CHAPTER IV.
YONI-MUDRA.
FIRST with a strong inspiration fix the mind in the adhar lotus. Then engage in contracting the Yoni which is situated between the anus and the genital organ.
- Then let him contemplate that the God of Love resides in that Brahma Yoni, and that he is beautiful like Bandhuk flower (Pentapetes Phoenicia)—brilliant as tens of millions of suns, and cool as tens of millions of moons. Above this (Yoni) is a very small and subtle flame, whose form is intelligence (and which is very amiable). Then let him imagine that an union takes place between (Shiva and Shakti) spirit and matter. 3. There go through the path of Brahma (i.e., sushumna vessel), the three bodies in their due order (i.e., the gross, the subtle, and the causal bodies). Thence also is emitted the nectar, the characteristic of which is great bliss. Its colour is rosy, full of splendour, showering down in jets the immortal fluid. Let him drink this wine of immortality which is divine, and then again enter the Yoni (again enter the tavern, which most not be taken literally). 4. Then let him go again to the tavern (i.e., the Yoni) through the practice of matra Yoga (i.e., pranayama or drinking wine slowly or material copulation, &c.). This Yoni has been called by me as equal to life, in the Tantras. [The followers of the left hand path or Vam margis as they are called, may cite these verses as their authority for their demoralizing and profligate practice, which however is not actually meant by Siva.] 5. Again let him be absorbed in that Yoni where dwells the fire of death—the nature of Shiva, &c. Thus has been described by me the method of practising the great Yoni-mudra. From success in its practice there is nothing which cannot be accomplished. 6. Even those spells or mantras which are deformed, or paralyzed, or scorched by fire, or whose flame has become attenuated, or which are dark, and ought to be abandoned, or which are evil, or too old, or which are proud of their budding youth, or have gone over to the side of the enemy, or weak and essence-less, without vitality; or which have been divided into hundreds of parts, even they (spells) become fertile through time and method. All these can give powers and emancipation when properly given to the neophyte by the Guru; after having initiated him according to the proper rites, and annointed him a thousand times. This Yoni-mudra has been described in order that the student may deserve (to be initiated into the mysteries of,) and receive the mantras (spells). 7. He who practises Yoni-mudra is not polluted by sin, were he to murder thousand Brahmans or kill all the inhabitants of the three worlds. 8. Were he to kill his Guru, or drink wine, or commit theft, or violate the bed of his Guru, he is not to suffer for any of these transgressions. 9. Therefore those who wish for emancipation should practise this daily. Through practice (abhyasa) success is obtained; through practice one gains liberation. 10. Perfect knowledge is formed through practice. Yoga is attained through practice; success in Mudras comes by practice: through practice is gained the success in pranayama. Death can be cheated of its prey through practice, and man becomes the conqueror of death by practice. 11. Through practice one gets the power of vach (prophecy), and the power of going everywhere through mere exertion of will. This Yoni-mudra should be kept in great secrecy, and not to be given to everybody. Even when threatened with death, it should not be revealed or given to others.
THE MUDRAS - Now I shall tell you the highest agency of success in Yoga. Wise adepts should keep it secret. It is the most inaccessible Yoga or magic. 13. When the sleeping goddess Kundali is awakened through the favor of Guru, then all the lotuses and the bonds are readily pierced through. 14. Therefore, in order that the goddess who is asleep in the mouth of the Brahmarandhra (the innermost hollow of Sushumna) be awakened, the Mudras should be practised with the greatest care. 15. Out of the many Mudras, the following ten are the best:—(1) Mahamudra, (2) Mahbandha, (3) Mahveha, (4) Khechari, (5) Jalandhar, (6) Mulabandha, (7) Viparitkarana, (8) Uddana, (9) Vajroni, and (10) Shaktichalana. 16. My dearest, I shall now describe to you the Mahamudra; from whose knowledge the ancient adept Kapila and others obtained psychic powers and success.
1.—MAHA-MUDRA. - In accordance with the instructions of the Guru, press gently the perineum situated between the anus and the sexual organ with the heel of the left foot. Stretching the right foot out, hold it fast by the two hands. Having closed the nine gates (of the body) place the chin on the chest. Now send the thinking principle (chitta) to the path of thought, and practise the art of dreaming. This is the Mahamudra, held secret in all the Tantras. The steady-minded Yogi having practised it on the left side should then practise it on the right side; and in all cases must be firm in pranayama—the regulation of the breath. 18. In this way, even the most unfortunate Yogi might obtain success. By this means all the vessels of the body are roused and stirred into activity; the semen is stopped within, the decay of life is checked, and sins destroyed. All diseases are healed, the gastric fire is increased; it gives faultless beauty to the body, and destroys decay and death. All the fruits of desires and pleasures are obtained, and the senses are conquered. The Yogi fixed in meditation acquires all the above-mentioned things through practice. There should be no hesitation in doing so. 19. O ye worshipped of the gods! know that this Mudra is to be kept secret with the greatest care. Obtaining this, the Yogi crosses the ocean of the world. 20. This Mudra described by me is the giver of all desires to the practitioner; it should be practised in secrecy, and ought never to be given to everybody.
