FEAR NOT- ABHAYA MUDRA ( A repost )

[Guest guest]

adi_shakthi16

 

THANKS DB FOR THIS ! yes, we women are always in 'fear' of being

attacked! this is because a woman's 'YONI' is always seen as an

*****object of penetration***** NOT AS A 'SEAT OF CREATION AND

PRESERVATION' - it is the 'birth canal' not just a zone

of 'pleasure' ! in sanskrit, there is a verse which goes like this- "

para stri matruvath" - all othe women except your own wife are to be

worshipped as mothers! that is why in 'maithuna' (one of the pancha

makaras) you are encouraged to worship the deity within or with your

shakti (your own lawfully wdded wife) !

 

*************************************************

 

what is ****mudra****? we often hear this term 'mudra' being

mentioned in meditation or in classical indian dance forms -we also

see the the sculptures of gods/goddessses represent various mudras

with their hands.

 

Mudras are HAND GESTURES- a non-verbal way of expressing one's

thoughts or ideas- a kind of what we call *****sign language*****

 

When you see the hand mudra of a deity or a meditating saint like

buddha, they evoke in your mind certain 'divine' powers of the

deities or the saints. such mudras are sometimes more 'powerful'

than the spoken word.

 

These mudras are also used by monks, sages or saints in spiritual

exercises or meditation .such hand gestures are also used very

effectively in indian dance forms like bhratanatyam , kathak,

kathakali, manipuri etc.

 

One of my favorite mudras is --- Abhaya Mudra.

 

What does the word abhaya mean? bhaya means *****fear***** abhaya-

means 'without fear" or fearlessness!

 

This mudra symbolizes protection, peace, and the dispelling of fear.

It is made with the right hand raised to shoulder height, the arm

crooked, the palm of the hand facing outward, and the fingers upright

and joined. The left hand hangs down at the side of the body. It is

nearly always used in images showing the Buddha upright, either

immobile with the feet joined, or walking.

 

"This mudra, which initially appears to be a natural gesture, was

probably used from prehistoric times as a sign of good intentions -

the hand raised and unarmed proposes friendship, or at least peace;

since antiquity, it was also a gesture asserting power"

 

THERE IS AN INTERESTING LEGEND ASSOCIATED with 'abhaya mudra' in the

buddhist tradition. Devadatta, a cousin of the Buddha, through

jealousy caused a schism to be caused among the disciples of Buddha.

As Devadatta's pride increased, he attempted to murder the Buddha.

 

One of his schemes involved loosing a rampaging elephant into the

Buddha's path. But as the elephant approached him, Buddha displayed

the Abhaya mudra, which immediately calmed the animal. Accordingly,

it indicates not only the appeasement of the senses, but also the

absence of fear. The primary function of abhaya mudra is

the "transformation of fear into something positive like protection. "

 

When we approach our divine mother kali, we need to 'shut our mind

and intellect' and approach her 'with our heart' - we approach HER

WITH THE SIMPLICITY OF A CHILD. IS IT EASY TO UNDERSTAND MOTHER

KALI? NO, SAYS OUR POET RAMPRASAD- EVEN THE SIX DARSHANAS CANNOT

DESCRIBE HER FULLY! SHE IS BEYOND THE REALM OF MIND OR INTELLECT! if

any understyanding comes, it is only because of her 'divine' grace!

it is our ******EGO***** WHICH SEPERATES THE DEVOTEE FROM REACHING

THE LOTUS FEET OF THE MOTHER.

 

WE SEE MOTHER KALI WEARING THE GARLAND OF SKULLS- there are many

interpretations - each skull represnt the various tamo gunas like

lust, anger, coveteousness, pride, delusion jealousy, and all the

other base instincts ! but with her sword of discrimination, mother

kali ***cuts*** those base qualities and gives us protection !

 

Our divine mother is compassionate - ya devi sarva bhuteshu daya

rupena samstitha- says the devi bhagvatam. all you need is purity of

heart!

 

our divine mother says "Have no fear!" with her right hand –the

posture of abhaya mudra.

 

"Mother, I do not know anything. All I know is I just love you and

need your help." total surrender ! mother kali's lap is your

ultimate seat of freedom!

 

"Oh Mother, I do not know anything. Give me a glimpse of thy Divine

self. Give me a taste of your proximity."

 

MOTHER KALI IS THE COOL BREEZE! SHE IS A RAY OF SUNSHINE!

 

THUS, mother kali grants us boons with her 'varada' mudra and offers

us 'protection' with her 'abhaya' mudra.

 

"Aranye Sharanye gatis tvam, gatis tvam, twameka bhavani.Oh Maa! I

am trapped in this wilderness, I do not know anything. I do not know

how to do puja, I don't know the pranayam, this, that, all I know is

I come under your protection. You are the only perfect

Mother that I know of, that I can turn to." This prayer is the

height of devotion.

 

"I know how to pray to you", ego is there. If the devotee says, "I

know the pranayama, and I know the nitayas, and I know the slokas,

and the mantras, I am calling you, so why don't you come?No,"

say, "I do not know anything. All I know is I need your help."

 

contemplate on this image of the divine mother kali----

 

KALI'S lower right hand is held in the varada mudra, extended to

offer a boon. One of her greatest boons is fearlessness, indicated

by her upper right hand, held in the abhaya mudra, upright with the

palm outward. Her upper left hand brandishes a bloodied curving

sword, and her lower left hand dangles a freshly severed head.

 

Behind these apparent symbols of destruction lies a different story.

The sword symbolizes the higher knowledge that cuts through

appearances and reveals things as they really are. The severed head

represents the human ego, the limiting sense of I-me-and-mine that

she slays. Together Kali's four hands seem to say, "Take refuge in

me, let go of your existential fear, let me slay your illusion of

smallness and separation, and you will merge into my infinite bliss."

 

JAI MAHAKALI!

 

JAI GURUDEVA!

 

P.S. GATHERED FROM VARTIOUS SOURCES AND PRESENTED WITH CHANGES.