The spiritual journey of the aspirant which moved from the Pind consciousness to cosmic and Para cosmic consciousness now literally takes a quantum leap towards total transformation and moves on towards no-consciousness. The stages above Satchitananda were never discussed in other systems and the experience of the Sahasrara center was considered to be the final stage.

The consciousness at the Trikuti which is all powerful gets transformed into pure Satchitananda at Sahasrara where the aspirant will enjoy the bliss of Sat, Chit and Ananda. Nothing above this was ever contemplated. Therefore, the approach we had in the earlier parts of this commentary of cross referencing with other systems and comparisons is not possible.

The super consciousness which developed in the heart region while traversing knots 1 and 2, we have seen got refined as D1 consciousness in the Brahmand at about the knot 6 or Ajna chakra. The superfine consciousness now gets transformed further at this level as D2 consciousness. (Fig.16) The superfine consciousness here is all embracing and does not permit differentiation between beings or several existences. It is pure Sat, Chit and Ananda. The only concern here is Visva Santhi. In other words the consciousness, which is exclusively concerned with the individual (i.e. the body and mind of the individual) takes a turn into Parahita at the Brahmand level and now gets transformed further as Visvahita (Universal good). Any event happening anywhere gets reflected in the individual as he has now developed a spiritual contact with all. He lives and moves in the Viswaroopa of God. It is inexplicable but this much the author knows that any event that is happening in the universe casts an impression in him. By the Grace of the Master it is not known fully but only faint feelings are felt. This is also lost due to several mundane preoccupations of the sadhaka. Certain times an event reported in the news are felt as things which we knew few days earlier etc..

The main point of this type of consciousness is that it is not felt intensely and it is super sensitiveness that is developed by the sadhaka that enables him to feel this. By now of course the sadhaka has got himself accustomed to receive the Grace of God and be in His thoughts constantly and the response from the Divine kindly that with certain amount of care the sadhaka should be able to live in this consciousness constantly if not continuously.

It is purely because of the Grace of the Master and the Saints of the order this effort is made. The realms beyond the Sahasrara i.e. knots 11, 12 and 13 are all related to the Divine. That the individual has within himself the Divine is an old saying and has been verified at various levels even before this. Here more truly and unquestionably the purer realm of the Divine starts.

XI Knot

We have earlier seen that the aspirant has moved through the several Kosas binding him. Now that he has crossed the Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vijnanamaya and Anandamaya Kosas the pure and simple consciousness alone remains. This consciousness is not even conscious of itself. It is totally drowned in the memory of the Divine. It is with much difficulty that it can say "It is". Even the feeling of 'existence' is lost and the stage of 'awareness of the Ultimate Reality' is arrived. All the while it is some journey where the awareness was there, though nominally. Even the stage of Satchitananda was one where bliss is had.

But when the Anandamaya kosa is transcended there is nothing but dryness. A dryness which has become part and parcel of the being. No concern for one's own progress or regress but a craving to reach the Ultimate takes over and even this is in the realm of the super consciousness.

Consciousness has been well analysed by psychoanalysts and psychologists of transpersonal consciousness. Transpersonal consciousness is yet in the realm of the Maya or Original Stir. Transcendental consciousness has no particular connection with the individual in the sub-conscious, conscious, and super conscious levels or even in the transpersonal consciousness. This is a stage where the aspirant is gripped by the awareness (for want of any other word) of the Reality and nothing except that is felt or sought after. There is persistent restlessness to reach the goal what ever that might be. It is not something that is going to grant him any relief, not some thing which is blissful, not something which is sought for its grandeur. What ever it is, it should partake in it is the only feeling. This is a stage where there is no peace nor is it sought for. Peace and peace loving are not the criteria. The Divine which was described as "Santhakara" is no more relevant. Whether it is Santhi or Asanthi, the craving for the Ultimate pulls the individual consciousness which cannot be considered as conscious at all.

The tranquillity and peace which was almost perfect in knot 8 has been losing its intensity gradually and now it has come to the stage where even memory of it is lost.

