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Correspondence Between Macrocosm and
Microcosm
The universe consists of a Mahabrahmanda, or grand Kosmos,
and of numerous Brihatbrahmanda, or macrocosms evolved from
it. As is said by the Nirvana Tantra, all which is in the first is in the
second. In the latter are heavenly bodies and beings, which are microcosms
reflecting on a minor scale the greater worlds which evolve them. "As
above, so below." This mystical maxim of the West is stated in the
Vishvasara Tantra as follows: "What is here is elsewhere; what is not here
is nowhere" (yadihasti tadanyatra yannehasti natatkvachit).
The macrocosm has its meru, or vertebral column, extending
from top to bottom. There are fourteen regions descending from
Satyaloka, the highest. These are the seven upper and the seven
nether worlds (vide ante). The meru of the human body
is the spinal column, and within it are the chakra, in which
the worlds are said to dwell. In the words of the Shaktananda-Tarangini,
they are pindamadhyesthita. Satya has been said to be in the
sahasrara, and Tapah, Janah, Mahah,
Svah, Bhuvah, Bhuh in the ajna, vishuddha,
anahata, manipura, svadishthana, and muladhara
lotuses respectively. Below muladhara and in the joints, sides,
anus, and organs of generation are the nether worlds. The bones
near the spinal column are the kula-parvata. Such are the
correspondences as to earth. Then as to water. The nadi are the rivers.
The seven substances of the body (dhatu) are the seven islands.
Sweat, tears, and the like are the oceans. Fire exists in the muladhara,
sushumna, navel, and elsewhere. As the worlds are supported by
the pravahana and other vayu ("airs"), so is the body
supported by the ten vayu prana, etc. There is the same
akasha (ether) in both. The witness within is the purusha
without, for the personal soul of the microcosm corresponds to the cosmic
soul (hiranyagarbha) in the macrocosm.
The Ages
The passage of time within a maha-yoga influences for the worse
man and the world in which he lives. This passage is marked by the four
ages (yuga), called Satya, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali-yuga, the last
being that in which it is generally supposed the world now is. The yuga
is a fraction of a kalpa, or day of Brahma of 4,320,000
human years. The kalpa is divided into fourteen manvantara,
which are again subdivided into seventy-one maha.-yuga;
the length of each of which is 4,320,000 human years. The maha-yuga
(great age) is itself composed of four yuga (ages) – (a)
Satya, (b) Treta, (c) Dvapara, (d) Kali. Official
science teaches that man appeared on the earth in an imperfect state, from
which he has since been gradually, though continually, raising himself.
Such teaching is, however, in conflict with the traditions of all peoples
– Jew, Babylonian, Egyptian, Hindu, Greek, Roman, and Christian – which
speak of an age when man was both innocent and happy. From this state of
primal perfection he fell, continuing his descent until such time as the
great Avatara, Christ and others, descended to save his race
and enable it to regain the righteous path. The Garden of Eden is the
emblem of the paradisiacal body of man. There man was one with Nature. He
was himself paradise, a privileged enclosure in a garden of delight –
gan be Eden. Et eruditus est Moyse omni sapientia Ægyptiorum. The
Satya Yuga is, according to Hindu belief, the Golden Age of righteousness,
free of sin, marked by longevity, physical strength, beauty, and stature.
"There were giants in those days" whose moral, mental, and physical
strength enabled them to undergo long brahmacharyya (continence)
and tapas (austerities). Longevity permitted lengthy spiritual
exercises. Life then depended on the marrow, and lasted a lakh of
years, men dying when they willed. Their stature was 21 cubits.
To this age belong the Avatara or incarnations of Vishnu, Matsya, Kurma,
Varaha, Nri-singha, and Vamana. Its duration is computed to be 4,800
Divine years, which, when multiplied by 360 (a year of the Devas being
equal to 360 human years) are the equivalent of 1,728,000 of the years of
man. (b) The second age, or Treta (three-fourth) Yuga, is that in which
righteousness (dharmma) decreased by one-fourth. The duration was
3,600 Divine years, or 1,296,000 human years. Longevity, strength, and
stature decreased. Life was in the bone, and lasted 10,000 years. Man’s
stature was 14 cubits. Of sin there appeared one-quarter, and of virtue
there remained three-quarters. Men were still attached to pious and
charitable acts, penances, sacrifice, and pilgrimage, of which the chief
was that to Naimisharanya. In this period appeared the avatars of
Vishnu as Parashurama and Rama. (c) The third, or Dvapara (one-half) Yuga,
is that in which righteousness decreased by one-half, and the duration of
which was 2,400 Divine, or 864,000 human, years. A further decrease in
longevity and strength, and increase of weakness and disease, mark this
age. Life which lasted 1,000 years was centred in the blood. Stature was 7
cubits. Sin and virtue were of equal force. Men became restless, and,
though eager to acquire knowledge, were deceitful, and followed both good
and useful pursuits. The principal place of pilgrimage was Kurukshetra. To
this age belongs (according to Vyasa, Anushtubhacharya and Jiya-deva) the
avatara of Vishnu as Bala-rama, the elder brother of Krishna, who,
according to other accounts, takes his place. In the sandhya, or
intervening period of 1,000 years between this and the next yuga
the Tantra was revealed, as it will be revealed at the dawn of every Kali-yuga.
