I have stopped writing/posting my articles/comments at various sections of Manbluder since Sept 2014. But I visit the site regularly.
What is self realization? What I understood from recent postings in Manblunder that self-realization is nothing but kundalini activation and this kundalini can be activated through some breathing exercises etc. Are some breathing exercises lead a practitioner to activate kundalini?
Before we discuss above, let us understand what kundalini is?
Kundalini has various references in various scriptures. It has great reference both in yoga sastras and shakti sastras. In fact, shakti worship and yoga practice are inter related. Here, I would like to mention that yoga doesn mean mere asanas/exercises. Meaning of yoga here is “having an opportunity or a facility to know the ultimate truth. Now, what is the truth? Satyam,Jnanam, Anantham Brahaman is the Veda verse. Exercises/ asanas only pave a way to walk/run in that way to reach the ultimate truth. They will keep your body fit and in good condition.
Unfortunately, from creation of this universe to till date none has explained how Brahman is. Because, whoever able to reach the Brahman they never came back and stayed in this universe. They merged with the Brahman. But our ancient sages and rishis who have understood the Brahaman have given us some hints about Brahman. Why they could not explained the Brahman? Because they know it is very well that Brahman cannot be touched, feel etc. That means, a person who is feeling that he is self realised in fact he doesn Why because he is in dvita bhava. In dvita state only one can identify with other. In advita bhava such identification will not be there. Here, it is very essential to recollect the conversation between Lord Rama and His guru Shri Vashist. One day Lord Rama asked His guru Vashist “What is Brahman? No answer from Vashist. He stood calm without giving any reply. After some time Lord Rama asked him again the same question. To His grace he replied Brahman cannot be explained or identified with anything and so a realized person also. Till the time you realize that you are the Brahman, you will see things around you i.e. nothing but dvaita bhava. As long as you are in dvaita bhava you never realize Brahman.
So, how can really realized person can say that he is realized?
Kundalini was explained in various scriptures. (Readers may refer Page No.208 of Understanding and Worshipping of Sri Chakra, by V.Ravji for kundalini.) All know that, its base is near Muladhaara chakra. It is said that during seventh (7th) month of fetus Shiva will enter into that through a randhara which is then called as Brahmarandhra and he will stay there and his energy will move to Muladhaara chakra. That energy is known as kundalini. Then onwards, the fetus will get the jiva bhava and starts moving in the womb. This is the starting point of maya. Moving of this kundalini to the Brahmarandhra is the ultimate goal of all sages since it is the pinnacle point/way for Atmanubhava. During this process once the kundalini is about to activate and so the Muladhara chakra, a sadhaka has to face so many tests like attaining of sidhis, knowing about once past, future etc. All these super natural powers are barricades for advancement of kundalini. Many sadhakas fail here by fall in the web of siddhis. A sadhaka who falls in this web can never move forward. Like this, at all other chakras various “hard tests are to be passed by a sadhaka. My aim is not to explain all these things here. A blessed sadhaka whose kundalini reached his sahasrara that is end of his sadhana and so his gross body. His soul will depart from the Brahmarandhra i.e. reach the Brahman. If not so, he has to take the birth again and face the maya again. A sadhaka cannot bear this gross body once his kundalini reaches sahasrara. It is ironic if any one says he is.
Here, I would like to refer great Rishi Shri Ganapathi Muni in this regard. Some scripture says that his kundalini reached sahasrara. But it was confirmed by some of real Himalayan Yogis that Ganapathi muni was blessed with some other unknown (secret) yoga but not the kapala sidhi. Shri Ganapathi muni was alive even after such great blessings by Srimatha. He is a jivan mukta.
Let us refer Tripura Rahasya. No one can see his own eye. If anyone says that he is able to see his eye it is sympathetic. Hence no one can say that he is realized. Only others i.e. people around him can feel the godliness in him. If anyone argue that I am able to see my eye through a mirror it is nothing but dvaita bhava. There is no scope for dvaitabhava in Atmanubhava i.e. self realization. In the same great scripture it was clearly said that Brahaman cannot be attained without worship of Brahma i.e. Srimata. This can be understood from the life of great Sri Parasurama.
I dont want to reveal all other deep concepts behind the self realization here. I hope readers understand what I want to convey here. I am neither discouraging not questioning anyone here. Please don misunderstand me. I am a conventional man and believe that top floor cannot be built without building basement and hence a true ajna cannot activate without muladhara.
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March 18, 2015 08:47 PM
Respected Aum Ravi Sir
I respect your comments but same time but I have a query on your article about soul departing the gross body once kundalini reaches sahashara.
Adi Shankara has experienced Nirvikalpa samadhi many times and his vivekachudamani clears explains about Nirvikalpa samadhi.But as per your article, souls would reach brahman once kundalini reaches sahashara.
