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Vijnanabhairava
Vijnanabhairava Tantra
This very brief tantra, ascribed to the Rudrayamala, is a practical work of yoga full of different methods of realising oneness with Shiva/Shakti. It exists, with Sanskrit text and an nglish translation, by !aideva Singh, and is published by "otilal #anarsidas. It prescribes over $%% dharanas, or things to meditate on, which can bring a person to realise that she or he is one with Shiva and Shakti. Referring to the Shiva Sutras, on this site, will help understand this material. Some years ago I wrote this summary of Vijnanabhairava which may be of some interest to people. It looks at the different verses of the tantra and outlines the yoga techni&ues within. $. 'ix the mind at the centre of the body (prana) and at the dvadashanta (apana * about nine inches outside the body) The human body breathes +$,,%% times during +- hours, according to the tantras. The outward breath extends to around nine inches outside the body. This is a meditation on the cycle of this breath. #reath is one with time and therefore the .alachakra or wheel of time. This is expanded in the Tantrarajatantra, which shows the essential unity of breath, time, the letters of the Sanskrit alphabet and the planets. +. 'ix the mind at the moment of pause at the heart and at the dvadashanta. /. 0rana and 1pana enter the Sushumna or central nadi. The in2breath and the out2breath both have their seat in the Sushumna, which is the central axis of the human body, according to the tantriks. -. Retention of 0rana Shakti at the heart and at the dvadashanta. The breath, as Shakti, is one with the supreme Shakti. It moves throughout the body through the different nadis or conduits of bioenergy but can be concentrated at different points by meditation. 3. "editate on Shakti rising from "uladhara and getting subtler and subtler up to #rahmarandhra. This and the next few verses relate to the so2called .undalini experience. In the Shri 4idya tradition, you can meditate upon the different mandalas of the Shri 5antra relating to these centres and being identical with the $32lettered mantra, piercing through the three knots (granthis) and becoming more and more void. See 4arivararahasya. ,. Successive .undalini rising through the Shaktis. 6. "editation of the $+ stages 2 !anmagra, "ula, .anda, navel, heart, throat, root of palate, centre of eye brows, forehead, #rahmarandhra, Shakti, 4yapini7 these are the first $+ vowels in the Sanskrit alphabet. 8. 1fter filling the #rahmarandhra with 0rana, free the mind of all thought constructs. 9. "editate in the heart on the five voids of the five senses. $%. "editate successively on things outside the body.

+ $$. 'ix attention on the inside of the skull. :lose eyes. $+. "editate on the inner emptiness of central nadi. $/. #lock the openings of the senses. $-. "editate either in the heart or in the #rahmarandhra on the bindu. $3. ;isten to the 1nahata sound. The essential pulse or vibration exists as sound in the heart centre. #y listening, one can achieve high states of consciousness. These sounds may start as bells or like other different sounds produced by musical instruments. See Kaulajnananirnaya. $,. "editate on <m and the void at the end of it. ach of the bi=a or root mantras, of which <m is the most famous, do not end but gradually fade away into a void. $6. :ontemplate on the state of a letter before and after its utterance. $8. ;isten to the sound of a musical instrument as it dies away. $9. "editate on bi=a mantras up to their subtle stages. +%. "editate on the void in one>s body extending in all directions simultaneously. +$. :oncentrate on the void above and the void below. ++. "editate on the three voids7 below, in the heart, and above. +/. :ontemplate on the body which as the limited sub=ect is void. +-. :ontemplate on the dhatus or bodily elements as pervaded with voidness. +3. "editate on the skin as being like an outer wall with nothing within it. +,. "erge the mind and the senses in the interior space in the heart. +6. ?issolve mind in the #rahmarandhra. This is the so2called $,%%% petalled lotus. +8. 'ix mind repeatedly at the ?vadashanta. +9. #urn body by fire of .alagni Rudra issuing from the big toe of the right foot using the mantra <m raksharayum tanum dahmami. This techni&ue is also described in Kaulajnananirnaya, ascribed to "atsyendranath. /%. Imagine the entire world as being burnt by .alagni Rudra. /$. "editate that the subtle constituents of the body or the world are being absorbed in their own respective causes. /+. "ake 0ranashakti subtle and meditate on it in the #rahmarandhra or in the heart.

