwic centers: the padma or kamal. These above. Thus from the two centers of work, the brain and in their positive and negative aspects a system of center run into one another so much that one set is found other. The 31 chakra are various tatwic centers; one set negative. The former owe allegiance to the brain, with Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of sympathetic chords; the latter owe allegiance to the connections. This double system is called Pingala on the The ganglia of the apas centers are semi-lunar, those of and the akasa respectively triangular, spherical, composite tatwa have composite figures. Each tatwic surrounding it. Prana moves in this system of nadi. As the sun passes Macrocosm, the Prana passes into the corresponding nadi thence it descends every day towards the spine. With the first spinal chakra towards the right. It thus passes nerves of the right side, at the same time passing little noon of every day the strength of this Prana is greater venous. At noon they become of equal strength. In the with its entire strength has passed into the blood heart, the negative southern center. Then it spreads into gradually passing into the nerves. At midnight the (pratasandhia) the prana is just in the spine; from second chakra. This is the course of the solar current of other minor currents. The moon moves 12 odd times more the sun passes over one chakra (i.e., during 60 ghari over 12 odd chakra. Therefore we have 12 odd changes of the moon too begins in Aries; she begins like the sun in 4 sec. in reaching the spine to the heart, and as many spine. Both these prana move in their respective course along present at any one time all over the same class of tatwic body. It manifests itself first in the vayu centers, then and fourthly in the apas centers. Akasa comes after each, susumna. As the lunar current passes from the spine out of the right nostril, and as long as the current of body, the tatwa changes from the vayu to the apas. As the of the right half, the tatwa changes back from the apas into the heart, the breath is not felt at all in the left, the breath begins to flow out of the left nostril, the body, the tatwa change from the vayu to the apas. until the prana reaches the spine, when we have the akasa change of prana that we have in the state of perfect given to the localized prana by the sun and moon forces existence to its prototype Prana, makes it work in the working of the human free will and other forces change individualize it in such a way as to render it Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of and Ecliptical prana. With the varying nature of prana, positive and negative currents may be affected in various this variation. In fact, the flow of breath is the truest the body. The balance of the positive and negative the disturbance of their harmony in disease. The science of the highest importance to every man who values his own creatures. At the same time, it is the most important, and the most interesting branch of Yoga. It teaches us desired changes in the order and nature of our positive does in the following way. All physical action is prana there is no action, and every action is the result of the currents. Thus, motion in any one part of the body is the centers in that part of the body. In the same way, centers, we have a feeling of enjoyment and satisfaction. are similar. We find that while lying down we change sides when the Therefore we conclude that if we lie on any side the nostril. Therefore, whenever we see that it is desirable our body to the positive, we resort to this expedient. An physiological effects of prana on the gross coil, and the upon prana, will form the subject of the next essay. V. Prana (II) ~ The Pranamaya Kosha (Coil of Life) changes into three night: the waking, the dreaming, and the sleeping changes produce corresponding changes in the manamaya thence arises the consciousness of the changes of life. prana. The strings (tatwic lines) of the former that is, in the former we have a greater number of same space of time. Their tensions stand to each other, with the vibrations of the one, the other of itself mind, therefore, a similar appearance, and consciousness This, however, some time after. My present object is to prana, natural or induced, that make up the sum total of which, during ages of evolution, have called the mind These changes, as I have said, divide themselves into dreaming, and the sleeping. Waking is the positive, dreaming is the conjunction of the two (susumna sandhi). the solar current travels in a positive direction during approaches the positive current has made itself lord of Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of that the sensuous and active organs lose sympathy with action cease, and the waking state passes off. The excess as it were, the tatwic chords of the different centers of answer to the ordinary ethereal changes of external the positive current passed beyond ordinary limits, death to have any connection with the gross body, the ordinary changes. But just at the moment the prana passes out of in, and it begins to counteract the effects of the effects of the positive current have entirely passed of, strength of the negative current passes the ordinary would ensue, but just at this moment the positive current to counteract the effect of the former. A balance of the keeps body and soul together. With excess in the strength its appearance. Thus we see that there are two kinds of the negative or cardiac. In the former the four higher through the head, the brahmarandhra, along the spine; in mouth through the lungs and the trachea. Besides these six tatwic deaths. All these deaths chalk out different these, however, more hereafter. At this stage, let us thoroughly. There are certain manifestations of prana that we find As I have said before, some writers have divided these They have different centers of work in different parts of their dominion over every part of the physical coil. Positive: (1) Prana, right lung; Negative: Prana, left the life coil which draws atmospheric air from without Positive: (2) Apana, the apparatus that passes off feces, Apana, the urinary apparatus. Apana is the manifestation of the system, things that are not wanted there. Positive: (3) Samana, stomach; Negative: Samana, manifestation which draws in and carries the juice of Positive: (4) Vyana, all over the body, appearing in the right side); Negative: Vyana, all over the body (on manifestation which inclines the currents of life back to brain. It is, therefore, this manifestation that causes Positive: (5) Udana, at the spinal and cardiac centers Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of throat; Negative: Udana, the spinal and cardiac centers If Prana recedes from any part of the body (for some power of action. This is local death. It is in this way It is in this way that our digestive powers suffer, and operations. With the excess of the strength of either of in the susumna, and does not pass out. The acquired power beings to pass off. The farther from the centers (the die. It is thus that the pulse first ceases to be felt in nearer the heart, until we find it nowhere. Again, it is this upward impulse that, under favorable and agility. Besides the organs of the body already mentioned or serves to keep in form the five organs of sense, and the the gross body and the powers of prana that manifest same names. Thus we have: Active Organs & Powers: (1) Vak, the coal organs and hands and the manual power; (3) Pada, the feet and the Upastha, the generative organs and the powers that draw Sensuous Organs & Powers: (1) Chaksus, eye and ocular tangiferous power; (3) Srotra, ear and sonoriferous gustatory power; (5) Cobrana, nose and odoriferous The real fact is that the different powers are the life. It will now be instructive to trace the tatwic manifestations of life. Prana: During health prana works all over the system in time. We thus see that both during the course of the five tatwic changes. The color of prana during the reign current is pure white; during that of the positive, smoother than the latter. The tatwic changes give to each of these five new phases Positive ~ reddish white/ Negative ~ pure white: (1) The vayu tatwa, blue; (2) The agni tatwa, red; (3) Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of white; (5) The akasa tatwa, dark It is evident that there is a difference between the color. There are thus ten general phases of color. The positive current (reddish white) is hotter than the it may be generally said that the positive current is these then undergoes five tatwic changes of temperature. next to it; the vayu becomes cool, and the apas is the neither cools nor heats. This state is the most dangerous death, disease and debility. It is evident that, if the counteract the accumulated effect of the latter in due impaired. The just color and the just temperature at vigor will be disturbed, and disease, death and debility disturbance in various degrees. The case is similar if due time after the cooling one. It will be easy to understand that these changes of abrupt. The one passes of easily and smoothly into the produce innumerable colors as many, in fact, as possess. Each of these colors tend to keep the body long as it ought, but no sooner does the duration change possibility, therefore, of as many and more diseases as If any one color is prolonged, there must be some one or of their duration to it; similarly, if one color takes some one or more that take its place. This suggests two diseases. But before speaking of these, it will be possible the causes that lengthen and shorten the ideal To return at present to Prana: This pulmonary most important of all, because its workings furnish us tatwic state of the body. It is on this account that the to this manifestation. Now, as the prana works in the pulmonary taijas centers luminiferous ether), the lungs are thrown into a air runs in, and the process of inspiration is complete. impulse is given to the currents of prana. The lungs are with this returning current, and the excess air is the lungs bears a triangular form. To some extent, the furnishes us with a method of testing this truth by Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of looking glass, put it under the nose, and breath steadily vapor of the air will be condensed, and it will be seen the case of pure agni, this figure will be a triangle. looking glass because the impression passes off rather With the course of the other tatwas the lungs are thrown the looking glass gives us the same figures. Thus, in the sphere, and in prithivi the quadrangle. With the have other figures: oblongs, squares, spheroids, and so It may also be mentioned that the luminiferous ether atmospheric air to the centers of the luminiferous ether, body. The other ethers also carry these materials to necessary to trace the working of the other said that although all the five tatwas work in all the manifestations is sacred to one of these tatwas. Thus in samana the agni, in apana the prithivi, in vyana the remind the reader that the general color of prana is tatwa prevails in Vyana. The darkness of akasa is the manifestation of udana. During life these ten changes are always taking place at each. In waking, in sleep, or in dream, these changes susumnas or the akasa that these changes become potential from these that these tatwic manifestations show this moment is prolonged, the forces of prana remain thus in the potential state. When those causes that thus cause death, are removed, this individual prana actual, positive, or negative state as the case may be. develop it into the shape towards which its accumulated Something may now be said about the work of the sensuous It may be generally said that all work is tatwic motion. carried on during the waking state, and not in sleep or general colors, generally thus: Sensuous Organs: (1) Eye, agni, red; (2) Ear, akasa, Tongue (taste), apas, white; (5) Skin, vayu, blue; Active Organs: (1) Hand, vayu, blue; (2) Foot, i, yellow; (4) Anus, akasa, dark; (5) Genitals, i, red. Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of Although these are the generally prevalent tatwas in tatwas exist in a subordinate position. Thus in the eye white, reddish dark, reddish blue, and similarly in the of each of these colors is only general; in reality there of colors in each of these. With every act of every one of these ten organs, the generally assumes a different color, the color of that constitutes that act. All these changes of Prana constitute the sum total of with this apparatus, prana begins its human pilgrimage, evolved only to the extent of connecting the I principle from below, with these manifestations of prana. innumerable colors of the universe. The visual, the and the olfactory appearances in all their variety gather experience carries many messages at one and the same appearances of the active organs, and the five remaining gather up in this prana to manifest themselves in due A few illustrations will render all this clear: Sexual Relations ~ The generative agni tatwa of the male is positive, and former is hotter, harsher, and more restless than the and calmer than the former. These two currents tend to satisfaction is the result if the two currents are of uneasiness is the result. The genesis of these of the manomaya kosha (mental principle). Here I shall prana by the action or inaction of this organ. The negative, and vice versa. If it is not allowed to do so, turn upon themselves, the center gains strength, and deeper and deeper red. The centers of the agni tatwa all their action, while all the others contract a general stomach become stronger. This, however, is the case only certain circumstances. If the agni gains too much remaining tatwas become vitiated in their action by an and debility result. If, however, man indulges in this in more than one place, the male prana gets colored by This tends to weaken all the centers of this tatwa, and prana. The stomach becomes cooled down, the eyes grow Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of departs. If, however, more than one individual female prana, and vice versa, the general antagonistic tatwa whole prana is vitiated to a greater extent, greater impotence, and other such antagonistic colors take separate individualities of the male or female agni that prana will tend to repel each other. Walking ~ Suppose now that a man is given to walking. The prithivi and the yellow color pervades the whole prana. The body begin to work more briskly; agni receives a mild and power, the whole system tends towards healthy and a general feeling of satisfaction accompanied with enjoyment is the result. Speech ~ Let me take one more illustration from the operation of with the organs of action. The power (Sakti) of speech important goddesses of the Hindu pantheon. The apas tatwa prana that goes towards the formation of this organ. said to be white. The vocal chord with the larynx in instrument) of the goddess. Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of In the above figure of the vocal apparatus, AB is the projection of the throat, and much more prominent in men the annular cartilage C, the crecoid. Behind this, or we chord a and b. Atmospheric air passing over these chords in the act of vibration, and sound is the result. Ordinarily these The apas tatwa, the milk-white goddess of speech, making these chords tense. As the semi-lunar current of muscles of these chords, they are as it were shriveled up chords; they become tighter. The depth of these curves depends upon the strength of curves, the tenser are the chords. The thyroid serves to produced. The thyroid serves to vary the intensity of the here, and it is enough to show that the real motive power apas tatwa or Prana. As will be easily understood, there the external world that excite the centers of the apas vocal chords, they are made tense, and sound is produced. centers also comes from the soul through the mind. The evolution as the vehicle of thought is the marriage of soul) with Saraswati, the power of speech as located in The apas tatwa of the vocal apparatus, although it is the production of sound, is modified according to the other tatwas in various degrees. As far as human ken have been recorded under the name of swara. First, there may be positive and negative (tivra and komala), and then subdivisions. These notes are then composed into eight ragini. The simple ragini may then be compounded into a good many arrangements of notes. The variations of innumerable. All these variations are caused by the the Vina of Saraswati, and the tensions vary by the caused by the superposition of the other tatwas. Each variation of sound has a color of its own that the tatwic effect of all these sounds is noted in books cured, and good or bad tendencies imprinted on the prana Saraswati is an all-powerful goddess, and controls our may be. If a song or note is colored by the agni tatwa, similarly the vayu, the apas, the akasa, and the red colored song causes heat; it may cause anger, sleep, The akasa colored song causes fear, forgetfulness, etc. Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of the color of love, enmity, adoration, morality, or Let us turn to another key. If the words we utter bear love, lust our prana is colored red, and this our substance, and we may look lean and lank and have retribution of angry words! If our words are full of morality, words that give pleasure and satisfaction to the prithivi and the apas we become loving and moral, pleasing and pleased, satisfying and ever the satya of Patanjali is thus one of the highest Sensuous impressions color the prana in a similar way. If to the hearing of pleasant sounds, to the smelling of of these tatwas will be overly strengthened, and will are too fond of seeing beautiful women, hearing the music for the least and most general effect will be that our coloration. If it were only for the love of women, man for feminine qualities in men do not obtain favor in the These illustrations are sufficient to explain how the up in prana. It may be necessary to say that no new prana. All the colors of the universe are present there the prototype of prana. The coloration I have spoken of particular color to an extent that throws the others in that in the first place causes the variety of human innumerable diseases to which flesh is heir. From this point it is evident that every action of man the color affects the gross body in turn. But when, at color affect the body? Ordinarily it is under similar universe. This means that if the agni tatwa has gained particular division of time, the strength will show time recurs again. Before attempting a solution of this understand the following truths: The sun is the chief life-giver of every organism in the organism has come into existence, the sun changes his organism. He now becomes the sustainer of positive life the moon begins to influence the organism in her own way. negative life. The planets each establish their own simplicity, I have as yet spoken only of the sun and positive and negative currents of the right and left Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of heart, of the nerves and the blood vessels. These are the must be remembered that the planets exercise a modifying The real tatwic condition of any moment is determined by the sun and the moon. Each planet, after determining the moment, goes to introduce changes in the organism born at correspond with the manifestation of that color of prana suppose the red color has entered prana when the moon is of Libra. If there is no disturbing influence of any manifest itself whenever the moon is in the same disturbing influence is removed. It may show itself in a ages. It is very difficult to determine the time when an good deal upon the strength of the impression. The divided into ten degrees, although some writers have gone (1) Momentary: This degree of strength has its effect (2) 30 degrees strength: In this case the effect will same sign as at the time of the impression; (3) 15 degrees strength: Hora; (4) 10 degrees strength: Navaansha; (6) 150 degrees strength: Dwadasansa; (7) 60 (8) 1 strength: Kala; (9) 1 Suppose in any prana, on account of any action, the agni possible prevalence consistent with the preservation of have its effect then and there until it has exhausted become latent and show itself when at any time the same Examples will illustrate better. Suppose the following moment denotes the tatwic condition when any given color The 3rd of April, Tuesday ~ Planet Sign Degree Minute Second Sun 11 22 52 55 Moon 8 16 5 9 Mercury 10 25 42 27 Venus 11 26 35 17 Mars 5 28 1 40 Jupiter 7 15 41 53 Saturn 3 9 33 30 It is at this time, we suppose, that the act above will pass off with the two hours lunar current that Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of become latent, and remain so till the time when these again. As has been seen, these positions might be nine or As soon as the exact time passes of when a color has effect thereof on the gross body becomes latent. It shows when the stars sit in the same mansions. Some of the the force becomes latent to show itself in greater coincide, and so on