Unmani highest samadhi of yoga tantra

What is the Highest Transcendental State?

Man looks upward with hope and seeks solution to the countless problems that hinder his progress in life. Who is up there to help him? Is there an all-powerful being, is there really a God? Well, there is none in sight, who is absolutely powerful! There are so many established religious orders, so many mannerisms and rituals all over this curious world. Who can answer man's quest, quench his thirst forever?

There are powerful yogic entities for real in their own domains. They may be summoned and benefits reaped, but the results are limited by time and conditions. Sacrilege! Blasphemous utterance! A daring statement in denial of God Almighty! Well, there is God, but not in agreement to most doctrines. Doctrines are aimed at Loka-sangraha, organization, governance and leading a large number of adherents. Truth, on the other hand is above such things. Truth has nothing to do with recruitment. Truth is absolute freedom.

Where there is God, there is his devotee, there is bound to be Duality. Where there is duality, how can there be One absolute reality? What is the state, that fuses God and Devotee into one?

There is such an Ultimate state of existence, without which there is nothing. We accept and dismiss so many things in this world of multitude and variety. When we dismiss everything visible and invisible, ... when we get rid of all different possibilities of existence, ...all forms of matter or, energy contained in this universe, or, other universes ... all thoughts passing through all minds, past present and future, ... there is some unseen substratum supporting everything known and unknown. This is the underlying, fundamental Reality and it pervades all forms of matter and energy, however subtle. This absolute truth always remains. That is the only thing that matters... in this universe, or, beyond it. It is not some separate 'Thing', yet it is. Let us call it by the name of Unmani, for reference's sake. It cannot be named, or, pointed at as such.

There are innumerable things beyond the grasp of our sense organs; many things cannot be detected by precise instruments, which are like extensions of our senses. All Objects are like clusters of matter and energy, marked with a beginning and an end. They need space to exist. What is beyond space?

Things are contained within the boundaries of time. Everything began at one point and continued to exist up-to some point of reference, this is Time. Time marks the continuity of things. But where there is no change, no beginning or, end, time is meaningless. That Absolute stillness, that Eternity which is the essence of consciousness, mother of Time and Space, is the Truth. The meaning we try to tag upon the word 'Truth', is void under the premise of Unmani. It is, had always been, and will be... like before us and afterwards, when our petty purposes will vanish like grains of camphor.

Unmani is the root of existence itself. But how did that stillness give birth to the variety of this known universe? The state of Unmani is not inert, but conscious of itself. It is the only source of Truth, Love and Bliss. When obstructions between our mind and Unmani are removed, we perceive it as flashes of bliss. When we fall asleep, and dreams stop distracting our inner mind, we can feel the Unmani as peace and solace. The energy thus gained, allows us to function in the waking state, which is an array of multiplicity and divided attention. Unmani, mentioned mostly in yoga-tantras is a higher state than Nirvikalpa samadhi of Vedanta. Nirvikalpa is attained by analysis and vigorous vichara leading to laya of the mind in Turiya Brahman. That would be like vritti-nirodha due to vichara, hence rising from Sa-vichara samadhi to Nir-vichara samadhi and Jivatman fusing into Paramatman at the top of the brain called Sahasrara, the thousand petaled lotus. Unmani is beyond Sahasrara lotus and above the scope of the bodily nine chakras, it is outside the body.

The existence of Mind or, 'Mana' ceases to be, before it can fully comprehend the ultimate state. Hence the highest state up to which we retain our mind is called Samana (with mind), and beyond it is Unmana (Above-mind, or, supra mind state), also called as Unmani, which is the very Nature of free consciousness. What causes the first vibration of existence from the stillness of the absolute? The Nirguna Brahman willed, and the world came to be. Why would the stillness vibrate with this will? Why would it spring from inaction to action? Vedanta and the Upanishads are silent about this. Gorakhnath answers this riddle.

What causes the primal vibration in the Mahashunya (Void) to give birth to the Mind? What causes the waves in the Mind to begin creation? The first wave that set things in motion, reverberates through all time as Om. Gorakhnath, the first know-er of Unmani reveals the secret that Unmani is not static, but Dynamic, in a state of flux. It's like a mitral valve in the heart of everything, vibrating (spandanam), giving rise to the eternal waves of Truth and Bliss.

