64 Lordly Powers from 8-fold powers – Ashta Aishvarya
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related to buddhi-tattva
These are the 8 Powers, such as Anima and others with 8 attributes (guṇas) (given to the) Pishacas.
It is to be known that these powers:
- become two-fold (dvi-gunam) for the Rakshasas.
- Three-fold (tri-gunam) for the Yakshas.
- Four-fold (caturgunam) for the Gandharvas.
- Five-fold (pancagunam) for Indra.
- Six-fold (sadgunam) for Soma (Moon Deity).
- Seven-fold (saptagunam) for Prajapati, the ruler of mankind.
- 64 Powers (catus-shasti) related to the buddhi-tattva are said to be with Brahma.
In this way, the lordly powers are reckoned to be 64.
(source: Paushkara Agama, vidya pāda, vr 97-110, pumstattva patalah, nature of the soul, Purusha)
About Buddhi-tattva (mati)
Dharma, Jnana, Vairagya, Aishvarya – these are the modes of the buddhi-tattva. Contrary to these modes, there are also adharma, ajnana, anaishvarya belonging to the buddhi-tattva.
Of these 8, dharma, jnana and vairagya belong to saattvik. Avairagya belongs to Rajo Guna. The remaining four – aishvarya, adharma, ajnana and anaivarya, belong to tamas. Since these 8 qualities make known the substrate, buddhi-tattva by functioning as the indicators, these are called BHĀVA.
(source: Paushkara Agama, vidya pāda, vr 49-50 pumstattva patalah, nature of the soul, Purusha)
Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra (dharana 8, verse 31) (verse related to third-eye or center of eyebrows)
तयापूर्याशु मूर्धान्तं
भङ्क्त्वा भ्रूक्षेपसेतुना ।
निर्विकल्पं मनः कृत्वा
सर्वोर्ध्व सर्वगोद्गमः ॥ ३१ ॥
tayā-āpūryāsu mūrdhāntam bhanktvā bhrūkṣepasetunā l nirvikalpam manaḥ kṛitvā sarvordhve sarvagodgamaḥ II 31 II
tayaa-aapooryaasu moordhaantam bhanktvaa bhrookshepa-setunaa | nirvikalpam manah kritvaa sarva-urdhve sarvaga-udgamah || 31||
sutra 31, dharana 8
Let form be filled with essence of life-breath to the crown of head. Cross the life-breath by penetrating with one-pointed attention at the bridge-like center of the eyebrows (called the third eye). Let mind be beyond the movement of thoughts [nirvikalpam manah]. In that all-rising supreme state (of Shiva), showers the light (vision) of all-pervadingness.
tayā: with essence of life-breath; by the subtle prāṇa, life energy; āpūryāsu: filling your whole body, filling your form with life-breath; mūrdhāntam: to the crown of head (brahmarandhra); bhanktvā: by breaking, by penetrating; bhrūkṣepa: cross (life-breath) with one-pointed attention at the center of eyebrows; setunā: of the bridge; nirvikalpam: beyond the movement of thoughts; unminded; manaḥ: mind; kṛitvā: do, let; sarva-urdhve: in that all-rising supreme state (of Shiva); sarvagodgamaḥ (sarvaga-udgamah): all-pervadingness showers or shines (the light or vision); one becomes all-pervading (in that state)
notes:
- Just as a river is crossed by means of a bridge, even so the pranic energy has to be crossed over by bridge of third eye (setu)–an esoteric technique of centering your attention at the third eye or bhrūkṣepa setuna. Then that pranic energy is transformed into cit-shakti, and the Consciousness will rise higher (sarva-urdhve) into the state of Shiva.
- Swamiji's definition of Nirvikalpa. "Nirvikalpa means being without any changes. Vikalpa means oscillation, diversion, dilution, differentiation. Nirvikalpa means without any of this. ‘Nirvikalpa Samadhi’ means your whole being, your whole identity dissolves into Cosmic Existence.
- The breath is not to be stopped here by any holding. Breathing is normal here. By the process of one-pointed attention at center of eyebrows (like penetrating into third-eye), the breath will be held automatically (As per Lakshman Joo).
- Thus, the bridge of third-eye becomes the all-supreme upward state of Shiva.
| tayā | āpūryāsu (āpūrya+asu) | Mūrdhāntam (mūrdhā+antam) | bhanktvā | bhrūkṣepa | setunā |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| With the essence of life-breath (prana) as continued from last verse | By the filling of vital life-breath (asu) | Mūrdha – crown of head Antam – top or end to the top of head Or till the crown of head | (from root word – bhanja') means: to break | (Bhrū-kṣepa) | Of the bridge |
| By breaking | Of the mound | ||||
| By penetrating (as per context of third-eye) |
| nirvikalpam | manaḥ | kṛitvā | sarva-urdhve | sarvagodgamaḥ (sarvaga-udgamah) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The state of no changes | mind | do | All-upwards | Sarvaga- All-pervadingness shines (here shines means the vision) | |
| The state of | let | All- | All pervading |
| no-mind, where there is no oscillation, movement, dilusion (of mind) | | | supreme rising (state of Shiva) | becomes visible | | | State beyond the movement of thoughts | | | | All-parvading shines forth or comes forth or showers forth | |
Other Translations
By Paul Reps
Attention between the eyebrows, let mind be before thought. Let form fill with breath-essence to the top of the head, and there shower as light. (dharana 8)
By Swami Lakshma Joo
31. Tayā (subtlest state of breath, khecari), by that energy of prāna, breath, you must fill your body up to the brahmarandhra. And then, after having suspended the prana shakti, after having suspended the moving of breath by bhrūkṣepa setūna...
[in this practice] you have to concentrate on the center of the eye-brows—that is there, a mound or a bank. Bhrūksepa means bhrū bhedena, just to put one-pointedness between the two eyebrows. ... when you put that one-pointedness between the two eyebrows, while you are moving your breath inside and outside-then what happens?—by putting your one-pointedness between the 2 eyebrows, mūrdhantam āpūrya, you fill your body up to the brahmanandhra with this breath, and bhanktvā, after doing that. The movement of prana shakti is suspended for the time being, after which your mind becomes absolutely un-minded, nirvikalpam manah kritvā. Then, sarva urdhve, in that supreme state of Lord Shiva, sarvogodgamah (all-pervadingness shines) he becomes all-pervading in that supreme state.
This is the way of ānavopya because you have to practice with breath.
By Jaideva Singh
31. Having filled the mūrdhānta with the same prāṇic energy quickly and having crossed it with the help of the bridge-like contraction of the eye-brows, one should free one's mind of all dichotomizing thought-constructs. His Consciousness will then rise higher than dvādaśānta and then there will appear the sense of omnipresence.
Notes:
1. Murdhānta here means dvādaśānta i.e. brahmarandhra, space covered by 12 fingers from the middle of the eye-brows.
2. Just as a river is crossed by means of a bridge, even so the pranic energy has to be crossed over by an esoteric technique of bhrūkṣepa. Then that pranic energy will be converted into cit-shakti, and the aspirant's Consciousness will rise higher than that of the Brahmarandhra and he will have a feeling of omnipresence. This is śāktopāya. (Jaideva Singh)
(https://www.scribd.com/doc/187764467/Vijnana-Bhairava-or-Divine-Consciousness-Jaideva-Singh)
Verses to be looked up
Vignana Bhairava Tantra - starting with "Look through the Third eye.."
Shiva Sutras - look into the eyes of a person whose Third Eye is awakened, your Third Eye will be awakened. Or search Spanda Karika.