Path of Yoga Tantra

1. Without practice, there is no Tantra. There is a great deal of difference between giving poses for diving and actually diving into water. I am applying the same analogy to the world of Tantra. Reading and discussing about Tantra is good, but it is not Tantra. Tantra and Yoga are the only Practical Ways of Spirituality that involve action. So, they are called Anusthanik Dharma, Practical Religion. Vedanta is mostly self reflection and analysis. Bhakti yoga is also mostly mental-emotional.
2. Tantra is hands-on sadhana, 100% practical, and one can clearly feel the evolution taking place within. And one must push himself and keep pushing beyond unknown boundaries.
3. Tantra Yoga uses vivid visualization of Chakras (Muladhara to Sahasrara), channels (Susumna, Ida, Pingala nadi-s), Shakti (energy), Bija Mantra, Devata (deity), etc. That is a very scientific form of meditation. So in Tantra, progress is rapid.
4. Tantra requires a Guru, from whom this direct instructions must be received. One cannot do tantra sadhana on his own. The tantra related scriptures have been intentionally written in a complicated, multi-layer-ed manner to thwart casual onlookers and non-believers. So, if the adept master doesn't reveal the secrets of his path, one can easily stray.
5. The Nyaya, Vedanta etc. are descriptive analytical paths that explain and explain, which is like beating around the bush. Tantra and Yoga are direct methods of perception. It's like hitting the nail right between the eyes, spot-on.

Mysticism

My path is that of the Mystic... inquiring into my inner realm of existence, catching the subtler Nada that is reverberating in the inner recesses of my mind. I am again and again asking Mother nature to reveal her secrets, that she keeps hidden from the men of this world, concealed behind the curtain of death in the still of solitude and darkness.

Also, Mrityu chintan is a very important part of the spiritual life. Mrityu is death and chintan is thinking. That means, contemplating on death and the evanescent nature of everything in my life, including my current personality, name, form and my body. I carefully watch a dead-body, human or, animal, clean or, gruesome.... I never look away. Thats what this body is, a lump of flesh... lying helplessly, lifeless, cold and still... without my essence, my conscious-soul, vital energy (Prana) & my mind with indriyas.

I used to visit the burning ghats of Kolkata and watch young and old, male and female corpses lined up for their last rites. And I considered the inevitability of death, that catches up with everyone, be it a begger or, an emperor, or, a world famous person... nobody can escape a meeting with death! I am also approaching it in a jolly mood.

Mystery enshrouds everything in this universe. The lure of the unknown is very powerful. The only hurdle on the path is fear. Conquer fear and nature will lift her veil, she will yield some of her hidden treasures. The price to be paid for these nuggets of occult knowledge is courage and winning over one's own fears, that holds us back, paralyzes us.

The paths of Yoga and Tantra traverses through the valley of death and darkness. Those who cling to the comfort of ordinary life, those who bend before the promise of false safety and security of the urban life, cannot gain access to the world of mysticism. The mystic must sacrifice a part of his social life to look eye to eye at Nature. Nature is flowery and beautiful, she is magnificent, yes, but she is also terrible and fathomless.

Thus, in Gita, Vasudeva reveals to Arjuna his terrifying Mahakala like features, along with the heavenly ones. Powerful warrior, fearless Arjuna says:

Dangstra Karalani cha te mukhani, Dristaiva Kalanala sannibhani. 11/25

(The prolonged range of your teeth and those horrifying faces that look as if they would burn this whole world and devour it!)

Dristva hi tvaam pravyathhitantaratma, Dhritim na bindami shamang cha Vishno. 11/24 Gita.

(Your countless heads and glaring eyes have covered the whole sky; your mouths are open and ready to swallow everything. I am restless, my peace has evaporated on witnessing your fierce form.)

The Lord says: Kalohasmi lokaksayakrit pravriddho, Lokan samahartumiha pravritto. 11/32

(Right now, I am Mahakala, the destroyer, Time that puts an end to everything, I am about to devour all the worlds.)

"Adristapurvam Hrisitohasmi dristva, Bhayena cha pravyathitam mano me. ... Praseeda devesha Jagannivasa." 11/45

(Seeing your features, previously unknown to me, I am overwhelmed with bliss, yet my mind is shuddering with inconsolable fear. Please look at me with your peaceful & pleasant gaze.)

 

In the Tantrik meditation of Bhairava in Apaduddhara stotram, we find,

Neel jeemuta sankasham neelanjana samaprabham, Dangstra karalabadanam nupurangada sankulam. Atmavarna samopeta sarameya samanvitam.

(He is like a huge blue cloud, his body is dark in color, like the Kajal applied to the eyes. He has terrifying protruding teeth. Anklets and armlets are the ornaments that decorate his body. He is surrounded by dogs that echo his color and mood.)

Keshav Prasad the Hamsa Yogi

Everything is connected in life. Only we fail to notice the connection, until years later... ... when the situations have changed. He who searches one-pointedly, can discover the connections in nature. If we know what we are looking for, we will recognize when we see it.

