Critical interpretation with text of Hindu Tantric text.

The Vij¤Èna Bhairava is one of the most important Tantrasof Kashmir Shaivism as far as the practical aspect of yoga ofthis school is concerned. It teaches 112 dhÈranÈs or ways ofcentring awareness and entering divine consciousness, whichinclude ordinary and extraordinary experiences, as well astantric methods of spiritual practice such as ku!ÇalinÏ, mantraand mudrÈ. This ancient text is of great relevance for a spiritualityof our times which has to integrate all aspects of life.The present edition, translation and commentary is uniquesince it contains the oral teaching of the last great master ofthe Kashmir Shaiva tradition, Swami Lakshman Joo. In hisexplanation of the dhÈranÈs he gives the deep significanceand practical application of various methods of yoga whichgive direct access to states of higher consciousness.

112 methods of meditation with one card each.

The gateways to wonder and delight are flung open wide for all to enter. At once a beautiful love song and an encyclopedia of yogic techniques, the cherished text known as the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra shimmers with new effulgence in Lorin Roche's The Radiance Sutras. Lorin brings us his unique perspective on each of 112 Sanskrit teachings, along with his one-of-a-kind guidance in how to meditate with, embody, and practice them—what he describes as "answering the call of the sutras you love." Here is an invitation to experience directly the ecstatic depths of yoga as revealed by the divine partners Shiva and Shakti, through an intimate exploration of: The divinity that is permeating your body at this very moment • The alchemical power of Sanskrit • Yoga meditation—harmonizing all the elements and levels of your being • The depths of your connection to the energies of life Taken as a whole, this teaching is startling in its breadth and the huge range of human experience that it encompasses. This is a book to savor one phrase at a time, over a period of days or years or a lifetime. With The Radiance Sutras, yoga and meditation students everywhere can nurture their own relationship with these living wisdom teachings.

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra is a part of Rudra Yamala Tantra which again belongs to the category of Bhairava Agamas. This is a Jnana Tantra which contains one hundred and twelve meditation techniques as different from outer rituals prescribed by other Tantras. The techniques taught by many gurus of today in all mystic schools are found in the list of these 112 methods. We find the practitioners of these techniques more in East and North of India than in the South. Especially for the followers of the Trika system of Kashmir Shaivism, this book is a favourite. There are many commentaries available on these verses. Nevertheless, I too have tried to explain them in the light of my understanding and experience. Those who are adept in the control of Prana and mind, Dharana and Dhyana could find it easy to practice these methods. For others, this book just satisfies their idle curiosity. The speciality of this Tantra lies in its simple and direct approach in teaching the meditation methods without beating around the bush indulging in theoretical jargon. Those who are interested in Tantra need to search for a competent guru, learn the subtleties of these methods from him directly, practice and experience the results mentioned in this book. We hope that this book too, like our earlier books, will be appreciated by readers.

This book offers 112 dhāraṇās -- 112 meditations or techniques -- for experiencing the extraordinary and paradoxical reality of unbounded consciousness called Bhairava. In her initial question to Bhairava, the Goddess asks him to reveal his own essential nature to her. Bhairava praises her question as pertaining to the very essence of the Tantra, and he praises the transcendent aspect of the Supreme. The Goddess then beseeches Bhairava to teach her the method by which she may gain an understanding of this blissful, nondual reality. The methods offered here hint at a profound secret: only a subtle shift of attention is required in order to bring this astonishing reality into view. The shift will open a chink in the apparently impregnable smoothness of the ordinary world. Here are 112 secret gestures of attention that will reveal infinity. True to its tantric provenance, the Vijñāna-bhairava discovers Supreme Reality in unexpected and bizarre places. As one scans the great variety of methods it offers, one is struck by the contrast in tone between this text and the classical expositions of Yoga. While equally serious, the Vijñāna-bhairava has a playful approach anchored in the confidence that one can really never stray from the reality of Shiva. Because it is grounded in the tantric realization, the text has a freedom to explore meditational domains puritanically disdained by classical Yoga. All things, all experiences, all moments are bathed in the unassailable purity of the absolute consciousness. Only a shift of attention, a subtle refocusing, is required for that extraordinary reality to come into view. The Vijñāna-bhairava contains no sustained philosophical position. Rather, it is an instructional guide that continuously invites the practitioner to look more deeply and more subtly at her own experience. The blissful and shattering realizations that she will undergo as a result of its method serves as the only form of proof or justification. This is an initiatory manual that instructs in the intricacies of the advanced sport of Shiva.

In the Vijnana Bhairava, Bhairavi (the Divine Mother) asks Lord Bhairava (God) to clear Her doubts about the essence of the path towards Self-realization. Compelled by Her sincerity and the simple yet penetrating insight of Her question, Bhairava explicitly reveals 112 contemplative techniques for entering into the state of God consciousness. In this multimedia study set, Swami Lakshmanjoo, an accomplished master of the Kashmir Shaiva school, not only translates the Sanskrit text into English but also lays bare the essential tricks involved in each of the contemplative techniques.