Born from Unmana is Samana, the purest state of mind. It is here that one may perceive God and interact with Him. He is the cluster of the purest emotions of the clear mind. But he who gets to know Unmani, cannot retain a separate existence. He is nothing but an embodiment of Unmani itself. Gorakhnath is said to reside in Mahashunya, in his eternal samadhi, all persona immersed in Unmani. But the dynamic nature of Unmani awakens him from time to time to appear in this variegated world below, as the emissary of Unmana.

He appears only to them who are thirsty for the highest truth. Those who ask for lower truths and crave minute flakes of power and worldly benefits, get what they desire. But such poor devotees cannot see the embodiment of truth and pure bliss, who is Gorakhnath. Truth, knowledge, bliss and love... emanate from Unmani.

Only a few have ever been able to say anything about such a state. Gorakhnath, Dattatreya and Gyaneshwar (Sant Dnyaneshwar, the author of Dnyaneshwari-Gita)... the list is that much. The rest is recapitulation and permutation of their words in Tantra, Yoga and Spanda Shastras.

Alakh Niranjan, Adesh, Jai Guru

~Amitabha Chatterjee, blessed by Sri Dayalbaba and Sri Lalbaba.

Khechari Mudra from Hatha-yoga Pradipika

The principle of Khechari was adopted by the Yogis from snakes going in hibernation for long periods of time. They improved upon it and came up with Khechari mudra. Such is my personal belief. Khechari means Kha=sky, Charam=to travel. It doesn't imply that the yogi will rise up from his seat and begin to fly with this Mudra. It means that the Tongue reaches up towards the sky. Yogiraj Gorakhnath has described about an inverted well and a Cave of Buzzing black bees. I think he was talking about the tongue rising up through the secret passage towards the third eye; finally the yogi's consciousness reaches a center where the Para Naad OM is constantly reverberating on its own; that's the Bhramar Guha (Cave of black bees).

A detailed description of the process of Khechari Mudra is given in Hatha Yoga Pradipika chapter 3. This magnificent book was written by Swami Svatmarama, under the direction of his Guru, Yogiraj Gorakhnath. Svatmarama mentions his lineage as, Adinath Shiva to Matsyendra Nath to Goraksha Nath to himself.

Hathayoga Pradipika, 3rd Chapter:

Verse 32: Kechari Mudra is done by inserting the tongue into the hole in the soft palate at the roof of the mouth, by turning it backward.

33. In order to be successful, the tongue must lengthened into a Lambika (such as the long tongue of Goddess Kali). Sometimes cutting the frenulum (the mucus membrane that holds back the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth) is necessary. Else, pull or move your tongue around constantly. When it gets long enough, to reach the point between the eyebrows, then Kechari becomes possible.

36. The frenulum is cut 1/2 millimeter each day and the wound is sealed. In 6 months, the tongue becomes free & quite long. (Note: Dont eat food or drink that are too hot like chilli or too sour. This will make the tongue thicker and interfere with Khechari.)

38. A Yogi adept in Khechari, who turns his tongue upward in his seat (usually Siddhasana), is impervious to poisons, disease, ageing and death.

39. He overcomes disease, death, sleep, laziness, hunger, thirst, and fainting.

43. NECTAR: If a Yogi can drink the Juice of Soma (Moon) by meditating in Khechari mudra, surely he subdues Death within 15 days!

44. The Khechari expert cannot be killed even if bitten by the most poisonous snake; because his body is imbued with nectar.

45. Death cannot enter a body which is full of Nectar secreted from Soma (The triangular Moon mandala inside Sahasrara, the 1000 petalled Lotus)

48. The Juice of Immortality is secreted by the moon.

49. Taste the nectar with the tip of the tongue. The Ambrosia may be salty, bitter, sour, milky, or, like ghee(clarified butter) or, honey. Be free from disease, old age, be thou immortal and pull astral beings by the magnetic force.

50. The nectar falls from the Moon in the brain to the 8 petalled lotus near the heart. He who catches it by balancing Prana and doing Khechari and meditates on the source of all Power (Kundalini or Mahashakti or Almighty or whatever you call it!) becomes free from all physical ailments and lives a very long life.

Note: If you try it unguided (without the help of an experienced yogi) and block the internal nares and stop the oxygen flow, you may be unconscious or even suffer terminal damage. Please be patient, this is not a magic pill, it may take years to accomplish. A surgeon might assist you in getting the frenulum of tongue cut. But even then you must practice everyday by turning the tongue back, pushing the top palate, etc. 

I didn't cut my frenulum gradually for six months! Rather, I got it cut in one day, by a surgeon. The post operative exercise made it possible to grow longer. I had pain from the wound, that lasted 3 weeks.

Here the Juice from the forehead that the yogi drinks is referred to as Soma Rasa, which literally means, Lunar Juice. The source of this nectar is the triangular seat of the Moon in the forehead Chakra. Also note that the Rishis of yore used to offer Soma Rasa to the gods in their yajnas (fire-rituals), as mentioned in the Vedas. What was an external ritual for the Vedic sages, has been turned into an internal reality by yogis like Gorakhnath.

Yogi Gorakhnath said that yoga without knowledge and knowledge without yoga are both useless... like a bird with a single wing. It cannot fly like that. So, you must combine spiritual wisdom, meditation on one higher power with your physical yoga in order to make it a success. Otherwise, you will only gain a blackout state like a long deep sleep out of Khechari. Yoga, after all, is not just a gymnastic exercise, its practical spirituality.
Good luck.

~ written by:
Amitabha Chatterjee 

You can also see this article in my other site here.

The Mysterious Sadhu

Sri-

======== Ramswaroop Brahmachari ========

of Malgalbasa, Gangotri

On 26/6/2012, I reached Haridwar a little before dawn. I took a few dips in the Holy Ganga river near Har-ki-Pauri ghat, it was very cold but refreshing. It took away my fatigue from the train journey.

Haridwar Har-ki-Pauri Ghat, July 2012

Next I boarded on a bus going to Gangotri. This bus stopped on two places (Guptakashi & Chamba) for refreshments and answering natural calls. Thats where I met Mr. Santosh, a guide  for high altitude trekking. He joined us on the bus from Guptakashi

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Santosh told me about his expeditions, experiences and the rescue missions he has taken part in. I asked him, how much it would cost, for a group of 7 people, to go on a high altitude trekking journey, from Gangotri to Badrinath. He said they must also include 3-4 porters, to carry the luggage & supplies, tents, food, etc.; himself, as the guide, and a Cook who will go ahead on the camping spots, cook dishes and serve hot food when the party reaches there. Each of them have their own wage rates, like, Guide = 1000-1200/day, Porter 500/day, Cook 500-700/day (they can cook anything you can think of, even rasgullas!). One must rent the tents and pay for the food of ---> the tourists + the crew (porter, cook, guide). 

Ganga, downward journey

A journey like this will last 12-14 days upto Badrinath, via Mana, through the icy regions of the Himalayas. They will pass through hail & snowfall, avalanche, ravines and rocks, forests and icy lakes. This kind of a trek will cost Rs. 1 lakh (100,000/=). Whew! I said, Okay, I will contact you, when I have that kind of money to spend, and such a group of brave young men. Actually, the cost is not high, if you consider the conditions of the terrain, the risks involved and the number of people in it. Santosh gave me his contact number. It's 07895863756.

I asked him if he knew any mahatma, or, genuine Sadhu-Baba in the region spanning from Gangotri to Tapovan. after thinking deeply, he replied that nowadays, it is very hard to come across highly realized sadhus (uccha koti ke mahatma); but in his opinion, the mahatma at mangalbasa is quite good. he remains immersed in his sadhana and is not interested in matters of the outer world, or, publicity. This baba is without greed. I thanked Santosh for his pointers on local sadhus and our discussions turned to other subjects.

As soon we reached Gangotri at 7:30 pm, in the evening, I remembered the advice from Santosh and hurried to the Permit Office near the bus stand. Only a small part of the office was still open and I was the last customer. They asked for my identity card (PAN, Voter ID, Passport), which I was luckily carrying. They made me fill up a form and issued a white paper with my details on it.

The next morning, I started my journey at 6:30 am. I purchased a strong stick (5.5 ft) for 40 rupees. This stick was my trusty companion, all over the mountainous terrain. It didn't have the iron cone fitted under it. This iron usually falls off after some time. I found numerous flattened iron pieces all over the path, up-to Gaumukh.

Also, I never carelessly dropped plastic carry-bags/ biscuit wraps on the Gangotri national park. I carried them with me and disposed of them in waste-bins, placed on the roadside. But sadly I witnessed many stupid people polluting the Ganges with plastic wastes. Much awareness is necessary for these people to wake up!

As I passed the check-post near Phalahari Baba's Ashram, the guards stopped me. I had to produce the white permit and pay a sum of 150/= rupees (600 for foreigners). The officer kept the white paper and issued a red counterpart for me. They also provided me with drinking water. On 2003, when I visited Gaumukh, it was for free; I didn't require any permit. I guess they need the money to maintain the afforestation programs, keep the place clean, constantly repair the road for the pilgrims in spite of the frequent landslides.

