Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 100

Consciousness is the same

Chid Dharma Sarva Deheshu Vishesho Nasti Kutrachit|

 Atascha Tanmayam Sarvam Bhavayan Bhavajjinaha||

Meditating on the one consciousness and its qualities of existence as present everywhere with no speciality existing anywhere, for such people, everyone is seen as one’s own self. In that realisation, for the people who meditate in this way, they conquer existence. 

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra _ 99

Concentrate on the thought

Nirnimittam Bhavejjnanam Niradharam Bhramathmakam|

Tatwatah Kasyachin Naitad Evam Bhave Shiva Priye||

Lord Shiva addresses his dearest wife and says, Meditate on that thought which rises without any cause and sheds some knowledge. That thought is indeed without any base. It’s very nature is illusory. In reality, it does not belong to anybody. Meditate in this way oh one who loves Shiva.

The word Jnanam refers to thought. You see a tree outside and immediately the knowledge of a tree arises in the mind as a thought. When that thought is examined, tracing it to the source from where it came, one realises that it is actually not there. – SS

Vignana Bhairava Tantra – 98

 Focus on the thought

Icchayam Athava Jnane Jaate Chitta Niveshayath|Atmabuddhyaananyachetaaha Tatastathwartha Darshanam||

There is another way to concentrate when a desire or a thought arises – bring the total attention of the mind to that alone. The intellect that sees this desire or thought should be firmly established as a pure witness and not strengthen the desire or thought or try to suppress it. This is just like flashing a torch at every passing thought. If this is done to the exclusion of all other thoughts, then one gets to the essential illumination that is  behind every thought and desire which is nothing but a strong thought.In a shadow puppet show, all the names and forms of  the different dolls may be good, villanous, loving, jealous, angry etc, but the light and shade that illumines them is  just one. – SS

Vignana Bhairava Tantra – 97

Who am I?

Yada Mamaiccha Nothpanna Jnanam Va Kastadasmi Vai|
Tathvoham Tatha Bhoothaha Talleenastanmana Bhaveth||

In the previous verse, the exercise was to quieten the mind by drawing the desires back to its source. This verse takes the contemplation to the next step. “When my desire does not arise, nor is any thought born, then who indeed am I?” When this question is asked repeatedly, the realisation that I am the essential nature of existence dawns and merging with that source, the mind becomes that essence itself.

This is the simplest method that Sri Ramana Maharshi suggested to his disciples to do, to ask, “Who am I? - SS

Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 96

Meditate on fulfilment

Jhageeteecham Samutpannam Avalokya Shamam Nayeth|Yata Eva Samudbhutha Tathah Tatraiva Leeyate||

We all have desires which are like strong mind currents that are pushed by the winds of likes and dislikes. Tantra teaches us not to fight with desires or to control it. Each time a desire arises, watch it come up and immediately bring it towards peace. This means to watch the state of contentment that arises when the desire is fulfilled. Once this contentment is experienced, in that very place the mind becomes quiet and merges. – SS

Vignana Bhairava Tantra – 95

The changes happen in the changeless self

Maya Vimohini Nama Kalayah Kalanam Sthitham|

Ithyadi Dharmam Thathwanam Kalayanna Prithagbhaveth||

Instead of trying to focus on the changeless absolute which is not easily comprehended by the mind, Lord Siva tells us to observe Maya herself. What is not, buut appears to be, is Maya. So she is called Vimohini or a special deluder. She operates in time and space as ever changing names and forms. Meditating on this transient nature of all that we see, smell, taste, touch, hear and think about, we soon understand that the perceiver of ll this is different from the perceived. Through all our years lived, only one person experiences all the changes we go through. When we move from babyhood to childhood and then to youth, it is not a different person each time who is experiencing it. The realisation of the changeless self happens this way too. – SS.

Vignana Bhairava Tantra – 94

There is nothing inside to know

Chittadyantah Kritirnasti Mamantar Bhavayediti|

Vikalpanamabhavena Vikalpairujjhitobhaveth||

This is a beautiful meditative method where the seeker tries to understand that there is indeed no inner equipment called the Anthah Karana comprising the mind, memory, intellect and ego. The nature of the mind is two-fold – Sankalpa or positive thinking and Vikalpa – negative thinking. When we resolve to do a good action, it is Sankalpa and when some crazy and improbable imagination is raging, it is Vikalpa. When you realise there is no mind, Vikalpa also is gone; One becomes free of all imaginations. The four great imaginations are, “This is myself.” – of the Ahamkara. The next is, “I did this and I enjoy or suffer for it.” – This imagination is by the intellect. The third imagination is, “This is myself and everything else is different from me. I like this and I don’t like this.” The fourth imagination is the memories of the past and the anxieties of the future.

The Antahkarana, the inner thought equipment is a divine creative preservative and destructive force. When it serves the individual body, it becomes a binding factor. It is not a question of wishing away the ego, intellect, mind and memory, but making a thorough analysis to discover that it is actually not there. – SS

Vignana Bhairava Tantra – 93

When it hurts

Kinchidangam Vibhidyadau Teekshna Suchyadina Tataha|

Tatraiva Chetana Yuktva Bhairave Nirmala Gatihi||

This Dharana, may sound a bit too harsh to our sensitivities. It says, pierce your body a bit with a sharp object like a needle and bring your attention to the spot where you experience pain. The mind immediately gets united with consciousness.

This is not any new technique of concentration though. For ages, it has been the practice of people to observe Tapasya such as inserting sharp hooks and spears into the body and pulling chariots or piercing the tongue with small spears etc. The process gathers all the rays of the mind to that point of pain and consciousness is experienced.

We need not in fact do any such thing. Modern day medical treatment puts us through such painful injections. We even go through pain on account of our body and sometimes it is  the pain of emotions, hurts, separation. Whenever there is any pain, totally bring the mind to the point where it throbs. In a brief while, the mind quietens and gets absorbed in consciousness – Bhairava. This is a beautiful way to make painful moments into meditative moments. – SS.