Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 57

Meditate and Realise

Asya Sarvasya Vishwasya Paryanteshu Samanthathaha
Adhwaprakriyaya Tatwam Shaivam Dhyathwa Mahodayaha

Meditation is the key to know the truth. What is the truth that needs to be known? There is one essence that pervades this whole universe of manifested creation. Everything that lives, moves or does not, has this flavour of consciousness present in it. That consciousness is the Shiva Tatwa or the Shiva Principle. This leads to the supreme realisation. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 56

Earth from the beginning

Bhuvanaadvaadirupena Chintayeth Kramashokhilam|

Sthoola Sukshma Parasthithya Yavadante Manolayaha||

Focussing the mind on a particular thought or image is Dharana. Here, Shiva tells us to take the mind to the point of time before the Earth was born. There was just an empty vast. Though science is still grappling to tell us the story of the earth, we know for sure now that universes are born and die, stars are born and die, the plants have their birth and death too. The earth too has its humble beginnings from nothingness and has been gradually expanding and consolidating over a period of time. Focussing on the gross, subtle and the supreme state of being of the earth beyond the gross and subtle as pure consciousness, the mind dissolves in the end. Swahilya Shambhavi. (The sea of clouds from above the skies. Pic. Swahilya Shambhavi.)

Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 55

The sun and its light are the same

Peenam cha durbalam shaktim dhyathva dwadasha gochare|

Pravishya Hridaye Dhyayan Mukta Swatantrya Mapnuyath||

When you get to watch the sunlight falling at your doorstep in the morning, it is no different from the sun itself. But at the peripheral end of the sun's circumference, the light is still visible to the gross eyes. It is far weaker than the heat of the sun in space.

This tantra tells us to meditate on the weak layer of the mind energy that constantly keeps grazing on the objects of perception and action. In all our activities, our senses are involved. While eating for instance, the tongue tastes the food, the eyes see the dining table and other objects around, the ears hear the sounds outside and the food chewed in the mouth, the nose smells the food and the fingers touch the food, plate, spoon, bowl or anything that come in contact with it. All these actions use up the weak layer of energy.

Meditating on this layer of energy which manifests in 12 ways - through the 10 organs of perception and action and the mind and ego, you are able to experience an expression of consciousness that grazes around in this world of sense perceptions. When you enter deeply into the heart of this energy, you become free and attain to enlightenment. - Swahilya Shambhavi

(Pic: Reflection of the sun on the placid waters of the Ganga at Rishikesh. - Swahilya Shambhavi.)

Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 54

The body and the earth

Swadehe Jagatovaapi Sukshma Sukshmatarani Cha
Tathwani Yaani Nilayam Dhyathvante Vyajyate Para

Simply sit down and focus on the five components of your own body. It is made up of five elements - earth, water, fire, air and space. Then there is the mind or the antah karana, your inner equipment. That contains the Manas - Mind, Buddhi - Intellect, Chitta - Memory and Ahamkara - the ego sense of "I" and "Mine." You look into the world and you see the same combination of five elements. You go deeper into the subtle space, that is through and between the objects with name and form. Your contemplation on all or any of these will take you to the same source of energy or the supreme consciousness that resides in everything and pervades its home too. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 53

End of the world

Evam eva jagat sarvam dagdham dhyatwa vikalpataha
Ananya Chetasah pumsaha pumbhaavah paramo bhaver
In the previous verse, the meditation or rather contemplation was on the time when your body is being consumed by the fire of time. Right from the moment of birth, the body's direction follows a straight line towards the cremation ground.
This verse tells us to contemplate on this whole earth being consumed by the same fire of time. That marks the end of the world, sun, moon and all the stars. They expend their own energy and collapse.
When the mind entertains no other thought besides this, the man is filled with the consciousness of the supreme and becomes the supreme himself.
- Swahilya Shambhavi

Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 52

The fire of time

Kaalagnina Kaalapadaad Uthithena Swakam Karam
Plushtam Vichintayedante Shantabhasam Thada Bhaveth

Everything in this universe is bound by time. Time hence is compared to fire. Fire is created. It burns a while and dies out. While contemplating that the body has been burnt and destroyed by this fire of time, one realises the supreme presence that is beyond time. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 51

Wherever you go Whatever you do

Yatha Tatha Yatra Tatra Dwadashante Manah Kshipeth
Pratikshanam Ksheena Vrittervailkshanyam Dinair Bhaveth

In whatever manner possible and wherever one is, if the mind is focussed on the heart centre, every moment from then, the mind begins to get steady, taking the person to an extraordinary state of being each day. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 50

