Introduction to Tantra Sastra - Aghori

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INTRODUCTION TO TANTRA ŚĀSTRA
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 Gheraṇ ḍ a-Saṃhitā describes
a number of mudrās of which those of importance may
be selected. In the celebrated yonimudrā the yogī in
siddhāsana stops with his fingers the ears, eyes, nostrils,
and mouth. He inhales prāṇ āvāyu by kākinī-mudrā,
and unites it with apānavāyu. Meditating in their order
upon the six cakras, he arouses the sleeping Kulakuṇ
ḍ alinī by the mantra “Hūṃ Haṃsa,” and raises Her
to the Sahasrāra; then, deeming himself pervaded with
the Śakti, and in blissful union (sangaṃa) with Śiva, he
meditates upon himself as, by reason of that union,
Bliss itself and the Brahman. 1 Aśvinimudrā consists of
the repeated contraction and expansion of the anus for
the purpose of śodhana or of contraction to restrain the
apāna in ṣaṭ cakrabheda. Śakticālana employs the latter
mudrā, which is repeated until vāyu manifests in the
suṣumnā. The process is accompanied by inhalation and
the union of prāṇ ā and apāna whilst in siddhāsana. 2
DHAIRYA: PRATYĀHĀRA
Dhairya, or steadiness, is produced by pratyāhāra.
Pratyāhāra, is the restraint of the senses, the freeing of
the mind from all distractions, and the keeping of it
under the control of the Ātmā. The mind is withdrawn
from whatsoever direction it may tend by the dominant
and directing Self. Pratyāhāra destroys the six sins. 3
1 Gheraṇḍa-Saṃ
hitā, Third Upadeśa.
2 Ibid., verses 37, 49, 82.
3 Ibid., fourth Upadeśa. The Śāradātilaka defines pratyāhāra as indriyā-
ṇām vicaratām viṣayeṣu balādāhāraṇam tebyah Pratyāhāro vidhiyate (pratyāhāra
is known as the forcible abstraction of the senses wandering over
their objects).