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.