Yoga Of Inner Light And Sound

Author(s): Achyutanand Swami, Praveshkumar Singh
Publisher: Santmat Sangh Samiti Chandrapur

Page 23

pupils; to the contrary, such an attempt might lead to trouble or pain in eyes, which might, if the practice is not stopped, cause disease or distortion of eyes. Shrimad Bhagvad Gitā instructs (the practitioner) to look in the front of the nose (nāsāgra). Any effort to stare constantly, by tilting the eyes, at the lower or upper portion of the nose, may result in ocular troubles or maladies. In fact, unless and until the two currents of vision meet in a point, drishti yoga will not be effected. Whatever is seen by way of looking at the lower tip or the upper portion of the nose can not be a point, for a point is defined as that which exists but does not have any length, breadth or thickness. A mark made even with the tip of a hair will surely occupy some space, albeit extremely small. Therefore, a point cannot be formed by approximation. That which possesses merely length and no width or thickness is termed a line. Even a line can't be drawn by approximation, because a line drawn with even the narrowest hair-tip would surely have some breadth. Two lines intersect in a point. This (drishti yoga) is the only technique that can make the two currents of sight converge in an absolute point. It is not permitted by Guru to detail this method further, this skill can be learnt from a true adept and only then the true import of the term 'nāsāgra' of Shrimad Bhagvad Gita can be understood correctly & exactly.”
-Ramcharit Mānas Sār Satīk, Maharshi Mehi Paramhans
However much one mastered the art of bindu dhyān or drishti yoga in the outer material world, it would never yield the benefits that can accrue from the drishti yoga or bindu dhyān done internally (with eyes closed). A context in the epic Mahabharata is worthy of consideration here. A bird is sitting in a tree. Guru Drona, the royal teacher of military skills, asks each of the Kaurava & Pandava princes, one by one, to take an aim at the bird's eye. None except Arjun gave a satisfactory answer when asked what it was that they were seeing. When none could satisfy him, Drona finally asked Arjun who was aiming at the bird's eye, "what is it that you are seeing?" Arjun replied, "Only the eye of the bird and nothing else, Gurudev (a term used for reverential address to Guru)!” Drona commanded him to shoot, and Arjun pierced the bird's eye with his arrow. Such was the extent of concentration Arjun had acquired; so concentrated was his sight! And yet, the same Arjun piteously pleads before Lord Shri Krishna in the theatre of war, Kurukshetra:
"O Krishna! This mind is extremely restless and highly turbulent. Just as wind (breath) is so difficult of control, I find it too obstinate to be subdued easily."
This admission of Arjun makes it obvious that even though the outward vision is extremely collected or concentrated, it does not necessarily imply that the mind also can be reined in. But if one turns one's sight inwardly (that is, keeps eyes closed) and practices bindu dhyān, it is certain that the task of controlling the mind would be accomplished to a good extent; and subsequently, if the quintessential sound that keeps ringing be grasped within the mind would get completely dissolved. Therefore, the method of closing the eyes and meditating upon the inner point is regarded as an easy & absolutely safe or risk-free means to mind-control.
The Upanishad says:
The Absolute Point (bindu) is the seed of all alphabets or forms. The Divine Sound (Nāda) is perceived above/ after that. Nāda is situated above (beyond) the bindu. Further, the näda, too, is lost or dissolves in the Soundless State which is the eternal Brahman."