✦ Vijnana Bhairava Tantra
Technique 74 of 112 — Absorption Through Sense Withdrawal
Sanskrit Verse
sarvataḥ svasharīre vā kṛtyaprāptau mahāmate | tan-manas-tyajya-śūnyatvān mukto 'sau vetti vetti ca ||
O Great-minded one, by withdrawing the mind from all objects, or by fixing it on the body, let one leave the mind without support. Due to this voidness, one becomes liberated and attains realization.
Commentary
This dharana emphasizes the state of 'nirādhāra' or being without support. Normally, the mind is always 'clinging' to an object—a thought, a memory, a sensation, or an external sight. Here, the practitioner is instructed to either focus on the totality of the body or to abruptly drop all mental activities (tan-manas-tyajya). This creates a psychological 'void' where the mind has nothing to grasp. In the Trika philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism, when the mind is deprived of its objective 'fuel,' it is forced to collapse back into its source: pure consciousness. This is the state of Śūnyatā (voidness), which is not a vacuum but a plenum of pure potentiality. By realizing that the mind is merely a collection of movements, and by letting those movements cease, the 'knower' (jñātṛ) is revealed. The phrase 'vetti vetti ca' implies a double realization: first, the realization of the absence of objects, and second, the realization of the Presence of the Absolute. It is a radical method of liberation that bypasses complex imagery in favor of a direct, sudden cessation of mental projections.
Practice Instructions
- 01Sit in a stable posture. Start by becoming aware of your entire body simultaneously, from the top of the head to the tips of the toes.
- 02Feel the skin as a single boundary. Now, intentionally withdraw your attention from all external sounds, smells, and sensations.
- 03Next, look at your thoughts. Suddenly, as if dropping a heavy weight from your hands, drop all thoughts.
- 04Do not try to replace them with other thoughts. Simply let the mind hang in the void, 'without support.
- 05' If a thought arises, do not follow it; let it fall into the silence. You are aiming for a state of 'alert blankness.
- 06' Stay in that gap between thoughts where the mind is still but consciousness is fully awake.
- 07Feel the freedom of having nowhere to go and nothing to think about.
Recommended Duration
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'leaving the mind without support' mean?
It means the mind is not focusing on any specific object, word, or image. Usually, the mind stays active by jumping from one thing to another. In this practice, you prevent the mind from 'landing' on anything, forcing it to remain in its own pure, un-agitated state of awareness.
I feel anxious when I try to empty my mind. What should I do?
Anxiety arises because the ego identifies with thought and feels threatened by silence. If this happens, go back to the first part of the verse: focus on the 'whole body' sensation. Use the feeling of the physical body as an anchor until your system feels safe enough to drop into the void.
How is this different from ordinary sleep or dullness?
In sleep, consciousness is obscured by 'tamas' (heaviness). In this dharana, you must be intensely 'viva' or awake. There is no dullness; it is a state of high-vibrational silence. You are not losing consciousness; you are losing the *objects* of consciousness while the light of awareness remains bright.
How long should I try to hold this 'void' state?
Even a few seconds of true 'supportless' mind can be transformative. Do not struggle to hold it for long periods. Practice in short bursts of 1-2 minutes, returning to the breath or body awareness in between, and gradually increase the duration as your stability grows.
Is this a form of 'Self-Realization'?
Yes, this technique is designed to lead directly to 'Atma-vyāpti' or the pervasion of the Self. By removing the 'veils' of thought and mental support, you are left with the underlying reality of Shiva-consciousness, which is your true nature beyond the personality and the thinking mind.
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