Ajapa Japa

ajap Japa

Ajap can mean either not repeated or no count kept on the repetitions. Thus we find a reference to an involuntary action in this aspect. There are two major movements in the body which are felt by us, yet are involuntary. The breath and heart beat are thus and are contemporary to each other like two sides of a coin. They are the causal of this body existence. The breath is indicative of the mind-state; if one is excited mentally or does more work physically he will be drawing more number of breaths or will be out of breath. This will increase the heart beat rate, thus the major contribution of the mental state will be by our breathing style. We also find that a constant watch over the breath is one type of bhvana recommended by vigynabhairava tantra. Hence we can conclude that bhvana of Ajap is very much essential to recognize the state of our real nature.

A cycle of inhalation and exhalation will constitute one Ajap. The intake breath is personified as iva as his seed letter ham and the exhalation is personified as akti as her seed letter sah. Thus, we find the personification of Ajap is hamsah- the divine swan.

According to the scriptures we breathe 21,600 times daily. In a day of 24 hours this will work out to 4 second per breath, extending this we find 15 breaths per minute/ 900 breaths per hour. Considering the breath in days we get 21600 days, which will be equal to 60 years (as per lunar calendar). Thus the ritual of ahi abdha prthi is a celebration of a days-breath equivalent days. The next day starts and hence the nti or purification rituals are done. The number 216 can be reduced into primary numbers and 23 X 33. The first number two will signify the breath Ham Sah, the divine couple iva and akti. The power three will point to the three bodies; gross, subtle and causal. The number three next will refer to the three stains (malas) Nava myika and krmika, the power three will point to the three states of waking, sleep and deep sleep. Reading the above as a whole, the Consciousness which is inherent as the divine couple iva and akti in the three bodies, in the three states with the three stains (mala) will be the total count of the breath in a day. The Bhvana of Ajap will result in the experience of the everlasting bliss of being immersed in the above described iva-akti consciousness throughout the day which is the final destination of r vidy upasana.Looking through the kaTapaydi secret code we find A ja p will translate as 0, 8 and 1, this is then read as per the code (angato vma gati- read from the left) will be 180. This multiplied by the iva and akti tattvas( ham and sah) i.e., two will total to 360, which are the total rasmis or rays emerging from the feet of the Divine couple seated at the aspirants crown and filling all the six dhra cakras in the suumn ndi. .

rvidya texts declare that these involuntary count of the Mah mantra hamsah to be submitted to the divine powers residing in the seven centres of our body. Ganea residing in the muladhara is offered 600, trinity in the next three centres 6000 each, Jiva and paramtm in the next two 1000 each and in the crown, the guru is offered 1000 ajap counts.

Our Ancient Indian scriptures count the day from dawn to dawn i.e. approximately from 6:00 a.m. to 6.00 a.m. The following chart is prepared from the above equivalence of breath and time on the assumption that the sun rises at 6:00 a.m.

Sthana

Count

Deity

Time

Muldhra

600

Gaea

06:00:00 to 06:40:00

SvdhiSTna

6000

Bramha

06:41:00 to 13:20:00

Mai praka

6000

viu

13:21:00 to 20:00:00

anhata

6000

rudra

20:01:00 to 02:40:00

viuddhi

1000

jIvtm

02:41:00 to 03:46:40

gny

1000

paramtm

03:46:41 to 04:53:20

Bramharandhra

1000

r Guru

04:53:21 to 06:00:00

Total21,6000

It is worthy of note that the time of the Bramha muhrta from 4 am to dawn which is suited for the utmost highest level of experience the Paramtma coincides with the time of the preceptor in this path, the r Guru. Interestingly, we find that this is the time specified for Para puja as per paraurama kalpastra.Rasmi karma with Ajapa bhavana

The above six centres have a distribution of the 360 rays emerging from the feet of r Lalitha Maha tripurasundari seated with her Lord Kamesvara at the crown (sahasrara) of the aspirant. This is described in saundarya lahari as kshitau ShaT pancAsaT.. Applying the same idea of time equivalent breath to this ray count the following chart is prepared. One ray will equal 60 breaths or 4 minutes

SthAna

Rays

EquivalentEquivalent

Time

BreathsTimemUlAdhArA

56

3360

3 Hrs 44 min

06:00 to 09:44

SvadhiShTAnA52

3120

3 Hrs 28 min

09:45 to 13:12

maNipUrakA

62

3720

4 Hrs 08 min

13:13 to 17:20

anAhata

54

3240

3 Hrs 36 min

17:21 to 20:56

vishuddhi

72

4320

4 Hrs 48 min

20:57 to 01:44

AgnyA

64

3840

4 Hrs 16 min

01:45 to 06:00

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total

360

21,600

24:00 hrs

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------r Mahesanatha in his natha navaratna malika has identified the breath with r Guru.r Bhasakararaya in his commentary decodes the number of breath from the last line of the stotra sanmaargam matta mayooramiide. This when read with the katapayaadi code will reveal the number thus: - mattamayoora will translate into numbers as 5, 6, 5, 1 and 2. This when reversed will point to the number 21565. Again maarga when decoded will point to numbers 5 and 3, reverse of this is 35. Adding both these numbers will give the total breath in a day 21, 600.

