शुक्लाम्बरधरम् विष्णुम् शशिवर्णम् चतुर्भुजम्|
प्रसन्नवदनम् ध्यायेत् सर्व विघ्नोपशान्तये||
श्रीगुरुभ्योनमः
उन्मध्य बॊधकमालाकरमम्ब! जाड्य-
स्तम्भॆरमम् मम मनॊविपिनॆ भ्रमन्तम्।
कुण्ठीकुरुष्व तरसा कुटिलाग्रसीम्ना
कामाक्षी ! तावक कटाक्षमाहाञ्कुशॆन ॥ (कटाक्षसतकम् – 29)
Oh!! Mother Kamakshi!! Please destroy the wild elephant (dullness) tied to the pillar (spinal cord) and roaming in my forest-like mind (earth) with your curvy glances, resembling Maha-ankusa.
Unmadini mudra:
बिंद्वंतराळ विलसत् सूक्ष्मरूप शिखामयि
ज्यॆष्ठशक्ति प्रधाना तु सर्वॊन्मादकारिणी ॥64॥
दशारचक्रमास्थाय संस्थिता वीरवंदितॆ
This mudra enkindles the fine fire like energy (sikha) along the Sushumna nadi between the two bindus, Yoni bindu at the Muladhara and the Maha bindu at the Brahma-randhra. This stimulated energy has the prominence of Jyeshta sakti at the Visuddhi chakra/Bahirdasara chakra.
प्रकाशमानाम् प्रथमॆ प्रयाणॆ प्रतिप्रयाणॆऽप्यमृतायमानाम्
अंतः पदव्यामनुसंचरंतीम् आनंदरूपामबलाम् प्रपद्यॆ॥ (दॆवीगीत 12.3)
Kundalini sakti travels in the upward direction (from the Muladhara to the Sahasrara) like a lustrous streak of fire and gets drenched in the ensuing flow of nectar from the Sahasrara. Later, it takes up the return journey to the Muladhara.
These onward and return journeys of Kundalini sakti are described by Sankara Bhagavatpada in the 9th and 10th slokas of Soundaryalahari.
This mudra’s effect is similar to that of the Jalandhara bandha of Yoga sastra.
यत्किंचित्स्रवतॆ चंद्रादमृतम् दिव्यरूपिणः।
तत्सर्वम् ग्रसतॆ सूर्यस्तॆन पिंडो जरायुतः ॥ (हठयॊगप्रदीपिक 3.78)
In an erect posture, the nectar flowing from the Sahasrara due to Kundalini sakti’s union with the ParamaSiva at the Sahasrara, gets absorbed by the fire at the Manipura chakra, results in aging of the practitioner.
बध्नाति हि शिरॊजालम् अधॊगामि नभॊजलम्
ततॊ जालंधरबंधः कंठ दुःखौघनाशनः॥ (ibid 3.72)
जालंधरकृतॆ बंधॆ कंठसंकॊचलक्षणॆ
नपीयूषम् पतत्यग्नौ न च वायुः प्रकुप्यतॆ ॥ (ibid 3.74)
Jalandhara bandha involves restraining of wind at the throat (Visuddha chakra) while pressing the chin against chest. Due to this, the sixteen aadhara chakras in the body get blocked and subsequently the Prana vayu from the Muladhara, reaches Sahasrara through the Sushumna nadi. However, due to the blockage of the throat of this bandha, the ensuing flow of nectar from the Sahasrara is held in the head itself. So, Jalandhara bandha is the destroyer of old age and death (Jara mrityu nasini).
The fluidous deity Jyeshta Devi referred to, in the verse 64 of Yogini Hridaya, is symbolic of the nectar flowing from the Sahasrara in Unmadini mudra practioners.
