{"id":429,"date":"2017-10-18T09:06:50","date_gmt":"2017-10-18T09:06:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/matsyendranatha.com\/?p=429"},"modified":"2017-10-18T09:06:50","modified_gmt":"2017-10-18T09:06:50","slug":"sarabha-from-the-yogic-and-tantric-perspective","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/matsyendranatha.com\/?p=429","title":{"rendered":"\u015aarabha from the yogic and tantric perspective"},"content":{"rendered":"

The name of \u015aarabha<\/em> is first mentioned in the Rig Veda<\/em>, in the hymn to Indra<\/em> and V\u0101yu<\/em>, he is mentioned as a relative of \u1e5b\u1e63i<\/em> (\u0936\u0930\u092d\u093e\u092f \u090b\u0937\u093f \u092c\u0928\u094d\u0927\u0935\u0947 \u015barabh\u0101ya<\/em> \u1e5b\u1e63i<\/em> bandhave<\/em>):<\/p>\n

\u0935\u093f\u0936\u094d\u0935\u0947\u0924\u094d\u0924\u093e \u0924\u0947 \u0938\u0935\u0928\u0947\u0937\u0941 \u092a\u094d\u0930\u0935\u093e\u091a\u094d\u092f\u093e \u092f\u093e \u091a\u0915\u0930\u094d\u0925 \u092e\u0918\u0935\u0928\u094d\u0928\u093f\u0928\u094d\u0926\u094d\u0930 \u0938\u0941\u0928\u094d\u0935\u0924\u0947 \u0964
\n\u092a\u093e\u0930\u093e\u0935\u0924\u0902 \u092f\u0924\u094d\u092a\u0941\u0930\u0941\u0938\u092e\u094d\u092d\u0943\u0924\u0902 \u0935\u0938\u094d\u0935\u092a\u093e\u0935\u0943\u0923\u094b\u0903 \u0936\u0930\u092d\u093e\u092f \u090b\u0937\u093f\u092c\u0928\u094d\u0927\u0935\u0947 \u0965\u096c\u0965<\/p>\n

vi\u015bvett\u0101 te savane\u1e63u prav\u0101cy\u0101 y\u0101 cakartha maghavannindra sunvate \u0964<\/em>
\n p\u0101r\u0101vata\u1e43 yatpurusambh\u1e5bta\u1e43 vasvap\u0101v\u1e5b\u1e47o\u1e25 \u015barabh\u0101ya \u1e5b\u1e63ibandhave \u0965 6 \u0965<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh, Meghavan (the name of Indra, who was crowned on Mount Mekhvan)! All your actions, which grant the well-being to P\u0101r\u0101vana and gathered in large numbers for \u015aarabha, who is a relative of \u1e5b\u1e63i, are worthy of praise at performing sacrifices.<\/em><\/p>\n

Besides the mention, also, in the Atharva Veda<\/em>, an interesting reference of\u00a0\u015aarabha<\/em> is found in\u00a0\u015aatapatha-brahmana<\/em>, where he is mentioned as kimpuru\u1e63a<\/em> (a half-human, a half-animal):<\/p>\n

\u0938 \u092f\u0902 \u092a\u0941\u0930\u0941\u0937\u092e\u093e\u0932\u092d\u0928\u094d\u0924 \u0964 \u0938 \u0915\u093f\u092e\u094d\u092a\u0941\u0930\u0941\u0937\u094b\u093d\u092d\u0935\u0926\u094d\u092f\u093e\u0935\u0936\u094d\u0935\u0902 \u091a \u0917\u093e\u0902 \u091a \u0924\u094c \u0917\u094c\u0930\u0936\u094d\u091a \u0917\u0935\u092f\u0936\u094d\u091a\u093e\u092d\u0935\u0924\u093e\u0902 \u092f\u092e\u0935\u093f\u092e\u093e\u0932\u092d\u0928\u094d\u0924 \u0938 \u0909\u0937\u094d\u091f\u094d\u0930\u094b\u093d\u092d\u0935\u0926\u094d\u092f\u092e\u091c\u092e\u093e\u0932\u092d\u0928\u094d\u0924 \u0938 \u0936\u0930\u092d\u094b\u093d\u092d\u0935\u0924\u094d\u0924\u0938\u094d\u092e\u093e\u0926\u0947\u0924\u0947\u0937\u093e\u0902 \u092a\u0936\u0942\u0928\u093e\u0902 \u0928\u093e\u0936\u093f\u0924\u0935\u094d\u092f\u092e\u092a\u0915\u094d\u0930\u093e\u0928\u094d\u0924\u092e\u0947\u0927\u093e \u0939\u0948\u0924\u0947 \u092a\u0936\u0935\u0903 \u2013 \u0967.\u0968.\u0969.[\u096f]<\/p>\n

