What is the Meaning of Soham?

Hamsa (Swan) Symbolism: Universal Self (Paramahamsa) Reflected as Individual Self (Hamsa) in all of us.

Hari Om! Namaste!!

This is a vagartha article.  In other words, we will discuss a word and its deeper meanings. If you have studied Indian philosophy, especially Upanishads,  in some or the other instance, you would have seen a mention of the word Soham.

Just like holy Hindu sacred syllable Om, the word Soham also has several esoteric connotations. With Guru’s Grace on our side, we will attempt to provide a drop of nectar from the ocean of meanings of the great mantra Soham.  Are you ready to enjoy the taste? Fine. Let us get started!

Meaning #1: I am He

Soham is a Sanskrit word  formed by two words: Sah (he) and Aham(I). By Sanskrit grammatical rules of sandhi(fusion of two words), these two words are combined to give Soham. What is the meaning then? Simple.

Soham means He I (am)  or I am He.

It is the answer to the great philosophical question: Koham?( “Who am I?”). As discussed earlier, real myself  is nothing but Individual Self.  Now another question: “Who is He then?” That He is none other than the greatest force that controls everything, that is Brahman or Universal Self. With this understanding the meaning of Soham now becomes:

Soham means my Individual Self is Universal Self.

This is the highest no-dual philosophy taught by Shri Shankara Bhagavatpadah as proclaimed by our Upanishads and Vedic Scriptures. We are God. Our real Self(real “I”) is nothing but God. We cannot understand this eternal truth due to ignorance. Our Supreme Spiritual Masters help us by removing the ignorance to realize our true Individual Self that is not different from God.

Meaning #2: Breathing

Soham is breathing process. So, it is the basis of our life. Our inhalation makes the sound “Soooo” and exhalation is “ham”. Some masters identify it in the reverse way: Sooo on exhalation and ham on inhalation. Both are equally valid. They are same, just like Shiva and Shakti(vide infra). Each and every breath reminds us the non-dual principle of Vedas, we are not different from God.

Sometimes, Soham is called Hamsa mantra also. Some Scriptures regard incoming breath as ham and exhalation as sah. Although, the word Aham gets shortened to ham,  the meaning remains the same. Also, in Sanskrit Hamsa means a white swan that symbolizes the Individual Self.

Thus, non-dual awareness of “I am the Universal Self ” is intricately connected with our breathing. This is why focusing our attention on the breath is an extremely powerful technique to go into a deep meditation. We can connect with the our real nature of all powerful Universal Self by via Soham i.e. breathing!  Caution: Any focusing on breathing or chanting Soham must be done under the supervision of an experienced master.

Meaning #3: Ajapa Japa (no chanting, but chanting!)

Our breathing itself chants  Soham  as  mantra automatically for us.  All we need to do is to bring our attention to it to transcend ourselves into a meditative state. How? The power of all mantras, Shridevi transcends us to a Samadhi state. Since Soham is chanted involuntarily in breathing it is also called Ajapa japa(no chanting by us, but automatic chanting by itself!) or Ajapa  Gayatri.

Meaning #4: Shiva and Shakti (Tantric Perspective)

As discussed above Soham is formed by two words: Sah (He) and Aham(I). He is Shiva . Every Sanskrit letter or word is loaded with immense power of Shridevi. Aham is the collective power of letters A to Ha in Sanskrit alphabet, i.e. Parvati.

It means that, the power of Shiva and Parvati present in our inhalation and exhalation. In other words, Shiva and Shakti form breathing that sustains our lives! As described by the greatest poet Kavikulaguru Kalidasa, Shiva and Parvati are like parents; they protect us.

Along the similar lines, here is another tantric perspective. Sah is Shiva.  Aham is Shiva’s “I” awareness which is also called Vimarsha in our tantras.  So, Soham means Shiva and his power Parvati (Shakti).

Meaning #5: Yoga, Merging with the Universal Self

Sah  is He(Universal Self a.k.a God) and Aham is I. We think that we are separate from God due to ignorance. The moment we get the touch of Guru‘s(Master’s) Grace, we realize that we are not at all different from God. By the Grace, we actually merge with the God by real real yoga.

Similarly, merging two words Aham (I) with Sah (God), we get Soham.  In other words, Soham implies the process of merging ourselves with the God, i.e. real traditional yoga.

How can we understand the real meaning of Soham?

