Verse 36

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 36:

इह स्थाने लिने सुसुखसदने चेतसि पुरं
  निरालंबां बध्वा परमगुरुसेवासुविदितां ।
तदभ्यासाद् योगी पवनसुहृदां पश्यति कणाङ्
  ततस्तन्मध्यान्तः प्रविलसितरूपानपि सदा ॥ ३६ ॥

iha sthāne line susukhasadane cetasi puraṃ
  nirālaṃbāṃ badhvā paramagurusevāsuviditāṃ |
tadabhyāsād yogī pavanasuhṛdāṃ paśyati kaṇāṅ
  tatastanmadhyāntaḥ pravilasitarūpānapi sadā || 36 ||

When the Yogī closes the house which hangs without support,^[1] the knowledge whereof he has gained by the service of Parama-guru, and when the Cetas^[2] by repeated, practice becomes dissolved in this place which is the abode of uninterrupted bliss, he then sees within the middle of and in the space above (the triangle) sparks of fire distinctly shining.

Commentary by Śrī-Kālīcaraṇa:

Having described the Praṇava, he now speaks of its union (with Cetas), i.e., Praṇava-yoga.

The Yogī should close the house (Puraṃ baddhvā)—he should, with his mind set on the act, close the inner house; or, in other words, he should make Yoni-Mudrā^[3] in the manner prescribed and thus effectually close the inner house. The use of the word Pur shows that the Yoni-Mudrā is meant. Then, when his Cetas by repeated practice (Abhyāsa) or meditation on the Praṇava becomes dissolved (Līna) in this place (the Ājñā-Cakra), he sees, within and in the space above the triangle wherein the Praṇava is, sparks of Fire^[4] (Pavana-suhṛdāṃ kaṇān), or, to put it plainly, sparks of light resembling sparks of fire appear before his mental vision above the triangle on which the Praṇava rests. It is by Yoni-Mudrā that the inner self (Antaḥ-pūr) is restrained and detached from the outside world, the region of material sense. The Manas cannot be purified and steadied unless it is completely detached from the material sphere. It is therefore that the mind (Manas) should be completely detached by Yoni-Mudrā.

Yoni-Mudrā, which detaches the Manas from the outside world, is thus defined: “Place the left heel against the anus, and the right heel on the left foot, and sit erect with your body and neck and head in a straight line. Then, with your lips formed to resemble a crow’s beak,^[5] draw in air and fill therewith your belly. Next^[6] close tightly your earholes with the thumbs, with your index-fingers the eyes, the nostrils by your middle lingers, and your mouth by the remaining fingers. Retain the air^[7] within you, and with the senses controlled meditate on the Mantra whereby you realize the unity (Ekatva [ekatvam]) of Prāṇa and Manas.^[8] This is Yoga, the favourite of Yogīs.”

That steadiness of mind is produced by restraint of breath through the help of Mudrā, has been said by Śruti. “The mind under the influence of Haṃsa^[9] moves to and fro, over different subjects; by restraining Haṃsa, the mind is restrained.”

“Closes the house” (Puraṃ baddhvā).—This may also mean Khecarī Mudrā.^[10] This latter also produces steadiness of mind.

As has been said, “As by this the Citta roams in the Brahman (Kha),^[11] and as the sound of uttered word^[12] also roams the Ether (Kha), therefore is Khecarī Mudrā honoured by all the Siddhas.”

The Citta is Khecara^[13] when, disunited from Manas and devoid of all attachment to all worldly things, it becomes Unmanī.^[14]

As has been said,^[15] “the Yogī is united with Unmanī; without Unmanī there is no Yogī.” Nirālaṃba means that which has no support—namely, that from which the minds’ connection with the world has been removed.

“The knowledge whereof he has gained by the service of his Paramaguru” (Parama-guru-sevā-suviditām).—Parama is excellent in the sense that he has attained excellence in Yoga practice (by instructions) handed down along a series of spiritual preceptors (Gurus), and not the result of book-learning.^[16]

“Serving the Guru”.—Such knowledge is obtained from the Guru by pleasing him by personal services (Sevā). Cf. “It can be attained by the instructions of the Guru, and not by ten million of Śāstras.”

“The abode of uninterrupted bliss” (Su-sukha-sādhana)—i.e., this is the place where one enjoys happiness that nothing can interrupt. This word qualifies place (Iha-sthāne—i.e., Ājñā-Cakra.)

“Sparks of fire distinctly shining” (Pavana-suhṛdāṃ pravilasitarūpān kaṇān).—These sparks of Fire shine quite distinctly.

Elsewhere it is clearly stated that the Praṇava is surrounded by sparks of light: “Above it is the flame-like Atmā, auspicious and in shape like the Praṇava, on all sides surrounded by sparks of light.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Nirālaṃba-purī. Nirālaṃba (v. post) means that which has no support—viz., that by which the mind’s connection with the world has been removed and realization of the infinite established. Ākāśamāṃsī= whose flesh or substance is Ākāśa (Rājanighantu Diet.)

[2]:

See next page and Introduction.

[3]:

i.e., closes the avenues of the mind and concentrates it within itself.

[4]:

Pavana-suhṛd—“He whose friend is air”=Fire. When the wind blows, fire spreads.

[5]:

That is, by Kākī-Mudrā. Śruti says that when Vāyu is drawn in by this Mudrā and stopped by Kuṃbhaka, steadiness of mind is produced.

[6]:

These and following verses occur in Śāradā-Tilaka, Ch. XXV, w. 45, 46. The first portion of this passage describes Siddhāsana.

[7]:

That is, by Kuṃbhaka.

[8]:

That is, recite the Haṃsa or Ajapā-mantra, or breathing in Kuṃbhaka.

[9]:

The Jīvātmā manifesting as Prāṇa.

[10]:

One of the Mudrās of Haṭha-Yoga. See Introduction.

[11]:

Kha has three meanings—viz-„ Ether, Brahman, and space between eyebrows (Ājñā). Brahmānanda, the commentator of the Haṭhayoga- pradīpikā, adopts the last meaning in interpreting this verse (Ch. III, v. 41), and in commenting on v. 55 of the Haṭhayoga-pradīpikā gives it the meaning of Brahman.

[12]:

Lit., tongue.

[13]:

What moves about in the sky or ether. It is Manas which deprives the Citta of freedom by causing attachment to the world. On being disunited from Manas it moves freely in the ether, going its own way.

[14]:

Unmanī is there where, to coin a word, the “Manasness” of Manas, ceases. See note to v. 40. Ut=without, and mam is from Manas.

[15]:

This is from Jñānārṇava-Tantra, Ch. XXIV, v. 37.

[16]:

Which is well recognized to be insufficient in these matters.