Ascent to Sahasrara-padma

Through a human bust the painting represents ascent of Kundalini from ‘Muladhara’ to ‘Sahasrara-padma’ – the thousand-petalled lotus, symbolic of Cosmic Consciousness. In Indian tradition, body is perceived as comprising six ‘chakras’, dynamic Tattvik – elemental
centres, of which four, ‘Muladhara’, ‘Svadhisthana’, ‘Mani-pura’ and ‘Anahata’, are situated in between midmost body-part to heart region, the part not included in the painting. ‘Vishuddha’ and ‘Ajna’, other two ‘chakras’ are located in throat, that is, mouth region, and in between the eyebrows. Over them is situated ‘Sahasrara-padma’. When kindled, ‘Kundalini, contemplated as female energy and hence a female deity, begins ascending from ‘Muladhara’ through these ‘chakras’ using ‘Sushamna-nari’, one of the three main artilleries having mystic significance, as its channel. In the painting, red line symbolises ‘Sushamna-nari’, while the white, Kundalini, for at this stage ‘jivatma’ sheds its colours and transcending beyond the material existence dissolves in Parmatman, which white conventionally symbolised. It is the state of ‘samadhi’ – complete transcendence. Hence, the deity that agitated at throat or mouth-level and mind boiled red is portrayed seated in complete quiescence when it reached ‘Ajna’ and ‘Sahasrama-padma’ levels. The ‘Sahasrama-padma’ has
been portrayed as a multi-petalled lotus head-dress of the figure.