Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 123

Neither clean or unclean

Kinchijjnairya smrita shuddhih sa shuddhih shambhudarshane|

nashuchihyashuchistasmat nirvikalpah sukhi bhaveth||

किन्चिज्ज्नैरयास्मृता शुद्धिः  सा शुद्धिः शंभुदर्षने|

नशुचिर्ह्यषुचिस्तस्माननिर्विकल्पः सुखी भवेत्||

The moment you get a thought of cleanliness or purity of mind, there is a counter thought called impurity or uncleanliness. In the presence of the one that radiates peace called Shambhu, there is neither purity nor impurity. Therefore remain free of any contrary thoughts – vikalpa is imagination. Nirvikalpa is being free of any imagination. In such a state of mind sans any imagination in the form of thoughts that produce counter-thoughts, you attain that state of joy which is your own true nature. – SS

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 122

On a single point

वस्त्वन्तरे विद्यमाने सर्ववस्तुषु शून्यता|

तमेव मनसा ध्यात्वा विदितोऽपि प्रशाम्यति||

Vastwantare Vidyamane Sarvavastushu Shunyata|

Tameva Manasa Dhyathwa Viditopi Prashamyati||

While meditating on one object alone, there is an absence of all other objects in the mind. This brings the mind almost to a single pointed contemplation. Meditating on that object alone, with the help of the mind, even if that is still experienced in awareness, the mind attains supreme quietness. - SS

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 121

On the dispassionate one

भवत्युद्रेखाद विरक्तस्य यादृशी जायते मतिः|

सा शक्तिः शङ्करी नित्यं भावयेत् तं ततः शिवः ||

Bhavathyudrekhad Viraktasya Yadrushi Jayate Matihi|

Sa Shaktih Shankari Nithyam Bhavayeth Tam Tatah Shivaha||

Contemplating with intensity on the one who is completely dispassionate, the intellect too takes on that quality. That energy of the one with a dispassionate intellect is that of Sankara or one who gives peace. Meditating upon that, one becomes that auspiciousness which is the state of Shiva. – SS

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 120

 Meditate on any object

क्वचिद् वस्तुनि विन्यस्य शनैर दृष्टिं निवर्तयेत् |

तज्ज्ञानं चित्त सहितं देवी शून्यालयो भवेत् ||

Kwachidvastuni Vinyasya Shanair Drishtim Nivartayeth|

Tajjnanam Chitta Sahitham Devi Shunyalayo Bhaveth||

Take a particular object, may be a stone, a divine picture or an object of nature. Gaze at that object with intense concentration. Then withdraw the gaze and close your eyes. The impression of the object you see within happens in consciousness. Knowing this to be one with consciousness, the mind at once enters into the temple of nothingness. - SS

Vignana Bhairava Tantra – 119

 Go back to your remembrance

Vastushu Smaryamaneshu Drushtedeshe Manastyajeth|

Swashareeram Niradharam Krithwa Prasati Prabhuhu||

When in the seat of meditation, your remember some object, person, situatiion or place you have seen, met and experienced in the past, the mind and body consciousness immediately are dropped as the mind gets totally absorbed in that thought. In that state of deep absorbption, the Lord who is the witness of all emerges to the perceiving consciousness. - SS

Vignana Bhairava Tantra – 118

Whether you sneeze or cough

Kshutadyante Bhaye Shoke Gahvareva Ranadrute|

Kutuhale Kshudhadyante Brahma Sattamayi Dasha||

Tantra leaves no activity or experience go unnoticed from turning it into a spiritual experience. Before and after a good sneeze, in great fear, in sorrow, when confused or when running away from battle, when you experience curiosity about something or  before and after hunger – the reality is present in its essential form of existence. - SS

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra - 116

Wherever the mind goes

Yatra Yatra Mano Yati Bahye Vabhyantarepi Va|
Tatra Tatra Shivavasthath Vyapakathwathkwa Yasyati||

Wherever the mind goes, that auspicious presence of the divine which is called by the name of Shiva is already present. The mind may wander anywhere, but nowhere can it not meet with that Shivam or consciousness which is present everywhere and in everything. Shiva does not go before the mind, but being omnipresent, there is no place where it is not. - SS.

