WRITINGS OF JAN ESMANN

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that everything is Shakti, so the individual subjects are also Shakti, why then, do people not realize their unity with Shakti and recognize everything as Shakti?

4) The individual (atma) is a constriction of Shakti (Citi) but never the less is pure consciousness. Yet individual consciousness is filled with the constricted forms that make up the universe. When the Pure Self restricts itself into an individual consciousness, the individual consciousness will relate to the universe as manifold restricted objects. Thus unity is lost in infinite plurality, and confronted by so many individual objects the subject contracts even more into an individual identity relating to other individual subjects and objects. Despite this ongoing contraction into an ego separate from everything, the self of the individual remains The Self.

5) Citi (the Self as Shakti) descends from the state of unmanifest Oneness (Cetana) and becomes the objects of awareness as well as the constricted individual mind (Citta) when engrossed in the objects of awareness (cetya). This sutra explains the individual mind is nothing but a contraction or constriction of the Self as Shakti. It also explains that this constriction is not in the nature of Pure Awareness, but comes about by awareness being absorbed in the objects of awareness without recognizing these as Shakti. This has the interesting implication that freedom is not something one has to grow into or gain, rather it is a matter of getting rid of wrong knowledge about Self, awareness and the objects of awareness.

6) That individual mind is part of illusory understanding (Maya). Not only is the understanding of the mind illusory with respect to cognizing Shakti and Pure Being [Shakti and Pure Being are one and the same], but the mind is in itself a contraction of Pure Being without any ontological basis other than Absolute Being [Shakti] -which the mind is not only unaware of, but even quite incapable of realizing. Why can't the mind realize it's own source? Because the nature of the mind is a constriction of the source. The next verse is very cryptic, but the comment should help:

7) Though essentially One, he (Pure Being) has two sides that consists of three aspects. He appears as fourfold and through seven pentads appears as the objective universe. Now, what to think of this mumbo-jumbo? Obviously the sutra refers to other Kashmir Shaivism teachings, so with recourse to these we understand the following: The two sides of the Absolute Pure Being are Shiva and Shakti. Shiva and Shakti in Kashmir Shaivism do not refer to the personages of the Hindu pantheon, but stand for the two aspects of Pure Being: Unmanifest Energy and Pure Being. On the one hand the Absolute Pure Being (Shiva) is ever unmanifest, yet at the same time its nature is dynamic creative force (Shakti) which brings the universe into existence. One might then ask what the nature of these two aspects are? Do they have something in common? Yes, the sutra explains, they have three aspects in common, and these three aspects are generally known as "sat-cit-ananda". Sat means existence, Cit means consciousness, Ananda means supreme bliss. Pure unmanifest Being is sat-cit-ananda and the dynamic creative force is sat-cit-ananda. Actually sat-cit-ananda is a concept from Vedanta, but Kashmir Shaivism incorporates this basic teaching of Vedanta and elaborates on it by explaining the Shakti aspect of the

Absolute. Vedanta says there is only One (unmanifest Pure Being) that has three aspects (sat-cit-ananda), but Kashmir Shaivism corrects Vedanta by explaining that the One has a twofold nature which does not negate the threefold sat-cit-ananda of Vedanta. The Absolute both is Shiva and Shakti as well as sat-cit-ananda. In plain english: the Self is not passive unmanifest being, but is a creative force and is existence, conscious and blissful. The fourfold appearance is due to the minds incapability to comprehend the unmanifest as inherently One union of creative force, existence, consciousness and bliss. The seven pentads refer to Kashmir Shaivism metaphysics, which speaks of 35 (7*5) principles that constitute the created universe. I don't think there is much point in going into these, since our objective is Self-realization, not philosophizing. Why is all this not so relevant? The next sutra actually explains why:

8) All this is merely various systems of philosophy, which ultimately are roles played by Pure Being. This sutra is clear enough. It reaches back to sutra 6, which said the mind is part of the problem of illusion. It does not matter how sharp and exact the classifications and descriptions are, they will never reveal the Ultimate Pure Being.

9) Pure Being, in the same way as Shakti, becomes obscured due to constrictions that appear as impurities covering the Self. Thus the individual soul comes into being and gets bound by illusions and reincarnation (samsara). The previous sutras have focused on how everything is manifest in and of Shakti, but we are now reminded that Shakti and Pure Being

are inseparable (one and the same) and that as Shakti appears covered with impurity, so does Pure Being. It may be easier to comprehend objects as constrictions of Shakti, while the individual soul may be easier to comprehend as a constriction of Pure Being. In reality there is no distinction between Pure Being and Shakti. From the point of view of the individual soul, there appears to be impurities hindering realization of Pure Being. The peculiar situation is that these impurities are also Shakti and Pure Being, however, the bound soul can not see this directly and therefore has to deal with them as impurities clouding the understanding of reality. What this sutra does not make clear, is that the basic impurity, or constriction, is the sense of "I", the I-ness or I AM-ness. The I-ness is strengthened by the mind relating to all the many objects in the mind. One part of the mind looks at an other and says: Ah! This is who I am! Similarly every part looks at every other part and generates a complex web of identification. The basis of this web is the I-ness or I AM-ness.

10) Nevertheless (though bound in illusion) the individual soul performs the same five functions as the Self. The five functions are listed in the next sutra:

11) These are: (a) manifestation of constricted phenomena; (b) ideation, thinking and cognition; (c) attachment to and involvement in the phenomena; (d) proliferation by planting seeds of future phenomena and constrictions; (e) dissolution of the phenomena back into Pure Being. The five functions are of course not so easy to translate since they are technical terms. Here they are: (a) Abhasana. To make something appear, which is actually unreal.

Illusory appearance. (b) Rakti. The minds attachment and involvement in concepts formed regarding phenomena; thinking and thought processing. It is the involvement of the subjective consciousness with the objective phenomena and the ideas, thoughts and concepts produced of that involvement. (c) Vimarsana. Experience resulting from involvement in the object. (d) Bijavasthapana. Literally means "planting the seed", but it is used as a metaphor for proliferation. (e) Vilapana. Dissolution, sometimes interpreted as destruction, but it is really a matter of falling back into the unmanifest state from whence the phenomena arose in the first place. What is described here is actually the cyclic process going on in the mind. It is: Creation of a phenomena of awareness --> Mental involvement in the phenomena --> Experience --> Consequences of the experience in the form of subtle seeds for new involvements --> Dissolution of the object of awareness. 12) The five functions, while in the absence of Selfrealization, binds one in illusion (samsara). Bondage gets its power from infatuation with the phenomena. This sutra informs us that the cycle of the five functions described in the previous sutra are actually the samsaric cycle of reincarnation in a dreamlike illusory reality. The reason one is bound in samsara is said to be the power inherent in ones infatuation with the experienced phenomena. Most interestingly the sutra states that this bondage in samsara only comes about due to lack of Self-realization. This means that illusion and bondage only continues as long as there is an I-ness with which one identifies oneself and as long as one has not realized one self as Pure Being. So, what does one do about these five functions and the involvement in them?

13) That very same Pure Awareness that acquires knowledge of the individual mind, can through meditation turn upon its source and rise to the level of recognizing itself as Pure Being (the Self). The Self constricts its awareness to the individual mind and forgets its nature as Pure Being. However, awareness can turn away from phenomena and inwards towards its source. When this is done in a radical way attention will collapse back into its source, which is Pure Being, and at that moment a recognition of the Self occurs. It is interesting that Pratyabhijnahridayam does not speak of "realizing" the Self, but of "recognizing" the Self. The point is that the Self needs to re-cognize itself, not to reach something it was not before by growth and change.

14) The fire of Shakti (citi), even though it descends to the level of concealment, is capable of being known in proportion to its strength. Sutra 13 spoke of introvert meditation as a means to recognize the Self. This sutra, however, speaks of the emergence of the Self as Shakti burning away ignorance in order to establish Self-recognition in the individual. This process is pure grace. Initiation into this is knows as shaktipat, which means "descent of Shakti". Shaktipat is passed on from master to student. In rare cases shaktipat is given by divine grace to an ardent seeker of Self-realization. Giving shaktipat is as easy as handing someone an apple, but often the one to whom it is given, just can't receive it or hold on to it.

15) (Shakti) On acquiring full strength, reveals everything as Pure Being.

The burning away of ignorance by Shakti is not limited to the stuff of the mind, it completely changes ones view of everything as Shakti reveals her presence in and as everything.

16) On attaining blissful Self-realization one becomes liberated even while incarnated. Though there is the usual mental activity and phenomena, Self-recognition never ceases. It is a common misconception about Self-realization, that the mind becomes quiet or operates in a completely new manner. This sutra informs us that the mind will remain functioning as before, but one will no longer be identified with it after Self-realization. Similarly can be understood that there may be suffering in the mind, yet despite that one will be One with the bliss of the Self.

17) By opening up the center one attains the supreme bliss of Pure Being. "Center" here refers to the Self. "Opening up" refers to the activity and results of spiritual practices for Self-realization.

18) The means are: (a) Cessation of wrong understanding. (b) Withdrawal and projection of Shakti. (c) Control of the flow (of Shakti, kundalini, prana) between the extremes. a) "Wrong understanding" is a translation of the word "vikalpa" which can mean as much as "error, uncertainty and imagination". Therefore the suggestion to bring wrong understanding to an end just as much means to bring all fluctuations of the mind to an end. But it is noteworthy that though quieting the mind is a means to an

end, it is not in any way an end in itself. Sutra 16 made this quite clear. It is therefore proper to translate "vikalpaksaya" as "cessation of wrong understanding" rather than "quieting the mind". b) "Withdrawal and projection of Shakti" could also be translated "contraction and expansion of Shakti". This refers back to the need to get Shakti going at full strength. Projecting Shakti forth and withdrawing it again is an effective way to habituate the system to more and more Shakti while it keeps a balance between surrendering to Shakti and controlling Shakti. Ultimately, of course, one will surrender to Shakti and merge into Shakti. It is difficult to describe how this is done, but once the Shakti gets going after Shaktipat, it become quite obvious what this is about. c) Another means is to control the flow of Shakti in the subtle energy channels of the body. These channels are known as "nadis" and the most important nadi resides in the center of the spine and is called "sushumna". Actually the two extremes of this nadi are a little above the perineum and at the crown of the scull. Shakti resides in the human body as kundalini and kundalini lies dormant in the area just above the perineum. Kundalini can be awakened and brought into the brain via sushumna. This is a very important practice. Preparing the sushumna for kundalini is very important and it is done by making prana flow up and down the spine in synchronicity with the breath. Prana is a basic vital force that is manifested out of kundalini. Since kundalini is Shakti, it is natural to use prana to prepare the way for kundalini and ultimately for Shakti.

19) By repeatedly entering samadhi, the residual impressions of samadhi will permeate one more and more. By thus repeatedly touching the Self, one will become permanently established in the Self. As the Shakti grabs one more and more due to the practices

described in the previous verse, one will enter union with the Self more and more often. This union is known as "samadhi". It is very important to note that Self-realization is not a result of the practices described in the previous sutra, but is a result of repeated and habitual samadhi.

20) Then one attains Oneness with the blissful light of consciousness. One attains the goal of all mantras. One becomes established in Pure Being prior to creation and reabsorption. One reaches higher than the Devas. One comes in control of all this. This is verily the state of Shiva (Pure Being). Thus ends the Pratyabhijnahridayam, or Essence of Self-recognition.

Vijñānabhairava - How to acquire knowledge of the Self

A new translation and commentary Introduction Vijñānabhairava is a short manual about the Self and the means to acquire direct knowledge of the Self and ultimately reach Selfrealization. Thus it is a manual of meditative practices. Vijñānabhairava is a central text of Kashmir Shaivism. It is an ancient tantric text of unknown origin and date, but it is older than the first millennia A.D. It deals with Self-realization and with a large number of practices (112+1) that can be understood and performed once one has a sense of Shakti and Spanda. "Spanda" is usually translated as "vibration", but it refers to the world as Shakti and the sense of Shakti in the world as a vibration or tremor. To be able to sense Spanda and Shakti in the world, one must have the ability to merge with it within. In other words one must have not only the ability to enter samadhi, but also to perceive all subtle layers within as Shakti/Spanda. This is of course a little advanced. The 112 practices, plus the additional one at the end, are therefore advanced practices. They seem deceptively simple, but without the ability to sense Spanda/Shakti, the practices will not yield the desired result of merging into Oneness with the Self in a non-dual Oneness with the world. The title "Vijñānabhairava" is composed of the words "vijñāna" and "bhairava". Vijñāna means knowledge. Bhairava, in Hindu mythology, is one of many manifestations of Shiva. However, in Kashmir Shaivism Shiva/Bhairava means the Absolute, the Self. In Kashmir Shaivism Bhairava also refers to the threefold activity of the Absolute (Shiva): Projection of the world, maintenance of the world and dissolution of the world. Bhairava means Shiva, the Absolute, since Bhairava is masculine. Bhairavi is feminine and refers to Shakti. Bhairava is the goal of the yogi and the book Vijñānabhairava offers

knowledge about this goal and offers a number of practices one can do to deepen ones realization of Bhairava (the Absolute). In fact the book Vijñānabhairava is said to be spoken by Bhairava in reply to Devi's questions. Devi is another name for Shakti, which is one with Shiva, so one may ask how it can be that Devi does not already know the answers to her questions. This question is similar to the question: Since we all are already the Self, how come we do not know it? The ambiguous answer is that the small self appears of the Self in the Self -- and that the individualized awareness-structures of the small self identify with each other and create ignorance. These structures are Shakti and never will be anything but Shakti, hence they are the Self, but they think they are limited individual ego-structures and thus a massive structure of ignorance builds up. Since this structure is Shakti, the quickest means to Self-realization is to awaken Shakti in such a manner, that it comes to realize itself in the world. Without awakening Shakti, the way to Self-realization is a cumbersome fight with ones ignorance, once identifications, ones desires and habits, and worst an attempt at accelerated evolution which is bound to fail since there is nothing to evolve in the first place. When Shakti awakens to realize herself in and as everything, enlightenment dawns very quickly. The practices in Vijñānabhairava are about this awakening. So why does Shakti ask these questions, when Shakti is the ultimate already? Because it is Shakti that plays the game of life, of ignorance getting dissolved, and ultimately who is the giver of Self-realization. You can get Self-realized without awakening Shakti, of course, since Self-realization is a matter of realizing ones own nature as pure Being. But getting Self-realized with Shakti is so much more fun since you perceive the divine in everything and live in a state of perpetual bliss. Self-realization without Shakti is empty, it is void. Vijñānabhairava first and foremost teaches how to get Self-realized with Shakti, but it also addresses practices aimed at void for those, who do not have an awakened Shakti and want to follow the path of void.

The practices need an awakened kundalini to give best results. Such an awakening, when bestowed from a teacher to a pupil, is called shaktipāt. Shaktipāt is the central initiation in Kashmir Shaivism. When kundalini is awakened and active, you will soon begin to experience the stage of meditation where the practices given here really begin to work. This is the Spanda stage called "Spandamānatā" and here one feels as if the body vibrates though it is not moving. It is a tingling sensation in the skin. It is like a mild electric fire. You can't reach the Spanda level unless your kundalini is awakened and active. The practices are arranged in a descending order of effectiveness. First there are superior practices, then there are inferior practices, then there are mental practices. Finally a practice is added which is said to be superior to all.

Vijñānabhairava Verses 1-8 are introductory. Devi list a number of questions concerning the highest reality based on the contents of now lost books (tantras). These are regarding the nature of the highest reality and how to reach it. The questions are full of technical terms and concepts which one does not need to understand in order to benefit from the rest of the text. 1-8a. Shri Devi said: O Deva, I have heard in detail the teachings of Rudrayāmala Tantra and the complete divisions of the Trika school, which form the quintessence of knowledge. Yet even now my uncertainties are not dispelled. What is the essential nature of the divine? Is it the creative energy of the garland of letters making up mantras? Is it the nine different ways of reaching the Self as taught in the Bhairava path? Is it different from the Trishira Tantra? Or is it the three kinds of energy? Or is it full of the

forms of nāda and bindu? Or that which obstructs the half moon? Or the ascending chakras? Or the unstruck sound? Or is it of the sense of energy? Is it both transcendental and immanent, or purely one or the other? If it is purely immanent, then transcendence is negated, because transcendence can not exist as color, divisions and forms. Transcendence must be indivisible and without composite parts. O master, bless me by completely removing my confusions and doubts. "Rudrayāmala Tantra" is a now lost book about the oneness of Shiva and Shakti. "Trika" is a most important school of Kashmir Shaivism. "Garland of letters" refers to the sanskrit alphabet. "The nine different ways of reaching". Actually the expression is "piercing the nine small selves" and the idea is that the small self can be pierced in nine different ways in order to access the Absolute. The nine different sheaths to be pierced are: Shiva conceived as with form, Shiva conceived of as separate from ones Self, godhead, learning, illusion, dividing into parts, sense of destiny, the individual soul, natural dispositions. "Trishira tantra". This work deals with the three flows of Shakti through the three channels idā, pingalā and sushumnā. Sushumnā is inside the spine and idā and pingalā are on either side. "The three different kinds of energy" are doing, willing and knowing. They may also refer to the energy flows in the channels idā, pingalā and sushumnā. "Nāda and bindu". These two concepts are technical terms for the primary manifestations from the Absolute. Bindu is the first point of constriction and nāda is the vibration, or sound, this constriction has. Prior to both is Spanda, which refers to the throb or vibration of

Shakti out of which everything manifests. "Obstructs the half moon". This seems odd, so we must understand it as a metaphor. idā is often called "chandra nādī", the moon channel, so it could refer to blocking the flow of shakti in idā and directing kundalini up sushumnā. It could also refer to obstructing thoughts in the mind as an aid in meditation. "The unstruck sound" could refer to the mantra "ha" said to resound spontaneously with the breath. It could also refer to "nāda", the primal sound of the first individualized manifestation from the Absolute. "The sense of energy" refers to the sense of energies rushing in the body, known as prāna. 8b. Bhairava replied: O dear one, your questions are auspicious and address the essence of tantra, which I will now explain. - - - On what the Self is not - - 9. That which is identified with form is to be considered insubstantial and of no spiritual value. It is like Indra's illusory web (māyā) or the illusory city of celestial musicians. First sentence is very interesting.The second sentence refers to Vedic mythology. Basically the second sentence attempts to clarify the first through examples, but since its mythology is obscure today it merely has the opposite effect. The message of this verse is that everything, no matter how great and wonderful, that is identified with form is within the sphere of illusion (māyā). It is therefore of no spiritual value, since true spirituality seeks to get out of illusions. 10. Meditation on form is only prescribed for people of

deluded understanding. Such people are prey to complex thoughts and drawn to ostentatious performance of rituals. 11. In fact Bhairava is neither the nine forms, the garland of letters, the three flows nor the three powers of Shakti. The nine forms are either the nine sheaths mentioned in verse 1-8, or they are: time, ascension, name, knowledge, awareness, sound, seed-form or impulse, wave, individual soul. The garland of letters is the sanskrit alphabet. The three flows refer to the three flows of vital force (prāna) through the the most important channels (nadis): idā, pingalā and sushumnā. Usually Shakti is translated as power, but in reality power is a manifestation of Shakti. According to Kashmir Shaivism, Shakti manifests as power of action, power of intention and power of knowledge; in other words: doing, willing and knowing. Sometimes two more powers are added: Power of awareness and power of bliss. Elsewhere kundalini is mentioned as the most important manifestation of Shakti. So in short, the number of Shaktis is not really important. What is important in this verse is to understand that Bhairava is nothing phenomenal what so ever, no matter how subtle or how powerful. 12. Nor can He (Bhairava) be found as primal sound or the source point of creation (bindu). Nor in the halfmoonlike obstruction. Nor the piercing of the chakras. Not even as any form of power. "Halfmoonlike obstruction" is discussed in verse 1-8. It probably refers to obstructing thoughts as a spiritual discipline. 13. All such things have been told to people of immature intellect to entice them to practice. Just as mothers discipline children with scary tales and entice them with candy. - - - On what the Self is - - -

14. Ultimately That (the Self) is free from direction, time and measure. It is free of any designation. It can neither be indicated nor described. 15. Internally one may realize That (the Self) as supreme bliss when one is free of the fluctuations of consciousness. That state is the fullness of Bhairavi, it is the Self realized as Bhairava. "Bhairavi" is Shakti and "Bhairava" is Shiva. The verse says that the Self is realized both as Shakti and pure Being. 16. That (the Self) should be know as all pervasive in essence and stainlessly pure. Such being the case, who is to be worshipped? 17. As just described, that Bhairava-state is the highest state. It is also known as Paradevi, the highest Goddess. "Paradevi, the highest goddess" is Shakti. 18. Shakti and the possessor of Shakti are One. Shakti is the essence of the Absolute and thus known as parashakti. Parashakti can never be separated from dharma or the possessor thereof. "Dharma" is a word with many meanings. It is best known in ethics as meaning righteousness or correct conduct, but in classical yoga it also meant the form or quality of things. Thus this verse has numerous meanings. But the main point is that the Absolute is both pure Being and Shakti at once and that this Oneness not only pervades everything, but is everything. This verse actually makes it clear that Shakti is the essence. This is very important. The ultimate reality is Shakti. The essence of pure Being is Shakti. Self-realization understood as pure Being only,

without Shakti, is empty void. He who fully knows Shakti and is one with Shakti also fully knows pure Being, but not necessarily so the other way round. 19. Just as the power to burn can not be separated from fire (so Shakti can not be separated from pure Being). Shakti is only imagined as separate in the beginning, as an entry point to real understanding. 20. Upon merging with Shakti one realizes undivided Oneness, then one becomes like Shiva. Thus Shakti is said to be the face of Shiva. "Face of Shiva" means the entrance to pure Being. Shakti is the direct entrance to pure Being. 21. O dear one. Just as a direction or things are known by the flame of a candle, or the rays of the sun, so similarly Shiva is known through Shakti. Shiva is of course pure Being, the Self. Verses 18-21 are very important because they flatly state that Shakti is identical with Shiva and that Shakti is both the means and the opening to Shiva. It is important to bear this in mind when reading the many practices that will be mentioned in the rest of the text 22-23. Devi then asked: O God of Gods, who bears the trident and craniums as ornaments. (The Self) is devoid of direction, space and time and is also indescribable. Tell me the means by which the full state of Bhairava can be reached. In what way is Paradevi, the highest Shakti, the face of Bhairava? Please tell me in plain language so I may understand. Devi asks about how to reach the state where Shiva and Shakti are realized as one. Bhairava then replies by describing 112 practices.

Bhairava even adds an extra practice as conclusion, so there are 113 practices in all. - - - On meditation on breathing - - 24. Bhairava replied: Paradevi, the highest Shakti, whose nature is to create, manifests as the upward flow called prāna and the downward flow called apana. By fixing the mind at the two places of their generation, the state of fullness ensues. The two places of generation are the root chakra, situated just above the perineum, and the crown chakra, situated in the top of the brain. However, when Shakti reaches the uppermost center, you will feel the entire brain suffused with radiant energy-bliss. Practice. Focus your attention at the root chakra. There visualize a ball of light about the size of your fist. After a few minutes sense the ball expanding on the in-breath and contracting back to the fist-size on the out-breath. After a few minutes go to the crown of the head do the same there. Go back and forth between the two chakras spending a few minutes with each individually. After awhile you will have the peculiar experience that the two centers are one. Despite their different locations in space, you will feel it is the same energy and the same state in both of them and working with one center will have effects in the other. It will feel as if there is no distance between them. Then fullness ensues. 25. When both the inward and outward flows of prāna are held in their space with uninterrupted awareness, the essence of Bhairava, which is one with Bhairavi, manifests. Bhairava means Shiva or pure Being resting in itself as itself, Bhairavi means Shakti, or the dynamic and creative aspect of pure Being. The verse says the essence of pure Being is one with Shakti and that this oneness manifests while doing this prānāyama.

Practice. Feel the entire body for a while, then gently follow your breathing rhythm. On the in-breath sense as if your body is filled with prāna expanding through every pore of the skin. On the outbreath just let go and merge with pure Being. Keep on at it and the fluctuations of the mind will cease. At a point one will feel no difference between the in- and out-breath and will just feel like a bubble of energy, larger than but permeating the body, which vibrates more and more intensely with every in- and out-breath. It doesn't move, it just is there, vibrating, blissful. 26. When Shakti, in the form of breath, does not move, Bhairava develops in the middle through cessation of mindstuff (nirvikalpa). "The middle" refers to the central nādī inside the spine, through which kundalini rises. "The middle" could also refer to the state where the flows associated with in- and out-breath are merged. This is not about holding the breath, that comes in the next verse. It could also refer to the void between thoughts, expanding as mind stuff ceases to be present. Practice. Feel energy rising up the spine on the in-breath and descending on the out-breath. At some point there will be no difference between in- and out-breath, shakti will no longer move up or down and the spine will feel like a stable channel full of vibrating, hot shakti, becoming more and more intense on every in- and outbreath. Alternatively feel the channel in the middle of the spine expand with the in-breath and contract with the out breath. Soon the difference between in- and out-breath will dissolve and the spine will feel like a hot wire of Shakti growing more and more tangible and intense on every breath. 27. When kumbhaka takes place after the in breath or out breath., the Shakti known as Peace is revealed.

