Vijnana Bhairava Tantra

Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

'Vijnana Bhairava Tantra' (VBT) is a book that explains various kinds of Dharana that can take the practitioner's consciousness closer to the consciousness of  'Bhairava', one of the forms of Shiva.  I will make use of this great tantra and explain my understanding of the 112 dharanas given in this book. VBT is a practical guide to meditation. This text VBT is part of Kashmiri Shaivism. By the blessings of my dear Guruji, I am embarking on studying this text and practicing it and teaching it. 

The first 24 slokas of this text is a conversation between Shiva and Parvati. The master and disciple. The consciousness and energy. I will condense the conversation below,

Devi asks Shiva/Bhairava :

"I have heard the explanation on text Rudrayamala and understood the trika philosophy (consciousness, energy, matter). My doubts are not yet cleared. What is your reality ? Are you the power or energy in sounds from which all mantras came ? Can you be known through nine ways (kaala/time, kula/one that ascends, naama/name, jnana/knowledge, chitta/awareness, nada/sound, bindu/seed, kalaa/wave, jiva/individual consciousness) as described in the text 'bhairava agama' ? Is it different from what is described in text 'Trishira bhairava tantra' ? or can it be known through three forms of shakti (para/consciousness, apara/energy, parapara/matter) ? Is it the nada/sound, or bindu/seed, or concentrating on kundalini chakras, or on listening to the anahat/unstruck sound at heart center ? Is your reality transcendent or immanent, or completely transcendent or completely immanent ? If it is immanent, then it contradicts the theory of transcendence.Roopa/Form , Shabda/sound, and varna/color are immanent, it cannot co-exist with transcendent.O Lord, please destroy all my doubts completely."

Bhairava/Shiva replies ; 

" Well spoken, dear one. All that is delusional and insubstantial.Those are for the sake of meditation of those whose intellect is deluded. All the ostentatious rituals are for those who are having distracted thought patterns and are interested in path of action. In reality, the Bhairava is not nine forms, nor the mantras, nor trika philosophy, nor the three flows of energy. Bhairava cannot be percieved in nada, bindu, ardha chandra, nor in kundalini chakra piercing, and neither does energy/shakti constitute his essense. All that is told are like tales to frighten children, or to induce people with dull intellect to tread the spiritual path, just like a mother gives sweets to children.The Bhairava cannot be measured by time or space or direction, or with any attribute or designation.One can experience Bhairava when mind is free from all thought patterns. The atma of bhairava is known as bhairavi, is the bliss of one's own inner awareness. The essence of Bhairava is 'vimala' / free of dross and pervades entire universe. Who is to be worshipped, who is to be pacified by worship ? Shakti is never separate from Shaktimaan , the Bhairava.  The thinking that energy is dormant as kundalini in muladhara , separate from shiva, and it has to be risen to meet at sahasrara is only imagined in the beginning, as a preliminary step in spirituality. In truth, Shiva and Shakti are never separate. One who follows the path of shakti/energy and experiences oneness , has the feeling of oneness with shiva, and verily becomes Shiva. In that context , it is said that Shiva can only be known through Shakti. Space, direction, and form are revealed by the flame of candle or rays of sun, similarly, it is said that through shakti , shiva is known."

Devi asks Bhairava :

" Please tell me the state of Bhairava which is free from space, direction, time and free from all attributes. How to achieve that state of Bhairava ?

To answer this question of Devi, Bhairava enunciates 112 dharana techniques to achieve the state of Bhairava.

Hari Om

Atmajyothi prasad