Khecarimudra, Khecarīmudrā, Khecari-mudra: 5 definitions
Introduction:
Khecarimudra means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
Alternative spellings of this word include Khecharimudra.
In Hinduism
Yoga (school of philosophy)
Khecarīmudrā (खेचरीमुद्रा):—In Śaivism, Khecarī is a specific type of etheric Yoginī, and a mudrā or mantra (vidyā) is named after the deiy or deities with which it is associated. Thus the Khecarīmudrā (written as a compound) of Śaivism can be both “the mudrā of Khecarī/the Khecarīs” (understood as a tatpuruṣa compound) and “the moving in the ether mudrā” (as a karmadhāraya [compound]). In the texts of haṭhayoga there are very few traces of the tantric Yoginī cult, Khecarī has an adjectival rather than substantive force and Khecarī mudrā (often written as two words) has only the latter meaning. Thus Ballāla understands Khecarīmudrā to be so called because it causes the tongue to move in the hollow above the uvula.
Khecarīmudrā (खेचरीमुद्रा).—Khecarīmudrā is the yogic process of drinking the nectar from the sahasrāra. The khecari-mudrā, is performed to stop the nectar of immortality (amrta or in Tamil, Kāyapāl), dripping away through the ‘tooth’ or the ‘palate centre (talu-cakra or uvula, known as the ‘royal tooth’), by turning the tongue back inside the palate and enter in the cavity leading into the skull.
To consume the nectar the practitioner have to turn his tongue back above the palate in order to drink the nectar of immortality dripping from the thousand petalled lotus at the crown (sahasrāra). the practice of turning the tongue back above the palate is known as the khecarī-mudrā in Haṭha-yōga
Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
1) Khecarīmudrā (खेचरीमुद्रा) (or Ghaṭamudrā) is the name of the gesture (mudrā) associated with Oḍḍiyāna, one of the sacred seats (pīṭha), according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Note: Although not all the mantras uttered in the course of a ritual are accompanied by a corresponding gesture, many are, and so are commonly formed (baddha lit. ‘bound’) in quick succession. In this context, the gestures [i.e., khecarī] are, like the other constituents of the seats, channels through which the deity's energy flows and operates. The goddess, as pure spiritual energy, is herself Mudrā—Gesture.
1b Khecarīmudrā (खेचरीमुद्रा) or simply Khecarī is also mentioned as the Gesture (mudrā) associated with Oḍiyāna, one of the sacred seats (pīṭha), according to the Ṣaṭsāhasrasaṃhitā, an expansion of the Kubjikāmatatantra: the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.
Khecarīmudrā (खेचरीमुद्रा) or simply Khecarī refers to one of the ten gestures (daśamudrā or mudrā-daśaka) of the Goddess Nityā Sundarī, according to the Kāmasiddhi-stuti (also Vāmakeśvarī-stuti) and the Vāmakeśvaratantra (also known as Nityāṣoḍaśikārṇava).—[...] Although the Vāmakeśvaratantra does not assign a place for the gestures (mudrā) in the maṇḍala, it does describe them and asks the worshipper to use them during the worship. As found in the third chapter of the Vāmakeśvaratantra, these ten gestures are [e.g., khecarīmudrā, ...]
Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
khēcarīmudrā (खेचरीमुद्रा).—f An attitude of the Yogi.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches (+0): Mudra, Khecari.
Full-text (+4): Khecarividya, Citsukha, Cittalayananda, Layananda, Sukharupini, Sukharupin, Mudrita, Urdhvatas, Mrityubhaya, Seal, Cavity, Beautiful women, Vivara, Fear of death, Samadhi, Dattatreyayogashastra, Jalandharabandha, Vivekamartanda, Bindu Visarga, Amaraughashasana.
Relevant text
Search found 27 books and stories containing Khecarimudra, Khecarīmudrā, Khecari-mudra, Khecarī-mudrā, Khēcarīmudrā; (plurals include: Khecarimudras, Khecarīmudrās, mudras, mudrās, Khēcarīmudrās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Yoga Upanishads (study) (by Heena B. Kotak)
Part 5.2 - The Khecari Mudra and Mantra < [Chapter 3 - Analytical and Critical study of 20 Yoga-Upanishads]
Part 15 - Summary of the Yogacudamani-upanishad (Yogacudamanyupanisad) < [Chapter 2 - Brief survey of the 20 Yoga Upanishads]
Part 3 - The Hathayoga Pradipika and Yoga-upanisads < [Chapter 4 - Comparative study of the Yoga-Upanishads with the other Yogic texts]
Yogatattva Upanishad (translation and study) (by Sujata Jena)
Part 2 - Practice of Mudra (spiritual gestures) < [Chapter 4 - Ashtanga-yoga and Practice in Yogatattva Upanishad]
Chapter 2b - English translation of the Yogatattva Upanishad
Shaiva Tantra: A way of Self-awareness (by L. N. Sharma)
Chapter 7 - Mudra practice and Tantric symbolism
Chapter 13 - Psychedelic and Oneiric experiences in Shaiva Tantra
Linga Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 24 - The mode of worship of Śiva (Continued) < [Section 2 - Pūrvabhāga]
The concept of Yoga according to Yoga Upanisads (by Jeong Soo Lee)
2.2. The concept of Mudra (in Yoga) < [Chapter 7 - Hatha, Laya, and Mantra Yoga in the Yogopanisads]
1. The Nature of Hatha-Yoga in Hathayoga Literatures < [Chapter 6 - Hatha Yoga and other types of Yoga]
3.2. Mantrayoga according to the Yoga-Upanisads < [Chapter 7 - Hatha, Laya, and Mantra Yoga in the Yogopanisads]
Cidvilasastava by Amrtananda (by Brian Campbell and Ben Williams)