The bondage in life is represented by the circle of the Yantra, the cyclical continuation of life and death. When one becomes free from the influences of the senses, then one can identify with one’s inner nature. One becomes like the tortoise, which has withdrawn itself into its shell. The sadhana of Pratyahara enables one to achieve this state.

The tantric perspective of life and death are two sides of the same coin. One leaves one side and then enters the other side. It is a complex subject one is born and then one dies and this goes on, from birth to death and from death to birth. According to Tantra, this is a continuous process.

Now one has to address Prakriti, which is Nature and nature has put a bolt on the door which shuts our karmic memories. We have to understand that this is intentional because if we start remembering our past birth’s memories, we will go crazy.

So, the circle of the Yantra represents this complicated, ongoing process of the rotation of consciousness and energy in every birth.

According to Sri Shankaracharya’s words in the Strotra, Mohamudgar (the hammer of illusion):

Many times, are we born, many times do we die; many times, we have slept in the womb of the mother.

The reason we go through this process is to realize our real nature. Until one achieves this, one is caught in the continuous cycle. Then one becomes a Jiwanmukta, completely free.

Dear ones, if only we could be regular in our sadhanas and I say the very elementary practices, we would be on the path of Jiwan Mukti.

Be self-aware, self-introspective, self-reflective, become aware of your breath and listen to the voice of Swami Sivananda.

Extracted from Swami Niranjanananda’s lectures on Mantra and Yantra.

Aim Hrim Klim