How was that possible for Adi sankara to come back from samadhi and explain the experience in vivekachudamani?
My intention is not to hurt you but it is my genuine query.Everyone body is different and kundalini does not act in same way.one may get siddhi and one may not get anything.But are we 100% sure that everyone in sri vidya upasana will get mantra siddhi?
Apologies if i have asked any wrong questions as i cant agree fully your feedback.
Thanks
Replies
March 19, 2015 09:31 AM
Dear Govindan,
A) Nirvikalpa Samadhi is different from Moksha/Sidhi. Let us understand what Samadhi is?. There are three types of Samadhis. 1) Savikalpa Samadhi 2) Nirvikalpa Samadhi and 3) Sahaja Samadhi.
1) Savikalpa Samadhi: Here manas will stay without any chalana (movement). i.e. nischala. It will not disturbed and get involved on only one aspect. It will merge in that issue only.
2) Nirvikalpa Samadhi: Here, manas will stop working and disappear. Then only Atma will glow. Target of Yoga is this stage.
3) Sahaja Samadhi: This will experienced due to Brahma vichara. This is the Atma sakshatkara sidhi.
(Above were asserts of Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswati Samiji) Not only great Adi Shankaracharya, so many other sages and rishis experienced Nirivikalpa Samadhi. Hence, nirvikalpa Samadhi is different from Moksha. If a sadhaka is bestowed with Kapala sidhi, then we can say that he merged in the Brahman.
B) Yes, everyone gross body is different but NOT the subtle body. The shakti in all is ONE and the SAME. Please recall the conversation between Sri Adi Shankara and Chandala. Kundalini will activate only in one way in all. The only difference is how a sadhaka utilize it during the process.
C) Sidhi will depend upon the right sadhana. Nothing to explain much here. Hope, above cleared your queries
March 19, 2015 12:09 PM
Sir
Thanks for reply.appreciate your effort.one more question.can you let me know position of kundalini with respect to these different types of samadhi.will kundalini will reach sahashara only when he gets kapala siddhi and not during nirvikalpa samadhi?
March 19, 2015 12:47 PM
Dear Govindan,
Samadhi state is different and kundalini position is different. Both are not related. Samadhi is mano vyapara and kundalini is sadhana vyapara. Once the kundalini crossed the sahasrara i.e. when it come out of Brahma randhra then it is known as kapala sidhi.
March 19, 2015 06:45 PM
Respected Sir
Thanks for reply.As Arjuna krishna sir has correctly explained, i dont have anything else to comment on this issue.Im happy to follow what my Guru taught me on this.
March 18, 2015 10:53 PM
Just for thought. We cannot compare ourselves with SankaraCharya. They were actually on a different level from us.
Also when Grace of the divine mother descends on a person at full force. It is only logical that his journey ends.
I say this on the basis of the article written about shakthipat in this website and many other series. Unless there is a divine will the journey should end at this point.
I May be wrong. But would like to learn if the views are not right.
March 19, 2015 08:23 AM
How many in this Kali era even thinks of practicing any kind of Sadhana. It is becoming rare. It is nothing wrong to gets excited on getting some Anubhava, only the Guru has to correct his disciple in this regard and show what is what and direct him in the right path and assessing the stage in which the disciple is in, as described in the scriptures.
March 19, 2015 11:12 AM
Hi JAYANTH , I'm not knowleadgable person like you or Aum Raviji.but still I stick to my point divine grace plays a role but it is karma which decides if gross body can drop off or not once kundalini reaches sahashara.jivanmukta is person who has liberated but still he lives in earth until his karma is exhausted.
Replies
March 19, 2015 11:39 AM
Yes you are right karma plays an important role for a person to get liberated.
So when the individual self is merged with supreme self , how can there be existence of that person . As he has become one with the Brahman.
That is the reason we can logically deduce that this point should be the end of our journey unless the divine has other plans for us live with people.
These type of articles and discussions help us understand more about what is right and wrong. As most of the aspirants are beginners like us. Hence we need to have discussions to learn more.
March 19, 2015 05:36 PM
There are 2 types of Mukti- Jivanmukti and Videhamukti
The jiva attains freedom (Jivanmukti or moksha ), the moment he realizes the TRUTH, even though he may have to continue to live in the body for a short span of time because of the actions (Karmas) accumulated in the past.
Just as the wheel continues to rotate for some time due to its prior motion, even after the potter has ceased moving it , in the same way the BODY OF THE JIVA CONTINUES TO EXIST FOR SOME TIME AFTER THE ATTAINMENT OF TRUE KNOWLEDGE BECAUSE OF THE PAST ACTIONS OF THE BODY.Thus no new Karms are accumulated and earlier ones begin to loose their power.But final and complete liberation is attainable only after death of physical body.This is VIDEHAMUKTI. Videhamukti is also called kapala mukthi.In this state complete liberation is attained after freedom from all kinds of bodies - subtle & gross.