Actually, Soham is a very mystical word.  The meaning of Soham cannot be clearly understood just by reading; one has to realize Soham by experience through practice of traditional yoga with the help of a realized master(Sadguru).

Why? As discussed earlier, Soham is nothing but Shiva and Shakti together. We need to merge with Shiva and Shakti. Soham itself is the Highest Knowledge.  So, the realization of Soham is the greatest purpose of life. We hope that the message is crystal clear now.

Om Namah Shivaya ||

- Kalidas

Great Master Shri Sujnana Giri Explains: Why do we Worship Millions of Gods in Hinduism?

Lord Shri Krishna Showing his Infinite Form to Arjuna on the Battle Ground(Source: Google)

Folks,

Hari Om! Namaste!!

The topic is very interesting and equally controversial, right? Let us understand it clearly from a typical Upanishad way, i.e. a Reality Fiction. In this story, eternal truths packaged in a contemporary fiction.

Let us hear from the Horse’s Mouth, our great Realized Master Shri Sujnan Giri in a conversation with Jnana Hariputra, founder director of the International Institute of Sanskrit and Hinduism(IISH, pronounced Eesh ) at Hawaii, USA.  We have not met him yet. Right? OK. Let us get introduced to him.

Jnana Hariputra

His original name was John Harrison. Right from his childhood he  was attracted to Hinduism and its spirituality. As he grew up, he studied Sanskrit in India in the traditional way. This gave him access to original truths present in our Great Scriptures such as  Vedas, Upanishads, Agamas etc.

While in India, he also got exposed to teachings of various Great Masters in Non-dualistic philosophy(Advaita Vedanta) established by our Great Master Shri Shankara Bhagavatpadah.  In order to share the treasure of this great Indian knowledge, he established International Institute of Sanskrit and Hinduism back home at Hawaii, US.

He was a staunch devotee of Narayana(Lord Vishnu), the omnipotent deity as mentioned in our Vedic hymn Narayana Sukta. To indicate his strong devotion towards Narayana, he changed his name to Jnana Hariputra(means the eternal knowledge born out of Lord Vishnu).

Every year he used to visit India to see some holy place  and to meet some great Great Master. After hearing about Shri Sujnan Giri, he decided to meet him to clarify his understanding of concepts of Hinduism.

The following is the conversation of Hariputra with  the Great Master Shri Sujnan Giri. After a formal introduction, Shri Sujnana Giri starts the discussion.

Shri Sujnan Giri: “Hari Om! Namaste!! You had some queries?”

Hariputra: “Namaste, Gurudev! Yes. I have some questions on some basic concepts of Hinduism. First of all, why so many Gods in Hinduism?“

Shri Sujnan Giri: “Why not? What is wrong? Let me answer with another question: If you go to a restaurant, how many items would you expect on the menu? One or many? More is good, right?”

Hariputra: “Absolutely. We would like to have more items on a restaurant menu.  It helps us to choose an item that we like from many available options. More options, more probability to match people’s  different tastes: some like it sweet, some hot!”

Shri Sujnan Giri: “You answered your own question now   Let me explain. Our Sanatana Dharma(Hinduism) also gives you option of millions of deities to suit your specific nature. Some devotees like a peaceful deity like Lakshmi, some others like a fierce form of Shridevi, viz. Kali, wearing a garland of heads.

Some connoisseurs of beauty would like to worship Shridevi as Lalita Mahatripura Sundari(Supremely beautiful Goddess). Many others want  to adore luxurious and magnificent Lord Vishnu. But, some others are more pleased with simple Lord Shiva sitting and meditating on the Himalayas!

If you love animals, we have some deities with animal faces too. e.g. elephant-headed Lord Ganesha , Lion-headed Lord Narasimha(a Lord Vishnu’s form), Lord Karthikeya(worshiped as Divine serpent) and so on.

The choice is virtually limitless! You can pick your favorite deity to match your personality. Think about it. Is it not good to have many deities?”

Hariputra: “Of course, Sir! I am getting it now. Can you explain it more?”

Shri Sujnan Giri: “Fine. Let me give another example. When it comes to wearing dresses, there is no one size fits all. Right? Everybody has specific requirements like color, design, fitting, texture of the cloth(soft, hard etc.) and so on. Likewise our Sanatana Dharma also gives you several options to access the same One Universal Self. Our Great Vedas say:

Ekam Sat, Viprah bahudha vadanti |
Meaning: The Absolute Truth (Universal Self) is One; Wise people pray in different ways.  Got it now? “

Hariputra: “Are all the deities equal in their power?”

