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Home > Temples of Kerala > Sabarimala Temple > The Cinmudra and the Yogapatta The Cinmudra and the YogapattaAccording to the architectural sciences of temples there are three kinds of idols imagined which are in the position of standing, sitting and laying. Most of the images are of standing, rare are sitting and few in laying. The idol of Ayyappa at Sabarimala is in the position of sitting. An inordinate peculiarity is seen in the sitting of Ayyappa. There are different kinds of opinions in the society about this imagery position. The images of the gods or goddesses are always encarved in four types, viz. Patmasan, Siddhasan, Vajra, and Gomukha. There are some secret and minute aspects in creating idols according to the Tantricism. The idols on which the power of god is to be consecrated, the imagination about the Murti, should be in the image of eyes opened and awakened form. This state is called Visrantibhava or Jagratobhava. When a new idol is brought, its eyes might not have been opened earlier. It is only opened since, by the architect at the time of consecrational pujas. This action is called Netronmilanam. Every imaginated god is expected that it will shower blessings to the devotees. Therefore , the god should avoid the status of Dhyana or Samadhi and should be pleasant and opened the mind and the eyes, though the god has worn weapons in his hands. Among other deities the image of Ayyappa is very different. The style of this asana (state of sitting) may be called Arddhasana, Yogapadasana or Yogarudha Siddhasana. This status of sitting does not reveal the visrantibhava, but reveals the mood of asceticism, the Tapobhava; also elucidated that the status of Ayyappa is not like other deities, in the jagratobhava, Visrantibhava or Vinodabhava, but in a profound ascetic mood. (the opened eyes in the pictures of Ayyappa is only for show and appearance). Why there is a binding of knees with a cloth in the style of sitting of Ayyappa while he is holding the Yogamudra. The feet of a yogi who is in tapovrutti (in the ascetic calmness) will never let deviate his legs. There is a very silent secrecy. When a man or a woman bends his or her legs whether it is on the right or left, there is a hidden meaning which is worldly related. A man god when he is seen holding his left leg folded may be considered that he is willing or expecting to sit his lady over it. ( the left side is considered as for wife. The wife is imagined to be sat on the left thy of husband). If it is the right leg folded it may be considered as for the son or the daughter. The idols for goddesses are also carved in such a sense of thinking. In our devata sankalpas which gods are seen sitting, most of them may be with the imagination of saparivara (having spouse and offsprings on both sides). But, here, the concept of Ayyappa is in the imagination of Naishtika Brahmachari. Thus he has no need to fold his legs because he has no wife or offsprings. The sitting stage in the form of folded legs in either side (camraputtu) will be made only on the idols of gods having family. Since Ayyappa is a brahmachari and an ascetic, his idol is made in the form of sitting but the legs have been risen a little and it reveals that his legs has been given to nobody to sit aside. He has also bound his two knees and his back with Yogapatta. Almost all the gods and goddess (in images) are seen sitting on simhasanas (the royal chair built with two images of lions on both sides). But Ayyappa is sitting on a pitha. There is a difference in sitting on a chair and a pitha on the feet, the man who sits on a chair feels comfortable that his hips are in safety to keep the whole body in balance. That kind of sitting, is in one way, a bhogarupa (enjoyful). But the man who is sitting on his feet is not in a joyful way but in a Yogabhava (in the mood of asceticism or dhyana). What is Jnanamudra or Cinmudra? You might have heard of the word Saccidananda. This word is constructed with three words like Sat, cit and Ananda. Sat means real, Cit means energetic and dynamic, Ananda means the experience of all the comforts and calmnesses. The composition of the word Saccidananda means Atma. The letter ‘A’ represents Ananda, the letter ‘Ta’ represents the words Sat and Cit and the letter ‘Ma’ represents the last sound of the word or the anaswara, when the subject is concised to understand that it is the Atma which is formulated by combining the words, Sat, Cit and Ananda. All the creatures in this world have Atma as well as the human beings. With the virtue of the Sat of this Atma, the life of one and the world is felt in continuity. With the Cetanatwa, one feels that we live, and the other creations are also alive and dynamic. With the Ananda of the Atma, one feels that every creature can enjoy life and there will be the blessing of joyfulness in this world. All these matters inour experience, actually, created by the factors of the virtues within our Atma. The fire has three characters like light, heat and shape. If the fire is hidden inside anything we can find it by its heat and sometimes by its light. Like that the light of our soul in our conscience will come out through the three ways mentioned before. But nobody identifies this as Atma. The man who fies this Atma is called Yogi, Sanyasi, Swami, Iswara, Bhagavan or Brahmam. The people who have identified, try to make it reveal through their words or actions. The state of mind is called Atmajnana or Atmabodha. To express the idea or imaginations we may show any kind of a mgya (gesture). Like wise to express the features of Atma and Iswara there are some amgyas in the sciences and they are called the mudras. The mudras are unavoidable in the puja performances. One of these mudras is Jnanamudra or Cinmudra. From the little finger on the right palm, the second and the third respectively, hold upright without bending, the tips of the fourth finger and the thumb gets closed and touched; this position of mudra is called Jnanamudra. The right hand of Ayyappa is adorned with this mudra. The three unbent and straight fingers represent Sat, Cit and Ananda the features of Atma, when we notice the palm we see that from the little finger to the middle one are similarly taller than each and the fourth and the thumb gradually reduced in length. Every matter in this world goes upward to a certain extend. Then it recedes eventually. Whether it is like happiness, luck or gaining the nature teach this principle through the gesture of hands – the Cinmudra. This may be asked that the blissfulness of the Atma as it has been told earlier, do not reduce after raising high. but if that is happened why it will become the eternal blissfulness. The experience of Atma is eternal. Then how it will be revealed through the fingers? That is why the little finger and the thumb held jointly. The two fingers after the middle one is seen short and shorter, because both of them are in different heights. Both of these fingers joint together become equal. This is the way through which the cinmudra is created. The Saccidanandabhava is gradually going up and up, when the little finger and the other two hold upright. The Saccidanandabhava does not go to a low point and it will continue without any hindrance. This theory is symbolically established in cinmudra. This is the beauty, grandeur and purity of the Cinmudra. Sri Ayyappa, squatting over the pitha with his right hand in Cinmudra declares this:- “I am the Sat, Cit and Aanda. I am the soul embodied. I immerse myself in the spiritual blissfulness. Iam free from the three blemishes (tridosha) of this three world. Whoever confronts me I am revealed as Anandaswarupa. I will emancipate him from all the worldly sufferings. I will provide him the blessing of Atmajnana and mental power and he will enjoy all the pleasures, plentyness and calmness from the past, in the present and in the future. It is proclaimed that Sri Ayyappa who is holding the Cinmudra and Yogapattah and keeping the status of Brahmajani, Brahmaswarupa, Naisthikabrahmachari and Yogiswara, is a Mahaswarupa. Therefore, a devotee who is willing to go to see Ayyappa should have brahmacaryanishta, Atmajnana and voluntary avowed experience, at least for a Mandala.
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