Mudra is a seal or secret hand gesture; an auspicious hand-sign used by yogis.
[image: Inline image 1] A yogi displaying the secret hand sign - Tat Wallah Baba According to Saunders, a mudra is a "seal", "mark", or "gesture"; a symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism. While some mudras involve the entire body, "most are performed with the hands and fingers. A mudra is a spiritual gesture and an energetic seal of authenticity employed in the iconography and spiritual practice of Indian religions." In Shankara Acharya's Dakshina-murti Stotram, Shankara advises that for our practice we should meditate on the South-Facing Form, that is, a north-facing posture of meditative devotion to the Glorious Presence. How, exactly, is this accomplished? Here are the directions for practicing transcendental meditation enumerated by the Adi Shankara Acharya: "Devotion to that Glorious Presence, Infinite Instructor, Who, By means of the auspicious hand-sign, Makes clear to the worshippers His own real nature Always shining within as "I," Following into all the successive states- And those beginning with waking." (Translation by Ernest Wood) The auspicious hand-sign in Sanskrit literature is referred to as the symbol of wisdom or the mark of the "I" consciousness, which represents "Knowing That I am", or "Knowing That I know." The auspicious hand-sign meditation reminds us of the absolute truth, the circle made by the thumb and the forefinger is the symbol of unity - a space that is empty, yet full at the same time. It is the symbol of the one reality and for Shankara, the one-without-a-second. In this poem Shankara Acharya is advocating the yogic practice of yogic mudra and meditation on the formless Brahman by use of a secret hand-sign, the auspicious mudra being the mnemonic device par-excellence for yogis. SBS seems to agree with this, according to Raj Varma SBS was a siddha yogi. Notes: "The mudra is a 'gesture of understanding' (cincihna); the thumb and index finger grasp a fine object as a a grain of truth. This is a symbol for spiritual understanding." http://www.buddhas-online.com/mudras.html Mudra: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudra Works cited: 'The Glorious Presence' The Vedanta Philosophy Including Shankara's Ode to the South-Facing Form Quest Books, Theosophical Pub House, 1952 p. 129 "Strange Facts About a Great Saint" By Raj P. Varma Jabalpur, India 1980 Varma & Sons Pub. p. 10 Other resources: 'The Illustrated Dictionary of Hindu Iconography' by Margaret Stutley Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1985 'Mudra: A Study of Symbolic Gestures in Japanese Buddhist Sculpture' by E. Dale Saunders Princeton University Press, 1975. On Fri, Jan 31, 2014 at 10:21 AM, Richard Williams <pundits...@gmail.com>wrote: > All About the Dandi Sanyasins > > [image: Inline image 1] > > SBS photographed with danda staff and water pot; sitting in padmaasana; > displayng the gyan mudra. The auspicious hand-sign in Sanskrit literature > is refered to as the symbol of wisdom or the mark of the "I" conciousness, > which represents "Knowing That I am", or "Knowing That I know."The > auspicious hand-sign meditation reminds us of the absolute truth, the > circle made by the thumb and the forefinger is the symbol of unity - a > space that is empty, yet full at the same time. It is the symbol of the one > reality and for Shankara, the one-without-a-second. > > "He used to live only on germinated gram seeds mixed with a little bit of > salt. He lived on a hillock in a small natural cave near a mountain pool." > - Swami Rama > > Everyone knows that Swami Brahmananda Saraswati followed the Dasanmi order > of the Adi Shankarcharya - SBS was of the Dandi sub-order in the Saraswati > tradition - founded by Shankara. According to Oman, the Sanyasis, Dandis, > Parmahmsas, Aghoris and the Yogis make up the great bulk of the ascetic > sects, especally in Northern India. > > So, lets review the major ascetic sects in India. > > Saivas, or worshipers of Siva > > 1. Sanyasis - followers of Shankaracharya > 2. Dandis - " > 3. Paramahamsas - " > 4. Brahmacharyis - " > 5. Lingyats - followers of Basava > 6. Aghoris - " > 7. Yogis - " > > Vaishnavas, or worshippers of Vushnu > > 1. Sri Vaishnavas - followres of Ramanujacharya > 2. Madhvas - followers of Madhvacharya > 3. Ramanandis - followers of Ramanand > 4. Kabir Panthis - followers of Kabi > 5. Ballavacharya - followers of Ballavacharya > 6. Chaitanites -followers of Chaitanya > > Notes: > > The Dandi sect derives its name from the "danda" or staff, which each > member is required to carry. A "dandiwallah" (fellow with the staff) should > not be be settling down to rest in one single place for over one day and if > so doing he must be planting the danta staff erect in the ground, hanging > from a tree, or at all times being upright, never laying on the ground - > the danda staff never takes a rest. The dandis do not worship Shiva, only > their own danda. The dandis wear salmon-colored clothing, which is supposed > to be dyed one time only. They are not supposed to be playing with fire or > touching money or metal of any form. They procure good by begging a single > meal per day at houses, but only if no smoke is detected; dandis are > supposed to get food only after the entire family has taken their meal. > Dandis as a rule bury their dead, or commit the body to some sacred river. > > Works cited: > > 'The Mystics, Ascetics, and Saints of India' > by John Campbell Oman > T. Fisher Unwin, 1905 > pp. 160-162 > > Other titles of interest: > > 'An Outline ofthe Religious Literature of India' > by J.N. Farquhar > Oxford U. Press, 1920 > > 'Obscure Religious Cults' > by S. Das Gupta > Firma KLM, 1976 > > 'Naked They Pray' > by Pearce Gervis > Dell, 1957 > > > > > > On Sun, Jan 26, 2014 at 1:44 PM, Richard Williams <pundits...@gmail.com>wrote: > >> Siddhartha >> >> [image: Inline image 1] >> >> Siddhartha - A Film by Conrad Rooks >> http://youtu.be/t7xEcgkeLl4 >> >> "Siddhartha is a film based on the novel of the same name by Hermann >> Hesse, directed by Conrad Rooks. It was shot on location in Northern India, >> and features work by noted cinematographer Sven Nykvist. The locations used >> for the film were the holy city of Rishikesh and the private estates and >> palaces of the Maharajah of Bharatpur." >> >> Read more: >> >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_film<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_%28film%29> >> >> Siddhartha 1972 >> >> Directed by Conrad Rooks >> Written by Conrad Rooks >> Starring Shashi Kapoor, Simi Garewal, Romesh Sharma >> Music by Hemant Kumar >> Cinematography by Sven Nykvist >> >> Siddhartha Film: >> http://www.imdb.com/title/siddhartha/<http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070689/> >> >> Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse: >> >> "In Hesse's novel, experience, the totality of conscious events of a >> human life, is shown as the best way to approach understanding of reality >> and attain enlightenment - Hesse's crafting of Siddhartha's journey shows >> that understanding is attained not through intellectual methods, nor >> through immersing oneself in the carnal pleasures of the world and the >> accompanying pain of samsara; however, it is the completeness of these >> experiences that allow Siddhartha to attain understanding." >> >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_%28novel%29 >> >> >> On Sun, Jan 26, 2014 at 5:48 AM, nablusoss1008 >> <no_re...@yahoogroups.com>wrote: >> >>> >>> >>> Rampuri interview about Kumbh Mela: >>> >>> http://rampuri.com/naga-baba-rampuri-interview-first-kumbh-mela/ >>> >>> >>> >> >> >
