THE "HAMSAS" IN ANAHATA CHAKRA (Soundarya Lahari 38)

Sri Lalita Sahasra Nama Stotra describes the wonderful attributes of Sri Mata again and again. She is called Vajreswari,Vamadevi, and the One who is ageless! She is also called Siddheswari, Siddhamata as well as Siddhavidya! In addition, She is Yasiswini, the most renowned! Later the Stotra traces the progress of Sri Mata through the different Chakras in the body and

how She affects them with Her different forms and attributes. After her passage through the Visuddha Chakra She enters the “Anahata Chakra.” During Her stay in the “Anahata Chakra” she appears dark in color and has two faces. She has fierce protruding teeth, a rosary and drenched in blood! She is surrounded by Sakthis like Kalarathri! She is fond of thick rice food! She offers boons to  Mahavirendra and takes the form of “Rakinyamba!” “ Anahatabja nilaya syamabha vadanadwaya danstrojwalaksha maladidhara rudhira samsthitha Kalaratradi saktyaugha vrutha snigdaudana Priya Mahavirendra varada Rakiyamba Swarupini!”

Corresponding to this description in the Sahasranama Stotra, Sankara in the thirty eighth sloka of Soundarya Lahari explains the significance of Her stay and progress through the Chakra.  Says Sankara, “ O Mother! The words uttered by the couple ( Siva and Sakti) transform themselves into the Eighteen branches of knowledge! This couple is capable of drawing only the good from the evil like the Swan separating milk from water! I offer my obeisances to that Couple of  Siva and Sakthi that reside in the hearts of Yogis who drink deep the honey from the blossoms of knowledge and lose themselves in bliss! In the Anahata Chakra Siva is in the form of flame of Fire along with His Sakthi Sikhini! Anahata Chakra is the place where the unique pair of Swans Ham and Sah are meditated upon by the Yogis! Ham Sah when chanted repeatedly becomes So ham which means the Brahman!

Lotus of knowledge corresponds to spiritual consciousness. The Ashtadasa Vidyas (18) are 1 Siksha 2 Kalpa 3 Vyakarana 4 Nirukta 5 Jyotisha 6 Chandas 7 to 10 the Four Vedas, 11 Purva and Uttara Mimamsa 12 Nyaya 13 Dharma Sastra 14 Puranas 15 Ayurveda 16 Dhanurveda 17 Gandharva Veda and 18 Niti Sastra. Anahata Chakra or Heart Chakra is the fourth Chakra according to Hindu yogic and Shakta tantric traditions. The word Anahata means ‘ unstruck, unheard, unbeaten’. It also means ‘clean or pure or stainless’.  The Chakra is associated with balance, calmness and serenity. It indicates the state of freshness when we become detached and look at different contradictory experiences of life with a state of openness.The Chakra integrates the two opposite forces to obtain the effect without the two confronting each other!

Unlike the Mooladhara, Swadhishtana, and Manipuraka Chakras where there is confrontation between the two opposing forces, Anahata brings out the synergic effect of the interaction of energies at the level. Anahata Chakra is considered to be the seat of the Jivatma and Paramatma! In the Upanishads it is described as a tiny flame within the heart! “ Nila toyada madhyasta vidullekhena bhaswara nivarasukavattanvi pitabhasvatyanupama tasyas sikhaya madhye Paramatma vyavastitaha!” This Chakra is associated with the ability to take decisions outside the realm of Karma and fate and based on one’s higher Self. Hence it is called Heart Chakra!

Anahata Chakra is thus associated with love and compassion, charity to others and psychic healing. Meditation on this Chakra offers the following Siddhis: he becomes Lord of speech, he is dear to women,  his presence controls the senses of others and he can leave and enter the body at will! Because of its connections to touch (sense) and actions it is associated with the skin and hands. In the endocrine system it is associated with the thymus.