Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 63

Focus on consciousness

Sarvam Deham Chinmayam Hi Jagad Va Pari Bhavayeth|
Yugapat Nirvikalpena Manasa Paramodayaha||

While seeing this world or while thinking about it, focus on the truth that this whole body and this world are the form of pure consciousness sans waves of imagination. In this state, the supreme truth begins to rise and shine. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Vignana Bhairava Tantra - 41

Riding the wave of music

Tantryadi Vadyashabdeshu Deergheshu Kramasamsthithehe

Ananya Chethaf Pratyante Paravyoma Vapurbhaveth

December is a season of song, dance and music. Here is a method mentioned in the Vignana Bhairav Tantra, to reach that supreme space through music. With a gradual and continuous strumming of a musical stringed instrument, hearing a flute or a percussion's sound, the mind becomes in tune with the vibration and frequency of the music and rhythms. The sound frequencies eventually merge into that supreme space and into consciousness of the one who hears the music. Riding on the wave of music and rhythm can eventually take one into this supreme body, says Shiva.

- Swahilya Shambhavi. (Pic: In Chicago, December 2005.)

The subtle energy

Meditate on it

Aa moolath kiranabhasam sookshmaat sookshmatarathmikam
Chintyettam Dwishatkaanthe Shamyantim Bhairavodayaha
*****
There is a subtle ray of light that runs through the major chakras or vortexes of energy in the psychic, subtle body along the spine. It begins at the root, Muladhara and ends at the Sahasrara the crown energy centre. Being with this subtle line of energy that almost merges in consciousness and meditating upon it, one has the experience of that Bhairava. - Swahilya Shambhavi (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Last few questions

The questions are done

Deva Deva Trishoolanka Kapala Krita Bhooshana

Digdesha Kaala Shoonyacha Vyapadesha Vivarjitha

Yaavastha Bharithakara Bhairavasyopalabhyate

Yatha Samyag Aham Vedmi Tatha Me Broohi Bhairava

*****

Parvathy continues her questioning and soon she will begin to have the answers. And so will we! "Oh God of all Gods, the wielder of the trident and the one who has made the skull his ornament, the one who is free of directions, place, time and is free from any kind of descriptions.

By what means, can the state of fullness of Bhairava be achieved. Please tell me in a manner that I shall completely know.

She also wants to know how the supreme energy also becomes the means through which Bhairava is known. The material world that we can experience with our five senses - including the five elements of earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, sun and the moon and all the galaxies - are the manifestations of the supreme energy. It is through this world that we get to know about the substratum of consciousness called Bhairava.

With this ends the questioning by Parvathy and begins the Yoga as expounded by Shiva from the next verse. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

(Pic: Walking in solitude at Charan Paduka, Badrinath. You can see through my glasses that there was none else to take this picture!)

Bhairavi

Masculine- Feminine

Anthah Swanubhavananda Vikalponmukta Gochara

Yavastha Bharitakara Bhairavi Bhairavathmanaha

*****

All this time, Consciousness was referred to as Bhairava. Now the feminine Bhairavi is mentioned as the Awareness of Bhairava. The truth is when the expression is masculine, the consciousness is subtle and feminine. When the expression is feminine, the awareness within is masculine Bhairava or Purusha (another word for man) as Prakriti or creation refers to woman.

When one is filled with the bliss of the experience of the self within, that is free of any distortions, being filled with that state is the experience of Bhairavi, the consciousness of Bhairava.

When there is an experience of bliss in any way - it can be by watching the ocean, gazing at the sky or sharing an intimate moment with a friend or a loved one, being filled with that experience of bliss is consciousness itself. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Picture: On the banks of the Kandy Lake, Sri Lanka.

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

No Directions

Jobless Silence

Dikkalakalanonmukta Deshoddeshavisheshini

Vyapadeshtum Ashakyaasavakathyaa Paramarthathaha

*****

What is the Supreme Reality, the Truth or the One Consciousness? It is not anything that we see, hear, smell, taste and touch. It is not confined by directions and time. It is even free of space and has neither a job nor intention. It is not possible to describe with words, the supreme truth which is beyond qualities and attributes. To understand the nature of the Supreme Truth, we can watch this computer screen. There are pixels of letters and images on the screen. The screen represents the supreme truth and juxtaposed against the screen is the mind which is represented by the words and images. In a deeper sense, the one that views this computer screen and understands what he or she see on it is the Supreme Truth, through the windows of the senses.

(Patanjali Yoga Sutra, Tirumandiram, Bhagavad Gita, The Himalayas, swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Transcendence

Beyond Anything

Nadabindumayo Vaapi Nachandrardha Nirodhikaha

Na chakra krama sambhinno Nacha Shakthiswaroopakaha

The Supreme reality is not the cosmic sound of Om. It cannot be perceived by exciting any energy centre of the body. It is neither the experience of the six chakras of the Muladhara, Swadhishtana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddhi and Agnya, nor is it all the forms of energy that is manifested in the universe.

If nothing is the form of Bhairava, where is the need to know and experience different forms of energy or go through different levels of consciousness?

All that we see, hear, speak, feel, smell and think about are but pointers to the ultimate consciousness that is the experiencer of all the experiences. When I need to show the moon behind the branches of a tree, I have to point to the tree. This is called the Chandrashakha Nyaya in Sanskrit. But to see the moon one has to look where the finger points toward and not at the tip of the finger or the tree. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

(Patanjali Yoga Sutra, Bhagavad Gita, Tirumandiram, I am that, swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Nothing

Neti Neti

Tatwato Na Navatmasau Shabdarashirna Bhairavaha

Nachasau Trishiro Devaha Nacha Shaktitrayathmakaha

To understand what consciousness is, it is necessary to know what consciousness is not. Shiva, the first teacher of Yoga, negates Devi's suppositions that the Bhairava's form or consciousness is the nine forms of energy which include the five elements of earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, energy, sun and moon, the various mantras or sounds which are a garland of letters, the three patterns of energy flow - the Ida - feminine, Pingala - masculine and Sushumna - neutral or the three forms of creative forces - the Iccha Shakti - the energy of desire, the Kriya Shakthi - the energy of action and Gnana Shakthi - the energy of knowledge.

How much ever science probes the world outside, splitting the atom or watching outer space, it still continues to dabble with different forms of energy only. It does not touch consciousness which is the very being that supports all the search and research.

If the different forms of energy can be likened to a cell, Shiva, Bhairava or Consciousness can be likened to the being that observes the cell through the eyes and the microscope. Shiva is that being which writes this and reads it too. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

(Picture: You guessed it right! The lady far behind is the Statue of Liberty in the Atlantic Ocean near Manhattan, New York.)

(Patanjali Yoga Sutra, Bhagavad Gita, Tirumandiram, Maha Shivaratri, Chicago Satsang, Himalayas, swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)