Let us examine the mystical concept about the subject at hand. First hand experience suggests, insightfully, what was seen as the “Stambha of Fire” or Molten Rod that burst through after immense concentration was a glimpse of Jiva or Atma? However, one cannot deny the seer who is seeing this noumenon, although vivid as a nut held in one’s hand. Perhaps the only Upanishad that mentions such idea is Katha Upanishad (2.1.12-13). Here is what Hindu Sastras suggest:
In Hindu philosophy, the phrase “the size of a thumb is this Atma” is a metaphorical expression found in the Katha Upanishad, symbolizing the subtle presence of the soul (Atma) within the human body. It does not imply literal physical size, but rather the intimate and concentrated nature of the Self. This idea comes from the Katha Upanishad, which states: “The Purusha (Atman), of the size of a thumb, resides in the middle of the body.” It’s also echoed in other texts like the Bhagavad Gita and the Puranas. Symbolism: The thumb-sized description emphasizes how the Atman is subtle, compact, and hidden—not visible or measurable. It’s said to reside in the heart or middle of the body, pointing to the spiritual center rather than a physical organ. Despite its small “size,” the Atman is infinite, eternal, and identical to Brahman (the universal consciousness). Vedanta: Views the thumb-size as symbolic of the individualized self—a spark of Brahman enclosed in the body, like space within a pot. Shaivism: Uses the metaphor to explore how ego limits the Supreme Self, making it appear confined. Yoga and Meditation: Practitioners may visualize a thumb-sized light or flame in the heart center during meditation, representing the Atman. Seeing a “sunburst” in yoga or meditation often symbolizes a deep spiritual experience or awakening. It’s not a literal (The writer adds, it is literal) visual phenomenon for most, but rather a metaphor for inner illumination or energetic release. Spiritual Awakening: The sunburst may represent the awakening of inner light or consciousness (the writer adds, say then, when are we not awake?), often associated with the activation of the third eye or crown chakra (the writer adds, it is always activated). Energetic Release: During intense practices like breathwork, deep meditation, or prolonged sun salutations (Surya Namaskar), some yogis report seeing radiant light or patterns—interpreted as energy flowing freely through the body. Connection to the Divine: In yogic philosophy, the sun is a symbol of divine presence and life force (prana). A sunburst vision may be seen as a moment of unity with this cosmic energy. Mental Clarity: It can also reflect a breakthrough in mental stillness—when the mind quiets enough for inner clarity to “burst” through. The “molten rod” experience in yoga is often described as a powerful energetic sensation—like a column of heat or light rising through the spine—associated with Kundalini awakening or deep meditative states. This isn’t a common term in mainstream yoga texts, but it’s frequently used by advanced practitioners to describe a transformative internal event. Here’s what it typically refers to: What Is the Molten Rod Experience? Energetic Activation: It’s often felt as a hot, fluid-like energy moving upward through the central channel of the body (called the Sushumna Nadi in yogic anatomy), which runs along the spine. Kundalini Awakening: This sensation is closely tied to Kundalini yoga, where dormant energy (makes the writer chuckle) at the base of the spine is said to rise, activating higher states of consciousness (the writer adds, activating? drivel). Intense Heat and Light: Practitioners may describe it as a “molten” or “fiery” rod—sometimes with accompanying visual phenomena like light bursts or inner radiance. Spiritual Transformation: It’s not just physical; it’s often accompanied by feelings of bliss, clarity, or a sense of unity with the universe. How It Arises: Deep Meditation: Especially with focus on the spine, chakras, or breath. Pranayama: Breathwork practices like Kapalabhati, Bhastrika, or Nadi Shodhana can stimulate this energy flow. Mantra and Mudra: Chanting and hand gestures may help direct energy through the spine. Asana Practice: Poses that open the spine and pelvis—like Cobra, Bridge, or Lotus—can support this experience. This experience can be intense. Some practitioners report physical discomfort, emotional upheaval, or confusion if they’re unprepared. That’s why many yogic traditions emphasize gradual preparation, guidance from a teacher, and grounding practices. A glimpse of the “molten rod” in meditation is often described as a brief but powerful energetic or visual experience—typically symbolizing the awakening or movement of Kundalini energy through the spine (the writer adds, is a corpse reading this?). This sensation is not universal, but it’s reported by advanced meditators and yogis as part of deep spiritual practice. Here’s what it usually means: What Is the “Molten Rod” Experience? Energetic Surge: It’s felt as a hot, radiant column—like molten metal or light—rising through the spine. This is often interpreted as Kundalini energy activating the central channel (Sushumna Nadi). Brief Glimpse: A “glimpse” suggests the experience was momentary—perhaps during a peak of stillness, breath retention, or deep focus. Visual and Somatic Fusion: Some describe seeing a glowing rod of light while simultaneously feeling heat or vibration in the body. Spiritual Symbolism: The rod may represent the axis mundi—a symbolic connection between earth and higher consciousness (The writer adds, you mean the knot, granthi, between matter and Awareness; reference Ulladu Narpadu, Verse 24). During Deep Meditation: Especially with focus on the spine, chakras, or breath. After Prolonged Practice: It may occur spontaneously after years of disciplined yoga, breathwork, or mantra meditation. In States of Stillness: When the mind quiets and awareness deepens, subtle energies may become perceptible (the writer adds, is there a shallow awareness and a deeper awareness, drivell). Is It Real or Symbolic? Subjective Reality: While not visible to others, these experiences are deeply real to the meditator and often transformative. Not Hallucination: It’s not considered a hallucination, but rather a shift in perception—accessing subtle layers of consciousness (the writer adds, who has seen the subtle layers, you think consciousness is a cake, a seer can see this? you must be joking?). No Need to Chase It: Yogic wisdom cautions against seeking such experiences. They’re seen as byproducts of sincere practice, not goals. Ref: Wisdom Library; CoPilot. The Writer in brackets.
