Reflection on the Self

This effort to comment on the Svacchanda Tantra is an expression of the command of my own inner Lord and Master. In truth, this is the exuberance of the universal soul, endowed with autonomy (svatantrya). It is clearly expressed in the form of universal manifestation. It is an offering for the worship of the independent Lord Bhairava. The Goddess of Speech (Bhagavati Bharati) has adjusted me for this. I have received this good fortune of being anointed with the nectar of that infinite compassion. I am joyful for this. First of all, I want to anoint this world with the nectar of power, the essence of that universal soul, in which I dwell while experiencing the universality of all things. I desire that the present human being, who is choked by life poisoned by inequality and surrounded by mutual malice and hatred, drink the nectar-like sweetness of the non-dual, undivided Bhairava-bhava state of Bhairava, and living in the charm of triumphant humanity, may lead a life of awareness. Having received the boon of the Supreme Lord, who is the flower of supreme light, may they light the lamps of noble conceptual science.

This Bhairava-bhava is the ocean that is "eternally surging" like a deep, bottomless sea. This world is the dance of the ripples of creation and destruction of that same great ocean. For a complete experience of this, the study of the Svacchanda Tantra is absolutely essential. It is an experienced truth that by its study, all darkness born of ignorance is destroyed. I have studied it with full attention and have also tested it on the touchstone of my own practice. There were no bounds to my joy when the gold of my consciousness proved to be pure on the touchstone of this Tantra.

In this context, it is also necessary to say that these references to practice are woven like beads on a golden necklace throughout the repetitive process of ritual (karmakanda). The entire book is process-oriented. Even so, constant use of this treasury of light is necessary to turn the gold of experience into refined divine gold. For the ritualist, it contains methodical applications of ritual, and for the practitioner, the essence of practice is also embedded in between.

The gods, having worshipped the Lord Bhairava who was seated on the peak of Kailasa, had sat down. In this assembly of gods, Chanda, Nandi, Mahakala, Ganesha, Vrishabha, Bhringi, Kumara Skanda himself, Indra, Yama, Aditya, Brahma, and Vishnu were all present. After conversation and general formalities, the Goddess Bhairavi herself, the symbol of the Supreme Goddess Power, presented her curiosity as a question before Lord Bhairava.