The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
3 According to the Commentary on the Hathayogapradīpikā (Ch. IV, v. 37), Mudrā is so called because it removes pain and sorrow (Mudrayati klesham iti mudrā). See my Introduction to Mahānirvāna Tantra, 1st Ed. CXXVII and Ch. III of Gheranda Sanghitā.
4 Gheranda Sanghitā, Third Upadesha.
such as the Jālandhara¹ and other Mudrās. They also preserve from injury by fire, water, or air. Bodily action and the health resulting therefrom react upon the mind, and by the union of a perfect mind and body, Siddhi is by their means attained. The Mudrā is also described as the key for opening of the door of Kundalinī Shakti. It is not (as I understand it) that all keys are necessarily to be employed in each case, but only such as are necessary to accomplish the purpose in that particular case; what is necessary in one case may not be necessary in another. The Gheranda Sanghitā describes a number of Mudrās, of which (with the eight Āsanas mentioned at p. 205) ten are said to be of importance in Kundalī Yoga, of which Khecharī is the chief as Siddhāsana is chief amongst Āsanas. In Yonimudrā, the Yogī in Siddhāsana stops with his fingers the ears, eyes, nostrils, and mouth, so as to shut out all external impressions. As already stated he presses with his heel the Sīvanī or centre of the perinæum closing the anal aperture and withdrawing the penis into the pubic arch (See Plate XV). He inhales Prānavāyu by Kākinīmudrā,² and unites it with Apānavāyu. Meditating in their order upon the six Chakras, he arouses the sleeping Kulakundalinī by the Mantra “Hūng Hangsah”.³ With “Hang,”
1 Ibid., v. 12.
2 The lips are formed to resemble the beak of a crow, and the air gently drawn in (Gheranda Sanghitā, III. 86, 87).
3 Hūng is called Kūrcha Bīja. Hung is Kavacha Bīja=“May I be protected.” Hūng stands for Kāma (desire) and Krodha (anger). Kāma here means creative will (Srishti), and Krodha its reverse, or dissolution (Laya). So-called “angry” Devatās are not angry in the ordinary sense, but are then in that aspect in which they are Lords of Dissolution, an aspect which seems angry or terrible to the worldlyminded. It is said of the Tārāmantra that the Hūng in it is the sound of the wind as it blew with force on the Chola lake to the west of Meru what time She manifested. Hangsah=Prakriti (Sah) and Purusha (Hang) or Jīvātmā. This Mantra is used in taking Kundalinī up, and So’ham (He I am) in bringing Her down. Hang also=Sun (Sūryya), and Sah=Moon (Indu)=Kāma=Ichchhā.
or the Sun, heat is produced, and this heat is made to play on Kundalī Shakti. By “Sah” the Kāma or will (Ichchhā) is made active. The vital air (Vāyu) in the Mūlādhāra is in the form of both Moon and Sun (Somasūryyarūpī). With “Hangsah” She is roused, Hang rousing Her with his heat, and Sah lifting Her upwards. He raises Her to the Sahasrāra; then deeming himself pervaded with the Shakti, and in blissful union (Sanggama) with Shiva, he meditates upon himself as, by reason of that union, Bliss Itself and the Brahman.¹ Ashvinīmudrā consists of the repeated contraction and expansion of the anus for the purpose of Shodhana, or of contraction to restrain the Apānavāyu in Shatchakrabheda. Shaktichālana employs the latter Mudrā, which is repeated until Vāyu manifests in the Sushumnā. Shaktichālana is the movement of the abdominal muscle from left to right and right to left; the object being to arouse Kundalinī by this spiraline movement. The process is accompanied by inhalation and the union of Prāna and Apāna whilst in Siddhāsana.²
Yoni Mudrā is accompanied by Shaktichālana Mudrā,³ which should be well practised first before the Yoni Mudrā is done. The rectal muscle is contracted by Ashvinī Mudrā until the Vāyu enters the Sushumnā, a fact which is indicated by a peculiar sound which is heard there.⁴ And with the Kumbhaka the Serpent goes upwards to the Sahasrāra roused by the Mantra “Hūng Hangsah”. The Yogī should then think himself to be pervaded with Shakti and in a state of blissful union (Sanggama) with Shiva. He then contemplates: “I am the Bliss Itself,” “I am
1 Gheranda Sanghitā, Third Upadesha.
2 Ibid., vv. 37, 49, 82.
3 Ibid., III, vv. 49—61.
4 Hathayogapradīpikā, Commentary to Ch. II, v. 72.
3 According to the Commentary on the Hathayogapradīpikā (Ch. IV, v. 37), Mudrā is so called because it removes pain and sorrow (Mudrayati klesham iti mudrā). See my Introduction to Mahānirvāna Tantra, 1st Ed. CXXVII and Ch. III of Gheranda Sanghitā.
