Gandha loka / Plane of fragrance

Gandha means smell, and the sense of smell is linked with the earth and the physical plane. Once the player reaches the fourth level, however, the nature of the sense is transmuted and becomes the symbol of the Divine, carrying a strong emotional impact. In the course of sudharma the devo­tee offers scents to the deity, in the form of either flowers or incense. Thus the fourth chakra contains the plane of fragrance, gandha-loka.

In the first chakra, odors like petroleum, paraffin, and alcohol attract the player. In the second chakra he is stimulated by strong-smelling syn­thetic preparations. In the third chakra these same artificial scents pre­dominate, but they are now far more costly. When he reaches the plane of balance he realizes the futility of the inorganic, and avoids pungent, artificial odors.

Here in gandha-loka he experiences divine fragrances in his medita­tion. The evolution of energy effects a change in body chemistry, and his organism ceases to produce bad odors, exuding instead a fragrance not unlike that of lotus flowers or sandalwood.

As a measure of understanding, the sadhak (devotee) is asked to stop the use of artificial scents on his body so that he comes to know his own odors. When his body stops smelling bad, and when his stool, sweat, and breath produce no bad odors, he knows his energy has transcended the third chakra and entered into the plane of fragrance.

Now there are only divine odors. Once and for all, the player has eliminated bad odors from his system.