with the remaining parts noticed number of times when there is only an approach to tend to show itself, though at that time it will remain These observation, although necessarily very meager, tend produced upon prana by any act, however insignificant, the stars coincide in position to a degree with that when a knowledge of astronomy is highly essential in occult observation may, however, render the above a little more As often remarked, the prana mayokosha is an exact periodical currents of the finer forces of nature that same laws in the principle of life; just like the Zodiac, into mansions, etc. The northern and southern brain. Each of these has 12 ramifications branching off the Zodiac. The daily rotation than gives us the 31 the positive semi-mansion and the negative semi-mansion. one-ninth, the one-twelfth, and so on to a degree, or the Each chakra, both diurnal and annual, is in fact a circle circles of the heavenly spheres. Through the chakra a is established: (1) Solar, (2) lunar, (3) Mars, agni, (4) Mercury, apas, (7) Saturn, akasa. It is quite possible that along the same chakra there may of these differing currents at one and the same time. The telegraph currents of modern electricity. It is evident determined by the position of these localized currents. tatwic currents is strengthened by any act of ours, under only when we have to a degree the same position of the makes it appearance at full strength. There may also be various times, but the full strength will never be of these currents to the minutest division of a degree. quite impossible that the effect should pass off in the Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of of a second life upon this earth. The accumulated tatwic effects of a lifes work give This tinge wears off gradually as the component colors by one. When each of the component colors is one by one general color of a life passes off. The gross body that color ceases to respond to the now generally different pass out of the susumna. Death is the result. Death ~ As already said, the two ordinary forms of death are the negative through the heart. This is death through the potential. Death may also take place through the other be the prevalence of one or more tatwas. The prana goes towards different regions after death, it passes out of the body. Thus: (1) The negative susumna takes it to the moon; (2) the (3) the agni of the other nadi takes it to the hill known the other nadi takes it to the hill known as Ambarisha, the prithivi take it to Andhatanusra, Kalasutra, and Maha Aphorism 26, commentary). The negative path is the most general one that the prana moon (the chandraloka) because the moon is the lord of negative currents, and the negative susumna the heart, the lunar prana. The prana that has the general negative path, and it is transferred naturally to the reservoirs, Those men in whom the two hours lunar current is path. The prana that has lost the intensity of its terrestrial to its own strength, and thus establishes for itself is in a state of dream. The tatwic impressions of same way as they pass before it in our earthly dreams. state there is not the superimposed force of indigestion strong and sudden as to be terrible. That dreamy state is calmness. Whatever our mind has in it of the interesting whatever we have thought, heard, seen or enjoyed, the the bliss and playfulness of the apas and the prithivi Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of agni, the agreeable forgetfulness of the akasa, all make in perfect calm. The painful impressions make no when any impression forces itself upon the mind that is surroundings. In this state the mind lives in when I come to speak of the tatwic causes of dreams. Ages roll on in this state, when the mind has, according obtain for prana, worn out the impressions of a former the ceaseless activity of prana had called into existence mind comes upon a chronic level with the prana. Both of former life. It may be said of prana that it has a new has a new consciousness. When they are both in this accumulated tatwic effects of prana begin to show to the same positions. These draw us back from the lunar stage, the mind has no individuality worth taking account to wherever its affinities carry it. It comes and joins similar color, with all those mighty potentialities that remaining quite latent. It passes with the rays of the vegetation into grain that bears similar colors. Each which accounts for its separate individuality from others may be human potentialities giving it an individuality of produce the virile semen, which assumes the shape of women. This is rebirth. Similarly do human individualities come back from the These are the states of posthumous existence fixed for excessive and violent degree the various impressions of intensity, which disturbs the balance and therefore individual prana passes off to the lunar sphere, and have been described above. Along the positive path through the brahmarandhra pass general effects of Time, and therefore do not return to Time that brings back prana from the moon, when he is least strong tatwic condition comes into play with the but the sun being the keeper of Time himself, and the of his tatwic condition, it would be impossible for solar Therefore, only that prana travels towards the sun in preponderance of any tatwic color. This is the state of constant practice of the eight branches of Yoga, the personifying colors, and since it is evident that on such under ordinary circumstances, they pass off to the sun. personifying colors; all of them that go to the sun have Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of their minds are different. They can be distinguished from particular branch of science that they have cultivated, varying methods of mental improvement that they have mind is not dependent, as in the moon, upon the Yoga has rendered it an independent worker, depending the prana to its own shapes, and giving it its own Although the sun is the most potent lord of life, and the no effect upon the prana that has passed to the sun, the slight effect upon it, and there are times when this conditions in which they have previously lived are called desire to do the same sort of good they did the world in of them, and impelled by this desire they sometimes come has noticed in his commentary of the Brahmasutra that appeared on earth as Krishna-dwaipayana, about the end of beginning of the Kaliyuga. VI. Prana (III) ~ As it is desirable that as much as possible should be some quotations on the subject from the Prasnopnishat. to the subject, and present it in a more comprehensive Six things are to be known about Prana, says the He who knows the birth (1), the coming in (2), the (4), the macrocosmic appearance (5), and the microcosmic immortal by that knowledge. Practical knowledge of the laws of life, i.e., to live up passing of the soul out of the shadowy side of life into means immortality, that is, passing beyond the power of But to go on with what the Upanishad has to say about the Prana: The Birth of Prana ~ The Prana is born from the Atma; it is caused in the The human body, or any other organism, becomes the cause ocean of prana, as it comes between the sun and the Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of the organism. Similarly, the prana is thrown as a shade because the macrocosmic mind (manu) intervenes. Briefly caused by the light of the Logos, the macrocosmic center. this shade, by the impression of the macrocosmic mental the centers of Prana, become in their turn the positive development. The manus throwing their shade by the those shades to planets, etc. The suns throwing their give birth to moons. Then these different centers begin descends on the planets in the shape of various The Macrocosmic Appearance ~ This prana is found in the macrocosm as the ocean of life assumes two phases of existence: (1) the prana, the rayi, the lunar, negative life-matter. The former is the latter is the southern phase and the western. In every thus the northern and southern centers of prana, the northern phases of life-matter take their start at any halves are there too. At every moment of time i.e., in every truti organisms in space. This might require some are the same: a truti. Take any one truti of time. It is well known that every prana go in every direction from every point to every that every truti of space is a perfect picture of the centers and sides, and positive and negative relations. words, every truti of space is a perfect organism. In the sun there are innumerable such truti. While essentially the same, it is easy to understand that difference in the general color, appearance, and forms of solar center; (2) inclination from the solar axis. Take the earth for illustration. That zone of solar life, distance and the inclination in which the earth moves, earth-life is known as the ecliptic. Now every truti of individual organism. As the earth moves in her annual changes, these permanent truti of space change the phases permanency is never impaired. They retain their Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of All the planetary influences reach these trutis always, journey. The changing distance and inclination is, of life-phase. This truti of space, from its permanent position in the connection with all the planets, at the same time sends of space. They also come to the earth. It is a condition of earth life that the positive and be equally balanced. Therefore, when the two phases of this ecliptical truti, the tatwic rays that come from it there. The moment that the balance is disturbed by the by some other cause, terrestrial death ensues. This truti that fall on earth cease to energize gross matter, same, and although the truti is there all the same in its posthumous state, the human truti will energize gross laws of relative, negative and positive predominance the negative life matter, the rayi, becomes overly transferred from the earth to the moon. Similarly it may terrestrial balance is restored again, when this energization is transferred to the earth again. Such is the macrocosmic appearance of Prana, with the earth. The Coming In Of Prana ~ How does this prana maya kosha this truti of the Briefly, By actions at whose root lies the previously how every action changes the nature of the explained in the essay on the Cosmic Picture in the cosmical counterpart of our life-principle. It is is produced in the general relative nature of the prana of previously. It is hardly necessary to say that the root of those actions that disturb the tatwic balance of prana comes into this body by actions, at whose root lies The Places of Manifestation ~ As the paramount Power appoints its servants, does the Prana. It puts its different manifestations in discharges faces and urine) is in the Payu (anus) and the Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of known as sight and hearing (Chakahus and Srotra) are in remains itself, going out of mouth and nose. Between (the about the navel) lives the Samana. It is this that (and drink) that is thrown in the fire. Hence are those light of knowledge is thrown over color, form, sound, In the heart is of course this atma (the pranamaya coils. Here there are a hundred and one nadi. Of these of these branch nadis there are 72,000 other nadi. In By one (the Susumna) going upward, the udana goodness, and to bad ones by means of evil; by both to The sun is, of course, the macrocosmic prana; he The Power that is in the earth keeps up the power of matter) that is between heaven and earth, helps the The ethereal life-matter (independent of its being macrocosmic space, is vyana. The taijas the luminfierous ether is approaches death. Then the man goes toward the second birth; the mind of the man comes to the Prana (its manifestations combined with the taijas; going with the soul, it carries The different manifestations of Prana in the body, and themselves have been dwelt upon. But other statements of is said that this atma, this prana maya kosha, with the the heart. The heart, as has been seen, represents the the positive prana impresses itself upon the rayi the forms of life and the actions of man come into speaking, the reflection in the heart that works in the sensuous and active organs of life. If this being of the sensuous and active organs both lose their life; the being of the brain that has no immediate connection with heart, now remains in unrestrained purity. This means to suryaloka (the Sun). The next point of interest is the description of the lie at the root of, and help the working of the Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of the Prana. This is evident enough, and has been mentioned is meant to say that the most important function of life, function of which, according to the Science of Breath, is Universe on all the planes of life, is brought into in himself. It is the solar breath that constitutes his producing matter gives birth to human breath. The Sun then appears in another phase. He rises, and as their natural action. Similarly, the power that is in the earth sustains the power that draws everything towards the earth, says the it is gravity. Something more might be said here about the udana knows, there is a phase of microcosmic prana that carries sounds, and all other sensations, from one place to universal agni, or the Tejas of the text. The localized udana, that which carries the life-principle from one destination is determined by past actions, and this soul, to different worlds. VII. Prana (IV) ~ This Prana is then a mighty being, and if its localized unison, and with temperance, doing their own duty, but others, there would be but little evil in the world. But each of these manifestations asserts its sole power Each of these claims the whole life of man to be its own The akasa, the vayu, the agni, the prithivi, the them say clearly that they are the sole monarchs of the The principal prana, he whose manifestations all these Be not forgetful; it is I who sustain the human If the five manifestations of Prana with all their minor each begin to assert its own lordship and cease to work paramount, the real life, misery makes its sad appearance But the manifestation of prana, blinded by Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of admonitions of their lord. He leaves the body, and leave it too; they stay there as he stays. Then the queen bee in every posture, so does prana; these, follow him with devotion, and thus praise him. He is the agni, the cause of heat; he is the sun Indra, he is the Vayu, he is the prithivi, he is the and he is the immortal. [Rayi and asat are the negative, deva and sat the Like the spokes in the nave of a wheel, everything Rik, the Yajur, and the Sama Veda, the sacrifice, the Thou art the Progenitor; thou movest in the womb; or the mother; to thee, O Prana, that puts up in the body creatures offer presents. Thou art the carrier of offerings to the deva, thou thou art the action and the power of the senses and other Thou art, O Prana, in power the great lord, the thou movest in the sky as the sun, thou art the preserver When thou rainest, these creatures are full of joy food. Thou art Prana, pure by nature; thou art the [of the Atharva; thou art the preserver of all thou art our father as the Recorder [or, the Make healthy that appearance of thine which is that which is stretched towards the mind; do not fly Whatever exists in the three heavens, all of it is mother her offspring; give us wealth and With this I conclude my description of Prana, the second the human body. The epithets bestowed upon this mighty easy of understanding in the light of all that has gone working of the universal Tatwic Law of Breath on the next (manomayakosha). Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of VIII. The Mind (I) ~ Introduction~ No theory of the life of the Universe is at once so breath (Swara). It is the one universal motion, which virtue of the unseen substratum of the Cosmos, the most appropriate expression for Swara in English is the Science of Breath investigates and formulates the laws, according to which this current of life, this motive running (as Emerson so beautifully puts it) along the and involution and all the phenomena of human life, the whole length and breadth of this universe there is no does not find its most natural, most intelligible, most the five modes of manifestation of this universal motion: foregoing essays I have tried to explain generally how was governed by the five tatwas. The object of the various phenomena relating to the third higher body of mind and note how symmetrically and universally and work of this principle. Knowledge ~ It is what is in general language called knowledge that physiological life (prana), but it will be seen on a of knowledge might very well be taken as the states of matter, which in man we call the five of tatwic motion of breath, elevated into lesser degree, of the element of ahankara (egoism)? His knowledge by the Vedantic philosopher when he speaks of power, the first cause of the universe. The word swara is the one manifestation of the One descending into I see something means, according to our view has been put into visual vibration. I hear vibration. I feel means that my mind is in a the other senses. I love means that my mind attraction). The first state, that of the anandamaya, is the state of but one center, the substratum for the whole infinity of Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of vibrations of his breath are one throughout the whole intelligence, but one knowledge. The whole universe with actualities is a part of that knowledge. This is the consciousness of self here, for the I has only a relative or a He before there can be an I. The ego takes form when, in the second plane of comes into existence. It is for this reason that the name state of matter. The ethereal impulses of those centers domain in space, and they differ in each center. They just the same way as the individualized ethereal impulses of others. The tatwic motion of one center of Brahma is lines to the other. Two differing motions are thus found impulse is called the I, the weaker the Thou or the He as Then comes manas. Viraj is the center, and manu the centers are beyond the ken of ordinary humanity, but they ruling the rest of the cosmos. The suns move the virats move around the sun. The Functions of the Mind ~ The composition of the manu is similar to that of prana: grade of the five tatwas, and this increased fineness functions. The five functions of prana have been given. The manas, as given by Patanjali and accepted by Vyasa: (1) Means of knowledge (Pramana), (2) False knowledge imagination (Vikalpa), (4) Sleep (Nidra), (5) Memory All the manifestation of the mind fall under one or Pramana includes: (1) Perception (pratyaksha), (2) Inference (anumana), (3) Viparyana includes: (1) Ignorance (avidya, tamas), (2) Egoism (asinita, mahamoka), (4) Repulsion (tamisra, dwesha), (5) Tenacity andhatamisra). Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of The remaining three have no definite subdivisions. Now I modifications of thought are forms of tatwic motion on Pramana (Means of Knowledge) ~ The word pramana (means of knowledge) is derived from two and the derivative root ana, with the prefix pra. The to move, and hence to measure. connected as it is with the root pri, to fill. That which same height with any other thing is the pramana of that any other thing, the first thing assumes certain always brought about by a change of state caused by a always motion that causes change of state. In fact, this word pramana, as applied to a particular manifestation of Pramana is a particular tatwic motion of the mental body; body into a state similar to that of something else. The as the external tatwas are capable of imprinting upon it, classified into three general heads by Patanjali. Pratyaksha (Perception) ~ This is that change of state which the operations of the mind. The word is a compound of I, each, and Hence is that sympathetic tatwic vibration that an organ produces in the mind. These changes can be classified number of the senses. The eye gives birth to the taijas vibrations, the tongue, respectively to the apas, the vayu, the akasa and the causes the perception of red, the taijas-prithivi of taijas-vayu of blue, and so on. Other colors are produced in a thousand varying degrees. The apas gives softness, harshness. We see through the eyes not only color, but that a particular form has been assigned to every tatwic gross matter answer to corresponding tatwic vibrations. through every sense. The eyes can see form, the tongue and so on. This may probably appear to be a novel that virtue is not an act. The ear would hear form, if skin for this purpose had not almost stifled it into Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of The pure apas vibrations cause an astringent taste, the hot, the apas-vayu acid, and so on. Innumerable other intermediate vibrations in various degrees. The case is similar with the vocal and other changes of perceptive knowledge is nothing more than a veritable caused by the sympathetic communications of the instrument of a certain tension begins to vibrate another similar instrument. Anumana (Inference) ~ The word anumana has the same roots as the word pramana. prefix. We have here anu, after, instead of When the mind is capable of sustaining two vibrations at then if any one of these vibrations is set up and manifest itself. Thus, suppose a man pinches me. The perception of the action of man pinching me are produced phenomena. Almost simultaneously with these vibrations produced in me. I call this pain. Now here are two kinds after the other. If at any other time I feel similar be recalled to my consciousness. This after-motion is are both modifications of this after-motion. The sun direction. The concept of that direction becomes forever rising of the sun. Whenever I think of the phenomenon of direction presents itself. Therefore I say that, as a Inference is therefore nothing more than a tatwic motion Agama (Authority) ~ The third modification of what is called the means of (agama). What is this? I read in my geography, or hear Britain is surrounded by the ocean. Now what has the picture of Britain, the ocean, and their mutual and therefore not inference, which must by nature work What then? There must be some third modification. The fact that words possess the power to raise a certain deep interest. Every Indian philosopher recognizes it as but it receives no recognition at the hands of modern There is, however, little doubt that the color Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of differs from that corresponding to either perception or perceptive modifications of the mind is always single in taijas vibration must always prevail in the visual of other tatwas correspond to our different sensuous its own distinctive color. The red will appear as well in other vibration, but the red of the visual will be bright will be tinged with yellow; that of the organ of touch will be rather dark. There is, therefore, not the least coincide with the pure perceptive vibration. The coal and they can only (if at all) coincide with the only coincide with the auditory vibrations. A little there is some difference between the vocal and certain modification of sound in our mind is followed by these vibrations retain an equally important position in together, compare them, and then say that one follows the there is no comparison, no simultaneous consciousness, no precepts. The one causes the other, but we are not at all the simultaneous presence for some time of both the cause change in the color of the effect. The difference is less the inferential vibration. Axiomatic knowledge is not no doubt been so in the past; in the present it has Viparyaya (False Knowledge) ~ This is the second mental modification. This word also is motion : i or ay. to go, to move. gives the same radical meaning as pramana. The word meaning as pramana. The word Viparyaya therefore means motion that coincides with the object. The the vibrations of viparyaya. Certain acquired conditions precepts a new color of their own, and thus distinguish pramana. There are five modifications of this Avidya (Ignorance) ~ This is the general field for the manifestation of all The word comes from the root vid, to know, meaning of the vidya is, therefore, the state of a the mental plane in one word, knowledge. As a face and nothing else, my mental vibration is said to moon or something else not a face, when it is a face I am is no longer said to be vidya, but avidya. Avidya conception; it is just as positive as vidya itself. It is Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of having the privative prefixes always imply abstractions is by the bye. The state of avidya is that state in which that of akasa, and some other tatwas, which thus result appearances. The general appearance of avidya is akasa, a synonym of this word. This general prevalence of darkness is caused by some as we find from daily experience, a given object does not in all minds. What, then is the mental defect? It is to potential energy of the mind. This storing-up of deepest importance in philosophy, and the doctrine of most intelligible explanation in this. The law might be The Law of Vasana ~ If anything be set in any particular kind of tatwic for a second time the capability of easily being set in a different sort of motion. If the thing is subjected to motion becomes a necessary attribute of the thing. The speak, second nature. Thus, if a man accustoms his body to a particular form of body are very easily set into motion. Any other form of other muscles will be found fatiguing on account of the habits. The case is similar with the mind. If I have a this day, that the earth is flat and the sun moves around it. A thousand examples might be cited of such phenomena. in this place to state that the capacity of turning resistance to another one is what I mean by this vasana or Sansakara in Sanskrit. The word vasana comes from the root vas, to some form of vibratory motion in the mind. It is by native to the mind, and not only certain so-called tendencies, moral, physical, spiritual, become in this difference in different vasana is their respective upon the mind as the result of the ordinary evolutionary The products of independent human actions are of two that check the evolutionary progressive tide of nature, itself in time by the repellant force of the undercurrent coincide in direction, increased strength is the result. virtuous, the former vicious. Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of It is this vasana, this temporary dominion of the knowledge. Suppose the positive generative current has in is presented a negative female current of the same degree unite. An attraction that we term sexual love will then not allowed to unite, they increase in strength and react allowed to unite, they exhaust themselves. This progressive evolutionary current asserts itself with satisfaction is the result. This tatwic disturbance of sufficient strength, give its own color to all in their true light, but as causes of satisfaction. Thus rose-colored. The appearance of a face we love to see into one another, and a certain amount of satisfaction is seeing a face: we are only conscious of some cause cause of satisfaction we call by different names. we call it a moon. Sometimes we feel that the current of eyes, at others we recognize nectar itself in that dear of avidya. As Patanjali says, avidya consists in the pleasing, and the spiritual instead of or rather in the and the non-spiritual. Such is the genesis of avidya, substantial rality, and not a mere negative This mental phenomenon causes the four remaining Asmita (Egoism) ~ Egoism (Asmita) is the conviction that real life (purusha mental and physiological modifications, that the higher the sum of our percepts and concepts is the real ego, and the present cycle of evolution and in the previous ones, with these percepts and concepts. The real power of life appearance, hence the feeling that the ego must be the is plain that avidya, as defined above, lies at the root Raga (Desire to Retain) ~ The misleading feeling of satisfaction above mentioned condition. When any object repeatedly produces in our our mind engenders the habit of falling again and again vibration. The feeling of satisfaction and the picture of satisfaction tend to appear together, and this is a let it escape us that is to say, Raga. Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of Pleasure ~ Here may investigate more thoroughly the nature of this opposite: pleasure and pain. The Sanskrit words for these respectively sukha and dukkha. Both come from the root and dus make the difference. The former prefix conveys this idea from the unrestrained easy flow of breath. The unrestrained digging digging where the soil offers mind, that act becomes sukha, which makes an easy the nature of its vibrations, coincide with the then vibrations. Before any percepts or concepts had taken no pleasure. The genesis of desire and what is called satisfaction caused by the impressions produced by percepts and concepts taking root in the mind. This overclouding of the original set of impressions arising When contact with the external object momentarily removes horizon of the mind, the soul is conscious of a feeling with the external object. This, as shown above, gives Pain & Dwesha ~ The genesis of pain and the desire to repel (dwesha) is (pain) is the act of digging where a good deal of the mind, it signifies an act that encounters resistance easily give place to these vibrations; it tries to repel feeling of privation. It is as if something of its nature phenomenon introduced. The consciousness of privation, or repulsive power that these alien vibrations excite in the dwesha (desire to repel). The word dwesha comes from the compound of du and ish. Ish itself appears to be a connected to the root su, to breath, to go, and the root ish, therefore, means to go toward mind, the word becomes a synonym of raga. The word du in function as dus in dukkh. Hence dwesh comes to mean “a Anger, jealousy, hatred, etc., are all modifications of are those of raga. By what has been said above, it is principle of “tenacity of life”. I must now try to assign tatwas. The general color of avidya is, as already said, that of tatwa prevails in anger. If this is accompanied by vayu, in the body, prithivi will make it stubborn, and apas tinge of fear. Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of The same tatwa prevails in love. Prithivi makes it apas lukewarm, and akasa blind. Akasa prevails in fear; it tends to produce a hollow in timid man is rooted to the spot, with vayu he runs away, and agni tends to make one vengeful. Vikalpa ~ Vikalpa is that knowledge which the words imply or reality on the physical plane. The sounds of nature names for precepts. With the additions or subtractions of additions and subtractions of the sounds connected words. In vikalpa two or more precepts are added together in concept having no corresponding reality on the physical the universal law of visana. When the mind is habituated phenomena than one, all of them have a tendency to appear more such phenomena coincide in time, we have in our mind something. That something may or may not exist in the phenomenon is vikalpa. If it does, however, we call it Nidra (Sleep) ~ This also is a phenomenon of the manomaya kosha mind. three states in this connection: waking, dream, and Waking ~ This is the ordinary state when the principle of life mind then receives impressions of the external objects The other faculties of the mind are purely mental, and the dreaming state. The only difference is that in dreams perceptive changes. How is this? These changes of state has no choice in being subjected to them. They come and working of swara in all its five modifications. As has Prana, the different sensuous organs cease to respond to positive current gains more than ordinary strength in the to us in the shape of heat, the negative in the shape of forces as heat and cold. Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of Dreams ~ The Upanishad says that in dreamless sleep the soul pericardium (puritat), the hollow of the heart. Has the negative center of Prana, anything to do with dreams to the Indian sage, is an intermediate one between waking reasonable to suppose that there must be something in these phenomena. What is that something? It is variously and the sun. It is needless to say that these words are thing. It is the effect produced on the body by the solar tatwa in particular. The word pitta might mislead many, state that the word does not necessarily always mean physiology locates specifically in the heart. This is more or less than cardiac temperature, and it is with dream. According to the Indian philosopher, it is the cardiac states in varying degrees. This and nothing more is the soul sleeps in the pericardium, etc. All the functions of as we have a perfect balance of the positive and negative of the solar and lunar temperatures is the temperature at connection with the gross body. The mean is struck after night. Within this period the temperature is subjected to the extreme of the positive; the other the extreme of the reaches its daily extreme the sensuous organs pass out of It is a matter of daily experience that the sensuous vibrations within certain limits. If the limit is insensible to these vibrations. There is, therefore, a the sensuous organs can ordinarily work; when this limit become incapable of receiving any impression from current gathers strength in the heart. The ordinary exceeded by this gathering up of the forces, and the impression from without. This is sufficient to produce chords of the gross body (sthula sharira) alone have no longer affected by external impressions. The mind is, precepts and concepts, and by the mere force of habit breath, as it modifies into the five tatwic states, impressions coming up. As already said, the soul has no its own free will. It is by the working of a necessary various changes of the waking and the sleeping states. up the phantasms of a dream, otherwise it would be Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of Why, indeed, if the soul is entirely free in dreaming hideous appearances that, with one terrible shock, seem heart? No soul would ever act thus if it could help The fact is that the impressions of a dream change with glides into the other, one thought gives place to desire, and anger; the vayu takes us to different places; and the prithivi may bring us enjoyment, smiles, have composite tatwic vibrations. We might see men and councils and popular gatherings; we might walk in the most beautiful spots; we might shake hands with our speeches, we might travel into different lands. All these tatwic state of the mental coil, brought about either by ordinary tatwic changes, (3) or some other coming natural As there are three different causes, there are three is physical derangement. When the natural currents of results, or are about to be so disturbed, the mind in the tatwic changes. The sympathetic chords of the minds are disagreeable accompaniments of whatever disease may be in store for us. Such dreams are akin in their nature to a difference in strength and violence. When ill, we may and its surroundings. The second kind of dream is caused by ordinary tatwic present, and the future tatwic condition of our there is no change, and when no change is in store for calm and equable in its easy flow. As the atmospheric and tatwas glide smoothly one into the other, so do the dreams. Ordinarily we cannot even remember these dreams, special excitement to keep them in our memory. The third kind of change is similar to the first; there effects. These we call the effects of disease or health, group the results under the general name of prosperity or The process of this sort of mental excitement is, of life, pregnant with all sorts of good and evil, are and only tending towards the actual, to set the The purer the mind, and the freer from dust of the world, slightest and the remotes tendency of prana towards some become conscious of coming events in dreams. This Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of dreams. To weigh the force of these dreams, however, to means, is a most difficult task, and under ordinary may make 10,000 mistakes at ever step, and we need the right understanding of even our own dreams, to say explain and illustrate the difficulties that surround us dreams. A man in the same quarter of the city in which I to die. The tatwic currents of his body, pregnant with tatwas, and through their instrumentality are spread in They reach me, too, and excite the sympathetic chords of There being no special room in my mind for that man, my A human being, fair or ugly, male or female, lamented or qualities, will come into the mid on his deathbed. But imagination, unless strongly kept in check by the hardest play, and it is almost certain that a man who has with all these tatwic qualities will make his appearance that I shall be on the wrong track. That someone is dead or where is impossible for ordinary men to discover. And of vikalpa put us on the wrong track, but all the state of samadhi, which is nothing more than putting perfect amenability to tatwic surroundings, is therefore manifestations are held in perfect check. Patanjali says, manifestations of the mind. Sleep ~ The dreamy state is maintained as long as and when the enough to affect the mental coil. But with increasing affected. The manas and the prana are made of the same same laws. The more subtle these materials are, however, that produce similar changes. All the coils are tuned the other. The vibrations per second of the first one those of the lower one, and this causes its subtlety. The the immediately lower principles. Thus the external but the mind can only be affected through the prana and temperature is only an indication of the degree of heat is gathered up there, the prana affects the mental coil. with the soul. The mental vibration can only work at a must go to rest. In this state we have no more dreams. is that of rest. This is the state of dreamless I pass on now to the fifth and last mental Smrite (Retention, Memory) ~ Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of As Professor Max Muller has remarked, the original idea smrite) is to make soft, to melt. The process melting thing assuming a consistency nearer and nearer to melting force. All change of state is equivalent to the changing, of the state of tatwa that causes the change. root, to love. Love is that state of mind in love. This change is analogous to the chemical change sensitive plate. As in this phenomenon the materials on the state of the reflected light, so the sensitive plate percepts. The impression upon the mind is deeper, the rays and the greater the sympathy between the mind and sympathy is created by stored up potential energy, and with greater force when the mind is in a sympathetic Every percept takes root in the mind, as explained above. of the tatwic state of the mind, and what is left behind into the same state again. The mind falls back into the influence of the same tatwic surroundings. The presence same mental state. The tatwic surroundings may be of two descriptions, is the effect upon the individual prana of the condition If this effect appears as the agni tatwa, those of our connection with this tatwa will make their appearance in hankering after wealth, a desire for progeny, etc. If we travel may take possession of our minds and so on. A concepts is of the greatest interest; suffice it to say often calls up into the mind objects that have made the previous conditions. It is this power that underlies too this phase of memory often acts as reminiscence. Local surrounding are constituted by those object which perceive together with the immediate object of memory. Both these phenomena constitute memory proper (smrite). the mind, and afterwards the act and the surroundings of important kind of memory is what is called buddhi, which we call to mind what we have learned of scientific these facts in the mind is the same, but the coming back that here the act first comes into the mind and then the foregoing mental phenomena may cause the phenomenon of has a good deal to do with yoga, i.e., the exercise of mind into desirable channels. While those impressions Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of account of natural surroundings make the mind the buddhi may lead it to bliss and freedom. But will these related phenomena into consciousness? No! This depends is well known that when the vibrations per second of limit either way, they do not affect the tympanum. It is, of vibrations per second of the taijas tatwa that affects senses. The case with the mind is similar. It is only tensions are equal that the mind begins to vibrate as it world. Just as the varying states of the external organs ordinary sensation, so different men might not hear the same sights, the mental tatwas might not be affected by might be affected in different degrees by percepts of the how is the variation of this mental tatwic strength of exercise. If we accustom the mind, just as we do the concept, the mind easily turns to those percepts and exercise, the mind becomes stiff and ceases by degrees to concepts. This is the phenomenon of forgetting. Let a just opening the buds of his mind, whose mind is just the causes and effects of things, give up his exercise. perception. The stiffer the mind becomes the less will the less he will know of it, until at last he loses all Ceaseless influence and activity of one sort being time, every impression tends to pass away as soon as it depends upon the duration of the exercise. But although impracticable, activity of some sort is always present in color of the mind changes, and one color may take so deep there for ages upon ages, to say nothing of minutes, takes ages to demolish the impressions of the physical the skin may not pass away even in two decades, so also impressions of the mind. Hundreds and thousands of years in order to wear away those antagonistic impressions that earthly life. By antagonistic impressions, I mean those with the state of moksha, and have about them a tinge of With every moment the mind changes its color, whether the subtracting. These changes