4 Gheranda Sanghitā, Third Upadesha.
such as the Jālandhara¹ and other Mudrās. They also preserve from injury by fire, water, or air. Bodily action and the health resulting therefrom react upon the mind, and by the union of a perfect mind and body, Siddhi is by their means attained. The Mudrā is also described as the key for opening of the door of Kundalinī Shakti. It is not (as I understand it) that all keys are necessarily to be employed in each case, but only such as are necessary to accomplish the purpose in that particular case; what is necessary in one case may not be necessary in another. The Gheranda Sanghitā describes a number of Mudrās, of which (with the eight Āsanas mentioned at p. 205) ten are said to be of importance in Kundalī Yoga, of which Khecharī is the chief as Siddhāsana is chief amongst Āsanas. In Yonimudrā, the Yogī in Siddhāsana stops with his fingers the ears, eyes, nostrils, and mouth, so as to shut out all external impressions. As already stated he presses with his heel the Sīvanī or centre of the perinæum closing the anal aperture and withdrawing the penis into the pubic arch (See Plate XV). He inhales Prānavāyu by Kākinīmudrā,² and unites it with Apānavāyu. Meditating in their order upon the six Chakras, he arouses the sleeping Kulakundalinī by the Mantra “Hūng Hangsah”.³ With “Hang,”
1 Ibid., v. 12.
2 The lips are formed to resemble the beak of a crow, and the air gently drawn in (Gheranda Sanghitā, III. 86, 87).
3 Hūng is called Kūrcha Bīja. Hung is Kavacha Bīja=“May I be protected.” Hūng stands for Kāma (desire) and Krodha (anger). Kāma here means creative will (Srishti), and Krodha its reverse, or dissolution (Laya). So-called “angry” Devatās are not angry in the ordinary sense, but are then in that aspect in which they are Lords of Dissolution, an aspect which seems angry or terrible to the worldlyminded. It is said of the Tārāmantra that the Hūng in it is the sound of the wind as it blew with force on the Chola lake to the west of Meru what time She manifested. Hangsah=Prakriti (Sah) and Purusha (Hang) or Jīvātmā. This Mantra is used in taking Kundalinī up, and So’ham (He I am) in bringing Her down. Hang also=Sun (Sūryya), and Sah=Moon (Indu)=Kāma=Ichchhā.
or the Sun, heat is produced, and this heat is made to play on Kundalī Shakti. By “Sah” the Kāma or will (Ichchhā) is made active. The vital air (Vāyu) in the Mūlādhāra is in the form of both Moon and Sun (Somasūryyarūpī). With “Hangsah” She is roused, Hang rousing Her with his heat, and Sah lifting Her upwards. He raises Her to the Sahasrāra; then deeming himself pervaded with the Shakti, and in blissful union (Sanggama) with Shiva, he meditates upon himself as, by reason of that union, Bliss Itself and the Brahman.¹ Ashvinīmudrā consists of the repeated contraction and expansion of the anus for the purpose of Shodhana, or of contraction to restrain the Apānavāyu in Shatchakrabheda. Shaktichālana employs the latter Mudrā, which is repeated until Vāyu manifests in the Sushumnā. Shaktichālana is the movement of the abdominal muscle from left to right and right to left; the object being to arouse Kundalinī by this spiraline movement. The process is accompanied by inhalation and the union of Prāna and Apāna whilst in Siddhāsana.²
Yoni Mudrā is accompanied by Shaktichālana Mudrā,³ which should be well practised first before the Yoni Mudrā is done. The rectal muscle is contracted by Ashvinī Mudrā until the Vāyu enters the Sushumnā, a fact which is indicated by a peculiar sound which is heard there.⁴ And with the Kumbhaka the Serpent goes upwards to the Sahasrāra roused by the Mantra “Hūng Hangsah”. The Yogī should then think himself to be pervaded with Shakti and in a state of blissful union (Sanggama) with Shiva. He then contemplates: “I am the Bliss Itself,” “I am
1 Gheranda Sanghitā, Third Upadesha.
2 Ibid., vv. 37, 49, 82.
3 Ibid., III, vv. 49—61.
4 Hathayogapradīpikā, Commentary to Ch. II, v. 72.
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