Deha-Tattva, The body is Truth

Deha-Tattva 
by Abhimanyu Das

The human body, according to Vaishnava tantra, is the primary vehicle for taking the journey towards Self-Realisation or enlightenment. Knowledge of the details of the body/bodies is key part of spiritual practice for a Vaishnava and it is in the transformation of the material body that a practitioner is able to attain perpetual service to the Lord of Lords, Sri Krsna. The knowledge of the body, subtle body, and casual body is collectively known as Deha-tattva, the Body truth.

In the Nārada-pancharātra Nārada inquires into this knowledge and Shiva reveals that their are 350,000 nadis or streams of Prāṇa-śakti of which
śuṣumna, iḍa, and pingala nadi are primary
There are 7 chakras in the body which are named as follows;
Mūlādhāra-chakra:
Situated in the perineum, comprised of 4 petals, Yellow in color, representing the element of earth, sense of smell, the nostrils, and the combined form of all elements. The sensations of the body are all felt in this station.
It is here that Kundalini-Shakti remains coiled around the Svāyambhuva-linga. As she remains resting here, the Jiva or individual being remains asleep/Ignorant to their Self and SuperSelf.
Svādhiṣṭhana-chakra:
Situated at the base of the Genitals/lumbosacral plexus, white in color, the Svādhiṣṭhāna chakra is comprised of six petals, white in colour, representing the water element, the sense of taste, the tongue, and the station of the individual ego/Ahamkara. The emotional body and the experience of emotion is represented here.

māṇipura-Chakra:
Within the navel plexus, Maṇipura(city of jewels/the treasure chest) is the seat of the fire element, with ten petals, red hued, the sense of sight, the eyes and all objects of sight. The manipura chakra is responsible for our faculty of thought and imagination.
anahatta-chakra:
Literally the unstruck, unwounded, or unbeaten, this chakra represents the element of wind, the sense of touch, the skin, Situated in the sternum near the heart, having 12 petals this is the seat of our faculty of Judgement/Intellect. Baṇa-Linga is stationed
here.
Visuddha-chakra:
The supremely pure vishuddha-chakra is situated in the throat, it is black in color, and represents the element of Akash(ether, space, void, emptiness) having 16 petals and holding the sense of hearing, the ears, and the perception/sensation of identity.

Ajna-Chakra:

The seat of Sri-Guru, Kailash, and the place of knowledge, this chakra is extremely important for all Vaishnava yogis as is the place wherein a yogi can receive continual instructions from his lineage masters. Having two petals it is white in color.

Sahasrara-Chakra
The Final Chakra is known as the Sahasradala-padma, or the thousand petalled lotus. Is is here that the supreme truth or the highest reality is stationed. In the brahma-Samhita the thousand petalled lotus is revealed to be the Abode of Sri Krsna known as Gokula, Goloka, or Vṛndāvana Dham.

sahasra-patra-kamalaṁ
gokulākhyaṁ mahat padam
tat-karṇikāraṁ tad-dhāma
tad-anantāṁśa-sambhavam

"The super-excellent station of Kṛṣṇa, which is known as Gokula, has thousands of petals and a corolla like that of a lotus sprouted from a part of His infinitary aspect, the whorl of the leaves being the actual abode of Kṛṣṇa."
-Brahma samhita 5.2

The purpose of this knowledge is gain a psycho-physical-spiritual map to your own human experience and learn to navigate the stations, remove vices, increase virtue, attain Brahmacharya(natural sublimation of the innate energies of the body) and gradually attain self-realisation and Prema, through bhuta-suddhi, prāṇayāma, nyāsa, mantra, and puja!

Though this short essay gives a few key points for our understanding these teachings should be experienced under the guidance of Sri Guru and Sri Sri Radha-Govindachandra.

Without experience, knowledge only leads to further confusion.

My advice is to simply learn to breath and watch your breath at any of these stations and allow them to reveal themselves to you in time.
Thanks for reading!
Until Next time...

#Jainitai

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References:
"Narada-Pancharatra" translated by Bhumipati das
"Brahma-Samhita" translated by Bhaktisiddhanta saraswati

                    "Laya Yoga: The Definitive Guide To The Chakras And Kundalini" Shyam Sundar Goswami