 

I met Yogi Keshav Prasad by accident in a twist of fate in Badrikashram (Badrinath). I went to see him again and again for 2 years. The last visit was on 2004. He prophesied that we would lose touch soon and I said, I will come to meet him the next year. Alas, we never met again. He is a highly advanced yogi and gave me many valuable advices in the past. I went looking for him in 2012. But to my dismay, I discovered that he had left his hermitage on 2007 for an undisclosed location. He stayed at Satpalji's Hamsa Ashram in Badrinath for 7 months and in Premnagar, Haridwar from December to April. I am still looking for him. The loss of spiritual friends hurts more.

Kuladananda Brahmachari sadhu and yogi

Yogi Kuladananda Brahmachari
Sri Kuladananda Brahmachari was one of the principal disciples of Sri Bijoykrishna Goswami. He achieved siddhi in Brahmacharya and devotion to the Guru. He is said to have revived a dead man once, by the power of faith in his master. He is remembered one century after his death for his great work, Sri Sri Sadguru Sanga, his day to day spiritual experiences with his master, recorded in his diaries. His samadhi/ tomb is in Puri, just opposite to the tomb of his master.

Kuladananda Brahmachari Neelkantha Vesh

Here, Kuladananda-ji is shown in his usual Neelkantha Vesh (special attire, or, getup that resembles Shiva), as he ordered by his master. 108 Rudraksha beads are worn in a specific order, like x numbers in a garland, y numbers as ear-rings, z numbers in arm-lets, etc. Ash from his daily havan kunda was to be applied on the forehead, behind the neck, etc. Ash smearing was one of his daily rituals, as was hawan, yajna, nyasa parts of his sadhana. He had to remain celibate, physically and mentally. He also practiced Ajapa sadhana very seriously. He practiced pranayama, as taught by his Guruji Sri Bijoykrishna Goswami. Kuladananda Baba had the great fortune of meeting great sadhu, mahatma and sages like Sri Gambhirnath, the Mahasiddha Yogi of Gorakhpur, Baba Lokenath the godlike yogi of Baradi, Bangladesh, Mahatma Siddha Lengababa, Sri Ramdas Kathia Baba of Vrindavan, Baba Bholananda Giri (Bhola Giri) of Haridwar and many others and he received their blessings. These sages and his own Guru were like pillars of wisdom and spiritual power.

AJAPA ( a few words about his sadhana and ajapa breathing)
  Ajapa means to recite the mantra with breathing, instead of using a rosary. This method is more effective than mala, or, rosary. This japa continues even when one is not consciously repeating the holy name, or, even if one is asleep, or, dreaming. God's name gets bound with the breath and continues throughout one's life uninterruptedly. Obviously, Kuladananda Brahmachari had to put great effort and practice for many years.

Bijoykrishna Goswami

Sri Bijoykrishna Goswami, alias, Swami Achyutananda, attained siddhi in yoga and Prema-bhakti. He performed intense austerities by means of Ajapa sadhana and pranayama. He was the disciple of Sri Brahmananda Paramhamsa of Gyangunj, Tibet. Goswami-ji's main ashram is in Gendariya, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Debate over Indian National Anthem

The Indian National Anthem was never written in the praise of some British sovereign, as some wicked people try to imply. The poet who refused to accept Knighthood from the British crown, would not fall so low as to regard a King as the god of India. Even this idea is revolting. Rabindranath Tagore's letter(10 Nov 1937) should clarify the mist around India's National Anthem ( Jana Gana Mana ).

"A certain high official in His Majesty's service, who was also my friend, had requested that I write a song of felicitation towards the Emperor. The request simply amazed me. It caused a great stir in my heart. In response to that great mental turmoil, I pronounced the victory in Jana Gana Mana of that Bhagya Vidhata [ed. God of Destiny] of India who has from age after age held steadfast the reins of India's chariot through rise and fall, through the straight path and the curved. That Lord of Destiny, that Reader of the Collective Mind of India, that Perennial Guide, could never be George V, George VI, or any other George. Even my official friend understood this about the song. After all, even if his admiration for the crown was excessive, he was not lacking in simple common sense"

Again Rabindranath wrote on 19 March 1939:

"I should only insult myself if I cared to answer those who consider me capable of such unbounded stupidity as to sing in praise of George the Fourth or George the Fifth as the Eternal Charioteer leading the pilgrims on their journey through countless ages of the timeless history of mankind."

Research source: Wikipedia

The hidden beauty of Clouds

Ye Kaun Chitrakaar hai, ye kaun chitrakaar?

Ye Kis Kavi ki Kalpana ka Chamatkaar hai?

Ye Kaun Chitrakaar Hai...

The above Hindi song Means:

Who is this great artist?
Whose imagination has given rise to this marvelous universe?
Whose poetry is this, whose painting?

That was God's poetry frozen in my camera.
My work is featured here: http://urge-to-express.blogspot.com/