Vigyan Bhairava Tantra
Sutra – 121
When memories of the beloved or the divine arise, meditate.
This teaching is for those immersed in divine devotion, whose hearts are drenched in the love of their deity. Such devotees should meditate when their rituals are complete, when they are in the sanctuary of a temple, or seated before their chosen deity.
It is also for those submerged in the depths of love—whether they love a worldly beloved or the Supreme Being. Both forms of love are, in essence, the same. For according to this teaching, love itself paves the path to devotion. When love transforms into devotion, the divine is irresistibly drawn to the one who meditates.
Understand this: we speak of a love that, while worldly, transcends the world. True love is one-sided. The lover does not demand or expect their beloved to reciprocate. Love is born from within and seeks only the happiness of the beloved. Such love alone evolves into devotion. The moment a desire arises within love, it ceases to be love. True love is giving and giving endlessly, for the moment there is an expectation of return, it becomes a transaction—a trade where one seeks something in exchange.
Why does the Vigyan Bhairav Tantra emphasize such deep awareness of the breath—its inhalation and exhalation? Why does it grant breath such significance?
You already know that life itself is sustained by breath. Thus, nothing in this world should be more cherished than breath. Yet, ironically, we pay it no attention. We notice it only when suffocation occurs, when diseases like COVID-19 grip us, or when oxygen becomes scarce. Even then, our focus is fleeting. After the crisis, how many among us remain mindful of our breath?
This ceaseless rhythm of breath whispers the mysteries of life and the cosmos to us. It reminds us that no matter how much we cherish it, we cannot hold onto it. We must let it go, only to welcome it again. This is the ultimate truth of life.
The teaching guides us to focus on our breath when devotion has deepened, when prayer has concluded, when seated in a temple, or when recollecting moments with the beloved. In such sacred moments, as you concentrate on the ebb and flow of your breath, you can effortlessly slip into meditation.
According to this teaching, when we are truly immersed in devotion or love, the beloved—whether deity or partner—is all we perceive. In such states, we transcend the events of the world around us. Complete devotion or love binds us to the divine or the beloved, while simultaneously detaching us from worldly occurrences. This natural detachment leads us, without intention, toward the state of vairagya—dispassion. The essence of spiritual thought lies in this paradox: to be attached to the world yet remain untouched by it.
Even the Bhagavad Gita (4.18) echoes this truth: seeing inaction within action signifies performing one’s duties without attachment, without seeking personal gain. Action done with the notion, “I perform this; I deserve this reward,” binds the soul to the cycle of karma.
The Vigyan Bhairav Tantra teaches this profound truth so effortlessly—a truth that may take an entire lifetime to grasp yet remains elusive.
Observe closely: in such moments of devotion or love, the breath naturally slows. This is why one becomes completely absorbed in the beloved or divine. This teaching instructs us to channel these moments for meditation.
In those sacred moments, breathe with devotion and love. If you do so, your breath will slow further, becoming deeply serene and blissful. In this blissful state, your eyes will close effortlessly, and you may feel as if your deity or beloved stands before you.
However, note this: if your breath becomes shallow or irregular upon perceiving the divine or beloved, it is a sign of illusion. If your rhythm remains steady and deep, your devotion is genuine, and your meditation will not break. In this state, you will easily attain meditative absorption, where all else dissolves, and you are enveloped in supreme bliss.
Let this teaching guide you to that sacred union where breath, love, and devotion merge, leading to the ultimate ecstasy of being.
