The joy or distress experienced by the mind is the result of the impressions conveyed by the senses. All experiences are products of the mind. The world itself is the projection of the mind. The mind can bring remote things near or send near things afar. It is the source of pleasure or pain. The sages have declared: ‘Mano mulam idam jagat.’ (This universe is based on the mind).
The mind seeks to acquire something with much effort in the hope that its possession will give pleasure. But the pleasure derived from it does not last long. And the sorrow caused by its loss is considerable. There is trouble during the process of acquisition. Possession confers only temporary pleasure. The loss of the object leaves a trail of misery. Very often the pain from loss exceeds the pleasure from gain. It is a futile waste of one’s life to go after such transient pleasures. Realising the meaninglessness of such pursuits the sages practised self-control as the means to enduring happiness. They evolved the technique of turning the senses and the mind inward to seek the source of lasting bliss.
This technique is described as Tantra. It consists of a variety of practices called Mudras: Khechari Mudra; Bhoochari Mudra; Madhyama Mudra; Shanmukhi Mudra and Shambhavi Mudra. By practising these mudras, the sages tried to turn the senses and the mind inwards.
Khechari Mudra: It consists in concentrating the two eyes on the mid-point between the eye-brows during meditation. This exercise enables the integration of vision by which one’s Reality is experienced. This Mudra can also be practised by closing the eyes, but concentrating the look inwardly on the mid-point between the brows. Performing the Mudra with open eyes is an ordeal. Hence concentration with closed eyes is preferred.
Bhoochari Mudra: In this, meditation is done with the eyes and the mind concentrated upon the tip of the nose. When the Divine is meditated upon in this manner, a unique kind of joy is experienced.
Madhyama Mudra: In this, the eyes are concentrated on the middle of the nose between the tip and the mid-point of the brows. Unlike the Bhoochari Mudra, in which the eyes may be fully open, in this the eyes are only half-open. This Mudra becomes easier after practising the Bhoochari Mudra.
Shanmukhi Mudra: This is a very sacred exercise. It is also a very difficult one to practise. It consists in closing with the fingers of both the hands the eyes, the ears and the two nostrils. By gradual practice, one should try to practise this Mudra for as long as seven minutes at a stretch. Inhaling of breath should be done once in seven minutes. Through regular practice, this form of sense control can become a habit. No discomfort will be felt from control of the breath. By this practice, all the sense organs and the mind get absorbed in exploring the internal. The purpose of this discipline is to turn the sense organs away from the influence of happenings and objects in the outer world.
For instance, when the ears hear sounds from outside, the mind gets excited or pleased. Similarly when the eyes see certain objects or persons, the mind is influenced one way or the other. But by closing the eyes and the ears, the mind is induced to think less about the outer world and thereby made to achieve some kind of serenity. By closing the nostrils, the mind is saved from the influence of odours. Hence, when the organs of sight, hearing and smell are controlled, the mind is turned inwards.
Today all our sense organs are totally absorbed in experiencing the external world. Listening to some gossip or hearing about some stranger, people develop an unhealthy curiosity regarding men and things.
All our thoughts are influenced by what we see, hear or smell. We must try to control the sense organs, especially the ears and the eyes. When you close your eyes even for a brief moment, you will be able to hear the sound ‘Om’ coming from within you. This pranava sound can be heard when you close all the doors and windows in a room and let the wind blow through a small chink.
The body is like a house, which contains the ten indriyas, of which four are important-the eyes, the ears, the nose and the mouth. When you close these four openings, the sound ‘Om’ which arises from within can be heard. It represents the primal sound-the Nada Bindu. The light of the Atma shines beyond this primal sound. Hence the Divine is hailed as Nada Bindu Kalaatita-‘one who transcends the range of the all-pervading Nada (Pranava)’ The purpose of the Shanmukha Mudra is to revel to us the vibrations of the ‘Om’. When we concentrate on this ‘Om’, the senses and the mind turn away from the external to the inner world of the Spirit.
Control of the mind is the means to Moksha (liberation). Purity of mind is the primary requisite. When the mind is free from bad thoughts and is filled with good sankalpas (good thoughts) it is called Citta (consciousness).
The Tamil saint Tiruthondar declared in one of his hymns: ‘Oh Rama! I am worshipping you with a pure mind!’
Shambhavi Mudra: This Mudra aims at controlling the five Karmendriyas, the five jnanendriyas and the four psychic agencies-Manas, Buddhi, Cittam and Ahamkara. All these fourteen elements have to be directed towards the spiritual quest. The Aham (I) is sustained by Ahamkara (egoism), Citta, Buddhi and Manas. When Ahamkara is destroyed, the Citta (Heart) becomes purified. A pure Citta imparts illumination to the Buddhi (intelligence or discriminating power.) When the Buddhi is illumined the mind becomes pure. And only a pure mind can control the sense organs and direct them in the right path.
The ego may be inflated by any number of things. It may be wealth, knowledge, power, position, beauty or intelligence. Such self-conceit is invariably associated with bad traits. It indicates the dominance of the sense organs over one’s mind. Many are likely to feel proud about their knowledge or intellectual ability. But knowledge and intelligence without character and good conduct have no value. Learning by rote what is contained in books, without fully understanding their meaning or putting the knowledge to practical use, is a futile verbal exercise. Information from books and intellectual ability do not constitute culture. A truly cultured person is one who understands what he studies and makes proper use of that knowledge.
As regards the knowledge of the mudras referred to earlier, some may try to practise them. There is nothing wrong in doing so. The three mudras - Khechari Mudra, Shanmukhi Mudra and Shambhavi Mudra - are of immense value in developing control of the mind. The practice of these mudras is closely related to the awakening of the shat-chakras (the six centres) in the spinal column. (SSS Vol.19, pp. 120-125)