"Kumbhaka" is to hold the breath while moving Shakti. Just holding the breath is pointless, you have to use the generated energy and concentration to further move Shakti about in the system, in order to dissolve contractions of consciousness and expand awareness into blissful peace. Practice. The methods in verses 24-27 add up to the following practice, called shakti prānāyama, or kundalini prānāyama. Follow your breath and get into its natural rhythm. Then find a rhythm where you breathe in, hold your breath in a relaxed manner and breathe out in equal time. You could count your heart beats and count three on the in breath, count three while holding the breath and count three while breathing out. The breathe in again without holding your breath. Only hold your breath when the lungs are filled. On the in breath sense energy is rising up your spine from the perineum and into your brain. When holding the breath sense energy radiates in all directions from your brain. On the out breath. either continue the same radiation, or just let go and merge with the shakti. It is important to find a nice, relaxed rhythm and there is no benefit what so ever in competing with yourself about prolonging the phases. It is very important this prānāyama is relaxed and that the sense of Shakti moving is very real and most important to you. If three is too long, count two heartbeats. Do this simple and relaxed prānāyama as long as you like, but do not interrupt the rhythm and flow. Do it 45 minutes twice every day and kundalinishakti will soon begin to flow and bliss will emerge. Swami Lakshman Joo suggests the verse means the following practice: When you have exhaled, hold the breath gently for ten to thirty seconds, depending on what is comfortable for you. Then inhale and take the breath to the heart. After inhalation hold the breath for a similar period as after the exhalation. Lakshman Joo recommends practicing this six hours a day to get results. - - - On meditation on kundalini - - -

28. Meditate on the Shakti, shining like rays, that rises from the root and becomes subtler and subtler until it reaches the top of the brain and dissolves in the Self as Bhairava appears. This is of course Kundalinishakti. The verse does not say "top of the brain" but "dvishatkānte", which is a mysterious phrase . "Dvishāt" means two times six, or twelve, and "kāntha" means "dear" or "beloved". It refers to the ultimate found when kundalini reaches the crown of the head. Kundalini passes through the six shat-chakras on her journey to the brain, so it is safe to assume that the twelve spoken of here are the dual nature (inner and outer) of the six chakras. See also verse 30 for a deeper discussion of the twelve. Practice. Warm-up: Observe your body breathing. Do not interfere with the rhythm and do not hold your breath unless it stops by itself. Just let the body breathe and observe. Sense a channel from a little above the perineum that enters the spine between the upper sacral vertebrae and the lowest lumbar vertebrae and goes up inside the spine and terminates at the top of the brain. On the in-breath sense energy rising in the entire channel at once. On the out-breath. sense energy radiating from the brain in all directions. Continue like this for a while and you gradually sense both the rising and the radiating going on during both the in-breath and the out-breath. This will soon awaken kundalini and give you access to the Self. 29. Meditate on the lightning-like Shakti moving upwards through all the chakras one by one till it reaches the crown chakra where at last the great dawn rises. The Shakti here described is kundalini. The "great dawn" is of course to reach the Self. Again the crown chakra is not mentioned, but it is hinted at with the word "mushitrayam", which means "three fists". Cryptically a fist is four fingers wide and three fists refers to twelve. Practice. This practice is designed with the seven major chakras in

mind. Follow your breathing throughout. Root chakra: Sense a ball of energy a few centimeters wide just above the perineum. On the in-breath sense energy rising about 10-15 centimeters, on the outbreath sense the energy going down again. Do this ten times. Then stop moving up and down and instead sense the root chakra as a ball that expands on the in breath and contracts on the out-breath. Do this ten times. Then simply sense the chakra expanding on both the in- and out-breath. Do this for ten breaths. Then on the in- and out-breath sense energy moving from the root chakra to the second chakra (swadistana, about ten centimeters below the navel) via the spinal channel. Do this for ten breaths. 2nd to 6th chakra. On the inbreath sense energy moving forward from the spine to the front of the body, on the out-breath sense energy moving back to the spine. Do this ten breaths. Then sense the chakra expanding on the inbreath and contracting on the out-breath. Do this for ten breaths. Then feel the chakra expanding on both the in- and out-breath. Do this for ten breaths. Then move the energy up to the next chakra on the in-breath and down again on the out-breath. Do this for ten breaths. When you reach the crown chakra, you do the same, but rather than moving back and forth, you move up and down out and in of the scull. Once the process is finished for the crown, you work your way back down to the root chakra one chakra at a time as described. 30. Successively the twelve should be pierced one by one through right understanding and the twelve letters. From the gross to the subtle and beyond where one finally becomes one with Shiva. What "the twelve" are is not clear, but the previous verse spoke of "all the chakras", so it is perhaps reasonable to assume that this verse specifies that there are twelve such chakras or at least that there are twelve points to pierce. Common spirituality teaches there are seven chakras, but in fact there are six (called shat-chakras) while the crown is rather the trigger of a phase-shift. If we understand "two times six" of verse 28

to refer to the dual aspect of the six shat-chakras then we can understand it to be the same as the twelve mentioned here. It then makes sense that the inner and outer aspect of the six chakras should be pierced and that the "beyond" mentioned in the verse refers to the crown (sahasrara). Each chakra is said to have a certain seed mantra associated with it, which consists of a single letter. From the bottom up the six shat-chakras have these mantras: lam, vam, ram, yam, ham, om. The crown does not have such a mantra since mantras are transcended here. This, however, only makes six letters, not twelve. For a practice, see verse 29. There are numerous chakras, but the six shat-chakras and the crown are the most important ones. There is a chakra located at the top of the palate called moordha. There are four chakras between the ajna chakra (between the eyebrows) and sahasrara chakra (at the top of the brain): Manas chakra (om), indu chakra (hang), nirvana chakra (hang-sah) and guru chakra (om, aing). Guru chakra is also called lalana chakra. There is also a chakra located just below the heart chakra (anahata), called hridaya or hrit. With the six shat-chakras and the crown this makes twelve. In practice the six major chakras plus the crown are sufficient to work with and it turns out that once kundalini has risen to the ajna chakra, the rest takes care of itself. Swami Lakshman Joo specifies these twelve points: 1) The anus, "a", 2) Muladhara (root chakra), "ā", 3) Kanda, placed above the root chakra, "i", 4) The navel, "ii", 5) The heart, "u", 6) The throat, "uu", 7) The palate, "e", 8) Between the eyebrows, "ai", 9) Lalata, in the forehead, "o", 10) Brahmarandhra, top of the head, "au", 11) Shakti, meaning kundalini, piercing the crown, "am" or "aing", 12) Vyapini, the shakti operating in the system after kundalini has dissolved in the Self, "ah". Jaideva Singh locates the first point in the genitals rather than in the anus. It is problematic that Lakshman Joo specifies vyapini as the twelfth because vyapini is not a point to pierce, but the residual shakti after the last point has been pierced. It is also problematic that Lakshman Joo's point 11 is merely a

repetition of point 10. Thus Lakshman Joo's list actually only comprises 10 points. 31. Then, having crossed the bridge between the eyebrows and having filled the crown of the head, the mind becomes free of fluctuations and a sense of omnipresence arises. "Having filled" refers to kundalinishakti having risen to the crown of the head and filled the brain completely. "The bridge between the eyebrows" is the passage through ajna chakra, located between the eyebrows, and beyond. "Having crossed the bridge between the eyebrows" is a translation of "bhanktvā bhrookshepaetuna" which literally means "having crossed the bridge of frowning eyebrows". It means to cross the bridge by one pointed concentration on the point between the eyebrows, the ajna chakra. Some take this "frowning" metaphor literally and think you should contract the eyebrows, but that will do no good unless it helps you focus attention in the ajna chakra. "Frowning" is meant to specify the point between the eyebrows, rather than a contraction of the eyebrows themselves. Also the main point of the verse is to fill the brain with Shakti, not to do gymnastics with the eyebrows. Once one has opened and transcended the Ajna chakra, awareness will rest in itself and the mind will be free of fluctuations and thus a sense of omnipresence arises. Omnipresence may also refer to the curious fact that when kundalini reaches beyond ajna chakra it fills the entire brain and thus can be described as omnipresent; even more so since at this point one begins to sense Shakti in everything, even outside objects, so omnipresence of Shakti in the real sense of the word begins to dawn. This is a very important and difficult passage and getting kundalini from the spine and into the brain is a bit tricky. Kundalini may flow on the outside of the scull rather than enter the brain. This outside flow is delightful and one may think it is the opening of the crown chakra, but it is not. Once kundalini enters the brain it is on "the

bridge at the eyebrows" and it has to pass the chakra between the eyebrows and reach the top of the head, then it will suffuse the entire brain. - - - On meditation on void - - 32. There are five voids similar to the variegated circles on a peacock's feathers. One should meditate on these voids and by following them to the end, one will enter the heart and become That. "The heart" means pure Being, the Self. In Kashmir Shaivism the number five is not only associated with the five elements and the five senses, but also with the five "kanchukas" which are the five coverings of illusion (māyā). These five are: 1) creative phase of manifestation, 2) knowledge, 3) desire and attachment to objects, 4) time, 5) spatial limitations and causal relations. Neither has substantial reality and meditation on either will reveal it to be covering a void. Upon entering the void and merging with the void, one enters pure Being (the heart). Similarly one can meditate on any one of the senses and discover it also covers a void. Finally, one can speak of five coverings with which one can be identified and which also cover a void: 1) the physical body, 2) the thoughts, 3) the mind, 4) the ego, 5) the I-ness. Either can be used as an object of meditation provided one transcends it and enters the void it covers. 33. In the same way mindful awareness can be absorbed in anything, like void, a wall or an excellent person, and this will gradually bestow blessings. The examples are of a general nature and any empty or blank object will do, not just a wall. The person one selects for meditation, however, should be "excellent", meaning self-realized. 34. Close the eyes, fix your attention on the inside of the

scull and hold it there. Gradually the mind will become stable and one can concentrate on the highest goal, as it becomes more and more discernible. If your shakti is awakened, you will feel anything from a tingling sensation in the brain or at the top of the head to bliss pouring down into the body. Meditate on this source and you will enter the Self. 35. The central channel is situated in the center (of the spine) and is as thin as a fibre of a lotus stem. One should meditate on it by imagining it filled with the inner space. Then by the grace of Devi the divine is revealed. "Devi" is a synonym of Shakti - and here more specifically kundalinishakti. By the grace of kundalini rising up the center of the spine, one will realize the divine. This energy channel begins just above the perineum, enters the spine between the upper sacral vertebrae and the lowest lumbar vertebrae, continues up through the entire spine, enters the brain and terminates at the top of the scull. When meditating, one should on the one hand imagine it like a thin thread, on the other hand one should not imagine it as substantial, but rather as a void. With a little practice one soon understands this seeming paradox and as kundalini rises through the channel, it becomes very tangible. The name of this central channel is "sushumnā". 36. Use the hands to close all openings (of the head). By blocking all entrances and piercing the eyebrow center, one sees the bindu and becomes gradually absorbed. Then inside That, one becomes the supreme state. "Bindu" literally means a dot, but it is used as a synonym for the source point or origin of all manifestation. Some translate bindu with light and it is likely that bindu here means seeing a dot of light in the third eye. Some maintain bindu is a center located at the back of the scull. The technique of blocking the openings of the head with the hands is known as "shanmukhi mudra". Take a deep breath, then

close the ears with the thumbs, the eyes with the index fingers, the nose with the middle fingers and the mouth with the ring fingers and the little fingers. Swami Lakshman Joo explains that you have to have onepointedness before doing this practice, or else you will just suffocate. - - - On meditation using agitation - - 37. When in the state produced after agitation, there is a subtle fire between the eyebrows similar to a small dot, or similar to the point at the end of the lock of hair. Become absorbed in the heart of this. Whenever one meditates like this one dissolves (into pure Being). "The lock of hair" could refer to the lock of hair brahmins leave at the back of the head, and Swami Satyananda does speak of a center located there which he calls bindu. I have translated "ākritim bindum" as "similar to a small dot", and the previous word "tilaka" locates it to between the eyebrows. Jaideva Singh maintains it refers to the crown of the head. Swami Lakshman Joo interprets this verse to mean agitating the eyes by pressing the pupils of the eyes with the fingers; one then sees a subtle dot of light within and uses this as an object of meditation. This verse is also sometimes translated that one should meditate on the "cave of the heart". But heart is here a metaphor for pure Being, as it most commonly is. Since the verse states one should meditate on the heart after one has transcended meditation on the contraction produced by agitation, it makes most sense to understand heart to mean utter freedom from contraction, which means the Self. My opinion is that bindu refers to the source, to the primal borderline to pure Being. This is also what Bindu technically refers to, despite that it literally means "dot" or "drop". In the aftermath of agitation one may merge into pure Being by meditating on the sense of contraction which the agitation has left as an imprint on

consciousness. In the midst of agitation one should focus on the third eye. One can then look at the contraction inherent in agitation from a witness stance, disengaged. Then one should recognize the contraction as Shakti, as the bliss of the Self in an agitated and contracted state. Then one should move from the contraction to the heart, which means to move from contraction and limitation to freedom and the Self. The contraction will then dissolve. Any agitation will do: physical or emotional, though emotional agitation is typical. --- On meditation on sounds --38. One who has mastered listening to the causeless sound, reminiscent of a rushing river, may realize Brahman as sound, then he reaches the Absolute. The word translated as "causeless sound" is "anahata", which literally means unstruck, but which also could mean "in the heart chakra" (called anahata in sanskrit). In meditation one may hear sounds within, and concentrating on these may absorb one to such a degree, that one transcends I-ness and realizes pure Being via the sound. At that point one should let go and merge with pure Being, called Brahman or the Absolute. The heart chakra has its name because it is the source of such unstruck, or uncaused, sounds. 39. O Bhairavi, repeat OM perfectly and concentrate on the void after the protracted mmm, by that void one may reach the transcendental void that is one with Shakti. "Pranava" is here translated as the mantra OM, which is common. The mantra OM is also spelled AUM but is pronounced (ohm). When pronouncing it in this meditation, one should prolong the mmmm at the end and fade it out into the void. By concentrating on this void one may become so absorbed in it, one loses identification with Iness and enter the great void that is one with Shakti. It is important to note that the verse does not recommend meditation on a mantra,

it advocates meditation on what remains once the mantra has disappeared. Swami Lakshman Joo mentions that pranava can mean three mantras: "om", "hrim" and "hum". Whatever mantra you choose, the point is that the mantra, no matter how perfectly pronounced, is just noise on the field of consciousness, and that once the noise is over, there is a void which can be used as an entrance to the Self. The more you manage to enter this void, the longer there will be between each repetition of the mantra. Soon you will cease repeating it out loud and will just repeat it mentally -while still meditating on the void between each repetition. In fact you can skip repeating it out loud altogether. 40. Whoever contemplates the beginning or end of any of the letters of the alphabet in the form of void, such a spiritual seeker becomes the void. The previous verse specified Om for meditation, but this verse assures us that any letter can be used for meditation if only one uses it as an entrance to the void. The void is present just before you utter the letter and just after you have uttered it. The void is the space between two thoughts. Meditate on this void. 41. By meditating with more and more one-pointed awareness on the prolonged sound of musical instruments, whether string, wind or other, one will finally become the beautiful supreme space. Not only letters and mantras can be used for meditation, one may use prolonged sounds of instruments in the same way. 42. By meditating on the void within the sound of each of the successive gross letters of the seed mantras, including the 'mmm' at the end, one may reach the transcendental void and become Shiva. The basic seed mantras are: Aum, aim, hrim, klim, shrim, vam, lam,

ham and ksham, but there are many others, for example ram and yam. To become Shiva means to become one with the Self. Unlike verses 39 and 40, which stated one should not meditate on the sound, but on the void before and after uttering a sound, here one is asked to meditate on the void inherent in the sound. If there is void before and void after uttering a mantra, there is also void while uttering a mantra. here you are asked to meditate on this. One mentally repeats the mantra in a softer and softer way, dwelling on the void after the prolonged mmm at the end. Gradually one merely remembers the mantra rather than pronouncing it mentally and finally one merges with void that exists uninterrupted from beginning to end of the mantra. --- On meditation on the body --43. By contemplating ones body as void in all directions simultaneously, the mind becomes free of fluctuations and dissolves, then one becomes the void. "Nirvikalpa" means "without fluctuations and constructs of consciousness". It simultaneously means the absolute void and also radical freedom. See the practice described in verse 25. Practice. Imagine void all around the body and as you do so merge the mind with the void so it gradually fades into silence. Also fade the body into the void. Become the void and leave everything else aside and let it fade out. 44. By simultaneously contemplating the void of the top and the void of the root, the Shakti that is independent of the body will make one void-minded. The Shakti that is independent of the body is again kundalinishakti, the void at the bottom is the root chakra and the void at the top is the crown chakra.

Practice. Sense the root chakra as a ball of energy or light just above the perineum. Do this for some minutes until you ave a good sense of it. Then spend a few minutes feeling shakti rush up the spine on the in-breath and down on the out-breath. Then meditate on the brain as a mass of energy and light for a few minutes until you get a good sense of it. Then do the actual meditation of sensing both the root and the brain as energy-void. 45. By steady contemplation of the void of the top, the void of the root and the void of the heart, there simultaneously arises freedom from fluctuations of consciousness. See the practice of previous verse, here is added the heart chakra. The point in this verse, though, is not so much Shakti as it is void. 46. If even just for a moment one concentrates on any point of the body as void, without any fluctuations of consciousness, one verily becomes free. Practice. Sit in a comfortable posture and go through the body limb by limb from the feet up to the top of the head. Once one has gone through the entire body, one can shift to the practices mentioned in verses 25 and 43, and sense the entire body as void. Or one can go to the practice in next verse. The present method is a very good way to begin meditation. Also it is good to do this if your meditation becomes distracted so you can get back into meditation. 47. O gazelle-eyed one, sense the constituents of the body as pervaded by void and your meditation becomes steady. Here, rather than limb by limb, one meditates on the substances of the body: Fluids, solids, flesh, bones, etc. as void. 48. Meditate on the entire skin of the body as a thin membrane with a sense that there is nothing inside. By

meditating thus one becomes the void which can not be meditated upon directly. Practice. After you have done the warm-up described in verse 46, put your attention to the entire skin of the body. For a while follow your breath as described under verse 50 until you have a sense of vibrating presence (spanda), then let go of the awareness of the breathing and just feel the entire surface of your body. Feel every cell of the skin and feel that you are a void that not only fills the body, but which permeates the skin and stretches out from the body. You can get a feeling that divine grace is pouring into the body from all directions, just merge this into the void and finally you will understand that this void and this divine grace is one and the same and is the Self. See verse 50 and 65. - - - On meditation on the Self - - 49. O beautiful one, the highest realization will be achieved by one who with closed eyes repeatedly meditates with one pointed awareness on the Self in the space of the heart lotus. The lotus is a classical metaphor for the chakras, so we here have a meditation somewhat concerning the heart chakra in the middle of the chest. One should actually not meditate on the chakra, but on the "hrid-akasha", the "ethereal heart-radiance". Hrit means heart and akasha is a complex word that literally means radiance, but usually means ethereal space, and in classical Indian spirituality metaphorically meant the Self. Thus the Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad (II.1.17) speaks of the seat of the Self as the akasha of the heart. This verse is sometimes translated as advocating meditation on the heart chakra, but since the verse makes a distinction between the space in the heart and the heart-lotus, and advocates meditation on the hridakasha (space in the heart), and only uses the lotus as a reference point in the body, it is safe to understand hridakasha in its traditional meaning as referring to the seat of the Self, if not actually the Self.

Practice. Sit for meditation and close your eyes. First do a little warm-up to get in contact with the heart chakra. Place your attention in the center of your chest and carefully follow your breathing. Feel as if you are breathing from this center and feel the center expand with the in-breath and just let go on the out-breath. You might feel like a physical pressure there, but that is normal. After a while you will sense a void there. Withdraw your awareness from the heart chakra and the breathing and let it merge with that space. It will give rise to great bliss and temporary oneness with the Self. By repeated oneness with the Self, Self-realization is achieved. This practice is similar to the practice in verse 48 and 50, but rather than using the entire skin or the body as an object and entry-point to the void and the Self, one hear uses the void that can be sensed inside the heart chakra. - - - On meditation on the highest Self - - 50. Dissolve the mind in the crown chakra, and throughout the entire body. Do so with steady awareness and steady practice, then the true nature of the goal becomes present. "Crown chakra" is a translation of "dvadasante" which is a mysterious word. "Dvādasa" means "twelve" and "anta" means "limit" or "terminus", so we get an expression mentioning an outermost limit reached after twelve steps. In verse 30 we are told to pierce "the twelve" in order to reach the Absolute. In verse 28 we are told to go beyond "twice six" in order to bring kundalini to the crown chakra. "Dvadasante" thus often refers to the crown chakra. However, Jaideva Singh maintains it refers to the four spaces between the five upper chakras (each called a dvadasante, he maintains), especially the area from the eyebrow chakra to the crown chakra. It is important to remember that dvadasante refers to the highest. The idea is to merge the mind into the void of pure Being that arises when the motion of the in-breath and the motion of the out-breath are merged throughout the body. It is important

that the verse stresses the entire body, not some particular spot. Using the breath in the following practice is simply a means to give the awareness access to meditating on Spanda, which means meditating on Shakti, which, as verse 20 explained, is the entrance to the Self. This is what dvadasante means: moving to and meditating upon the Self as the Self (rather than as an object of awareness). Practice. This is a very important meditation. Do it daily for 45 minutes. It has three parts. You do one part for as long as it takes you deeper into Shakti and pure Being, then you switch to another part that takes you deeper. There is no fixed order of switching, just do one that takes you deeper, it is a matter of trying ans staying with what works. 1) Sit in a meditative pose and do the warm-up as described in verse 47. Then feel the entire body, inside-out, and imagine it is a void filled with vibrating energy. Follow your breathing without interfering with the body's spontaneous rhythm. Gradually sense that not just the lungs are breathing, but the entire body, and do this in such a way that you feel like the body expands in all directions on the inbreath and contracts again on the out-breath. Feel the body as a mass of subtle energy. On the in-breath sense that this mass of shakti expands out through every pore of the skin. On the outbreath let go and merge with the void. Keep at it for a while in a calm, steady breathing rhythm Gradually your awareness will slip into an intense feeling of presence in the entire body as vibrating pure Being. When the mind thus dissolves into this dynamic void in and around the entire body, let go of the awareness of the breathing rhythm and merge with this vibrating presence of pure Being.... When you are out of pure Being, once more pick up the practice until you again merge, and so forth for the entire meditation period. 2) The meditation described under verse 28. 3) Let go og all methods and practices and simply merge into pure

Being and bliss. If you have had your kundalinishakti awakened through shaktipāt, or by good fortune from practice, then this practice will fill your body with blissful, vibrating Shakti, known as Spanda. If not, you will feel the void as empty, not as a throb of bliss. See verse 48. Swami Lakshman Joo interprets dvadasante in this verse as referring to the void of the ajna chakra (between the eyebrows). He advises to first feel the void between the eyebrows, then to feel it permeating every cell and pore of the body. One should then fill the mind entirely with this void and let the mind merge with it. He does not involve breath but basically it is the same practice since the focus only initially is on the ajna chakra and the main meditation is on the void permeating the entire body. With reference to the explanation above and verse 28 and 30 it is more likely to mean the crown chakra, rather then the eyebrow chakra. 51. By surrendering the awareness to the highest Self every moment, however and wherever, then day by day the fluctuations of the mind will diminish and one acquires an extraordinary state. "The highest Self" is a translation of "dvadasante", which has been explained in the previous verse. The verse says one should focus on dvadasante "however" one finds fit, which means dvadasante here can not be a specific practice linked to a specific location, but that it must be a special condition or state of being. The practice suggested below will bring this state of being to ones awareness and one should then hold on to that state. Remember dvadasante really means transcending the highest limit and merging with the Self. So this verse instructs one to merge with the Self whenever and however.

Practice. Right now, while reading this, follow your breathing in and out. Get a sense that the entire body is breathing and is expanding on the in-breath and contracting on the out-breath. Gradually get a sense of a dynamically vibrant void that contains both motions, let this fill your awareness. Do this as often as possible during the day. Make it a habit to have this awareness when ever opportunity arises. - - - On meditations for dissolving identifications - - 52. Imagine the passing time as a fire that consumes your entire city, and contemplate that. Finally one will feel tranquility and become That. "City" is a metaphor for everything you identify yourself with: your body, your mind, etc. You are asked to give it up. Practice. The point is, only pure Being is left when your body and mind is gone. In meditation, you can imagine parts of the body vanishing one by one: Begin with the toes and the feet, then the legs, arms, torso and finally the head. Then finally give up the mind. Only pure Being will remain. 53. Similarly imagine the entire universe as burnt up. Having meditated thus with unwavering and one-pointed awareness one becomes the supreme. Here the focus is not on the process of burning up, as in the previous verse, but rather on the vividly imagined situation that the entire universe has already been burnt up. - - - On meditating on more and more subtle elements - - 54. By meditating on subtler and subtler principles of ones own body, the world or the universe, one finally arrives at the supreme.

Practice. Do the warm-up described under verse 47. You then have begun meditation on the gross elements of the body. Then consider that you are perceiving or sensing the body and let your awareness become filled with the observation, the sensing, of the body. Then turn your awareness to the observer, the sense of an I which receives the observations. Let go of the observing and simply let your awareness be filled with the I-ness that previously observed. It is not a matter of reflecting on the various manifestations and structures of personality, it is a matter of sensing the innermost sense of being an individual entity, not the I, but the I-ness. As you meditate on this, you will realize it is also a construct and by letting go of that, you enter freedom. By absorption into this freedom you merge with the Supreme, which is the Self in the absolute sense. The above practice is known as "atmavyapti". You can begin with any object, not just the body. You could also begin with a mental object, a mantra, and proceed as described till you reach atman, the Self. 55. After meditating on the gross and subtle shakti in the range of twelve, one enters the heart and meditates there. Then one becomes free and attains liberation. "Range of twelve": The word used is not "dvadasante" but "dvādashaochare" which means "range of twelve". The "gross and subtle shakti" covers the entire range of energy from the energyflow with breathing to the most subtle oneness with the Self. This practice is reminiscent of the previous, but here one meditates on subtler and subtler shakti, rather than subtler and subtler principles. "Range of twelve" thus means from the most gross to the most subtle and finally to the Self. Practice. Follow the breath as it moves in and out of your nostrils. Feel as if it moves down to the heart on the in-breath and up to the nostrils on the out breath. In the beginning the energy associated with this will be a little crude, but it will soon be sensed as more and more subtle. As you sense it more and more subtly, you will discover

it gains in intensity. Soon you will feel a warm pressure in the heart chakra. Gently shift your focus of attention to this and enter into the center of it. Sense the warm pressure grow and expand on both the in- and out-breath. Then, as you sense a very subtle yet strong energy in the heart and you have entered the heart-space (hridakasha, see verse 49), let go of breath-awareness and merge with the shakti and space in the heart. Finally let go of I-ness and be free. Remember "to enter the heart" is used as a metaphor for to enter the Self. 56. By meditating first on the course of the entire world, go from the gross form to the subtle and beyond, then finally the mind dissolves into the Self. Practice. The entire world is ever changing -- and so are you as part of the world. As you contemplate the ever changing nature, you realize the universe is not substantial, but is a fluctuation of energy. Then meditate on the fluctuating energy until finally you realize the fluctuation is not substantial either but is like a wave in an utterly unmanifest and silent energy. Realize you are also this, then the mind dissolves. (See verse 54). 57. In this was one realizes that everything in the universe is Shiva-tattva, by meditating on that the highest state arises. "Shiva-tattva" is the ultimate, the Absolute. By meditating on that, one merges with the highest reality. This is very advanced, you see Shakti in everything and it is very blissful. - - - On meditation on void - - 58. O great goddess, one should concentrate on the entire universe as void and like this also dissolve the mind. Then one will experience absorption in the Absolute. "Absorption in the Absolute" is a translation of "laya". Laya simply means absorption or dissolution, but is a technical term in yoga that

is synonymous with samadhi and signifies the absorption of limited awareness of I-ness into the Self. There are several stages of laya, but undoubtedly atyantika laya is meant, which is the ultimate absorption of the subject into the Self. This absorption is the same as freedom from identification with the limited I-ness in Selfrealization, then laya is not absorption, but dissolution of ignorance. "Absorption" is dual: there is a subject that gets absorbed into an object, in dissolution this duality gets dissolved. 59. Look inside an empty pot in such a manner that you fix your attention on the void inside and leave the enclosure aside. Dissolving the enclosure will at once lead the mind to become absorbed in void. You could do this with anything or anybody. Look at the outer form, then imagine the interior as void, then dissolve the form. Interestingly you will soon meet your own I-ness. You will see your self as observer. Once you see your self as observer, imagine it as a hollow shell, then remove the shell and you will be left with the basic duality of ignorance, which means a subject-object relationship without a subject and an object, just pure duality based on I-ness and It-ness. Let go of this duality and you are in the Self. 60. By gazing at treeless rocks or mountains, where there is nothing for the mind to dwell on, the fluctuations of the mind become less. It could also be an open stretch of land, where there are no trees, nor rocks or mountains. In fact nothing for the mind to dwell on, so preferably no houses or roads either. When there is nothing to think about, fluctuations of the mind ceases. Of course, mind could become occupied with itself, so you have to remain extroverted. 61. Think of two things. When you succeed, give up both and dwell in the middle between them. As you master this, the essence arises. "The essence " is a translation of "tattva". This word can mean many

