Mahamudra

Practice of Mahamudra

Technique

=Pramana:= Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण

Sastra Pramana Source: Dhyana-bindu Upanisad (91-93)

Original Verse: "शोधनं मलजालानां घटनं चन्द्रसूर्ययोः ॥ ९१ ॥ रसानां शोषणं सम्यङ् महामुद्राभिधीयते ॥ ९२ ॥ वक्षोन्यस्तहनुर्निपीड्य सुषिरं योनेश्च वामाङ्घ्रिणा हस्याभ्यामनुधारयन् प्रविततं पादं तथा दक्षिणम् । आपूर्य श्वसनेन कुक्षियुगलं बध्वा शन्ऐ रेचयेदेषा पातकनाशिनी ननु महामुद्रा नृणां प्रोच्यते ॥ ९३ ॥"

Transliteration: "śodhanaṃ malajālānāṃ ghaṭanaṃ candrasūryayoḥ ॥ 91 ॥ rasānāṃ śoṣaṇaṃ samyaṅ mahāmudrābhidhīyate ॥ 92 vakṣonyastahanurnipīḍya suṣiraṃ yoneśca vāmāṅghriṇā hasyābhyāmanudhārayan pravitataṃ pādaṃ tathā dakṣiṇam | āpūrya śvasanena kukṣiyugalaṃ badhvā śanai recayedeṣā pātakanāśinī nanu mahāmudrā nṛṇāṃ procyate ॥ 93 ॥"

Translation: The cleansing (with the Pranayama) of the heaps of impurities (in the Nadis), the bringing about of the union between the Moon and the Sun, the complete drying up of the Rasas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha), is known as the Maha-mudra. With the chin laid on the chest, pressing the abyss of the genitals with the left foot, holding with the two hands the outstretched right leg, filling with breath the pair of bellies and holding it up, one should slowly expel it. This indeed is said to be the sin-destroying Maha-mudra for men.

Apta Pramana Source: Haṭharatnāvalī Ch.II.37- 42

Original Verse: " पादमूलेन वामेन योनिं सम्पीड्य दक्षिणम् ॥ पादं प्रसारितं कृत्वा कराभ्यां पूरयेन्मुखम् ॥ कङ्ठे बन्धं समारोप्य पूरयेद्वायुमूर्ध्वतः ॥ ३७ II यथा दण्डाहतः सर्पो दण्डाकारः प्रजायते ॥ ऋज्वीभूता तथा शक्तिः कुण्डली सहजा भवेत् ॥३८॥ तथा सा मरणावस्था जायते द्विपुटीस्थिता ॥ ३९ ॥ अपि भुक्तं विषं घोरं पीयूषमिव जीर्यते ॥ ४० ॥ क्षयकुष्ठगुदावर्तगुल्माजीर्णपुरोगमाः ॥ दोषाः सर्वे क्षयं यान्ति महामुद्रां तु यो`भ्यसेत् ॥ ४१ ॥ कथितेयं महामुद्रा जरामृत्युविनाशिनी ॥ गोपनीया प्रयत्नेन न देया यस्य कस्यचित् ॥ ४२ ॥"

Transliteration: "pādamūlena vāmena yoniṃ sampīḍya dakṣiṇam ll pādaṃ prasāritaṃ kṛtvā karābhyāṃ pūrayenmukham ll kaṅṭhe bandhaṃ samāropya pūrayedvāyumūrdhvataḥ ll 37 ll yathā daṇḍāhataḥ sarpo daṇḍākāraḥ prajāyate ll ṛjvībhūtā tathā śaktiḥ kuṇḍalī sahajā bhavet ll 38 ll tathā sā maraṇāvasthā jāyate dvipuṭīsthitā ll 39 ll na hi pathyamapathyaṃ vā rasāḥ sarve´pi nīrasāḥ ll api bhuktaṃ viṣaṃ ghoraṃ pīyūṣamiva jīryate ll 40 ll kṣayakuṣṭhagudāvartagulmājīrṇapurogamāḥ ll doṣāḥ sarve kṣayaṃ yānti mahāmudrāṃ tu yo`bhyaset ll 41 ll kathiteyaṃ mahāmudrā jarāmṛtyuvināśinī ll gopanīyā prayatnena na deyā yasya kasyacit ll 42 ll"

Translation: "Press the perineum with the left heel, extend the right leg and hold it with both the hands, inhale the air and apply jālandhara bandha and retain the air in the upper region. 37

Kuṇḍalī śakti becomes straight, just as a snake hit by a stick, becomes straight. 38

This brings about the cessation of the functioning of the two nāḍīs. (iḍā and piṅgalā). 39

For such a person, there is nothing like recommended or prohibited food. All that is tasteless becomes tasty. Even deadliest poison is digested like milk. 40

All the ailments like consumption, skin disease, constipation, glandular enlargement, indigestion and many others are cured by the practice of Mahāmudrā. 41

Mahāmudrā removes old age and fear from death. Therefore, it should be carefully guarded and should not be imparted to all and sundry. 42"

Mahamudra - Awakening The Vital Air

Technique

Pramana: Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण

Sastra Pramana Source: Sandilyopanishad (7, 42-2)

Original Verse: "वामपादमूलेन योनिं संपीड्य दक्षिणपादं प्रसार्य तं कराभ्यां धृत्वा नासाभ्यां वायुमापूर्य कण्ठबन्धं समारोप्योर्ध्वतो वायुं धारयेत् । तेन सर्वक्लेशहानिः । ततः पीयूषमिव विषं जीर्यते । क्षयगुल्मगुदावर्तजीर्णत्वगादिदोषा नश्यन्ति । एष प्राणजयोपायः सर्वमृत्यूपघातकः ॥ ४२-२ ॥"

Transliteration: "vāmapādamūlena yoniṃ saṃpīḍya dakṣiṇapādaṃ prasārya taṃ karābhyāṃ dhṛtvā nāsābhyāṃ vāyumāpūrya kaṇṭhabandhaṃ samāropyordhvato vāyuṃ dhārayet | tena sarvakleśahāniḥ | tataḥ pīyūṣamiva viṣaṃ jīryate | kṣayagulmagudāvartajīrṇatvagādidoṣā naśyanti | eṣa prāṇajayopāyaḥ sarvamṛtyūpaghātakaḥ ॥ 42-2 ॥"

Translation: "Pressing the genitals with the left heel, stretching the right leg and holding it by both hands, in-filling the vital air through the nostrils, having brought about the Kantha-bandha (constriction of the throat), (the Yogin) should hold the vital air (in Kumbhaka) from above.

By doing so, all troubles vanish. Thereafter, poison will be easily assimilated as nectar. Consumption, dyspepsia, constipation, affections of the skin and other ailments perish. This is the means to be employed for conquering the vital air and for the destruction of all forms of death."