Shri Sujnan Giri: “All are equal. But, some are more equal! “

Hariputra: “Gurudev! I did not understand. What do you mean by that? I am completely confused now. Please elaborate.”

Shri Sujnan Giri: “There are mainly two types of deities: principal and subsidiary. The principal deities are eternal and are not subjected to life cycle of the universe. In fact they control everything in the universe and beyond. According to our Great Master Shri Shankara Bhagavatpadah, there are five principal Vedic deities, Lord Surya(the Sun God), Lord Ganesha, Shridevi Parvati, Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu.

Other deities  like Indra, Kubera,Vayu, Agni and demigods like Yaksha, Kinnara and others are subsidiary. They are created by principal deities to help them run the show. They are subjected to life cycle of the universe. Understood? “

Hariputra: “Now it is getting more complex. Whom to worship for what?”

Shri Sujnan Giri:“OK. It depends on your wish! You may pray subsidiary Gods to achieve specific material goals. e.g. you may worship Lord Kubera to accumulate wealth. These deities can also be the means to merge with the eternal principal deities which are nothing but the Universal Self. If you pray Lord Agni(the Fire God), you can get the Highest Knowledge to help you with getting the liberation(moksha) too. Got it?”

Hariputra: “Understood somewhat now. Then, what is special about principal deities that you mentioned?”

Shri Sujnan Giri: “As discussed, principal deities are eternal, beyond the universe. They can be prayed to achieve any of your goals, either material or spiritual. They are the means and  the ends to moksha. In other words, they are the final refuge for everything. Therefore, needless to mention: worshiping the principal deities is highly recommended for everybody.”

Hariputra: “Now I understood it clearly! But, I have another question. I am a devotee of Lord Vishnu. I heard that you mainly worship Lord Shiva. Are you saying – Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva are the same?”

Shri Sujnan Giri: “Yes! All deities are fundamentally one and the same. That is what the earlier quotation from the Great Vedas, really meant. So, Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu are the names and forms referring to the same formless Universal Self“

Hariputra: “Got it. Could you please give an example from the Hindu Scriptures?”

Shri Sujnan Giri: “OK. Let us take Shri Vishnu Sahasranama (1008 names of Lord Vishnu). You may be very surprised to hear this: many names of Lord Shiva that are in Shri Shiva Sahasranama( i.e. 1008 names of Lord Shiva) also appear in Shri Vishnu Sahasranama. e.g.

• Vishwa – The world
• Sthanu – Stable
• Shiva – Very auspicious
• Shambhu – Born from auspicious
• Aditya – One who enlightens everything

Notice that even the names like Shiva, Shambhu which are typically used for Lord Shiva are also appearing in the list of Lord Vishnu’s names!  The reverse is also true: Typical Lord Vishnu’s names are in Shiva Sahasranama as well, e.g. Krishna(attractive), Suresha(Lord of Gods), Janardhana(birthless) and so on. What does it tell you? It declares loudly that – Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva are one and the same. Clear now?”

Hariputra: “Splendid! It is really an amazing revelation to me! Is there any other example showing the oneness of many deities?”

Shri Sujnan Giri: “Of course. Greatest Sanskrit Poet Kalidasa wrote a famous shloka Vagarthaviva as the prayer in the beginning of his epic Raghuvamsha. One shloka addresses many deities giving more than 25 meanings!

In that shloka directly or indirectly he prays, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, Devi Saraswati, Shri Lakshmi Devi and Shri Pravati Devi. Thus, praying many deities from one shloka means that all the deities are one and the same. What a great spiritual message from the Greatest Poet Kalidasa!”   

Hariputra: “Sir, that was a brilliant explanation! I understood it clearly beyond any iota of doubt: all the Gods are One and the same. It is great that Hinduism offers us millions of options to address our specific nature to worship the same One Universal Self. We just need to pick our deity and pray everyday. I have another question, Gurudev! What is the need to have many Gods in Hinduism?”

Shri Sujnan Giri: “This is a very good question, indeed. As discussed above, in Hinduism, every deity has been allocated to preside over a particular function.  In other words, the administrative power is decentralized. For example, Lord Brahma creates the world, Lord Vishnu sustains it and finally Lord Shiva annihilates everything to himself.

