Nyasa

This word, which comes from the root” to place,” means placing the tips of the fingers and palm of the right hand on various parts of the body, accompanied by particular mantras.

The nyasas are of various kinds.(1) Jiva-nyasa (2) follows upon bhuta-suddhi. After the purification of the old, and the formation of the celestial body, the sadhaka proceeds by jiva-nyasa to infuse the body with the life of the Devi. Placing his hand on his heart, he says the “soham ” mantra (“I am He” ), thereby identifying himself with the Devi. Then placing the eight Kula-kundalinis in their several places, he says the following mantras: Aim, Krim, Klim, Yam, Ram, Lam, Vam, Åšam, Åžam, Sam, Hom, Haum, Hamsah: the vital airs of the highly blessed and auspicious Primordial Kalika are here. (3) “Aim, etc., the embodied spirit of the highly blessed and auspicious Kalika is placed here.” (4) ” Aim, etc., here are all the senses of the highly auspicious and blessed Kalika:” (5) and, lastly, “Aim, etc., may the speech, mind, sight, hearing, smell, and vital airs of the highly blessed and auspicious Kalika coming here always abide here in peace and happiness Svaha.” (6) The sadhaka then becomes devata-rnaya. After having thus dissolved the sinful body, made a new Deva body, and infused it with the life of the Devi, he proceeds to matrkanyasa. Matrka are the fifty letters of the Sanskrit alphabet; for as from a mother comes birth, so from matrka, or sound, the world proceeds. S’abdabrahman, the “Sound,” “Logos,” or “Word ,” is the Creator of the worlds of name and form.

1. See Kriya-kanda-varidhi (p. 120, chap. ii et seq.)
2. See Mahanirvana-Tantra, ChapterV.verse105, where a fuller account is given of the above.
3. S’rimad-adyakalikayah prana iha pranah,
4. S’rimad-adya-Kalikayah Jiva iha sthitah.
5. S’rimad-adya-kalikayah sarvendriyani sthitani,
6. S’rimad-adya-kalikayah vang-manas-caksuh-srotra-jihvaghranapranah iha-gatya sukam ciram tisthantu svaha.