/ //. "editate on the whole cosmos dissolving from gross into subtle into supreme until the mind dissolves in consciousness. /-. "editate on the Shaiva Tattva as pervading the whole universe. /3. :oncentrate intensely on the idea that the universe is completely void. /,. "editate on the empty space within a =ar. /6. :oncentrate on a deserted space. /8. :oncentrate on the space which occurs between two ideas. /9. :ontemplate on the gap between one thought while suppressing another thought. -%. :ontemplate on one>s own body as the universe and as of the nature of consciousness. -$. 'usion of 0rana and 1pana gives rise to a void. -+. :ontemplate on the universe or one>s own body as being filled with bliss. -/. :ontemplate in the delight which arises from a magical act. --. :ontemplate on the tingling sensation caused by 0rana Shakti moving upwards. -3. :oncentrate on the consciousness between upper and lower .undalini. This is like internal sexual union. -,. The delight of orgasm is the delight of #rahman. -6. "editate on the delight of sexual union. -8. "editate on the occasion of any great delight. -9. The delight of taste. 3%. The delight of song. 3$. :oncentrate on the feeling of satisfaction. 3+. :oncentrate on the hypnagogic state. That is the space between waking and sleeping. 1ccording to the tantriks, consciousness exists in the waking, dreaming, deep sleep states. There is a 'ourth state (Turiya) which pervades all these and the Turiyatita (beyond the fourth) which is the basis of all. 3/. :oncentrate on space variegated with the rays of the Sun and the "oon. 3-. :oncentrate on the following mudras. a) The world viewed as a skeleton b) @athering all +- tattvas into the body of mantra. c) .eep eyes fixed externally while turning inwards. d) Tasting of whole cosmos in the nature of I2consciousness. e) Remaining in Shiva consciousness continually. 33. Six relaxed. 3,. Sit relaxed, place arms in form of arch overhead.

36. 'ix gaAe on ob=ect whilst directing attention inwards. 38. .eep mouth open, invert tongue to touch palate. 'ix mind in the centre of your open mouth and voice a vowel2less B mentally. 39. Sit on soft seat and meditate body sits without support of the seat. ,%. Swing. ,$. :ontemplate cloudless sky. ,+. :ontemplate entire sky as being in #hairava and dissolved in the head. ,/. :oncentrate on wake, dream, deep sleep as being the #hairava continuum. ,-. :oncentrate on external darkness of a dark night in the dark fortnight of the "oon. ,3. :ontemplate on terrible darkness first and then the terrible form of #hairava. ,,. <bstruction of an organ of sense causes spiritual introversion. ,6. Recite the letter 1 without bindu or visarga. That is, the first vowel without a sound. ,8. :oncentrate on the end of visarga in a letter. ,9. :oncentrate on one>s own self as a vast unlimited expanse. 6%. :oncentrate on pain. 6$. :oncentrate that within yourself the inner psychic complex does not exist. 6+. :oncentrate on "aya and her Shaktis as limiting factors. 6/. :ut a desire as soon as it has arisen. 6-. Iccha, !nana and .riya of the limited individual are not the same as the essential self. 63. Chen a desire, knowledge or activity arises, concentrate on it. That is, Iccha, !nana and .riya shaktis. 6,. :oncentrate that all knowledge is without cause, is base and deceives, it does not belong to any one person. 66. The same self is in every body. 68. "ake mind one pointed when under the dominion of desire, anger, greed, infatuation, arrogance or envy. 69. :onceive the cosmos as a =uggler>s act. 8%. ?well on the reality which exists between pain and pleasure. 8$. Think7 DI am not my own body. I exist everywhereD.

3 8+. .nowledge, desire and activity appear in all ob=ects. 8/. :ontemplate that the same consciousness exists in all bodies. 8-. 'ree the mind from supports and refrain from all thoughts and their associations. 83. Think7 DI am ShivaD. 8,. 1s waves come from water, flames from fire, rays from the Sun, so the waves of the cosmos come from #hairava. 86. ?iAAiness. 88. "ental diAAiness. 89. :oncentrate on the reality within while looking outside, so merging the 1bsolute as Sound (the Shabda #rahman). 9%. :oncentrate on a bottomless well or as standing in a very high place. 9$. Chether outside or inside, Shiva is omnipresent. 9+. very sensation is an expression of pure consciousness. 9/. <rdinary consciousness shocked in sneeAing, terror, sorrow, deep sighs, flying from battles, at the beginning or the end of anger, can reveal the Shiva state. 9-. Ignore the memory of an ob=ect and fix attention on the original experience which was the basis of the memory. 93. ;ook at an ob=ect, withdraw it, slowly eliminate the knowledge of the ob=ect together with the thought and impressions. 9,. Intuition emerging from intensity of devotion. 96. Chen one ob=ect is perceived, all other ob=ects become empty. :oncentrate on that emptiness. 98. "ental purity arises above variations in association of thought. 99. #hairava appears in the I2consciousness. $%%. ?evelop Sama towards all. Sama means e&uipoise. See cstasy on this site. $%$. Re=ect both repulsion and attachment, cleave to Sama. $%+. #hairava is that which is not an ob=ect, cannot be grasped, is void, even in non2existence. $%/. :oncentrate on space as omnipresent free of all limitations. $%-. Cithdraw attention from distracting ob=ect and concentrate on the ob=ect of meditation. $%3. Recite the name #hairava incessantly. $%,. ;ook for the I which exists in all limited DI>sD

, $%6. Think of the sense of words which are eternal, omnipresent, have no support, pervade and is the ;ord of all that is. $%8. The whole universe has the reality of a magic show. $%9. Bow can .nowledge (!nana) or 1ction (.riya) exist in the eternalE 1ll external ob=ects are based on knowledge, therefore the world is void. $$%. There is no bondage or liberation, the universe is a reflection like the Sun in water. $$$. 1ll contact with pleasure and pain is through the senses. If you detach the senses from oneself, you can withdraw. $$+. :oncentrate on the .nower and the .nown as one and the same.