Lord Ganesha is in charge of obstacles. Shridevi Lakshmi is for prosperity and wealth. Shri Devi Saraswati is for learning.  Lord Surya for health. Shridevi Parvati is for power. Lord Karthikeya presides over skills and creativity. The list goes on. Each deity has specific mantras and rituals of worship to propitiate it.

We can worship a specific deity to achieve a particular goal. e.g. Lord Ganesha is worshiped first, before we start any work to get his help to complete the task without any hitches or obstacles. These deities are just forms of the Universal Self. One can access the Universal Self by worshiping any one of these. Got it now?”

Hariputra: “Yes Sir.This question has been haunting me for many years. Thank you very much for your crystal clear answer! I am very fortunate to know it.”

Shri Sujnan Giri: “Fine. May the Almighty’s blessings be with you!”

Hariputra saluted the Great Master Shri Sujnana Giri and left.

He understood. Thus, He understood.

Note: Please remember that this is a Reality Fiction. The story and all the characters are imaginary. Do not search the Internet to find out more about these personalities or the institute. Just kidding!

Om Namah Shivaya ||

- Kalidas

Our Greatest Mother Sridevi Kundalini: She is both Mahamaya and Mahadevi !

Shridevi who Resides in all of us as the Supreme Mother Devi Kundalini       (Source: Google)

Folks,

Hari Om! Namaste!!

Kundalini Yoga is one of the most esoteric and easiest yoga paths available to us to achieve oneness with the Universal Self. As we know, the divine mother Kundalini is generally in a deep sleep in muladhara chakra until She is awakened by a realized master  by shaktipat.

The awakened Mother Kundalini  goes and merges with Lord Shiva at Sahasrara chakra. The union of Shiva and Shakti bestows an infinitely blissful samadhi state to the practitioner and thus helps him to realize the real goal of yoga.  This is the entire process of Kundalini Yoga in a nutshell.  Now, we have a question:

What is the secret meaning of sleeping and awakened states of Mother Kundalini ?

Good question indeed!   Mother Kundalini is nothing but Shridevi, consort of Lord Shiva. She exists in two states to always help us. Let us see how.

 Sleeping Kundalini: Devi Mahamaya, the Goddess of Great Illusion

When our body is created, Divine Mother Shridevi gets separated from Lord Shiva at sahasrara.  She creates the physical body with  psychic centers and nadis  and distributes our karma along sushumna and  Once she finishes her work of creation and fills the body with consciousness via nadis, She has nothing left to do. So, She goes and sleeps at the last center created, i.e. muladhara chakra. 

From this chakra, She controls each and everything inside the body and outside. Sleeping means that she is not active from spiritual perspective. That is to say, She is not aware that She is separated from Lord Shiva. She cannot go back and merge with her Lord, unless the path of sushumna is clean, i.e. without the karma garbage.

When Kundalini is in deep sleep in muladhara chakra, She works as Mahamaya(Great illusion). What is the great illusion? Feeling of difference or two-ness or duality, i.e. false belief- “we are different from Universal Self(a.k.a God)”. As  Mahamaya, Shridevi helps us to burn our past karmas to cleanse ourselves.  Mahamaya is responsible for material actions and enjoyment(bhoga).

Our Karmas and Mahamaya

If we follow Karma Yoga, i.e. offering the results of all our work to the divine, we won’t accumulate new karma. Once we burn all our past karmas, we are qualified to unite with the Universal Self.  But, it may take many births before we destroy all karmas to merge with God.  On the positive side, the feeling of – “We are different from God”- can be helpful to cultivate devotion towards God. Because, it is not very easy to think ourselves as God and worship!

In practice, we always do our work expecting some result. Consequently, we accumulate more karma! We get bound by the strings of good deeds(punya) and bad deeds(paapa) of these results.  This is called karma bandhana(bondage of karmas).   Every time we take birth to burn our earlier karma, we commit more new karma!This happens endlessly to put us in a miserable birth and death cycle.

How can we escape from this vicious circle? By surrendering to a realized master(Sadguru) to get his Grace.  The Grace of Sadguru awakens the Mother Kundalini to help  us realize our true nature of God.

