Mudra

A’sana ‑ A’sana is a posture which affects the nerves, tissues, glands, and all the organs of body; at the same time there is physical comfort and mental composure.

Mudra ‑ Mudra affects your nerves and muscles and there may or may not be physical comfort and mental composure.

During the posture of Mudra’, you have to continue your conscious endeavour to remain in that posture whereas in an A’sana you need not after coming to the A’sana posture.

Bandha ‑ Bandha affects the nerves only, and there may or may not be physical comfort and mental composure. Here also you have to continue with your endeavour, as in Mudra'.

Mudra’s are of 2 kinds:

1. Svasthya Mudra
2. Dhyana Mudra

Svasthya Mudra is good for health and helps in expressing Bha’va (ideation).

Dhya’na Mudra’ helps in spiritual progress, but is not detrimental to health or expression of Bha’va.

Mudra’ is the externalization of Bha’va (ideation), the moment you have expressed a Bha’va through Mudra’, you have let out your Bha’va and the same has been transformed into a Mudra'.

There are certain Mudra’s in spiritual Sa’dhana’ which are exclusively internal and do not have any external expression, they remain confined in the mind ‑ such as Amrta Mudra’ and A’nanda Mudra’, which you practise in Vishes’a Yoga. Keeping the mind in a particular state, is also a Mudra’, Satsaunga is also a subtle Mudra'.

Why is Satsaunga also called a Mudra’? When you go for Satsaunga, you have to leave Asatsaunga, and so to avail yourself of Satsaunga, you eschew Asatsaunga, otherwise you shall not be able to have Satsaunga. Thus Satsaunga involves two aspects ‑ first, eschewal of Asatsaunga and secondly accepting Satsaunga. Eschewal of Asatsaunga does not mean Satsaunga.

Suppose you are alone, you have no Asatsaunga, but this does not mean that you had Satsaunga. You have left stealing, this does not mean that you have become a Sa’dhu.

Satsaungena bhavenmuktirasatsaunges’u bandhanam Asatsaungamudran’am ya’ sa’ mudra’ parikiirtita'.

Satsaunga leads to liberation and Asatsaunga causes bondage. Leaving Asatsaunga is called Mudra’ without which one cannot have Siddhi in Satsaunga, which means one cannot be established in Sva’dhya’ya. To a Sa’dhaka, Satsaunga is a valuable Mudra’, which involves leaving and abstaining from Asatsaunga.

Physical Mudra’s can be innumerable since one can express one’s innumerable ideations through innumerable modes, everyone of which can be called a Mudra’. Indian dance is based on Mudra’ which the dancer employs to express his/her different ideations. Thus oriental dance is based on Mudra’, whereas the occidental one is basically rhythmic. Mudra’ is a strong medium of expressing Bha’va, where as rhythm is a very weak medium.

In the field of Sa’dhana’, only those Mudra’s have been accepted which have a psycho‑spiritual importance. Some of the ancient Ta’ntrikas did not understand the meaning of Madya. Hormone secretion from the pineal gland is divine Madya or nectar, which is extremely internal and not at all external. But those who were evil‑minded, started drinking wine, in the name of Tantra. Kundalinii is sleeping divinity and Kundalinii also means something coiled. Due to utter ignorance, some of them would eat Jilebii (Coiled Sweet) and feel that they are doing Kundalinii Sa’dhana’. Id’a’, Piungala’ and Sus’umna’ are also known as Gaunga’, Yamuna’ and Sarasvatii. They meet at Mu’la’dhara and change direction from A’jina. Mu’la’dha’ra is known as Yukta Triven’ii and A’jina’ as Mukta Triven’ii, to which the Sa’dhakas elevate their Kula Kundalinii.

(IN SUPPLEMENT TO CARYA’CARYA III)

1. UD’D’AYANA: It affects the pancreas, kidney, lower belly, Svadhisthana and Man’ipura Cakra, and helps in curing the diseases of the region e.g. hydrocele, hernia, piles, and also stomach diseases like dysentery, Diarrhoea; especially incurable dysentry can be cured if practised for longer duration.

Persons having disease in the upper portion of body should not do it, since while pushing the lower belly and belly, upper portion is affected. So persons suffering from advanced stage of T.B. should not do this A’sana. But after they are cured they should do it, since it keeps the stomach in a sound condition which shall help a patient of T.B.

2. BANDHATRAYA YOGA: Kuhu Na’d’ii controls the flow of urine. Shaunkhinii controls the flow of stool, Ashvinii controls the anus, Bajra’n’ii controls the mouth of genital organ.

How to control Kuhu Na’d’ii? The controlling point lies at the centre of the root of the genital organ. It is also the controlling point of Apa Piit’ha, and is also pronounced as Vam’. Make your mind seated at Vam’, and thereafter think that you are pulling up this point above. Kuhu Na’d’ii will be automatically pulled up.