are temporary. But there is at change going on in the color of the mind. With every the evolutionary tide of progress is gaining strength and constantly changing. But the same general color is circumstances, during one earthly life. Under men having two memories. Under such circumstances as in the accumulated forces of a whole life combine into a Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of speak, becomes different from what it was before. Nothing state again. This general color of the mind differing retaining its general character for a whole life, gives identity. In every act that has been done, or that is, or same general color, and hence the feeling of personal changes, and although we have the same mind, we have a no continuance of the feeling of personal identity is Such is a brief account of the manomaya kosha, the mental influence of the higher principle (the vijnana maya induces in the mind a number of other manifestations. themselves in the mind and the prana, in the same way as influencing and regulating the prana. IX. The Mind (II) ~ As has been seen, the universe has five planes of into seven). The forms of the earth, which are little same five planes. In some of these organisms the higher latent. In man, in the present age, the Vijnana maya their appearance. We have had an insight into the nature of the macrocosmic almost every point in this ocean of life represents a The case is similar with the macrocosmic mind. Every whole of the macrocosmic mind in the same way. From every mental ocean go to every point, and thus every point is a mind. This is the individual mind. The Univesal mind is the original of all the centers of prana is the original of the species of earth-life. original of all the individual manifestations of the and the individual spirit on the highest plane, is the With the four higher planes of life there are four waking, the dreaming, the sleeping, and the Tureya. With these remarks the following extract from the instructive. Now Sauryayana Gargya asked him, Sir, in this Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of awakened? Which of these luminous beings sees dreams? Who all these [manifestations] rest in the potential He answered him, O Gargya, as the rays of the luminous shell, and then go out again, as he rises again the luminous shell of mind beyond. For this reason then, see, does not smell, does not taste, does not touch, does excrete, does not go on. They say that he sleeps. The in his body. The apana is the Garhapatya fire; the Vyana is the ahavanurya fire, which is made by the Garhapatya. everywhere the oblations of food and air, is the samana. (vajmana). The Udana is the fruit of the sacrifice. He Brahma. Here this luminous being [the mind] seen, he sees again as if it were real; whatever was different directions, he experiences the same again and heard or the unheard, thought or not thought upon. He manifestations. When he is overpowered by the taijas, then state; then there appears in the body this rest [the In this state, my dear pupil, all [that birds that resort to a tree for habitation the the apas composite and the apas non-composite; the taijas taijas non-composite; the vayu composite and the vayu composite and the akasa non-composite; the sight and the audible, the smell and the smellable, the taste and the the speech and the utterable, the hands and whatever organ and the excrements, the feet and that which may be object of doubt, the faculty and the object of egoism, the light and that which might be enlightened, the prana The soul is the Vijnana atma, the seer, the doubter, the ascertainer, the agent. This soul [the unchangeable atma [the ananda]. So there are four atma the life, the at the root macrocosmic Power of all the manifestation of principle, is the spirit. By composite is meant that tatwa which has come into five, noticed in the first essay. The non-composite means Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of five. The principal interest of this quotation lies in that have already been propounded. The next essay functions of the macrocosmic Power and Mind, that of touches upon some other rather important truths. X. The Cosmic Picture Gallery ~ We are directed by our Guru in the philosophy of tatwas the sky, when the sky is perfectly clear, and fix your possible strength. We are told that after sufficient practice we shall see beautiful landscapes, the most gorgeous palaces of the children in all the varying aspects of life. How is such by this practical lesson in the science of attention? I think I have described with sufficient explicitness in the sun for its center, and have given a hint macrocosmic mental and psychic atmospheres. It is of the atmospheres that every point therein forms a center of ocean. From what has already been said, it will be plain a limit of its own. The terrestrial atmosphere extends boundary line of this sphere must, it will be readily an orange, just like that of the earth. The case is the higher atmospheres. To begin with the terrestrial Prana, our atmosphere. Every little atom of our earth, and the the most imperfect, makes a center of action and reaction terrestrial Prana. The prana has the capability of being organism or, to use a different language, the rays of are returned from that organism according to the rays, as is again well known, carry within themselves our them, they go up to the limit of the terrestrial prana conceive that within the imaginary sphere that surrounds have a magnified picture of our central organism. Not one smallest points, the most imperfect beginnings of organisms all are pictured in this imaginary that is seen or heard, touched, tasted or smelled on the magnified picture there. At the limit of this terrestrial rays exercise a double function. Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of Firstly they throw the sympathetic tatwic chords of the That is to say, these pictures are now consigned to the course they reach step by step to the universal Secondly, these rays react upon themselves, and turning again reflected back to the center. It is these pictures that the attentive mind sees in its these pictures, seen in this mysterious way, that give us and intellect, and supply us with a far-reaching clue to that govern the life of the macrocosm and the microcosm. smallest of our actions, on whatever plane of our insignificant to us as to pass unnoticed even by everlasting record, as the effect of the past and the tell us of the existence of the five universal tatwas universe. It is these pictures that lead us to the man and the universe, and of those powers of the mind recognition at the hands of the official science of the That these truths have found place in the Upanishad may quotation from the Ishopnishat, mantra 4: The Atma does not move: is one: is faster than the the foremost in motion. It goes beyond the others in the Recorder preserves the actions. In the above quotation it is the word Matarishwa that I word is translated as air, and so far as I know, the word in the sense of the Recorder. My view, advantage. The word is a compound of the words matari and swah. The case of matri which ordinarily means mother, but which is substratum of distance, from the root ma, to measure. The means the breather, coming as it does from the root Swas, means he who breathes in space. In explaining Sankaracharya goes on to say: The word Matarishwa, which has been which carries in it all the manifestations of prana, substratum of all the groups of causes and effects, and are held like beads in a thread, that which is given the Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of as it holds in itself the whole of the world. It is further said that the actions in the itself are all the movements of the individualized prana, lighting, ruining, etc., of the macrocosmic powers known Now such a thing can by no means be the atmospheric air. prana which acts as carrying the pictures of all actions, space to every other point and to the limits of the surya nothing more or less than the Recorder. It holds in effects, the antecedents and consequents of this world of It is action itself. This means that all action is a It is said in the above quotation that this Recorder exists, this Power always performs its function. The atma, and accordingly we find a similarity between the atma in the above extract that it does not move, and yet These appear to be contradictory qualities at first sigh, ordinary God of commonplace theologians the absurd being however, apply these qualities to prana, and once quite as clearly understood on the highest plane, the that from every point of the ocean of prana the tatwic point within the surya mandala. Thus the ocean of prana however, does one point of this ocean ever change its every point keeps its place, every point at the same time other point. It is the same simple way that the all-pervading atma is rest. The case is similar with all the planes of life; all our aspirations, receive an everlasting record in the books I must now notice these pictures in a little more detail. that under certain conditions the visual pictures can be film. But how can we account for the reading of letters Such phenomena are a matter of personal experience to me. abstracted, or it may be in a kind of dream, about 4 postcard written by a friend to a friend about me, the almost 30 miles. One more thing must be noticed here, I about me, and the rest referred to other matters that Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of but could not be engrossing. Now this rest of the card clearly, and I felt that with all my effort I could not sufficiently long time to understand them, but was that spoke of me, and which I could read very clearly. showed it to me; it was exactly the same, sentence by remember), as I had seen before. I mention this various prerequisites for the production of these from an analysis of this incident the following (1) When he was writing, the writer of the card meant especially the paragraph that concerned me. (2) I was very anxious to know the news about me that the (3) In the frame of mind mentioned above my friend wrote picture of his thoughts on the card, both on the physical every direction along the tatwic rays of the macrocosmic immediately made on the macrocosmic spheres, and from the destination of the postcard. No doubt all minds in current of thought at the same time. But my mind alone news it contained. It was, therefore, on my mind alone rays were, as it were, refracted into my mind, and the It follows from this illustration that in order to must have a mind in a state of sympathy, and not of from all action or intense feeling for the time being is representations of the cosmos, and so for a correct And if we have an intense desire to know the thing, so way that the divine occultist reads the records of the this road that the beginner of this science must walk Guru. It must be understood that everything in every aspect has a legible record in the book of nature, and the constantly bringing the outlines of these pictures back this that the past never leaves us, but always lives magnificent monuments have been forever effaced from the ordinary gaze. These returning rays are always inclined gave them birth. In the case of the mineral surroundings centers are preserved intact for ages upon ages, and it mind, at any time, to turn these rays towards itself by material remains of historic phenomena. A stone unearthed Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of of the great event that destroyed the city, and the rays towards that piece of stone. If Mrs. Denton puts the and receptive condition is the only pre-requisite for the her mind. This sympathetic state of mind may be natural It may be mentioned that what we are in the habit of acquired, but they have been acquired in previous There are some to whom the tatwas become known, habituation, either by the acquired velocity of other It seems that two pieces of granite, the same to all have an entirely different tatwic color, for the color of extent upon its tatwic surrounding. It is this occult things, although the reader must by this time know that appropriate. It is no myth to say that the practiced yogi might bring past or present, before his minds eye with a single pictures, as our illustration might lead the reader to of visual pictures is only the work of the luminiferous tatwas perform their functions as well. The akasa or sounds that have ever been heard or are being heard on three other preserve the records of the remaining combining all these pictures, a yogi in contemplation man at any distance whatsoever and might hear his voice and hearing the conversation of Viola and Zanoni in their merely a dream of the poet; it is a scientific reality. sympathetic mind. The phenomena of mental telepathy, clairaudience, are all phases of this tatwic action. Once affair. It may be useful in this place to offer some representations of a mans present go to shape his complete the record is. At the outset I may remind the tatwic color of everything. It is this that gives This pictorial whole is only the cosmic counterpart of (the coil of life). It is possible that anyone who may manner of the storing up of tatwic energy in the comprehend the phenomena in its cosmic counterpart. In microcosmic phenomena are both links of the same chain, thorough understanding of the whole. Suppose a man stands prospect of nature stretched out before his eyes. As he wealth of beauty, his picture in this posture is at once external; appearance pictured, but the hue of is life Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of the agni tatwa prevails in him at that moment, if there if the look in his eyes is calm, collected and pleasant, as to forget everything else, tatwas separate or in satisfaction, calmness, pleasure, attention or degree in the sphere of the ecliptic. If he walks or forward, the tatwic rays of prana picture the generating utmost faithfulness in the same retentive sphere. A man stands with a weapon in his hand, with the look of of inhumanity in his veins, his victim, man or animal, The whole phenomenon is instantly recorded. There stands their truest possible colors, there is the solitary room filthy slaughterhouse; all are there as surely and murderer r the victim himself. Let us again change the scene. We have a liar before us. some brother man. No sooner is the word uttered than the possible activity. There we have the most faithful reflection that the thought if the injured person throws the injured man also. The words are there with all the And if that contemplated wrong is completed, there is his mendacity has produced in the victim. There is antecedent and the consequent postures the causes there. The scene changes, and we come to a thief. Let the night be a circumspect and wary as he can; our picture is there though perhaps not so prominent. The time, the house, the inmates, the stolen property, the subsequent day, the antecedent and consequent postures, are pictured. And thief, or the liar, but for the adulterer, the forger, from every human eye. Their deeds, like all deeds that clearly, exactly recorded in natures picture unnecessary. What has been said is sufficient to explain is useful and not very difficult. But now we must bring We have seen that time and space and all the possible accurate representation there, and these tatwic rays are leaving their record on the plane of our pictorial same Time throws its shade again upon the earth, the energize man-producing matter, and shape it according to which now begins to become active. It will be readily the earth to men as well as to vegetables and Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of the womb of the mother, and this is only an infusion of into the sympathetic life that already shows itself on for themselves a gross human body in the womb of the somewhat different and differing maternal body, start on advances, the pictorial representation changes it tatwic does the same. In the case of the rebirth of the man we saw gazing on contented attitude of the mind that he cultivated then now, and once more the man enjoys the beauty of nature But now take the case of the cruel murderer. He is by murder and destroy, and he could not be restrained from picture of the ebbing life of his victim is now part and the terror, and the feeling of despair and helplessness Occasionally he feels as if the blood of life were apparent cause, and yet he suffers pain; he is subject to and helplessness. His life is miserable; slowly but Let the curtain fall on this stage. The incarnated thief leave him one by one or he is driven away from them. The assert its power over him. He is doomed to a lonely coming into the house through some unfrequented part and makes its appearance with the fullest strength. The man He draws towards himself the same grief and heart-rending ago. This posture of heart-rending grief has its and it creates its surrounding under the same These illustrations are sufficient to explain the law pictures govern our future lives. Whatever other sins may innumerable circumstance of life, their tatwic effects pictorial representations of the cosmos. It is not difficult to understand that the picture of of the earth is pictured in prana, and it is these the ideas of Plato on the highest plane of existence. A this point. Are these pictures of eternal existence, or formations have taken place on the terrestrial plane? Ex doctrine of philosophy, and I hold with Vyasa that the pictures) of all objects in their generic, specific, and existing forever in the universal mind. Swara, or what the Breath of Life, is nothing more or less than abstract Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of or intelligent motion, if such an expression is better In the swara are pictured, or represented, the highest Gandharvas, and in the swara all the three It is not necessary to enter more thoroughly into a suggestion is sufficient. It might be said, however, that face of our planet is the assuming by everything under shape of these ideas. The process is quite similar to the impressions of anything that is pressed upon it. The idea Human souls (prana maya kosha) exist in this sphere just are affected in that home of theirs by terrestrial In the course of ages, these ideas make their appearance again, according to the laws hinted at previously. I have also said that these pictures have their atmospheres. Now it might be said that just as these there are times at which these mental pictures also are terrestrial deaths. This means to say that the withdrawn for some time from the earth. After some time, colors of the picture, they throw their influence again terrestrial rebirth. We may die any number of terrestrial not be extinct. But men of the present manwantara might die solar deaths Then they pass out of the influence of the sun and are second Manu. Men who now die solar deaths will remain in the present manwantara. Their rebirth might also be manwantara. All these pictures remain in the bosom of manwantarapralaya. In the same way, men might undergo time in a state of even higher and more enduring bliss. just as the gross, the terrestrial, and the solar might bliss and unborn until the dawn of the second day of is the state that follows Brahmic death. Then the spirit and the Mahapralaya that follows. After this it will be the Hindu doctrine, that during the night of Brahma the universe is hidden in the bosom of Brahma like the tree XI. The Manifestations of Psychic Force ~ Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of Psychic Force is the form of matter known as vijnana in and life matters. In the quotation given above from the the deva the macrocosmic and microcosmic atma, inasmuch as it moves faster than even the mind. The certain momentum. The mind has greater velocity, and presence of the higher, the lower plane always appears to amenable to its influence. Creation is a manifestation of with their various centers. In each of these spheres the universal tatwic rays give birth to Each truti on the plane of prana is a life-coil (prana existence to each of these truti come from each and all in the space allotted to each of the five tatwas and which represent therefore all the possible tatwic On the plane of manas each mental truti represents an mind is given birth to by mental tatwic rays from the all the other truti situated under the dominion of each innumerable admixtures and representing therefore all the life. On the psychic plane, each truti represents an individual psychic tatwas flying from every point to every other truti situated under the dominion of each of the five admixtures, and thus representing all the possible The latter class of truti on the various planes of goddesses. The former class are coils that manifest Each psychic truti is thus a little reservoir of every manifest itself on the lower planes of existence. And so, like the sun, these truti manifest themselves in the the prevalent phase of tatwic color in these three sets its mind, the mind selects its coil, and in the end the earth. The first function of the individual truti vijana is to just as the macrocosmic vijana sustains the life of the the mental truti