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mountain-top, the lonely empty house and river-side, and the cremation-ground. The
interior cremation-ground is there where the kmik body and its passions are
consumed in the iire of knowledge. STHIRAT: MUDRS Sthirat, or fortitude, is
acquired by the practice of the mudras. The mudrs dealt with in works of hat#
hayoga are positions of the body. They are gymnastic, health-giving, and
destructive of disease and of death,3 such as the jladhara 4 and other mudrs.
They also preserve from injury by fire, water, or air. Bodily action
The right foot is placed on the left thigh, the left foot on the right thigh and
the hands are crossed and placed similarly on the thighs; the chin is placed on
the breast, and the gaze fixed on the tip of the nose (see also Ziva#Samhit,
chap. i, verse 52).
1 2 The same except that the hands are passed behind the back and the right hand
holds the right toe, and the left hand the left toe. By this, increased pressure
is placed on the mkldhra and the nerves are braced with the tightening of the
body. #3 Gheranda-Samhit, Third Upadeśa. ##4
Ibid, verse 12.
132
INTRODUCTION TO TANTRA ZSTRA
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 Gheranda-Samhit
describes ##a number of mudrs of which those of importance may be selected. In
the celebrated yonimudr the yog%2ł in siddhsana stops with his fingers the ears,
eyes, nostrils, and mouth. He inhales prnvyu by kkin%2ł-mudr, #and unites it
with apnavyu. Meditating in their order upon the six cakras, he arouses the
sleeping Kula##kundalin%2ł by the mantra Hkm Hamsa, and raises Her ##to the
Sahasrra; then, deeming himself pervaded with #the Zakti, and in blissful union
(sangama) with Ziva, he meditates upon himself as, by reason of that union, Bliss
itself and the Brahman.1 Aśvinimudr consists of the repeated contraction and
expansion of the anus for the purpose of śodhana or of contraction to restrain the
#apna in sat#cakrabheda. Zakticlana employs the latter mudr, which is repeated
until vyu manifests in the susumn. The process is accompanied by inhalation and #
the union of prn and apna whilst in siddhsana.2 #DHAIRYA: PRATYHRA Dhairya,
or steadiness, is produced by pratyhra. Pratyhra, is the restraint of the
senses, the freeing of the mind from all distractions, and the keeping of it under
the control of the tm. The mind is withdrawn from whatsoever direction it may
tend by the dominant and directing Self. Pratyhra destroys the six sins.3
1 2 3
#Gheranda-Samhit, Third Upadeśa. ##Ibid., verses 37, 49, 82.
Ibid., fourth Upadeśa. The Zradtilaka defines pratyhra as indriynm vicaratm
visayesu baldhranam tebyah Pratyhro vidhiyate (prat####yhra is known as the
forcible abstraction of the senses wandering over their objects).
YOGA
133
LGHAVA : PRNYMA #From prnyma (q.v.) arises laghava (lightness). #All beings
say the ajap-Gyatr%2ł, which is the ex#pulsion of the breath by Hamkra, and its
inspiration by Sahkra, 21,600 times a day. Ordinarily, the breath goes forth a
distance of 12 fingers breadth, but in singing, eating, walking, sleeping,
coition, the distances are 16, 20, 24, 30, and 36 breadths respectively. In
violent exercise these distances are exceeded, the greatest distance being 96
breadths. Where the breathing is under the normal distance, life is prolonged.
Where it is above that, it is shortened. Pkraka is inspiration, and recaka
expiration. Kumbhaka is the retention of the breath between these two movements.
Kumbhaka is, according to the #Gheranda-Samhit, of eight kinds: sahita,
skryabheda, ##ujjyi, ś%2łtali, bhastrik, bhrmari, mkrchchha, and keval%2ł.
Prnyma similarly varies. Prnyma is the control ##of the breath and other
vital airs. It awakens śakti, frees from disease, produces detachment from the
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