यद्वॆव विष्णुक्रमान्क्रमतॆ। यज्ञ्नॊवैविष्णुः स दॆवॆभ्य इमाम् विक्रान्तिं विचक्रमॆ यैषामियम् विक्रान्तिरिदमॆव प्रथमॆनपदॆन परस्पाराथॆदमन्तरिक्षम् द्वितीयॆन दिवमुत्तमॆनैताम्वॆवैष ऎतस्मै विष्णुर्यज्ञॊ विक्रान्तिम् विक्रमतॆ तस्माद्विष्णु क्रमान्क्रमतॆ तद्वा इत ऎव पराचीनम् भूयिष्ठा इव क्रमन्तॆ ॥ (शतपथब्राह्मण 1.9.3.9)
स वामनॊ दिवम् खम् पृथ्वीम् च द्विजॊत्तमाः
त्रिभिः क्रमैर्विश्वमिदम् जगदाक्रमत प्रभुः (ब्रह्माण्डपुराणम् 2.73.78)
This mudra is connected to the Vamana avatara, the dwarf who scaled the entire universe made up of Bhu, Bhuvar and Swarlokas. This is why He is also known as Tri-Vikrama. Due to the likeness of microcosm and macrocosm, this avatara is symbolic of the Kundalini sakti’s journey from the Muladhara to the Sahasrara.
यत्र गंगा समुद्भूता वामनस्य महात्मनः
पदाग्रात्क्रमतॊ लॊकांस्तद्बलॆस्तु विनिग्रहॆ ॥ (ibid 2.37.5)
The Ganges emerged from the toenail of Lord Vamana, who scaled the tri-lokas.
वामपादाम्बुजाङ्गुष्ठ नख स्रॊतॊ विनिर्गता।
विष्णॊर्बिभर्ती या भक्त्या शिरसाSहर्निसं ध्रुवः॥ (विष्णुपुराणम्- 2.8.104)
Dhruva entraps the Ganges evolved from the toenail of Lord Vamana in his head, all the time. This means Dhruva arrests the nectar flowing from the Sahasrara in his head without letting it flow to the lower chakras. This being synonymous with Jalandhara bandha, explains the secret behind his long life (chiranjivi).
Another chiranjivi’s episode:
Sage Mrikandu’s son Markandeya, prayed to Lord Vasudeva in his heart through the control of Ravi-Soma-Agni mandalas with pranayama in the vallivata and got rid of the clutches of the Lord Yama’s noose (kaalapaasa) (Nrusimha purana- chapters 7,8). The same anecdote is mentioned in the Uma Samhita of Siva Purana(2.40). According to this, young Markandeya has worshiped Lord Siva for long life, and when Lord Yama approached him with the kaalapaasa, he embraced the Siva linga. Then, Lord Siva emerged out of the Linga as Amrita-ghateswar and rescued Markandeya by thumping Lord Yama. शिवायविष्णुरूपाय शिव रूपाय विष्णवॆ||
According to the local legend, this incident has happened at Thirukkadayur (Thiru/Sri-kadayur/ghatayur), the abode of Goddess Abhirami. The utsavamurti of the sanctum sanctorum diety Amrita-ghateswar is known by the name, Kalasamhara murty. You may recollect that we have discussed this place in the context of Abhirami Bhattar of Abhirami Andadi. Amrita-ghata refers to the skull filled with nectar. This is yet another incident to corroborate the fact that Sahasrara nectar held in the head(kapaala) results in longevity.
Thus, Jyeshta sakti manifested at the Bahirdasara chakra (Visuddhi chakra) through Unmadini mudra, endows the practitioner with long life by restraining the nectar in the head.
Mahankusa mudra:
वामशक्तिप्रधाना तु महाङ्कुशमयी पुनः।
तद्वद्विश्वम् वमंती सा द्वितीयॆ तु दशारकॆ
संस्थिता मॊदनपरा मुद्रारूपत्वमास्थिता ॥66॥
Mahankusa mudra energizes antardasara chakra/aajna chakra with Vamasakti.
The subtle energies through the three nadis Pingala-Sushumna-Ida coalesce at the Ajna chakra. This chakra is also known as triveni-sangama.