Katha (2.2.4): When this uncased Spirit (Immortal) that is in the body falleth away from it (body), when He is freed from it’s casing, what is there then that remaineth? This is the thing that thou seekest. Katha (2.3.13): One must apprehend Him in the concept “He Is” and also in His essential principle…Katha (2.3.17): The Atma, the Spirit within, who is no larger than the thumb of a man is seated in the Heart of creatures, one must separate Him from one’s own body…Thou shalt know him as the Bright Immortal…Perhaps we can see a contradiction to be reconciled in the Katha, which it does. Is It Literal or Metaphoric? The Atma is formless, timeless, and beyond physical dimensions. The “thumb-size” is a mystic device to help us turn inward to the presence of the divine within ourselves. Let us look at the empirical “realization” of Sri Bhagavan Maharshi Ramana. Firstly, He “tangibly felt” the Immortal Spirit (avesam) during His “Death Experience,” and did not abandon Him from that moment onwards. Secondly, He also “heard” endaurally the Spirit pronounce “I.” Thirdly, at Tortoise rock, His felt the “Life Force” re-establish itself within the right side of His heart, yet, during this episode of death, he remained “aware.” Thereafter, Sri Bhagavan a stopped neglecting the insentient instrument (body) as a block of wood, which He, for many years, did after his awakening. Sri Bhagavan by then was knowledgeable about the precepts of Vivekachundamani, Ribhu Gita, Bhagavat Gita, etc Though, His teachings are all from His own empirical realization. So, can we tentatively conclude that the Spirit (Personal God Ishwara) is not only tangible, speaks, and seen (we will come to this), which is the life force in the body, but also intangible as Consciousness? It is Sat-Chit-Ananda, i.e., Existence-Consciousness-Bliss. This is the precepts of Katha Upanishad. Now, we can perhaps tentatively differentiate the attributes of Jiva, Atma and Brahman. It is in the writer’s opinion that the Jiva is very subtle, tangible and conscious, can be heard and seen within, but Atma is even more subtle than the Jiva, and perhaps It is the intangible bridge between Jiva and Brahman. However, the great Seers state Jiva, Atma and Brahman are one. How does all this fit in with the writer’s empirical realization? On the fated day, March 17th 2014, three months after he embarked on the quest, sitting in his cave (in a closed room in an apartment in Estepona, Malaga, Spain), exasperated like a sulking child, frustrated at the quest without results, which he himself had pronounced to awaken himself, thus, after meditation, he sat with knees raised from padmasana posture, arms around the knees and hands and fingers spread out on his face as in a mudra (the writer will term it Jiva-Mudra, like Yoni Mudra on hindsight) without realizing. Suddenly and unwittingly, with the eye lids forcibly closed with little fingers pressing proximal to upper nose, he found himself engulfed in array of patterned visual phosphenes (photisms). In the centre was a yellow spot that appeared to have two wings, like watching a jet engine rotating at high speed. The thought occurred to him to see that which is behind the wings, thus, he concentrated with his full force of being at the spot. Lo behold, suddenly he was faced with a burst of a red, glowing smokeless rod or column of molten, the size of a thumb, surrounded by very bright burst of blazing Sun. He let go his hands immediately and became aware his eyes were wide open, staring at the vivid phenomenon. Like a small molten piece of the Sun lodged within and without the body. His eyes started stinging and burning, so stark was the “Sun Burst.” He lost all sense of himself, body, mind, time and space. Perhaps, this mystical event lasted a few minutes until the phenomenon gradually faded away, leaving behind an array of purple phosphenes. What was that? Occurred to the writer. He was in awe, tears gushing out of his eyes. Joy filled his being for many days. He rushed out of the cave to the terrace. Later, when he calmed down, he said to his partner, I know the Buddha statue had his eyes open last night, for he saw, after the event, Buddha had his eyes closed, like most of all buddha statues. It was the day of full moon. So, let us examine “What was that.” Let us face it, Kundalini is always awakened in all creatures, without which, we would be merely be a corpse, a block of mud. We must also remember the “Seer” in all this. Awakening means, to be able to realize (make real) our Beingness as opposed to merely living a life in ignorance of name and form (unreal). Self-Realization (Self is always real) is a joke because we are always realized (we as Existence are real). We exist, but we confuse our existence for that of the sense of the body (ignorance, unreal). The writer could not believe that such a “Stambha of Fire” exists in us. Did he (the seer) glimpse the Jiva, the size of a thumb, the living nuclear or core of power within all creatures? What is that then? The Brahmana Guest that resides in all creatures as life power, which moves the breath, and departs living the body dead without life, is this not that which we seek (Katha Upanishad)? Sri Bhagavan realized the Immortal Spirit within