Nonessential

The Magic Web

Tadasaarataya Devi Vigneyam Shakrajaalavat

Mayaswapnopamam Chaiva Gandharva Nagarabhramam

Shiva begins with the description first of what is not the truth. "Devi, first know what is not the essence. It is like the magical web of Indra, like an illusory dream and a make-believe musical city created by the Gandharvas."

The non-essence that Shiva talks about here is the illusory presence of name and form in this world. Forms are illusion because they are composed of atoms, molecules, sub-atomic particles and quarks. These are composed of particles constantly spinning in space. These particles join together, emitting different wavelengths of energy patterns, creating an illusion of different objects such as trees, plants, animals, water, fire, air, earth and also human beings. These illusory, ever-changing forms are also given names which are an illusion too, like the different people and places we see in a dream. They are the magical web created by the mind which disappears when we wake up. What we hear as music is a temporary movement of sound wave particles in the field of consciousness. They too are now here and not there. Sakara here includes everything with a name and form - even the countless gods we worship - they are just transcient illusory images in consciousness, says Shiva. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (Maha Shivaratri, Bhagavad Gita, Patanjali Yoga Sutra, Himalayas, Satsang in Chicago, swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Shiva speaks....

Birth of wisdom

Bhairava Uvacha:

Sadhu Sadhu Twaya Prushtam Tantra Saaramidam Priye

Goohaneeyatamam Bhadre Tathapi Kathayamite

Yatkinchit Sakalam Roopam Bhairavasya Prakeerthitham

*****

After hearing Parvati speak and ask questions, Shiva says, "Good, my beloved lady, What you have asked me is the essence of Tantra. I will now give you the most secret knowledge - auspicious one. I will tell you about the different forms of Bhairava," says Shiva.
Here the sharing of the highest wisdom of consciousness is happening between the lover and the beloved. This is the factor that makes the Vignana Bhairava Tantra accessible to all. Shiva is able to explain the nuances of experiencing consciousness through many ways, subtle, intricate and with innumerable methods for the understanding of people from all walks of life. He uses examples and instances from the experiences of different lifestyles of the householder, husband and wife.
Though the Tantra is open to everyone and consciousness resides in every being, knowledge of meditation bestows a certain energy and power to the individual who practices it. The power, if used unwisely, can cause harm, confusion or even bring destruction to oneself primarily and to others too. It is as dangerous as letting a child play with real guns!So the purity of the one who receives the knowledge is of utmost importance here. Purity here means, the use of the knowledge for one's own evolution, deeper into the self and not for any good or bad actions in the world. - Swahilya Shambhavi.
(Bhagavad Gita, Patanjali Yoga Sutra, Himalayas,

swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

The end

No more questions

Nahi varna vibhedena Deha bhedene vaa bhaveth
Paratvam Nishkalatvena Sakalatvena Tadbhaveth
Prasadam Kuru Me Natha Nih Shesham Chindhi Samshayam

*****

The param or quality of consciousness should be beyond the division of colour, of forms. The consciousness is indivisible and hence it cannot be the different parts of colours, forms and sounds, says Devi.
Thus describing all that she knows, of names, forms, sounds, energy and of the transcendence of consciousness, she appeals to Lord Shiva to bestow his grace and completely remove any doubts from her mind. The mind knows no rest until it knows the truth, nothing but the truth and the whole truth! - Swahilya Shambhavi.
(Patanjali Yoga Sutra, Bhagavad Gita, Himalayas, swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

This or that

Transcendent or Immanent or Both?

Paraparayah Sakalam Aparayascha Va Punaha
Paraya Yadi Tadvatsyaat Parathwam Tad Virudhyate

*****

Devi questions if consciousness is present in the now or whether it transcends everything. "Is your reality immanent and transcendental at the same time? If it is immanent, present here and now, it is a contradiction that it is transcendental," she says.
While she questions Shiva of his reality, which is actually her reality and everyone else's too, it is also the technique of asking too many questions, marking the pros and cons. By generating a confusing bundle of thoughts, an experience of clarity is possible.
By Para, she means consciousness and apara means matter, form and name, the earth and all forms of manifested Universe. Her question her is, "Which is the truth - the form or the formless?" -

Swahilya Shambhavi. (Bhagavad Gita, Patanjali Yoga Sutra. (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com).

Energy

Can the truth be realised through energy?