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 115

In the deep abyss

Kupadike Mahagarte Sthithvopari Nirikshanath|

Avikalpamateh Samyak Sadyah Chittalayah Sphutam||

Bringing the mind to a deep dark abyss of a well or a deep tunnel in the ground the seeker may concentrate. The mind becomes what it sees and dwells upon. It takes the shape of a bottomless abyss. In that moment, know that the su-conscious mind becomes completely absorbed especially because the darkness and depth makes it drop all its imaginations. - SS

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 114

Dharana on the sound within

Sankocham Karnayoh Krithwa Hyadhodhwaram Tathaivacha|

Anachkamahalam Dhyayan Vished Brahma Sanatanam||

Closing all external sounds by plugging the ears and drawing the lower openings of the body within through the yogic method of Moola Bandhana, when the Sadhaka is available to the unstruck sound within and gets absorbed in it, then the mind enters into the eternal state of Brahman. - SS

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 113

Looking steadily

Sampradayamimam Devi Shrunu Samyagvadamyaham|

Kaivalyam Jayate Sadyaha Netrayoh Stabdhamatrayoho||

Shiva tells Parvathi to listen carefull to a traditional practice. Just by keeping the eyes steadily fixed without movement, the state of oneness is experienced instantly. - SS

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 112

Ignorance too has a place

Aadhareshwathava Shaktya Ajnana Chittalayena Va|

Jata Shakti Samavesha Kshobhante Bhairavam Vapuhu||

There is many an occasion when we get thoroughly confused. Just as Arjuna, the great warrior was confused during the Mahabarata war, when we face such situations – our thoughts spin in a similar direction, ending in a different experience.

Whether the mind is supportless or having no energy to function on its own or temporarily non-functional due to ignorance, an energy is born. Being with that state of ignorance and confusion, one reaches Bhairava. – SS

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 111

Spin spin and fall

Bhranthwa Bhranthwa Shareerena Twaritam Bhuvi Patanath|

Kshobhashakti Viramena Para Sanjayatedasha||

We have played this game as children where two people hold hands and whirl around. The same process is given here as a meditative technique where we spin around again and again and simply stop, allowing the body to fall. When the spinning motion stops, suddenly there is a heightened state of awareness.

Many of our cultural practices are based on this principle only – we go around temples. We turn around ourselves after prayers chanting – Yani Kani Cha Papani Janmantara Kritanicha Tani Tani Vinashyanti Pradakshina Pade Pade,” – may all our sins committed over many lifetimes be destroyed with these turns I make around myself. The truth lies in the stillness. We always have our focus on movement and change. So creating a conscious movement and stopping to experience the stillness is a medition that stills the mind too. – SS

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 110

Everything belongs to Bhairava

Jalasyevormayo Vahnehe Jwalabhangyaha Prabho Ravehe|

Mamaiva Bhairavasyaita Vishwabhangyo Vibheditaha||

Just as the waves belong to the waters, flames to the fire and light to the sun, everything that is mine belongs to Bhairava and everything is a different expression of the Supreme in this universe. – SS

Vignana Bhairava Tantra – 109

The supreme is myself

Sarvagnyaha Sarva Karta Cha Vyapakah Parameshwaraha|

Sa Evaham Shaiva Dharma Iti Dardhyath Bhavecchivaha||

When I contemplate that I am that supreme Lord who is omniscient and who is the master of all actions, present everywhere I am of the nature of Shiva, I become that when this thought is firmly entrenched in my consciousness. – SS

Vignana Bhairava Tantra – 108

Drop the mind

Niradharam Manah Krithwa Vikalpanna Vikalpayet|

Tadatma Paramathmathve Bhairavo Mrugalochane||

When conflicting people function together, they gather a lot of strength to worsen the confusion. Here the mind, chitta, buddhi and the ahamkara. Just as the police declares a curfew and prevent people from assemblihg together in times of trouble – these four internal sense equipment should be dissociated from each other. The mind which receives inputs through the senses, gets its thoughts from the chitta – storehouse of names and forms. It constantly analyses the thoughts with the help of the Buddhi and identifies with each thought as its own through the Ahamkara.

