Shakti and Shâkta : essays and addresses on the Shâkta Tantrashâstra

SHAKTI AND SHAKTA

body and all other objects is withdrawn because the mind has ceased, so far as his consciousness is concerned, the function having been withdrawn into its ground which is consciousness.

How is the body sustained ? In the first place, though Kundali Shakti is the static centre of the whole body asa complete conscious organism, yet each of the parts of the body and their constituent cells have their own static centres which uphold such parts or cells. Next, the theory of the Tantriks themselves is that Kundali ascends, and that the body, as a complete organism, is maintained by the “nectar” which flows from the union of Shiva and Shakti in the Sahasréra. This nectar is an ejection of power generated by their union. My friend, however, whom I have cited, is of opinion (and for this strong grounds may be urged) that the potential Kundali Shakti becomes only partly and not wholly converted into kinetic Shakti; and yet since Shakti—even as given in the Mala centre is an infinitude, it is not depleted; the potential store always remaining unexhausted. In this case the dynamic equivalent is a partial conversion of one mode of energy into another. If, however, the coiled power at the Mala became absolutely uncoiled, there would result the dissolution of the three bodies gross, subtle and causal, and consequently Videha-Mukti,—beeause the static back-ground in relation to a particular form of existence would, according to this hypothesis, have wholly given way. He would explain the fact that the body becomes cold as a corpse as the Shakti leaves it as being due not to the depletion or privation of the static power at the Mfilaédh4ra but to the concentration or convergence of the dynamic power ordinarily diffused over the whole body, so that the dynamic equivalent which is set up against the static back-ground of Kundali Shakti is only the diffused five-fold Prana gathered home—withdrawn from the other tissues of the body and concentrated along the axis. Thus ordinarily the dynamic equivalent is

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