Him. He tangibly felt It and much later pin-pointed the area where it resides in the body, empirically. But for a Jnani the seer, knower, experiencer do not exist. After the “Death Experience” in Madurai, Sri Bhagavan whole Being (the awe) was then focussed on that immortal substance (Sat-Chit) within and not on the sense of the body or externals (seer or knower or experiencer). Viz, the “Immortal Spirit” moored him to Itself. Since his Jiva then became unmoored to his body, so He found firm mooring in the Arunachala Hill, viz, Arunachala lured and moored Him to Itself. He further realized the formless Self within form and without. This is the import of Katha Upanishad. The thing is this and we must understand this. It is not that we have to focus on That, but That Itself is then focussed on us! Because of the Self (Sat-Chit-Ananda) focussed on us, we are inclined (enforced) to remain silent and renounce. It is perhaps unnecessary to go into voluntary “mouna,” for it is natural when the Self is focussed on us to be in mouna; this is important to remember, viz, Self-Realization leads to involuntary mouna; voluntary mouna does not necessarily lead to Self-Realization. Mouna is silence of the mind, viz, peace (Sat-Chit-Ananda). Sri Bhagavan was naturally in mouna. The epitome of Vedanta reconciles form and formlessness as One substance, this is That Which Is, or He Is. The writer embarked on the contemplation of the external tangible Sun, rightly or wrongly, he took a detour perhaps for want of maturity, focused on the external God, the Sun, instead of focussing on the “awe” within as the Immortal Spirit, the molten Stambha of smokeless vortex of fire, because of the empirical “Sun Burst” as That Which Is. However, the writer eventually, through further reading, mysticism and insight made good the delightful detour (which in its Jnana is not far off the wisdom we gain by contemplating the Sun). The awe of the “Molten Sun Burst” moored the writer firmly in the Sun, viz., the Sun moored the writer to Him. Have we not felt a sudden lump in the throat or chest when we are suddenly confronted with death, all thoughts subside focussed on Life? What is that lump but the size of a thumb? We cling not to inhalation when drowning, but to that Life Force within, because when we face drowning, all thoughts subside grasping at Life, this is also Seeing Him, the Self, Existence-Consciousness, the Immortal Spirit (Ulladu Narpadu, Verse 28). Moored to the senses, body and mind the Jiva is inebriated in chaos by the clouds of ignorance, but once released from the chains, it is always and ever the Self. To conclude here, is the “size of the thumb” a metaphor or literal? Find out, for the writer can only meekly point to it, not take you to it, this is your work. Glimpses, burst of “happy,” high, piloerection, orchestral music, flute of Krishna, Jiva speech, Siddhas, Departed, Deities, (endaural, entopic, hypnagogia, hypnopompia, Kundalini related, etc) are never truly real but real as merely psychic phenomenon within the Seer. Remember, all this, the world and us, is merely psyche, for matter is merely psyche. Are we not truly awesome and amazing creatures? We have to decipher the real from the unreal, for the mind and the body are our tools. However, the Self does make Itself known in the gross plane because it is in the waking and the gross plane that we have to make real that which is always real by discarding the unreal, the transient, if you follow the writer’s reasoning. Remember, since the body is merely an appearance, so the “kundalini” and “chakras” encased in the body structure can only be likewise merely appearances. It is literal and real and not apart from the Self viewed from the standpoint of the Self, but metaphoric and unreal from the standpoint of the ego or seen or seer as appearance. Like the world is an illusion and unreal as appearance, but real as the Self. Seen apart from the Self, phenomena are unreal, but real seen as the Self. Why are we here? What are we? What was the basis, the real in the whole event that the writer described is…if you know then…This is Seeing God As He Really Is.
O Lord of Day, you moored me firmly to Thy jaws, how and in what way could I escape Thee? So be It, for I found nothing but Thy presence. These ephemeral eyes sored gazing at Thy for over a year, how and in what way could I escape Thy presence. It is all day now, my ice heart melts in Thy bright and hot love, how and in what way could I escape Thy presence. Moor me and moor me forever in Thy jaws, for how and in what way could I escape Thy presence, O Lord of Day, have mercy on this monkey of a creature, for I will burn to nothing to grasp Thee. This creature follows you around a semi-circle gazing eastward, dawn or dusk, eastward he faces when you hide your glory, hoping to see Thee again and again. So how could I escape Thy. O Lord of Day, put an end to the dawn and dusk of this creature. Let your effulgence ever envelope this poor creature. With your rise, all is done, with your set, all is enveloped in rest, who is the doer then Thee mighty King. O Lord of day, how could I escape Thy mighty effulgence. O mighty Stambha of Fire, how can this Life be without Thy mercy.
DIPPACK MISTRI 