things from the Absolute to subtle layers of creation. Here it undoubtedly means the essence, the Self. Think of two things, anything will do. Take an apple and an orange for example. You can think of both as a unit, but that would not be thinking of two things. First think of the apple, then skip the apple and think of the orange. What happened in between, as your attention went from one to the other? There was a short instance of blankness. Hold on to this blankness, it is the middle where awareness may become aware of itself. When awareness becomes aware of itself, it is an entrance to the essence, to the Self. You could also mentally repeat a mantra once, then skip it and mentally repeat it again. What happened between the two repetitions? There is a small void which is "the middle between them" and where you should do your best to dwell. With a little mastery of this, one may enter the middle at will and use it as an entrance to the Self. 62. Casting aside any dispositions, the restrained mind is no longer like the changing conditions or feelings. In this middle stance true meditation blossoms. "Dispositions" is a translation of "bhava", which means any sentiment or feeling. Here you take anything that already is in the mind, then you give it up. Then something else pops up and you give that up too. Between each you find the middle, also spoken of in the previous verse. You should meditate on that middle stance of freedom from dispositions, where awareness becomes aware of itself and there is an opening to the Self. This verse is sometimes translated as meaning one should focus on a single feeling and that within its center awareness blossoms. This, however, is in contradiction of the first line of the verse. The first words of the first line are "Bhāve tyakte niruddha", meaning "dispositions of the mind should be given up, or restrained". The famous definition of yoga, found in Patanjali's Yoga-sutras (I,2),

states "chittavritti niruddhah", meaning yoga is "giving up, or restraining, the fluctuations of the mind". The similarity is striking. It is reasonable that the second line does not refer to the center of an emotion or disposition, but to the center as mentioned in the previous verses, which lies between two thoughts or feelings. 63. Concentrate, with an unwavering mind, simultaneously on the body and the world as pure consciousness. Then the supreme arises. Once your Shakti as awakened and it fills the upper chakras, you will begin to see everything as Shakti. Then this meditation comes naturally and will lead you into unity consciousness. - - - Fusing in- and out-breath - - 64. By the fusion of the in-going and the out-going breath the yogi attains equilibrium and becomes able to properly manifest ultimate wisdom. This verse is sometimes taken to refer to the point between the two breaths (in- and out-breath), however, the instruction is to fuse both the breaths, it is not to be aware of the absence of breath in between. This fusion comes about by reversing the flows of prānāshakti normally associated with the in- and out-breath. See also verse 50. Practice 1. Follow the body's natural breathing rhythm; breathe through the nostrils. Focus your attention at the ajna chakra, located at point between the eyebrows, and imagine the nostrils beginning from there and also merging there. Feel the breath pouring into the chakra on both the in-breath and the out-breath. Feel the chakra expand on both the in-breath and the the out-breath. On the inbreath imagine shakti being pulled up through the nostrils and into the chakra. On the out breath. imagine shakti being pushed upwards through the nostrils and into the chakra. Here the fusion happens on the out-breath. It is beneficial to make the out breath. twice as long

as the in breath Practice 2. Breathe through the nostrils. Feel the heart chakra in the middle of the chest. Feel the ajna chakra between the eyebrows. Feel a connection between them. Now follow the natural rhythm of your body breathing. On the in-breath sense air rising from the heart chakra to the ajna chakra, on the out-breath sense air descending from the ajna chakra to the heart chakra. Love and bliss will arise. - - - Stabilizing bliss - - 65. When one with the bliss of the Self one should contemplate ones own body, or the entire universe, as filled with bliss. Then, through ones own nectar, one becomes able to live the supreme bliss. This is a very important verse. It teaches how to stabilize the bliss that fills you in meditation. The practice is straightforward. See also verse 48. - - - A good laugh - - 66. O gazelle-eyed one, when seeing a great trick performed, great joy arises which illumines the essence. This is a difficult verse. The meaning of "kuhanena" is debated, though the root of the word plainly means "juggling" or "trickery". "Kuhanena prayogena" has been translated as differently as "when seeing a great trick performed", "when tickled under the armpits" and "by applying the performance of austerities". The latter translation is problematic, since "kuha" is "a rogue", "a cheat", and "kuhana" mainly means "hypocritical and false sanctity", though it can mean "interested performance of religious austerities". Swami Lakshman Joo holds to the armpit translation. The word "kuhara", though, does not mean "armpit", but merely "cavity", and "prayogena" means "to perform a trick on stage" or "to apply", not "to tickle". Undoubtedly the meaning of the verse is: "When you get a good laugh, great joy arises which illumines the essence". If you

get a good laugh from being tickled under the armpits, that is fine. If you get it from watching somebody perform a trick, that is fine too. See also verses 70 and 71. Practice. When you sit with a group of friends who are into spirituality, and when you all laugh heartily at something, feel the energy of the laughing pervade the room. When the laughing fades out, sit with the intensity of joy in the atmosphere around you. All be quiet and meditate on it by feeling it, by merging with it, then you will experience an illumination of the essence. Not the essence, but an entrance to it. If you get hold of it, merge with it and then let go, you can enter the essence. - - - Shakti in the spine - - 67. By blocking all the channels prānāshakti slowly crawls upwards (through the spine). When it feels like an ant, enhance it and supreme bliss arises. "Channels" is usually understood to mean the senses, but it undoubtedly means all the channels which vital force, "prānāshakti", can leave the body through, which should include the anus and genitals. Considering that prānāshakti arises from the root center and that the anus and genitals are the main channels through which prānāshakti may flow instead of flowing up the spine, it is likely that "channels" includes these. But first sentence is merely a prerequisite to get prānāshakti to rise up the spinal column. Once it rises and feels like an ant crawling inside the spine, one should enhance the flow of energy and will then be about to enter supreme bliss. This enhancement is the main practice. Practice. Sit in a meditative posture. Close the eyes and mouth. Slightly contract, hold and release the muscles in the perineum. This blocks the channels to the anus and genitals and forces the prānāshakti to rise up the spine. Do this repeatedly until you get a sensation in the spine like an ant crawling there. Then focus onepointedly on this feeling in the spine and enhance it. This will give

rise to a greater surge of shakti rising up the spine and lead towards supreme bliss. See also verses 28, 29. 68. Throw the joyful mind into the middle of the plant-stem, filled with fire or air, and be united with the recollected bliss. This verse is a continuation of the previous verse. "The middle of the plant-stem" is the innermost channel in the spine. As the tickling sensation in the spine intensifies with the stronger flow of shakti, it can change to a feeling of fire in the spine or a rushing stream of hot air. One should unite ones already joyous mind with this and merge in supreme bliss as kundalini rises and fills the brain. The phrase translated as "united with the recollected bliss" is sometimes translated as "bliss of sexual union". The words used is "smarānandena yujyate". "Smarānanda" means to remember or once again recollect (smara) pure bliss (ananda), but "smara" can sometimes mean sexual love. "Yujyate" means "to be yoked" or "desired union". The "desired union which is pure bliss", is the union of Shiva and Shakti, meaning the merging of kundalini into pure Being in the brain. In contexts such as this, "yuj" means "union with the Self" and "yujyate" means "the wish to be so absorbed in meditation that one enters union with the Self". 69. Initially union with Shakti causes excitation, but absorption into Shakti finally leads to that bliss which is the essential nature of Brahman and is ones own Self. Brahman is the Absolute, pure Being. As Shakti rises in the spine, as described in the two preceding verses, one gets excited if unaccustomed to it. But one has to ignore the excitation and merge with the Shakti. - - - On meditating on joy when Shakti is absent - - -

70. O queen of gods. By hugging, kissing or embracing joy is felt. By one-pointed remembrance of this, even in the absence of Shakti, bliss arises. This verse and the next four are meant for those who do not have Shakti awakened and therefore can not meditate on Shakti. These verses say that bliss can be experienced even in the ab sense of Shakti if one meditates one-pointedly on the remembrance of pleasure. It is important to note the instruction is to meditate on the remembrance of the sense of pleasure, not on that which causes the pleasure, nor to indulge. This, and the following, are somewhat similar to the practice mentioned under verse 66, where one meditates on the energy of a good laugh, rather then the laugh, and uses this as an entrance to void and the Self. 71. When in great joy from obtaining something or seeing relatives, or when ever bliss arises, one should meditate so as to absorb the mind in that bliss and merge with it. See verses 70 and 66. 72. By meditating on the joy of taste that was obtained from eating and drinking, and filling your awareness with it fully, the joy then becomes supreme bliss. Again the point is to meditate on joy, not on the actual eating or drinking. You have to transcend the subject-object relationship. If you do this while eating and drinking, you are somewhat likely to becomes distracted by the eating and drinking and lose the ability to become absorbed in the joy. In that case remembrance of the joy will work better, as advised in verse 70. 73. As a result of concentration one will experience the same joy in a song as in other pleasures of the senses.

Yogis, by being absorbed in that and ascending beyond the mind, become one with the Self. This verse clarifies the practices described above by stating that it does not matter what sensual pleasure gives rise to the joy. It also clarifies by stating that it is by ascending beyond the mind that oneness with the Self occurs. In other words, there is no point in staying in a joy to which the mind and senses are attached; it is the concentration and absorption in the joy that opens the door to the self, not sensuality. Practice. Lay down on a bed and listen to some nice music, preferably with headphones so you won't be distracted. Relax completely and just listen to the music. Listen attentively. Be aware of what each individual instrument is playing. Don't thinks about it, just listen and be very, very aware. Don't compare this passage with a past passage, or a passe you know will come, just be utterly in the present moment and be fully occupied with listening to as many facets of the music as possible. Continue with uninterrupted awareness of the totality of the music. The mind will eventually surrender to just listening and even body consciousness will fade. In such moments there is an entrance to the Self and bliss may arise. 74. Whenever the mind is satisfied and the mind is held onepointedly there alone, there the nature of supreme bliss will manifest. This verse concludes the above verses by summing up the principle to apply. It also makes it clear that the above specifics, food, music, etc., were just examples, for we are now told that "wherever the mind is satisfied" and "is held one-pointed" is suitable for meditation. If tending to your flowers absorbs you, fine use that as a meditation, but be prepared to let go of the tending of flowers as soon as Shakti emerges and you sense the Self.

This verse is about a special kind of meditation, it is not about living life in a narcissistic and irresponsible manner. - - - Prior to sleep (turiya) - - 75. Before falling asleep, but after awareness of the outer sense objects has faded, bring the mind into that state which Paradevi illumines. "Paradevi" is another name for supreme Shakti. You of course need to know and have access to this "state which Parashakti illumines" before you can benefit from this practice. This state between sleep and wakefulness, that is neither, is known as "turiya", which means "the fourth". The other three are waking, dreaming and dreamless sleep. Turiya can be accessed between either. To access turiya before falling asleep, you should be acquainted with it by habitually entering samadhi during meditation. - - - On using illumination for meditation - - 76. Gaze into a space that appears variegated by the rays of the sun or a lamp, as if it is illuminated by your own Self. This practice is not what is known as tratak, in which one fixes the gaze at a steady flame for a prolonged period. In tratak one stares at the flame for a while until the image of the flame is imprinted on the mind. then one closes the eyes and visualizes the flame in the third eye. This verse, however, speaks of "variegated" ("shabaleekrite") space or light, not the steady light used in tratak. On should gaze into the room with the sense that the light illuminating the various things in the room, is the light of the Self. This is somewhat similar to the practice described under verse 73, only there it was music, hear it is light. Practice 1). Sit in an illumined room and move your attention from the objects to the light illumining everything. There is no need to

stare or to avoid blinking, just relax and turn your attention from the objects to the sense of sight. Cease reflecting on the things you see, just fill your awareness one-pointedly with the unified sense of light falling on everything. Imagine this light permeating everything, even yourself. See everything as the light. Imagine the light is the Self, then be the Self. Practice 2) . Sit in a room and meditate a while. Enter samadhi and open the eyes. Feel the light illumining the room is the light of the Self, then the bliss inside will extend to the outside. This practice will help stabilize samadhi into everyday activity. - - - On mudras and asanas- - 77. When seeing the supreme attainment, light is thrown on (the yogic practices of) karankini, krodhanā, bhairavi, lelihānā and khechari. "Seeing the supreme attainment" means when in samadhi due to Shakti having merged with the Self in the brain. "Light is thrown on" is here a metaphor for understanding the real meaning of. The mentioned five yogic practices are so called "mudras". "Mudra" literally means "seal" and is commonly known as a special class of postures somewhat reminiscent of the more well known yogic postures called asanas. The importance of a mudra, however, is not the posture -- otherwise mudras would have been a class of asanas and not a class of their own. The word "asana" simply means posture and mudras are distinct from these. This verse explains that when in deep samadhi, one will realize the real meaning of a number of mudras. This real meaning is that a mudra is a state of consciousness where the outgoing flow of awareness, or shakti, is stopped, or sealed, and the awareness rests in the Self. Hatha yogis have developed a number of practices that try to create conditions in the body conducive to these states, and these practices are mundanely known as mudras. This verse also indicates that these mudras may occur spontaneously during deep meditation, which anyone with a truly awakened kundalini will testify to. The

mentioned mudras are as follows: Karankini mudra. One views the entire body, down to the skeleton, as dissolved into the space of pure consciousness. Krodhana mudra. This is a distinctly psychological mudra where the energy of anger is drawn into the Self. Any emotion, not just anger, will do. Bhairavi mudra. Here one has open eyes, but awareness is totally in the Self. Lelihānā mudra. The entire universe is seen as pure consciousness. This is actually a Shakti mudra because seeing the entire universe as pure consciousness is the same as seeing everything as Shakti. Khechari mudra. The entire universe is seen as containing pure Being. This is actually a Shiva mudra because seeing everything as containers of pure Being is the same as seeing everything as containers of Shiva. Once your Shakti is awakened there is no need for the above mudras as they occur spontaneously within and effortlessly. 78. Sit on a soft seat with the weight on one buttock and hands and legs relaxed. Then the mind becomes full of the transcendental. The posture is basically to fold one leg and place the foot under the thigh of the other leg... If you place the other leg on top of the first and fold it too, and then place the hands on the knee, then you have the hatha yoga posture known as dhyana veerasana. This is a strange verse, and to the best of my knowledge no one has become full of the transcendental merely by adopting this posture. The posture is, however, conducive to meditation. it is important that the verse does not say your become the transcendental, as in the initial

verses. We are here dealing with inferior practices. Swami Lakshman Joo interprets this verse to mean you should sit on both buttocks with your hands and feet without any support... and that by "doing this act your individual consciousness will rise to the supreme full state of universal consciousness". I think Lakshman Joo is imagining results here, also this practice is in the category of inferior practices. 79. Sitting in a proper posture, curve the arms and hands into half circles and join them into a circle. By absorbing the mind into the space under the armpits peace will come. "Proper posture", means a posture for meditation. Place the back of one hand on top of the palm of the other and rest them in your lap, then you have formed the described circle. Some say you should hold the hands out in front of your, others, over the head. By letting the mind become absorbed into the encircled space, peace soon comes to the mind. It is noteworthy that the verse does not speak of transcending or becoming the transcendental, but speaks of peace... a state of mind conducive to meditation. Lakshman Joo maintains that the verse proposes to find the space under the armpits and see what vacuum there is, then to let the mind become absorbed in that vacuum. - - - One-pointed awareness - - 80. Gaze steadily at an object while filling your attention with it. Thus removing the minds base, pure Being is acquired. "Pure being" is a translation of "Shiva". Removing the minds base means that awareness becomes free of identification with the mind. You can trick the mind into this state by turning your attention totally towards a single object. Then when there is no other thought in the mind, awareness can become aware of itself and by letting go

of the object and diving into the pure awareness, one may enter into pure Being, the Shiva state. Practice. Sit comfortably and calmly look at an object without staring. Some say your should not blink, but that is wrong. Do not get into any self-competing about how long you can avoid blinking, because that is a distraction. Just let your eyes blink when they want to and ignore the blink. The practice is not a matter of how well you can control the eyelids, but of filling the mind totally with a single thought-object and then letting go when the mind is no longer selfcentered. - - - Miscellaneous practices - - 81. Open the mouth and place your awareness in the middle of the tongue. Mentally think of the consonant "hhh" in that space and let the mind be dissolved in peace. Some say this verse refers to khechari mudra, but I think not. In khechari mudra the tongue is folded back and pushed up behind the palate. This is not something many can do and yogis, bent on performing this, usually have to cut the root of the tongue and also massage and stretch the tongue. This operation takes six months according to Shivananda. The verse, however, does not say anything about folding the tongue backwards, it merely speaks of the middle of the tongue in the middle of the open mouth. Swami Lakshman Joo maintains the mouth should be closed and only the space inside the mouth made large. 82. In the posture one adopts while sleeping, or any other posture, one should imagine the body as without support and concentrate on that. By thus destroying one's mind one instantly destroys intents and other dispositions. "Body without support" means first imagining the seat or bed is gone and then giving up the body altogether. Even remove the

support the body has in the mind. When the body no longer has any support in the mind, it is gone. Then when the mind meditates on no body, the mind is full of void and there is no mind, so ultimately destroy the mind also. Then dispositions and intentions are destroyed and there is just pure Being. 83. O Devi, when slightly rocking the body, or when it is rocked by sitting in a moving vehicle, be peaceful and meditate on the feeling of a divine stream and it will be be achieved. The "divine stream" is undoubtedly a stream of kundalinishakti up the spine. What will be "achieved" is the actual flow of kundalinishakti up the spine. Jaideva Singh maintains the word "augha", meaning "stream, flood, rush", is meant as a metaphor for the continuation of yogic teachings. This just makes the verse cryptic. I see no reason to understand the phrase "augha" metaphorically when it makes clear sense literally. Understanding the stream as a stream of shakti is supported by the methods of the first verses and by the fact that the present verse is dealing with rocking the torso. Anyone with an awakened shakti will recognize the practice below. Practice. Sit in a meditation posture. Close the eyes and meditate for a while. Raise your kundalini. Then very slightly rock the spine from side to side. You rock the torso, of course, but center your awareness in the spine. Imagine and sense a flow of shakti up the spine and it will soon flow. You could also slightly rock back and forth or make small circular motions. - - - On the supreme vision of the Blue Being - - 84. O Devi, having clearly seen pure akasha with continuous and steady awareness one will at once reach the body of Bhairava.

If you have had this experience, the meaning of the verse is immediately clear. If not, one will feel compelled to translate the word "akasha" as "sky". In the latter case the verse will read something like "reach the body of Bhairava by gazing upon a clear sky". This verse, however, describes the highest and most mystical and sublime of all spiritual experiences. Here is how I experienced it: I meditated upon an intense longing for God. I became utterly absorbed in this longing; it had no object and no subject, there was just longing for God and a massive state of bliss. In this deep meditation, I saw a small blue dot against a blackish background in the forehead. This blue dot is what Muktananda calls the blue pearl, so we will stick to that name. I had never seen this blue pearl before nor heard of it. I was drawn into the blue pearl and suddenly I entered an infinite space of pure consciousness. To my amazement it was the exact cyan-blue color of a clear mid day sky. I was in infinity, this infinity was pure and extremely intense bliss and love. It is pure lovebliss. This is the level of consciousness that is referred to by the word "akasha". I was in IT, pure Being, Self-realization I could have stopped here and been content, but the longing for God was with me and I in this pure akasha brought forth my longing for God. Then out of the blue pure consciousness a blue Being emerged. This Being, I much later learned, is he who is called Bhairava. I focused on him and surrendered to him completely, then we merged as one and I became unconscious. During this unconsciousness I was imparted knowledge of spiritual practices and was given the ability to give shaktipāt. Only much later did I come across the scriptures of Kashmir Shaivism and recognized the insights I had been given in an instant. To the best of my knowledge Muktananda is the only one to have had and mentioned this experience before. This verse is usually understood as a meditation on the sky ("akasha"). However, such a meditation is described in the next verse.

- - - Meditation on the clear blue sky - - 85. Enter the clear light of the Self by contemplating the space of the entire clear sky as if it is situated in the crown of the head and is the size and stature of Bhairava. This meditation mimics the experience described under previous verse. However, the word used here is "viyat", meaning "sky", and not "akasha" as in the previous verse. As you can see from the comment to the previous verse there is no translation for the word "akasha", though it is usually translated as "space". The phrase "the size and stature of Bhairava" does not mean in the mythological anthropomorphic form known in hinduism, it means to sense the infinite blue space permeating the brain as pure Being. Some translators understand "moordhni" to mean "the forehead" rather than the crown of the head, and this is also a good meditation. Practice. Look at the clear, blue sky for a while. Then close the eyes and visualize it permeating the brain and the top of the head. Imagine it to be pure Being, the Self. - - - Various methods - - 86. When again of limited knowledge, in duality and engrossed in the outer world of ignorance, one should consider the manifest world as Bhairava's gestalt and as an experience of the infinite. This dispels the clouds of ignorance. When the wisdom gained in meditation is diminished during the day, one can help stabilize it by considering the entire world, and everything going on in it, as a play of consciousness or as the divine. 87. Similarly one should consider the terrible darkness of the moonless night as the gestalt of Bhairava.

Literally it says "the dark fortnight" which is a reference to the moons darkest phase. 88. Also one could consider the extreme darkness inside, when the eyes are closed, as spreading in front of the eyes. Contemplate it as the gestalt of Bhairava. Be one with that and become the Self. "Spreading in front of the eyes" should be understood to mean spreading everywhere outside. Again Bhairava stands for the Absolute. One should not visualize the personified hindu deity, but should imagine the darkness as permeated with the absolute to the utmost degree. 89. Similarly one could restrain any sense from stimulation and from that obstruction enter the non-dual void where only the Self shines. Actually, the word "indriya" not only means the five senses, but also the associated five organs of action (tongue, hands, feet, anus and genitals). So the stanza advises restraint of both the senses and the activities. This amounts to meditating and turning the attention inwards. Once one has let go of the outer world and has let go of any urge to act, one can enter the non-dual void that is the Self. Without something to experience and without something to act upon or with, there is only non-dual void left. Even the urge to meditate must be given up along with the urge to enter the void. Actually, you are the void already, so there is nothing to enter. You just let go of distractions. 90. O Devi, by reciting a great "a", without any trailing "m" or "h", there spontaneously arises a torrent of insight into the supreme Lord. "The supreme Lord" means the Self. This recitation should be

uninterrupted, since it is to be "great" and there is no end to the "a". This means it should be mental, otherwise the recitation will be terminated by the lack of breath. Such a meditation will make the mind one-pointed, will withdraw awareness from the senses and will eventually lead to an opening to the Self. 91. Recite a letter ending with "h" with one-pointed concentration. In the void when "h" is over, the mind becomes supportless and touched by the eternal Brahma. "Eternal Brahma" means the absolute Self. Such a letter could be "ah". It is the trailing "h" that one lets the awareness be absorbed in, and it is the void when it ends that is the important point of meditation. Again it is recommended to do it mentally. When a thought ends and before another begins, there is the void in which the Self is accessible. 92. When one meditates on ones own self as limitless space in all directions, then it is revealed that the gestalt of ones consciousness is chiti shakti. "Chiti-shakti" is difficult to translate. Patanjali in Yoga-sutras (IV, 34) describes it as the transcendental Self acting as awareness without ever being involved in the phenomena of awareness, but this is only half the story, the other half is that chiti shakti never has been anything but pure Shakti. From this meditation one realizes that one is one with Shakti. This realization is in the nature of Self-realization. 93. If one pierces any limb of the body with a needle, then fill your awareness with the sensation and use that to move into Bhairava. You can either use the pain caused by an accident or you can create a small pain yourself. - - - On transcending the psyche - - -

94. Contemplate that you are not any aspect of the psyche what so ever. In the absence of such notions and thoughts you become free of the fluctuations of the mind. This includes the mind, feelings, ego and even I-ness. When you are free of any such false identifications, you also become free of the fluctuations of the mind in both senses: the fluctuations will temporarily cease and when they return, you will not be caught by them. 95. Name and parts reside within the delusive māyā and are caused by māyā. By reflecting thus on the nature of the different constitutive principles, one becomes inseparable from the Self. "Parts" is a translation of "kalā" which means a constituent part. Kalā is, however, one of the five "kanchukas" (coverings of the Self, aspects of ignorance). All five catch, or engross, awareness and cover the Self. The five kanchukas are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Kalā limits the power to do. Vidyā limits the power to know. Rāga creates likes and dislikes. Kāla creates a sense of time. Niyati limits free will.

"Māyā" is commonly translated "illusion". It refers to the strange situation that though everything is the Absolute and vibrating Shakti, one merely sees things as limited phenomena. In particular one identifies with ones name and psyche, rather than with the Self. The five kanchukas together with māyā veil the Self. The stanza suggests one reflects on every aspect and level of creation as being a play of consciousness, an illusion. 96. Having seen a flash of desire spring up, observe it and

pacify it. Thus what has arisen will be reabsorbed. Reabsorbing a desire means realizing its original nature as Shakti. When the desire is calmly observed, and one sees it as Shakti, there is opened a door to the Self. If one gets caught in the flash of desire, one will not be able to reach the Self, so one has to calm the desire and step out of it. The desire does not have to be extinguished, but one needs to step out of it and witness it. Then it will naturally be seen as a fluctuation of Shakti and one can reach the Self, which ultimately is pure, unmanifest Shakti. 97. Ask yourself: When I have no desire and no knowledge, then what am I? Indeed you are pure Being! Absorbed in such contemplation, identifying with pure Being, you ultimately become pure Being. This verse asks the question: When you remove everything you identify with, what is left? It then answers: The Self is left. Question yourself in a similar manner: Who am I? Who is asking this question? If I find an answer to the question, I can still ask who is accepting that answer. So I must be pure Being alone. What is pure Being and how can I realize it? If I realize it as something separate from me, it can not be my Self, for I can still ask: Who realized it? If it is something I must grow into, it must be of a changing nature, and therefore I can ask: Who witnesses the change? 98. When desire or knowledge arises, fix the mind on it with one-pointed awareness and consider it a manifestation of the Self, then realize the ultimate. This practice is very good to do during meditation when your samadhi gets disturbed by a desire or thought. 99. As knowledge is without a cause, it is baseless and deceptive. In reality knowledge does not belong to anybody. Contemplate like this and reach the Self, o dear one.

