Panchagni –
the Bath of Fire
Swami
Satyasangananda Saraswati
Agni is the third tattwa that constitutes the body. It links prithvi (earth) and apas (water) with vayu (air) and akasha (ether). Without the fire of agni the grossness of the first two tattwas cannot be refined into the subtle vayu and even subtler akasha.
The
principle applies in meditation too. When the energy lying coiled in
mooladhara, the seat of prithvi tattwa, passes through the fire of agni, it
begins to shine with the light of consciousness. Then the spiritual experiences
begin. The term agni pariksha, or the test of agni, refers to this event.
Sita
underwent it before she could unite with Rama at Lanka. Prior to that she was
locked up in the house of a demon with ten heads. The allegory of ten heads is
easy to understand. They represent the ten senses that keep man forever bound
to the lower energy centres. Craving for sensual experience is caused by the
energy being locked up there. In order to release the energy from its bondage
the fire of tapas, another name of agni, is essential. Fire alone can tear that
bondage asunder. Sita too undertook this austerity for Rama.
The ascent
of kundalini is beautifully allegorized in the union of Rama and Sita, after
the agni pariksha. Rama could not accept her till she had passed that test. In
order to rise, Sita, who represents shakti or energy, had to break loose from
its shackles. Even though he too was striving for that union Rama, who
represents consciousness, did not come down. If, instead of energy rising,
consciousness descends to the lower centres to unite, the individual is
destroyed. Those centres simply cannot handle that power.
The science
of kundalini explains that once the energy passes beyond manipura chakra, the
seat of agni, it will not descend to lower planes. Prior to that, even if it
awakens it can revert back to dormancy. After it passes agni, the power of
consciousness draws it up to its abode in sahasrara. This happens in exactly
the same way as a magnet pulls iron filings. The two polarities meet and an
explosion takes place.
There is
another very important point to consider here. The key to open the lock,
release energy from its captivity and carry it safely to its destination to
unite with consciousness may lie in the fire of agni, but the code for the key
lies with bhakti. No other power can accomplish this task. Bhakti is untainted
devotion in which there is no room for the slightest procrastination, deceit,
hypocrisy or doubt. Just as darkness is transformed into light under the
luminosity of the sun, in the same way tamas and rajas transform into sattwa
when bhakti flows from its abode in the heart cavity.
This too
has been so intelligently illustrated in the Ramayana through the wonderful
example of Hanuman. He is the symbol of steadfast, pure and faultless devotion
to Rama. In releasing Sita from the captivity of Ravana he plays the most
important part. Without him Rama could not have united with his beloved Sita.
He crossed the earth (prithvi) and seas (apas) to discover Sita pining for
Rama. By the fire (agni) of his tapas he sets Lanka ablaze and for the first
time since captivity Sita sees a ray of hope that soon she will unite with
Rama. The allegories are amazing! Hanuman tears his heart open for bhaktas to
reveal the Lord Rama seated there with Sita hand raised in blessing.
'O Agni, lead me onto the right path', an
invocation in the Vedas, gives the idea that agni transforms the movement of
energy and by creating a balance between the two nadis, ida and pingala, puts
it onto the straight path. Prior to that the movement of energy is erratic,
unbalanced and also absent at times.
When the
energy reaches manipura chakra, the seat of agni tattwa, it has two options: to
either return to sleep once again coiled as kundalini; or to pierce the heat of
agni and travel towards the light emanating from anahata chakra where
consciousness rests in the heart cavity.
Agni
refashions everything that comes in contact with it. At times it can completely
alter the appearance, touch, smell and taste, giving it a new look and perhaps
a new destiny. It acts as a catalyst for change through alteration and, often,
total annihilation. A new product emerges.
Fire has
been the object of worship since the distant past. It gave man his first sight
of the forms around him. It made him realize his own identity and existence
apart from others. In that sense it introduces you to your ego. In Four
Chapters on Freedom, Swami Satyananda has said that the ego continues with man
very far into deep states of meditation. Traces of ego are found even in savikalpa
samadhi, the stage preceding nirvikalpa samadhi. It would not be wrong to say
that it even acts as the cause for the experience of nirvikalpa or total
annihilation of the ego. It consumes the same ego to which it gave birth to
create a new form – that of unified awareness. After this the role of agni is
over. Or, more aptly, agni merges into thar pure effulgent Self which has the
power to illumine itself.