sustain the life of the individual truti conscious only of their subjectivity with reference to that they sustain the lower truti, they know themselves, truti, and they know the whole of the macrocosm of every point into their indvidual consciousness. They are Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of happy because they are perfectly balanced. When the prana maya kosha enters the habitation of earth, for the first time. This means a curtailment, or rather consciousness. For long ages the soul takes no note of impressions gain greater and greater strength they are these finite impressions. From absolute subjectivity passivity. A new world of appearances is created. This is and perceptions, etc., are born, and how they affect the How the soul is awakened out of this forgetfulness and will come further on. It will be seen at this stage that the soul lives two active capacity it goes on governing and sustaining the the passive capacity it forgets itself and deludes itself lower truti imprinted upon them by the external tatwas. finite phases. The whole fight of the soul upon reawakening consists in passive capacity and regain this pristine purity. This yoga evokes in the mind and the prana are nothing more psychic force, calculated to destroy the power of the constant change of phase in the new unreal finite coils the life current from the beginnings of relative There is no difficulty in understanding the how of these the psychic reservoir, and they simply show themselves state of sympathetic polish and tatwic inclination. Thus when certain objects assume the polish and form of a Ordinarily the psychic force does not manifest itself uncommon phase. Humanity progresses as a whole, and force take place, they take in races as a whole. Finite it. But all the individuals of a race do not have the same greater sympathy with the psychic force in one or more of Such organisms are called mediums. In them the particular with which they are in greater sympathy than the rest of appearance. This difference of individual sympathy is the commissions and omission of different individuals, or Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of In this way, this psychic force might manifest itself in possibilities of tatwic combination. So far as theory is might cover the whole domain of tatwic manifestations in in the invisible, which, however, we do not know). These our present notions of time and space, cause and effect, utilized, this force might very well perform the Race. The following essays will trace some of these mind. XII. Yoga — The Soul (I) ~ I have described two principles of the human also has been said about the nature and relations of the as needing no special handling. The five manifestations of each of the two principles mentioned, may be either fortunate or unfortunate. Those which are consonant with our true culture, which lead us development, the summum bonum of humanity. Those that recurring births and deaths may be called unfortunate. On (prana and manas) there is a possibility of double and an unfortunate prana, a happy and an unhappy mind. the number of principles of the human constitution might unhappy intelligences of the one plane ally themselves the happy ones with the happy, and we have in the human principles something like the following: (1) The gross body (sthula sarira), (2) the unhappy happy prana, (5) the happy mind, (6) the soul (vijana), The fundamental division in the fivefold division is of matter (prakriti) in each case; in the sevenfold reference to its effect upon human evolution. Both the sets of these powers, the blessed and the although the blessed manifestations tend in the long run state is not reached unless and until the higher powers by the exercise of yoga. Yoga is a power of the soul. something about the soul and Yoga before the higher intelligibly described. Yoga is the science of human word. Its purpose is the purification and strengthening with high aspirations, and acquires divine powers, while Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of The second and third principles are burnt up by the fire of what is called salvation in life is attained. By and neutralized, and the soul passes into a state of higher still according to the strength of her exercise. sound sleep (sushupti) during life, the omniscience of a higher state: the state of ananda. Such are the results nature of the thing and the process of acquirement. So far as the nature of Yoga is concerned, I may say that state of development by the exercise of this great power. humanity has been, and is being, purified into perfection will. Man need only imitate the great teacher to shorten individual self. How are we to render ourselves fit for steps on the great ladder of perfection? These things great sages of yore, and Patanjalis little book is so much of our past experiences and future potentialities nature. This little book uses the word Yoga in a double the mind otherwise called samadhi; the second is a set of that state in the mind. The definition given by the sage only on the plane of the mind. The source of the positive the soul Yoga (it is said) is the keeping in check of the very wording of the definition is involved in the that can control and keep the mental manifestations in as freedom of the will. Although the soul is deluded by (asmita) on the mental plane into regarding herself as a principles, that is not the fact, and the awakening takes egoism is slackened to a certain extent. This is the herself of the race of man. It is a matter of necessity. other of the second and third and the fourth and fifth mental asmita upon the soul. I am these, or of Such a state of affairs, however, cannot last long. These nature; the one is just the reverse of the other. Which unhappy or the blessed? No sooner is this question asked It is impossible to answer any of these questions in the ends in discovering that she is a separate thing from the been the slave, she might be (what she naturally is) the the soul has been tossed this way or that in obedience to Her blind sympathy with the mental manifestations gives hence the tossing. The chord of sympathy is loosened by nature, the greater the departure from unison. Instead of mental vibrations, it is now time that the mind should of the soul. This assumption of lordship is the freedom the mind to the vibrations of the soul is Yoga. The Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of the external tatwas must now give way to the stronger and bye the mental colors change their very nature, and the soul. In other words, the individual mental principle in her omniscience. Let us now trace the acquirements of the mind step by Samadhi, or the mental state induced by the practice of long as the mind is not perfectly absorbed in the soul is the state in which the discovery of new truths follows nature. The second is the state of perfect mental this there is no knowing, no discovering of unknown omniscience. Two questions are naturally suggested at the If I am these manifestations, which of them am I? I then? What are these? The second question is solved in the samprajnata samadhi, entering further into the nature of samadhi, a word about two are mentioned by Patanjali as the two means of is very important to understand them thoroughly The reflection in the mind of the color of the soul when she and consequently is disgusted at the mastery of the of the awakening. Habituation is the repetition of the The confirmation of the mind in this state means a state this I mean that the five ordinary manifestations are at the mind is for the time being left free to receive any see the influence of the soul in the shape of curiosity How is this? How is that? This is the form in which Curiosity is a desire to know, and a question is a does man become familiar with questions? The mental shape be understood easily by paying a little attention to the of desire. The process of the birth of philosophical desire. In the latter the impulse comes from the external former, directly from the soul. The place of pleasure in into the mind of the knowledge of the soul that self and and the enslaving cords thereof. The strength of the upon the strength of this reflection, and as this it generally is in the present state of the spiritual curiosity upon the mind bears almost no comparison in Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of Philosophical curiosity is then the first step of mental we place before our mind every possible manifestation of possible phase of it with every related manifestation. In ourselves to the investigation of all the branches of This is the natural result of curiosity. By this attempt existing or possible, essential or potential, among the is induced in the mind. Patanjali calls this power the word is to go among the various relations of the subject of our contemplation. It is only a deeper hold on curiosity noticed above. The third state of this samadhi or bliss. As long as there is curiosity or meditation, consistency of the soul. This means to say that as yet making way into the mind; they have not yet entirely arrived at, however, the mind is sufficiently polished to the sixth coil. The mind is conscious of this image as himself to the study of nature has been in that coveted very difficult to make it intelligible by description, readers are not strangers to it. But whence does this bliss come? What is it? I have first of all, what is the soul? From what I have written doubt surmise that I understand the soul to be only a and the mind, so far only as its constitution is I have mentioned that in the macrocosm the sun is in the of the second principle, and that the ecliptic marks the mentioned that the individual human principle is only a I have mentioned again that in the macrocosm virat is the of second principle. This atmosphere is made of the five the only difference being that the mental tatwas undergo second than the tatwas of prana. I have also said that picture of the macrocosmic mind, the aspect differing in the case of prana. Now I have to say the same with regard to the soul. In the center, and vijana for the atmosphere of this the sun moves in manu, as the manu (or virat) breathes in the highest atmosphere of ananda. Brahma is the center of center of prana, and virat the center of mental life. to the sun, but ordinary senses cannot perceive them vibrations per second is beyond their power. Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of The soul of the universe (the vijana maya kosha), with psychic ideal. The tatwic wires of this sphere extend over what we call way similar to the tatwic rays of prana with which we are gross matter. This center with this universe forms the lower centers exist within the bosom of this Under the influence of gross matter the mental macrocosm that is to say, it gains the power of manifesting itself the essay on mind. Under the Brahma, however, the mental higher powers under discussion. This double influence Manu itself. The universe has, as it were, a new mind change is always for the better. The mind is ever more spiritual. A time will come when the present absorbed into the soul. The same is the case with the by nature omniscient. He is conscious of a self. The in the process of time are but so many varying the universe, with its antecedents and consequents, is in One mind is absorbed in him in the space of fourteen motion of the mental tatwas is so much accelerated that that this takes place in the Universe the vibrations of accelerated under the influence of Manu until the prana the next period. And again, while this is being done, the developing itself into prana. This is the process of involution, but for the present subject. The human soul is an exact picture of this macrocosmic prototype, and has the same constitution. But the latent on account of her forgetfulness. The sixth little. Humanity in general has only a very dim notion of such subjects. This means that the rays of the infinite principle into active life at this stage of our progress. of the infinite gather sufficient strength, our soul will accelerate this process by vairagya (apathy), which gives seen. The means of strengthening Yoga deserve separate remove those influences and forces that are antagonistic contemplation of the divine principle, accelerate the Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of soul, and the consequent absorption of the mind in the discover the nature of the blissful samadhi, which I reflection of the soul in the mind. This reflection simply means the assumption by the mind passes from its own ordinary state to the state of the number of tatwic vibrations per second make their way in tatwic vibrations per second. The English language this passing out of itself, as elation, and this is the qualifying the third state of the samprajnata samadhi. name from its being the state of the highest upheaval. towards the absorption of the mind as it changes its state of consistency. That state which in ananda only now becomes part and parcel of the mind. This by the name of Asmita, which may be translated by the part and parcel of self. XIII. Yoga (II) ~ The object in view in this article is to mark the stages final absorption in the soul. In the last essay I brought samadhi. It is in this state that the mind acquires the seeing new combinations of things existent. As this state cycle of bygone ages, man has acquired a knowledge of development, and the attainment of this quantum of raising our minds to our present pitch of perfection, great powers are native to the human mind. As I have native to the mind only after long submission of the mind By the constant exercise of this samadhi the mind learns influences that are in their very nature antagonistic to that check our progress. These powers tend to die out march is that the state of mind when its manifestation if she pleases, might propel them by her inherent power they lose all power to draw the soul after them. When this state is reached, or when it is about to be themselves in the mind, which in the present cycle are by technically called paravairagya, or the Higher The word vairagya usually is rendered into English as disfavor by modern thinkers. This is, I believe, owing to Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of of the word. It is generally understood that misanthropy the highest perfection, of this mental state. Nothing can those sages who put vairagya down as the highest means of Vairagya or apathy is defined by Vyasa in his commentary the final state of perfected knowledge. It is the real nature of things, would no longer be deluded manifestations of avidya. When this upward inclination habit of soaring towards the divine becomes second given to the complementary mental state. This state is reached in many ways, and the road is One way is the practice of samprajnata samadhi. By the to which the mind runs of itself when it once tastes the state, the mind is habituated to a state of faith in the nothing more than a state of mental lucidity in which the begin to throw their shadows before them. The mind begins place, and drawn by the taste of bliss (ananda), sets to evolution with greater and greater zeal. This faith has and he calls the consequent zeal Virya. Confirmed in this zeal and working on, the manifestation This is a high state of evolution. Every truth becomes slightest thought, and the four stages of samadhi make the mind becomes very nearly a mirror of Nature. This corresponds to the state of paravairagya, which in attained by the contemplation of the High Prototype of Ptanjali, the macrocosmic soul that remains forever in It is this Iswara of that I have spoken as the This Iswara, as I conceive it, is only a macrocosmic though higher in function. As the sun with his ocean of Prana is the prototype of kosha, so Iswara is the great prototype of our souls. a phase of the existence of this great being prolonged as principles, yet destined to emerge again into its own principles of life live in the sun after our terrestrial actual life, so too the soul lives in the Iswara in a entity as being the group of all the liberated souls, but that the unliberated souls also are his undeveloped attain their original state. It is therefore necessary to Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of Iswara, and of other souls in Iswara. This macrocosmic psychic center, this ideal of the sixth reservoir of every actual force in the universe. He is human soul. The incidents of mental and physical themselves, are to His more comprehensive nature mere Him. There is no misery for Him the five enumerated above for misery can arise only in the awakening of the mind, only being caused by sensation, yet gaining sufficient strength in the process of time to out of the domain of the senses, to make it what its dominion, and not as sensation has made it, the By this conemplation of the sixth principle of the naturally between it and the human soul. That sympathy is Universal Tatwic Law to work with greater effect. The of the dust of the world and in its turn affects the mind yogi becomes conscious of this influence by the Prakriti, and a daily, hourly strengthening of heavenward The human soul then begins to become a center of power Iswara is the center of power in His universe. The picture of the macrocosm. When perfection is attained, tatwas of the microcosm, and to a certain extent of the slaves of the soul. Whitherso it may incline, the tatwas atmospheric Vayu tatwa, with any amount of strength he will set in motion any piece of furniture within the the instant the apas tatwa will slake your thirst, cure germs of any disease. He may will, and any and every will do its work for him. These high powers do not wait show themselves gradually, and according to the special But a description of these powers is not my present in what way, according to the universal law of nature, by macrocosmic sixth principle, that the human soul becomes attaining the state called paravairagya. Besides these two, the author of The Aphorisms of Yoga which the minds of those who are already by the power of towards the divine, are seen to work out their way to the This first way is the habituating of the mind to the Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of elation, and pity toward the comfortable, the miserable, good man will tell us that the manifestation of joy at virtue. Why, what harm is there in jealousy? I think no of the tatwas explains with any amount of satisfaction We have seen that in a state of enjoyment, comfort, prithivi or the apas tatwa prevails in the prana and the minds in the same, we induce either of the two tatwas in What will be the result? A process of purification will to be cleansed of any trace of defect that the excess of given to our constitution. All those physiological or mental causes that induce Bodily distempers take their leave for they are the of the physiological tatwas, and comfort, pleasure and one induces the other. As the balance of the tatwas so the sense of comfort and enjoyment that colors our ourselves in sympathy with the comfortable, restores the And when the balance of tatwas is restored, what remains? laziness and other feelings of that kind can no longer restoration of the mind to perfect calmness. As Vyasa Law makes its appearance in the mind. Such and in a manifestation of the other qualities. But for such a and powerful application. The next method is Pranayama, deep expiration and same end and in the same way. The drawing of deep breaths the same effect as running and other hard exercise. The certain elements of disease, which if it desirable should effects differs for the better from hard exercise. In play, and that is not good for physiological health. however, is beneficial from a physiological as well as first effect that is produced in pranayama is the general is unnecessary to remind the reader that the apas tatwa that the Prithivi is the next. In our attempt to draw tatwa cannot but be introduced, and the general consequent golden tinge of the circle of light round our of purpose and strength of attention. The apas tatwa of innocence that encircles the head of a saint and marks The next is the attainment of the two-fold lucidity Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of sensuous lucidity is the power of the senses to perceive previously trained attention, according to special five senses or more. If centered in the eyes, one can see colors of prana. I can affirm this by personal seasons. I can see the rain coming an hour, two hours, before an actual shower. Bright sheets of the green white make their appearance anywhere about me in before me, on the wall in front. When this happens, I am come down soon. If the green is streaked with red, it surely preparing. These remarks are enough for color. The power can be made attempt to look into space, or anything else, as the remaining four senses also attain similar powers, and that ordinary humanity cannot perceive begin to be The cardiac lucidity is the power of the mind to feel and thoughts. In the article on Prana, I have given a chart and giving the colors of the various kinds of mental by anyone who has or acquires the power, and they read the