(d) Kali-yuga is the alleged present age, in which righteousness exists to
the extent of one-fourth only, the duration of which is 1,200 Divine,or
432,000 human, years. According to some, this age commenced in 3120 B.C.
on the date of Vishnu’s return to heaven after the eighth incarnation.
This is the periodwhich, according to the Puranas and Tantras, is
characterized by the prevalence of viciousness, weakness, disease, and the
general decline of all that is good. Humanlife, which lasts at most 120,
or, as some say, 100, years,is dependent on food. Stature is 3½ cubits.
The chief pilgrimage is now to the Ganges. In this age has appeared the
Buddha Avatara. The last, or Kalki Avatara,the Destroyer of sin,
has yet to come. It is He who will destroy iniquity and restore the age of
righteousness.The Kalki Purana speaks of Him as One whose body is blue
like that of the rain-charged cloud, who with sword in hand rides, as does
the rider of the Apocalypse, a white horse swift as the wind, the
Cherisher of the people, Destroyer of the race of the Kali-yuga, the
Source of true religion. And Jayadeva, in his Ode to the
Incarnations,addresses Him thus: "For the destruction of all the impure
thou drawest thy cimeter like a blazing comet. O how tremendous! Oh,
Keshava, assuming the body of Kalki! Be victorious. O Hari, Lord of the
Universe!" With the Satya-yuga a new maha-yaga will commence, and
the ages will continue to revolve with their rising and descending races
until the close of the kalpa or day of Brahma.. Then a night of
dissolution (pralaya) of equal duration follows, the Lord reposing
in yoga-nidra (yoga sleep in pralaya) on the Serpent Shesha,
the Endless One, till day break, when the universe is created anew and the
next kalpa follows.
The
Scriptures of the Ages
Each of these Ages has its appropriate Shastra or Scripture,
designed to meet the characteristics and needs of the men who live in them
The Hindu Shastra are classed into: (1) Shruti, which
commonly includes the four Veda. (Rik, Yajuh, Sama, Atharva, and the
Upanishads), the doctrine of which is philosophically exposed in the
Vedanta-Darshana. (2) Smriti, such as the Dharma-Shastra of
Manu and other works on family and social duty prescribing for
pavritti-dhamia, as the Upanishads had revealed the nivritti-dharma.
(3) The Puranas, of which, according to the Brahma-vaivartta Purana, there
were originally four lakhs, and of which eighteen are now regarded as the
principal. (4) The Tantra.
For each of these ages a suitable Shastra is given. The Veda is
the root of all Shastra (mula-shastra). All others are based on it.
The Tantra is spoken of as a fifth Veda. Kulluka-Bhatta, the celebrated
Commentator on Manu, says that Shruti is of two kinds, Vaidik and
Tantrik (vaidiki-tantriiki chaiva dvi-vidha shrutih-kirttita). The
various Shastras, however, are different presentments of shruti
appropriate to the humanity of the age for which they are given. Thus
the Tantra is that presentment of shruti which is modelled as
regards its ritual to meet the characteristics and infirmities of the
Kali-yuga. As men have no longer the capacity, longevity, and moral
strength necessary for the application of the Vaidika Karma-kanda,
the Tantra prescribes a special sadhana or means or practice of its
own, for the attainment of that which is the ultimate and common end of
all Shastra. The Kularnava Tantra says that in the Satya or Krita
age the Shastra is Shruti (in the sense of the Veda and
Upanishads); in Treta-yuga, Smriti (in the sense of the Dharma-Shastra
and Shruti-jivika, etc.); in Dvapara Yuga the Purana; and in
the last or Kali-yuga the Tantra, which should now be followed by all
orthodox Hindu worshippers. The Maha-nirvana and other Tantras and Tantrik
works lay down the same rule. The Tantra is also said to contain the very
core of the Veda to which, it is described to bear the relation of the
Paramatma to the Jivatma. In a similar way, Kaulachara
is the central informing life of the gross body called vedachara,
each of the achara which follow it up to kaulachara being
more and more subtle sheaths.
The Human Body
The human body is Brahma-para, the city of Brahman.
Ishvara Himself enters into the universe as jiva. Wherefore
the maha-vakya "That thou art" means that the ego (which is
regarded as jiva only from the standpoint of an upadhi)
is Brahman. |
