Trataka
Every question on the site tagged Trataka, each answered from a timestamped source rather than a summary written from memory.
Focused, unblinking gazing meditation performed on a Yantra or consecrated image — practiced, for instance, on an Omkar Yantra or a Shri Yantra following Omkar recitation, producing strong meditative concentration.
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Omkar sadhana with the Omkar yantra
The speaker says that for Omkar sadhana one must keep an Omkar Yantra, for Trataka or for pujan; it is made like a Bisa yantra and gives the most fruit on silver. With the yantra made, do the japa of Omkar by vidhi-vidhan — either the long japa with the full utterance of A, U and M, or as large a count as possible — and it has a very special effect; much can be attained through that yantra. He cites Nathuram Godse as an example of what trataka can do, saying a biography he read in his college library described his third eye, the pineal gland, as awakened from childhood, that he entered dhyan easily, did Omkar dhyan and trataka on the Sri Yantra worshipped in his house, and was a high-level sadhak of his time. In A-U-M, he says, everyone is included — Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh — and the ardha-chandra and bindu above are Bhagavati, so all worship is done in it.
What is gained by studying and meditating on the shastras of a deity?
Asked what benefit comes from reading the shastras connected with a deity, understanding them and meditating upon that knowledge, he answers that this will be known only when you do it — it is a matter of experience.
The granthas set down the distance in dhanush to sit and the manner of the trataka on Shiva
All of this you will also come to know from the granthas when you study, the speaker says — in what manner the vidhi was stated, within how many dhanush one is to sit, and in what manner it is to be done while looking at Shiva ji and performing trataka.
What is the remedy when nothing at all is working?
Supposing our misfortune is very greatly strong, the speaker says — it is not happening, we are doing it but it is not occurring — then in such a situation, on the night of Sharad Purnima, sit near the temple of Shiva ji, first offer that mantra to Shiva ji, and then, having darshan of Chandradev, do it while performing a trataka, so to speak.
The bhavana is that the mantra stands written inside Chandradev, awakening overnight
The bhavana in that mantra, the speaker says, is that within Chandradev, inside him, that mantra stands written. And so long as Chandradev is visible, if japa of that mantra is done, then that mantra, having awakened over the course of the night, becomes a giver of fruit with immediate effect.
Without the capacity to balance, such trataka japa raises the kama, krodha and hunger vikaras
One thing also happens in this, the speaker warns: when japa of a mantra is done in this manner, performing trataka, and the capacity to balance is not there, then the person's vikaras connected with kama and krodha, or vikaras connected with hunger, increase very greatly. He calls this a side effect. For this reason it is mostly done only by those who already have yoga abhyas and the rest, or who know beforehand that this will happen and how it is to be controlled.
The Vindhya kshetra and the bank of the Ganga are where this is commonly done
The Vindhya kshetra is entirely full of it, the speaker says — empty ground is available in plenty there, so people do it comfortably, and much matter arises afterwards too, people saying they did it and such a thing happened, so they had to give it up. He calls it a matter of experience. It is also done sitting on the bank of the Ganga.
What comes of doing dhyana for three hours continuously?
A great deal will come of it, the speaker says, asking why people are afraid of, or keep asking about, hours and numbers of malas: do it and see. What of three hours — it can happen in three minutes. He gives the example of Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and his guru Totapuri: it took Totapuri forty years to attain nirvighna nirvikalpa samadhi, and the same Ramakrishna Paramhansa went and it took him three days. He did not come out for three days once he entered samadhi.
What is Chakshushi Vidya used for?
Chakshushi Vidya is ordinarily known for removing any defect or disorder in the eye, the speaker says. Referring to a video he had put out saying that a bandhan can be placed by a guru, he says that if the eyes have been bound by a bandhan, then reciting Chakshushi Vidya while standing before Bhagavan Surya, doing trataka on the rising sun daily, can break that bandhan — in a single day if one's punya is strong enough, and otherwise in the twelve days that are held for it.
At what time of day must Surya puja be done?
Surya puja should never be done except in the morning, to the rising sun, the speaker says. Once he has climbed — if you go to do it at seven or eight o'clock, when we are not able to look at him — no fruit will be obtained. So the recitation of mantras is done while looking at him at the time he is rising, for two minutes, for twelve minutes, or for as long as one is capable of looking at him.
What should be done if there is severe pain at the Ajna chakra during mala japa?
It is going very well, the speaker tells the questioner; do not run from it. Spandan is beginning at the Ajna chakra, so now begin to control it. How will it be controlled? By trataka sadhana. Surya trataka is the best: rise in the morning, and at the time of sunrise, having freshened up and seated yourself well, do trataka while looking at the sun — then this spandan will begin to be controlled, and the image of your ishta will also begin to be seen. Going further, it is from this that divya drishti is obtained. Do not run from it; learn to control it.
Which is the best method to awaken the third eye?
The speaker says it is not like that — there is no uttam vidhi and madhyam vidhi. Only inexperienced people can speak of a best method that will do it in one day; anyone who has experience of that level can never say this one is middling, that one is lowest and another is high. It happens through mantra japa, through trataka, through panchang sadhana made a limb, through repeated recitation of the Gita, through the Saptashati path, through havanatmak vidhan — by the increase of tapobal, with at least a little dhyan in it.
Whose darshan should be sought, and what should be done at Vindhyachal?
Asked whose darshan should be sought, the speaker says: what does darshan mean? Darshan is of one within whom there is something. Take the darshan of Bhagavati, he says; come to Vindhyachal, everything is there for him. Take the darshan of Bhagavati Vindhyavasini, do the trikon yatra; there are many places to go around there now too, so come comfortably and go about, and something will be obtained by you.
Can the Lalita Sahasranama be recited without Shri Vidya deeksha?
Asked whether the Lalita Sahasranama cannot be done without Shri Vidya deeksha, the speaker says that according to him it cannot, because in it there is the mool vidya, the mool mantra and such mantras whose utterance should not be made without deeksha; people are not the adhikari, and there is the process of nyasa and the rest. And by high-order sadhaks initiated in Shri Vidya too, he says, this very thing has been said — that it should not be done.
Is separate dhyan necessary besides the dhyan done with mantra japa?
If you have the time, the speaker says, you may separately do trataka and the like; otherwise, in his reckoning, it is not necessary.
Can Dakshina Kali be served alongside Sadashiva?
Asked whether the grace of Dakshina Kali can be obtained along with the service of Sadashiva, or whether her service should be done together with Bhairav, the speaker says that Dakshina Kali is Sadashiva-Bhairav-sahita. So for one thing, Sadashiva himself is with her in the form of Bhairav; hence you may perform the seva of Dakshina Kali along with him. If you go into tantra, then the seva of Batuk Bhairav becomes compulsory, and the seva of Kaal Bhairav becomes compulsory too. In Adya Kali, in Dakshina Kali, Sadashiva alone abides.
What should be done when attention will not stay steady during mantra japa?
For that you should do a little trataka, he says. Do a little practice — even fifteen or twenty days of it and it will begin to steady. Looking at the murti of your aradhya, looking at their feet, their hands, their eyes, doing dhyana and then doing the path — it will begin to happen. And for that it is necessary that a beautiful photo or vigraha be installed.
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