A thought in the mind is a Sankalpa. Simultaneous to it is a Vikalpa or imagination. When the mind is made free of thoughts, it becomes supportless and only consciousness remains oh doe-eyed Parvathy, says Lord Shiva. - SS

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 107

One consciousness only

Swavadanya Shareerepi Samvittimanubhavayed|

Apeksham Swashareerasya Tyaktva Vyapi Dinairbhaveth||

Just as how consciousness is present in one’s body, meditate that it is the same consciousness that energises and sustains all bodies. Contemplating in this way, drop the attachment to one’s own body. In course of time, with constant practice, the individual experiences the universal consciousness.  - SS

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 106

The shop keeper and transactions

Grahyagrahaka Samvitti  Samanya Sarva Dehinam|

Yoginam Tu Visheshosti Sambandhe Savadhanatam||

There is a relative difference between the subject or the perceiver and the different objects perceived. “I” the seer is different from “Mine,” and other objects. Yet the Yogis have a special alertness when it comes to exercising awareness about this difference. – SS

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 105

I am all pervasive

Ghatadau Yaccha Vijnanam Icchadya Mama Mantare|

Naiva Sarvagatam Jatam Bhavayanniti Sarvagaha||

Here Bhagavan Siva tells Parvati to take resort to special knowledge revealed by Vedanta to us through the many examples. One is that of a pot. Take a pot and see that the space inside it which we call pot space is not different from the space outside. In the same way, meditate on the higher truth. Desires are existing everywhere and not just in me. The one who meditates this way truly becomes that omnipresent reality. – SS

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 104

Wherever I go

Vihaya Nijadehastham Sarvatrasmiti Bhavayan|

Dridhena Manasa Drishtya Nanyekshinya Sukhi Bhaveth||

So long you have been thinking and believing that this physical body is who you are. Ever one and thing outside your skin is not you.

This meditation says, drop this idea that I am in this body. Just be with the feeling that I am everywhere. When this becomes so firm in you and your vision too entertains no other thought than this, the berson becomes happy.

The larger our area of operation, the more freedom we have. The more freedom we have, the happier we are. This Tantra tells us not to limit our jurisdiction to this body. It is an imaginary limitation as even this body draws its food from that whole world not to mention the air and energh, the thoughts, the knowledge for its many decisions. When all of these have the whole world as their place of origin, then how can you limit yourself to this mortal, changing and ageing outline? Know this truth and be happy. - SS

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 103

Look into the pain and pleasure

Na Chittam Nikshiped Duhkha Na Sukham Va Parikshipeth|

Bhairavi Jnayayatam Madhye Kim Tatwam Avashishyate||

Pain and pleasure are two states of the mind. When the surrounding situation is conducive to the body and mind, there is pleasure. When the situations are not conducive, there is pain. While both are just waves in consciousness made of thoughts which are nothing but sounds, the dharana is to not get tossed about and flounder in the thought of pain or pleasure. O Bhairavi, know that consciousness which is present in and through pain and pleasure. What else then is left, but that consciousness? – SS

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 102

Everything comes and goes

Indrajalamayam Vishwam Vyastam Va Chitra Karmavat|

Bhramadwa Dhyatah Sarva Pashyatascha Sukhodgamaha||

This whole world we see around us is an illusion called Maya. Maya means, that which is not.

What we see is like a magic net of constant change. It is either imaginative, as in the case of our thoughts or like a work of art.

It is also a confusing spin sometimes. Meditating upon everything in this way, joy arises. This world is an illusion. It is not a confusing or non-existent imagination. It happens right in front of us – moments pass by, days go by, nights come, people are born and die, trees die and are born, new leaves sprout and old leaves fall. It happens every moment – only we fail to realise that change. Meditating on these changes makes us see the truth and joy arises as a result. - ss 

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 101

Don’t worry about negativities

Kama Krodha Lobha Moha Mada Matsarya Gochare|

Buddhim Nistimitam Kritwa Tattatwamavasishyate||

Many negative emotions do crop up in the mind – intense desire for a person or thing, mighty or frivolous anger, greed delusion, arrogance

and jealousy are the same. When they rear their head in the intellect, simply freeze that thought and study its content deeply. It is just a feeling that has a name

which is nothing but sound vibrations and ultimately pure energy that comes out of existence.

This opportunity can be seized rather than contemning the feeling, or feeling guilty or angry about it or worse – to suppress it. – SS