Daśa Mudrās in Śrī Vidyā Upāsana (Guruji’s Explanation)

 

Devipuram · 10 Mudrās of Śrī Vidyā

Today we will be talking about Daśa Mudrās. What is the meaning of the word mudrā?
«Mudam rāti iti mudrā» — because it brings happiness it is called mudrā.
Mudam means happiness, pleasure.

In Śrī Vidyā upāsana we use 10 mudrās. In Lalitā Sahasranāma it says:
daśa-mudrā-samārādhyā.

These 10 mudrās have the following bījākṣaras:

• sarva-saṃkṣobhiṇī (drāṁ)

• sarva-vidrāviṇī (drīṁ)

• sarvā-karṣiṇī (klīṁ)

• sarva-vaśankarī (blūṁ)

• sarvon-mādinī (saḥ)

• sarva-mahānkuśe (kroṁ)

• sarva-khecarī (hskhphreṁ)

• sarva-bīje (hsauṁ)

• sarva-yone (aiṁ)

• sarva-trikhaṇḍe (hsraiṁ, hsrklīṁ, hsrsauḥ)

These 10 are called daśa-mudrās.

Broadly speaking drāṁ, drīṁ, klīṁ, blūṁ, saḥ are the five arrows of Manmatha, pañcha-tanmātra-sāyakā, which Lalitā Devī is holding in Her right hand. Drāṁ, drīṁ, klīṁ, blūṁ, saḥ are the śabda, sparśa, rūpa, rasa and gandha. They are the five arrows of sensory pleasures that come through the interaction with the world at large.

Kroṁ is ankuśa, anger. Whereas engagement with sensory perceptions brings pleasure or displeasure, they represent attractions. Kroṁ represents anger. If you anger somebody then you push him away, you don't want him/her to come near. Anger is something that pushes away and rāga is something that pulls in. The first five are the mind engaging in interactions with the world, which brings in attractions, and the other one, ankuśa, means repulsiveness.

Hskhphreṁ represents detachment from bondages and therefore the ability to let go of things. It’s like not being born with the gravity of Earth, but you are able to fly away into space. Kha means space, Ha, Sa — Śiva and Śakti, Phreṁ — through the fire they move away into space.

Hsauṁ — Ha is Śiva, Sa is Śakti, Oṁ (Auṁ) — seed coming from the union of Śiva and Śakti. The seed is the information about how to manufacture a new entity, a creative capsule containing the information.

Aiṁ represents time, cause-and-effect relationship, causality, the creation. Aiṁ — Saraswatī. It is Saraswatī who creates, Kālī who destroys. Between them this creation and destruction is going on. Creation is called aiṁ, and destruction is called sauḥ.

These mudrās have been called secret. You are not supposed to show these mudrās in public. When you go into the temple and you see someone doing mudrās and they see someone come in, they quickly hide them. Nobody should be able to figure out what they are doing. Because you are interacting with the Goddess and you are talking to Her in sign language. Mudrās are a sign language for communication with the Goddess.

What kind of communication are we asking?

Remember, Goddess is the world. You can interact with Her with śabda, with sparśa, with rūpa, rasa and gandha — all these five elements. And you can interact with Her when you are detached and moving in the sky. Or you can interact with Her through knowledge, the information exchange saying: “You talk to me, I talk to you. Will you give me permission for that?” Exchange of information. “You are the creatrix and I want to worship every aspect of your creation.” So these are the different meanings of mudrās.

Now let’s go a little more in depth.

Drāṁ — in one sense, it represents the way you fold the fingers. When you fold the fingers in certain ways you are creating lines that are going to change your destiny. Drāṁ means sound, śabda. It is called sarva-saṃkṣobhiṇī mudrā. Kṣobhana means agitation; saṃkṣobhana means great agitation coming from śabda. You hear nice music and become peaceful. You hear insults and you get agitated. Road noises, breaking glass — all these come from Drāṁ. We are requesting the Goddess: “Can I speak to You?” and She says “Yes, I’ll speak to you.”

Permission is not under your control, it is under Her control. She gives permission with the last and final mudrā, which is not shown by the devotee but by Her: hsraiṁ, hsrklīṁ, hsrsauḥ — permission to worship through icchā, jñāna and kriyā.

• Hsraiṁ — Icchā — Saraswatī — White

• Hsrklīṁ — Jñāna — Lakṣmī — Yellow

• Hsrsauḥ — Kriyā — Kālī — Red

Then you say:

mahā padma vanāntasthe kāraṇānanda divya vigrahe
sarva-bhūtā hite mātaḥ ehyehi parameśvari

…and invite Her into the suvasinī, yantra, or icon.

Drīṁ is sparśa — touch. “Can I touch You?” and She says “Yes.”

In pūjā, interaction takes place through japa, arcana, homa, tarpaṇa.
Mantra is śabda.
Arcana is sparśa.
Homa is rūpa.
Tarpaṇa is rasa.
Annadāna gives strength and gravity.

This is puraścaraṇa — giving form, life, mouth, ears, and strength to the mantra.

Klīṁ is akarṣaṇa — attraction.
Blūṁ is rasa — wonder.
Saḥ is sarvon-mādinī — madness when all five arrows strike.

This madness is awakening from waking state, realizing the world is inside of you.

Kroṁ is anger directed toward the ariśaḍvarga — internal enemies — for protection and discipline.

Khecarī mudrā (hskhphreṁ) is movement in space, astral travel, expansion of awareness.

Sarva-bīja mudrā (hsauṁ) is exchange of information between Śiva and Śakti. All Āgamas are their dialogues.

Sarva-yonī mudrā (aiṁ) is worship of all chakras, all yonis.

Sarva-trikhaṇḍa mudrā (hsraiṁ, hsrklīṁ, hsrsauḥ) is Her final permission.

So the interaction between Śiva and Śakti is what is being talked about when we talk about mudrās.