2.—MAHA-BANDHA - Having extended the (right) foot, place it on the (left) thigh; contract together the anus and the perenium, draw the apana vayu upwards and join it with the samana vayu; bend the prana vayu downwards, and then let the wise Yogi bind them in trinity in the navel (i.e. the prana and the apana should be forced to join with the samana in the navel). I have told you now the Mahabandbha, which shows the way to emancipation. By this, all the fluids in the vessels of the body of the Yogi are driven or propelled towards the head. This should be practised with great care alternately with both feet. 22. Through this practice, the wind enters the middle channel of the Sushumna, the body is invigorated by it, the bones are firmly knitted, the heart of the Yogi becomes full (of cheerfulness). By this Bandha, the great Yogi accomplishes all his desires.
3.—MAHA-VEDHA - O goddess of the three worlds, when the Yogi, while performing the Mahabandha, causes the union of the prana and apana vayus, and filling in the viscera with air drives it slowly towards the nates, it is called Mahavedha. 24. The best of the Yogis having, through the help of the vayu, pierced with this perforator, the knot which is in the path of Sushumna, should then pierce the knot of Brahma. 25. He who practises this Mahavedha (the great perforation) with great secrecy, obtains vayu-siddhi (success over the wind). It destroys decay and death. 26. The gods residing in the circles (nervous plexuses and ganglionic centres) tremble owing to the gentle influx and eflux of air in pranayama); the great goddes Kundali Maha Maya is also absorbed in the mount Kailasa.
- The Mahamudra and Mahabandha become fruitless if they are not followed by Maha-vedha; therefore the Yogi should practice all these three successively with great care. 28. He who practices these three daily four times with great care, undoubtedly conquers death within six months. 29. Only the adept knows the importance of these three and no one else; knowing these, the practitioner obtains all psychic powers. 30. This should be kept in great secrecy by the practitioner desirous of obtaining power; otherwise it is certain, that the coveted powers can never be obtained through the practice of Mudras.
4.—KHECHARI. - The wise Yogi sitting in vajrasana posture, should firmly fix his gaze on the spot in the middle of the two eye-brows, in a place free from all disturbance; and reversing the tongue backwards, fix it in the hollow under the epi-glottis placing it with great care on the mouth of the well of nectar. This Mudra, described by me for the gratification of my devotees, is the Khechari-Mudra. 32. O, my beloved! know this to be the source of all psychic power; always practising it let him drink the ambrosia daily. By this he obtains vigraha-siddhi (psychic power over the microcosm) even as a lion to the elephant of death. 33. Whether pure or impure, in whatever condition one may be, if success be obtained in the Khechari, he becomes pure. There is no doubt in it. 34. He who practises it even for a moment crosses the great ocean of sins, and having enjoyed the pleasures of Devachan, is born into a noble family. 35. He who practises this Khechari-Mudra calmly and unrestrained, counts as seconds the period of hundred Brahmas. 36. He who knows this Khechari-Mudra according to the instructions of his Guru, obtains the highest end, though immersed in great sins. 37. O, ye adored of gods, this Mudra dear as life should not be given to everybody; it should be concealed with great care. 5.—JALANDHARA.
- Having contracted the muscles of the throat, to press the chin on the breast, is said to be the JalandharaMudra; even gods reckon it as inestimable. The fire in the region of the navel (i.e., the gastric juice) drinks the nectar which exudes out of the thousand-petalled lotus. [In order to prevent the nectar to be thus consumed], he should practise this Bandha. 39. Through this Bandha, the wise Yogi himself drinks the nectar and obtaining immortality, enjoys the three-world. 40. This Jalandhara-Bandha is the giver of psychic powers to the adept; the Yogi desirous of powers should practise it daily.
6.—MULA-BANDHA. - Pressing well the anus with the heel, forcibly to draw upwards the apana vayu slowly by practise, is described as the Mula-Bandha—the destroyer of decay and death. 42. If in the course of the practise of this Mudra the Yogi can unite the apana with the prana vayu, then it becomes of course the Yoni-Mudra. 43. He who has accomplished the Yoni-Mudra, what can he not accomplish in this world? Sitting in the padmasana posture, free from idleness, the Yogi, leaving the ground, moves through the air in virtue of this Mudra. 44. If the wise Yogi is desirous of crossing the ocean of the world, let him practise theis Bandha in secret, in a retired place. 45. Putting the head on the ground, let him stretch out his legs upwards, moving them round and round. This is Vipa-rit-karana, kept secret in all the Tantras. 46. The Yogi who practises it daily for three hours, conquers death and is not destroyed even in the Great Pralaya. 47. He who drinks nectar becomes equal to an adept; he who practises this Bandha becomes an adept among all creatures.
8.—UDDANA-BANDHA.
