The Muladhara Chakra

Chakras
Sahasrara chakra
Guru chakra
Nirvana chakra
Indu chakra
Manas chakra
Ajna chakra
Lalana chakra
Vishuddha chakra
Anahata chakra
Hrit chakra
Manipura chakra
Swathisthana chakra
Muladhara chakra

The Muladhara is one of the seven Primary Chakras, and is associated with the element: Earth, representing the densest grade of manifestation.  In the Kundalini-yoga system of Shaktism, the Muladhara Centre is described as having four petals, corresponding to the psychological states of greatest joy, natural pleasure, delight in controlling passions, and blissfulness in concentration.  All these qualities correspond to the bliss of realising the Divine in the physical body.  The highest and most complete forms of spirituality do not reject the body, but see it as the vehicle for the transmutation of the body and the spirit together.

It is, according to Shakta Tantric doctrine, the seat of Kundalini, the latent cosmic energy or shakti that resides in every living being.  When this latent power is activated through Hatha Yoga practicises (pranayama, purification of the nadis, etc), it rises through each of the rear or spinal chakras, and up through the top of the head, to the Sahasrara or "Thousand Petalled Lotus" located above the crown.  There it unites with its opposite polarity, the Paramashiva or Supreme Godhead Consciousness, and the yogi attains total Liberation from phenomenal reality.

Colours associated with this chakra are red, yellow, and golden.  It could be considered the bliss centre for physical body.



Deities within the Muladhara Chakra

deities in the Muladhara chakra

countercounterclockwise from the bottom: Indra, Brahma, Dakini

Chakra table 1

MULADHARA

Terminology Tantric  muladhara, adhara, mula chakra or padma, brahma padma or bhumi chakra, chaturdala, chatuhpatra
Vedic (late Upanishads) muladhara, adhara, mulakanda, brahma
Puranic muladhara, adhara
Position externally, perineal region, close to anus
Petals number four; arranged from right to left
colour blood-red (deep red), shining red, yellow, golden (shining yellow)
Matrika-letters on petals four in number; Wang Shang Shang Sang, arranged from right to left 
colour gold (shining yellow), blood red (deep red)
Vrittis on petals four in number; arranged from right to left
name 1 greatest joy; 2 natural pleasure; 3 delight in controlling passion; 4 blissfulness in concentration
In the pericarp quadrangular Earth-region
colour of the Earth Region yellow, golden (shining yellow)
Earth-bija (in Earth Region) Lang
colour of Earth-bija yellow, shining yellow
Form of Earth-bija deity Indra
Concentration form of Indra Indra is yellow in colour, four-armed, holding the Vajra and a blue lotus in his hands, mounted on the white elephant Airawata
In the bindu of Lang deity Brahma
Concentration form of Brahma Brahma is deep red, young, four-faced, three-eyed, four-armed, holding a staff, a sacred water-pot, and a rosary of rudraksha, and making the gesture of dispelling fear; seated on a swan
Presiding divinity power Dakini
Concentration of Dakini Dakini is shining red or shining white in colour; she has beautifull face with three eyes; four-armed, holding a trident, a skulled staff, a swan and a drinking vessel; seated on a red lotus
Triangle colour shining deep red
Swayambhu-linga location inside the triangle
form broad at the bottom and tapers to a point at the top
colour shining deep red, black (or green), golden (shining yellow)
Kundalini as Kula-Kundalini Supremely subtle, lightning-like splendorous; also of shining red, white and black (or dark-green) colour; in three and a half coils around Swayambhu-linga


reference reference Layayoga - an Advanced Method of Concentration by Shyam Sundar Goswami, p.276.  Colour plate above from same book


First Chakra - sensation - physical consciousness


Associated minor chakras

Coccygeal
Perineal


The Five Gifts of the Root Chakra

major and minor Chakras



Web links Links Web links

web page The Muladhara Cakra according to the Satcakra-Narupana of Purnananda Swami (Translated by Arthur Avalon in The Serpent Power)

web page Muladhara Chakra

web page Muladhara Chakra - Alfred Ballabene (in German)



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page by M.Alan Kazlev
chakra image and table from Layayoga - an Advanced Method of Concentration by Shyam Sundar Goswami
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page uploaded 29 November 1998, last modified (new link) 5 December 2006