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.

Vignana Bhairava Tantra – 92

I am all space

Vyomakaram Swamathmanam Dhyayyeddigbhiranvritam|

Nirashraya Chitih Shaktihi Swaroopam Darshayettada||

When you sit down for meditation, consider yourself to be the space all around and within you. “I am the form of formless space.” Meditate this way and see your own self expanding in all directions without any boundary. When this thought of “I” expands and encompasses all space in which everything is held, the mind loses all its support. There is no object to echo our thoughts. Then the energy of consciousness is experienced as one’s own form. - SS

Vignana Bhairava Tantra – 91

Jump off from the visarga diving board

Varnaysya Savisargasya Visargantham Chiti Kuru|

Niradharena Chittena Sphured Brahma Sanatanam||

In this meditative practice which Lord Shiva explains to us through his disciple Goddess Parvathi, the Visarga is used as a tool for meditation. The Visarga : has the sound of ‘Ha’ and is placed at the end of some letters in Sanskrit such as Rama: Krishna: Shiva: Hari: Guru: or Lakshmi:  When pronounced, they sound like Ramaha, Krishnaha, Shivaha, Harihi, Guruhu and Lakshmihi. The meditator  is asked to take up a letter with its visarga to chant it and allow the mind to drop with the visarga. When the mind becomes supportless, it touches the supreme reality that is ever present. - SS

Vignana Bhairava Tantra – 90

Meditate on ‘अ ’

Abindum Avisargam Cha Akaram Japato Mahan|

Udeti Devi Sahasa Jnanaugha Parameshwaraha||

The first letter ‘अ of the Sanskrit alphabet, which is invariably the first letter of most of the world languages, is the first sound to emerge from space. When it is chanted without the concluding sound called the Bindu which gives a full stop to it and the sound of Visarga, represented in Sanskrit by two dots :, sounding like “aha” or “uhu” depending on the preceding sound, O Parvati – in that great soul, a river of knowledge about the supreme Ishwara flows immediately. – SS.

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra – 89

Train them inward

Yasya Kasyendriyasyaapi Vyaghathaccha Nirodhitha:|

Pravishtasyadvaye ShunyeTatraivatma Prakashate||

If the individual takes upp even one sense organ and restrains it from going repeatedly to its pastures, he enters into his own non-dual void within. The expression of the mind outward is brought within and there the atman shines in all its glory.

For instance, instead of allowing the eyes to roam around and getting tired watching different forms all the time, they can be kept closed. This allows the eye of contemplation to open within and there lies the discovery of the self. – SS