Nadabindumayam Vapi Kim Chandrardha Nirodhikaha
Chakrarudham Anachkam Va Kimva Shakthiswaroopakam

*****

A letter is a combination of sound and silence. Same are all the names and forms we see. Parvathy wants to know if the eternal truth is in the form of letters, sounds and shapes. She asks if they are in the various major energy centres of the body, beginning from the tip of the spine to the top of the head, called by seven names as Muladhara, Swadhishtana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddhi, Agnya and Sahasrara.
Or is it through the form of pure energy that one realises your real form? Energy is a beautiful word to express that which cannot be seen, but simply experienced. We say a bubbly child is in a high state of energy. The energy of a big wave cannot be seen directly, but understood by observing the height, depth, volume and force with which it crashes on a rock. When you put on the switch, the light burns bright. You may be able to see the connecting wires, but not the electricity that causes the light to shine.
Devi asks if the truth can be realised by focussing on the sound and silence of the mantra, or by the sound that always exists in the heart beat or by focussing on the different energy centres of the body. - Swahilya Shambhavi.
(Bhagavad Gita and Patanjali Yoga Sutra. (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Search

Where is the truth?

Kim Va Navathmabhedena Bhairave Bhairavakritau
Trishirobheda bhinnam va Kim va Shakthitrayathmakam

*****

How can your reality be perceived? Parvathy asks Shiva if it can be known through the nine states of consciousness which include time, energy, name, knowledge, memory, sound, seed, wave or the individual soul or the nine forms of energy which include the energy of action, the energy of tranquility and space, the transcendent energy.
Or is it through knowing the three forms of energy flow in the body called the Ida - feminine, Pingala - masculine and Sushumna - the tranquil neutral force.
The whole existence and the individual can be described in just one way. There is pure consciousness to begin with, everywhere and passing through everything and which is beyond understanding by the mind. From the pure consciousness emerges the flow of thoughts, which is the energy of the mind. That creates the Universe at large and governs the functioning of each individual.
The questions raised by Parvathy does not mean that she is not aware of what the superconscious state of being is and she wants to know about it. It is like a drama in this context, where all the actors know the whole story. Yet they act out their part to keep the suspense alive for the audience. Deeper and deeper questioning can help to increase the clarity of understanding, at the end of which the truth reveals itself effortlessly.
(May visit for Bhagavad Gita and Patanjali Yoga Sutra- Swahilya Shambhavi (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Restlessness

Mind knows no peace

Adyapi Na Nivruttome Samshayah Parameshwara
Kim Rupam Tahthwato Deva Shabdharashi Kalamayam

*****

Even after hearing everything, my doubts are not dispelled. What is your real form, oh Divine one? Are you the energy contained in the sounds of all the letters?
Akshara is the letter which contains the energy. Sound is the first manifestation of energy in the field of consciousness. Parvathy's doubts about the true form of the essential truth is not cleared. Unless the experience of truth happens directly, the mind is never sure and does not rest, calm down or stop its search. Despite having an understanding in terms of knowledge, Parvathy's question canards to Shiva continue, on the name and form of the ultimate truth. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (Bhagavad Gita, Patanjali Yoga Sutra, Himalayas, swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Vignana Bhairava Tantra

Liberation through Expansion

Tantra is the most misunderstood word today. What is believed to be some gimmicks performed in the name of black magic or witchcraft etc. is actually another word for Yoga, through expanding and liberating the mind. Tanotu - Trayate. What protects by expanding is called Tantra. It is a tool or a technique. Just as we say Chanakya Tantra, for the art of administration, Vignana BhairavaTantra is the art of meditation.
It is the science of Yoga that encompasses life around. It is the yoga that helps you to tune in to the day-to-day sights and sounds. It does not expect any solitary confinement to practice meditation, but shows the way for a life of meditation now and here - as you see the sky, the earth, the mountains and rivers, as you experience the different moments of joy and sorrow.

Shri Devyucacha:
Shrutham Deva Maya Sarvam Rudrayamala Sambhavam
Trika Bhedamasheshena Sarathsara Vibhagashaha.

*****
This whole exposition of the Tantra is written in the form of a conversation between Shiva and his wife, Parvathy. Just as Arjuna poses questions to Sri Krishna, Parvathy quizzes Shiva, the Master

of Yoga, on all that she needs to know about the mind and consciousness.
She says that she has now listened to everything that has emerged from the Rudrayamala Tantra, the three divisions of energy as Iccha Shakthi - the energy of desire, Kriya Shakthi - the energy of application into action and Jnana Shakthi - the energy of knowledge. Also, she has learnt about the divisions of the several layers between matter and consciousness.
There is knowledge of meditation from the books we read and the talks we hear. But the knowledge needs the grace of the Guru to be assimilated into a personal experience. The Vignana Bhairava Tantra is the result of a similar experience with knowledge and the different ways of assimilating it. - Swahilya Shambhavi.
(You may wish to visit Bamboo Wisdom for a verse by verse commentary on the Bhagavad Gita and Aham for a series on the Patanjali Yoga Sutra. swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)