By Swami Harshananda
Granthi literally means ‘knot’.
‘Granthi’ means a knot. Just as a knot binds something, the three guṇas bind the jīva (individual soul) to the world of nature. These guṇas:
- Sattva
- Rajas
- Tamas
A person has to untie them, cut them, to transcend them and rise to the level of the spirit. In the tāntrik literature three granthis have been described. They are:
- Brahmagranthi - The Brahmagranthi is situated between mulādhāra and svādhiṣṭhāna.
- Viṣṇugranthi - The Viṣṇugranthi is situated between maṇipura and anāhata.
- Rudra-granthi - The Rudragranthi is situated between viśuddha and ājñā.
They obstruct the upward movement of the Kuṇḍalinī power. Each of the six cakras (like mulādhāra and svādhiṣṭhāna) has two granthis on either side. The Kuṇḍalinī-śakti or power pierces these three granthis before reaching the sahasrāra, when roused by proper yogic exercises under the guidance of an expert.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore