Dhyana-Bindu
Upanishad
Om ! May He protect us
both together; may He nourish us both together;
May we work conjointly with great energy,
May our study be vigorous and effective;
May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any).
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
1. Even if sin should accumulate to a mountain extending over many
Yojanas (distance), it is destroyed by Dhyana-Yoga. At no time has been
found a destroyer of sins like this.
2. Bijakshara (seed-letter) is the supreme Bindu. Nada (spiritual sound)
is above it. When that Nada ceases along with letter, then the Nada-less
is supreme state.
3. The Yogin who considers as the highest that which is above Nada,
which is Anahata, has all his doubts destroyed.
4. If the point of a hair be divided into one hundred thousand parts,
this (Nada) is one-half of that still further divided; and when (even)
this is absorbed, the Yogin attains to the stainless Brahman.
5-6. One who is of a firm mind and without the delusion (of sensual
pleasures) and ever resting in Brahman, should see like the string (in a
rosary of beads) all creatures (as existing) in Atman like odour in
flowers, ghee in milk, oil in gingelly seeds and gold in quartz.
7. Again just as the oil depends for its manifestation upon gingelly
seeds and odour upon flowers, so does the Purusha depend for its
existence upon the body, both external and internal.
8. The tree is with parts and its shadow is without parts but with and
without parts, Atman exists everywhere.
9(a). The one Akshara (letter OM) should be contemplated upon as Brahman
by all who aspire for emancipation.
9(b)-10(a). Prithvi, Agni, Rig-Veda, Bhuh and Brahma -- all these (are
absorbed) when Akara (A), the first Amsa (part) of Pranava (OM) becomes
absorbed.
10(b)-11(a). Antariksha, Yajur-Veda, Vayu, Bhuvah and Vishnu, the
Janardana – all these (are absorbed) when Ukara (U), the second Amsa of
Pranava becomes absorbed.
11(b)-12(a). Dyur, sun, Sama-Veda, Suvah and Maheshvara – all these (are
absorbed) when Makara (M), the third Amsa of Pranava becomes absorbed.
12(b)-13(a). Akara is of (Pita) yellow colour and is said to be of
Rajo-Guna; Ukara is of white colour and of Sattva-Guna; Makara is of
dark colour and of Tamo-Guna.
13(b)-14(a). He who does not know Omkara as having eight Angas (parts),
four Padas (feet), three Sthanas (seats) and five Devatas (presiding
deities) is not a Brahmana.
14(b)-15. Pranava is the bow. Atman is the arrow and Brahman is said to
be the aim. One should aim at it with great care and then he, like the
arrow, becomes one with It. When that Highest is cognised, all Karmas
return (from him, viz., do not affect him).
16. The Vedas have Omkara as their cause. The Swaras (sounds) have
Omkara as their cause. The three worlds with (all) the locomotive and
the fixed (ones in them) have Omkara as their cause.
17. The short (accent of OM) burns all sins, the long one is decayless
and the bestower of prosperity. United with Ardha-Matra (half-metre of
OM), the Pranava becomes the bestower of salvation.
18. That man is the knower of the Vedas who knows that the end (viz.,
Ardha-Matra) of Pranava should be worshipped (or recited) as
uninterrupted as the flow of oil and (resounding) as long as the sound
of a bell.
19. One should contemplate upon Omkara as Ishvara resembling an unshaken
light, as of the size of a thumb and as motionless in the middle of the
pericarp of the lotus of the heart.
20. Taking in Vayu through the left nostril and filling the stomach with
it, one should contemplate upon Omkara as being in the middle of the
body and as surrounded by circling flames.
21. Brahma is said to be inspiration, Vishnu is said to be cessation (of
breath) and Rudra is said to be expiration. These are the Devatas of
Pranayama.
22. Having made Atman as the (lower) Arani (sacrificial wood) and
Pranava as the upper Arani, one should see the God in secret through the
practice of churning which is Dhyana.
23. One should practise restraint of breath as much as it lies in his
power along with (the uttering of) Omkara sound, until it ceases
completely.
24. Those who look upon OM as of the form of Hamsa staying in all,
shining like Crores of suns, being alone, staying in Gamagama (ever
going and coming) and being devoid of motion – at last such persons are
freed from sin.
25. That Manas which is the author of the actions (viz.,) creation,
preservation and destruction of the three worlds, is (then) absorbed (in
the supreme One). That is the highest state of Vishnu.
26. The lotus of the heart has eight petals and thirty-two filaments.
The sun is in its midst; the moon is in the middle of the sun.
27. Agni is in the middle of the moon; the Prabha (spiritual light) is
in the middle of Agni. Pitha (seat or centre) is in the midst of Prabha,
being set in diverse gems.
28-29. One should meditate upon the stainless Lord Vasudeva as being
(seated) upon the centre of Pitha, as having Srivatsa (black mark) and
Kaustubha (garland of gems) on his chest and as adorned with gems and
pearls resembling pure crystal in lustre and as resembling Crores of
moons in brightness. He should meditate upon Maha-Vishnu as above or in
the following manner.
30-31. (That is) he should meditate with inspiration (of breath) upon
Maha-Vishnu as resembling the Atasi flower and as staying in the seat of
navel with four hands; then with restraint of breath, he should meditate
in the heart upon Brahma, the Grandfather as being on the lotus with the
Gaura (pale-red) colour of gems and having four faces;
32-34(a). Then through expiration, he should meditate upon the
three-eyed Shiva between the two eyebrows shining like the pure crystal,
being stainless, destroying all sins, being in that which is like the
lotus facing down with its flower (or face) below and the stalk above or
like the flower of a plantain tree, being of the form of all Vedas,
containing one hundred petals and one hundred leaves and having the
pericarp full-expanded.
34(b)-35. There he should meditate upon the sun, the moon and the Agni,
one above another. Passing above through the lotus which has the
brightness of the sun, moon and Agni and taking its Hrim Bija (letter),
one leads his Atman firmly.
36. He is the knower of Vedas who knows the three seats, the three
Matras, the three Brahmas, the three Aksharas (letters) and the three
Matras associated with the Ardha-Matra.
37. He who knows that which is above Bindu, Nada and Kala as
uninterrupted as the flow of oil and (resounding) as long as the sound
of a bell – that man is a knower of the Vedas.
38. Just as a man would draw up (with his mouth) the water through the
(pores of the) lotus-stalk, so the Yogin treading the path of Yoga
should draw up the breath.
39. Having made the lotus-sheath of the form of Ardha-Matra, one should
draw up the breath through the stalk (of the Nadis Susumna, Ida and
Pingala) and absorb it in the middle of the eyebrows.
40. He should know that the middle of the eyebrows in the forehead which
is also the root of the nose is the seat of nectar. That is the great
place of Brahman.
41. Postures, restraint of breath, subjugation of the senses, Dharana,
Dhyana and Samadhi are the six parts of Yoga.
42. There are as many postures as there are living creatures; and
Maheshvara (the great Lord) knows their distinguishing features.
43. Siddha, Bhadra, Simha and Padma are the four (chief) postures.
Muladhara is the first Chakra. Svadhisthana is the second.
44. Between these two is said to be the seat of Yoni (perineum), having
the form of Kama (God of love). In the Adhara of the anus, there is the
lotus of four petals.
45-46. In its midst is said to be the Yoni called Kama and worshipped by
the Siddhas. In the midst of the Yoni is the Linga facing the west and
split at its head like the gem. He who knows this, is a knower of the
Vedas.
47. A four-sided figure is situated above Agni and below the genital
organ, of the form of molten gold and shining like streaks of lightning.
Prana is with its Sva (own) sound, having Svadhisthana as its Adhisthana
(seat), (or since Sva or Prana arises from it).
48. The Chakra Svadhisthana is spoken of as the genital organ itself.
The Chakra in the sphere of the navel is called Manipuraka, since the
body is pierced through by Vayu like Manis (gems) by string.
49-50(a). The Jiva (ego) urged to actions by its past virtuous and
sinful Karmas whirls about in this great Chakra of twelve spokes, so
long as it does not grasp the truth.
50(b). Above the genital organ and below the navel is Kanda of the shape
of a bird’s egg.
51. There arise (from it) Nadis seventy-two thousand in number. Of these
seventy-two are generally known.
52-53. Of these, the chief ones are ten and carry the Pranas. Ida,
Pingala, Susumna, Gandhari, Hastijihva, Pusha, Yasasvini, Alambusa,
Kuhuh and Sankhini are said to be the ten.
54-55(a). This Chakra of the Nadis should ever be known by the Yogins.
The three Nadis Ida, Pingala and Susumna are said to carry Prana always
and have as their Devatas, moon, sun and Agni.
55(b)-56(a). Ida is on the left side and Pingala on the right side,
while the Susumna is in the middle. These three are known to be the
paths of Prana.
56(b)-57. Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana and Vyana; Naga, Kurma, Krikara,
Devadatta and Dhananjaya; of these, the first five are called Pranas,
etc., and last five Naga, etc., are called Vayus (or sub-Pranas).
58. All these are situated (or run along) the one thousand Nadis,
(being) in the form of (or producing) life. Jiva which is under the
influence of Prana and Apana goes up and down.
59-60(a). Jiva on account of its ever moving by the left and right paths
is not visible. Just as a ball struck down (on the earth) with the bat
of the hand springs up, so Jiva ever tossed by Prana and Apana is never
at rest.
60(b)-61(a). He is knower of Yoga who knows that Prana always draws
itself from Apana and Apana draws itself from Prana, like a bird
(drawing itself from and yet not freeing itself) from the string (to
which it is tied).
61(b)-63. The Jiva comes out with the letter ‘Ha’ and gets in again with
the letter ‘Sa’. Thus Jiva always utters the Mantra ‘Hamsa’, ‘Hamsa’.
The Jiva always utters the Mantra twenty-one thousand and six hundred
times in one day and night. This is called Ajapa Gayatri and is ever the
bestower of Nirvana to the Yogins.
64-66(a). Through its very thought, man is freed from sins. Neither in
the past nor in the future is there a science equal to this, a Japa
equal to this or a meritorious action equal to this. Parameshvari (viz.,
Kundalini Sakti) sleeps shutting with her mouth that door which leads to
the decayless Brahma-hole.
66(b)-68. Being aroused by the contact of Agni with Manas and Prana, she
takes the form of a needle and pierces up through Susumna. The Yogin
should open with great effort this door which is shut. Then he will
pierce the door to salvation by means of Kundalini.
69. Folding firmly the fingers of the hands, assuming firmly the Padma
posture, placing the chin firmly on the breast and fixing the mind in
Dhyana, one should frequently raise up the Apana, fill up with air and
then leave the Prana. Then the wise man gets matchless wisdom through
(this) Sakti.
70. That Yogin who assuming Padma posture worships (i.e., controls) Vayu
at the door of the Nadis and then performs restraint of breath is
released without doubt.
71-72. Rubbing off the limbs the sweat arising from fatigue, abandoning
all acid, bitter and saltish (food), taking delight in the drinking of
milk and Rasa, practising celibacy, being moderate in eating and ever
bent on Yoga, the Yogin becomes a Siddha in little more than a year. No
inquiry need be made concerning the result.
73. Kundalini Sakti, when it is up in the throat, makes the Yogi get
Siddhi. The union of Prana and Apana has the extinction of urine and
faeces.
