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HAMSA RAHASYA: The Secret of Hamsa
October 31, 2014 by admin

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By Acharya David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri)

Shiva Yoga and Hamsa

Tweets by Dr David Frawley
The Hamsa is one of the key concepts in Vedic, Yogic and Tantric thought. Along with the Kundalini, it holds
many secrets of deeper Yoga practices. Indeed without understanding the Hamsa, the Kundalini force
cannot likely be properly developed or understood.

Archives The Hamsa as a bird is portrayed in later Sanskrit literature as a swan, which is a symbol for Prana and the
inner Self that is the highest Prana. The Hamsa in Puranic thought is the vehicle for Lord Brahma, the
Creator, and his consort Sarasvati Devi as the bringers of knowledge. Yet Hamsa has other meanings and
February 2017
there are many forms of Hamsas back to the Rigveda where the Hamsa is primarily a solar symbol, the bird
January 2017 of light. Hamsa is also the shyena, the hawk or falcon that steals the Soma and takes it up from the Earth to
enjoy it in the freedom of the highest Heaven.
December 2016

November 2016 The Hamsa in Tantric thought represents the individual soul or Jiva, whose life is governed by the breath,
and all the dualities of body and mind that arise from it. This is because Ha and Sa are the natural sounds
October 2016 of the breath through inhalation and exhalation. Many forms of Pranayama follow these sounds
accordingly.
September 2016

August 2016 Yet at a higher level beyond duality, Ha and Sa are the natural sounds of the Self, which is the inner breath
of awareness, the unitary Prana that is Self-existent and immortal. Ha is the Self as I (aham) and Sa is the
July 2016
Self as that or the inner Being. Hamsa also refers to the supreme or Paramahamsa, which is the liberated
June 2016 soul that dwells in the state of the Supreme Shiva. In this regard, Hamsa teachings are an integral part of
Shiva Yoga and Shiva is also Hamsa. Hamsa as sound and prana vibration is also Om or Pranava, of which
April 2016
Lord Shiva is the indicator.
March 2016
Hamsa represents the union of Shiva and Shakti, which are Ha and Sa, Sun and Moon, Prana and Apana,
February 2016 the incoming and outgoing vital energies. All dualities, starting with the breath, are a reflection of the
January 2016 greater two-in-one power of Shiva and Shakti, which gets divided in the lower worlds.

December 2015 In terms of Tantric Yoga practices, the Hamsa represents the Shiva principle just as the Kundalini indicates
November 2015 the Shakti principle. Hamsa and Kundalini must unite and move together. It is the Kundalini that carries the
Hamsa up the spine. At the same time, it is the Hamsa or soul energy that turns the Kundalini into a force
October 2015 of spiritual aspiration and ascent.

September 2015
As Kundalini is the serpent power or Shakti of the soul, Hamsa is like the bird or Shiva/Purusha of the soul,
August 2015 whose two wings are prana and mind. Hamsa is the Jiva that seeks to fly upward to heaven, the thousand
petal lotus of the head. Together Kundalini and Hamsa are the feathered serpent, or the bird that flies
July 2015
upward holding the serpent. Yet Kundalini is not always a serpent, it is sometimes a bird, the Hamsa itself.
June 2015 Similarly, the Hamsa is not always a bird; sometimes it is also a serpent. Both serpent and bird indicate
electrical and ascending energy. The Hamsa is an extension or expansion of the bindu or the point-focus in
May 2015 its movement and expansion. Yet the Nada or vibratory principle forms its wings.
April 2015
Without this soul awakening or Hamsa Chaitanya, the consciousness of the Hamsa, one cannot work
March 2015 with Kundalini Shakti in a completely harmonious manner. If the Kundalini moves without the Hamsa, it is
February 2015 likely to disturb our physical and subtle bodies. It is Shakti without Shiva. First one must awaken the
Hamsa in order to effectively awaken the Kundalini, though both tend to manifest together. This means to
January 2015 awaken as an individual soul in its perennial pursuit of the Godhead.

December 2014
The Hamsa is the Jiva or individual soul that must take its journey back through the chakras guided by
November 2014 Shakti, to realize the supreme Shiva above in the thousand petal lotus of the head. The Hamsa is propelled
in its ascending movement by Nada (vibration), Bindu (concentration) and Bija (mantras), and energies the
October 2014
Lingas (powers of stillness) and Yonis (powers of receptivity) along the way. The Hamsa carries the Soma or
September 2014 nectar of delight (Amrita, Ananda) up from the lower chakras to the thousand petal lotus of the head,
where it can release it in a thousand streams.
August 2014

July 2014 Yet there are several types and colors of Hamsa, reflecting the cosmic energies that it is working with:

May 2014
N i l a H a m s a Dark blue Hamsa, power of electrical energy or lightning, the Vidyut Hamsa,
April 2014 represented by the bija mantra Krim. Here the dark blue is that of a rain cloud from which the streak of
lightning arises.
February 2014 Suvarna Hamsa Golden Hamsa, the expansive power of the Sun and the heart, Surya Hamsa,
January 2014 represented by the bija mantra Hrim.
Shveta Hamsa White Hamsa, the expansive power of the Moon, the Soma Hamsa, represented by
October 2013 the bija mantra Shrim.
Rakta Hamsa Red Hamsa, the ascending force of Fire, Agni Hamsa, represented by the bija mantra
June 2013
Hum.
March 2013
These different types of Hamsas are manifestation of the same Hamsa that is the soul in all of its
February 2013
manifestations. The supreme Hamsa is the liberates soul that is all the Hamsas or all forms of
November 2012 manifestation.

October 2012
Hamsa Yoga: Shiva Hamsa Mantras
August 2012

June 2012 Hamsa as the sounds of Prana combines mantra and Prana in various forms of Hamsa Yoga. Hamsa
mantras serve to awaken the inner consciousness and aid the soul in its ascension to Divinity. They are
perhaps unparalleled in this regard. They are commonly used to promote Shiva awareness, to stimulate
the Kundalini, and open the chakras. Below are a few examples.

Hamsa used as the natural sound of the breath, particularly Ham as inhalation through the right
nostril and Sa as exhalation through the left; relates to the day or solar breath.
Soham also used as the natural sound of the breath, particularly So as inhalation through the left
nostril and Ham as exhalation through the right; relates to the night or lunar breath.
Hamsa Soham combines both, and reflects the balanced movement of the unitary prana, through
the unity of the Sun and Moon.
Shivoham the natural resonance of the prana and mind as I am Shiva, the supreme Self-aware
Prana.
Hamsa Soham Shivoham Combined meaning of I am he, he am I, I am Shiva. This is the Shiva
Hamsa mantra.
O m H u m H a m s a Adds the fiery mantra Hum with Hamsa as the solar breath to arouse the
Kundalini, the Agni Hamsa
Mantra. For example, Om Lam Hum Hamsa stimulates the Kundalini in the root chakra.
Hrim Hamsa Soham Svaha Mantra to the Supreme Light, uses the solar mantra Hrim and the fire
offering mantra Svaha; a Surya or Solar Hamsa mantra. Many other mantras can be added to this.
Using the lunar mantra Shrim instead of Hrim, it becomes a Soma or lunar Hamsa mantra.
Om Hum Hamsa Soham Svaha Mantra to the Supreme Light emphasizing Kundalini and Agni;
Agni Hamsa mantra.

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