29 - Discourses on Tantra Volume Two

Chapter 6

The Dialogues of Shiva and Párvatii – 2 (2)

Mudrá directly touches the mind. For instance, if one calls to a person, as soon as the sound vibrations of “Come” touch the person’s ears, they directly reach the mind. But the person can be made to understand through mudrás [gestures of the fingers] also. Similar are the cases of expressing that one feels hot and sweaty, that one feels thirsty, etc., without speaking, through different physical gestures. Hence, mudrá has shánta bháva [it is peaceful, calm]. It is just the opposite of táńd́ava, and that is why it is known as lalita [graceful].

The posture of sitting which creates madhura bháva in the body is known as lalita mudrá or lalitásana. You will see different idols from ancient times of devadeviis [gods and goddesses] sitting on lotus flowers in lalita mudrá.

In ancient times those who were superior to the mass were known as devatás.

Sarve ca pashavah santi talavad bhútale naráh; Teśáḿ jiṋána prakásháya viirabhávah prakáshitah. Viirabhávaḿ sadá prápya krameńa devatá bhavet.

–Rudrayámala Tantra

[In the beginning everyone is a pashu, an animal. But when spiritual thirst develops, these people become viira, heroic. And when they are firmly established in viirabháva, they become devatás.]

When people were being taught táńd́ava and lalita, they found difficulty with both. With táńd́ava they found difficulty in jumping, and with lalita they felt troubled in expressing the correct bháva [ideation] through mudrá. Therefore they requested Lord Shiva and Párvatii to bring about a balance between the two. Párvatii posed some questions, Shiva replied, and a balance was brought about for the good of the people. The new [beat or rhythmic expression] thus produced was called tála – tá from táńd́ava and la from lalita.

In spiritual practice only a few get the chance to listen to spiritual discourses, and only a few among those few understand. And fewer yet are there who follow the path. And among those who follow the path, only a counted few reach the goal. Therefore, that Párvatii got the opportunity to ask spiritual questions and to listen to the answers, and that Shiva could make her understand, was a very rare thing. The questions of Párvatii, together with Shiva’s practical answers, can be called “philosophico-spiritual cult”. This means the combination of all philosophy, pariprashna, and spiritual practice, along with Shiva’s practical answers. The questions of Párvatii are known as nigama shástra, and the answers of Shiva are known as ágama shástra. The combined name of ágama and nigama is Tantra.

Ágataḿ Shivavaktrebhyoh gataiṋca Girijáshrutao; Mataiṋca Vásudevasya tasmádágama ucyate.

Ágataḿ Shivavaktrebhyoh refers to “Shiva’s answers”. The first letter of ágatam is á, and the first letter of gataiṋca Girijáshrutao(2) is ga. And the first letter of mataiṋca Vásudevasya – “this is the Lord’s thought” – is ma. Tasmat ágama ucyate – “therefore it is known as á-ga-ma, that is, ágama.”