Part 4 - Concept of Bindu (Vindu)

‘Bindu’ is not to be taken in the sense of drop or vital force. It is the inconceivable, subtle point, the very root of all manifestation. It is the point from which is projected the phenomenal universe of names and forms. From this point or bindu [vindu] emanates all creation. Therefore, in its aspect of the vital spore of manifestation, it is sometimes used in a sense akin to vital force.

Nāda is the first emanation stage in the production of mantra. The second is bindu. Nāda and bindu exist in all bīja mantras. Nāda is that aspect of Śakti which evolves into bindu.

According to Yoga Śikhopaniṣad101-nāda is Śiva-Śakti. The union and mutual relation of Śiva and Śakti is nāda. From nāda came mahābindu. Nāda is the most subtle aspect of śabda. Nāda develops into bindu.

Nāda the tone, especially the buzzing so nasal sound, in which the word ‘OM’ fades away; bindu the point, especially that of the anusvāra, which denotes the third mora of the second ‘Om’. Therefore “Nādabindu-Upa” the secret meaning of the nasal point.

He whose hole (or passage) above the uvula is closed (with the tongue backwards) be means of khecarimudrā never loses his virility, even when embraced by a lovely woman. Where is the fear of death, so long as the bindu (virility) stays in the body so long as the khecarimudrā is practiced. (even) when bindu [vindu] comes down to the sphere of the perineum, it goes up by violent effort through yonimudrā. This bindu is twofold, white and red. The white one is called śukla and red one is said to contain much rajas. The rajas which stays in yoni is like the colour of caral.^[1]

The “bindu” stays in the seat of genital organs. The union of these two main and rajas is the sun. Through the union of these two is attained the highest body; when rajas is roused up by agitating the Śakti through Vāyu which unites with the Sun, then is produced the divine form. Śukla being united with the moon and rajas with the sun, he is a knower of Yoga who knows the proper mixture of these two. The unification of the sun and the moon and the complete drying of the rasas (essences) this is called mahāmudrā. Placing the chin of the breast, pressing the aṇus by means of the left heel and seizing (the toe) of the extended right leg by the two hands, one should fill his belly (with air) and should slowly exhale. This is called mahāmudrā, the destroyer of the sins of men.^[2]

Many myriads of nādas and many more of bindus [vindus] (all) became absorbed in the Brahma-Praṇava sound.^[3]

Being freed from all states and all thoughts whatever the yogin remains like one dead. He is a mukta. There is no doubt about this. After that he does not at any time hear the sounds of conch or dundubhi (learge kettle-drum). The body in the state of unami is certainly like a log and does not feet heat or cold, joy or sorrow. The yogin’s citta having given up fame or disgrace is in samādhi above the three states. Being freed from the waking and the sleeping states, he attains to his trace state. When the (spiritual) right becomes fixed without any object to be seen, when the vāyu (prāṇa) becomes still without any effort and when the citta becomes firm without and support, he becomes of the form of the internal sound of Brahma praṇava.

Even if sin should accumulate to a mountain extending over many yojñas, it is destroyed by dhyāna yoga. At no time has been found a destroyer of sins like this bījākṣara (seed letter) is the supreme bindu. Nāda (spiritual sound) is above it. When the nāda ceases along with letter, than the nāda-less is supreme state.^[4]

The repetition of the pañcākṣara mantra ‘Om namaḥ Śivāya’, produces the form of lord Śiva. The repetition of “Om namaḥ Nārāyaṇa”, the aṣṭākṣara mantra of Viṣṇu produces the form of Viṣṇu. In a mantra, the vibrations to be produced by the notes are all important. Much emphasis is laid on the pitch (svara) as well as form (varṇa) of a mantra.

Varṇa literally means colour. In the invisible world all sounds are accompanied by colours, so that they give rise to many hued shapes. In the same way colours are accompanied by sounds in a particular form. Different notes in different pitches give rise to different shapes. In the science of mantras, we use different mantras for the purpose in invoking different gods. If you worship Lord Śiva you use ‘Om namaḥ

Śivāya’, but in worshipping Viṣṇu or Śakti you will have to change the mantra. What happens when a mantra is rejected? The repeated recitation of the mantra produces in the mind the form of the Devatā or the deity connected with the mantra which is your Iṣṭa and this form becomes the centre of our consciousness when we directly realize it. It is, therefore, said that the mantra of the Deva is the Deva himself. This may explain the much misunderstand dictum of the Mīmāṃsā philosophers that the gods do not exist apart from the mantras (mantrātmaka devaḥ). This really means that when a particular mantra appropriate to a particular god is property recited, the vibration so set up create in the higher plans a special form which that god ensouls for the time being.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Dhyā. Bi. Upa-I-83 to 87.

[2]:

Ibid-I-88-93.

[3]:

Ibid - I-50.

[4]:

Ibid-I-1-2.