The ultimate reality of anyone is not the knowledge they possess, though people generally identify themselves as possessors of knowledge and beliefs. The ultimate reality is pure Being. If you contemplate knowledge and remove its apparent cause, you understand knowledge is deceptive. All knowledge is bound to phenomena relating to each other, either objective phenomena, subjective phenomena or phenomena of language. If you remove the relationship, the knowledge becomes baseless. Identification with the possessor of knowledge then falls away and one realizes even the possessor of knowledge is an illusion. One may then reach the Self. 100. Everybody's nature is pure consciousness, not some particulars. Therefore contemplate that all persons are pervaded by That and transcend relative existence. "That" refers to the ultimate, to pure Being. 101. When feeling lust, anger, greed, delusion, pride or jealousy one should fix the mind motionlessly on it. Then the underlying pure Being alone remains. "Pure being " is a translation of "tattva". This word can mean many things from the Ultimate to subtle layers of creation. When in the grip of strong emotions the mind is restless and agitated, so the easiest thing to concentrate on is the present emotion. One should concentrate so completely on the emotion that the mind no longer wanders or thinks about the cause of the emotional turmoil. Then "tattva" remains and here we can understand tattva both as the underlying energy of the emotion or as the Self, since it is possible to enter into either (but understand they are not the same). In either case awareness is withdrawn from the drama and freedom is attained. It is not a question of seeking to get out of the emotion, nor of seeking to get completely into it, it is

a question of one pointed awareness on the emotion as an object separate from one self. Once that is achieved the Self can be realized. The emotion itself is immaterial, just as its justification and raison d'être is. The emotion is solely an object of concentration and the concentration is what one should surrender to and go completely into. Then one will attain freedom from the emotion, the emotion may still be there, but one will be free and will have generated an opening to the Self. 102. Meditate on everything as imagined, like a magic trick or a painting. Thus seeing everything as transient, happiness arises. Once one begins to sense Shakti or pure Being in everything, this practice will give rise to happiness. If, however, one does not have access to Shakti, bliss and pure Being, this practice may give rise to a sense of emptiness and meaninglessness. Such is of course not desirable and it is therefore recommended that one first engages in practices to awaken Shakti and bring one in contact with pure Being and bliss. 103. O Bhairavi, awareness should not dwell on pain or pleasure, but on the center where only the essence remains. "Essence " is a translation of "tattva", which means ones essence or the ultimate. Tattva can also mean various subtle layers of manifestation, but that meaning is unlikely in this context. 104. Having abandoned identification with one's body, one should contemplate "I am everywhere" with a firm mind. When one sees beyond duality, one becomes happy. "Identification" is a translation of "āsthā" which literally means "consideration", "regard" or "zeal". Thus some translate the verse as suggesting to abandon consideration for the body, but disregard of the body does not lead to the non-duality spoken of. The phrase

may also be translated as abandoning attachment to the body, but such attachment can only be given up when identification with the body has been abandoned. This is a matter of giving up the I-ness associated with the body, not of disregarding the body. 105. Contemplate that at the very beginning of being intently occupied with something, knowledge or desire does not yet exist within. Indeed such are born everywhere else (than in the Self). Contemplating thus one arrives at the universal soul. "Being intently occupied with" is translated from "ghat, ghata" in "ghatādau". Often the verse is translated as saying "knowledge and desires reside everywhere, also in jars", which is quite peculiar. "Ghata" does also means "jar" or "pot", but together with "ādau" (meaning "at the very begriming"), translating "ghatādau" merely as "a jar " seems reductive. "Ghata" could also be read as meaning "a cluster" and the verse then reads that "initially clusters of knowledge or desire do not reside within", which amounts to the same meaning as the present translation. "The universal soul" is a metaphor for the Self, it is translated from "sarvagah", which literally means "omnipresent". - - - On non-duality - - 106. Everybody's consciousness divides between subject and object. Yogis, however, are very mindful of this relation. A "yogi" is either one who strives for union with the Self and is well on the way, or one who has reached such union. In either case, the Self will be recognized in everything, both subject and objects. Initially, if the yogi has merely realized the Self as pure Being, or void without Shakti, the yogi will know from inner experience that everything is the Self and will therefore be very mindful of the relationship between himself and others or objects. Such a yogi will se others as objects, but know them as Self and will most likely

consider this tantamount to seeing the Self in others, but there is still a duality between manifest and unmanifest. A more advanced yogi with a well awakened Shakti will directly sense Shakti in and as everything and will know from experience that Shakti and pure Being are one and the same. With progress the relationship between pure Being and Shakti becomes less and less distant and ultimately they are one. At that point the yogi will recognize everything as Self, it no longer is a question of Self in other, it is other as Self. Here the duality between unmanifest and manifest is gone. 107. Contemplate all consciousness as your own, even in another's body. Abandoning consideration of ones own body, one soon becomes all pervasive. What is abandoned is identification with one's body. As this deepens, one progressively becomes aware of pure Being. 108. Having made the mind supportless, one should not engage in thinking. Then, o gazelle-eyed one, the limited self will merge in the Self and the state of Bhairava will be attained. It is important that the verse states the prerequisite to not engaging in thinking is a mind without supports. Most commentaries will say that a supportless mind is a mind without thoughts, but that contradicts the verse which clearly makes a division between the minds supports and the minds contents. The verse says that to disengage in thinking, you must first have removed the minds supports. The second sentence of the verse makes it clear that the main point is to merge the limited self into the Self. You can of course not merge the limited self into the Self unless you are somewhat familiar with both the limited self and the Self. You step out of the small self by first removing the minds supports, then by being disengaged in thinking and stopping thoughts and fluctuations of consciousness.

To make the mind supportless is to step out of it and into pure Being, the Self. You do not have to merge with the Self, but you let go of involvement with the activities of the mind and, most importantly, you let go of identification with the mind. Once identification with the the mind is gone, the mind no longer has any support. You can then disengage thinking. Disidentification and disengagement will go back and forth between each other, and progressively awareness will rest more and more in its own purity of being. With disidentification and disengagement, the awareness merges back into its source: the Self. 109. Parameshvara is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent, hence my nature is Shiva. By meditating thus one becomes Shiva. "Parameshvara" means the most supreme and highest divinity. It is a synonym for Shiva, or Bhairava, which is a synonym for the absolute. Contemplate this: If God is omnipresent, there is no part of you that is not God. If the absolute is omnipresent, there is no part of you that is not the absolute. It is not oneness by participation, because that participation will in itself be the absolute. You are the absolute, and with this realization it becomes clear that Shiva and Self are not only inseparable, they are one and the same. 110. Just as waves arise from water, flames from fire and light-rays from the sun, so all the different aspects of the universe arise from me, Bhairava. We see waves as separate individual phenomena, yet they are inseparable from the ocean. Similarly with flames from fire or the suns light. In the same way everyone is inseparable from the Self. Everyone is already Self-realized, already enlightened; ignorance is like a wave that has forgot it is the ocean and thinks it is a separate little self. - - - Various practices - - -

111. Whirling the body round and round, suddenly fall to the ground and be motionless. By stopping the energy of commotion the supreme state appears. "Whirling round" is a translation of "bhrāntvā" which also means "having roamed about". You could also walk for an extended period, until your body is in a state of commotion. Then stop, lie down and become motionless. 112. When the energy of mental agitation is dissolved, due to being unable to comprehend something or when the mind is dissolved, then at the end of the dissolution Bhairava's form remains. The mind is active when trying to comprehend something, and this can be considered an energy of agitation. This energy of agitation can be dissolved when one is unable to comprehend the matter at hand and gives up, or when one directly dissolves the mind. When this dissolution is accomplished, there is no mind and only pure Being remains. This does not mean one should try to develop a state where one gives up trying to understand anything at all, for that in itself is an agitation of the mind. 113. O Devi, listen, for I am telling you this tradition in its entirety. Merely by fixing the eyes in a steady gaze, Kaivalya will arise at once. "Kaivalya" is absorption into the Self. 114. Contracting the openings of the ears and also the lower openings, meditate on the place of unstruck sound and enter the eternal Brahman. You contract the lower openings by contracting the muscle of the perineum. To contract the openings of the ears, simply close them

with your fingers or the palms of your hands. The unstruck sound is a sound that arises of itself; it is neither a vowel or a consonant. "The place of the unstruck sound" is "anahata", the heart chakra in the middle of the chest. 115. While standing at the top of a well or abyss look steadily into the deep hole. Free your mind of fluctuations and immediately the mind will dissolve. 116. Wherever the mind goes, outside or inside, there the state of Shiva is. Since Shiva is all-pervasive, where else could the mind go? The state of Shiva as all-pervasive refers to the curious fact that once your Shakti is fully awakened and has reached the brain, you begin to perceive Shakti in and as everything around you. This perception is of course perceiving the state of Shiva as all-pervasive since Shiva and Shakti on this level are one. Creation is a manifestation of the dynamic principle of the absolute; this principle is Shakti. The unmanifest aspect of the absolute, known as Shiva, remains unmanifest and omnipresent. 117. No matter where your awareness is led through the sense of sight, by contemplating that alone as Shiva and letting the mind be absorbed you become full of your essential nature. "Shiva" means the Self, pure Being. Any sense will do, not just sight. 118. At the beginning and end of sneezing, in terror or sorrow, at an abyss, fleeing from a battle, in curiosity or at the beginning or end of hunger; such states resemble the state of Brahma. "Gahvare" is translated as "at an abyss", but can also be translated "in confusion" or "before an impenetrable secret" or "in a cave". The

point being that one is confronted with something impenetrable and is stuck. In all the examples given, there is either a momentary or prolonged stopping of the mind. When you sneeze, the mind goes blank for an instant and there is only the dynamic presence of vibrating shakti. The verse does not advocate immersing yourself in fear or sorrow as such, but rather immersing yourself in the mindless state of shakti out of which the intense and overwhelming emotion or action springs and by which it is driven. 119. When memorable objects arise in the mind, such as a country one has seen, let the mind go. Thus making the body supportless, the mighty Lord who pervades all may be sensed. What makes this practice work is the time gap between the presence of your body and the mind. When you engage completely in the memory, the body's presence in the now and the minds presence in the past can open a gap in consciousness. Give this gap your full awareness and find pure Being. The phrase "manas-tyajet" is sometimes translated as "leave the mind", but it is rather in the sense of leaving the mind to itself, letting it focus on the memories, and disregarding it. The body becomes "supportless" when the mind leaves it and identification with the body goes away. When the mind is engaged in the past, it is currently disidentified with the body and this disidentification opens the mentioned gap into which one can let ones awareness become aware of itself. As the next verse explains, one can do this with present objects also, not just memories. 120. Momentarily gaze at some object, then cancel the impression and stay in pure consciousness. Then, o goddess, you become the void. "Nivartayet" is translated as "cancel", it means to annul, wipe-out. Some translate it as "slowly withdraw from", however, there is no mention of speed, nor of withdrawal. You simply give up the impression and notions associated with it.

Practice: Shortly gaze at an object, then close your eyes and have the object in your awareness. Wipe out the impression of the object and you are left with void which is pure Being. ... When you do this, you will find that the object is soon replaced by some other object by the mind. Either a visual object or a thought. But notice the gap between the initial object and the new one. It may last only a fraction of a second, but it is there. Go after that. 121. From the devotion of one who is completely detached emerges a kind of intuitive understanding known as Shankara shakti. By regularly meditating on that shakti, such a one finds Shiva. Devotion here is intense devotion to god. Shiva, Shankara and the Self are synonymous and Shankara Shakti means the pure Shakti of the Self. It is a common misunderstanding that devotion in itself will lead to Self-realization. Devotion in itself is inherently dualistic and in order to reach the Self, this duality must be given up. What this verse makes clear is that it is not the devotion as such, but the shakti released as an effect of devotion that is a doorway to the Self. The devotee should meditate on that Shakti. 122. When perception is on a particular object, then other objects fade into void. By meditating on that very void, even whilst the particular object is still perceived, one attains tranquility. The void underlies all mentation, therefore one can meditate on void even though there is an object in the mind. The mind does not have to be blank in order to meditate on void. 123. Inferior knowledge, which some consider pure, is considered impure by those who have experienced the Self. In fact it is neither pure nor impure. Only freedom from all thoughts gives happiness.

"Experienced the Self" is a translation of "Shambu darshane". "Shambu" is Shiva or the Self. "Darshan" means "vision" in both a literal and metaphorical sense. "Shambu darshane" is to merge with the Self. It could also refer to meeting the blue being, who is Shambu/Shiva. Also it could refer to the teachings of Kashmir Shaivism. "Freedom from all thoughts" is an understatement; it is a translation of "nirvikalpa" which means absence of any kind of fluctuations of consciousness. 124. The spirit of Bhairava is everywhere, even in people. Apart from that nothing exists. Merge with that and attain it. "Spirit of Bhairava" is translated from "Bhairavo bhāvah", which means more than Bhairava's "spirit", it also means "state" or "being". Repeatedly merge with Bhairava, which is the Self, and you will attain the state of Bhairava, which is Self-realization 125. Treating friend and foe equally. Preserving equanimity in honor and dishonor. Realizing Brahma is totally full, one becomes happy. Brahma is the Absolute, the Self. 126. One should neither dislike nor like. Being liberated from likes and dislikes, one finds the fullness of Brahma in the middle. "Dvesha" means "dislike" or "hate". "Rāga" means "desire", "affection", "longing", "passion". Once you find the Self, you rest between these extremes. 127. That which is unknowable, that which is ungraspable, that which is void, that which is unimaginable ... all that is

Bhairava. By contemplating thus realization will eventually come. This is a description of pure Being by negations. Likewise by radically rejecting every notion about what Bhairava is and by rejecting everything that negates Bhairava, one will eventually arrive at Bhairava. 128. By fixing the mind on the external space, which is eternal, supportless and omnipresent void beyond comprehension, one enters non-space. "Non-space" is pure Being. It is remarkable that Bhairava is described simultaneously as non-space, omnipresent and as void, but it is so. 129. Wherever the mind dwells, instantly leave it aside and thus make the mind supportless. Then one becomes waveless. "Waveless" is a metaphor for absence of fluctuations of awareness. 130. Pervading the entire universe, resounding everywhere with fear and peril. By constantly repeating the word Bhairava with this understanding, one becomes Shiva. "Fear and peril" means the ego and ignorance is in danger. Losing identification with the ego can cause fear, but in reality there is nothing to be afraid of. 131. When I-ness, my-ness, etc. assert themselves, be inspired to meditate on that which is supportless and let the mind go there. When assertions like "I am" or "this is mine" arise, let go of such

notions and other similar supports and let the mind dwell upon its own nature of awareness. Thus awareness watches awareness. 132. Attain fulfillment by meditating every moment on the meaning of: Eternal, omnipresent, supportless, all-pervasive lord of everything. 133. By being firmly established in the understanding that everything that exists is as groundless as a magic trick, one achieves peace. 134. How can the changeless Self be captured in knowledge or action? Knowledge concerns external objects. Thus the universe is empty. Knowledge and action change; the Self is unchanging. The Self is awareness, Shakti and pure Being. The verse specifies that the universe in truth is empty since its knowledge can not capture the Self. 135. For me there is neither bondage nor liberation, they only frighten the cowards. This is a reflection in the mind like a reflection of the sun in water. "Me" is the Self speaking. 136. On contact, all the senses produce pain and pleasure, etc.. Considering thus, leaving the senses aside and abiding in the Self, one stays in the Self. The pleasures of the senses are inseparable from pain. Only the bliss of the Self is stable and in order to reach this bliss, one should keep the senses from contact with their objects during meditation. In other words one should withdraw the awareness from the senses and turn it inwards towards the Self. Since the Self is pure awareness, this turning awareness towards the Self is letting

awareness become aware of itself. It is also transcending the innermost limits of awareness. It is also becoming silent and it is becoming saturated with vibrant Shakti, which is lovebliss. 137. Knowledge elucidates everything and this elucidation is of the Self. Since by nature they are the same, one should contemplate the unity of knowledge and known. "Knowledge" is a translation of "jnāna" which can mean knowledge in a secular, dualistic sense, but also the highest wisdom of Selfrealization. The point here is that the known is structured in consciousness and that the cognition, or "elucidation", inherent in knowledge is of the Self. Since consciousness is of the Self, there is no difference between knowledge and known. If one realizes this fully, the mind with all its knowledge will be realized as vibrant Shakti, which is the Self. 138. O dear one, that state of Bhairava is when the set of four dissolves: the mind, consciousness, energy and small self. Pure being does not need a mind to be, nor does it need consciousness, energy or an ego. Pure Being simply Is and it is your essential Self. - - - Finale - - 139. O Devi, I have summarized 112 means to becoming waveless and by which people become enlightened. "Waveless" refers to absence of fluctuations of the mind and of the awareness. This verse summarizes the essence of the 112 means as "becoming waveless". This reminds of Patanjali's famous definition of yoga as absence of fluctuations of consciousness. 140. If established in even one of these one becomes

Bhairava. Ones speech will be able to confer curses and blessings. "Confer curses and blessings". One established in Bhairava will not be disposed to curse anybody, since his nature as lovebliss will be fully realized. Such a person will, however, be disposed to give blessings and one of the most interesting blessings is shaktipāt. When established in Bhairava, one can give shaktipāt through speech -- as well as through other means. 141-142a. O Devi, such a one becomes free from old age and mortality, he acquires special powers, like the ability to become infinitely small. He becomes the darling of yogis and the master of spiritual gatherings. Such a one becomes liberated while alive, and unaffected by karma. The verse lists a number of results of awakening. First the simple results are listed, then the more and more important ones. 1) One loses identification with the ageing body. 2) "Animā" is one of a number of special yogic powers, it is the ability to become infinitely small. Whether such powers are to be understood as referring to the mind or the body is unclear. 3) One becomes a true teacher, able to teach even devoted yogis. 4) One is liberated while alive and unaffected by karma. Karma is the law that every action will have a reaction, even across several lifetimes. 142b-144a. Devi replied: O Shiva, if such is the embodiment of the supreme, then according to the established rules, who is to be invoked and what is the invocation? Who is to be worshipped or meditated upon? Who will be gratified by such worship? To whom should invocations be made and to whom should oblations be offered during sacrifice? How should these be done? 144b. Bhairava replied: O gazelle-eyed one. Such practices are exterior and a gross form of spirituality.

145. By repeatedly merging with the Self in meditation, that is also a form of mantra repetition. The sound of ones Self is the highest mantra. "Sound of ones Self" is a metaphor, the Self does not have any sound. Next verse clarifies this by reminding that true meditation is awareness without any form or support. If the Self had a sound, that would act as a form and support. 146. True meditation is an absolutely steady awareness without any form nor support. Meditation is not imagining some body with eyes, face, hands, etc. This verse makes it clear that all the verses in Vijñānabhairava, when speaking of Bhairava, Shiva, etc., do not mean the mythological anthropomorphic form, but pure Being. What is meditation with support? Virtually every kind of meditation has some method or other and is therefore with support, but the goal of all meditation is to transcend the method and become supportless. In other words: a meditation method that does not incorporate getting rid of the method will not lead to the supportless state and will not lead to Self-realization. 147. True worship is not offering flowers etc., but making ones mind firm in nirvikalpa. This happens in the supreme void where true worship indeed is dissolution. "Nirvikalpa" means "nirvikalpa samadhi", which is the meditative state where awareness is supportless. In this there are no fluctuations (vikalpas) of the mind or of awareness. Since there are no fluctuations, it is equivalent to void. Similarly dissolution is described as devoted surrender to the Self in void. 148. Whatever the current effect, by being established in

any of the practices, day by day the state of fullness develops to absolute satisfaction. This a very encouraging verse. It says that no matter what level ones practice may be at, if one perseveres, then it will surely lead to the goal. 149. Real oblation is when all the elements, all the senses, the sense objects and the mind are offered in the fire of the supreme void using awareness as the means. "Oblation" is a translation of "homa" which is a traditional hindu fire offering. "The means" is a translation of "sruchā" which means the ladle used in a homa to pour offerings into the fire. The point here is that there is no higher spiritual endeavor or religious ritual above surrendering oneself totally to the void of the Self. How should one do this? With the help of ones awareness; by making it turn back on itself and making it supportless. 150. O supreme goddess, here real sacrifice is characterized by the pleasure of supreme bliss. O Parvati, this bliss arises from the destruction of all sins and protects all. Mythologically "Parvati" is the consort of Shiva; Parvati is thus another name for Shakti. This verse supplements the previous one by explaining that even though one offers oneself into void, it is not empty, but is supreme bliss. The Self is bliss. It is not that some meditative act gives rise to a joyful emotion, it is simply that supreme bliss is the nature of the Self and that Self-realization is supreme bliss in and of itself. There is no duality in this bliss. One is not blissful because of something. There is just bliss and that is that. There is not someone having or experiencing this bliss; you are that bliss.

151. The most supreme meditative state is the state of being absorbed into the Shakti of Rudra. How can there be any other worship and anyone else to be gratified? "Rudra" is another name for Shiva. "The state" is a translation of "kshetram" which literally means a field or an area. Some translate this as "place of pilgrimage", but "bhāvanā parā", meaning "most supreme meditative state" modifies the word "field" and makes it a metaphor for a state of being. This verse continues the line of thought in the previous verses. Now we are informed that the highest meditative state is to merge with Shakti. In this state there is neither worshipper, worship or worshipped (verse 153 makes this explicit). It is very important to understand that there is no difference between what is designated by the words: the Self, void, supreme bliss and Shakti. 152. Bliss beyond description is the essence of the Self. Ones own Self is verily everywhere. Absorption into ones Self as such, is said to be the real bath of purification. Again we are reminded that the Self in its essence is supreme bliss. There is no difference between the supreme bliss and the Self and the supreme bliss is not an emotional reaction to something. Therefore there can be no higher purification than to merge oneself into that bliss again and again. 153. The worshipper and the objects offered in worship, by which the transcendental is worshipped, are all really one only, so what is this worship? The worshipper refers to the small self, which one ultimately realizes to be a manifestation of the Self. What is offered is the small self and the fluctuations of the mind and awareness. What is worshipped is the transcendental Self. Ultimately the small self, the fluctuations

of the mind and the transcendental Self are one in and as Shakti. This being the case, how can one really speak of a worship? The next two verses explain what is really meant with sacrificial worship. 154. Having swiftly moved breath and life, by ones will the curled up form of the supreme goddess stretches out and goes to the supreme space of all transcendent and immanent. This is about awakening and rising kundalini through use of breathing techniques. "Breath" is a translation of "prāna". "Life" is a translation of "jiva" and is often used for the in-breath, while "prāna" designates the out-breath and not just breath in general. Thus the meaning is to move the in-breath and out-breath in a special way. By controlling breath in special ways, the vital force is controlled and moved. However, "jiva" also means "small self" and to move the small self is to rid oneself of identifications. "The supreme goddess" is a name for Shakti. Shakti is here described as curled up, which refers to the state of Shakti known as kundalini. Kundalini lies curled up in the root chakra and it is the goal of yogic manipulation of the breath to awaken kundalini and straighten it out, get it into the spine and bring it into the brain. How to achieve this awakening and straightening is described in the methods of verses 24 - 29. Basically it is control of in-breath and out-breath, while giving up identifications in surrendering to supreme bliss. "The supreme space " is the crown chakra, which is the goal of the awakened kundalinishakti and where kundalini finally makes her supreme resting place. 155a. By attending this sacrifice and staying in it full of supreme bliss, then by Devi one enters the supreme and attains Bhairava. "This sacrifice" refers back to the previous verse and is the awakening and arousal of kundalini. "Devi" is a name for Kundalinishakti, thus the verse says that by the grace of kundalini

one attains the Self. When one can stay focused and without any fluctuations of the mind, and then uses the breath to awaken and rise kundalini, then kundalini will take one to the supreme. 155b-156. Repeatedly the out-breath makes the sound "Sa" and the in-breath the sound "Ha". This particular mantra "Hamsa" is always repeated by the soul. It is repeated 21600 times during a day. As here indicated such a mantra repetition of Devi is easily available, however it is difficult to perform for the ignorant. The last sentence indicates that an awakened kundalini is the prerequisite to getting benefits from such a mantra repetition, more so as Devi is synonymous with kundalini shakti. 157. O Devi, this which I have told you is the best of all teachings and leads to paramāmritam. Do not ever reveal all this to just anybody. "Paramāmritam" literally means "supreme ambrosia" but it is a metaphor for the state one is in when kundalini has reached the brain and merged with pure Being. 158-161a. Especially do not reveal it to cruel or evil disciples with no devotion to their guru. Only reveal it to excellent disciples whose minds are free of fluctuations and who are spiritually well advanced. It should without doubt or delay be given to devotees of enlightened teachers. O deer-eyed one, those who have renounced their village, country and homeland, who have renounced sons, wives and relatives, to all these initiation should be granted. All is temporary, but this supreme wealth lasts forever. Even life may be given up, but paramāmritam should never be given up. "Paramāmritam" , see verse 157.

161b-162. Devi replied: O Shankra, I am now fully satisfied. Today I have understood the essence of Rudrayāmala Tantra and also the heart of all the forms of Shakti. "Rudrayāmala Tantra" is a now lost book about the union of Shiva and Shakti. 163. Having spoken thus, the goddess, steeped in delight, embraced Shiva.

Spanda Kārikās Comments on the Divine Vibration A new translation and commentary Introduction A "kārikā" is a collection of explanations about a philosophical subject. The subjects at hand being Spanda, which is a technical term for the divine throb or vibration out of which everything arises and which permeates everything. Spanda is the dynamic aspect of Shakti, which is the energy of the Self. Spanda is not a fantasy or a merely philosophical concept, it can be experienced and felt directly. Spanda Karikas is a classic text of Kashmir Shaivism from the 10'th century AD. Some ascribe authorship of the Spanda Karikas to Vasugupta, others ascribe it to Kallata, a disciple of Vasugupta. But whoever wrote it, it is an important text of Kashmir Shaivism and its content is unique.

Spanda Kārikās 1) We praise that Shankara, who is the source of all forces and by whom, in a mere twinkle of the eye, the universe springs forth or is absorbed.

"Shankara" means the Absolute. "Twinkle of the eye" is a translation of "unmesa", which can also mean "coming forth". 2) The pure nature of Him, from whom this universe comes into existence, is not obstructed anywhere. "Him" refers to Shankara, the Absolute. 3) One's own innate spirit remains untainted through different states, like waking, dreaming, etc., where divisions occur. After having having praised the Absolute as the source of the cosmos, the text turns to the individual person and states that he arises out of pure being ("one's own innate spirit"). 4) States of consciousness such as I am happy, I am miserable, I am attached, etc. clearly all depend on a primal state on which they are strung together. "Strung together" like beads on a string should be understood in the sense that the primal state of pure being not only supports the relative states, but that the relative states have indeed sprung from the primal state. 5) That is the highest wherein neither pleasure or pain exist, nor where cognizable objects or cognizer exist, but which is not the ignorant state either. It is important to understand that this highest state is not a dull blankness, it is vibrant life (Spanda) and is your Self. From this Self pleasure and pain, as well as cognizable objects and cognitions, will be witnessed. One will not be caught up in them.