According to samkhya philosophy the distinction between liberation and bondage is ONLY PRACTICAL .THE SELF IS NOT BOUND AND IT IS THE EGO THAT IS LIBERATED .SELF IS BEYOND BOTH LIBERATION AND BONDAGE.IF THE SELF DID ACTUALLY BECOME BOUND IT COULD NOT HAVE FREED ITSELF EVEN IN 100 BIRTHS BCOZ REAL BONDAGE CANNOT BE DESTROYED.It is the PRAKRITI that is eventually liberated .Lord Krishna has said that in actual fact SELF is neither bound nor liberated nor it is reborn.Bondage ,liberation and rebirths are ATTRIBUTES of Prakriti.It is so delicate that once the PURUSHA sees her in her real form she does not confront him a second time.
When a soul leaves a person (Mostly Jivanmukthas) at the time of death through skull,through Brahmaranda it is called Kapala Moksha or Videhamukti.Videha mukti means leaving the body permenanatly.Such a persons soul after following a life of jnana marga merges in to paramasiva ,otherwise called mahasunya.
Jivanmukthas are peoples who attained liberation/moksha while alive.After gaining atma jnana or self realisation by the blessing of a Guru, he/she raises his/her kundalini to sahasra.The consciousness,also called soul exit the physical body through Brahmnrandha and travels to Parabrahman /Mahasunya /paramasiva through TUNNELS of past samskaras..Here at mahasunya, the knowledge about this place called mahasunya makes the soul liberated.Then the soul return backs to the body through through TUNNELS of past samskaras and enter back into the body.HE IS NOW LIBERATED AND CALLED JIVANMUKTHA.i,e Liberated while living.Again the Knowledge about mahasunya is Liberation.And it is possible only when soul travels through Brahmarandra outside his body.The soul comes back to the body
again through Brahmarandra.He can take out his consciousness and move into mahasunya at his will any number of time during meditation.
When such a person dies i.e his soul exit the physical body through brahmarandrha for THE LAST TIME ,other wise called become a videhamukta.It is also called Kapalamukthi acoording to difference in tradition.So the state of Jivanmukthi is real and person continues to exist till the complete enjoyment of Prabdha Karma. Parasurama,Vyasa etc are all Jivanmukthas.They are chiranjivis. Jivanmuktha means a person who have the knowledge about Parabrahman. The jivanmuktha lives in physical body only to experience the remaining karmas.They later become Gurus and their will is equal to that of Paramasiva.
Replies
March 19, 2015 06:10 PM
Very informative..Thank you
March 19, 2015 11:46 PM
This is not to be included under personal experience category. This is not about experience but, explanation.
Munis, Sages and Saints explicated well about Brahman only through their experience. Even Upanishads are considered as direct revelations from divine. Veda Vani, came from beings who did not have dwaitha bhava and they continue to be in their body only to teach and preach what they experienced.
Explanation is unique for each and every one and the realized path is also different. Why is yoga explained in Gita as four different paths? Capacity and taste varies from person to person. So path is different, sadhana is different and experience is also unique. Stages of spiritual awakening and consequent realization of Brahman varies from person to person till one reaches the final realization, where there is nothing to speak eventually.
Explanations will vary as no descriptions can explain Brahman as it remains inexplicable or the described is not Brahman (neti, neti), That never mean one cannot have a right to explain the sat, chit ananda state they experienced in their path of realization. This is the only evidence in the world, that Brahman is not a myth. It is an out of body experience.
No one can say that he or she is realized, as there will be no traces of realization. There will be traces of maya still existing in a realized person. The reality is one's own experience. What is wrong in sharing with others? It will certainly be an inspiration for normal ignorant people like me, than the scholars who are minority.
Kundalini is the power bank of cosmos which is stored as dormant energy in every human being. Once he transcends and crosses the spectrum of light through sushumna, he is enthralled by divine grace. Brahman is kundalini itself, may be it is feminine or masculine. This does not matter. What is wrong in saying that one is realized in this life? Knowing from one's personal experience is more authentic than textual explanations. Krishna said it is the easiest way. No doubt remains at the end, as the realization is not only mental but physical too; it encompasses both physical and mental sheaths.
December 29, 2023 07:12 AM
Lalitambika is not confined by duality or nonduality. Nor does she like a painting without color. Liberation is a word that causes many to be confused about the purpose of their sadhana. Rest assured, when you reach the goal of spiritual practice, you will know. You will also be capable of relating with others what your state is. Liberation means many things, but it doesn't mean you escape from "the curse of human birth". This would be an offense if that was taught. But you one thing is common among all liberated souls. They only experience the Goddess at all times, and they are intoxicated by the bliss of divine contentment. If we can love God enough, we shall get there too. Jai Ambe Jai Gurudev.