  A few miles after the check-post leads to Mangalbasa, a which used to be a Choti, or, Parhao, or, resting place for tired pilgrims in the olden days. Now, it's abandoned as a Choti, nobody stops there. Luckily enough, I found a few local people sitting there. I asked them, whether there is a Mahatma / Baba living around here. They gave me directions to get off the road and descend along the forested slope towards the Ganges river flowing a few hundred feet below.

I followed their instructions and soon came upon a cave/ dwelling made from boulders and huge rocks. A blanket served as a door at the entrance. I called out several times to draw the attention of the mahatma inside, like, "Vam Bhole, Jai Shiv Shankar, Hari Om, Jai Guru!" But nobody answered back. After trying many times, I went back up towards the road to Bhojbasa. I met the mountain people and told them what I saw. I didn't want to enter the cave without the Baba's permission, for that would be a rude intrusion.

While I was away, a sadhu has joined the group. He had a red shirt on; carried a stick and a steel water-pot. His head was shaved. He volunteered to take me to the Baba below, as he was impressed by 'my eagerness to meet the Mahatma'. I came to learn from him, that the name of the sadhu in question is, Ramswarup Baba. He was staying in Mangalbasa for 2 years now. On the way, this guide-baba picked some herbs and allowed me to smell them. He said, "These medicinal herbs make good tea and keep the body warm in this cold climate." Later on, while in Gaumukh, I managed to remain alive and fight against cold and hunger by ingesting these herbs along with Ganges water.

Anyway, this guide-sadhu entered the cave and told me to come in. I noticed that there was an inner chamber with door. He pushed the door open and told the Baba, that "A nice guy has come to see you." And then I was invited inside. Once inside, I could hear no outside noise any longer. It was sort of sound-proof! Also, it was quite dark in there. Ramswarup-ji was wearing grey wooly-cotton sweat-shirt and pajamas. His hair was very short and it seemed like he shaved every few days. Its the same about his beard.

Inside the cave

The Sadhu-Baba didn't waste any time in meaningless small-talk. He started talking about in-depth spirituality right away. He was not offended when I contradicted with him over several opinions. He is very soft spoken and kind. He wanted to offer me milk-tea, which I politely denied and finally settled for some black herbal tea and biscuits. This was first offered to the image of Lord Vishnu & Laxmi and then served. I took a picture with his permission.

When I showed him the image of my Guru, he respectfully called my master a "Mahapurush", (a very advanced soul) and touched it with his head in prostration. All his behavior exuded some mark of spiritual ascent and lack of vanity. I have seen many sadhus in my life. Usually they don't touch strangers. This Baba offered me a seat on his own Asan (Prayer mat), which I denied, of course, and took my rightful pace on the floor (on a blanket).

I was quite impressed by this quiet and calm Sadhu. I offered him some money, but he politely refused to accept it again and again. Ultimately I left it in front of him and tried my best to persuade him. "You can feed devotees and guests with the money, for food is so scarce in this place!"

While departing, I expressed my desire to visit him on my return journey. He told me that he will be in Gaumukh on the lunar day of Ekadasi. He came out with me up-to the entrance of his cave dwelling. I requested to take his photo on my mobile in the clear daylight.

In front of his cave dwelling

On the day of my return from Bhojbasa to Gangotri, as I arrived at Mangalbasa, I recalled my promise to Ramswarup Brahmachari Baba. I went down along the mountain side. I clearly remembered the path and found all the landmarks. But then, as I came over the place where the cave used to be, I found only a patch of forest! The Baba and his cave have disappeared! I came up to the road, looked around and tried again to no avail.

Forest Meditation on the shores of river Narmada

I went to Amarkantak, the source of river Narmada on February 2011, for some soul-searching. Numerous Yogis and Rishis of yore have meditated on it's banks and attained salvation. Even yoga adepts dating back only 60 to 100 years, have performed rigorous austerities there and reached a state of ultimate peace. So, this place is believed to be vibrating with spiritual energy. It is the proper abode of inner silence. Let me share a few moments of my journey with you.

Let there be peace of mind. There's nobody else but you, on the bosom of mother Nature.

Deep in the forest, the sounds are different.

ॐ शान्तिः O my inner soul, let everything overflow with peace! Om Shanti.

The river of Occult Knowledge. The liquid body of bliss! Har Narmade!

||  सत्यम् ज्ञानम् अनंतम् ब्रह्म ||