6) Because the divisive activity confuses one and makes one foolishly believe oneself to be divided, one should patiently destroy and annihilate this persistent condition in toto. "The divisive activity" refers to the dynamics of consciousness, such as afore mentioned pleasure, pain and cognitions. How is this annihilated? The next verses explain. 7) Carefully obtain the essence and examine it with zeal. Do this because everything is produced from it by His free and omnipresent play. To "obtain the essence" means to get Self-realized or at least to get to know the Self through direct experience. 8) Why should you be concerned with removing the urging desires, when you with your own strength can merge with the pure being of the Self? Traditional yoga teaches you have to restrain yourself and kill urges, fluctuations of the mind, etc., but here we are told that such strenuous practice is not necessary at all. One can simply step out of it and into the Self. 9) Even one who is incapable of doing this, due to his persistent impurities, may reach the highest state when his agitation disappears. If one can not do the highest practice, described in the previous verse, on can resort to calming down the agitations within. When agitations cease, then the silence can function as an opening to pure being. The next verse confirms this. 10) Then, due to such natural merit, knowledge of the ever

present characteristic of the doer will emerge. At that time he knows and does all that is desirable. Getting rid of persistent impurities and calming agitation is merituous. The more so if it leads to merging with pure being. Here pure being is called "the doer", though in truth pure being does not act as such; what is meant is the source of action, of doership. The next verse clarifies this. 11) How can He, the ruler whose inherent nature is to smilingly observe, be as if in the cycle of deception? Now pure being is called "the ruler" and it is made clear that the Self is a happy witness to everything and is not caught up in the action and play of consciousness. Oddly, this is not the reality for most people, for most it appears as if the self is caught up in psychological dramas and inner turmoil. This verse states that though it may seem this way, it is in actual fact not the case. The Self is eternally free. 12) Nothingness can not be the object of meditation since awareness will be absent there. Nothingness is not absence of ignorance. Thus claims of experiencing nothingness are just opinions and convictions. This verse refutes the common misconception amongst yogis that the Self is an empty void, nothingness. It also states that any claims of experiencing or having experienced nothingness are epistemologically unsound. If the nothingness really is nothingness, then there can not be a cognizer of it, nor a memory of it, hence it can not be spoken about. Therefore, anyone who claims to have realized nothingness is merely stating beliefs. 13) Therefore consider nothingness to be a fake object of knowledge, somewhat like deep sleep. It is not by recollection of nothingness that the Self is known.

In short, seeking nothingness leads nowhere. 14) There are two states: "the doer" and "the done". The product of deeds is subject to decay, but the doer is imperishable. There is a thin line separating pure being (the doer) and what springs from one's pure being in the form of something done. This separation ensures that the doer remains free from the done. In other words that ones essential being remains pure. Though this is not your experience unless you are Self-realized, it is never the less also the case for the unenlightened. The unenlightened, however, is not capable of retaining awareness at so subtle levels of consciousness and therefore is not aware of the supreme purity of the Self. 15) In kevala samadhi only the effort of doing vanishes. One who does not know better thinks kevala means the doer has ceased to be. "Kevala" means "alone" or "absolute". This type of samadhi is what comes the closest to void, but even here awareness of the Self remains. 16) However, the inner Self, which is pure being, is the abode of all knowledge, and everything arises out of it. It can never cease to exist just because something objective is not perceived. "All knowledge" is a translation of "sarvajñatva" which is often translated as "omniscience". However, as the context does not deal with supernatural powers, the given translation is the more likely. Similarly "everything arises out of it" should not be understood as omnipotence, it refers to the duality of doer and done, mentioned in verse 14.

17) The fully enlightened yogi has uninterrupted awareness of the Self throughout all three states, whereas others are only aware of it at the beginning and end of each state. "The three states" are waking, dreaming and deep sleep. It is possible to become aware of pure being in a flash just before falling asleep and just when waking up. Similarly pure Being can be experienced during sleep just before a dream arises and just when the dream ends, but this requires much practice and is of little benefit. This verse does not advocate making a practice out of this. The sole point is to show that the Self is already here. The Self is not something that has to be developed or something that one grows into. The Self is your Self already, you just have to realize it. 18) Shakti along with supreme maya appears as both knowledge and knowable. As such the foundation is omniscient, so what is there but pure intelligence? "Māyā" is a technical term that is often translated as "illusion", however, this is unsatisfactory. Originally māyā meant "creative power" and refers to three basic forces of nature, called the three gunas, responsible for creating, maintaining and destroying phenomena. "Māyā" acquired the negative meaning of "illusion" in Vedanta, but in Kashmir Shaivism māyā indeed is a creative dynamic force. "The foundation" is of course pure Being, which is one with Shakti. The text here turns towards the question of how the relative world inside (knowledge) and outside (knowable) arises. The answer is that Shakti and māyā are responsible for that. The next verse clarifies the relationship between Shakti and māyā. 19) Spanda flows forth as the gunas, which never cease to

be Spanda. Therefore nothing can ever obstruct what the enlightened has realized. "The gunas", see previous verse. Here we are introduced to Spanda, and we are informed that the gunas, meaning also māyā, are a manifestation of Spanda. The previous verse informed us that there are two principles: Shakti and māyā, but now we are told that māyā is a manifestation of Spanda, leaving us with two other principles: Shakti and Spanda. What, then, is the relationship between these two? Spanda is the primal vibration or throb of Shakti. Spanda is not different from Shakti, the word Spanda simply denotes Shakti in action. Pure Shakti is one with pure being and as such is unmanifest and absolute. When something arises out of pure being it is Shakti manifesting it, but the correct term for this active manifestation is Spanda. Some misguided teachers teach that there is a polarity between Shakti and Shiva (pure being), but this is not so: the are one, have always been one and eternally will remain one. The beauty of this is that once you are Self-realized, you can never lose it again. Where should it go? Self-realization is realization of that prior to the gunas, meaning prior to change. 20) However the gunas make healthy, but unenlightened, people fall down into the dreadful course of samsāra, so hard to get out of. "Samsāra" is the cycle of transmigatory existence: Birth and rebirth in a seemingly endless cycle, where one is tangled up in the consequences of ones actions (karma) and the desires to act and experience as a limited individual ego. 21) Therefore, one should constantly exert oneself to the utmost to discern the Spanda principle. Then one will soon attain the Self even in the waking state.

It is important to note that Self-realization takes you out of samsāra, because the Self is prior to the fluctuations driving samsāra. The Self can be realized as pure being alone or as Shakti or as Spanda or any combination. In either case one will get out of samsāra. But realizing the Self as Spanda is so much more fun than merely realizing pure being alone. This is because, if you realize Spanda, you perceive the absolute at play in everything, which is very blissful. 22) When greatly exasperated, overjoyed, confused or running for your life, take refuge in the stable foundation of Spanda. No matter what happens or what state you are in, it is Spanda at work. Therefore you can realize Spanda in anything or any state. The prerequisite to this is of course that you have some acquaintance with Spanda, which is most easily acquired through meditation and shaktipat initiation. Without shatipat, it will be very difficult to realize the Spanda principle. 23) Hold on to this state of Spanda. Abide in Spanda by deciding to submit to what ever Spanda bids. Once you have become acquainted with Spanda, you would do wise to practice perceiving, or feeling, Spanda as often and as clearly as possible. 24) Abiding in Spanda, the sun and moon set and Shakti follows the sushumnā path to brahmarandhra. The "sun" and "moon" refer to the two subtle energy channels (nādīs) called pingalā and idā. They are the normal conduits of lifeforce (prāna shakti), but in order to reach enlightenment one has to change the flow so that shakti rises through the central channel, called sushumnā, located in the center of the spinal column.

"Brahmarandhra" is the location of the crown chakra on the top of the scull. The goal of kundaliniyoga, Shaktiyoga or Spandayoga (the three are the same) is to get kundalini-shakti to brahmarandhra and merge Shakti with pure being in the crown chakra. This is no easy task, but by abiding in Spanda it happens by itself. 25) Then, when by this means the moon and the sun remain hidden, some enter the great heaven and become fully enlightened, but the ignorant merely enter a state of stupor. "When the moon and the sun remain hidden", means when shakti has ceased to flow through idā and pingalā. The verse points out that it is not enough to simply stop the flow of shakti into idā and pingalā, you have to get the shakti flowing in sushumnā. If you merely turn off idā and pingalā, nothing more will result than a stupor reminiscent of deep sleep. If, however, you get shakti flowing in the spine and up to "the great heaven" of the brain, then you will eventually "become fully enlightened". 26) When on this powerful path use mantras endowed with the power of omniscience. Advance beyond reasoning and the embodied soul. "Mantras" are phrases or words one mentally repeats, or merely remembers, in a more and more subtle manner in order to reach the Self. One classic mantra is "Soham". Remember the syllable "soo" on the in-breath and "hamm" on the out-breath. "Endowed with the power of omniscience" makes it clear that not all mantras are equal. A preferable mantra is one whose meaning embodies the supreme. "Advance beyond reasoning and the embodied soul". You are not your mind and you are not the personality you presently occupy in this incarnation. In order to achieve Self-realization you have to move your awareness out of identification with these.

27) There, in that suitable state of serenity, which can never be known as an object, the mind of the aspirant gets dissolved into Shiva. "There" means "beyond reasoning and the embodied soul", as stated in the previous verse. "Suitable state of serenity" is the state of supreme bliss. If you are not in supreme bliss, you are not in a state suitable to merge with Spanda. If you can not merge with Spanda, you can not realize the mind as Shakti and not dissolve fully into Shiva. "Supreme bliss" must be understood clearly as a characteristic of a state, where you have transcended everything manifest (hence it can not "be known as an object"). Mere happiness or joy will not do at all. "Shiva", as in all Kashmir Shaivism texts, refers to the supreme state of pure being. You can get a kind of Self-realization, which is perfectly viable, where you have only realized the unmanifest pure being, not the mind as Spanda. This kind of Self-realization does not include supreme bliss and can be a rather unpleasant state, since everything may seem utterly meaningless, empty and illusory. 28) Because the limited individual is essentially one with pure being, which is the cause of all limited sentiments, the limited individual identifies with the awareness he has of these sentiments. Rhetorically, this verse is a bit odd in that it expresses reality from both the enlightened view and the ignorant view at the same time. The enlightened one is one with pure being and thus does not identify with the sentiments. On the other hand the non-enlightened person, the limited individual, identifies with the sentiments. The verse maintains that this identification comes along because the sentiments are merely fluctuations in pure awareness which is essentially Self. In other words: because they are essentially You,

you identify with them, but because you identify with them, you lose the sense of Self and become restricted to the fluctuations of the mind. 29) Thus there is no basis of thoughts, words or meanings that is not Shiva. The experiencer of pleasure and pain is always and in everything abiding as the sentiment of pleasure or pain. "Shiva" again means pure being. "Abiding as" ... Pure being and Spanda are one, and everything arises out of Spanda, therefore there is nothing that is not your pure being (Shiva). From this it follows that when you experience pleasure and pain, it is a fluctuation of Spanda, which is basically still your pure being and your essential nature as Self. 30) He who is blessed with this understanding and sees the entire universe as play, he sees the Self continuously and is beyond doubt liberated while living. Here is described the state of liberation. But what about those who are not liberated, but are merely serious meditators? The next verse clarifies. 31) This is the arising of pure meditation in the meditator's awareness, in which the aspirant of resolute will has the realization of his pure being. If you only have the experience described in the previous verse temporarily while you meditate, then that will also take you to your Self. 32) This is the attainment of the nectar of immortality that gives Self-realization. This is initiation for liberation that bestows Shivahood.

"Nectar of immortality" is translated from "amrita" which has many associated meanings. It can refer to the rising of kundalini up the spine. It can also simply mean Self-realization since the Self is immortal and blissful. "Initiation for liberation" is actually "initiation for nirvāna" ("nirvānadiksha") . "Nirvāna" literally means "blown out" (like the flame of a candle) or "extinction". What goes away is false identifications and ignorance about the Self. 33) The great benefactor brings that about, which the will requests from the heart. During the waking state, He makes the sun and moon rise in the embodied man. "The great benefactor" is Shiva. "Requests from the heart" means the yogi's deep longing for Selfrealization. "The moon and sun" refer to the two nadis idā and pingalā and the in-breath and out-breath. . Making the sun and moon "rise" means to utilize the flow of breath to get their mother-energy, kundalini, to rise up the sushumnā in the spine . The two shaktis of idā and pingalā are linked to the breath. On the in-breath shakti flows in idā, on the out-breath. in pingalā. By following the breath while sensing energy rising in the spine, the two shaktis can merge and enter the spine. This may actually awaken kundalini and give rise to the blissful experience of Spanda described above, as well as the "nirvāna-diksha". This practice can be done "during the waking state", meaning throughout the day. 34) Similarly, in the dream state, He vividly reveals the desired object in response to the prayerful request. During the dream state He resides in sushumnā.

"The desired object" is still the yogis heartfelt desire for liberation. If one has practiced as described in the previous verse, then the shakti will operate in sushumnā even during the dream state. 35) Otherwise, in the case of worldly people, the generation of images happens during dreaming and waking in accord with the character of the person. "Worldly people" means anybody who has not been subject to the "nirvāna-diksha" mentioned in verse 32. 36) Surely, as an object may be seen indistinctly at first, despite ones full attention, it will later become clear when observed with ones full power. 37) Similarly the highest truth at last becomes firmly established for the persevering yogi using his strength in a one-pointed manner. Verse 36 and 37 together state that just as your eyes can trick you but you can get out of the illusion by concentrated effort, similarly you can get of the illusion of false identifications by concentrated effort. 38) Just as a starving man can still his hunger, so can a weak man achieve his goal by resorting to That. "His goal" is still Self-realization. "That" is the focused will fused with Spanda, and also the practice described under verse 33. This verse states that anybody can reach Self-realization. You do not have to be a fit and firm hatha yogi or anything. You just have to

really and deeply want it and make a serious effort to get out of illusion. 39) When the body is permeated with Spanda, one knows everything inside it. Similarly when one's pure being is permeated with Spanda, one understands everything spiritual. "Pure being" is here a translation of "svātmani" which, according to Ksemarāja, means one's imperishable Self. Throughout this work I have used the expression "pure being" for this imperishable Self. There is essentially no difference between the Self, pure being and Spanda, but in the progress of realization, pure being is usually realized before one begins to realize Spanda. This verse refers to the advanced yogi who already knows the Self and is beginning to sense Spanda. 40) Exhaustion ravages the body of the ignorant because of his ignorance. How can ignorance continue to exist in the absence of its cause? So It is destroyed by the coming forth of pure being. "Coming forth " is a translation of "unmesa", which also means "expansion". In verse one unmesa meant "twinkle of the eye", which is the regular translation, but which is metaphorical here in the sense of opening ones eyes to pure being. "Unmesa" will be explained further in the next verse. 41) When one persistent thought is replaced by another, pure being comes forth in between. One should notice this for oneself. "Comes forth " is a translation of "unmesa". This is actually a description of a meditative practice. Deliberately occupy yourself with one thing. You could use the light of a candle

or a black dot on a piece of paper, it dies not matter what. Hold it in your awareness, then let it go completely. Before the next thought arises, there is a coming forth of pure being. Dive into this. 42) Out of this arises light, sound, form and taste which are disturbances, in the form of limited stimuli. Everything arises out of this coming forth of pure being. This verse uses the senses to categorize the various classes of disturbances that may arise. Such imaginary sense-impressions are subtle stimuli that disturb the mind and cause more thoughts to arise. When this happens, remember the previous verse: Simply observe the stimulus, stop the thought and merge back into pure being. 43) When (the yogi) abides in that which permeates everything and desires to know the meaning of everything, then there is no point in saying much for he will experience for himself. 44) Keeping awake at all times, the yogi stays in the field of spiritual knowledge. Seeing everything as identical with That, he is never troubled by anything. "That" is of course the Spanda principle of pure being. "Awake" should be understood metaphorically for the deliberate act of "staying in the field of spiritual knowledge". This verse does not advocate sleep-deprivation, but awareness throughout the waking hours. 45) He who is deprived of his spiritual status by the forces of concealment becomes a victim of the forces of words. Thus he is known as fettered. "The forces of concealment" is translated from "kalā", which is a technical term in Kashmir Shaivism.

"The forces of words" can also be translated the "forces of sounds". What is meant is the domain of concepts, thoughts and speech. Most people think. Words and concepts structure the basic noise of consciousness. There is no language in the Self; those who think the self is structured in and of language are mistaken. Language conceals the Self. 46) (The yogi) looses the supreme nectar and his independence, when convictions take hold of him. He has at that time gone into the domain of subtle elements. "Supreme nectar" is a metaphor for supreme bliss. 47) Language penetrates awareness when the state of pure being is lost. Thus subtle forces are always ready to conceal the Self. 48) This Shakti of Shiva's, when characterized by doership, binds the fettered soul. But when understood and set free on its own path, it brings perfection. "Perfection" means perfection of the yogi's endeavor, which is Selfrealization. The same divine energy, Shakti, is the giver of both bondage and liberation. In order to make Shakti set you free, you need understanding and to set Shakti on course so it rises as kundalini up the central channel, in the spine. 49) Bewitched by the appearance of the subtle elements that reside as the subtle body, in the form of I AM-ness, the mind and the determinative faculty, man is closed inside the state produced by convictions, feelings, etc. 50) Subject to the controlling power of these subtle indulgences, man is bound in transmigatory existence. Thus

we will explain how to end this situation. 51) When he is sincerely merged with Spanda and dissolved in compassion, then he blocks the indulgences and the fluctuations and arrives at mastery over the cycle of transmigration. 52) I pay homage to the wonderful speech of my guru, whose words yield wonderful meanings. They act like a boat to cross the fathomless ocean of doubt.

Tripura Rahasya - Highlights and commentaries (2011) Tripura Rahasya is an ancient text. It is quite extensive, so I have picked out the essential teachings on Self-realization and added commentaries. It is an essential book on Advaita Vedanta. Much praised by Ramana Maharshi. But it is also a shakta text. I read it first and foremost from the shakta perspective. One will find that the hignest teachings of Vedanta are in agreement with the highest teachings of the shakta viewpoint - with the exception that the shakta viepoint incorporates divine Grace from the divine Mother: Mother’s grace or Shakti as it is known.

The text and commentaries: “Investigation is the root-cause of all, and it is the first step to the supreme reward of indescribable bliss. How can anyone gain security without proper investigation?” (II: 5152) Without investigating the teachings about supreme bliss, one will not take even the first step towards Self-realization and one will stay deluded. What is investigation? It means contemplating the teachings and also practicing enquiry into the subject of the teachings, - being the Self. Thus one should practice Self-enquiry along with reflecting on the teachings. Ask yourself: Who am I? “Investigation is analysis conducted within oneself, discriminating the non-Self from the Self, stimulated by a stern, strong and sincere desire to realize the Self.” (XXI: 95)

“Investigation is the Sun for chasing away the dense darkness of indolence. It is generated by the worship of God with devotion. When the supreme Devi is well pleased with the worship of the Devotee, She turns into vichara [discrimination] in him and shines as the blazing Sun in the expanse of the Heart.” (II: 69-70) Worship of God with devotion means not formal ritualistic worship, but inner surrender. Surrendering to Devi (Shakti, the Divine Mother) is part of the investigation. It is not enough to simply ponder the teachings mentally, one should also surrender to the essence of the teachings and experience them for one self. Upon merging with Devi, one’s understanding of the teachings change at once. This is what is meant with the phrase that “Devi is well pleased” and “She turns into vichara”. Vichara means discrimination, investigation, judgment. So proper understanding of the texts and teachings is only acquired by Mother’s grace. Investigation with devotional surrender is, however, the first step one should take on the path to Self-realization. One should gain not only a mental understanding of the teachings, but also gain Mother’s grace through surrendering to her internally. Internal surrender to Mother’s grace, means surrendering to the Shakti within. Shakti needs to awaken; then grace flows abundantly. “I shall now tell you the fundamental cause of salvation. Association with the wise is the root cause for obliterating all misery.” (III: 7) Such will lead to “a stage of enlightenment, which is the fore-runner of emancipation.” (III: 8-9). This is very interesting. Association with the wise will rub of enlightenment, so to speak. This phenomenon is known as shaktipat. The benefit of association with the wise can not be mere theoretical knowledge, for that is what is gained by the kind of investigation mentioned previously. It is the mere association with the wise, not studying with the wise or learning from them, but merely being in their company; hanging out with them, so to speak. This association will automatically lead Shakti to jump from the wise one to the devoted student. Once the Shakti is ignited in the

student, Mother’s grace will begin to flow and vichara will come automatically. One of the things that will grow with vichara, is dispassion and displeasure with worldly things. In other words, misery will reveal itself to the student. Vichara can go along these lines: “That can not be happiness, my Lord, which is tinged with misery. Misery is of two kinds: external and internal. The former pertain to the body and is caused by the nerves, etc., the latter pertains to the mind and is caused by desire.” (IV: 19-20) In other words, some types of misery are neurological, others are psychological. The psychological are worse than the neurological (with regard to getting Self-realized) since they are “the seed of the tree of misery and never fails on its fruits.” (IV: 21). Physical and neurological misery may be unbearable, but they are not sources of bondage. Psychological misery, on the other hand, causes bondage by being tied into the cycle of desire-gain-loss-suffering-desire-etc. Even during the happiness when one’s desire has been fulfilled, there is the seed of more desire, so the happiness is doomed to fail and go away. Only the happiness found in the Self is everlasting. One must surrender to Mother’s grace and associate with the wise. After scrutinizing the misery of the ignorant state and surrendering to Mother’s grace, one may reach liberation: “Then realizing the pure consciousness inhering in the Self to be that self-same Tripura, he became aware of the One Self holding all, and was liberated.” (IV: 94). Tripura is the Supreme Goddess, Devi, Shakti. She has many names, but is essentially Mother and grace. One has to realize one’s oneness with Mother. The text summarizes:

“That same consciousness is also the objects, that is the subject, and that is all – the mobile and the immobile; all else shines in its reflected light; it shines of itself. Therefore, O Man, throw off delusion! Think of that consciousness which is alone, illuminating all and pervading all.” (IV: 100101) “Association with the sages, O Rama, is thus the root cause of all that is auspicious and good.” (IV: 104) In the highest state of enlightenment, unity consciousness, one will realize that Shakti is not only internal, but external also. Everything is One pure consciousness, illuminating all and pervading all. Again we are informed that association with the wise is the highest means to liberation. On the path to enlightenment, dispassion will arise and one will find that objects and events, that used to please one, have become dull and meaningless. This state of dispassion only arises in one with whose continued devotion Tripura inherent in the Heart as the Self, is well pleased.” (V: 28) Mother resides in everybody’s heart as the Self. Only when Selfrealization begins to flower, will the dispassion arise. Compared to the bliss of the Self, everything else fades into insignificance. This can be annoying and frustrating, since one is not yet Self-realized and the bliss therefore only arises in fleeting samâdhis. Never the less, the dispassion is productive with respect to getting enlightened. It quietens the mind and the passions, so one becomes more onepointed on getting enlightened. One will seek out people who can help on the path, but the Tripura Rahasya warns us: “He who is bent on the highest good should never trust an incompetent person. Otherwise he comes to grief …” (VI: 34)

What makes a person competent, or qualified, to aid one in this difficult phase? Only one who is Self-realized himself. There are many teachers of spirituality, yoga and meditation, but they are not to be considered competent teachers if the are not Self-realized. Otherwise they are merely teaching a system and a method, which one will get stuck in. Blind acceptance leads nowhere, similarly endless discussions lead nowhere. Too much faith in a system or a method leads only to expert performance of the method, not to eternal bliss. Purposeful discussion is of course appropriate, but it should never be considered the end in itself. “Appropriate effort must follow right discussion.” (VII: 7) Appropriate effort is of course to meditate with surrender to the Self. However, even the desire to possess an appropriate method is born of delusion (VII: 24). This complicates the matter. One should not be attached to the method, one uses, but be prepared to let it go at the appropriate moment, - which is when one sees the Self, of feels the Self as bliss. When bliss comes, one surrenders to the bliss and lets one’s full attention be filled with the bliss. Bliss is of the Self, so it is a safe guide to follow. It is pure grace when bliss grabs you, it means Shakti has grabbed you and will guide you home. “Men can learn to overcome the universal Mâyâ if only the Lord is gracious to them, They can never escape from Mâyâ, without His grace.” (VII: 29) Mâyâ is the great illusion keeping people in ignorance about the Self. Without grace it is impossible to reach the Self. Who is the Lord? It is ultimately the Self. The grace of the Self comes as Shakti. Shakti resides within you as kundalini. By the grace of Mother Shakti, kundalini awakens and you experience the bliss of the Self quickly. One should worship Mother by doing practices to awaken and arouse kundalini. They should be done with loving devotion to Mother and gratitude for Her grace. “Other methods are also put forward as serving this supreme end, but they are bound to fail in their purpose if

the Lords grace be not forthcoming. Therefore worship the Primal Cause of the universe as the starting point; be devoted to Him; He will soon enable you to succeed on your attempts to destroy the illusion.” (VII: 32-33) Why is the Lord mentioned as masculine, when we speak of Mother’s grace? This is just the old patriarchal tradition. Tripura Rahasya states “You know the Mother only if you know the Self” (IX: 7) and the text simply refers to the Self as both He and She in an odd mixture. The Divine Mother and the Divine Father are One and are known as Shiva and Shakti. You can not invoke one without invoking the other. Mother’s grace gives oneness with Shiva and Shiva’s grace gives oneness with Shakti. Shiva’s grace resides within you as the ever present Self; Mothers grace resides within you as ever active kundalini. Ultimately kundalini is the Self and when it is awakened it will give Self-realization as oneness with Shiva-Shakti. Similarly the grace of Shiva will reveal the Self in its blissful purity, and this will in time awaken kundalini so the bliss of the Self will be felt not only to be one’s Self, but be felt in every cell of the body as bliss. “Surrender yourself directly and unhesitatingly to Him. He will ordain the best for you and you need not ask for it. Among the methods of approach to God, there are (1) worship to overcome troubles, (2) worship to gain wealth, etc., and (3) loving dedication of oneself. The last one is the best and the surest in its results.” (VII: 50-51) Remarkable as it sounds, it is quite true that once your kundalini has been awakened by the grace of shaktipat, then ‘He’ (the Self, Shakti) “will ordain what is best for you and you need not ask for it”. Spontaneously you will know how to meditate and various kriyas (spontaneous activities) will take place either internally as visions, or externally as movements of the body. However, control of breath is recommended (VII: 63) as a means to overcome one’s karma. Here is one simple method: On the in-breath imagine energy rising up the spine and into the brain, on the out-breath imagine energy

radiating from the brain in all directions. You could also do it like this: breath in, hold the breath and breathe out for equal durations of time. You could count to three or four during each phase. When breathing in sense energy rising up the spine and into the brain, when holding the breath and when breathing out, imagine energy radiating from the brain in all directions. That is one round; do as many as you like. These wonderful and simple pranayamas will soon awaken kundalini and grant you Mother’s grace. When begin to meet the Self, you will think of it as “my Self”, however, the Self is not yours, it is You. This ignorance has to be overcome. In meditation, analyze the things your think of as “mine” and discard those notions. Like “my bliss”, no it is not your bliss, the bliss is You. “My thoughts”, no the thoughts are not yours, they just happen to agitate your mind for a while. Likewise, you are not “your mind”. And so on. Also get rid of external attachments, like “my body”, “my spouse” etc.. Finally arrest the thoughts and a blank will supersede. Think of this blank as the Self. A brilliant inner light may fill the blankness. After this, bliss may fill you. Or bliss may come before the light. In either case surrender to the bliss. First it will be ecstatic, but if you remain calm, you will transcend the ecstasy and sink into oneness with the Self as bliss. This is nirvikalpa samâdhi. Remember: “It [arresting thoughts and turning inwards] does not produce Self-realization for the Self remains realized at all times” (IX: 69) You just have to sink into the Self. Nothing has to be developed or evolved. Mind control is a good beginning, but surrender is the best, and mind control does not cause your Self-realization. “The knower does not require any tests for knowing his own existence. The knower therefore is the only reality behind knowledge and objects. That which is self-evident without the necessity be proved is alone real; not so other things.” (IX: 88)