sa ya\u1e43 puru\u1e63am\u0101labhanta\u0964 sa kimpuru\u1e63o’bhavady\u0101va\u015bva\u1e43 ca g\u0101\u1e43 ca tau gaura\u015bca gavaya\u015bc\u0101bhavat\u0101\u1e43 yamavim\u0101labhanta sa u\u1e63\u1e6dro’bhavadyamajam\u0101labhanta sa \u015barabho’bhavattasm\u0101dete\u1e63\u0101\u1e43 pa\u015b\u016bn\u0101\u1e43 n\u0101\u015bitavyamapakr\u0101ntamedh\u0101 haite pa\u015bava\u1e25 \u2013 <\/em>1.2.3.[9]<\/p>\n

He is the person whom they offered as a sacrifice, he became kimpuru\u1e63a; the horse and the bull, which they sacrificed, became a female and a male buffalo, and the sheep that was killed became a camel, the killed goat became \u015aarabha. These animals cannot be eaten, because they are devoid of sacrificial essence.<\/em> 1.2.3.[9]<\/p>\n

Later,\u00a0\u015aarabha<\/em>, also known as\u00a0\u015aalabha<\/em>, is also found in the following\u00a0Pur\u0101\u1e47as<\/em> (\u015ari\u012bmadbh\u0101gavata<\/em>, Matsya<\/em>, Skanda<\/em>, Harivam\u015ba<\/em>,\u00a0\u015aiva and Padma<\/em>\u00a0Pur\u0101\u1e47as<\/em>), as well as in the Mah\u0101bh\u0101rata<\/em> (Vana Parva,\u00a0\u015aanti Parva, Adi Parva, Udyoga Parva, Dro\u1e47a Parva<\/em>), in the R\u0101m\u0101ya\u1e47a<\/em> (in Yuddhakanda<\/em>) and also in various forms in the most diverse Tantras<\/em>. Often he is described as a Deity having four paws, which symbolise the eight forms of\u00a0\u015aiva<\/em>, his thighs symbolise the vy\u0101dhi<\/em> (illnesses) and m\u1e5bityu<\/em> (death) that he controls. His stomach is Vadavagni<\/em> Bhairava<\/em>, B\u0101l\u0101tripurasundari<\/em> is in his heart, in the two wings there are the Goddesses –\u015aulini<\/em> Durg\u0101<\/em>\u00a0and Pratya\u1e45gir\u0101<\/em>, in the throat there is Mahakala Bhairava<\/em>, in his eyes – the sun, the moon and fire, in his claws there are vajras<\/em> of Indra. He also has the face of a lion.<\/p>\n

Basically,\u00a0\u015aarabha<\/em> is known to many up\u0101sakas<\/em> as a form of Bhairava<\/em>, who prevented the contamination with the blood, that Narasi\u1e43ha<\/em> had drunk, killing the demon Hira\u1e47yaka\u015bipu<\/em>. The story is that\u00a0Hira\u1e47yaka\u015bipu<\/em> performed austerities in order to gain the strength not to be killed either on earth or in the air, in the room or on the street, by animals or by men. Then\u00a0Vi\u1e63\u1e47u<\/em> appeared in the guise of a half-lion, half-man. It happened on the steps of a palace (neither in the house nor on the street), he raised\u00a0Hira\u1e47yaka\u015bipu<\/em> and killed him on his own knee (neither on earth nor in the air). However, after drinking the blood of\u00a0Hira\u1e47yaka\u015bipu<\/em>,\u00a0Narasi\u1e43ha<\/em> began to fall under his demonic influence. For that purpose\u00a0\u015a<\/em>iva took the form of\u00a0\u015aarabhe\u015bvara<\/em>, raised\u00a0Narasi\u1e43ha<\/em> above the earth and “dropped” him so that he spewed all the blood of\u00a0Hira\u1e47yaka\u015bipu<\/em> out of himself. Sometimes\u00a0\u015aarabhe\u015bvara<\/em> is called A\u015bu<\/em> Garu\u1e0da<\/em> because he has the ability to fly. In that sense,\u00a0\u015aarabha<\/em> symbolises the strength of a large number of living beings. A modern example might be given: when new types of weapons are being developed, with more sophisticated program control and functional capabilities. In fact,\u00a0\u015aarabha<\/em> is a kind of Deity with\u00a0Narasi\u1e43ha<\/em>‘s “improved” abilities, more advanced to combat demons, with more flexible methods of warfare.<\/p>\n