The region to which knots 11 and 12 belong is actually the divine realm. This is the region of mind about which Master writes in Efficacy of Rajayoga. The super consciousness of this region is only hinted at by the Master and no description of it is given. This is obviously due to the fact the sadhaka has nothing to do with this super consciousness.

The Master states that the essence of the region of heart lies here. In this region only idea of the calmness or peace remains or the forgetful state of calmness is dominating here. This of course is not the end.

Here the sadhaka does not feel any colour or form. This is a stage where all the senses have no relevance. We have earlier seen that there is a relationship between senses and the elements: that Akasa is related to sound (sabda), air (Vayu) is related to sound (sabda) and touch (sparsa), fire (Agni) is related to sound, air and form (roopa), water (jala) is related to sound, air, form and taste (rasa), and earth (bhoomi) is related to sound, air, form, taste and smell (gandha). All these elements were having their sway when the journey to the Infinite was started in the First knot. Now the sadhaka has reached a stage where none of these have any say. However, the faint sounds that emanated from the original stir is felt as reverberating. It may be felt sometimes as a faint recollection of the OM Kara.

This knot is immediately below the crown of the head in the rear side(Fig 17). This is the place where the tuft of the traditional Hindu is found. As a matter of fact in certain sub-sects of south Indian Brahmins the whole area of the sikhara is covered with a particular type of tuft called 'appala kudimi'. This is the sacred Godly realm. No colour of any type is experienced. Vastness is experienced and the sadhaka feels helpless at the sight of this vastness of nothing.

This is the realm of manifestation at the initial stages. Master puts it as "There is motion. Invisible motions, when multiplying together with the idea of creation, increase the force downwards. The outcome is the innumerable varieties we find in the Universe. It is beyond the ethereal force. Air does not blow there.

This is the most powerful region of God. For your understanding you may call it the Power House for setting the Godly machinery a going. It is very difficult to explain this idea which can only be felt. People may doubt how calmness can abide when motion is there, imperceptible though it be. I would say there is calmness in refined form, and it is imperceptible, just as the idea about creation is expressed as imperceptible."

XII Knot

In fact knot 12 cannot be considered in exclusion of all earlier knots. It is in a sense a consummation of all the earlier knots and has within it the potentiality of all. Here the identicality which started developing right from knot 9 reaches its pinnacle. There cannot be any tinge of I ness here. The sadhaka who has become a living dead, dead to his living except for the craving for the Master, gets entitlement for plunging into this state. Master puts it as "The air of this state can be felt by him alone who has abandoned all airs, i.e. who has become a living dead. Divine effulgence (which was felt in knot 11) too vanishes, though still there remains something." The identicality which starting developing about the stage of Prapanna prabhu has got refined and refined identicality has come.

The identicality becoming refined may be compared with the phenomenon of love. In love the awareness of the loved is comparable to the treble melody in the music which is forefront some times and it lies in the background like the bass accompaniment which is hardly noticed at other times; it is heard all the time but in a subdued fashion. In love we do not adore that person less if for hours we never recall his or her face or name. It is the commitment which remains all along, uninterrupted which matters. Similarly here in the spiritual plane the love of the Divine which has developed through various stages has arrived at refined identicality with the Divine. Still identicality is there and this awareness is still a barrier which is crossed through the various stages of splendour.

The manifestation of the center caused due to the Original Stir or Kshob is for the first time entering grosser realms here. Till now from the Base it is all splendour of varying degrees to which we shall refer later. The motions which were hardly visible or practically invisible till now from the origin, now takes more twists and turns and the power is very much visible. However, this power is not as gross as the Powers of Nature identified with the gods, Agni, Vayu, Indra and so on. The Kenopanishad explains how these gods which are powerful stand helpless in exhibiting their capacities before the Sakti and were taught that they are able to function only because of this power.

The realm of the silent power starts here, up to this from the center is all splendour.

Physically the knot is located about two fingers down the knot 11. It is felt as a tiny purplish spot which does not remain in view long.