The knower is the Self. The Self is always there, perfect, pure, behind objects of the mind and the minds knowledge. Once realized, it is understood that the Self is self-evident. The Self reveals itself by itself, not by any method or knowledge. The Self-revelation of the Self is grace. However, with a still mind, one may find the Self at various situations: “Realize with a still mind the state between sleep and wakefulness, the interval between the recognition of one object after another or the gap between two perceptions.” (IX: 94) Let your mind relax and be outgoing as it will, then turn it inward, control it just a little and watch for the Self. Remember that “the investigator is himself the essence of being and the Self of Self.” (IX: 98). The thought “I see” will arise, but be free of that also. The next problem is that you lose the state when you open the eyes. With a little experience of merging with the Self, you can begin to practice with open eyes and also during activity. Hold the bliss with open eyes; calmly look around and recognize that Mother’s grace is omnipresent. “That which shines as “Is” is Her Majesty the Absolute Consciousness. Thus the universe is only the Self – the One and only.” (XI: 85) By force of habit, the wakeful universe appears real. Imagine it as vacuous. Fill everything with void. Realize this void to be Shakti, the Divine Mother, the Self. “Realize that the Self is the self-contained mirror projecting and manifesting this world. The Self is pure unblemished consciousness. Be quick! Realize it quickly and gain transcendental happiness!” (XIII: 91) This realization is the ultimate enlightenment of unity consciousness. But transcendental happiness can be gained simply within. It is not necessary to also have it without in the beginning. In bliss

consciousness one has realized the Self to be Mother, Shakti, pure being. And this is bliss. It is not blissful, it is simply bliss. There is no experiencer, you simply are that bliss and that pure being which is Shakti. Why is the Absolute called by so many names and personified in so many ways? Out of love and because people are different. “The whole universe is thus in the illumination which shines self-sufficient, by itself, everywhere, and at all times. Such illumination is Her Transcendental Majesty Tripura, the Supreme. She is called Brahmâ in the Vedas, Vishnu by the Vaishnavites, Siva by the Shaivaites, and Shakti by the Shaktas. There is indeed nothing but She.” (XIV: 43-45) “Therefore recognise the fact that the world is simply an image on the mirror of consciousness and cultivate the contemplation of ‘I am,’ abide as pure being and thus give up this delusion of the reality of the world.” (XIV: 92) The important thing is ‘pure being’, not ‘I am’. ”True experience of the Self is the unawareness of even ’I am’” (XV: 26) What does this statement mean? At first it means transcending the ‘I am’ state. Which is very true. But it also says “unawareness of even …” which means the experience of the Self is a state of unawareness of anything. “Unawareness” must be discussed, for otherwise it will be assumed the experience of the Self is a state of unconsciousness. The experience of the Self is concentrated awareness in its purity, it is not unconsciousness, for during the experience one is (generally) conscious of the surroundings, but internally one has merged into the innermost pure being, which is consciousness-being-bliss. “This is due to the Grace of God which puts you in the right way of investigation. Who can attain anything worthy without divine Grace?” (XV: 22) Mother’s grace… My sweet love…

“The beneficent work of the self-inhering divine Grace is finished when the inward turning of one’s mind increases in strength day by day.” (XV: 23) This is important to understand. You can get a high or two during the course of your meditations, but they are not as such signs that Shakti has grabbed you. Only when bliss sucks you in more and more day by day, can you say Shakti has grabbed you. It will go up and down, of course, but by and large Mother’s Grace will more and more tingle blissfully in your entire body and pull your attention inwards into the Self. Can one know the Self in the form of knowledge gained through repeated experience? One would think so, but it is not the case: “It is also unknowable because there is no one to know it, besides itself.” (XV: 62) No one, besides itself; this is important to understand. The Self knows itself; the mind knows the body’s and mind’s reactions to samâdhi and mistakes these for the Self. As one’s sadhana progresses and one gains more and more samâdhis, which means more and more knowledge of the Self, one should understand that a split will arise between the knowledge as an after-effect of samâdhi, and the Self’s temporary Self-realization during the samâdhi. Thus a split arises between the minds knowledge based on repeated experience, and the blissful pure being permeating one’s awareness and body more and more. Yes: one’s body: it is a very physical thing when you get realized by Mother’s Grace (Shakti). This split is most curious: There is mind with its self-referential knowledge assuming the status of a self, and then there is the Self’s realization of itself. “Therefore become dispassionate and inhere as the Self. Such inherence is spontaneous. It is realized after thoughts are eliminated and investigation ceases.” (XV: 85) Actually, you do not need to eliminate thoughts, you just have to step out of the mind, meaning out of the thoughts, and into the Self.

This, of course, means an elimination of the thoughts with respect to your Self-awareness. In this state dispassion arises; one simple wants nothing more than to stay in the immense bliss of the Self. When abiding in the Self, there is no need for further investigation. Actually one has to stop investigation just prior to merging with the Self. The final plop into the Self is pure Grace; one has to let go of everything and surrender to Mother’s Grace. This is what is meant with the statement that it “is spontaneous”. “Recapitulate your state after you break off from it, and then [you] will know all and the significance of its being knowable and unknowable at the same time. Thus realizing the unknowable, one abides in immortality for ever and ever.” (XV: 85) It is an important part of one’s sadhana to recapitulate one’s samâdhi states after meditation. One can simply recall the state and contemplate it for a while, or one can talk a little about it with a fellow sadhaka (spiritual seeker) one trusts and can rely on. This will help both, - if neither becomes jealous of the others experiences and insights, but rather becomes inspired. But by and large it is good to keep quiet about one’s experiences and insights. One should, though, recapitulate one’s samâdhis for oneself. This helps the mind get a grasp on what is going on and it helps establish the peculiar split mentioned above between the minds notion of a self, and the real Self’s Self-realization. Thus the unknowability of the Self for the mind becomes clear, and one realizes the unknowable by merging awareness into the Self. “This transcendental state is quite easy or may be well-nigh impossible according as one’s mind is inward bent in peace or out-moving in restlessness. It cannot be taught if it always remains unknown.” (XVI: 12-13) Now we are reminded that is depends on one’s state of mind whether it is easy or difficult to reach the transcendental state. If the mind is inward bent in peace, then it is quite easy. If the mind is out-moving in restlessness it is quite difficult. Thus one has to calm

the mind and stay focused. The last sentence is interesting: “It can not be taught if it always remains unknown”. This means that one can not teach the transcendental to one who has never experienced it. One has to experience it directly for one self. Teachings can merely point in the right direction. Here is one such pointer: “Carefully watch absolute Intelligence after eliminating all else from it.” (XVI: 19) Here “absolute Intelligence” is synonym with pure awareness of pure being. The word “watch” implies awareness watching, and what is should watch is itself as absolute Intelligence. “Abstract Intelligence can thus be made manifest by eliminating from it all that can be known. It can not be known as such and such, for it is the supporter of one and all.” (XVI: 21) By letting go of everything in one’s awareness, abstract intelligence can be known in and of itself. There is another valid way to the Self, though: We know from experience and from other places in the text that the Self can be experienced as sat-chit-ananda, meaning as blissful pure being. Thus bliss (ananda) is a guide into the Self as well as abstract Intelligence (chit). The Self can be known as pure bliss, but this knowledge of pure bliss arises not in the mind, but in the soul as one more or less merges with the Self. This blissful merging is making the abstract intelligence manifest. It does manifest as something concrete, what is meant is that abstract intelligence becomes self-aware. This self-awareness requires that all else is let go of, or eliminated, from awareness. “Self-realization […] requires only one condition: Elimination of all perceptions.” (XVI: 33) This is easy to misunderstand. One should not fight one’s perceptions, but withdraw awareness from them. The senses will go on perceiving even while in samâdhi, but awareness should be so self-absorbed that perceptions do not get any awareness at all. Thus perceptions can be said to be eliminated. In actual fact perceptions

can not be eliminated since the perceptual apparatus will go on doing its job automatically. “But since consciousness is the Self and not apart from the mind, concentration on it is not necessary for its realization. It is enough that other perceptions should be eliminated from the mind and then the Self will be realized.” (XVI: 3839) The point is that even though the mind can not cognize the Self, the mind is the Self. Similarly consciousness can not be conscious of what the Self is, but consciousness is the Self. This means that when consciousness is empty of content (perceptions), or when the mind is similarly empty, there is nothing left but the Self and in that state the Self can realize itself. “Diversion of attention from other items is all that is necessary for Self-realization. […] consciousness of the Self becomes manifest by mere diversion of attention from things or thoughts. Realization of Self requires absolute purity only and no concentration of mind. […] the only impurity of the mind is thought. To make it thought-free is to keep it pure.” (XVI: 45-48) It is a relief that concentration of mind is not necessary for Selfrealization. Developing concentration can take a very long time. What one should practice is alertness and retraction of awareness from objects and thoughts. It necessary to have an alert mind (XVI: 62). A stupefied mind is of no use. An interesting consequence of this observation is that people throughout the day must experience fleeting samâdhis when their minds happen to be alert and thought free. And so they do, but these fleeting samâdhis go undetected because people are unaware of the state of samâdhi, unaware of the Self. But these fleeting samâdhis are not to called “samâdhi” proper, because all the proclivities of the mind are still there latent and ready to manifest. So fleeting samâdhis are useless, because they go undetected. If one learns to detect them, though, they will be of value (XVII: 18), but they will not in themselves lead to Self-

realization (XVII: 39). For Self-realization to happen, savikalpa and nirvikalpa samâdhis are necessary. Also Mother’s grace is needed: “Only those transcend mâyâ with whose devotion the Goddess of the Self is pleased: such can discern well and happily. Being by the grace of God endowed with proper discernment and right-earnestness, they become established in transcendental Oneness and become absorbed.” (XVII: 61-62) So the necessary cocktail is devotion to the Self via Mother, Mother’s grace and a still mind by pulling attention out of thoughts and things. “After experiencing the Inner Self, he will be able to identify the Self with the Supreme and thus destroy the root of ignorance. The inner Self is realized in advanced contemplation and that state is called nirvikalpa samâdhi. Memory of that realization enables one to identify the Inner Self with the Universal Self.” (XVII: 68-69) Interestingly nirvikalpa samâdhi is not enough. It is the memory of nirvikalpa samâdhi that “enables one to identify the Inner Self with the Universal Self”. Unity consciousness is not solely a result of nirvikalpa samâdhi, but of the active part of recalling and holding the state during activity. “Unless a man live the ordinary life and check every incident as the projection of the Self, not swerving from the self in any circumstances, he can not be said to be free from the handicap of ignorance.” (XVII: 109) This state is “sahaja” samâdhi (natural samâdhi). It is then in one’s very nature to see the Self in everything; and one’s awareness never leaves the Self with which it is united. The fact that this state is possible and desirable and that it is characterized solely by oneness with the Self, has some interesting consequences. First of all it means the Self has always been there and is already perfect; second it means you are already the Self, you just choose to ignore it.

“Such pure mind entirely divested of all objective knowledge [or thoughts] is pure intelligence. Awareness is its nature. Therefore it is always realized, for no other knower beside itself can ever be admitted.” (XVIII: 5) Now this has some further consequences regarding the question of moksha (freedom from ignorance, reincarnation and from karma). “Moksha is not any thing to be got afresh for it is already there, only to be realized. Such realization arises with the elimination of ignorance. Absolutely nothing more is required to achieve the aim of life.” (XVIII: 19) Freedom from ignorance and a life in bliss is considered the aim of life. To reach this state nothing more is required than to eliminate ignorance. This is because the Self is already perfect and blissful, it is just covered with a layer of ignorance, that has to be removed. Moksha and the Self are One; to gain one is to gain the other; “moksha” is just another word for the Self. You don’t have to change to gain the Self, you only have to stop being ignorant; ignorance is only a bad habit. The bad habit is to contract and become limited when stimuli arise in the mind; otherwise the Self is infinite and unbroken (XVIII: 29). One should change the bad habit of being ignorant, to the habit of preserving the unlimited, unmanifest, infinite space of the Self, even while dealing with the world. “The greatest of all delusions is the conviction that knowledge is not a delusion.” (XVIII: 156) Liberated people (jnanis) are not all alike. They are just as different as everybody else. Tripura Rahasya (XVIII: 162-65) divides enlightened people into three categories: 1) “Jnanis of the highest order are never detached from the enjoyment of their bliss even if confronted with a million times more bad karma [prarabda karma]; they are not surprised at the most unnatural and miraculous happenings; they are not elated by the greatest pleasures, nor depressed by the worst miseries. They are

always peaceful and calm within, although they appear to act like common folk” 2) “Jnanis of the higher [middle] order even while reaping the fruits of their past karma are however firmer in their natural happiness like men inebriated with drink.” 3) [Jnanis of the lowest order] “ know the Self and yet are influenced by the pleasures and pains accruing to them according to their past karma [prarabda karma].” “These differences are due to the differences in their intellects and to the degrees of development of jnana [wisdom, enlightenment]. Their activities depend on their predispositions as determined by their past karma. (XVIII: 165-66) So some enlightened beings live a life within the pleasures and pains of karma; other enlightened beings also do so, but are in a state of permanent bliss; yet others are entirely free of karma and also live in bliss. It is unclear at this point what kind of samâdhi the lowest class of jnanis enjoy. Tripura Rahasya elaborates further: “Now the lowest order of jnanis still undere the influence of their minds know that there is no truth in the objective universe. Their samâdhis are not different from the rest.” (XIX: 112) “The jnanis of the lowest order behave like ignorant men in their care for their bodies. They have not attained sahaja samâdhi. They are in the state of perfection only when they are calm or composed. They have as much of the body sense and enjoy pleasure and pain with as much zest as any animal when they are not engaged in the investigation of the Self. […] All the same, they are emancipated because the animal-sense is only an aberration during interludes of

imperfection and does not always leave any mark on them.” (XXI: 38-44) To be liberated (having attained moksha) does not require one lives in sahaja samâdhi. The lowest class of jnanis are liberated simply by their ability to enter oneness with the Self at will. They are not consciously one with the Self during much of their activity, only when they are “calm and composed” and investigate into the Self. “The middle class of jnanis are never deluded by their bodies. Delusion is the false identification of ‘I’ with the body. […] The middle class of jnanis are never attached to the body. Their minds are mostly dead because of their long practice and continued austerities. They are not engaged in work because they are entirely self-possessed. […] But he is aware of his actions. His body continues on account of his vasanas (predispositions) and destiny. (XXI: 50-52) Unlike the lowest class of jnanis, the middle class are constantly aware of the Self and are never caught up in karma. That “They are not engaged in work” does not mean they are lazy and don’t work, it means they are so self-possessed they do not identify with the work or the worker. “He is aware of his actions”, but is disidentified from them. This class of jnanis remains steadfast through sustained practice and control of mind. “Jnanis of the highest class do not identify the Self with the body but remain completely detached from their bodies. Their work is like that of a charioteer driving the chariot, who never identifies himself with the chariot. Similarly the jnani is not the body nor the actor; he is pure intelligence. Though entirely detached from action within, to the spectator he seems to be active. He performs his part like an actor in a drama; and plays with the world as a parent does with a child.” (XXI: 53-54) The highest class of jnanis remains steadfast through the force of his discrimination and investigation. In contrast the middle class remained so due to sustained practice. The highest jnani is in sahaja

samâdhi (constant natural samâdhi), whereas the middle class remains in samâdhi due to habit of practice and investigation. The lower class of jnanis: “Jnanis of the lowest order also enjoy pleasure and pain like the ignorant, but their remembrance of such experiences is frequently broken up by intervals of realization. Thus the worldly enjoyments do not leave an impression on their mind. (XXII: 37) “As for the lowest order of jnanis, these realize the Self off and on, and spells of ignorance overtake them whenever overcome by their predispositions, they look upon the body as the Self and the world as real. They are often able to over-ride the old tendencies, and thus there is a struggle between wisdom and ignorance – each of them prevailing alternatively. The jnani ranges himself on the side of wisdom and fights against ignorance until falsity is thoroughly blown out, and truth prevails. (XXII: 43-49) The middle class of jnanis: Jnanis of the middle class, accustomed to control their minds by long-continued austerities, keep their minds in check even while enjoying pleasure and pain, and thus their response to the world is as indistinct as that of a man in sleep to a gentle breeze playing on him or an ant creeping over his body. (XXII: 38) “Forgetfulness of the Self never overtakes a middle class jnani and wrong knowledge never possesses him. However he of his own accord brings out some predispositions from his own depths in order to maintain his body according to prarabda [past karma]. This is the conduct of an accomplished jnani. (XXII: 50-51)

“The middle order jnani is fond of samâdhi and voluntarily abides in it. There is accordingly a lapse, however slight, when he is engaged in worldly affairs, or even in the maintenance of his body.” (XXII: 54) The highest class of jnanis: "Jnanis of the highest order are left untouched for […] just as an actor is not really affected by the passions which he displays on the stage, so also this jnani, always aware of his perfection, is not affected by the seeming pleasures and pains which he regards as a mere illusion. (XXII: 39-41) “The highest jnanis makes no difference between samâdhi and worldly transactions. He never finds any anything apart from the Self and so there is no lapse for him. “[…] the jnani of the highest order involuntarily and naturally abides in samâdhi and any lapse is impossible for him under any circumstance.” (XXII: 55) Liberation from karma: “The jnani of the middle order or of the highest order has no tinge of karma left in him because he is in perfection and does not perceive anything apart from the Self. How can there be anything of karma left when the wild fire of jnana is raging, consuming all in its way?” (XXII 57) So the lowest kind of jnanis still have to deal with karma. They are the ones that go in and out of samâdhi and in between are caught up in acting out karma. But out of sheer habit of entering samâdhi, they will be liberated at death, if not before. To sum up the text: One should seek the company of the enlightened ones and hang out

with them. One should study the teachings about Self-realization, such as presented in Tripura Rahasya and other texts, and ponder them. One should be devoted to the divine Mother and request Her grace. One should realize that Mother’s grace is the same as Shakti, which manifests in one as kundalini, and is the giver of bliss as well as pure intelligence (chit). One should practice self enquiry, still the mind and practice breath control. As one begins to enter samâdhi, one should ponder the different consciousness associated with samâdhi and with the mind and the small self compared to the real Self. As samâdhi becomes habitual, one should realize that it is still the lowest kind of enlightenment. To reach the middle state of enlightenment, the jnani should surrender more to Mother’s grace and practice entering samâdhi at will and also practice upholding samâdhi during activity. To move from the middle enlightenment to the highest enlightenment, one should merge with Mother’s grace and not only constantly abide in the Self, but also recognize the Self in and as everything.

Patanjali's definition of yoga

(2009) Yoga is the removal of the fluctuations of the mind. (Yoga Sutras: I, 2) Jan: Patanjali’s famous definition of yoga is “yogas chitta vritti nirodhah”, which means “yoga is the removal of the fluctuations of the mind”. Chitta is mind, vrittis are thought impulses, nirodah is removal. Question: But those fluctuations are never removed, thought impulses are there even for the enlightened one. If there are no impulses it’s just a great impersonal samādhi with no awareness of anything. Jan: Yes, Patanjali’s definition has been misunderstood as describing the state of enlightenment as a state where there are no thoughts at all and you are blank. But what Patanjali is describing is the method, not the goal. Later Patanjali describes the things that spoil one’s meditation. In other words, what the fluctuations are. The distractions are: Ignorance, I-ness, desire, aversion and attachment. (Yoga Sutras, II, 3) It is obvious that the first distraction is ignorance, but interesting that the second distraction is I-ness (asmitā, the sense of being someone, ego). Patanjali later defines I-ness like this: I-ness is the merging, as it were, of the power of knowing with the instruments thereof. (Yoga Sutras, II, 6) The instruments of knowing are not only the senses, but also the mind and the cognitive faculties. “Merging” of the two is a metaphor, Patanjali writes “as it were”. What happens is that the identification

mechanism becomes active and parts of the psyche/mind-complex identify with the parts that are perceiving or cognizing. This gives rise to the sense of being an individual, in other words, I-ness. Q: What could you say about “attention” Jan? I have noticed there is not only “I Am”, there is also attention which is also a thought. All that attention is “falling” upon is what is being experienced. But I wonder if attention is also a part of the mind. It must be!

Jan: “I Am” and “attention” are a pair; actually there are three that arise: I Am (or Me), attention and other. You can’t have one without the other two. But all three are saturated with pure, unmanifest awareness which is the Self. Once in the Self, “I Am “, “attention” and “other” remain, but the awareness that permeates them has become Self-aware. Later "I am, attention and other" become seen as Spanda, which is the technical term for vibrating, manifesting Shakti. Q: How does this relate to Patanjali’s statement that one should get rid of fluctuations of the mind? Jan: All three are distractions, but fortunately all three can be used as an entry point to the Self: “Me” can become “I am” which can be an entry to the Self. “Attention” can become one-pointed meditation. “Other” can be reduced to a mantra or some other object of

meditation. When you are in “I am”, you have stepped out of the mind-fluctuations. You are also out of the fluctuations when your meditation is one-pointed, like when your whole attention is on a mantra. Once you are out of the fluctuations they tend to fade out. What happens next? Patanjali says that after one has removed the fluctuations of the mind… Then one abides in the Self (Yoga Sutras I, 3) Q: So attention is in itself a quality of the mind? Just like objects of attention are? Jan: Attention is a function of the mind and therefore part of the mind just like objects of attention are. That is why attention in itself is not enough. Just as one-pointed meditation in itself is not enough, nor is “I am” enough. What is essential is that a pure awareness permeates all three and that it can become Self-aware and watch itself. But what I find more beautiful is that all three can become experienced as Shakti, as a vibration of the Self. This vibration is technically called Spanda. Q: So awareness watching awareness is Shakti reflecting on itself? Jan: Not quite. Well, ultimately, yes it is, but you should understand that in the progress of deeper and deeper realization, there is at first no sense of Shakti in awareness watching awareness, there is just pure being. Only much later does one realize pure being is Shakti and that everything is Shakti. Q: What’s the relationship between attention and the fluctuations of the mind? Jan: Patanjali’s next sutra makes this clear… Otherwise one merges with the fluctuations. (Yoga Sutras, I, 4)

The meaning is that when you are no longer in pure awareness, simultaneously your attention is occupied with fluctuations and you become identified with this and “I am” sets in. The fluctuations are of course “other”, but as soon as you have “attention” and “other”, “I am” pops up and you identify either with the fluctuations of the mind or with the attention beholding the fluctuations. Q. How is this actually experienced? Jan: You meditate and your mind is full of thoughts, gradually your involvement with the thoughts subsides and suddenly you are in pure awareness. Once you are in pure awareness it does not matter if there are thoughts in the mind or not, because you are entirely out of them. Some samādhis have thoughts, some don’t, but in both you are not involved with either of the three: “I am”, “attention” or “other”. If you stay in that state of samādhi one of two things may happen: 1) Fluctuations of the mind go away. 2) Fluctuations of the mind go berserk. In either case it is your job to remain uninvolved with the fluctuations. You should stay in pure awareness and remain selfaware pure awareness. If you can remain there, everything is fine, if you can not, however, then Patanjali’s fourth sutra becomes true and you get so caught up in the fluctuations that you lose the sense of pure self-aware awareness. Once awareness is no longer aware of itself, attention sets in in relation to fluctuations of the mind (other), and you get either caught up in the fluctuations as an observing ego (I am), or you get identified with the fluctuations and actually believe you in that moment are some thought or feeling (also I am). Patanjali later writes about misery. He first explains that to the wise man life is misery (II, 15), then he states the following: That misery, which has not yet come, can and should be warded off. (II, 16).

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What is interesting is that the cause of misery and the means to ward off misery are the same as the cause of ignorance and the means to ward off ignorance. The cause of that which is to be warded off is the identification of the seer and the seen. (II, 17) Remember that verse II, 6 said “I-ness is the merging, as it were, of the power of knowing with the instruments thereof”, so we now have that ignorance is misery and that it can be warded of by ceasing to identify with impulses and actions as well as with fluctuations in the mind. What happens if you can dissolve this false identification? The warding off is to break the identifications and thus disperse ignorance. This is the kaivalya of the seer. (II, 25) “Kaivalya” literally means “aloneness”; it is a metaphor for pure being, for residing in the Self. It also refers to the Self as pure awareness and the Selfs ability to be aware of fluctuations of the mind without becoming identified with them. This is what is called witnessing. Later Patanjali describes the situation where kaivalya arrises: Kaivalya (is attained) when the principle of sattva is as pure as the Self. (III, 56) Sattva is one of the the basic forces of nature, known as gunas. Sattva is characterized as being “stainless, lucid and healthy” (Bhagavad Gitā, XIV, 6). The same verse of Bhagavad Gitā continues: “Sattva binds by attachment to happiness and attachment to knowledge”. What is meant in Patanjali’s sutra is that the mind should not only be sattvic, but that it should be as pure as the Self and permeated with the Self. Simply making the mind sattvic is not enough.

This all leads to a deeper understanding of Patanajali’s initial definition of yoga as “removal of the fluctuations of the mind”. We have now learned that yoga is to ward off identifications between the pure awareness of the Self and the objects of this awareness. We have also learned that yoga is to purify the mind so it becomes sattvic and then purify the sattvic mind by permeating it with the Self. We can thus understand that the removal of the fluctuations of the mind is not accomplished by will and subtle force. It is ultimately accomplished by removing identifications and by dissolving the mind into the Self, but in order to accomplish this dissolution, the mind must first be sattvic. What, then, is a sattvic mind? It is a mind longing for wisdom, and is happy, lucid and healthy. But also it is a mind without fluctuations; thus we come full circle back to Patanjali’s initial definition of yoga as removal of the fluctuations of the mind. We therefore arrive at: Yoga is merging in the Self, removal of identifications and removal of fluctuations of the mind.

Yoga Sῡtras of Patañjali Introduction Apart from the fact that this famous text was written somewhere between the first and fourth century A.D, little is known about it's origin and author. The text relies heavily on Sāmkhya philosophy and it borrows the dualism of this school. Basically there are two conflicting principles: purusha and prakriti: The Self and nature. Patañjali explains how

consciousness has become entangled in prakriti and also explains how to get out of this entanglement and realize the Self. Prakriti is everything the Self is not, so this includes the mind and its fluctuations. Unlike Vedānta, which recognizes only one Self for all, classical yoga recognizes a separate Self for each being. However, Patañjali does not mention a plurality of Selves in his text, but from sῡtra I:24 one can infer that the Self is individual for each being. Patañjali introduces several samādhis, so the word samādhi is used here to denote a meditative state of variable inwardness and concentration, not just the highest union with the Self. Since yoga is defined as restraint of the fluctuations of consciousness, we can safely assume that the term samādhi denotes any such degree of restraint. Patañjali mentions eight samādhis: 1. "Samprajñāta samādhi" means "with a mental disposition". It is "associated with discursive thought, reflection, bliss and I AM-ness" (I:17) 2. "Asamprajñāta samādhi" means "without a mental disposition" as well as freedom from “residual samskāras” (I:18) 3. "Savitarkā samādhi" means with thought or cogitation. (I:42) 4. "Nirvitarkā samādhi" means without thought or cogitation. (I:43) 5-6. "Savicāra and nirvicāra samādhi" means "with and without thought or deliberation" and they are said to be more subtle than the two previous (I:44). Nirvicāra is said to be the opening to the Self (I:47) and “truth bearing” (I:48). 7. "Nirbīja samādhi" means without seed. It is when even the subtle impressions of nirvicāra are removed (I:51). 8. “Dharmamegha samādhi” is defined as: That meditative state with discrimination, detached at all times (IV:29). Unfortunately the first three pairs are described so similarly that it is

imposible to distinguish them. The progressive advancement from savicāra to nirvicāra and then via nirbīja to dharmamegha is somewhat clear. It is stated that the -vicāra types are more subtle than the previous, but that savicāra should be more subtle than nirvitarkā seems a contradiction of terms; how can a samādhi with thoughts be more subtle than a samadhi without thoughts? In the first six instances Patañjali seems to be merely mentioning synonymous terms, rather than defining progressive stages of meditation. He groups them together as samādhis "with seed" (I:46). This gives us the following stages of deeper and deeper samādhi: 1. Attempt to be focused on a single object or principle, but disturbed by thoughts and deliberations. 2. Without thoughts and deliberation. Focused on a single object or principle. 3. Without any object or principle. Pure awareness aware of itself only. 4. Permanent and natural state of distinction between Self and notSelf. In other words, the object of meditation is only used to rid the mind of thoughts and deliberations. Once the mind has quieted down, one should let go of the object and rest in awareness watching awareness. This is important to keep in mind when reading Patañjali's text, because otherwise, as history has shown, one can easily get lost in rules and restrictions.