thoughts of any man. By sustained practice one One can also feel these thoughts. The modifications of tatwic wires affect any and every man. They each impart a maya kosha, and thus a distinguishable impulse to the easily perceivable throbs of the heart. A man who studies with his attention centered into the heart (while it is learns to feel every influence there. The effect on the other people is a fact that, so far as quality is commonest experience. This sensuous or cardiac lucidity, as the case may be, the end conduces to the state of paravairagya. In the next place, says Patanjali, one may rely upon the dreams and sleep. But this will do for the present. XIV. Yoga The Soul (III) ~ The five ethereal currents of sensation are focused in to the mental principle from these five centers of force. connecting links between the mental and the Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of the mind the capability of becoming conscious of color. in the mind. Similarly, the mind gets the capability of remaining sensations. This capability is acquired after cycles pass, and the mind is not yet capable of receiving of life begins its organized journey upon earth with external currents begin to affect the vegetable organism, we call sensation. The modifications of the external vegetable life strike the chords of the latent mind, but sympathy. Higher and higher through vegetable forms the greater is the force with which it strikes the mental capability of that principle to respond to the tatwic kingdom the external tatwic foci are just visible. These which has the capability of focusing its own peculiar forms of animal life they are just visible, and this is a in a comparatively high state of perfection: it has begun external tatwic call. It might be remarked here that this and not the absolute original mental truti, both of which uprising of this evolutionary finite structure on all the philosopher to the conclusion that God is Becoming. This true of the finite Universe of names and forms and not of moving. To resume: The exposure of this animal life to the the strength becomes greater and greater in their various becomes higher and higher, the external call upon the the mental response is more and more perfect. A time evolution when the five mental senses are perfectly development of the external senses. We call the action of phenomenon of perception. On the manifestation of this fabric of perception of those mental manifestations that Mind. The way in which this evolution takes place is The external tatwas of gross matter create gross foci in their currents. The soul does the same. The tatwic create similar centers of action in connection with the the soul are finer than those of the life-principle. The respond to the call of Iswara than it does to answer to reaches humanity that the vibrations of the soul begin to mind. The foci of psychic currents are located in what is the psychic coil. At the time of the beginning of human strength, race after race, till we reach the point that I That process ends in the confirmation of the state of are only a few steps to the power of what has been called Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of Our former perception may now be called animal of inference and verbal authority has been raised on the mighty fabric of inference and verbal authority has been perception by ancient Aryan sages. We shall come to that As practice confirms the state of paravairagya in the calm. It is open to all sorts of tatwic influences, next power that consequently shows itself is called mental state in which it becomes capable of receiving the the objective worlds, and the means of knowledge at the imparted. Intuition has four stages: (1) Sa vitarka, verbal, (2) meditative, (4) Nir vichara, ultra-meditative. The state of intuition has been likened to a bright, whatever you will behind such a crystal, and it will show And so does the mind behave in this state. Let the tatwic world fall on it, and it shows itself in the colors of colors, and it is again as pure as crystal, ready to show be presented to it. Think of the elementary forces of objects where they work, think of the organs of sense and their operations, think of the soul, liberated or bound, of these states. It retains no particular color that entering it. The first stage of intuition is verbal. It therefore the most easily intelligible. Let the reader evoked at the sound of scientific words. Let him think of minds the sounds of their own language, full of high and Hebrew. Take an uneducated English peasant and teach him those beautiful words will carry to him all they are uneducated peasant? Did the great Johnson himself Take again a common schoolboy, and read to him in his own philosophy. Does that language, even if you gave him its any idea to his mind? Take the Upanishad, and read it to Sanskrit reasonably well. Does anyone doubt (I do not) those noble words convey? With such a mind, let him educated man, a mind that almost intuitively takes in the the full sense that words are intended to convey is not educated. Prejudice, deep-seated antagonistic theories, convictions, and perhaps some other characteristics of insurmountable obstacle. Even a John Stuart Mill could philosophy of Sir William Hamilton. One of the greatest Patanjalis system is no philosophy at all! Another Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of Patanjalis Aphorisms on Yoga are mere fanaticism! though we might translate them into any language, very meaning. This is a very grave shortcoming, and sometimes disappears only with the manifestation of verbal en rapport with the author of the book, and this is blinding prejudice, and is in fact a pure, bright, of color that might come in contact with it. The next stage of intuition is wordless. In this you no initiate yourself into the secrets of nature. Your mind truths from their fountainhead: true pictures of word which through the agency of prana are represented in that are the souls of these things, their own true the thing has passed, or has to pass, the realities of phenomenal world, the thing which in a table, a glass, a thing, is hard or soft, long or short, white or These state have for their object the gross phenomenal intuition have for their object the world of forces that gross world, the world of subtle bodies. The meditative present manifestation of the currents of the subtle body, or going to show themselves. In this state, for example, present forces of the atmospheric Prana as they are shower of rain or snow, but he does not know what has or whether the potential will ever become the actual, and the forces that are working at the present moment in that powers that keep these things in the state they are in, and consequents of that state. The next state has for its object all the three states of know of course, but with it the Yogi draws in the whole beginning to end. Place before him a rose, and he knows states, antecedents and consequents. He is familiar with and its growth in various stages; he knows how the and how it grows into a beautiful flower. He knows what before him a closed letter, and he knows not only what those thoughts to the brain whence they proceeded, to the room in which they were written, and so on. It is in this mind, without the medium of words. These four states constitute what is called the objective Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of Occasionally these powers show themselves in many minds. favored mortal is on the right track. He must make sure When the last stage of this samadhi is confirmed in the power of that amount of certain knowledge which is the authority of these senses is supreme with us, so far as similar way there is no room left for us to doubt the psychic senses bring us. The high power of knowing every perfect certainty is known as Ritambhara, or psychic The knowledge that psychic perception gives us is by no knowledge obtained through inference, imagination, or the Inference, imagination, and verbal authority, based on upon knowledge obtained through animal senses. But based upon that has for its object things of the underlie the phenomenal existence with which we are fact of the existence and the nature of Prakriti, the animal perception takes in gross matter. Animal perception draws the mind towards gross matter, So does psychic perception draw the mind towards the samadhi destroys itself. The mind takes in so much of the loses its mental consistency. Down goes the entire The soul lives in herself, and not in the mind as With this the greater part of my work is done. It is now chiefly in the mind. The mind has two entities to affect other the psychic principle, the once producing certain the other from above. These changes have been recorded, dominion of the soul is more desirable than that of the itself entirely in the soul, man becomes God. The object of these essays has been roughly to portray relation of the principles; in other words, to trace the on all the planes of existence. This has been briefly said about the powers latent in the Prana and the mind, departments of the progress of man. That need not, series, and therefore I close this series with some of the cosmos: the Spirit. XV. The Spirit ~ Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of This is the anandamaya kosha, literally the coil of bliss of psychic perception, the soul knows the existence of of human development it has hardly made its presence constitution. The characteristic difference between the the I in the latter. It is the dawn of the day of evolution. It is the first great breath. It is the first state of cosmic activity have seen, the breath in every state of existence has and the susumna. The susumna is pregnant with either of that is described in the Parameshthi sukta of the Rig (negative). This is the primary state of parabrahma, in hidden like a tree in the seed. As billows rise and lose states of evolution and involution take their rise in same. What is Prakriti itself in this state of potential Prakriti owe their origin and existence to the great breath is in the state of susumna, can we not say state by susumna? It is in fact parabrahma that is all in that substance, and like a shadow it follows the modification of the great breath is the setting in of the this state, Prakriti is ready to modify into the ethers atmosphere from which Iswara draws life. In the first (parabrahma) whose breath causes these modifications of fountainhead of all existence. The I is latent in this the differentiation that gives birth to the I. But what before he reaches this state of what from the standpoint paranirvana? There is no reason to suppose that it is the than a certain amount of latent heat is annihilated in that constitutes the ego becomes latent in the consciousness or knowledge above self, not certainly The individual spirit bears the same relation to the Sat the Iswara, the individual mind to the Virat, and the Each center is given birth to by the tatwic rays of that ocean. The Upanishad explains this state under many has a very comprehensive dialogue on this subject between Shwetakete. Professor Max Muller has made some very questionable this dialogue, calling them more or less from so learned a man had he known and understood Breath and the Philosophy of the Tatwas. The Upanishad Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of without this comprehensive science. It must be remembered themselves have in many places clearly laid down that a understanding of these divine words. Now the teacher of Breath, which is said to be the secret doctrine of all key to all that is taught in the Upanishad. The little to the world appears from its very arrangement to be a the same subject, inherited from various esoteric its chief value as a key to Aryan philosophy and occult will hardly serve to dispel the gloom of ages. To return, however, to the dialogue between the father sixth Prapathaka of the Chhandogya Upanishad. In the beginning, my dear, there was only that Others say in the beginning there was that only, which is and from which is not, that which is was born. This is the translation of Professor max Muller. name, and real scholarship, I venture to think that the sight of in this translation. The words of the original Sad eva saumyedamagre asit.” I cannot find any word in the translation giving the Idam means this, and it has been explained as is perceived, etc. Therefore real translation of the text This (world) was Sat alone in the Perhaps in the translation of Professor Muller the word this. If this is the case, the defect in the The text means that the first state of the world before as Sat. From what comes afterwards, it appears that this which all its phenomena, material, mental and psychic, which in the translation stands for the word beginning of the Day of Evolution the universe had not the five planes of existence together. Now such is the existed alone. The Sat is one only, without a second. There is no epithets. The Sat is one alone, not like the Prana, the Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of existing simultaneously, a shadowy side of existence. The next sentence goes on to say that in the beginning Muller renders it, There [?] was that only Now this carries no meaning, notwithstanding the Greek Asat is used in the sense of that which is there is also no doubt that such is not the meaning of here in the same sense in which they are used in the Then there was neither the Sat nor the This of course is a state quite other than the Sat of the the susumna of the Brahmic breath. After this in the became Sat. This is the positive potential phase. The negative life current that rules during the night of Maha Prakriti has undergone the preparatory influence of the evolution sets in with the beginning of the positive merely of a technical nature. In reality there is no and from this point of view we may put whatever state we But the Asat philosopher argues that unless the Maya the Night, there can be no creation. Hence, according to beginning. The sage Uddalaka would not consent to this. According to force is in the Sat, the positive state, just as all the (the positive life matter) and not from Rayi (the Prasnopnishat. It is only impressibility that exists I the phenomenal Universe do not exist there. In fact, the primary state of the evolving universe for this very words into English, we would have to coin two very unique and Asat (that-in-which-is-not). It is only such a rendering that would carry the true the Sanskrit words and explain them as well as one That actually existing state in which the names and forms stand as the cause of the names and forms that do not beginning, etc. The individual spirit has the same relation to the Sat as Rama Prasad: Nature’s Finer Forces & The Science of That will do for now. It is enough to show that there is Universe. Nirvana simply means the enlightenment (which phenomenal rays. Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy The Science of Breath & The Philosophy of the Tatwas (Translated from the Sanskrit) 1. The goddess said: My Lord Mahadeva, the god of gods, wisdom that comprehends everything. 2. How did the universe come out? How does it go on? How Lord, the philosophy of the universe. === Notes ~ The god said; the goddess book is couched in the form of a dialogue between the god the tantras have the same form. It is hardly consistent Parvati were a human pair in some ancient period. The this book as Iswara, the latter as Devi or Shakti. the book under notice does not seem to have been written are several stanzas in the book that appear to be the the present form by some compiler. Secondly, the author going to describe certain experiments as he had seen them of Siva). In the end of one ms., however, it si said that chapter of Sivagama. In the Kenopnishat the great commentator Shankaracharya (another name of Parvati) as Brahma Vidya, the Divine however, the goddess appears as a teacheress, and she Theosophia. That explanation will hardly hold good here. be the male and female principles. They are the best The god, the male principle, explaining to Sakti, the which the finer forces of nature imprint themselves upon symbol of the eternal impression of all thoughts and Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy cooler matter rayi) by Siva, the hotter male === 3. Said the god: The universe came out of tatwa or the instrumentality of the tatwas; it disappears in the of the universe. === Notes ~ In the original the singular number is often used the five tatwas, that by which each is known as such. The universe comprehends all the manifestations with physical, the mental, or the psychic plane. All of them tatwas are the forces that lie at the root of all these and destruction, or more strictly speaking, appearance, the phenomena with which we are acquainted are tatwic === 4. Said the goddess: The Knowers of the tatwas have highest root; what, O God, is the nature of the tatwas? 5. Said the god: Unmanifested, formless, one giver of appeared the soniferous ether (akasa); from that had === Notes ~ This is the parabrahma of the Vedantins, the top of evolution. This is the first positive phase of In the beginning all this was Sat (the positive phase of ethers (tatwas or mahabhutas as they are also called) came the Akasa and so on, said the Upanishad. This text Unmanifested. Manifestation for us only of our constitution; all beyond that is naturally given because forms only show themselves when the tatwas the male and female, the hotter and the cooler, come into one universal state of matter. Hence that state is also He is also called the Giver of Light. This light is the into the five ethers that form the atmosphere of the Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy === 6. From the tangiferous ether, the luminiferous ether, from thence was the birth of the odiferous ether. These five-fold extension. 7. Of these the universe came out; by these it goes on; these it shows itself again. 8. The body is made of the five tatwas; the five tatwas, subtle form; they are known by the learned who devote === Notes ~ The body, human as well as every other, is made form. In this gross body play the five tatwas in their physiologically, mentally, psychically and spiritually. forms of the tatwas. === 9. On this account shall I speak of the rise of breath in inspiration and expiration comes into being the knowledge === Notes ~ Man can devote himself most easily to his own the rise of the breath in the body have been described Knowledge of the three times (the past, the present and scientific knowledge of the causes and effects of state of things, know its antecedent and consequent the three times. === 10. This science of the rise of breath, the hidden of the Good, is a pearl on the head of the wise. 11. This knowledge is the subtle of the subtle; it is Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy truth; it excites wonder in the world of unbelievers; it people. 12. The science of the rise of breath is to be given to firm and the grateful, single-minded devote of the 13. It is not to be given to the vicious, the impure, the and him who has wasted his substance. 14. Hear, thou goddess, the wisdom which is found in the it, if well understood. 15. In the swara are the Vedas and the shastras; in the swara are all the three worlds; the swara is the === Notes ~ In the swara are the Vedas, etc. same as the intelligence of the Vedantins. The assertion meanings. It might mean that the things described in the might mean that the description itself is there. It might course an absolute fact. There is nothing in the existence from the Great Breath, which is the Prana of life. === 16. Without a knowledge of the breath (swara), the speaker without learning, a trunk without a head. 17. Whoever knows the analysis of the Nadis, and the the analysis of the conjunctive susumna gets 18. It is always auspicious in the seen or the unseen mastered; they, O Fair One, that the knowledge of the auspicious. === Notes ~ This stanza points to the difference between The practice is highly auspicious, of course, but the and therefore is somewhat auspicious. Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy === 19. The parts and the first accumulations of the universe swara is visible as the great Power, the Creator, and the === Notes ~ For some reflections on this subject, the reader Evolution. === 20. A knowledge more secret than the science of Breath, science of Breath, a friend more true than the science of 21. An enemy is killed during the power of the breath, together; wealth is got during the power of breath, and same. === Notes ~ Every phenomenon is nothing more than a phase of === 22. On account of the force of breath one gets a female of breath are gods propitiated, and by the breath is a 23. Locomotion is caused by the power of breath, and food breath; urine and faeces also are discharged during the 24. All the Sastras and Purana, etc., beginning with the contain no principle beyond the knowledge of swara (the 25. All are names and forms. Among all these people steeped in ignorance unless the tatwas are known. === Notes ~ All the phenomena f the universe are names and Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy live in the swara of parabrahma, or comparatively in the is distinguishable. They are only distinguished as such grosser planes. The impression takes place by the of life-matter, which is only the shade of Prana, the forms are all unreal. === 26. This science of the rise of breath is the highest of illuminating the mansion of the soul. 27. The knowledge cannot be imparted to this man or that question; it is therefore to be known by ones own soul alone. === Notes ~ This is the celebrated dictum, Know thyself Greek one in the addition of the last two words. === 28. Neither the lunar day, nor the constellations, nor neither rain nor the Vyatipata, nor the conjunctions === Notes ~ These are all of them the various phases of the have a natural effect upon the terrestrial life. The The rays of the tatwic state of time will only be reflecting surface is akin. The yogi who has power over state he chooses, and the antagonistic effect of time are === 29. Nor the bad conjunctions, goddess, ever have power; swara, everything has good effect. 