74-75(a). One becomes young even when old through performing Mula-Bandha
always. Pressing the Yoni by means of the heels and contracting the anus
and drawing up the Apana – this is called Mula-Bandha.
75(b)-76. Uddiyana Bandha is so called because it is (like) a great bird
that flies up always without rest. One should bring the western part of
the stomach above the navel.
77. This Uddiyana Bandha is a lion to the elephant of death, since it
binds the water (or nectar) of the Akasa which arises in the head and
flows down.
78-79(a). The Jalandhara Bandha is the destroyer of all the pains of the
throat. When this Jalandhara Bandha which is destroyer of the pains of
the throat is performed, then nectar does not fall on Agni nor does the
Vayu move.
79(b)-80(a). When the tongue enters backwards into the hole of the
skull, then there is the Mudra of vision latent in the eyebrow called
Khechari.
80(b)-81(a). He who knows the Mudra Khechari has not disease, death,
sleep, hunger, thirst, or swoon.
81(b)-83(a). He who practises this Mudra is not affected by illness or
Karma; nor is he bound by the limitations of time. Since Chitta moves in
the Kha (Akasa) and since the tongue has entered (in the Mudra) Kha
(viz., the hole in the mouth). Therefore the Mudra is called Khechari
and worshipped by the Siddhas.
83(b)-84. He whose hole (or passage) above the Uvula is closed (with the
tongue backwards) by means of Khechari-Mudra 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.
85-86(a). Bindu does not go out of the body, so long as the
Khechari-Mudra is practised. (Even) when Bindu comes down to the sphere
of the perineum, it goes up, being prevented and forced up by violent
effort through Yoni-Mudra.
86(b)-87. This Bindu is twofold, white and red. The white one is called
Sukla and the red one is said to contain much Rajas. The Rajas which
stays in Yoni is like the colour of a coral.
88. The Bindu stays in the seat of the genital organs. The union of
these two is very rare. Bindu is Shiva and Rajas is Sakti. Bindu is the
moon and Rajas is the sun.
89-90(a). Through the union of these two is attained the highest body;
when Rajas is roused up by agitating the Sakti through Vayu which unites
with the sun, thence is produced the divine form.
90(b)-92. Sukla 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
cleansing of the accumulated refuse, the unification of the sun and the
moon and the complete drying of the Rasas (essences), this is called
Maha-Mudra.
93. Placing the chin on the breast, pressing the anus 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 Maha-Mudra, the destroyer of the sins of men.
94. Now I shall give a description of Atman. In the seat of the heart is
a lotus of eight petals. In its centre is Jivatma of the form of Jyotis
and atomic in size, moving in a circular line. In it is located
everything. In knows everything. It does everything. It does all these
actions attributing everything to its own power, (thinking) I do, I
enjoy, I am happy, I am miserable, I am blind, I am lame, I am deaf, I
am mute, I am lean, I am stout, etc. When it rests on the eastern petal
which is of Sveta (white) colour, then it has a mind (or is inclined) to
Dharma with Bhakti (devotion). When it rests on the south-eastern petal,
which is of Rakta (blood colour), then it is inclined to sleep and
laziness. When it rests on the southern petal, which is of Krishna
(black) colour, then it is inclined to hate and anger. When it rests on
the south-western petal which is of Nila (blue) colour, then it gets
desire for sinful or harmful actions. When it rests on the western petal
which is of crystal colour, then it is inclined to flirt and amuse. When
it rests on the north-western petal which is of ruby colour, then it has
a mind to walk, rove and have Vairagya (or be indifferent). When it
rests on the northern petal which is Pita (yellow) colour, then it is
inclined to be happy and to be loving. When it rests on the
north-eastern petal which is of Vaidurya (Lapis Lazuli) colour, then it
is inclined to amassing money, charity and passion. When it stays in the
inter-space between any two petals, then it gets the wrath arising from
diseases generated through (the disturbance of the equilibrium of) Vayu,
bile and phlegm (in the body). When it stays in the middle, then it
knows everything, sings, dances, speaks and is blissful. When the eye is
pained (after a day’s work), then in order to remove (its) pain, it
makes first a circular line and sinks in the middle. The first line is
of the colour of Bandhuka flower (Bassia). Then is the state of sleep.
