Vijnana Bhairava · Day 21
Day 21 — Emptiness Above and at the Root
This dharana holds two directions at once: the emptiness above and the emptiness at the root, allowing awareness to become less dependent on the body as a fixed boundary.
Original Verse
Verified from source textSource: Vijnana Bhairava Tantra — The Mystery Within, Verse 44
Sanskrit
पृष्ठशून्यं मूलशून्यं युगपद्भावयेच्च यः ।शरीरनिरपेक्षिण्या शक्त्या शून्यमना भवेत् ॥
Transliteration
pṛṣṭhaśūnyaṃ mūlaśūnyaṃ yugapad bhāvayec ca yaḥśarīranirapekṣiṇyā śaktyā śūnyamanā bhavet
Literal Translation
One who meditates simultaneously on the emptiness above and the emptiness at the root becomes of empty mind through the Shakti that is independent of the body.
Plain English Rendering
“Sense openness above and openness below at the same time. Let awareness rest between them until the mind becomes spacious and less confined by the body-sense.”
Literal translations remain close to the source text. Plain English renderings are interpretive contemplative renderings for accessibility and reflection.
Meaning
The source asks for simultaneous contemplation of two emptinesses: above and at the root. The practice is simple, directional, and spacious.
The Shakti independent of the body points to awareness no longer being tightly confined to the body as a fixed center.
An empty mind here means a mind released from heavy conceptual contraction, not a blank or absent state.
The Practice
- 1Sit quietly.
- 2Let the breath remain natural.
- 3Sense the openness above the body.
- 4Sense the openness at the root or below the body.
- 5Hold both directions in awareness at the same time.
- 6Do not force a visual image.
- 7Allow thoughts and sensations to come and go naturally.
- 8Rest in the spaciousness that is not confined to one point.
Practice for 10 minutes with relaxed, steady attention.
What to Notice
- openness above and below
- reduced sense of being confined to one fixed center
- quiet spaciousness
- less psychological contraction around the body
Common Misunderstandings
- This is not denial of the body.
- Do not force philosophical conclusions.
- Do not strain to feel something special.
- The practice is experiential, not conceptual.
Reflection Prompt
“What changes when awareness includes openness above and below at the same time?”
Connection to Inner Freedom
Inner freedom deepens when awareness is not contracted around the body as a hard boundary. The body remains present, while awareness opens beyond a single fixed location.