Yoga Sῡtras Chapter One, "Samādhi" 1. Now Yoga is being taught.

"Yoga" means both union with the Self as well as the means to that union. Definition of yoga 2. Yoga is the restraint of the fluctuations of consciousness. "Restraint": "Nirodhah" also means aversion and obstruction. 3. Then the seer abides in the Self. The seer is neither the Self, nor is it the fluctuating consciousness. It is pure awareness. As explained later (II:6) the problem is that selfness is ascribed to the power of seeing, whereby the seer arises as I AM-ness. Then we have the situation described in the next sῡtra: 4. Otherwise [there is] identification with the fluctuations. The "one" who is identified truely does not exist. Ignorance is an illusion. Here is how the illusion comes about: I AM-ness, which coexists with identification, is defined in sῡtra II:6 as "self-ness ... ascribed to the seer and the seen". In other words pure awareness somehow gets the idea it is a seer and it identifies with the seen. Pure awareness says: I AM, and I am this and that. Categories of fluctuations 5. The fluctuations can be divided into five categories; they are either painful or non-painful. "Aklista" ("non-painful") can not be translated "non-afflicted", as Feuerstein does, since all fluctuations clearly are, or are based on, afflictions -- as can be seen from the discussion thereof in chapter two. I AM-ness and ignorance are afflictions (II:3) and they are the basis of fluctuations. Also if some fluctuations were non-afflicted, it

would imply that some fluctuations were not to be restricted (II:11); yet that is not the case. 6. [The five categories are:] Valid cognition, misconception, fancy, sleep, memory. "Fancy": "Vikalpa" also means conceptualization. However, since the two categories of conceptualization are already mentioned, Patañjali probably means "fancy" or "imagination". 7. Valid cognitions are: Direct perception, inference and valid testimony. 8. Misconception is incorrect understanding, without foundation in the [subjects true] appearance. 9. Fancy is a result of spoken knowledge devoid of content. 10. The sleep fluctuation is based on the sense of voidness. 11. Memory is not letting go of an experienced object [or understood subject]. Restraint and dispassion 12. That restraint arises from practice and dispassion. The restraint referred to is the restraint mentioned in sῡtra I:2; restraint of the fluctuations of consciousness. 13. Practice is the willful effort to remain in a steady state. "Steady state": Durable absence of fluctuations of consciousness. The whole purpose of restraining. 14. But it only becomes steady when carefully attended to for a long time without interruption.

15. Dispassion is conscious mastery of desirelessness for things seen or heard. "Seen or heard" means everything. It does not exclude the other senses. 16. This [dispassion] is at its best when the Self is known and there is freedom from the gunas. "Gunas": This technical term is impossible to translate. It literally means "qualities", but refers to the three constituent forces of nature: Sattva, rajas and tamas. They have three distinct qualities: Illumination, activity and inertia. Gunas are not like solid building blocks, but rather like subtle energies. "Self is known": This sῡtra states that although dispassion is a means to a means to Self-realization, it can not be perfect unless one has realized the Self. However, knowledge of the Self can come in moments of deep meditation. It can be complete or it can be incomplete. From these moments arises dispassion. In the next two sῡtras Patañjali describes two such temporary states of knowing the Self. The first is incomplete, the second complete. Samprajñāta and asamprajñāta defined 17. Samprajñāta [samādhi] is associated with discursive thought, reflection, bliss and I AM-ness. "Samprajñāta" means "with thoughts or a mental disposition". In this state there are still fluctuations of the mind, ecstasy and I AMness. I AM-ness is the sole origin of individuated consciousness (IV:4).

This samādhi still has a gross object of meditation. It is the lowest of eight types of samādhi. 18. The other [asamprajñāta samādhi] is the practice of cessation of the former as well as of residual samskāras. "The former": Discursive thought and mental disposition. "Samskāras": This technical term denotes the impressions in the mind of any kind of experience. It also denotes that these impressions are not passive, but are active forces in a persons consciousness. "Asamprajñāta" means "without thoughts or a mental disposition". Here Patañjali introduces two kinds of samādhi; he will introduce others later. This samādhi still has a gross object of meditation. It is the second of eight types of samādhi. Categories of seekers 19. [Modest seekers are] intent on the bodiless state, [yet are still] merged with prakriti. "Bodiless state": "Videha" refers to angels and other beings, that function without a physical body. "Prakriti": Technical term denoting creation, the gunas and their activity. The lowest class of seekers strive not for freedom from the gunas, but for a supreme life in the higher worlds, fx. in paradise. 20. [Medium seekers are] those others for whom faith,

energy, mindfulness, samādhi and supreme wisdom are prerequisites. 21. [Ardent seekers have an] extreme urge and are near [the goal]. 22. From modest, medium and ardent also follows differences [in levels of samādhi]. God (Īśvara) and samādhi 23. Or devotion to God. This sῡtra can have several meanings. Devotion is not to be seen as an alternative to restraining fluctuations, but as an alternative to the prerequisites: Faith, energy, mindfulness, samādhi and supreme wisdom. All these actually come together in supreme devotion. Sῡtra II:44 states that connectedness with ones chosen form of God is produced by self-study. Sῡtra II:45 states that perfection in samādhi is produced by devotion to God. So devotion is the bridge between initiatory self-study and final samādhi. The sῡtra could also state that just as there are mild, medium and strong applications of the previously mentioned, there is also mild, medium and strong levels of devotion to God. "Īśvara": May be translated as "God", but Īśvara also denotes the ultimate reality, the supreme consciousness. Thus Īśvara is both impersonal as well as personal. One may pick any personified aspect of God as ones personal Īśvara: Krishna, Shiva, Jesus, etc. The form does not matter, however, not anyone qualifies to be an object of devotion, as the next verse explains.

24. God is a special Self untouched by afflictions, fruitions of karma, or residual impressions. "Karma" means "action" as well as the fruition of the impressions of action as circumstances in life. This sῡtra not only defines God (Īśvara), but in relation to the preceding sῡtra explains the qualities to look for when seeking out a form of God to be devoted to. 25. There [in God] the seed of omniscience is limitless. 26. [God was] even the teacher of the former ones since He is not limited by time. 27. [God is] expressed in the syllable OM. 28. [Samādhi is gained by the silent] repetition of OM with a sense of its meaning. Close your eyes and remember the word "om" (Pronounced "ohmm") with a sense that your Self is being invoked. As soon as it slips out of your focused awareness, remember it again. etc. Let it become more and more subtle as your attention turns inward towards the Self. 29. From this, inward-awareness is obtained and the obstacles disappear. Obstacles and their removal 30. The obstacles are: Disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, sensuality, false viewpoints, no stages of realization and instability.

31. The obstacles are accompanied by dissatisfaction, depression, restless limbs and unsteady inhalation and exhalation. 32. For the purpose of counteracting these, practice a single principle. Several single principles are listed in the following. 33. A calm and clear mind comes from cultivating friendliness, compassion, joy and equanimity, when faced with pleasure and pain or good and evil. 34. Or from expulsion and retention of breath. This is the first hint of the breathing exercises mentioned in sῡtras II:49-51. Take a deep breath. Then let go and exhale. While you exhale imagine/sense that you are flowing into your entire body all the way to the feet. When breath stops, wait a while before inhaling and keep on falling into your body. This produces a wonderful relaxation and generates a tingling sensation in the skin. This tingling is due to prāna (vital-force) filling the body. Make it a habit to do this 3-5 times before meditation. 35. Or from steadily fixing the mind on an objective activity. What ever you do, do it with your full attention and be concentrated. 36. Or [from being] sorrowless or luminous. "Luminous": This cryptic phrase could be a metaphor for being sattvic (See sῡtra II:18). It could also refer to the inner ight that can fill one in deep meditation. 37. Or [from meditating on] a being free from attachment.

Īśvara (I:24) is such a being, but fully enlightened beings can also be used as objects of meditation. 38. Or from dwelling on insights from dream or sleep. 39. Or from meditating as desired. 40. His mastery [extends] from the smallest to the greatest. This continies previous sῡtra. It is immaterial whether the object of meditation be small or great. In other words you can meditate on whatever you like, but this does not mean you can meditate however you like, as the next sῡtra explains. 41. Having reduced fluctuations to like a clear jewel, the experiencer, experiencing and experienced merge together and are anointed. Patañjali here reminds us that even though we can meditate on whatever we like, the important thing is how we meditate. Meditation should always be done to reduce fluctuations, to bring clarity to the mind and awareness and to merge the experiencer, experiencing and the experienced. If we do that, our meditations will be "anointed" and bring mastery. The levels of mastery are dealt with in the following sῡtras. Various samādhis 42. In savitarkā [samādhi] sound, meaning, concept and imagination are merged into unity. "Savitarkā" means with thought or cogitation. "Sound, meaning, concept and imagination": These are the various aspects of mantra (I: 27-29).

43. In nirvitarkā [samādhi] memory is purified and empty of its qualities; nothing but the object [of meditation] shines forth. "Nirvitarkā" means without thought or cogitation. 44. In a similar manner savicāra and nirvicāra [samādhi] are explained, furthermore [they have a] subtle condition. "Savicāra and nirvicāra" means "with and without thought or deliberation". 45. And the subtle objectness terminates at the undesignated. This is very important to understand. The objects of meditation becomes more and more subtle and then, ultimately, meditation has to transcend even that. 46. These are samādhi with seed. Meaning, the Self is not yet known. 47. With skill in nirvicāra samādhi, the true Self becomes clear. Even though nirvicāra samādhi technically terminates at the undesignated, it is possible to let go of the subtle condition of meditation at that point and realize the Self. 48. In this state insight is truth-bearing. "This state" is the state where even the seed is transcended and awareness abides in and as the Self.

49. This [insight] is different from heard or inferred knowledge due to the intent [of nirvicāra samādhi]. "Heard knowledge": "Sruti" also means traditional teachings about Self-realization and yoga. 50. The subtle impressions born of this insight obstructs other subtle impressions. 51. Nirbīja samādhi is when even that is restrained, all is restrained. "Nirbīja" means without seed. It is when even the subtle impressions of nirvicāra are removed. Chapter Two, "Spiritual practice" 1. Kriyā yoga [is] austerity, self-study and devotion to God. "Kriyā" means performance or action, so the yoga Patañjali is about to describe is a path where one does a number of things. It is unlike the yoga of shaktipat, fx., where one has to surrender to the awakened and active kundalinī-shakti. All yogas, however, have the same purpose and goal. "Self-study": "Svādhyāya" also means "study of sacred texts". 2. [Its] purpose is cultivating samādhi and reducing affliction. Interestingly Patañjali does not state the purpose of kriyā yoga to be restraint of fluctuations. This is because the fluctuations are based in the afflictions (II:11). In particular in ignorance.

The five afflictions 3. The five afflictions are: Ignorance, I AM-ness, attachment, aversion and clinging to ones existence. 4. Ignorance is the foundation of the other [kinds of affliction], whether they be dormant, suppressed or active. 5. Ignorance is seeing the ephemeral as eternal, the impure as pure, the sorrowful as joyful and the non-Self as Self. 6. I AM-ness is ascribing self-ness to the power of seeing and the seen. "Power of seeing": The "seer" is discussed in sῡtra I:3. In reality there is no seer, it is just pure awareness mixed up with I AM-ness. From I AM-ness follows the sense that "one" is the seer and the seen. In other words, there arises the sense that "I am this and that". In reality you are neither the I, nor this or that. Sῡtra IV:4 states that I AM-ness is the sole origin of individuated consciousness. 7. Attachment is clinging to that which is pleasant. 8. Aversion is clinging to that which is sorrowful. 9. Clinging to ones existence is sustained by self-ness; it springs up even in the wise. From this sῡtra we get an implied description of the state of enlightenment: Self-ness still exists. It is a myth self-ness disapears entirely, what disappears is identification with it. Since there is some self-ness, there will also be some afflictions in the enlightened one; however, there will be no identification with them.

Overcoming the afflictions 10. The subtle [afflictions] are to be overcome by following them back to their origin. 11. The fluctuations of these are to be overcome by meditation. 12. The reservoir of karma is rooted in the afflictions. [It is] to be experienced in the present and future births. "Karma": See sῡtra I: 24. It is interesting that the afflictions are the root of karma, and not vice versa. This means one can overcome karma by overcoming the afflictions, that is, by getting Self-realized. Satyananda translates it the other way round, that afflictions are rooted in the reservoir of karma, but that would mean ignorance and I AM-ness were effects of karma and thus Self-realization would not be a result of overcoming ignorance and I AM-ness, which it is. If we concede that Self-realization is the result of overcoming the afflictions, but not karma, then we contradict the scriptures, and also claim that Selfrealization is a result of karma, which is it not. 13. [So long as] that root exists, there is fruition [of karma] in the form of birth, life span and enjoyment. This sῡtra underscores that the afflictions precede karma. 14. These [fruits] may be joyful or painful on account of merit and demerit. 15. To the discriminating one, all is dissatisfaction caused by the conflicting fluctuations of the gunas, and by the sorrow from the painful results of past impressions. "Gunas": See sῡtra I:16.

16. The sorrow yet to come is to be warded off. The seer, the seen and ignorance. 17. The union of the seer and the seen is the cause [of that which is] to be warded off. In other words, the way to ward off the sorrow yet to come, is to beak the union of the seer and the seen. This sῡtra should be read in conjunction with sῡtra II:23, from which we get the meaning that "perceiving the two powers of owner and owned as the Self" is "that which is to be warded off". 18. The seen has the qualities of illumination, activity and inertia. It consists of the elements and the senses. Its purpose is enjoyment and liberation. "Illumination, activity and inertia" are undoubtedly metaphors for the three gunas. (See sῡtra I,16). 19. The levels of the gunas are distinct, indistinct, marked and unmarked. "Gunas": See sῡtra I,16. 20. The seer merely sees. As such it is pure, although it beholds what is presented. "Seer": See sῡtra I:3. 21. The purpose of this is verily to make the Self seen. 22. [When that] purpose is accomplished, it is destroyed, even though it is not destroyed in general. When the seer sees the Self, the seer vanishes, since ones identification with the seer goes away. When ones awareness goes out of the Self, however, the seer is back along with identification, hence it does not vanish in general. Identification is a more

contemporary way of saying there is "union of the seer and the seen". 23. The union [of the seer and the seen] is the cause of perceiving the two powers of master and mastered as the Self. "Master and mastered": could also be read "owner and owned". Some texts identify seer and seen with owner and owned, however this verse makes the distinction between the two pairs clear. The master is the sense of willpower. Unlike the union of the seer and the seen, where one falsely concludes "I am this", here one falsely concludes "I am the doer of this". Read in conjunction with sῡtra II:17 this means "perceiving the two powers of master and mastered as the Self" is "the sorrow yet to come" and to "be warded off" (II:16). 24. The cause of this [union] is ignorance. 25. In the absence of that [ignorance], union [of seer and seen] does not exist. This is escape from the seen, and is kaivalya. "Kaivalya": Isolation; separation of the non-Self from the Self. This happens when the seer and the seen are separated. When this separation takes place, the seer (pure awareness) becomes aware of itself and falls back into the Self. 26. The means of escape is unfaltering discriminative discernment. 27. For he [who has that unfaltering discriminative discernment] there arises the highest knowledge in seven stages. "Seven stages": Unfortunately we do not know what Patañjali means with this expression. It is also peculiar that Patañjali in sῡtra 25

makes it clear that there is only one step to kaivalya. So we may assume that the seven steps are seven steps in separating the seer and the seen and seven steps in the application of unfaltering discriminative discernment. The eightfold yoga 28. From undertaking the limbs of yoga, impurities are destroyed and wisdom shines forth [along with] discriminative discernment. 29. The eight limbs are: Restraint, observance, posture, pranayama, withdrawal, concentration, meditation and samādhi. "Pranayama" is meditative control of the breath. See II:49 ff. 30. The restraints are: Non-violence, truthfulness, nonstealing, chastity and greedlessness. "Greedlessness" can also be translated as "non-posession". What is meant is detachment from things owned, not a special lifestyle of poverty. 31. The greatest resolve is to not be bound, at any occasion, by birth, place, time and circumstance. 32. The observances are: Purity, contentment, austerity, self study and devotion to God. 33. When troubled by discursive thought, cultivation of the opposite [is prescribed]. 34. Thus cultivation of the opposite [is prescribed against] discursive thoughts like violence etc. (whether done, caused or approved), justified by lust, anger or delusion (whether mild, medium or intense). [Such thoughts] have

dissatisfaction and ignorance as their endless fruits. The restraints (yamāh) 35. When established in non-violence, animosity is abandoned in ones presence. 36. When established in truthfulness, [there is] correspondence between action and its fruit. 37. When established in non-stealing, jewels appear. 38. When established in chastity, vitality is gained. 39. When established in greedlessness, knowledge of the meaning of birth [is gained]. The observances (niyāmah) 40. From purity arises distaste of ones own body and nonassociation with others. 41. [Furthermore arises] purity of sattva, cheerfulness, onepointedness, mastery of the senses and fitness for the vision of the Self. "Sattva": See sῡtra I:16. 42. From contentment, unexcelled joy is obtained. 43. From austerity arises the destruction of impurity and the perfection of the body and senses. 44. From self-study arises connectedness with ones chosen form of God.

45. From devotion to God arises perfection in samādhi. See sῡtra I:23. Posture 46. Posture should be firm, yet relaxed. Correct attitude for practice 47. From relaxed exertion arises endless unity. 48. Thus one is not assailed by the pairs of opposites. "The pairs of opposites": Pleasure -- pain; love -- hate; etc.

Pranayama 49. When established in this, [one should practice] pranayama, [which is] breaking the flow of the in-breath and the out-breath. "In this": A steady posture with a mind unassailed by the opposites and ready for relaxed exertion. 50. The fluctuations [of breath are] external, internal or obstructed. It should be regulated by time, place and number. It can be long or short. 51. The fourth [fluctuation of breath] is throwing off the external and internal. "Throwing off": "āksepin": It is unclear what Patañjali means with this, since it can not be "obstructed", as that was mentioned as the third fluctuation. Some translate "āksepin" as "transcending", but the meaning of that is equally unclear and not in the semantics of the

word. It most likely is, as Feuerstein also remarks, that the sῡtra refers to the peculiar phenomenon that breathing may stop during samādhi. This stopping is not a matter of retention, the third fluctuation, since it is entirely involuntary and it is, indeed, felt as if the in-breath and out-breath have been "thrown off". 52. Then the covering of brightness is destroyed. "Brightness" is most likely a metaphor for sattva guna; such has been used before, in II:18. 53. [Then] concentration and fitness of mind [arise]. 54. Withdrawal of the senses from their objects imitates, as it were, the nature of ones own consciousness. 55. Then arises utmost control of the senses. Chapter 3, "Supernatural powers" 1. Concentration is holding the mind in one place. 2. There, meditation is the prolonging of one intent. "There": When the mind is held in one place. "One intent" can also be one idea. 3. The purpose of that is verily samādhi, where ones nature shines forth as if empty. 4. Samyama is the union of these three. Samyama is used in conjunction with the sῡtras given later in order to develop supernatural abilities. It is quite simple. When one is in bliss, one concentrates on the content of the sῡtra, fx. kindness. Just recall the sῡtra with one-pointed focus, while remainig in bliss, then

let go of it while retaining the meaning of the sῡtra, fx. the feeling of kindness. 5. From mastery of that, wisdom shines forth. As we will see in the following, the supernatural powers are the result of samyama on various phrases, objects or notions, so it is interesting that Patañjali here states the result of samyama is wisdom. Even more so considering that Patañjali in sῡtra III:37 seems to state that the siddhis resulting from samyama are hindrances to samādhi. 6. It progresses in stages. "Progresses" could also be translated: "is to be applied". However, the meaning undoubtedly is that the result of samyama on the various sῡtras is not instantaneous, but develops in stages. 7. These three inner limbs [are distinct from] the prior ones [which are outer]. The inner limbs are: Concentration, meditation and samādhi. The outer limbs are: Restraint, observance, posture, pranayama and withdrawal. 8. Yet these [inner limbs] are outer limbs compared to the seedless. "Seedless": "Nirbīja samādhi". See sῡtra I:51. The three transformations 9. Transformation-of-restraints is this: With emergence and restraint of samskaras, there comes a state of subjugation, and from this follows a moment of restraint of the mind. By restraining singular samskaras as soon as they emerge, there arises a state of general subjugation of the mind. So you don't have to restrains as much as one might think. Just restraining a few

samskaras will achieve a lot more than just those few. Soon the entire mind will be restrained. This is the first transformation. 10. From the samskaras of this arises relaxed exertion. "Samskaras": "Impressions": See sῡtra I:18. Restriction of samskaras creates a special category of new samskaras that give rise to composed exertion. "Exertion" could also be translated as "flow" or "endeavor". See II:47. 11. Transformation-of-samādhi is when the mind has achieved one-pointedness and the destruction of all objectness. "Object-ness": This peculiar expression is used to convey the idea of identifying with limitations. See sῡtra I:4. When in a state of relaxed exertion, arising from the first transformation, one easily slips into one-pointedness. This is concentration; to transform concentration into samādhi, one has to destroy all object-ness; that is: destroy all sense of being something until only pure being remains. This is the third transformation. 12. Then again: Transformation-of-one-pointedness is when uprisings in consciousness are pacified and intentions are equalized. Achieving one-pointedness is one thing, upholding it is another. One upholds one-pointedness by pacifying all dynamics of consciousness as soon as they arise, and also by looking at all intentions, that may arise, with equanimity and neutralizing them. This is the second transformaiton. 13. By this is explained the transformation of ones essential quality, characteristica and condition, with regard to the elements and senses.

14. The holder of the essential qualities corresponds to these, whether pacified, arisen or undetermined. You have to let go of all essential qualities. 15. The cause of the difference between the transformations is the difference in their succession. First calm the mind and achieve relaxed exertion → Then become one-pointed and uphold one-pointedness → Then enter samādhi. The supernatural powers 16. From samyama on the three transformations there is knowledge of past and future. 17. Words, meanings and intentions overlap and this creates confusion. From samyama on the distinctions between them there is understanding of the utterances of all beings. 18. Through direct perception of samskāras, there arises knowledge of previous births. "Samskāras": See sῡtra I:18. 19. Of another persons presented ideas, there arises knowledge of the others consciousness. It is unclear whether direct perception or samyama is meant. 20. But this is not with support [because of] this nonobjective beingness. 21. From samyama on the form of the body, there follows invisibility. This is through suspension of the power to perceive by disjunction of the light and the eye. 22. Karma can be active or passive. From samyama on that arises knowledge of death or misfortune.

23. From samyama on friendliness, etc., arises the corresponding quality. 24. From samyama on the strength of an elephant, etc., arises such strength. 25. [From samyama on] inner light arises knowledge of concealed and distant things. 26. From samyama on the sun arises knowledge of the solar system. 27. [From samyama on] the moon arises knowledge of the arrangement of the stars. 28. [From samyama on] the pole star arises knowledge of the movement of the stars. 29. [From samyama on] the navel chakra arises knowledge of the ordering of the body. 30. [From samyama on] the hollow of the throat arises cessation of hunger and thirst. This is trachea. 31. [From samyama on] kurma-nadi arises stability. 32. [From samyama on] the light in the head comes visitations of perfected beings. 33. Or [from samyama on] intuition, everything. What is referred to by the one word "everything" ("sarvam") is unclear. 34. [From samyama on] the heart arises understanding of

consciousness. 35. Experience comes from the inability to differentiate between sattva and the Self, which are absolutely apart. From samyama on the sense of self arises knowledge of the Self. This is perhaps the most interesting practice, since samyama on the sense of self ("svārtha") leads to knowledge of the Self ("purushajñāna"). You observe I AM-ness and perform samyama on the I-ness of it. 36. Then arises intuitive hearing, touching, seeing, tasting and smelling. 37. These are obstacles to samādhi, but are perfect abilities in the waking state. "These": This refers to the previous two sῡtras and states that while the first samyama is beneficial, the intuitive senses are undesirable. It could also be understood in a general sense: While performing samyama, you are hindered in further developing samādhi. Also as the results of samyama manifest, ones attention is drawn to these phenomena, thus bringing one out of samādhi. 38. From the relaxation of the cause of bondage and the perception of appearance, the mind enters another body. 39. From mastery of udana one is unafflicted by water, mud, thorns, etc. and can die at will. "Udana": The upwards moving vital-force; kundalinī rising up the spine. "Die at will" may also be translated "levitate", but since there is a sῡtra dealing with levitation (III:42), this translation is unlikely here..

40. From mastery of samana, there is radiance. "Samana": The middle breath. 41. From samyama on the relation between the ear and space, one acquires divine hearing. 42. From samyama on the relation between the body and space, and lightness as cotton, one moves through space. The siddhis develop gradually (III:6). The first manifestation of this practice is to jump around like a frog. 43. A genuinely outer fluctuation is indeed discarnate, hence follows destruction of the covering light. 44. From samyama on the significance of the connection between ones physical and subtle body, there is mastery of the elements. 45. Hence arises the appearance of minuteness etc., perfection of the body, and the indestructibility of its essential qualities. "Minuteness etc.": "Anima" is one of the eight traditional superpowers, where the body can be made minute, large, light, heavy, etc. 46. Perfection of the body is beauty, gracefulness and adamantine stability. 47. From samyama on the significance and connectedness of the power of understanding, the body and I AM-ness, there arises mastery of the senses. 48. Hence arises swiftness of mind, freedom from the senses and mastery of the original source of manifestation.

