FW: Symbolic Gestures (article Yoga Journal Dec, 02)

[Guest guest]

Dear Group Members,

 

Can any of you shed light on what Ramakrisha's hands might be saying? If I

hear from Mr. Rviz, I will post it for you.

 

Ralph Brockway

 

 

----------

Ralph Brockway <ralphbrockway

Wed, 12 Feb 2003 11:33:39 -0500

<editorial

Symbolic Gestures (article YJ Dec, 02)

 

Please forward to Fernando Pages Rviz, Contributing Editor

 

Dear Mr. Rviz,

 

I found your article, " Symbolic Gestures " , in the December issues of Yoga

Journal of great interest because for several years I have been pursuing a

puzzle about a mudra:

 

As you may know, there are three extant pictures of Sri Ramakrishna,

1836-1886. In two of these* the fingers of his right hand are positioned so

that the forefinger and little fingers are pointed outward and the middle

and ring fingers bent inward to the palm. The thumb is bent across the palm

in one photo and spread outward in the other. The left hand in both

pictures also seems to be expressing a mudra, although specifics are not

clear.

 

I have inquired about this to several swamis and former swamis of the

Ramakrishna Order, including my teacher, the late Sachindra Majumdar, who

was a disciple of one of the direct disciples of Ramakrishna and knew many

of the early swamis. No one seems to know what the mudra might symbolize.

The meaning appears to have been lost.

 

I think it's obvious that Ramakrishna is saying something with his hands in

these photos, and if appropriate I would very much appreciate an

interpretation from you that might shed some light on the matter.

 

Sincerely,

 

Ralph Brockway

 

*1.) Photo portrait of Ramakrishna standing with right arm resting on a

pedestal taken at the Studio of Bengal Photographers on 10 December 1881;

2.) Photo of Sri Ramakrishna standing in ectasy taken on 21 September 1879.

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

The pictures referred to are in the book: Sri Ramakrishna - A

Biography in Pictures - 2nd edition, July 1981 , Advaita Ashrama,

Mayavati; pp. 57 and 71.

 

The mudras in both pictures look identical, but from different

angles.

 

Diagrams of the mudras are in the book, Worship of Sri

Ramakrishna - by Sw. Hitananda, 3rd revised ed. 1982, Ramakrishna

Math, Mylapore, Madras.

 

According to the diagrams: the right is showing the vyAna-

mudrA (#14c) [also called mriga-mudrA]; and the left hand prANa-mudrA

(#14a).

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

 

 

 

 

Ramakrishna , Ralph Brockway

<ralphbrockway@e...> wrote:

> Dear Group Members,

>

> Can any of you shed light on what Ramakrisha's hands might be

saying? If I

> hear from Mr. Rviz, I will post it for you.

>

> Ralph Brockway

>

>

> ----------

> Ralph Brockway <ralphbrockway@e...>

> Wed, 12 Feb 2003 11:33:39 -0500

> <editorial>

> Symbolic Gestures (article YJ Dec, 02)

>

> Please forward to Fernando Pages Rviz, Contributing Editor

>

> Dear Mr. Rviz,

>

> I found your article, " Symbolic Gestures " , in the December issues

of Yoga

> Journal of great interest because for several years I have been

pursuing a

> puzzle about a mudra:

>

> As you may know, there are three extant pictures of Sri Ramakrishna,

> 1836-1886. In two of these* the fingers of his right hand are

positioned so

> that the forefinger and little fingers are pointed outward and the

middle

> and ring fingers bent inward to the palm. The thumb is bent across

the palm

> in one photo and spread outward in the other. The left hand in both

> pictures also seems to be expressing a mudra, although specifics

are not

> clear.

>

> I have inquired about this to several swamis and former swamis of

the

> Ramakrishna Order, including my teacher, the late Sachindra

Majumdar, who

> was a disciple of one of the direct disciples of Ramakrishna and

knew many

> of the early swamis. No one seems to know what the mudra might

symbolize.

> The meaning appears to have been lost.

>

> I think it's obvious that Ramakrishna is saying something with his

hands in

> these photos, and if appropriate I would very much appreciate an

> interpretation from you that might shed some light on the matter.

>

> Sincerely,

>

> Ralph Brockway

>

> *1.) Photo portrait of Ramakrishna standing with right arm resting

on a

> pedestal taken at the Studio of Bengal Photographers on 10 December

1881;

> 2.) Photo of Sri Ramakrishna standing in ectasy taken on 21

September 1879.

[Guest guest]

-

<sunderh

<Ramakrishna >

Friday, February 14, 2003 08:05

[sri Ramakrishna] Re: FW: Symbolic Gestures (article Yoga Journal

Dec, 02)

 

 

> Namaste,

>

> The pictures referred to are in the book: Sri Ramakrishna - A

> Biography in Pictures - 2nd edition, July 1981 , Advaita Ashrama,

> Mayavati; pp. 57 and 71.

>

> The mudras in both pictures look identical, but from different

> angles.

>

> Diagrams of the mudras are in the book, Worship of Sri

> Ramakrishna - by Sw. Hitananda, 3rd revised ed. 1982, Ramakrishna

> Math, Mylapore, Madras.

>

> According to the diagrams: the right is showing the vyAna-

> mudrA (#14c) [also called mriga-mudrA]; and the left hand prANa-mudrA

> (#14a).

>

>

> Regards,

>

> Sunder

 

 

Dear Sunder

 

Do you know what these mudra's represent?

Can you say anything more about them?

 

jay

[Guest guest]

>

> Dear Sunder

>

> Do you know what these mudra's represent?

> Can you say anything more about them?

>

> jay

 

Namaste Jay,

 

Here is a brief introduction to a vast subject:

 

http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/yoga/yoga_07.html

 

" Mudra is a symbol. It also means a seal or fixing up of the limbs.

The two types of Mudras are those which seal up the Prana and which

symbolise meaning by a gesture. "

 

It would be impossible to speculate on what the mudras would

signify in Thakur's case, unless He Himself revealed it to

the 'adhikari'(qualified) initiates, as he was an adept in so many

different shastras.

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

For more elaborate discussion of the Pancha Pranas, pl.

visit:

 

http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/vaish/vaishv_3a.html

 

http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/brdup/brhad_III-09d.html

 

It is interesting to note that certain 'kriyas' in puja

automatically result in vyAna mudrA: for example, when one offers

flowers in archana, the index and little fingers are not used;

similarly, when counting the beads on the rosary (japa-mAlA) the same

fingers are not used!

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ramakrishna , " Sunder Hattangadi

<sunderh@h...> " <sunderh@h...> wrote:

>

> >

> > Dear Sunder

> >

> > Do you know what these mudra's represent?

> > Can you say anything more about them?

> >

> > jay

>

> Namaste Jay,

>

> Here is a brief introduction to a vast subject:

>

> http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/yoga/yoga_07.html

>

> " Mudra is a symbol. It also means a seal or fixing up of the limbs.

> The two types of Mudras are those which seal up the Prana and which

> symbolise meaning by a gesture. "

>

> It would be impossible to speculate on what the mudras

would

> signify in Thakur's case, unless He Himself revealed it to

> the 'adhikari'(qualified) initiates, as he was an adept in so many

> different shastras.

>

> Regards,

>

> Sunder