He also points out to an aggregate of Tatvas, which will total 21,600.

The Dina nitya vidya (576 X 36)

20,736

The purNa maNdala akshara (16 X 36)

576

Nava natha

9

Tatvas (24 + 7 + 5)

36

Nitya (15 + 1)

16

Ghatika

60

Rasi

12

Nava graha

9

Bhuta (Elements)

5

MatrkAkshara(La and la are identical)

50

*NavAvaraNa devatas

91

-----------------------

Total

21,600

-----------------------

(*NavavaraNa devatas are counted without the mudra aktis as per Kadimata- Tantra rAja tantra and also excluding Maha tripurasundari with the eight cakresvaris. So the count will be 18+ 16+ 8+ 14+ 10+ 10+ 8+ 4+ 3 = 91)

Considering the whole days breath as Navanathas or Nava grahas, as per the first said time breathe equivalence we can see each natha /graha will have 2400 breaths or 2hr 40min equivalent time in a day which starts from 06:00, we can find from the following chart the different time slots for the nathas/ grahas:

Natha

Graha

Time

Prakasanadanatha

Surya

06:00 to 08:40

Vimarsananadanatha

Candra

08:41 to 11:20

Anandanandanatha

Saumya

11:21 to 02:00

Gyananandanatha

bhuda

02:01 to 04:40

Satyanandanatha

guru

04:41 to 07:20

Purnanandanatha

sukra

07:20 to 10:00

Svabhavananadanatha

sani

10:01 to 00:40

Pratibhananadanatha

rahu

00:41 to 03:20

Subhagananadanatha

ketu

03:21 to 06:00

Similarly, if see with respect to the rasi (zodiac signs) we will get the following chart

1 rasi = 2400 breaths = 2 Hours.Tatva

Time

meshaa

06:00 to 08:00

rshabha

08:01 to 10:00

mithuna

10:01 to 12:00kaTaka

12:01 to 14:00

simha

14:01 to 16:00

kanni

16:01 to 18:00

tulA

18:01 to 20:00

vrschika

20:01 to 22:00

dhanuh

22:01 to 00:00

makara

00:01 to 02:00

kumbha

02:01 to 04:00

mIna

04:01 to 06:00

Similarly, if see with respect to the tatvas we will get the following chart

1 Tatva = 600 breaths = 40 min.Tatva

Time

iva

06:00 to 06:40akti

06:41 to 07:20sadAiva

07:21 to 08:00Isvara

08:00 to 08:40suddhavidyA

08:41 to 09:20mayA

09:21 to 10:00kalA

10:01 to 10:40

avidyA

10:41 to 11:20rAga

11:21 to 12:00kAla

12:01 to 12:40niyati

12:41 to 13:20purusha

13:21 to 14:00prakrti

14:01 to 14:40ahmakAra

14:41to 15:20Buddha

15:21 to 16:00Manas

16:00 to 16:40Srotra

16:40 to 17:20Tvak

17:21 to 18:00Cakshus

18:01 to 18:40jihvA

18:41 to 19:20

ghrANa

19:21 to 20:00vAk

20:01 to 20:40pANi

20:41 to 21:20pAda

21:21 to 22:00pAyu

22:01 to 22:40uapstha

22:41 to 23:20sabda

23:20 to 00:00sparsa

00:01 to 00:40rUpa

00:41 to 01:20rasa

01:21 to 02:00gandha

02:01 to 02:40AkAsha

02:40 to 03:20Vayu

03:21 to 04:00Vahni

04:01 to 04:40Jala

04:40 to 05:20prthvI

05:21 to 06:00Similarly, if see with respect to the elements (bhUtAs) we will get the following chart

1 element (bhUtA) = 4320 breaths = 4 hours 48 min.Element (bhUtA)

Time

Space -AkAsha

06:00 to 10:48

Air -Vayu

10:49 to 15:36

Fire -Vahni

15:37 to 20:24

Water -Jala

20:25 to 01:12

Earth -prthvI

01:10 to 06:00

Similarly, if see with respect to the nityA devi, who are 16, including maha nityA- Mahatripurasundari we will get the following chart

1 nityA = 1350 breaths = 1 hour 30 min.NityA

Time

Kamesvari

06:00 to 07:30Bhagamalini

07:31 to 09:00

Nityaklinna

09:01 to 10:30

Bherunda

10:31 to 12:00

Vahni vasini

12:01 to 13:30mahAvajresvari

13:31 to 15:00ivadUti

15:01 to 16:30

tvaritA

16:31 to 18:00

kulasundari

18;01 to 19:30

nityA

19:31 to 21:00

nIlapatAkA

21:01 to 22:30

vijayA

22:31 to 00:00

sarvamangala

00:01to 01:30

jvalAmAlini

01:31 to 03:00

citrA

03:01 to 04:30

mahAnityA

04:31 to 06:00

(We find Bhaskararaya in his bhavanopanishad has accounted 15 nityas only as the breath count, with a view that Lalithadevi is an aggregate unified form of all nityas. So by his view the chart will be now:1 nityA = 1440 breaths = 1 hour 36 min.NityA

