Vijnana Bhairava Tantra

 

 

Since the time immemorial Indian seers and sages have made an intuitive journey to know the real nature of truth. First, they focused on the senses and realised that the body is not the final reality. On the other hand there is consciousness which permeates the human body. The further inquiry into the nature of consciousness revealed that individual consciousness is the integral part of the cosmic consciousness. Tantra is one of the most ancient methods used by Indian seers to know the ultimate truth.The word Tantra is derived from the Sanskrit roots Tanoti and Trayate. Tanoti means expanding and Trayate means protecting. Hence, the Tantra is a collective bulk of techniques, methods and tools which expand human consciousness and protect it from impurities.

 

The protection leads to freedom from duality and establishes the human consciousness in pure bliss and tranquillity. Among the Tantric texts, the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra ranks prominently. Guru Kiruvati of Kashmira is said to be the author of the text. Its tenets are based upon Kashmira Shaivism. It dates back to the seventh century AD. It contains 163 Sanskrit couplets and 112 Tantric methods to concentrate and meditate. The feature of the text is that all the 112 methods of spiritual awakening described are independent of one another. Even one method is potent to lead to the blissful state. The text is presented in the form of a dialogue between Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati. Actually the awesome form of Lord Shiva is called Bhairava. Bhairavi is the power of Bhairava. Ignorance is generated due to separation of Shakti or Bhairavi from Shiva or Bhairava. They are all pervading. Human existence is also immersed into them. But Shakti or the divine power is locked into the gross body. Shakti is sitting dormant in the Muladhara Chakra or the base of the spine. When Shakti is awakened through different spiritual practices, it rises and reaches the crown Chakra, the supreme seat of Lord Shiva. In between it has to traverse through Swadhisthana, Manipura, Anhat, Vishuddhi and Anjana Chakras. These Chakras are different psychic centres of the human body.

 

The union of Shakti or Kundalini with Shiva is the ultimate freedom or enlightenment. Different breathing exercises are prescribed to raise the consciousness from the lower parts of the body to the upper ones. The text describes many postures or the movements of the body which calm down the mind and generate a tranquil state of the mind. There are many Mudras or the different bodily gestures which divert bio energy or Prana from one place to another. Similarly, many Bandhas are also prescribed. These Bandhas are different locking postures which are used to arrest or confine the bio energy at some vital parts of the body to enhance it.There are many methods of imagination and visualisation found in the text.All these methods of Tantric practices are supposed to lead to a higher state of concentration and meditation. A meditative state of the mind is full of relaxation ,bliss and creativity. Most of these techniques described in the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra are like the psychological and psychotherapeutic tools which are being used today in the treatment of psychosomatic and stress related ailments.