Mysteries of Mind

Author(s): Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Today and Tomorrows Book Agency

Page 83

70
THE MYSTERIES OF MIND
release of a single drop (bindu) of vīrya invites death. The retention of a single drop invites life. What is bindu ? Vital energy of the brain is called bindu. This bindu is situated in the sahasrāra cakra. When energy enters this area, it brings about intercourse with the soul. The statement that the dropping of a single bindu causes death and its retention preserves life thus seems to be a correct statement. The vita! force when it flows downwards causes death and when it begins to flow upwards brings life, eternal life. This is the ascending path, the path of the progress of the soul. This ascent remains arrested while the vital energy becomes confined to the lower parts of the body. The idea of the gradation of the gunasthānas or stages of spiritual progress of the soul implies the upward movement of the vital force. When energy flows downwards, man remains confined into the first, second and third guṇasthānas. Then begins the uprising of energy. It passes from the suşumna channel to the centre of the brain and arrives at the stage of pure knowledge and self-realization. The path leading to pure knowledge as well as journey to it is short. The entire journey is an ascending journey only.
This ascending journey needs the support of faith (śraddhā). What is śraddha ? When consciousness flows into the sahasrāra cakra and becomes absorbed in it, the resultant state is called śraddhā. Sraddhā is a great craving, a great thirst. It is such a tremendous thirst that it cannot be quenched even by drinking the entire waters of the oceans. It is born at the level of the unconscious mind.
The upāsaka or spiritual aspirant is one whose very bones and marrow are soaked in religion. The term asthi bas two meanings, the bones and the spinal cord. How can love of religion be sustained in the bones and marrow ? Are the bones and marrow in any way connected with śraddhā and bhāvanā ? Maijā also means the thicker parts of the brain and the spinal cord. The essence of religion lies in sraddha entering into the spinal cord and the brain. It literally enters into the spinal cord and the brain and gets embedded there. Then only is it capable of bearing fruit. It bears fruit only when it has entered into the unconscious mind.