Awakened Kundalini: Mahadevi, the Supreme Goddess

The moment Kundalini gets awakened by the gentle touch of the spiritual power of Sadguru, She realizes that she is separated from her beloved Lord Shiva at Sahasrara chakra.  Now, She becomes Mahadevi  (Supreme Goddess). Her only goal is to merge with Lord Shiva. Since She is the mother of all powers, no other force can encounter and prevent her from accomplishing her mission.

She starts ascending in Sushumna   destroying all the past karmas  posing as obstacles in her path and cleanses all psychic chakras.  This is the stage when the practitioner is subjected to extreme physical and emotional stress.  During these hard times, devotion to Shridevi and Sadguru‘s Grace together protect the practitioner of Kundalini Yoga.

Finally, Devi Kundalini merges with Lord Shiva at Sahasrara bringing the complete enlightenment to the practitioner. Thus, the awakened Kundalini is nothing but Mahadevi  who brings us liberation(moksha).  She is our kamadhenu(wish-fulfilling cow)!

In summary, Shridevi Kundalini, in her sleeping state as Mahamaya,  helps us to burn our karma in this world. She also facilitates liberation(moksha) from the world by her awakened Mahamaya form.

Now, our eternal (more business like)  question

How can I benefit from both forms of Shridevi?

Very simple. Surrender to Mother Shridevi! Worship her with great devotion and faith. Unfortunately, there is no short-cut. By definition of the word Shridevi, she will surely grant you both material enjoyment(bhoga) and liberation(moksha).  Got it?

Om Namah Shivaya ||

- Kalidas

 

Kundalini Shaktipat Initiation: How does it look like? What does really happen during the initiation?

Awakening Kundalini by Shaktipat by Realized Master (Credit: Google)

Folks,

Hari Om! Namaste!!

We will try to be brief in this post(we mean it ) As we discussed, Kundalini Yoga is one of the easiest, mystical and highest forms of traditional yoga. In this yoga path,  Perfect Realized Master(Sadguru) awakens Mother Kundalini in the disciple via Shaktipat initiation. We had been talking about it in many of our earlier posts. Now, the real question is:

How does the Shaktipat Initiation look like? What really happens during the transfer of spiritual energy from the realized master(Sadguru) to the disciple?

Before we answer this question, just see these videos. You may gauge the power of realized masters observing them in action!  Seeing is believing. right? After you finish watching at least 2-3 videos, continue reading this article further. By the way, don’t miss the mass Shaktipat initiation by our Paramaguru Baba Muktananda! How did you feel? We know. Here are your typical reactions:

It is amazing. But very Scary!

Yes, of course! Kundalini Yoga is not for faint-hearted.  It is for the adventurous people.  Although, everybody’s experience during the Shaktipat is unique and different, the experience you saw on the videos can happen to you too! May be not too. The key is to get the Grace of Shaktipat by a realized Sadguru.

Important qualifications of a Sadguru are: 1. He has to come from lineage of realized masters. 2. He must be authorized and commanded by his own Guru to bestow Shaktipat to others. You need to have full faith in your Sadguru and Shridevi Kundalini. You must trust these two great forces to start with. Then, you won’t be scared of anything!

Guru will protect you and will guide you throughout your path to realization. Moreover, before we take initiation, we need to prepare ourselves to get the Grace of Shakti to flow down to us very easily from the Master.

Realized Masters have infinite power! It is extraordinary!! The experience must be very thrilling. I am interested!

Did you see how the masters transfer the energy and control it too? Realized masters have absolute power to transmit and control the spiritual energy.  Some initiates have dramatic experiences during Shaktipat. But, everything is under complete control. The compassionate Guru(Master) ensures the safety of each and every disciple. He guides the disciple throughout the entire journey of traditional yoga.

The experience can be very thrilling and enjoyable because the Supreme Kundalini energy tries to gush through your nadis, removing some blockages. In many of the cases of Shaktipat initiation, Mother Kundalini travels through the entire path of Sushumna to merge with Lord Shiva at Sahasrara. This results in an extremely blissful state of Samadhi. 

Further, it introduces the initiate on – how it feels to have happiness in its entirety within in oneself. This convinces the practitioner beyond an iota of doubt that comparable happiness cannot obtained by focusing on any external objects or engaging in any other activity in life.

Now, we have a question:

I am totally confused now. Can I practice Kundalini Yoga at all?  Is it really safe for me or not?

You are the best judge for that! It is pretty much like deciding: “should I have to take a roller-coaster ride or not?” For some people, it is scary. For others, it is fun and really thrilling! You need to go by your own gut feeling. Unless you are confident, don’t go in a path just because somebody suggested it.