Fire is the
symbol of agni. The quality of fire is to spread itself; it cannot remain
confined. So agni, seated in manipura chakra at the navel centre, spreads its
intensity downwards to mooladhara in the coccygeal plexus and stirs the high
voltage energy sleeping there, coiled like a serpent. Pulling it upwards when
it rises with a hiss, it then accompanies the energy until the very last when
it reaches sahasrara. This means that the tapas of agni extends to a very large
radius.
No wonder
then that it is said again that spiritual experience can be had by tapas alone.
The generation of heat and intensity is tapas. One of the ways to accomplish
this is through the yogic practice of pranayama. There are several others.
Devotion to the Lord is one. Service of the Lord is another.
Because it
spreads itself in every direction, it is present everywhere. This gives agni
the quality of omniscience and omnipresence. Since it is everywhere, it sees
everything. Thus its role as witness is established. It acts as the seer. In
all sacrifices fire is the sakshi that bears witness to the event. Oaths are
taken in front of fire. In that sense it also stands for truth as it cannot be
contaminated. It is a symbol of purity, a necessity in all rites of
purification.
Agni is the
link between heaven and earth, sahasrara and prithvi. It has been called the
heavenly fire because even though it spreads in all directions its motion is
always upwards. It carries everything that it consumes and purifies, upwards.
In the form of fragrant smoke it reaches out to the heavens, carrying with it
the sankalpa that has been poured into it as oblations, which thus receives
divine attention and attains fulfilment in the form of a boon.
It is this
heavenly fire that has been elucidated in the form of a dialogue between a
young lad, Nachiketas, and Yama, the Lord of Death. Being impressed with the
spiritual fervour of the young boy, Lord Yama describes in detail the heavenly
fire that leads to the other world and the means to ignite it. This exchange
between them is narrated in the Kathopanishad.
As a
tribute to the spirit of dedication for truth and metaphysical knowledge shown
by the young boy, Yama named this fire after him. Thus it came to be known as
the threefold Nachiketas fire. The foundation of this fire rests on three acts:
tapas (austerity), daan (charity) and dhyana (meditation).
Endurance
of the five fires is austerity. It is known as Panchagni. Panchagni is a rite
of purification known as prayaschitta. In Panchagni, first five external fires
are endured: four fires are lit and the fifth fire is that of the sun. Then the
five internal fires raging within: kama (passion), krodha (anger), lobha
(greed), moha (attachment) and matsara (jealousy), are endured. This is also
known as the Pashupati vrata, which is a sacred vow undertaken to become master
of the animal nature. Then follows the five meditations on fire.
Panchagni
is practised during Uttarayan when the sun is in the northern hemisphere from
Makar Sankranti (mid- January) to Karka Sankranti (mid-July). There are two
paths for liberation known as the northern and southern. Panchagni is the
northern path of light and luminosity. It is the path to follow for liberation
of the soul. After that the soul can assume any form it chooses. Thus
immortality can be attained through this austerity. The southern path limits
the soul to the clutches of destiny. It follows the cycle of birth and death.
The gains
from this austerity are then given to others in the form of grace and
blessings. This is the highest form of charity. Charity leads to spontaneous
and unbroken meditation. In that state the meditator and object of meditation
merge into each other.
Mastery
over the elements in their physical as well as metaphysical form is one of the
requisites for this practice. Pure, unflinching devotion is another. It stands
to reason that stamina and a vast quantum of energy are also required. This vow
can be undertaken for twelve years, nine years, three years or one year.
In the year
1990, soon after arriving at Rikhiadham, Swami Satyananda undertook the vow of
Panchagni for nine years. In the first year he endured one fire for six months
and all five fires on Poornima and Amavasya. In the second year he lit two
fires on all days and five on Poornima and Amavasya. In this way one fire was
added each year and after the fifth year was over he endured five fires each
day for one year. This was endurance of the five external fires.
After six
years the fire was transferred to a special altar where it was concealed with
ash but kept alight and burning inside. This concealed fire, representing the
five internal fires, was attended for two years. This was followed by worship
of the fire with mantra for the last year after which poornahuti or the final
oblation was done. His vow of Panchagni culminated in 1998. The Panchagni lit
by Sri Swamiji is still burning at Paramahamsa Alakh Bara and is worshipped
daily at sunrise and sunset with aromatic herbs.
Swami ji Niranjan ji... Beginning his Panchagni Sadhan. Humble Pranams on your way.. swami ji. Jai Ho !!
PARAMHANS
SWAMI NIRANJANANANDA SARASWATI IS SITTING ON PANCHAGNI YAJNI AT BIAHR SCHOOL OF
YOGA -MUNGER.Very few saints of Sanatan Dharma have performed this rarest of
rare TAPYASYA.......
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