49. Merely [from samyama on] the discernment of the distinction between sattva and the Self, [there is] rulership over all states of being as well as knowledge of [them] all. 50. From dispassion to even this, is destroyed seed-form impediments to kaivalya. "Kaivalya": See sῡtra II:25. 51. Invitations from high beings are no cause for attachment or pride, [since there is danger of such] renewed undesirable inclinations. 52. From samyama on a moment and its succession, arises wisdom born of discrimination. 53. Hence there is perception of difference between similarities that can otherwise not be separated with respect to birth, time-variation and place. 54. And thus wisdom born of discrimination liberates, in every way, from all conditions and non-successive objects. 55. Thus when there is equal purity of sattva and the Self, one arrives at kaivalyam. "Sattva": See sῡtra I:16. "Kaivalya": See sῡtra II:25. Chapter 4 1. The siddhis are the result of birth, drugs, mantras, austerity or samādhi. "Siddhis" means "perfections", but usually refers to supernatural abilities, like those described in the preceding chapter. It is peculiar

that Patañjali does not mention samyama as a means. "Mantra": A simple word or phase to be repeated mentally. Such could be: Om, aing, hring, kling, or: om namah shivaya, ram ramaya namaha, Shakti om, so-ham. There are thousands of mantras. On transformation 2. The transformation into another state of existence, is from the flow of nature [prakriti]. "Another state of existence" means both another birth as well as a different state of consciousness. 3. Hence, the incidental cause does not instigate nature, but, like a farmer, removes obstacles. The results of sādhana are not a direct result of the afore mentioned practices. The practices merely remove obstacles for the results to develop. The ignorant self reaces out to the Self, then the Self reaches back and grants liberation; it is not the ignorant self that liberates itself and becomes enlightened. Enlightenment is the state of the Self as it is, ignorance is an illusion; illusions don't get enlightened, they have to be removed as they are obstacles to enlightenment. Sadhana removes obstacles, it does not create enlightenment. Karma, cause and effect 4. I AM-ness is the sole origin of individuated consciousness. I AM-ness is one of the afflictions. Next to ignorance, it is the basic affliction since it causes the identification of the seer and the seen (II:6). 5. The individuated consciousness is the instigator of distinct activities.

This makes it clear, that it is the consciousness in a state of ignorance, that instigates the process of removal of obstacles. 6. Therein, what is born of meditation is without deposit. "Therein": In the individuated consciousness. This sῡtra is remarkable, it clearly states that though activities in and of the ignorant self normally create deposits, what is born of meditation does not. Meditation is thus not a source of bondage, but of liberation. 7. The karma of the yogi is neither black nor white, of others it is threefold. "Black nor white": Neither bad nor good, but neutral. "Threefold": Bad, mixed or good. 8. Of these [karmas of the yogi] only those come to fruition that correspond with subliminal traits. "Subliminal traits": "Vasanas"; The singled out possibilities that make up the present birth. "Only that comes to fruition": Out of the enormous amount of karma one has, only a suitable portion will come to fruition in ones life. The suitable portion is that which corresponds with the subliminal traits. The accomplished yogi does not create new karma since he has broken the unity of seer and seen and thus does not identify with the actor anymore. 9. Even though [past] birth, place and time are concealed, there is succession [of births] due to the unity of memory and past impressions. "Past impressions": "Samskāras". See sῡtra I:18.

10. And these are without beginning, since primordial will is eternal. "These" could refer both to births as well as to past impressions. In fact this distinction does not matter much here, since past impressions and births form a unity. 11. Based on the correspondence between cause and effect, it follows that when one is destroyed, the other is also. The causes referred to here are the instances of union of the seer and seen (II:17). Also the afflictions. If you disidentify from the seen, the seer will automatically begin to break down. If you disidentify from the seer due to samādhi, then identification with the seen will also go away. 12. Past and future exist according to their own nature [and have] different paths [due to their different] qualities. 13. These [qualities], whether manifest or unmanifest, are composed of the gunas. "Gunas": See sῡtra I:16.

Objects and consciousness 14. From the uniformity of transformations arises the unique substance of an object. "Unique substance": "Tattva" literally means "that-ness". In Sāmkhya, 24 such unique substances are recognized, but here tattva is undoubtedly to be understood in a more general sense. 15. An object is a unit, distinct from consciousness. [Hence] they are on separate paths.

16. And it is not so that an object depends on a single consciousness; that is unprovable. Besides, how could that be? An object exists in itself, distinct from consciousness. 17. An object is known or not known depending on its required coloring of the mind. Fluctuations and consciousness 18. The fluctuations of the mind are always known due to the immutable superiority of the Self. 19. That [mind with its fluctuations] has no self-luminosity due to it's seen-ness. "Seen-ness": This means the mind is the seen, not the seer. Since the minds fluctuations are objects (purely seen), they can not cognize themselves. 20. And it is impossible to cognize both [the fluctuations and the Self] simultaneously. This means that in order to auto-cognize the Self, awareness has to forget about the fluctuations. In other word not only restrict fluctuations but transcend them altogether. 21. If consciousness [in itself] was seen by another [part of itself], cognition would rely on cognition in infinite regress, leading to confusion of memory. "Consciousness": "Citta": This expression is impossible to translate since it is more than simply consciousness as understood in the West. 22. When awareness takes the form of consciousness, ones own cognitions are experienced.

23. [When] consciousness is colored by the seer and the seen, any object or meaning [can be cognized]. 24. That [cognizing consciousness] is riddled with countless tendencies, [yet it] has a higher purpose of activity in association [with the Self]. Gaps between seer and seen 25. One who sees distinction [between the seen and the Self] becomes the Self, by cutting under fluctuations. "The seen": The objects, thoughts or feelings one identifies with. 26. Then, inclined towards discrimination, the mind is not far from kaivalya. "Kaivalya": Isolation - of the Self from the non-Self. 27. In these gaps [from under-cut fluctuations], other impressions are formed. 28. These are destroyed in the manner described for the afflictions. "Afflictions": See II:3-9, and for destroying them: II:10-16.

Dharmamegha samādhi 29. Indeed, in that meditative state with discrimination, detached at all times, [there arises] the samādhi known as "the cloud of dharma". "The cloud of dharma": "Dharmamegha": It is unclear what this expression means, since it is metaphorocal and there are no textual references to unlock its meaning. But some observations are relevant:

"Dharma" in this context does not refer to virtue, but to the gunas which, as the following sῡtras explain, still impede final enlightenment (kaivalya). "Cloud" refers to dharma, so perhaps the meaning is that dharma stands as a cloud before final realization. It could also mean that dharma gets clouded and dissolved, as the following two sῡtras suggest, since dharmamegha samādhi is that which dissolves residual afflictions, karma, dharma and gunas. 30. From this follows the cessation of both afflictions and karma. 31. Then as all coverings of imperfection are removed, little remains to be known due to the infinitude of the [acquired] wisdom. Cessation of the gunas and kaivalya 32. Thereafter, as the succession of transformations terminates, the purpose of the gunas is fulfilled. 33. Succession is the sequence of moments, it ends with the termination of the transformations. 34. Kaivalya is when the gunas are emptied of purpose for the Self, and have returned to their origin. Then there is steadfastness in the Self and in the shakti of pure being. THE END

The Atma Bodha by Shankaracharya

1. This treatise about the Self is for those who are free of sin and full of peace; it is for those who are free from passions and desirous of liberation. Some misguided translators translate this verse so that the treatise is intended only for ascetics as if Shankara mean that knowledge of the Self is possible for ascetics only. Anyone can desire liberation, no matter if they have practiced austerities or not. And Self-realization is not a reward for austerities, nor are austerities required to reach it. And anyone can reach liberation, no matter whether they have purified themselves or not. It is true that a certain peace and calm is required to do practices for diving into the Absolute. But on the other hand it is true that the Absolute is prior to, and undisturbed of, agitation and a troubled heart. No one can be free of cravings, since cravings are a result of the body taking care of itself, but you can merge awareness with the Self, which is prior to cravings, and ultimately this is Self-realization. So it is strange if Shankara should mean that freedom from cravings is a prerequisite for Selfrealization, since such freedom only comes after Self-realization. It is likely that what is meant in this rather old-school description is the characteristics of a good student within the monastic tradition of Shankaracharya and his time. However, it also points to the fact that people who are in complete identification with the mind and body, who are agitated and who live their life solely for gratification, are

probably not going to get much from this text and will also have a harder time reaching Self-realization. Shankaracharya answers all this in the next verse. 2. Compared to other methods, knowledge is the only means of liberation; just as cooking can not be accomplished without fire. There is no liberation without knowledge. Shankara answers the doubts that arouse from his first verse and makes it clear that doing austerities for purification, etc., is not the way to Self-realization. The only direct means to Self-realization is to aquire knowledge of the Self. Now, since the Self is prior to consciousness, any secondhand knowledge of the Self will be wrong knowledge, therefore the only direct means to Self-realization is to practice merging with the Self repeatedly. 3. Because they are not mutually contradictory action can not eliminate ignorance. Only knowledge destroys ignorance just as darkness is dispelled by light. This verse underscores the previous verse and explains why any form of discipline can not lead to Self-realization. The reason is that any discipline is a form of action and action is not within the nature of the Self in the same way as knowledge is. Thus the only means to Self-realization is to bring awareness out of the field of action and into that pure being prior to the I that acts. This pure being is the Self. The means to Self-realization is knowledge of the Self and knowledge of the Self is only aquired by repeatedly stepping out of the field of action (doing) and into oneness with the Self. 4. Out of ignorance does the Self appear divided. When that ignorance is gone the Self shines forth just as the sun shines when the clouds are dispelled. Ignorance is basically of the nature of confusing not-Self with Self. Since this confusion can aquire an infinite number of varieties, one can never gain Self-realization by trying to remove, or purify, notSelf. Such an attempt will go on forever and never reach the Self. Shankara makes it clear once more that Self-realization is aquired by

the Self revealing itself by itself. This is the same as what is meant when stating that Self-realization is aquired through knowledge of the Self gained by merging awareness with the Self repeatedly. It makes no difference if you say awareness merges with Self, or Self reveals itself by swallowing up awareness. It is the same. 5. The soul (jivatman), infected with ignorance, is purified by the application of knowledge. After having achieved purity knowledge itself disappears, just as the ground kataka-nut settles down in water after purifying it. This verse refers to the small self, for the Self is not in need of purification, nor is the Self stained. Awareness is caught in a selfreferential field of thoughts, emotions, experiences and desires, generating a personality, a small self. Awareness then commits the fallacy of identifying itself with this complex, or in other words: of confusing non-Self with Self. Initially practice of any kind will be within this sphere of non-Self, but when awareness merges with Self, awareness becomes free of false identifications and aquires knowledge of the Self by being the Self. Of course, knowledge of the Self does not consist in aquiring data. It is a matter of awareness first becomming aware of itself, then of awareness and Self collapsing into One Pure Being free of all identification-structures. With repated Oneness of Self and awareness, the identificationstructures gradually break down. This break down is called "purification". In reality there is nothing to purify and there is no dirt to remove. There is only confusion of Self with non-Self, and innumerable identifications. 6. The worldly cycle of life and reincarnation is indeed like a dream. It is full of contradictions such as desire and aversion. It appears real as long as the dream lasts, but unreal in the awakened state. 7. As long as the world appears true it is like believing the shine of the oyster shell is silver. This goes on as long as Brahman, the substratum of all, is not known.

"Brahman" is the unmanifest, absolute beingness. In both these verses Shankara describes the difference in how the world, the mind and the I are understood before and after Selfrealization. The analogy to dream and awake is not as good as it seems, because when awakening the dream goes away, however, when achieving Self-realization, the world does not go away. Selfrealization is actually not awakening from a dream, even in a metaphorical sense, it is realizing who you are and have always been prior to anything in consciousness. This means that Selfrealization is independent of consciousness and also that consciousness will remain largely unchanged after Self-realization. So will the world. However, in ignorance one lives in a realm of false identification and believes the identifications to be real. After Selfrealizaion one becomes free from identifications and sees the identities as unreal. In this sense Self-realization is an awakening from a dream that one took to be real while ignorant. But where the allegory is right on target is that before Self-realization, one believed the I AM-ness to be real, after Self-realization I-ness and I AM-ness is clearly understood to be the primal illusions separating awareness from Self. In Self-realization awareness has merged with Self, and now I-ness and I AM-ness are looked upon from the pure being prior to them. In this situation the identity, ego, mind, feelings, souls, etc. are no longer seen as the truth about oneself, and in that sense a dream has ended. 8. The pure being and consciousness of Atman are forever sewn together. All multifarious creatures are made in and of Vishnu just as bracelets are made of gold. Atman: this can mean both self and Self. Here it means Self. Vishnu: While Vishnu is a personified god, Vishnu here means the all-pervading aspect of the absolute. 9. Just as the all-pervading space is different from the various forms, so [Atman] is different from the various forms. If the forms disappear, Atman remains.

10. Due to association even various coatings like caste, family and social status, etc., are superimposed on the Atman; just like taste and color is superimposed on water, and like grease floats on water. 11. The dense body composed of the five elements is the result of actions in past lives. It is the place where pleasure and pain is encountered. 12. The subtle body is the means of experience; it did not originate from the five elements but goes beyond them. It consists of 5 vital currents, 10 organs, mind and discernment. 10 organs: 5 organs of knowledge (senses) and 5 organs of action. 13. Ignorance, without beginning and indescribable, is of the causal body. One must realize that the Atman is different from the three bodies. I-ness (and I AM-ness) is the primal cause of all such ignorance. Iness is prior to the "I", so is I AM-ness, yet both constitute the foundation of all ignorance. The "I" is relatively describable, but Iness is impossible to describe. However, I will give it a try: I-ness and I AM-ness constitute the so called causal body, but in reality it is not a body as such, but a sense of being an observer or a witness, which means an subtle awareness distinct from others. It is called causal because it causes all other forms of ignorance to arise and in particular causes the sense of being. This sense of being is the I AMness, and it is inseperable from I-ness which is what senses being. It is prior to being something, so at this level there is a sense of being nobody, or in other words being an unmanifest being made up of pure awareness, hence it is indescribable. Yet it is not Selfrealization. 14. The pure Atman seems to borrow the qualities of the five sheaths it identifies with; just as a crystal takes on the color of blue cloth, etc. [upon which it is placed].

As soon as I AM-ness arises, there will arise a sense of being this or that; thus the pure Atman, whose unmanifest being has contracted to the sense of "I", begins to identify with the objects of awareness. 15. One must separate the Atman from the veils and destroy the connection, just as one separates the rice grain from the chaff. Disidentification is an unavoidable and essential part of the spiritual path. One realizes more and more that one is not the personality, the body, etc. It is, however, a widely overlooked part of spiritual life. 16. Although the Atman is omnipresent, He does not shine forth everywhere. The Atman can only shine forth, clear as a crystal, in the discriminative awareness [buddhi]. Pure awareness can fold in on itself and realize itself as pure being, the Atman. Though various forms in consciousness are essentially only consciousness, Atman does not shine forth in these objects. It is only when awareness becomes aware of itself that Atman shines forth. 17. One should realize that the Atman, like a king, is always distinct from the body, senses, mind and intellect; all of which, along with their movements, constitute nature. Here we are once more reminded to disidentify. 18. As the moon appears to move when the clouds move, it seems to people without discernment that the Atman is active when the senses are active. 19. Just as men work by the light of the sun, so the actions of the body, the senses, the mind and the discriminating understanding are supported by the consciousness of the Atman. How does this fit with the two previous slokas? The Self is ever uninvolved. Yet the cognitive power that appears to belong to the

mind is really the Self. Thus the discriminating understanding is supported by the Self. 20. The body and the senses do the bidding of the gunas. But from lack of discernment it is ascribed to the pure being of the Atman, just as the blue is ascribed to the heaven. The gunas are the three constituent dynamic principles of nature and relative consciousness. Here we are told that the Self is merely a passive witness to everything, and that it is really the gunas that cause things to happen. This is one of the problems of Vedanta: it can not explain the connection between the relative and the absolute. This connection is explained by introducing Shakti: The relative then becomes the play of Shakti, which essentially is a play of consciousness, of the Self. 21. Just as ripples on the water may erroneously seem to be a dancing moon reflected in the water, so because of ignorance the role of doership belonging to the veils of the mind are erroneously ascribed to the Atman. Again we are told the Self is merely a witness to everything. 22. Attachment, desire, pleasure, pain, etc. exist as long as the discerning mind is present. They are not experienced in deep sleep when the discerning mind is not present, hence they are only of the mind and not of the Atman. This is not a good example. The same logic would also imply that since awareness, knowledge and bliss are not present in deep sleep, they are not essential qualities of the Self, however, they are indeed the essential qualities of the Self. Shankaracharya remedies this flaw in the next sloka. 23. Just as luminosity belongs to the sun, coldness to water and heat to fire, so eternal and pure awareness, knowledge and bliss belong to the Atman. After having dealt with what the Self is not, Shankaracharya now mentions what the Self is: awareness, knowledge and bliss.

24. The notion "I know" arises from the lack of discernment between the distinctive awareness [buddhi], the knowledge and the awareness aspect of the Atman. This is very important to understand, especially with respect to one's meditations. Here awareness has two meanings: first the distinctive mind, buddhi, then the pure awareness of the Self. Knowledge seems to lie inbetween these two. The Self is neither buddhi nor the knowledge. The Self is pure awareness. The Self can not be captured in knowledge about the Self, only by being the Self. When one merely knows something about the Self, it is surely not Selfrealization but mere mind-stuff. 25. The Atman never changes and is not the consciousness of the discriminating awareness [buddhi]. But the ego in us is misled into believing he is himself the seer and the knower. In Vedanta, the Self is understood to be totally passive. This is, however, only one aspect of the Self: the Shiva aspect, or the aspect of pure being. The other aspect, Shakti, is the dynamic aspect of the Self. But in the progressively deeper and deeper levels of realization, that Shankaracharya is taking us through, it is quite in place here to ignore Shakti and state that the Atman is an unchanging witness to the cognitions of the discerning mind (buddhi). He is here speaking of the witnessing consciousness that arises prior to Self-realization. 26. Just as a rope can fearfully be mistaken for a snake, so the Atman can fearfully be mistaken for the ego. But one becomes fearless again when realizing: "I am the supreme Atman, not the individuality". 27. Just as a lamp illumines a jar, so the Atman illumines the discriminative mind and the senses, etc. The Atman itself is not illumined by these forms. While the mind can not illumnate the Self, the Self illuminates the mind. It is important to understand that the Self can not be reaced

or realized through the mind. 28. Just as a lighted lamp does not need another light for its light to shine, so the Atman, which is pure consciousness itself, does not need another consciousness to realize itself. This is worth contemplating. The Self realizes itself by itself. Nothing is needed. 29. When, by the process of applying the scriptural statement "not this, not this" all the conditionings are negated, then realise that the individual self is one with the supreme Self; just as the great Vedas state. This is the first pointer about what one can do to get Self-realized. First one must understand the previous verses and reject all identifications. This is also the first time Shankaracharya takes us to the actual state of Self-realization, where, as he says, all the conditionings are negated. The method advised is to reject all identifications and this method can only lead to first the witnessing state and second to plain Self-realization. In other words, only to the void kind of realization, devoid of the bliss of Shakti. 30. [Identification with] the visible world and the body, etc., arises from ignorance which is as transient as a bubble. Through discrimination you should purely realize "I am Brahman". Ignorance is not solid, it is as transient as a bubble. Getting realized does not mean you have to change in any way, you just have to get out of illusions that are "as transient as a bubble." 31. Because I am different from the body, I am free from birth, old age, weakness, death, etc. And because I am not attached to the senses, I am free from sense impressions such as come from objects or sounds, etc. Getting realized is not a matter of the body and something one matures into, nor is it anything that can be aquired through the senses. Again Shankaracharya describes the witnessing kind of

realization found in plain Self-realization; only later does one begin to see the senses and the sense objects as the Self. 32. Because [I am] not the mind, I am free from sorrow, bondage, hatred and fear, etc. And I am indeed not the vital forces. It is also on authority of the sacred scriptures that [I am] radiant and not the mind. Furthermore getting realized is not a matter of the mind, nor of the vital forces (prana). 33. Everything is born: The vital breaths, the mind, the senses; as well as ether, air, light, water, earth and all that upholds existence. In fact getting realized has nothing to do with vital breaths or the elements that uphold existence. Getting realized is not an existential matter. 34. I am without attributes, without action, eternal, without mind fluctuations [nirvikalpa], spotless, chngeless, formless, forever liberated and pure. First one should realize that the Self is absolutely nothing, it is void. There is no movement in the Self and it has no plurality what so ever. 35. Like space itself, I fill all things within and without. I am always the same in everything; perfect, unbound, pure and motionless. The Self, being unmanifest, can be said to be omnipresent. Though this is strictly not true, since omnipresence would demand spatiality, and there is no such spatiality in the Self. Never the less Shankaracharya is now moving on to a higher level of realization, known as unity consciousness. In unity consciousness one realizes that the unmanifest Self underlies everything. The Tripura Rahasya says of this state: "Unless a man live in the ordinary life and check every incident as the projection of the Self, not swerving from the

Self in any circumstances, he can not be said to be free from the handicap of ignorance." (XVII, 109). 36. I am indeed that transcendental Brahman which is eternal, pure, free, singular and indivisible; which is nondual and infinite truth and knowledge. After having studied what the Self is not, we are presented with some of the qualities of the Self. 37. Indeed, the constant awareness of "I am Brahman" takes away ignorance and mind fluctuations just as medicine cures diseases. This is the second instruction: Now one should understand one's true identity, which is oneness with Brahman (the absolute). This is the means to move from plain Self-realization to unity consciousness. 38. Sit in a lonely place, free of passions and with controled senses, and meditate one-pointedly on the Atman, which is infinite and singular. This is the third instruction: One should meditate one-pointedly on the Self. 39. Indeed one should meditate wholy on the Atman with a completely dissolved mind. Always see the Atman as as spotless as the ether [akasha]. This is the fourth instruction: The correct way to meditate on the Self is with no-mind. If one meditates with or within the mind, one will not reach the Self. Only when the mind is transcended can one realize the Self. 40. When one has realized the Atman, form, color, etc. [falls off]. Then one knows the highest goal and lives as an embodiment of perfect consciousness and bliss. Up until now we have been instructed to meditate on the Self. What, then, is it like to realize the Self? It is utter freedom from any

qualification. Furthermore it is pure, unmanifest consciousness and bliss. 41. In the supreme Atman, there are no such distinctions as the knower, the knowing and the known. One has realized pure being and bliss. That [realization] shines by itself from oneself. This is important to understand. One's small self has fallen away, or rather there are no longer any identification with it. 42. When, from constant meditation on the joyous Self, the fire of knowledge is born, it burns up all ignorance as if it were fuel. Now we are introduced to the essence of meditation: It is an often repeated diving into the joyous Self that dispells all ignorance. This contradicts the injunction of sloka 29, where rejection of identification was the means. This is because we are now dealing with a different state of consciousness. What is discussed is the means to move from the pure void-realization of basic Selfrealization, to the blissful state of unity consciousness. 43. As darkeness is dispelled by the sun at dawn, so ignorance is removed when the Atman emerges. There are layers of ignorance, but not until the time when the Self emerges, will root-ignorance be removed. 44. The Atman is always present, however this is not realized because of ignorance. When ignorance is destroyed one becomes radiant like a [shining] chain around ones neck. What, then, is getting realized like? It is an interesting paradox that the Self is always present and one is really already realized, only one does not know it. Getting realized is getting rid of what one does not have (ignorance). 45. As one during a walk may erroneously mistake a tree

stump for a man, so one may mistake the individual soul for Brahman; this error disappears when the true nature of the individual soul is realized. Furthermore, when becomming realized, one no longer misidentifies the Self with anything else, as one did before. 46. Just as one gone astray [may return to the right path with right knowledge], so the ignorance of "I", "me" and "mine" is quickly dispelled with right knowledge. 47. The yogi of perfect realization sees the whole universe as the Self. He considers everything the Self in absolute wisdom. Shankaracharya now speaks of perfect realization, implying there are imperfect kinds of realization. Indeed the void-consciousness of plain Self-realization is imperfect realization. 48. This world is verily the Atman, everything is Atman, nothing is different from Atman. Similarly pots are made of clay and remain clay despite being pots. Thus the wise sees everything as himself. This is the state of unity consciousness. Up to verse 37 Shankaracharya has been talking about Self-realization, and in verse 37 to 46 about how one moves on to unity consciousness, now he talks about the state of unity consciousness. 49. He is liberated while alive and is one who knows "That", and has removed the veils of the gunas; he is filled up with existence, consciousness and bliss. It is similar to a catarpillar becomming a butterfly. 50. After having crossed the ocean of delusion and having slain passion and hatred, etc., the yogi dwells in peace and radiates the joy of the Self. 51. [The yogi] who abides in his Self, who is detached from

fluctuating pleasures, is unmoved in the happiness of the Atman. He is like a light placed inside a pot: He shines inwardly. 52. Though the wise one lives within the conditionings he is detached as the clear sky and may behave like a fool, though he is all-knowing. He is as unbound as the wind. There are no outward signs that tell if a person is realized or not. 53. Upon the destruction of the conditionings, the wise one is completely absorbed in Vishnu. Like water in water, air in air and fire in fire. "Vishnu" here means the all-pervading aspect of the absolute, not the personified god 54. With that accomplished there is nothing left to achieve. With that happines, there is nothing more to enjoy. With that knowledge, there is nothing more to know. One must understand that is Brahman. 55. When having seen that, one need see no more. When having become that, one need not be reborn. When knowing that, one need know no more. That is Brahman and is what one must realize. 56. Realize that to be Brahman which is crosswise, up, down and full, which is existence-consciousness-bliss, and which is undivided, infinite, eternal and one. "Crosswise, up, down and full": Omnipresent. 57. Realize that to be Brahman which is found by the Vedantic method of rejection and negation, which is nondual, indivisable, blissful and One. 58. Though bliss is indivisible, Brahma and other gods enjoy a mere fraction of the supreme bliss in various degrees.

59. All objects are pervaded by Brahman, all activities are pervaded by Brahman; thus Brahman permeates everything as butter permeates milk. 60. Realize that to be Brahman which is neither fine nor coarse; neither short nor long; without birth or change; formless, colorless and without qualities. 61. Realize that to be Brahman which shines like the sun that illumines everything, but which is not illumined by anything. 62. Brahman pervades the whole world within and without with its luminance, like a glowing ball of iron in the fire. 63. Brahman is different from the world, yet there exists nothing that is not Brahman. Out of ignorance something else may seem to exist, like a mirrage. 64. Whatever is seen or heard is Brahman and nothing else. Viewed from the knowledge of truth, everything is Brahman: Non-dual existence-knowledge-bliss. 65. The omnipresent Atman which is existence and consciousness is only seen through the eye of wisdom. Anyone who looks through the eye of ignorance sees nothing, like the blind man sees not the sun. 66. Clarified by hearing etc., lit in the fire of knowledge, the soul is freed from all evil and shines of itself like gold. 67. Indeed the Atman, having risen in the space of the heart like the sun of wisdom, removes all ignorance, like the sun dispels darkness. Its shine is all-pervasive and all supportive and it makes everything glow.

Having just been informed Atman is omnipresent, it is strange we are now informed Atman arises in the heart. "Heart" is to be understood as a metaphor for the essential core of being. 68. He who gives up all activities, who worships the omnipresent Self in itself, who is not bound by time, place or direction, he enjoys eternal happiness and is free from confusion, cold, etc., he is omniscient, all-pervading and has finally achieved immortality. --Thus concludes Atma-Bodha.

Chapter 1