In the middle of the state of sleep is the state of dream. In the middle
of the state of dream, it experiences the ideas of perception, Vedas,
inference, possibility, (sacred) words, etc. Then there arises much
fatigue. In order to remove this fatigue, it circles the second line and
sinks in the middle. The second is of the colour of (the insect)
Indragopa (of red or white colour). Then comes the state of dreamless
sleep.
During the dreamless sleep, it has only the thought connected with
Parameshvara (the highest Lord) alone. This state is of the nature of
eternal wisdom. Afterwards it attains the nature of the highest Lord (Parameshvara).
Then it makes a round of the third circle and sinks in the middle. The
third circle is of the colour of Padmaraga (ruby). Then comes the state
of Turya (the fourth). In Turya, there is only the connection of
Paramatman. It attains the nature of eternal wisdom. Then one should
gradually attain the quiescence of Buddhi with self-control. Placing the
Manas in Atman, one should think of nothing else. Then causing the union
of Prana and Apana, he concentrates his aim upon the whole universe
being of the nature of Atman. Then comes the state of Turiyatita (viz.,
that state beyond the fourth). Then everything appears as bliss. He is
beyond the pairs (of happiness and pains, etc.,). He stays here as long
as he should wear his body. Then he attains the nature of Paramatman and
attains emancipation through this means. This alone is the means of
knowing Atman.
When Vayu (breath) which enters the great hole associated with a hall
where four roads meet gets into the half of the well-placed triangle,
then is Achyuta (the indestructible) seen.
95. Above the aforesaid triangle, one should meditate on the five Bija
(seed) letters of (the elements) Prithvi, etc., as also on the five
Pranas, the colour of the Bijas and their position. The letter ‘Ya’ is
the Bija of Prana and resembles the blue cloud. The letter ‘Ra’ is the
Bija of Agni, is of Apana and resembles the sun.
96. The letter ‘La’ is the Bija of Prithvi, is of Vyana and resembles
Bandhuka flower. The letter ‘Va’ is the Bija of Jiva (or Vayu), is of
Udana and is of the colour of the conch.
97-99(a). The letter ‘Ha’ is the Bija of Akasa, is of Samana and is of
the colour of crystal. Prana stays in the heart, navel, nose, ear, foot,
finger and other places, travels through the seventy-two thousand Nadis,
stays in the twenty-eight Crores of hair-pores and is yet the same
everywhere. It is that which is called Jiva.
99(b)-101(a). One should perform the three, expiration, etc., with a
firm will and great control; and drawing in everything (with the breath)
in slow degrees, he should bind Prana and Apana in the cave of the lotus
of the heart and utter Pranava, having contracted his throat and the
genital organ.
101(b)-102. From the Muladhara (to the head) is the Susumna resembling
the shining thread of the lotus. The Nada is located in the Vinadanda
(spinal column); that sound from its middle resembles (that of) the
conch, etc.
103-104(a). When it goes to the hole of Akasa, it resembles that of the
peacock. In the middle of the cave of the skull between the four doors
shines Atman, like the sun in the sky.
104(b)-105. Between the two bows in the Brahma-hole, one should see
Purusha with Sakti as his own Atman. Then his Manas is absorbed there.
That man attains Kaivalya who understands the gems, moonlight, Nada,
Bindu and the seat of Maheshvara (the great Lord).
Thus is the Upanishad.
Om ! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together;
May we work conjointly with great energy,
May our study be vigorous and effective;
May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any).
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
Here ends the Dhyanabindu Upanishad belonging to the
Krishna-Yajur-Veda.
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