SoundIdentityLightVerse 90intermediate
The Bare Letter A
Silently repeat the letter "A" — without point or aspirate — and a sudden flood of knowing arises.
Source verse · Verse 90
अबिन्दुमविसर्गं चाकारं जपतो महान्। उदेति देवि सहसा ज्ञानौघः परमेश्वरः॥
abindum avisargaṃ cākāraṃ japato mahān | udeti devi sahasā jñānaughaḥ parameśvaraḥ
Silently repeat the letter "A" — without point or aspirate — and a sudden flood of knowing arises.
▶ Practice this technique10 / 15 / 20 min · eyes closed
How to practice
- 1Inwardly sound the single vowel "A" (as in "father") — bare, with no nasal point (anusvāra) and no aspirate (visarga).
- 2Repeat it mentally, keeping it open and unending rather than clipped.
- 3Let the "A" grow continuous and effortless, an open vowel with no closure.
- 4Stay with it; the verse promises a sudden upwelling of knowledge — rest in that flood as it rises.
Practice note. The power is in the bareness: "A" with nothing added is the open, unconditioned sound. Keep it pure and let the knowing come unbidden.
Terms in this technique
- praṇava
- The syllable AUM/oṃ, the primordial sound.
- śabda
- Sound, word — both spoken and inner.
- nāda
- The inner, unstruck sound; subtle vibration.
- aham
- The sense of "I"; the self that is inquired into.
Sources consulted
- Jaideva Singh, Vijñānabhairava: The Manual for Self-Realization (Motilal Banarsidass, 1979)
- Swami Lakshmanjoo, Vijnana Bhairava: The Manual for Self Realization (Universal Shaiva Fellowship, 2007)
- Bettina Bäumer, Vijñâna Bhairava: The Practice of Centering Awareness (Indica Books, 2011)