Honestly, I would like to get that experience. But, slightly concerned. What do you recommend?

First of all prepare yourself. Choose a trusted Realized Master for Shaktipat. Adore him. Surrender to him fully to receive the Grace. Pray Shridevi. Because, She herself lives as Mother Kundalini in you! If you follow as advised, we can guarantee that everything will definitely be fine.

One thing is sure: if you are fortunate to get the Grace of Shaktipat from a good realized master, Kundalini Yoga is one of the easiest and safest yoga path filled with fun and great spiritual experiences along the way. Convince yourself that Mother Kundalini is harmless and benevolent if we approach her properly.

Let us assure you that if you take the right approach, there is absolutely nothing to be scared of.  On the other hand, if you won’t get Shaktipat, you need to be always be afraid of infinite birth and death cycle. Just think about it. Now, you may decide what you need to do!

Things can be very dangerous if you go with the so called modern masters who sell the initiation. These fake masters’ eye is on your wallet and their selfish goals to accumulate wealth, fame etc. They are not bothered about your spiritual progress nor to guide you. Moreover, they may even render your psycho-somatic system significantly damaged by their amateur Shaktipat experiment on you. By all means, avoid these fake masters in the market for your safety and well-being.

Now, for a moment, just imagine: what might happen if Kundalini is awakened by some means without the guidance of a Guru? We can’t even guess! We should really be scared. Let me put it this way: things can be very unpredictable and potentially harmful. So, kids! do not try to practice something to awaken Kundalini yourself reading benefits and practices in some books. We want you to be healthy, safe and happy. Alright?

If you are courageous and still interested to take up the path of Kundalini Yoga, we have a list of recommended Realized Masters in our links section of the blog. You may want to check them out. All the best to start your journey!

Om Namah Shivaya ||

- Kalidas

Rudraksha Yoga Site Update: New header picture added. FAQ and About pages revised.

The Great Himalayas (Photo Credit: Kalidas)

Folks,

Hari Om! Namaste!!

Here the latest updates of the Rudraksha Yoga Blog:

New Header Picture: The Great Himalayas

We have  recently updated the home page of Rudraksha Yoga with a picture of Himalayas. Now, the question is:

But, why the Himalayas?

The Great Himalayas of India  inspired our saints and Great Masters from time immemorial. Even today, countless sages live there. It is the origin of our holy river Ganga(a.k.a Ganges), who washes out our sins to prepare ourselves to access the Highest Knowledge.

It is a great landmark to identify our Punya Bhoomi(holy land) Bhaaratha(India). It has been said:

Uttaram yat samudrasya himadreh chaiva dakshinam |
Varsham tad Bhaaratham naama Bhaarathee yatra santatih ||

Meaning: The land, north of the ocean(i.e.Hindu Mahasagara or Indian Ocean) and south of the Himalayas, is called India(a.k.a. Bharathavarsha). It is the country where Bharatheeyas(Indians)  live.

According to our Scriptures, it is the abode of Lord Shiva. Moreover, Shridevi Parvati is the daughter of the Great Himalayas. Thus, the picture of the Himalayas is  well-connected with our concept of Rudraksha, i.e. Rudra is Lord Shiva and Aksha is Devi Parvati.

The current picture is a beautiful view of snow-clad mountains of Western Himalayan Range. Naturally, tall Himalayan peaks touching clouds metaphor with the Highest Knowledge that we focus in the Rudraksha Yoga blog.  So, the picture conveys the theme of the blog very meaningfully with profound symbolism.

Other Updates

The About and FAQ pages have been updated to reflect the aim of this blog and our policies  in detail.

Enjoy reading! Have Fun!!

Om Namah Shivaya ||

- Kalidas

The Secret of Abhaya(“Don’t fear”) and Varada(“Boon giving”) Gestures of Shridevi

Our Invincible and Boon-giver Mother: Shridevi Mookambika of Kollur, Karnataka (Source: Google)

Folks,

Hari Om! Namaste!!

You would have noticed that most of Hindu deities have more than two hands. They hold many things in their hands – right from  book, Veena(musical instrument), Rudraksha maala, etc.  to weapons such as goad, trident and so on. These are symbolic of what they offer or as a sign of reassurance of protection.

