Vijnana Bhairava Tantra PART 21: VERSE 81 - 88

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra VERSE 81: SKILL 58

This verse is in continuation of khechari mudra, discussed earlier. Use khechari mudra, wide open the jaws, but ensure that lips are closed. Recite the alphabet ‘ha (ह)’ mentally. In a perfect khechari mudra, one can feel the pulsation at ājñā chakra. If the pulsation is not felt, one has to move the tip of the tongue here and there to find the exact place where the sensation in the ājñā chakra is felt. This is the point where one should practice khechari mudra. ‘ha’ here refers to haṁsa mantra. During this posture, one can listen to the subtle hissing sound of the breath passing through this place. If the ears are closed, the sound can be clearly heard. Concentrate on this sound, where mind is deactivated totally by annihilating all thought processes, peace alone prevails in the mind. This is known as the pure mind where, Self is realized. It is important to note that Self can be realized only in a thoughtless state of the mind.

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra VERSE 82: SKILL 59

While sitting or lying down, visualize your body is hanging from thin air without any support. Since the contemplation is on the floating of the body, all other thoughts are annihilated and in the process impressions in the mind are removed.

Mind by default strays through old memories or heeds to the inputs received from sensory organs. If the mind is made to abstain from both these situations, it becomes tranquil and quiet. In order to do this, mind is to be engaged in an activity that is not connected to these two, memories and sensory organs. Hence several alternatives are suggested in Vijñāna Bhairava to keep the mind engaged and the same time to keep it calm and composed. In a very peaceful state, the mind forgets about the embedded impressions of the past.

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra VERSE 83: SKILL 60

By swinging the body slowly the mind becomes tranquil. The swing of the body can be due to the vehicle in which he travels or he can himself make the body to swing. When the body swings, the mind becomes calm. The aerobic exercises are typical examples. During these exercises, the mind remains absolutely pure on account of two factors; first, due to the deep breathing and second due to the concentration on the movements of the body. It should be always remembered that one should take more time in exhaling than the time taken for inhalation. Suppose one counts up to 10 for inhalation, it is better to exhale by counting 15 to 20. This practice always keeps the mind calm. In a calm mind, if Self is contemplated, He is realized easily.

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra VERSE 84: SKILL 61

By sitting comfortably, look at the blue sky (meaning without clouds) without blinking and without moving the body, you attain the nature of Bhairava. When the concentration is fixed on the vastness of ākāśa, the vastness of Bhairava is realized. This is because, he becomes one with the vastness of ākāśa and as Bhairava is inexplicable vastness, you able to realize Bhairava. The realization happens for a few seconds and this is how realization chances in the initial stages. During the stage of fixing consciousness on ākāśa, the aspirant becomes one with the vastness of ākāśa. When consciousness becomes devoid of any thought processes, which is also known as pure consciousness, in that state, Bhairava is realized.

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra VERSE 85: SKILL 62

The yogī who visualizes the vast ākāśa as the essence of Bhairava till ākāśa is dissolved in his ājñā chakra and becomes visible as illuminating Light in ājñā chakra. Consequently, the entire universe gets absolved in that Light.

This is almost an extension of the previous verse. There are two possibilities for contemplation. One is to visualize the skull as wide open so that the entire ākāśa gets into that opening and enters ājñā chakra. The other option is to visualize that the ākāśa enters into the body through the orifice at top of the head known as brahmarandra. The cosmic energy can be drawn into the body by using this orifice, by perfect visualization. The other area where one can draw cosmic energy is medulla, the back head. If one stands in the early morning sun exposing his back head and brahmarandra directly towards the sunlight and visualize drawing of energy through these two places, one can easily notice the entry of cosmic energy into the body. Cosmic energy keeps a person in perfect health.

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra VERSE 86: SKILL 63

A yogī is aware of all the three states of consciousness – active, dream and deep sleep states. Dualities prevail in active state; impressions of the active state appear as dreams in dream state and in the deep sleep state there exists only darkness, as the mind becomes totally inactive. Beyond these normal states of consciousness, the state of turya, the fourth state of consciousness, where all dualities are annihilated. In the state of turya, Bhairava alone exists. This state is filled with splendorous Light of Bhairava. In this state of turya, all the three previous states exist.

Paramārthasāra (verse 35) explains this. “The waking state is the state of differentiation of the universe (viśva). The dream state is the state of splendor due to that Light (tejas). The third state of consciousness, deep sleep state is the state of knowledge (prājña) and the fourth state turya is beyond all these.”

In the state of turya, there exists Bhairava alone in the form of splendorous Light. This can be realized by experiencing inexplicable Bliss. The level of Bliss is always an indicator of one’s level of emancipation. All the aspirants do not realize Him in the same way and experiencing the level of Bliss is an indicative factor for self-evaluation. The level of spirituality cannot be evaluated by anybody else except the aspirant himself and by a Guru (not by a guru).

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra VERSE 87: SKILL 64

One has to contemplate on the darkness of the night during waning fortnight of the moon, where pitch dark alone prevails. If he turns to any side, he will notice only pitch darkness, not even some ray of light at a distance. This is possible only during new moon day (amāvāsya). At that time, if he contemplates on the darkness around, he attains the state of Bhariava. In other word, he perceives the omnipresence of Bhairava in the darkness. This contemplation will have a direct effect in developing quality consciousness, which becomes capable of modifying the mind.

This versed is based on the principle that the breath is predominant in either of the nostrils at a given time. If one is able to balance the breath equally in both the nostrils at the same time, his suṣumna gets activated. The intensity of the meditation varies according to the phase of moon. Mind will not be as pure as it should be, during new moon and full moon days.

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra VERSE 88: SKILL 65

One has to close his eyes and contemplate on the induced darkness in front. It is not the natural darkness discussed in the previous verse. It is called induced darkness because darkness is not natural and spontaneous. There is darkness because of closing the eyes. The act of closing the eyes is inducement. During this practice, visibility of material world is blocked and as a result the mind is rested. It is not mere closing of eyes that can make the mind to rest. When the eyes are closed, one has to concentrate on the darkness. Only during the perfect concentration on the darkness, mind is rested. If the perfect concentration is not practiced, mind continued to be active through the inputs received sensory organs such as ears, etc. When the mind is actively contemplating on something, all other sensory inputs of the mind are blocked. Only during this state of the mind Bhairava can be realized.

Further Readings:

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra- Part 20

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra - Part 22

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra - Part 23