History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c92.268

v7.c92.268

Mudrā is another characteristic item in Tāntrik ritual. The word *mudrā* has several meanings, four of which have a bearing on Tāntrik practices. It means a posture in yogic practices in which the whole body plays a part. It also means the symbolic or mystic intertwining of the fingers and hands as part of religious worship. Mudrā is also the 4th of the five *makāras* and means various kinds of grains mixed with ghee or other ingredient (vide note 1752 above) or parched grains. A fourth meaning of mudrā is the woman with whom a Tāntrika yogi associates himself (as in Prajñopāya o V. 24 and Sekoddeśaṭīkā p. 56). The Kulārṇava derives the word from ‘mud’ meaning ‘delight’ or ‘pleassure’ and ‘drāvay’ (causal of ‘dru’) and says ‘mudrās’ (ritual finger and hand poses) should be shown (in worship) and are so known because they give delight to the gods and make their minds melt (with compassion for the worshipper). But the Śāradātilaka¹⁸³⁶ appears to derive it from ‘mud’ and ‘rā’ (to give) and according to it mudrā means 'what affords pleasure to the Gods'. Other derivations are also proposed (vide J. O. R. Baroda, vol. VI. p. 13). Rāghavabhaṭṭa states that the fingers from the thumb to the small finger are identified with the five elements viz. ākāśa (sky or ether), wind, fire, water and earth and that their contact with each other tends to make the deity favourable and delighted and induces the deity to be present at the worship, and that various appropriate mudrās are to be employed in worship, at the time of japa, in meditation and in all rites performed for securing some desired object or benefit, since they induce the deity to be present (near the worshipper¹⁸³⁷). It was supposed that mudrās helped in enhancing concentration on the part of the worshipper. Even as early as the 7th century it was believed that the making of mudrās may bring to life one who, being poisoned had fallen into coma, as the Kādambarī quoted below shows. The Varṣakriyākaumudī quotes a verse saying that japa, prāṇāyāma, worship of gods, yoga, meditation and āsanas are fruitless unless accompanied by appropriate mudrās