Talk:Granthi

By Swami Harshananda

granthi (‘knot’)

‘Granthi’ means a knot. Just as a knot binds something, the three guṇas— sattva, rajas and tamas—bind the jīva (individual soul) to the world of nature. He has to untie them or 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, Viṣṇugranthi and Rudra-granthi. 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 Brahmagranthi is situated between mulādhāra and svādhiṣṭhāna. The Viṣṇugranthi is situated between maṇipura and anāhata. The Rudragranthi is situated between viśuddha and ājñā.

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.

See also CAKRAS and KUNDALINĪ.

References

* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

OLD CONTENT

granthi (‘knot’) ‘Granthi’ means a knot. Just as a knot binds something, the three guṇas— sattva, rajas and tamas—bind the jīva (individual soul) to the world of nature. He has to untie them or 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, Viṣṇugranthi and Rudra- granthi. They obstruct the upward move¬ment of the Kuṇḍalinī power. Each of the six cakras (like mulādhāra and svādhiṣṭhāna) has two granthis on either side. The Brahma¬granthi is situated between mulādhāra and svādhiṣṭhāna. The Viṣṇugranthi is situated between maṇipura and anāhata. The Rudragranthi is situated between viśuddha and ājñā. 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. See also CAKRAS and KUNDALINĪ.