30. In the body are the Nadi having many forms and well known in the body by the wise, for the sake of Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 31. Branching off from the root in the navel, 72,000 of === Notes ~ The Yogi takes the navel to be the starting point Patanjali, the great Yogi philosopher: The systems of the body are known by concentration The Vedantins take the heart to be the starting point of the reason, the existence in the navel of the Power heart of the cardiac soul (the Lingam atma), which is the however, is immaterial. We may begin wherever we like, if location of the life-principle and its various === 32. In the navel is the Power Kundalini sleeping like a and ten downwards. === Notes ~ The Power Kundalini: This power power which draws in gross matter from the mother and distributes it to the different places where the child separates from the mother the Power goes to sleep. dimensions of the child depend upon the supplies of the possible to awake the goddess even in the undeveloped Yoga. When this is done the Yogi gets the power of === 33. Two and two of the Nadi go crosswise; they are thus principal are the ten Nadi in which act the ten 34. Crosswise, or upwards, or downwards, in them is body. They are in the body in the shape of Chakras Prana. 35. Of all these, ten are principal; out of the ten, Susumna. Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 36. Gandhari, Hastijihva, Pusha and Yashaswani; Damini. 37. Ida is in the left part, Pingala in the right, eye. 38. In the right eye Hastijihva; in the right ear Pusha; mouth Alambusha. 39. Kuhu in the place of the generative organ; in the each outlet stand the Nadi. 40. Ida, Pingala, and Susumna stand in the way of the variously in the body. === Notes ~ For a dissertation on these three Nadi, the Prana. On a small scale, the right and left chambers of portions of the spinal column are the Pingala and Ida. Susumna. Taking the blood vessel system to be a mere the terminology might be applied to the nervous alone. It of the Tantra comprehend both these systems. In the power, and this must be present everywhere where there is === 41. These are the names of the Nadis. Now I give the Apana, (3) Samana, (4) Udana, and (5) Vyana . 42. (6) Naga, (7) Kurma, (8) Krikila, (9) Devadatta, and lives always the prana; the apana in the circle of the 43. The Samana in the circle of the navel, the Udana in pervades all over the body. These are the ten principal 44. The five beginning with the Prana have been Naga. Their names and places too I give: 45. The Naga is known in belching; the Kurma in the known as the cause of hunger; the Devadatta is known in Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 46. The all-pervading Dhananjaya does not leave even the all the Nadis where they put on the appearance of 47. Let the wise man know the manifest movements of the three Nadi: Ida, Pingala, and Susumna. 48. The Ida is to be known in the left half and the 49. The moon is placed in the Ida; the sun in the Sambhu, and Sambhu is the self of Hansa [inspiration 50. Expiration is called Ha; inspiration is Sa; Ha is the [the female]. 51. Appearing as Sakti, stands the moon, causing the left Nadi to flow, the sun appears as Sambhu 52. Any charity given by the wise while the breath is in upon krore of times in this world. 53. Let the Yogi look into his face, with one mind and know entirely the motion of the sun and the moon. 54. Let him meditate upon the tatwa when the prana is desire will be fulfilled, he will have great benefit and 55. To those men who practice, and thus always keep the knowledge of the past and the future becomes as easy as 56. In the left Nadi the appearance of the breath is that great nourisher of the world. In the right, the born. === Notes ~ A krore = 10 million. The Negative phase of Prana giver of eternal life. The negative matter, the moon, is sun. The former is Rayi, the latter Prana. The former latter, and this plays the part of imparting impressions real life of all names and forms. In her they live; she Amrita, the nectar of life. The right Nadi is, from the Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy imparter of names and forms, or briefly, the tendency of the sun to always cause changes in names and impressions in the place of the old. Hence the sun is the father of the forms, but the real preserver is the == 57. The middle one, the susumna, moves very cruelly, and everywhere in auspicious acts the left [Nadi] 58. In going out the left is auspicious; in going in the known to be even, the sun odd. 59. The moon is female, the sun is male; the moon is the moon]. During the flow of the Nadi of the moon 60. During the flow of the Nadi of the sun harsh works the susumna are to be done acts resulting in the salvation. 61. In the bright fortnight the moon comes in first, in the first lunar day they rise one after the other in 62. The moon and the sun have each the white [southward, downward] duration of 2-1/2 ghari. a day. 63. Then by a ghari each [24 minutes] the five pratipat [the first lunar day]. When the order is 64. In the bright fortnight the left [is attention bring these into order, beginning with the 65. If the breath rises [at sunrise] by way of confers groups of good qualities; in the reverse, the 66. Let the moon flow the whole day through, and the sun practices thus is no doubt a yogi. 67. The moon is checked by the sun, the sun by the moon; tramples in a moment over the three worlds. Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 68. During Thursdays, Fridays, Wednesdays and Mondays the all acts, especially in the white fortnight. 69. During Sundays, Tuesdays and Saturdays the right Nadi especially in the black fortnight. 70. During the five gharis each, the tatwas have their 71. Thus there are twelve changes during the day and Scorpio, Capricorn, and Pisces are in the moon [i.e., these signs]. 72. During Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, and the right Nadi. From this good or bad is ascertained. 73. The sun is centered in the east and north, the moon west and south during the flow of the right Nadi. 74. Let none go east and north during the flow of the have the fear of robbers and will not return. 75. The wise who desire good might not therefore go in intervals; then there doubtlessly will be suffering and 76. When the moon flows during the bright fortnight, it caused in mild deeds. 77. When the moon rises at the time of the rise of danger make appearance, and all good disappears. The Wrong Swara ~ 78. When in the morning the wrong breath takes its rise, moon, and the moon in place of the sun, then: 79. During the first day the mind is confused; during the third they speak of motion; during the fourth the 80. During the fifth the destruction of worldly position; all objects; during the seventh disease and pain; during Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 81. When for these eight days, at all the three times, simply bad. When there is something less there is some 82. When in the morning and the noon there is the moon, there is always success and benefit. The reverse gives 83. Whenever the breath is in the right or the left Nadi, right or the left, as the case may be, is the first 84. Going four steps [by the left step first] right step first] when the sun flows, causes success 85. One must go on an even number of steps during the sun, raising first the foot [belong to the] full 86. If by the hand of that part of the body in which the of waking, one touches his face, he is successful in his 87. In taking a thing from another, and in going out of whose corresponding half the Nadi flows, and begin motion 88. There will be no confusion, no quarrel, no piercing comfortable and free from all accidents. 89. Those who desire success in their undertakings must kings, and ministers and others who can fulfill half of the body. 90. Those who desire success, benefit, and comfort must creditors, and such others, keeping them towards the 91. To distant countries one must go during the moon; to sun. 92. Whatever of income, etc., and comings together, has pass without doubt in the Nadis notices before. 93. Whatever has been said before to be the effect of the with what has been said by the omniscient. 94. All transactions or dealings with bad men where there Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy or thieves, etc., are dangerous towards the full half of 95. In going on a distant journey, the moon is the aim; the sun is good in coming in, and in the 96. During the flow of the moon, poison is destroyed; obtained over any body. During the susumna salvation is three forms: the sun, the moon, and the susumna. 97. It might happen that when something is to be done, conversely, when the breath is flowing as it ought to be, to be done. How then is a man of business to follow the 98. Auspicious or inauspicious acts are always to be done proper Nadi is to be set in motion. The Ida ~ 99. In those acts which are desired to have durable entering an order of life (Ashrama) or a palace, in 100. In sinking wells, ponds, tanks, etc, in erecting in marriage, in having clothes, jewels and ornaments 101. In preparing cooling and nourishing divine in collection of grain; 102. In going into a new house, in taking charge of some the seed, in auspicious peace-making, in going out, the 103. In such acts as beginning to read, etc., in seeing some spiritual teacher, in rehearsing a Mantra; 104. In reading the aphorisms of the Science of Time, in treatment of diseases, in calling upon masters; 105. In riding horses and elephants, in doing good to 106. In singing, in playing upon instruments, in thinking in entering any town, in coronation; Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 107. In disease, sorrow, dejection, fever, and swoon, in people, in entering any town or village, in 108. In the adornment of their person by women, when the of the teacher, in preparing poisons, etc., O Fair One! 109. Also such acts as the practice of Yoga give success the akasa and taijas modifications of prana. 110. In day or in night all works are successful; in all moon is good. The Pingala ~ 111. In all harsh acts, in the reading and teaching of ship; 112. In all bad acts, in drinking, in rehearsing the administering poison to enemies; 113. In learning the Shastras, in going, in hunting, in collection of bricks, wood, stone and jewels, etc.; 114. In the practice of music, in the Yantras and mountain, in gambling, in theft, in the breaking of an otherwise. 115. In riding a new donkey, camel, or buffalo, or an stream, in medicine, in writing; 116. In athletic sports, in killing or producing in obtaining power of Yakshinis, Yakshas, Vetalas, 117. In killing, in causing love
in enmity, in bidding, in drawing anyone towards anything, in causing and buying and selling. 118. In practicing with swords, in inimical battle, in king, in eating, in bathing, in mercantile negotiations, auspicious. Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 119. Just after eating
in winning the favor of ought to sleep, too, during the flow of the sun 120. All harsh acts, all those various acts which in temporary, find success during the sun. There is no doubt The Susumna ~ 121. When the breath moves one moment in the left and the prana] too is known a susumna. It is the destroyer of === Notes ~ It will be seen that in this section three phases (1) When the breath comes one moment out of one nostril When the breath at once flows out of both nostrils with flows out of one nostril with greater force than it does the Unequal state (Vishamabhava). The second and third Vishuva. === 122. When the prana is in that Nadi the fires of death destroyer of all actions. 123. When both the Nadis, which ought to flow one after there is danger for him who is thus afflicted. 124. When it is at one moment in the right, the other unequal state. The effect is the reverse of what is Fair One! 125. The wise call it Vishuvat when both the Nadis flow. that time; both will be fruitless. 126. In life, in death, in asking questions, in income, everywhere the reverse is the case during the flow of the Lord of the Universe. 127. The Iswara is to be remembered by acts such as the to be done at that time by those who desire success, Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 128. Pronounce a curse or benediction when with the sun all be useless. 129. When the unequal state takes rise, do not so much as during this state undoubtedly causes pain and death. 130. When the Nadi changes or the tatwa changes, nothing way of charity, etc. 131. In the front, in the left, and above is the moon. On the sun. in this way the wise ought to know the === Notes ~ Two or more phases of conjunction have been (2) Vedoveda. According to some philosophers, these do not exist. These of the two foregoing ones. This, however, is not the that both these states exist separately. The Sandhya Sandhi is that Susumna through which higher matter beyond. The physiological Susumna is the physiological life. From that state takes its birth life. But the Susumna is the child of a higher phase of life. forces according to similar laws give birth to this as some writers have said, is the outcome of mental The state of the conjunction of these two mental states name seems to have been given to the higher susumna. When matter are neutralized in the Susumna, the pranamaya disappears. This is that state in which is thrown the reflection of is possible for it to come into the mind. === 132. The Messenger who is above, in front, or on the he who is below in the back and on the front, is in the Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 133. The conjunction, which has no beginning, is One, and nourishment or confusion that through which matter beyond is called Sandhya Sandhi. 134. Some say there is no separate Sandhya Sandhi, but the Vishuvat is called Sandhya Sandhi. 135. There is no separate Vedoveda; it does not exist. by which the highest Atma is known. The Tatwas ~ 136. Said the goddess: Great Lord! God of the gods! In gives salvation to the world; tell me all that. 137. Said the god: There is no God beyond the secret devoted to the science of breath is the highest Yogi. 138. Creation takes place from the five tatwas; the tatwa tatwas constitute the objects of the highest knowledge; Formless. 139. The Prithivi, the Apas, the Taijas, the Vayu, and everything is of the five tatwas. Revered is he who knows 140. In the beings of all the worlds the tatwas are the arrangement of Nadi only differs. === Notes ~ See the Essay on the Tatwas. How everything, soul, the mind, the prana, and the gross matter is of the have tried to explain. The nervous system is different in all the lokas. It has rays flying in every direction from every point give minimized pictures of the macrocosm. Now it will be easy are formed in different planes, which are differently different distances from the sun. Our planet is at a so arranged on this planet that the lunar and solar organism is to be maintained. The tatwas also must be Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy planes of life in which the respective powers of the two greater or less than they are on the earth. This arrangements of the Nadi, and also in their shape. We experience this sort of thing even on our earth. different shapes. This is simply on account of the planes, differently inclined to the solar axis. Suppose following is the sphere of the macrocosmic prana: Works on astrology assign different organs to these illustration I shall assume these without further scale: Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy These twelve regions comprehend the whole body in and plane A-B having a certain inclination to the axis of the twelve regions rays fall in every truti of the plane A-B. and E-F, etc. It is evident that the rays falling on all these planes relative strength and position on different planes. It is different organs will differ in shape, in strength, and more or less varying nervous systems in all the lokas, organisms of the earth. As in evolution the necessities of the mind are changed, their planes, and it is thus that they are changed on evolution. === 141. In the left as well as the right there is the of the tatwas is eight-fold. Hear me, O Fair One: I shall Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 142. The first is the number of the tatwas; the second are the signs of the breath; the fourth the place of the 143. The fifth is the color of the tatwas; the sixth is taste; the eighth is their mode of vibration. 144. Hear of the three-fold Prana: the Vishuvata, the Passive [achara or sthira, the receiver of motion, is nothing, O Lotus-Faced Goddess, beyond the breath. 145. When by the effect of time the power of seeing does effort. The Yogi acts for the purpose of deceiving === Notes ~ “The Yogi acts for the purpose of deceiving of the various tatwic phases of a living organism. In man previous Karma. By the power of previous Karma, the human receptive states, and in accordance with the receptivity solar prana cause pains or enjoyments of different By the practice of Yoga the Yogi masters the tatwic If he pushes the germ of disease out of his body no === 146. Let a man shut his ears by his thumbs, his nostrils the last fingers and those last but one, and his eyes by 147. In this state the five tatwas are gradually known as blue, and the spotted without any other distinct upadhi 148. Looking into a mirror, let the breath be thrown upon the difference among the tatwas by their forms. 149. Quadrangular, semi-lunar, triangular, spherical, and of the five tatwas. 150. Thus the first, prithivi, flows midway; the second, agni, flows upwards; the fourth, vayu, flows at acute every two. Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 151. The apas tatwa is white; the prithivi yellow; the foreshadows every color. 152. First of all flows the vayu tatwa; secondly, the fourthly, the apas. 153. Between the two shoulders is located agni; in the the apas; in the feet the prithivi; in the head the 154. The prithivi tatwa is sweet; the apas astringent; akasa bitter. 155. The vayu flows eight fingers breadth; the agni four; sixteen. 156. The upward motion tends to death; the downward to to restlessness; the middle one to endurance; the akasa 157. During the flow of the prithivi are performed acts during the apas passive acts; during the taijas harsh 158. Nothing ought to be done during the akasa except the will remain without their desired effect. 159. During the prithivi and the apas success is obtained reduction in the vayu. The akasa is known by the tatwic useless. 160. During the prithivi income is late; during the apas, existence by the taijas and the vayu; akasa is altogether 161. The prithivi tatwa is yellow, has slow motion, moves up to the end of the sternum, is heavy in sound, has success in works that are expected to stay long. 162. The apas tatwa is white, has rapid motion, moves sixteen fingers downward [up to the navel], is 163. The taijas tatwa is red, moves in whirls flow four fingers downwards [up to the end of the gives birth to harsh actions [actions which, so to Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 164. The vayu tatwa is sky-blue, moves at acute angles, downward, is hot or cool in temperature. It gives success 165. The akasa tatwa is the common surface of all, tatwas. It gives yoga to the yogi. 166. Yellow and quadrangular, sweet and moving in the enjoyment is the prithivi tatwa, which flows twelve 167. White, semi-lunar, astringent, moving downwards, and apas tatwa, which is sixteen fingers in flow. 168. — 169. Blue, spherical, acid, moving at acute angles, the tatwa, which is eight fingers in flow. 170. Foreshadowing all colors, of the shape of an ear, through the giver of Moksha is the akasa tatwa, which is 171. The prithivi and the apas are auspicious tatwas, the the akasa and vayu are inauspicious and cause loss and 172. The apas tatwa is in the east; the prithivi in the in the south; the akasa in the middle corners. 