Time

Kamesvari

06:00 to 07:36Bhagamalini

07:37 to 09:12Nityaklinna

09:13 to 10:48Bherunda

10:49 to 12:24Vahni vasini

12:25 to 14:00

mahAvajresvari

14:01 to 15:36ivadUti

15:37 to 17:12tvaritA

17:13 to 18:48kulasundari

18;01 to 20:24nityA

20:25 to 22:00

nIlapatAkA

22:01 to 23:36

vijayA

23:37 to 01:12

sarvamangala

01:13to 02:48jvalAmAlini

02:49 to 04:24citrA

04:25 to 06:00The following chart is for ghatikodaya:

ghatikodaya

aEcatayaFrom To

aEcata ya6:006:24

aaAichathara6:256:48

iOjadala6:497:12

iiau jhadhava7:137:36

uAm~njanaSa7:378:00

uuKaTapasha8:018:24

rKhaThaphasa8:258:48

rrGaDabaha8:499:12

lrGhaDhabhala9:119:36

llr~ngaNamaksha9:3710:00

eCata yaa10:0110:24

aiChatharaaa10:2510:48

oJadalai10:4911:12

au Jhadhavaii11:1211:36

am~njanaSau11:3712:00

kaTapashauu12:0112:24

khaThaphasar12:2512:48

gaDabaharr12:4913:12

ghaDhabhalalr13:1313:36

~ngaNamakshallr13:3714:00

cata yaae14:0114:24

chaTharaaaai14:2514:48

jaDalaio14:4915:12

jhaDhavaiiau 15:1315:36

~njaNaSauam15:3716:00

TaPashauuka16:0116:24

ThaPhasarkha16:2516:48

DaBaharrga16:4917:12

DhaBhalalrgha17:1317:36

NaMakshallr~nga17:3718:00

ta Yaaeca18:0118:24

thaRaaaaicha18:2518:48

daLaioja18:4919:12

dhaVaiiau jha19:1319:36

naSauam~nja19:3720:00

paShauukaTa20:0120:24

phaSarkhaTha20:2520:48

baHarrgaDa20:4921:12

bhaLalrghaDha21:1321:36

makshallr~ngaNa21:3722:00

yaAecata 22:0122:24

raAaaichatha22:2522:48

laIojada22:4923:12

vaIiau jhadha23:1323:36

SaUam~njana23:370:00

shaUukaTapa0:010:24

saRkhaThapha0:250:48

haRrgaDaba0:491:12

laLrghaDhabha1:131:36

kshaLlr~ngaNama1:372:00

aEcata ya2:012:24

aaAichathara2:252:48

iOjadala2:493:12

iiau jhadhava3:133:36

uAm~njanaSa3:374:00

uuKaTapasha4:014:24

rKhaThaphasa4:254:48

rrGaDabaha4:495:12

lrGhaDhabhala5:135:36

llr~ngaNamaksha5:376:00

For Matrukaakshraas:

MatrukaaksharaFromTo

A6:006:28:48

Aa6:28:496:57:36

I6:57:377:26:24

Ii7:26:257:55:12

U7:55:138:24:00

Uu8:24:018:52:48

R8:52:499:21:36

Rr9:21:379:50:24

Lr9:50:2510:19:12

Llr10:19:1310:48:00

E10:48:0111:16:48

Ai11:16:4911:45:36

O11:45:3712:14:24

au 12:14:2512:43:12

Am12:43:1313:12:00

Ah13:12:0113:40:48

Ka13:40:4914:09:36

Kha14:09:3714:38:24

Ga14:38:2515:07:12

Gha15:07:1315:36:00

~nga15:36:0116:04:48

Ca16:04:4916:33:36

Cha16:33:3717:02:24

Ja17:02:2517:31:12

Jha17:31:1318:00:00

~nja18:00:0118:28:48

Ta18:28:4918:57:36

Tha18:57:3719:26:24

Da19:26:2519:55:12

Dha19:55:1320:24:00

Na20:24:0120:52:48

ta 20:52:4921:21:36

Tha21:21:3721:50:24

Da21:50:2522:19:12

Dha22:19:1322:48:00

Na22:48:0123:16:48

Pa23:16:4923:45:36

Pha23:45:370:14:24

Ba0:14:250:43:12

Bha0:43:131:12:00

Ma1:12:011:40:48

Ya1:40:492:09:36

Ra2:09:372:38:24

La2:38:253:07:12

Va3:07:133:36:00

Sa3:36:014:04:48

Sha4:04:494:33:36

Sa4:33:375:02:24

Ha5:02:255:31:12

Ksha5:31:136:00:00