यंखलु महाबंधॊ महासिद्धिप्रदायकः
कालपाशमगाबंध विमॊचन विचक्षणः
त्रिवॆणीसंगमं धत्तॆ कॆदारम् प्राप्तयॆन्मनः॥ (हठयॊगप्रदीपिक 3.24)
According to Yoga sastra, Maha bandha, a combination of Mula bandha and Jalandhara bandha (Hatha yoga pradipika-3.19,20) results in the triveni-sangama, union of three streams.
Yamuna-Saraswati-Ganga are three streams referred to here, that are symbolic of
the subtle energies through the three nadis Pingala-Sushumna-Ida. We
will look into this in detail, later.
This Maha bandha practitioners with focus at Kedara, Bhru-madhya Saiva center and get unchained from the clutches of Time. Due to this, they will be able to expunge all mental activities and attain a higher state.
***
Triveni-sangama is symbolically represented with various deities (Srim-Om-Hrim, Surya-Agni-Soma, Lakshmi-LalitaMahaTripuraSundari-Saraswati, Valli-Subrahmnaya-Devasena, Lakshmi-Ganapati-Saraswati, Rukmini-Krishna-Satyabhama, Sridevi-Venkateswara-Bhudevi) in our scriptures. Each deity has a seer, a corresponding mantra discerned by the seer and an associated benefit prorated by the seer. It is important to know that, according to our scriptures, one subtle energy has several gross representations and one gross form has several subtle representations.
Another important point is to be noted here. Among the list of triads above, some of the combinations are of all three male/female God forms and some of them are two female and one male God forms.
It is a common practice to indicate the female God form as the wife of the associated male God form. A wife of a male God form is the inherent subtle energy (sakti) of that God form. One should not interpret the wife/wives of Gods, as in the case of human beings.
For example, ह्रीश्चतॆ लक्ष्मीश्च पत्न्यौ – पुरुष सूक्तम्
Hri and Sri are wives of Purusha/ParamBrahma.
Purusha/ParamBrahma is the Supreme Consciousness/Chidagni. The above mantra is an encoded statement of the fact that light and heat are always associated with fire(Agni). Here, while Pranava is symbolic of the Chidagni, Hri is symbolic of light and Sri of heat. According to mantra sastra, repha (ra) is indicative of fire. This explains the repha in the bijas of light and heat. This is just one subtle interpretation. It is important to understand these veiled representations without which, one would fail to see the truth.
***
मूलाधारादिषट्चक्रम् शक्तिस्थानमुदीरितम्
कंठादुपरि मूर्धांतं शांभवं स्थानमुच्यतॆ॥ (वराह उपनिषद् – 5.53)
Muladhara chakra to Ajna chakra are the seats of Sakti and Visuddhi chakra to Brahmaramdhra are the seats of Siva.
Muladhara-Ajna chakras are the centers of 21 apara tattvas enumerated as five elements (akasa-vayu-vahni-salila-avani), five tanmatras (sabda-sparsa-rupa-rasa-gandha), five jnanendriya (srotra-tvak-chakshu-jihva-aghrani), five karmendriya (vak-pani-pada-payu-upastha) and mind. By activating the energy centers of Sakti/prakriti, twentyone apara tattvas are subdued. Ankusa mudra evanesces these 21 tattvas. The number 21 is synonymous with prakriti. It is interesting to note that the prakriti meter (chandas) of Sanskrit grammer has four lines (paadaas) with 21 letters in each line.
This mudra could be seen to be connected with the Parasurama avatara, who victoriously eliminated the unrighteous kings, not just once but 21 times. Though a few kings escaped, it is said that almost of all the ruling class (men) was completely wiped out. To revive this clan, many women of the warrior caste married Vedic Brahmins and got righteous offspring (Mahabharata-Adi parvam- 64.8,9). Parasurama, this way effectuated the upspring of fresh virtuous ruling communities. Hence, this avatara has Vamasakti’s predominance.
This mudra associated with the Parasurama avatara, abrogates the 21 apara tattvas that bind us with the materialistic world.
Praying to Amrita vahini,
श्रीमात्रेनमः
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