- When the intestines above and below the navel are brought to the left side, it is called the UddanaBandha—the destroyer of all sins and sorrows. The left vessels of the viscera should be brought above the navel. This is Uddana-Bandha, the lion of the elephant of death. 49. The Yogi who always practices it four times a day, purifies thereby his navel, through which the winds are purified. 50. By practicing it for six months, the Yogi certainly conquers death; the fire of the stomach (the gastric juice) is kindled, and there takes place an increase of the fluids of the body. 51. Through this consequence the vigraha-siddhi is obtained. All the diseases of the Yogi are certainly destroyed by it. 52. Having found out a Guru, the wise Yogi should practise it with great care. This most inaccessible Mudra should be practised in a retired and undisturbed place.
9.—VAJRONI-MUDRA - Actuated by mercy for my devotees, I shall now explain the Vajroni-Mudra, the destroyer of the darkness of the world, the most secret among all the secrets. 54. Even while following all his desires, and without conforming to the regulations of Yoga, a householder can become emancipated, if he practices the Vajroni-Mudra. 55. This Vajroni Yoga practice, gives emancipation even when one is immersed in sensuality; therefore it should be practiced by the Yogi with great care. 56. First let the talented practitioner introduce into his own body, according to the proper methods, the germ cells from the female organ of generation, by suction up through the tube of the meatus urinarius; restraining in his own semen, let him practice copulation. If by chance the semen begins to move, let him stop its emission by the practice of the Yoni-Mudra. Let him place place the semen on the left hand duct, and stop further intercourse. After a while, let him continue it again. In accordance with the instructions of his preceptors, and by uttering the sound hoom, let him forcibly draw up through the contraction of the apana vayu the germ cells from the uterus. 57. The Yogi, worshipper of the lotus-feet of his Guru, should, in order to obtain quick success in Yoga, drink milk or nectar in this way. 58. Know semen to be moon-like, and the germ-cells the emblem of sun; let the Yogi make their union in his own body with great care. 59. I am the semen, Sakti (the goddess) is the germ-fluid; when they both are combined, then the Yogi reaches the state of success, and his body becomes brilliant and divine. 60. Ejaculation of the semen is death, preserving it within is life; therefore, let the Yogi preserve his semen with great care. 61. Verily, verily, men are born and die through semen; knowing this, let the Yogi always practice to preserve his semen. 62. When through great efforts success in the preservation of the semen is obtained, what then cannot be achieved in this world? Through the greatness of this preservation, (i.e., through celibacy) one becomes like me in glory. 63. The vindu (semen) causes the pleasure and pain of all creatures living in this world, who are infatuated, are subject to death and decay. For the Yogi, this preservation of semen is the best of all Yogas, and it is the giver of happiness. 64. Though immersed in enjoyments, men get powers through its practice. Through the force of his practice, he becomes an adept in due season, in his present life. 65. The Yogi certainly obtains through this practice all kinds of powers, at the same time enjoying all the innumerable enjoyments of this world. 66. This Yoga can be practised along with much enjoyment; therefore the Yogi should practice it. 67. There are two modifications of the Vajroni, called sahajoni, and amarani. By all means let the Yogi preserve the semen. 68. If at the time of copulation, the vindu is forcibly emitted, and there takes place an union of the sun and the moon, then let him absorb this mixture through the tube of the male organ. This is amarani.
- The method by which the vindu on the point of emission can be withheld through the Yoni-Mudra, is called sahajoni. It is kept secret in all Tantras. 70. Though ultimately the action of them (amarani and sahajoni) is the same, there has arisen difference owing to the difference of nomenclature. Let the Yogi practice them with the greatest care and perseverance. 71. Through love for my devotees, I have revealed this Yoga; it should be kept secret with the greatest care, and not to be given to every body. 72. It is the most secret of all secrets that ever were or shall be; therefore let the prudent Yogi keep it with the greatest secrecy possible. 73. When at the time of voiding urine, the Yogi draws it up forcibly through apana vayu, and keeping it up, discharges it surely and slowly; and practices this daily according to the instructions of his Guru, he obtains the vindu-siddhi power over semen, that gives great powers. 74. He who practices this daily according to the instructions of his Guru does not lose his semen, were he to enjoy a hundred women at a time. 75. O Pavarti, when vindu siddhi is obtained, what else cannot be accomplished? even the inaccessible glory of my godhead can be attained through it.
10.—SAKTI-CHALAN - Let the wise Yogi forcibly and firmly draw up the goddess Kundali sleeping in the adhar lotus, by means of the apana vayu. This is Sakti-Chalan Mudra, the giver of all powers. 77. He who practices this Sakti-Chalan daily, gets increase of life, and destruction of diseases. 78. Leaving sleep, the serpent (i.e., the Kundali) herself goes up; therefore le the Yogi desirous of power practise this. 79. He who practices always this best Sakti-Chalan according to instructions, obtains the vigraha-siddhi, which gives the powers of the anima, etc., and has no fear of death. 80. He who practises the Sakti-Chalan properly for two seconds, and with care, is very near to success. This Mudra should be practised by the Yogi in the proper posture. 81. These are the ten Mudras, whose equal there never was, nor ever shall be; through the practise of any one of them, a person becomes an adept and obtains powers.
