The jiiva [unit being] has its origin in Shiva, and the jiiva has the potentiality to merge again into Shiva. What separates the two are the bandhanas [bondages], the páshas [fetters], which in the human body are represented by the cakras. As soon as these cakras are pierced and these bandhanas broken, the jiiva becomes Shiva

In the ordinary state of human life the mind remains at the level of the múládhára cakra.⁽¹⁾ This cakra is called mańipadma by the Buddhists. (Padma because of the lotus-like shape.) The Tibetan prayer Oṋḿ mańipadme hummm refers to the múládhára, the starting-point of sádhaná, with hummm referring to the struggle that we call sádhaná.

When sádhaná consists in concentration on this cakra, the feeling that accompanies the mastery of the cakra is called sálokya. This feeling that the jiiva is not alone, but that the Lord is with the person, is a sign that the múládhára has been crossed. The colour visible here is the golden yellow of the earth and the sound is like the tick-tick of the cricket. The shape is square.

The feeling at crossing the next higher cakra, the svádhiśt́hána cakra, is that of sámiipya, the feeling of nearness. The sound resembles that of the páyala, bells affixed to a dancer’s legs. The colour is a watery white and the shape the half-moon.

The crossing of the mańipura cakra produces the feeling of close touch, sáyujya. The sound is like a sweet flute, the colour is red, and the shape is triangular.

When the anáhata cakra is crossed the shape is hexagonal or circular. The colour is first blue and then greenish. The sound resembles that of a [gong] or at times that of the sea. The feeling is that of sárúpya, a feeling of sameness.

The crossing of the vishuddha cakra produces the feeling of sárśt́hi, the feeling of “I am He.” There is no particular shape and there is a mixture of various colours. The earlier sounds of bell, flute and sea develop into the beginning of the sound oṋm, and this becomes clearer and clearer until the full-fledged oṋm sound comes at last.

When the ájiṋá cakra at the trikut́i is crossed, there is no feeling of “I” or “He”, but only the feeling of “You” (“Thou art”). The remaining feeling is now simply of oneness. This feeling is called kaevalya, and there is no sound and there is no colour, because there is no expression. The state of kaevalya has some internal stages, and the last stage is called nirbiija nirvikalpa.

In sádhaná, as the mind ascends higher and higher, piercing one cakra after another, the shape at the cakra changes, the colour changes, the sound changes, and the very ectoplasm changes subtly. Finally, once the One Supreme Ultimate, which is beyond time, space, and person, is reached, there remains nothing to change.

Those who proclaim any philosophy other than the ultimate and everlasting preach falsity. Those who profess a faith claiming to be the last word from the last prophet follow an incorrect line. Prout [Progressive Utilization Theory] philosophy is ahead of such philosophies and faiths. As is stated in its fifth principle, it is a philosophy which not only sets its goal as the ultimate subjectivity (Brahma, who is unchangeable and eternal), but also adopts the objective course of adjustment according to time, space and person.

[Bábá demonstrated these basic points by touching and sending into samádhi four persons. He also showed that through the grace of the Almighty as represented by guru krpá (the guru’s grace), the evolutionary rise through sádhaná can be accelerated, and the slow walk can be maximized into a gallop. In this way samádhi can be induced from any cakra. But a success easily gained may not be fully appreciated and valued. Therefore, normally the sádhaka should be allowed to work out his success through the hard way of diligent sádhaná.

The demonstration further showed that while the samádhi experienced remains in the subconscious, sádhakas may manage to keep some control over their bodies; they may stand in the beginning and sit later on without help. But the unconscious helps only slightly and indirectly in the subconscious mind; therefore, once the subconscious fully gives way to the unconscious, the control is lost and the body falls. That is why sádhaná has to be performed sitting in a firm ásana (posture) and on a blanket or other protection, so that, should the body fall, there may be the least possible injury to the head.

Further, Bábá advised all sádhakas not to retire from society into the life of a recluse in the forest. The sádhaka should help other persons spiritually. Those engaged in worldly life should serve mankind in worldly matters, while those leading spiritual lives should serve humanity in the development of their spiritual potential. Prout wants maximum utilization of the spiritual potential of the unit as well as of the universe. Bábá said that the avadhúta who had been one of the media of the demonstration had been a great saint in his previous life, his only sin having been his self-centred abstention from any spiritual help to mankind.]

Footnotes

(1) First psycho-spiritual centre, or plexus, located at the base of the spine. The next five cakras are located at the base of the genital organ, at the navel, at the mid-point of the chest, at the throat, and at the trikut́i (between the eyebrows), respectively. –Eds.