Man, the microcosm

Legend has it that the primeval Man once wanted to know what lay on the other side of the earth that remained dark when light shone where he stood. So, he rode on his seven horsed chariot seven times around the earth. The wheels of the chariot made seven furrows. These became the seven seas and the beds between the furrows became the seven islands inhabited by his descendants. The six chakras along with the apex correspond to the seven spheres of ascending called Lokas Bhuh, Bhvah Svah, Mahah Janah Tapah and Satyan. (Its equivalent descending spheres of the Netherworld called Talas.

The word Dharma is derived from the root dhr, dhar (to hold, to bear, to support and to maintain). Asian traditional belief is that by conforming perfectly to one’s own dharma (Svadharma), the animal species to theirs, the plants and trees to theirs and the Sun, the moon and the planets to their natural Order, one in fact supports the universe and is in turn supported by it (Dharmo rakshati rakshitah). This clearly affirms the mutually interwined role of man — the microcosm vis a vis Man — the Macrocosm. Interestingly, epithets of the Earth goddess who preserves, protects and sustains life also stem from the route word, dhr, dhar (Dharti, Dharani, Vasundhara, etc.).

In one Puranic tale, Mother Earth is described thus: ‘‘The Satyaloka is situated on the crown of her head; the Sun and the Moon are her eyes; the space between her eyebrows is the Tapahloka, the directions are her ears; the Vedas, her words; the universe, her heart; the earth, her loins; the Maharloka, her neck; the Janarloka, her face; the Suvarloka, her arms; the space between the earth and sky is Bhuvarloka, situated at her navel, and her feet symbolise the Bhuloka. The mountains are her bones, the rivers her veins and the trees, her tresses. Virginity, youth and old age are her gaits and she rules over the seven levels of consciousness.

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The human body is thus in miniature a duplicate of that macrocosmic being. A temple, the abode of god is therefore in the image of man. The musical notes, the colours and symbols indicate that man alone is the measure of all things; he must sink into his own womb to find himself; he must know that he alone has the key to unlock his heart; and though practice, only he can help himself to transcend the source of thought to attain Enlightenment.

(Excerpted from Sacred Space: A journey through the spirit of Asian art, BVB 2003)