If the hands are not holding anything, they show mystical gestures known as mudras. Gestures are extremely powerful and are very important nonverbal tools in tantric worship. The most crucial gestures are abhaya (“Fear not, I am here to protect you!”) and varada(“I am giving you boons!”).

To see these gestures, take a look at the above picture of all powerful Shridevi Mookambika. Her right hand shows abhaya mudra whereas the left hand displays varada mudra. Now comes the interesting question of our current topic:

What is the secret meaning of varada and abhaya gestures of Shridevi? 

Good question. Let us understand the answer clearly once for all.  Be all you ears(eyes), OK? Fine.

• Abhaya Mudra: This is the gesture of protection and reassurance. By this mudra, Shridevi says with affection- “My devotee! Fear not. I am here to protect you!”. Protection from what? Any fear. Maybe it is fear of examination for students,  fear of failure for businessmen etc. But most important fear is that of birth and death cycle of our Individual Self. We should be very afraid to be in this infinite vicious cycle.
  Abhaya mudra suggests that Shridevi gives us the liberation(moksha) from birth and death cycle. She offers her eternal abode as final refuge by this gesture. Devi Parvati is the deity of liberation of souls. So, this mudra emphasizes dissolution function of Devi Parvati and Lord Shiva inherent in Shridevi. So, abhaya mudra bestows liberation(moksha). It indirectly implies the supreme power and invincibility of Shridevi to dissolve all difficulties in the path of liberation.

• Varada Mudra: It is called “boon giving” gesture. Why do we need boons? To fulfill our various desires for material enjoyment(bhoga) while living on the Earth.  By this mudra, Shridevi says – “Don’t worry, I will give you the boons for your material enjoyment!”. This mudra symbolizes sustenance function of Lord Vishnu and Shri Lakshmi attributes present in Shridevi. So, it offers us prosperity and material enjoyment(bhoga). It also implies the all-giving magnanimous nature of Supreme Mother Shridevi.

But there is another question:

Why does Shridevi show  abahaya mudra on the right hand and  varada mudra on the left?

Very interesting question indeed! OK. Let us face it.  Everybody needs both material enjoyment in life and liberation after his life. Right? Although both are necessary, which one do we need to consider more important?  Here, Shridevi’s gestures give us the authoritative symbolic guidance.

Universally, for most of the people, right hand is dominant and considered more significant.  Abhaya mudra on the right hand suggests that liberation(moksha) is more important than material enjoyment(bhoga) that is symbolized by varada mudra on the left hand. Got the message?

What is the hidden message of abhaya and varada gestures?

As discussed above, abhaya and varada gestures symbolize Parvati and Lakshmi aspects of Supreme Mother Shridevi.  Shridevi bestows liberation(moksha) and material enjoyment(bhoga) to her devotees through these gestures. These two gestures also symbolize the oneness of Lakshmi and Parvati in the Supreme Mother Shridevi Durga.

As always, your usual question :

What is my take home from the entire discussion?

If we pray Shridevi with complete devotion, she surely provides us both material enjoyment(bhoga) and liberation(moksha) just by her gestures!  Got it now?

Om Namah Shivaya ||

- Kalidas

Retrospective Highlights  from Our Archive:
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Everybody is talking about yoga these days. Suffixing the term yoga with almost any activity seems to help selling the products and services in the market place. Yoga is being advertised as panacea in almost everything: to get a lean and flexible body, to acquire health, to reduce stress, curing cancer/diabetes an so on.

It has become a latest fad to practice so called modern yoga taking the “me too” approach, without knowing either aim or basics of real yoga. For some people, practicing yoga has become like a daily circus to challenge physically and entertain themselves!  What a pity!

It is unfortunate that some of these new age yoga systems focus only on physical benefits, deviating completely from fundamental principles and great spiritual goals of traditional yoga. They literally ask us to ‘spin a wheel’ promising some benefits(whatever they are!) by teaching some physical exercises minus active ingredient, spirituality.

Just think about it. Are these so called new age yoga systems have anything to do with the real goal of yoga  as defined by our Great Indian Masters? Not necessarily.  Be advised. Use your discretion.

To know the real difference between our traditional yoga and new age yoga, read a thought-provoking conversation of Chanchal and Nischal  in  this interesting article on our blog.  It is funny! We are sure that you will really like it!

Enjoy! Have fun!!

Om Namah Shivaya ||

- Rudraksha Yoga

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