38
The Akasa-cakra is called Brahmacakra in the Banaras copy. It is where Sunya is meditated upon while uttering the Hamsa mantra. There is some difference regarding the number of petals in the lotuses of the cakras. The scheme of the Siddha- Siddhanta-Paddhati is not exactly the same as the usual one in practice. So I think a comparative table will not be out of place.
THE NERVE PLEXUSES
The usual Names found in Names found in S.S.
in Yogic tests S. S. Paddhati Sangraha (Banaras copy.)
1. Muladhar Brahmacakra Brahmacakra
(triangular) (Kamarupa Pitha)
(Kamarupa Pitha)
2. Svadhisthana Svadhisthana Svadhisthana
(six petalled) (four petalled)
(Uddiyana Pitha) (Uddiyana Pitha)
3. Manipura Nabhicakra Nabhicakra
(Kundalini with 5
coils)
4. Anahata Hrdayacakra Hrdayadhara
(eight petalled)
5. Visuddha Kanthacakra Kanthacakra
Talukacakra Talucakra
6. Ajna Bhrucakra Ghantika
7. Sahasrara Nirvanacakra Manolaya
(Jalandhara Ptha). Brahmacakra.
Akasacakra
(16 petalled)
(Purnagiri Pitha)
Notes :- It is interesting to note that in the Sangraha the first and the last cakras are both called Brahmacakra. Under the first Brahmacakra which is a three-folded triangular region, there is a kanda (nerve-root) where Sakti is located. The Kamarupa Pitha is located here. The other pithas are shown in the table above. The usual ajna or Bhrücakra is not mentioned in this copy; instead we find 'Ghantika.'