Focus on the heart

Sarvatah Swasshareerasya Dwadashante Manolayath
Dridhabuddher Dridhee Bhootam Tatwa Lakshyam P:ravartate

Casting one's steady awareness, practising steadily by focussing with the total energy of the body in the space of the heart, the goal of the truth of existence manifests itself. - Swahilya Shambhavi

Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 49

Empty space within the heart

Hridyakashe Nileenakshaha Padma Samputa Madhyagaha
Ananya Chetah Subhage Param Sowbhagyamapnuyat

Oh woman, who is the very embodiment of good fortune, when one sits down with eyes closed and focusses inward into the space of the heart, visualise a closed lotus-like image constantly and one achieves the most supreme happiness which is the realisation of the self. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 48

Just empty space within

Dehantare Tvagvibhagam Bhitti Bhootam Vichintayeth
Nakinchit Antare Tasya Dhyayanadhyeya bhagbhaveth

One of the methods is to contemplate on the surface of the skin as a partition separating the space outside and inside. There is nothing within the body of yours, except space. Meditating thus, one becomes in tune with the space within that cannot be meditated upon.
- Swahilya Shambhavi.

Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 47

Nothing inside, but space

Sarvam Dehagatam Dravyam Viyadvyaptam Mrigekshane
Vibhavayet Tatastasya Bhavana sa Sthira Bhaveth

Oh one with eyes as a gazelle! Contemplate in this way, that all the parts inside the body is contained in and permeated and surrounded by space. In this manner, when the mind contemplates, it becomes as steady and still like space itself. - Swahilya Shambhavi

Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 46

You are empty within

Tanoodeshe Shoonyataiva Kshanamatram Vibhavayeth
Nirvikalpam Nirvikalpo Nirvikalpaaswaroopabhaat

Now this seems so easy to meditate upon something for just a moment. Consider or imagine, just for a moment, that there is only space inside this body. Imagine just a while that within your outer structure, covered totally by the skin, there is only empty space. This thought leads you to a thoughtless state of mind and you, the contemplating mind becomes that form of void. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 45

Space around and within

Prishtashoonyam Moolashoonyam Hrid Shoonyam Bhavayetsthiram
Yugapad Nirvikalpatwat Nirvikalpodayastataha

By focussing one's awareness on the empty space behind, around and between the thoughts and also realising that in the heart of the thought too, there is nothing but empty space, the mind becomes in tune and merges with the space. In that state of Nirvikalpa, where there are no thought constructions or formations that divert the attention of the mind in one way or the other, there arises the ultimate truth that is always present. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 44

The empty space

Prushta Shoonyam Moola Shoonyam Yugapad Bhavayeccha Yaha
Shareera Niripekshinya Shaktya Shoonyaman Bhaveth
There is a space behind the thoughts that arise in the mind and before there thoughts arise, at the root of it, there is space. One who contemplates on the space around the thoughts, soon merges into that void as the mind is not now dragged here and there by any particular thought form, but is focussing on the space around and through the thoughts.
- Swahilya Shambhavi.

Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 43

Your true body

Nijadehe Sarvadikkam Yugapad Bhaavayet Viyat

Nirvikalpa Manaas Tasya Viyat Sarvam Pravartate

As one contemplates on the four directions around the body, one comes to realise that the true body is directionless space. There is space to the front of you, space behind you, space to your right and space to your left. This space in which you are in, is endless. Contemplating on this space, the mind becomes motionless, like space and becomes that space ultimately. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (Pic: Above the clouds somewhere on earth between the United States and France! The Universe is shrouded by an ocean of endless space, which is our real body.)

Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 42

Beejakshara Sounds

Pinda Mantrasya Sarvasya Sthoola Varna Kramena tu
Ardhendubindunaadantaha Shoonyoccharaad Bhaveth Shivaha

Pinda is an egg. Egg is a seed, also called Beeja. Mantra is a word, when expanded, reads as Mananath Trayate Iti Mantraha - that sound which protects and liberates the mind. This Tantra says that, when one chants all the Beeja Mantras - letters of the Sanskrit alphabet dotted with a Makara or the sound of mmm...., the mind gets attuned to the most subtle vibrations that merges into consciousness. The way to chant these Bija mantras - for instance Aum...is like this.
Take in a deep breath. Experience the awareness in the navel region. When you exhale, let the breath go out with the sound of Om. After the sound is chanted fully, be with that silence and space. That is the experience of merging with Shiva. - Swahilya Shambhavi.