Yourself as Open Sky
Meditate on yourself as space — open in every direction, leaning on nothing; then consciousness reveals its own nature.
स्वयं को आकाश-रूप भावित करो — सब दिशाओं में खुला, किसी पर अवलम्बित नहीं; तब निराश्रय चिति-शक्ति स्वरूप दिखा देती है।
The conversation of Devi & Bhairava
A faithful retelling of the dialogue that frames this verse — the Goddess asks, and Bhairava answers with the teaching above. (The śloka is the scripture; the conversation dramatizes its meaning, in English and Hindi.)
You have shown me how to gaze at the open sky, Lord. Is there more than gazing — can I become the sky?
आपने मुझे खुले आकाश को निहारना सिखाया, नाथ। क्या निहारने से अधिक भी कुछ है — क्या मैं स्वयं आकाश बन सकती हूँ?
You can. Do not picture the sky outside; contemplate your own self as space — unbounded in every direction, covered by nothing, leaning on nothing.
बन सकती हो। बाहर के आकाश की कल्पना मत करो; अपने ही आपको आकाश-रूप भावित करो — सब दिशाओं में असीम, किसी से ढका नहीं, किसी पर टिका नहीं।
And when I am this supportless space?
और जब मैं यह निराधार आकाश हो जाऊँ?
Then the power of consciousness, no longer identified with anything, spontaneously shows its own form. Stripped of every support, awareness recognises itself as self-aware space.
तब चेतना की शक्ति, अब किसी से अभिन्न न होकर, अपने आप अपना स्वरूप दिखा देती है। हर सहारे से रहित, चेतना स्वयं को स्व-संवेदित आकाश के रूप में पहचान लेती है।
So I must drop even the thought "I am space"?
तो मुझे "मैं आकाश हूँ" यह विचार भी छोड़ देना होगा?
Drop even that. Let every leaning-place go, including the idea, and let what remains disclose itself. Citi-śakti needs nothing to lean on, for it is the ground of all — and it is your own self.
उसे भी छोड़ दो। हर टेक को जाने दो, उस विचार समेत, और जो शेष रहे उसे स्वयं को प्रकट करने दो। चिति-शक्ति को टिकने के लिए कुछ नहीं चाहिए, क्योंकि वही सबकी भूमि है — और वही तुम्हारा अपना स्वरूप है।
Why it works
Contemplating oneself as sky-like and uncovered in all directions removes the felt boundary of the body and the props the self usually leans on. When awareness is thus made nirāśraya (without support), the power of consciousness (citi-śakti), no longer identified with anything, spontaneously "shows its own form" — pure self-aware space.
How to practice
- 1Sit and let the sense of a bounded body soften.
- 2Contemplate that you yourself are like open space — unbounded in every direction, covered by nothing.
- 3Let this "I am space" be supportless: not resting on the body, not on any thought.
- 4In that supportless openness, let consciousness (citi-śakti) reveal its own true nature. Rest as that.
The deeper story
Citi-śakti — the power of consciousness — is, in Trika, the very self of Shiva. This verse is its most direct invitation: remove all supports, and the self-revealing nature of awareness (svarūpa) discloses itself, needing nothing to lean on because it is the ground of all.
Terms in this technique
- ākāśa
- Space, ether; the open expanse, inner and outer.
- cit
- Consciousness itself, the aware principle.
- śakti
- Energy, the dynamic power of consciousness; Devi.
- ātman
- The true self; awareness as one’s own being.
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)