Svacchandatantra, chapter 14 (Summary)

The opening dialogue of this book (p. 109) announces a new, unrequested topic, the use of poses (mudra), as employed in this text. 1 This introduction might suggest, therefore, that this book contains directions for poses used in numerous rituals throughout the text. As explained by Kshemaraja in his opening commentary, however, and later noted in the text itself, this book explains only those poses used in the worship of Svacchanda-bhairava. 2 More precisely, this book describes eighteen poses, which the master executes during the interior worship of Svacchandah, and which imitate the weapons and poses displayed by his eighteen arms. 3 Although the text explicitly enjoins the display of these poses only during the course of this worship, another half-verse, and the commentary of Ksernarajah indicate that, by extension, some of 1 V. vs.la, p.109: "mudranam laksanam vaksye asmimstantre yathasthitam. " 2 After enumerating all the poses, a summary verse (p.120, vs. 20) states that the master displays them at the summoning, placing, and dismissing of bhairava (eta mudra mahadevi bhairavasya pradarsayet/avahane nirodhe ca tatha caiva visar jane."). This verse is intended, according to Kshemaraja, to preclude objections, which he anticipates (p.121), that the text has here failed to be exhaustive in its list of gestures. Instead, he argues, this book collects only those gestures whose display has been enjoined during the daily interior worship of bhairava described in the second book (V. bk.2, p.60, vs. 102 b: "mudram pradarsayetpascattridha traikalyakarmani, "and his cross-references there to this book.) 3 For the meditative visualization of this form of Svacchandah, v. bk.II, pp.51 ff. Kshemaraja, therefore, qualifies (pp. 109-110) the general phrase, "in this text," in the opening verse (p.109) categorizing the poses to be described, as referring to the poses which have the form of the imitation of the weapons of the lord ("bhagavadayudhanukararupa ya mudrah tasam laksanam tattvavyavasthapakam rupam vaksyamiti").

363 these poses should be used in rituals for other forms of Svacchandah and for members of his retinue. 1 This book forms a counterpart, therefore, to the first book, which collected, as a type of reference work, the formula related to Svacchandah and his retinue. Kshemaraja considers this book necessary in order for the text to fulfill its self-definition as a complete scripture teaching the four bases (pitham), of formula (mantrah), of female-formula (vidya), of diagram (mandalam), and of poses. 2 After the introductory dialogue, the text gives short directions (pp. 110-120) for forming the eighteen poses which include: the skull (kapalam); the staff (khatvangam); the sword (khadgah); the shield (spharah); the hook (ankusah); the noose (pasah); the arrow (naracah); the bow (pinakam); the fearlessness giving (abhayah); the boon-giving (varadah); the bell (ghanta); the trident (trisulam); the staff (dandah); the thunderbolt (vajram); the drum (damaruh); the hammer (mudgarah); the lute (vina); the ax (parasuh). Kshemaraja compares and occasionally corrects the hand and finger movements prescribed by referring to the Purvasastram. 3 For the significance of these poses, which imitate the weapons or the unidivided powers 1 V. p. 121, vs.21 a: "kapalam caiva khatvangamanuktesu pradarsayet. "This half-verse follows the previously mentioned instruction to use these poses in the worship of bhairava. Kshemaraja interprets (p. 121) "for those not stated" to refer to the members of the retinue of bhairava, for whom the skull and sword pose should be employed: "ye vaktrangabhairavadya avaranasthah tesam sadharanam mudrabandham. "Kshemaraja cites (p.110) the same half verse enjoining a general application to the retinue and to the form of Kottaraksah to explain the listing of these two poses first and out of their previous order: "kapalakhatvangayoh sarvavaranagatadevatasadharanatvat srikotaraksabhattarakavisaye ca tayoh pradhanyadadau tanmudralaksanamaha. " 2 Cf. bk.1, p.10, and supra section 1.1.1 on traditional classifications of scriptures. 3 V. M.K. Shastri, ed., Malinivijayottaratantram 7, pp.35 ff.

364 of Svacchandah, and which thus identify the worshipper with him, Kshemaraja refers to the teaching of Abhinavagupta and to his own work, "the Blessed Panegyric on Imitation of bhairava," (Sribhairavanukaranastotram).1 This work recapitulates in more elaborate verse the exoteric exegesis offered earlier in his commentary on Svacchanda's attributes in the second book. Therein, for example, the sword symbolizes his power of knowledge which cuts off the bondage of transmigration caused by ignorance.2 At the end of this enumeration (p.120), Kshemaraja rejects previous interpretations due to corrupt readings and interpolations which he claims to have corrected using reliable older texts. To the text's directions, he adds the teaching of Abhinavagupta that these poses should be considered secret. They should be performed therefore, in a private place. If they must be performed in a public place, the hands should be covered with a cloth or they should be done mentally. This section concludes with the summary verses (pp. 120-121) that prescribe the usage of these poses. Without introductory or transitional dialogue, a list then follows (pp. 121-122) correlating these gestures with colors; the lute, for example, is golden, the staff, red. Kshemaraja introduces this list as presenting the mental form of the poses. In his commentary on the text's injunction in the second book, which stated that poses should be displayed in three ways, Kshemaraja quotes a tradition (arnayah) that each pose has three 1 Edited by Raniero Gnoli, pp.223-226 in "Miscellanea Indica," East and West 9 (1958): pp.215-266. 2 V. p.112: "antahsaktikrpanim vyanaksi samsrtivibhedinimasina / nijasaktimahimasvikrtasamastavisva hi viravarah. "Cf. bk.2, p.54: "khadgena jnanasaktyatmana pasacchedanam. "

365 expressions. 1 According to this teaching, the pose embodies the radiating powers of the supreme lord, and can thus be contemplated not only in a physical manifestation but also in a mental and a verbal manifestation. A verse next declares (pp. 122-123) that the basis of poses (mudrapithah), which yield fruit for the four classes, i.e., of Saiva initiates as Kshemaraja explains, has been discussed. After this seeming conclusion, however, another verse describes (p. 123) the third, verbal expression of the poses. These pose formula, as it were, consist of the Pranavah, then the name of the pose, followed by namah. As Kshemaraja notes, since the poses are in essence the powers of the lord, just like these powers, they have a formula manifestation. These second and third expressions of the poses, which lack an introduction, and which surround an apparent concluding verse, may be secondary additions stimulated by later speculative elaborations of the meaning of poses. In the absence of external information, however, the historical construction of this book can not be determined with certainty. Additional verses (pp. 123-124) then close the book by lauding the efficacy of these poses. Referring to the Purvasastram, Kshemaraja explains that though all classes of Saiva initiates employ these poses, they especially belong to the repertoire of practices used by adepts. 2 1 V. bk.2, p.60: "manoja guruvaktrastha vagbhava mantrasambhava/dehodbhavangaviksepairmudreyam trividha smrta." 2 He quotes M.K. Shastri, ed., Malinivijayottaratantram 7, 1, p.35: "athatah sampravaksyami mudrakhyah sivasaktayah yabhih samraksito mantri mantrasiddhimavapnuyat. '