JA’LANDHARA BANDHA:

Ham’ is the controlling point of A’ka’sha‑Piit’ha. Make your mind seated at the point Ham’; thereafter put the pressure of all the power of your neck at this point. As a consequence all the nerves and veins of the area shall be disconnected from the portion of the body round about it, and sensation shall also remain concentrated in this sphere. The nerves shall get swollen and become red. You have caught hold of all the nerves through your mental force. Such kind of Mudra’ is called Bandha and since you have caught hold of a Ja’la (network) of nerves, it is called Ja’landhara Bandha.

In ancient days there was a Yoginii named Ja’landharii who invented this Mudra’. The place where she practised Sa’dhana’ is still known as Jullundhar.

This Mudra’ enables you to have a control over Kuhu, which enables an indirect control over Shaunkhinii, since both are controlled by the same mental force (This is the reason that when you pass stool, urine also passes away).

Maha’bandha: You should not leave your breath in Maha’bandha, when you have done Ja’landhara Bandha. If you do so the muscles of the neck shall get loosened. And if you shall leave the breath, after releasing Ja’landhara Bandha, the muscles and nerves shall get stronger.

Remember it as a rule that when you are in a state of Bandha, never inhale, nor exhale.

Maha’vedha: How to control Shaunkhinii? Lam’ is the controlling point of Mu’la’dha’ra, make your mind seated at that point and pull it up mentally. It shall automatically cause Shaunkhinii to be drawn up.

Through the pressure of your hands, keep on pulling up Shaunkinii and Kuhu with the help of finger, from below to upwards, and not vice versa. This process of appliance of force shall check the flow of Rakta and that of sensation from upwards to downwards.

When you release Kuhu and Shaunkhinii, at the end of the Maha’vedha, do it mentally thinking that they have gone to their respective places.

All the above three have to be practised together otherwise the purpose is not served. They are the best for physical health, only a bit advantageous for mental health. It helps in curing all the diseases at Ana’hata and below. It helps in curing all the diseases cropping up due to a defect in the seven Dha’tus. It is also useful in dysentry, diarrhoea, dyspepsia, seminal loss.

3. PA’RTHIVII MUDRA’: Mind will be seated at Lam’ Biija and inhale and exhale to your full capacity. It brings control over the legs. Some persons are unable to walk in the old age, and some even in earlier years due to weakness in the legs and are unable to walk. All such persons shall be benefited by this mudra’. A person accustomed to this Mudra’ shall be able to walk easily in his old age as well.

4.A’MBHASII MUDRA’: Mind will remain at Vam’ point. It helps in curing the defect in the seven Dha’tus, seminal diseases, hydrocele, and keeps the skin oily and glassy.

5.A’GNEYII MUDRA’: Mind will remain at the Ram’ point. It controls the pancreas and helps in curing diseases cropping up due to a weak pancreas.

6.VA’YAVII MUDRA’: Keep the mind at Yam’ point ‑ the controlling point of Ana’hata. It strengthens the glands and sub‑glands of the Ana’hata and helps in curing the diseases of the area under jurisdiction of Ana’hata Cakra indirectly. All the Mudra’s from Pa’rthivii to Va’yavii, affect the glands directly and the glands help in curing the diseases. Since you are not breathing in these Mudra’s, as you do in Pra’n’a’ya’ma (i.e. first through left nostril and then with right nostril and so on) they are known as Mudra’ and not Pra’n’a’ya’ma.

7. A’KA’SHII MUDRA’: Keep your mind in Ham’ point. It affects all the sixteen glands situated at this plexus and indirectly helps in curing the diseases of vocal cord, thyroid and parathyroid glands.

8. MA’NASII: Keep your mind in T’ham’ point. Do not think of the piit’ha. This can be done in Viira’sana as well, in that case your hands will remain at the nipples. It can also be done in Shava’sana, in that case, hands will lie at the sides.

9. AGNISA’RA: The rule to increase the number in Agnisa’ra is once a week. It is Sva’sthya Mudra’ and helps in curing all the diseases of the stomach.

10. KA’KACAINCU: It should be done facing water. It is useful mainly in diseases and keeps the blood circulation of upper belly, artery, nerves and veins in normal conditions. When upper belly functions properly, lower belly automatically functions properly.

11. TRIMUN’D’A: It affects all the five Piit’has, as such it is a Mudra’ for the whole body.

12‑A. ASHVINII: You have to contract and expand the last portion of anus, physically. It helps in curing hernia, dysentry, piles and in case there is some wound in the annus.

12‑B. BAJRAOLII: Amraolii and Sahjaolii ‑ All are practised in the same manner except that you have to put Bhasma (ashes) on the entire body while doing Amraolii. You should not do this Mudra’ when your urine is opaque or translucent. Do it only when it is clear.

13. VASTI MUDRA’: It is of two kinds:

a) One is difficult and includes Netti, Dhaotii and Vasti.

b) Sit in Utkat’a’sana. Catch your waist, with your hands. Pull in mentally Mu’la’dha’ra, Svadhisthana and Mani’ipura, simultaneously. Pull out, again pull in, pull out, till you feel some pain, after which lie down in Shava’sana, you will have no pain just after.

It affects the belly and lower belly.