173. When the prithivi and the apas are in the moon, and doubtless success in mild and harsh acts 174. The prithivi causes income during the day, the apas the taijas; reduction in the vayu; the akasa sometimes 175. In fitness for living, in success, in income, in growth], in amassing wealth, in understanding the about battle, in coming and going; 176. Benefit results during the apas tatwa; auspicious prithivi; by the vayu they go away elsewhere; the akasa 177. In the prithivi comes the thought of roots living things; in the taijas comes the thought of Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 178. In the prithivi one thinks of beings of many feet; the taijas of quadrupeds; in the akasa of the 179. Mars is said to be the taijas, the Sun the prithivi, vayu in the right Nadi. 180. The Moon is in the apas, Jupiter the prithivi, in the left Nadi; for all acts doubtless. === Notes ~ The tatwic value of the planets described in opinion of only a few. The opinion of the writer, which astrologer Varahamchira, is expressed in stanza 181. === 181. Jupiter is the prithivi; the Moon and Venus are the taijas; the Dragon, the Ketu, and Saturn are Vayu; 182. Say during the prithivi the question that is about the apas about life; during the taijas about minerals; 183. Leaving the Sun and the Moon, when the breath goes is in motion and desires another place. 184. (1) Pleasure, 92) growth, (3) affection, (4) in the prithivi and the apas; want of power in the going out of ones country in the taijas and 185. (11) Loss of the life, substance, (12) and death in phases of the moon [i.e., the forms, etc., that the always to be known with pains by the wise. === Notes ~ These twelve are the phases of the moon. The moon gives sustenance to names and forms. That power, the according to tatwic changes. The flow of the left Nadi in here. Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy === 186. In the East, the West, the South, and the North, the so let it be said. 187. Fair One, the body must be known as made of the five apas, the taijas, the vayu, and the akasa. 188. Bone, muscle, skin, Nadi and hair: these are the Brahmavidya [the divine science]. 189. The semen, the female genital fluid, fat, urine and as laid down by the Brahmavidya. 190. Hunger, thirst, sleep, light, drowsiness: these are Brahmavidya. 191. Removing, walking, smelling, contraction and laid down by the Brahmavidya. 192. Desire to have, desire to repel, shame, fear and akasa as laid down by the divine science. 193. The prithivi has five qualities, the apas four, the one. This is a portion of tatwic knowledge. 194. The prithivi is 50 pala [pala = 1/3 ounce], akasa 10. 195. In the prithivi income is delayed; in the apas it little; in the agni even what is at hand is 196. [The lunar mansions] (1) Dhanestha, (2) Srawana, (6) Abhiji, and (7) Uttarashadh: these are said 197. (1) Bharani, (2) Krithka, (3) Pushya, (4) Magha, (5) Purvabhadrapada, and (7) Swath: these are said to be the 198. (1) Purva shada, (2) Shelesha, (3) Mula, (4) Ardra, bhadrapada, and (7) Satabhisha: these are the apas tatwa, Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 199. (1) Vishakha, (2) Uttaragphalguni, (3) Hasta, (4) and (7) Mrigashirsha: these are the vayu tatwa. 200. Whatever good or bad the messenger asks about, comes not to pass as he desires. In the empty Nadi it is 201. Even when the Nadi is full, but the tatwa is not or the moon gives success only when combines with the 202. Rama got victory in an auspicious tatwa; so did in battle on account of the antagonistic tatwa. 203. By the acquired velocity of other births, or by the come to know the nature of the tatwas by a mind purified The Meditation of the Five Tatwas ~ 204. Meditate upon the prithivi tatwa with L [or quadrangular, yellow, sweet-smelling, and conferring a freedom from disease and lightness of the body. 205. Mediate upon the apas tatwa with V [or Vam] white as the moon, and giving endurance of hunger and sensation similar to that of a plunge in water. 206. Meditate upon the taijas tatwa with R [or triangular, red, and giving the power of consuming a good endurance of burning heat. 207. Meditate upon the vayu tatwa with P [or Pam] spherical, sky-blue, and giving the power of going into 208. Meditate upon the akasa tatwa with H [or foreshadowing many colors, and as giving the knowledge of powers Anima, etc. 209. Where there is a man who knows the science of than him. It is known that by the Knowledge of breath one ado. The Auspicious Victory ~ Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 210. Great Lord! The god of gods, the giver of happiness, is a very high science; how does it comprehend the 211. Said the god: Fair one! The knowledge of three times nothing else: (1) Fortune, (2) Victory in battle, and (3) 212. On account of the tatwa any act is good or bad in comes victory or discomfiture; on account of the tatwa tatwas are said to show themselves in these three 213. Said the goddess: Great Lord! The god of gods, the world is the greatest friend and help-mate of men, he who works? 214. Siva said: The Prana alone is the highest friend, Fair one! There is no friend better than Prana. 215. Said the goddess: How does the force of Prana stand appearance of Prana in the body? How is the Prana known tatwas? 216. Siva said: In the city of the body the Prana is the 10 fingers; while going out, 12. === Notes ~ This section refers to the human Aura. The subtle human body like a halo of light. The natural length from this halo is 12 fingers of the man whose Prana is the ordinary course of inspiration and expiration. At the reduced to 10 fingers; at the time of expiration it is actions too, the length varies. Thus, in walking the running, 42. In cohabitation it becomes 65; in sleeping, 100. In In ordinary men, the length is 12 fingers. The ordinary extraordinary men. Thus, in those men who are free from reduced by one finger; it becomes 11. In men who are the length is 10 fingers. A poet has 9 fingers. A speaker 7. A levitator has 6, and so on. See the following Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy === 217. In walking it is 24 fingers, in running 42; in 218. The natural length of Prana, my goddess, is 12 stretches to 18 fingers. 219. When the Prana is reduced by one finger, freedom results when it is reduced by 2; poetical power when by 220. Power of speech when by 4; second sight when by 5; rapidity when by 7; 221. The eight siddhi when by 8; the nine niddhis when by the loss of the shadow when by 11; 222. When it is reduced by 12 the inspiratory and of immortality at the sun [the center of Prana]. of nails even, for whom else then is food? 223. Thus has been described the law of prana. It can be not by millions of sciences and shastra. 224. If the moon does not set in by chance in the do so respectively after midday and midnight. The Battle ~ 225. In distant warfare the moon is victorious; in near raised first in going belongs to the flowing Nadi, 226. In beginning a journey, in marriage, in entering any the flow of the moon is good. 227. Putting the enemys army towards the empty when the tatwa is congenial, one might conquer the whole 228. Let one give battle in the direction towards which even if Indra is in front. 229. If a man puts a question about battle, he will win Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy lose if he is towards the other. 230. The prithivi tatwa points to wounds in the belly, thighs; the vayu in the hands. 231. The akasa in the head. These fivefold wounds have Breath. 232. He whose name has even letters wins, if he asks the moon. He who has an odd number of letters in his name the flow of the sun. 233. When the question is put during the moon there will the sun the fight must come. 234. During the prithivi tatwa, the fight will be equal. equal. During the taijas there will be defeat. During the ensue. 235. When by some cause the flow of the breath is not question, let the wise man resort to the following 236. Sitting motionless let him have a flower thrown upon the full side. So let him give the answer. 237. Here or elsewhere the knower of the laws of breath powerful than he? 238. Said the goddess: These are the laws of victory when how does victory come when they fight with Yama [the 239. Let him meditate upon the Lord when the prana is and then give up life when after that the two pranas desires: great benefit and success. 240. The whole unmanifested world has come out of the world disappears in the unmanifested when the fact is How To Produce Sexual Attachment ~ 241. Said the goddess: Great Lord! Thou hast given a Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy and with Death; tell me now how to produce attachment 242. Said the god: It has been said by the Yogis that if prana, by drawing the moon with the sun, the female will === Notes ~ The sphere of Prana means the halo of this force At the time when the male prana has the pure color of the moon, let the two halos be brought together. They are at As the two halos come together, they all exchange color. satisfaction the individual sun will contract the habit female prana, and vice versa. This must of course be give each of the two pranas the permanent color of the done. Any antagonistic colors must not be allowed to take of these pranas. If this is done the two will learn to attachment enmity will result. === 243. The prana is caught by the prana if the prana does goes in the place of the prana, short life is === Notes ~ The first and third pranas in the verse mean the second means the reverse of either. It means that the its substance the female or male prana, if either of the have two phases. There must be a willing mind, otherwise introduced and consequent repulsion. There must also be an active throwing out of any in the prana, and also a shutting up of both mind and influences. When the male or female prana goes in the place of, i.e., prana, life is at an end. The negative prana gives versa. Strength causes long life. But in order to receive complete saturation, which is impossible with the any other antagonistic prana. === Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 244 249. — 250. When in the beginning of the monthly period the the moon, even the barren woman gets a child. 251. In questions about the result of a pregnancy, a flowing; a male during the flow of the sun. If both are 252. At the time of this question, when the messenger is is born; when towards the sun, a male child; when in the he is towards the full Nadi a son is born. 253. The prithivi brings a son; the apas a son; in vayu destroyed; the akasa brings a hermaphrodite. 254. When the nostril is empty, nothing is born; when two When one is passing into another, the fetus is destroyed. flow of the moon, the result is a female child; when the 255. During the vishuvu conjunction the fetus is One! I tell thee, the knower of the tatwas can know all 256. When at the time of conception the vayu tatwa flows, when the apas tatwa flows, the child will be happy and flows, the fetus is destroyed, or the child is child is wealthy and full of enjoyment. 257. During the apas tatwa the child that is conceived is of enjoyment. During the akasa the fetus is 258. During the prithivi a son is born, during the apas a fetus is destroyed or the child is short-lived. === Notes ~ These two stanzas (253, 258) seem at first sight refer to different pranas: the one to the positive, the === Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 259. Children are born when the sun goes into the moon This can be easily known from a teacher, not by millions === Notes ~ The female cells in the ovary are the moon. They impressed into any form by the male cells, the sun. The of the female. As the former act upon the latter, these the latter when these present themselves to them; this is enters the moon, and the moon enters the sun. When both the female matter that receives constant nourishment by begins to expand along the lines stretched for it by the semen lies hidden the future man, just as a tree in the sun, or we might say a macrocosmic prana. The semen which on account of tatwic affinity is reflected the must now be familiar. The semen thus is the reservoir of === The Year ~ 260. On the first lunar day of the white fortnight of the see both the northward and southward journey of the sun === Notes ~ On this day begins the sanwat year of the era of === 261. If at the time of the rise of the moon, the flowing, all kinds of grain will be plentiful. 262. The flow of the taijas and the akasa gives fearful In this way is known the effect of Time in the year, the 263. If the susumna, which is bad in all worldly confusion in the land, subversion of the kingdom, or fear diseases. 264. When the sun passes into Aries, let the yogi the prevalent tatwa, tell the world what will be the Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy === Notes ~ On this day the solar year begins. The tatwic External one, is determined at any time by the positions of the planets, whose presence exercises a very potent any moment. This tatwic value changes according to a If at any time the apas tatwa is flowing, it can never must do so grade by grade. These atmospheric taijas run possible, though extremely difficult and complicated, to one moment the tatwic value of any future moment. The living world is always affected by these tatwic has furnished a very exact and faithful scale for the the yogi, who can live in conformity with time and space, easily. Ah! But how very difficult it is to live in === 265. The good aspect of the year, the month, and the day etc., and the bad one by the akasa and the vayu. 266. If the prithivi tatwa flows there will be plenty and earth will be full of good crops; there will be much 267. If the apas tatwa flows there will be plenty of well-grown fields. 268. If the agni tatwa flows there will be famine, fearful epidemics and the least possible rain. 269. If the vayu tatwa flows when the sun goes into accidents, famine, little rain, or the itis [six etc.]. 270. If the akasa tatwa flows when the sun goes into comfort. 271. When the full breath is in its own proper place, all sorts is the result. If the sun and the moon are the Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy a scarcity]. 272. If the agni tatwa flows there will be inequality of continuous scarcity. Let things be laid up then; there thereafter. 273. When the breath is changing into the sun it gives akasa and the vayu are conjoined with the taijas, the === Notes ~ The disturbance of tatwic balance is disease; diseases. === The Diseased ~ 274. In the prithivi tatwa there is its own disease; in tatwa; and so in the taijas, the vayu, and the akasa, === Notes ~ When two men come together their pranas exchange that you can measure from the momentary reflection in other man that is near you. The present of every man is can predict the end of any disease, or the time of All that has been ascertained to be true on these heads sections of this book. The messenger in 275 is the man who comes to === 275. When the messenger comes first towards the empty towards the full half, he about whom the question is put [apparently] lying in the swoon [of 276. If the question is put to the yogi while sitting in will live even though many a disease might have gathered Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 277. When the breath is in the right nostril, and the piteous accents, the patient will live. 278. If the question is asked while holding the picture looking at it, the patient will live. 279. When during the flow of the sun or the moon, the question is put to him while there, the message will have 280. When at the time of the question the yogi sits he will certainly live. If the patient is upstairs, he [the god of death]. 281. If at the time of the question the messenger is success. If the reverse is the case, the result too is 282. When the patient is towards the moon and the asker certainly die, even if he is surrounded by hundreds of 283. When the patient is towards the sun, and the asker patient dies, even if Sambhu be his protector. 284. When one tatwa is out of its proper time, people are are wrong, they cause misfortune to friends and relation; fortnights death is the result. The Prediction of Death ~ 285. In the beginning of a month, a fortnight, and a the time of death from the movements of prana. 286. The lamp of the five tatwas receives its oil from fire; life will thereby become long and stationary. 287. If by mastering the flow of breath, the sun is kept solar time is cheated. 288. The moon falls from heaven giving the nectar of life constant practice of good actions and yoga one becomes 289. Make the sun flow during the day, the sun during the Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy doubtless a true yogi. 290. If for one night and day continuously the breath will bring death. 291. He whose breath flows by the Pingala two whole days as the knowers of the tatwas say, two years more to 292. If the moon flows continuously during the night and come within six months. 293. When the sun flows altogether, and the moon is not fortnight. So says the science of death. 294. He whose breath flows from one nostril for three wise, a year only to live. 295. Take a vessel of the Kansya alloy. Fill it with sun. If in the midst of the reflection is seen a hole, reflection is smoky, death will come the same day. If it North respectively, death will come within six, two and described the measure of life by the omniscient. 296. [If a man sees the figure of the messengers of of death has red or reddish clothes, matted hair, weeping and red-hot face, a body besmeared with ashes, heavy long rods, and standing towards the empty Nadi. 297. When the skin is cool but the inside is hot, death 298. When a man changes suddenly and unaccountably from bad habits to good, he is sure to die. 299. He whose breath that comes out of the nose is cool, mouth is hot like fire, is sure to die of great heat. 300. He who sees hideous figures, and bright light for nine months. 301. He who suddenly begins to feel heavy bodies light, who being dark in color begins in disease to look Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 302. He whose hands, chest, and feet become at once dry live. 303. He who becomes dim of sight, and cannot see his face must doubtless die. 304. Now I shall tell thee something about the shady this, man very soon becomes the knower of the three 305. I shall speak of those experiments by means of which shall describe all these in accordance with the 306. Going to a lonely place and standing with the back with attention into the neck of the shade he throws on 307. Let him see this for as long a time as he can calmly parabrahman namah for 108 times. Then let him look Shankara [the figure of a being capable of appearing 308. By doing this for six months, the yogi becomes the by two years he becomes absolutely independent and his 309. He obtains the knowledge of the three times and impossible for the constant practice of Yoga. 310. The Yogi who sees this figure in the clear heavens months. 311. When it is yellow there is fear of disease; when it many colors there will be great confusion and 312. If the figure be wanting in feet, shanks, abdomen to die. 313. If the left arm is wanting, the wife will die; when wanting, death and destruction will come. 314. When the feces and gas escape at once, the man is 315. When the moon flows altogether, and the sun is not within a month. Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 316. Those whose death is near cease to see the Vishnu, and the circle of the mothers as they are pointed 317. The Arundhati is the tongue; the Dhruva the tip of steps of Vishnu; the pupil of the eye is the circle of 318. The man who ceases to see the eyebrows dies within the pupil of the eye dies within five days; he who ceases days; he who ceases to see the tongue dies within one 319. The pupil of the eye is seen by pressing the eye The Nadis ~ 320 The Ida is also technically called Ganga; the Saraswati; the conjunction is called Prayaga. 321. Let the Yogi sit in the posture called padmasana, 322. The Yogi must know the puraka, the rechaka, and the power over the body. 323. The puraka causes growth and nourishment, and causes stability, and increases the security of life. 324. The Rechaka takes away all the sins. He who 325. In the Kumbhaka hold the air in as much as possible; by the sun. 326. The sun drinks the moon, the moon drinks the sun; by one may live till the moon and the planets. 327. The Nadi flows in ones own body. Have power the mouth or nose, one becomes a young man. 328. When the mouth, nose, eyes and ears are stopped by take their rise before the eyes. 329. He who knows their color, their motion, their taste, becomes in this world equal to the god Rudra. Rama Prasad: The Science of Breath & The Philosophy 330. He who knows all this, and reads it always, is freed desires. 331. He who has the knowledge of breath in his head, has 332. Like the One in the Vedas, and the sun in the of Breath to be honored. He who knows the Science of Tatwas, knows not even millions of elixirs to be equal to 333. There is nothing in the world that will release you you the knowledge of the word [Om] and of 334. Sitting in his own place, with measured food, and the highest Atma [whose reflection the Breath The End. |