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Popular Culture Review
14 Sen, Hinduism...op. cit., 1961, p. 106.
15 See Shamia, Satish, “The Sahaj Philosophy o f the Bauls o f Bengal.” A paper presented
at the 47th Annual Western Social Science Association Conference in Albuquerque, New
M exico, 2005.
16 Sen, “The Baul Singers o f Bengal," op. cit., 1931, pp. 213-214.
17 Sen, Hinduism, op. cit., 1961, p. 105.
18 For more information. See Sharma, Satish, “Development o f the Indian Religious
Tradition and Popular Culture,” Asian Profile, Vol. 32, No. 3, 2004, pp 255-266;
Sharma, Satish, “Bhakti Tradition and the Role o f Saint-Philosophers in Popular Indian
Culture." Popular Culture Review, Vol. 15, No. 2, 2004, pp. 91-102; Sharma, Satish,
“The Bhakti Movement in India: A Short Essay.” Popular Culture Review, Vol. 10, No.
2, 1999, pp. 111-122.
,Q Sen, “The Baul Singers o f Bengal," op. cit., 1931, pp. 216 and 221.
20 Tagore, The Religion o f Man, op. cit., 1931, p. 110.
21 Ibid, 113-114.
22 Sen, K. M., “The Baul Singers o f Bengal," op. cit., 1931. p. 220.
23 The mystical chakras are visualized along the spinal column as lotuses with varying
numbers o f petals. Seven chakras are generally enumerated, but the number varies from
one yogic tradition to another. The seven chakras are: 1) the muladhar at the base o f the
spinal column with four petals; 2) the svadhisthan in the region o f the genitals with six
petals; 3) the manipur at the level o f the navel with ten petals; 4) the anahata at the level
o f the heart with twelve petals, 5) the vishudda in the region o f the throat with sixteen
petals; 6) the ajna between the eyebrows with two petals; and 7) the sahasrar at the top
o f the head with a thousand petals. Muslims refer to these chakras by way o f mokams
(stations or stages) and there is considerable similarity.
Mystical naris (veins) are also important in Sadhana. The three most important naris
are ira. pingala , and sushumu. Ira is to the left o f the spinal column, pingala is to the
right, and sushumu is in the middle. The place where the three naris meet is Triveni. See
Radhakrishnan, S. and C. A. Moore, A Source Book o f Indian Philosophy. Princeton,
New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1957; Lopez, Religions o f bvdia in Practice, op.
cit.. 1995; White, David, Tantra in Practice. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University
Press. 2000.
24 See note 23.