His name\u00a0\u015aalabha<\/em>, which translates as “grasshopper”, means that the insect is capable of making jumps that resemble a flight, although in general it is on the ground. In honour of him, there is a well-known\u00a0\u015balabh\u0101sana<\/em> in yoga, which is quite powerful;\u00a0\u015aalabha<\/em> or\u00a0\u015aarabha<\/em> is a symbol of strength, he is full of\u00a0\u015aakti<\/em> (energy). Narayanasvami gives a yogic interpretation of the image of\u00a0\u015aarabha<\/em> in his text Tantrika Mah\u0101k\u0101vya<\/em>, for example, that his eight paws mean a\u1e63\u1e6d\u0101\u1e45ga-yoga<\/em>, four of them look upwards (antara\u1e45ga-yoga<\/em>) and four – down (bahira\u1e45ga<\/em>–yoga<\/em>). However, it seems to me,\u00a0\u015aarabha<\/em> can rather be associated with different kinds of living beings and their forces, as many yoga<\/em> texts say, there are as many yogic\u00a0\u0101sanas<\/em> as living beings. Mastering of\u00a0\u0101sanas<\/em> could mean even more than the ability to take different positions of the body, but also probably the awareness of the various vibrational characteristics that fill the entire universe, to realise the main ability – to become a siddha-puru\u1e63a<\/em> and get out of the influence of sa\u1e43s\u0101ra<\/em>\u00a0and m\u0101y\u0101<\/em>.\u00a0\u015aarabha<\/em> is a Deity who removes a magical enchantment, takes the practitioner out of bewitchment by an illusory force. Therefore, he is able to grant spiritual liberation. However, the Deity includes a conglomerate of very different energies, so he is capable of giving a strong transformation, thus s\u0101dhaka<\/em> should have strong self-control and be mature. Tremendous devotion to a real Guru<\/em> (realised Siddha<\/em>), who has realised this Deity and its mantras<\/em> in himself and can transmit it in its full state to his own\u00a0\u015bi\u015bya<\/em> is a necessary part. Otherwise, mantras<\/em> of\u00a0\u015aarabha<\/em>,\u00a0Pratya\u1e45gir\u0101<\/em>, and others can greatly damage the experimenter with such mantras<\/em> and s\u0101dhanas<\/em>. In connection with that, I won\u2019t make any technical information on the practice of such Deities publicly available.<\/p>\n

Returning to the theme of yoga<\/em>, a very interesting description of \u015barabh\u0101sana<\/em> is found in the Agama-rahasya-tantra<\/em>, where many\u00a0\u0101sanas<\/em> are described by the same names as in the texts of ha\u1e6dha-yoga<\/em> (as understood by many now). However, these\u00a0\u0101sanas<\/em> are often described as mats made of different materials, on which one must sit and chant a mantra<\/em> a certain number of times, which leads to different siddhis<\/em>. For example, may\u016br\u0101sana, si\u1e41h\u0101sana, kukku\u1e6d\u0101sana<\/em>, etc. are different materials from animal skin. But speaking of\u00a0\u015barabh\u0101sana<\/em>, confusion may arise, because there is no such “animal” in the real nature. Respectively, the conclusion is:\u00a0\u0101sanas<\/em> also mean the image itself, which carries this or that kind of force.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The name of \u015aarabha is first mentioned in the Rig Veda, in the hymn to Indra and V\u0101yu, he is mentioned as a relative of \u1e5b\u1e63i (\u0936\u0930\u092d\u093e\u092f \u090b\u0937\u093f \u092c\u0928\u094d\u0927\u0935\u0947 \u015barabh\u0101ya \u1e5b\u1e63i bandhave): \u0935\u093f\u0936\u094d\u0935\u0947\u0924\u094d\u0924\u093e \u0924\u0947 \u0938\u0935\u0928\u0947\u0937\u0941 \u092a\u094d\u0930\u0935\u093e\u091a\u094d\u092f\u093e \u092f\u093e \u091a\u0915\u0930\u094d\u0925 \u092e\u0918\u0935\u0928\u094d\u0928\u093f\u0928\u094d\u0926\u094d\u0930 \u0938\u0941\u0928\u094d\u0935\u0924\u0947 … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[35,36,31],"class_list":["post-429","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deity","tag-sarabha","tag-tantra","tag-yoga"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/matsyendranatha.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/429","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/matsyendranatha.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/matsyendranatha.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matsyendranatha.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matsyendranatha.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=429"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/matsyendranatha.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/429\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":430,"href":"https:\/\/matsyendranatha.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/429\/revisions\/430"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/matsyendranatha.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=429"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matsyendranatha.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=429"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matsyendranatha.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}