THE BEST FROM OUR SCRIPTURES-5

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PRIYA BHAGAVAT BANDUVULLARA!,

 

THE BEST FROM OUR SCRIPTURES: 5

 

DHARANA – (CONCENTRATION)

 

Dharana is holding the divine spirit in consciousness during

concentration.

(Amritanadopanishad 15)

The withdrawal of consciousness from perceptive field and holding it

in the super-conscious field is Dharana (Mandalabrahmanopanishad

1.1.8)

A practitioner of yoga after practicing yama, niyama, asana, and

pranayama should hold his mind on the five forms of elements in

their respective centers within the body. This is called Dharana.

(Trishikhi Brahmanopanishad, mantra section 133-134)

Dharana is of three kinds:

 

1. Holding concentration of the divine aspect of the self

2. Holding concentration on akasha (void) in the hrit center

(the spiritual heart inside the Anahata Chakra with an eight

petalled lotus)

3. Holding concentration on the five divine forms 1. Brahma, 2.

Vishnu, 3. Bridhrudra, 4. Ishan Siva and 5. Panchavaktra

(Shandilyopanishad 1.9.1)

Whatever is seen with the eyes, heard with ears, smelled with the

nose, tasted with tongue, and touched by the skin should be regarded

as divine being.

In this manner the object of the senses should be transformed into

divine being and held in consciousness. (Yogatattvopandishad 69-72)

Concentration on big toe, ankle, knee scrotum, genitals, navel,

heart, neck, throat, uvula, and nose, space between the eyebrows,

breast, and head in kumbhaka (breath suspension) is called Dharana.

(Gandharva Tantra, chapter 5, p.25)

The holding in consciousness of certain vital points while holding

the breath is called Dharana (Prapanchasara Tantra 19, 21-22)

Concentration on six subtle centers and Kundalini (the coiled power)

is termed as Dharana ((Rudrayamala Tantra Part 2, 27, 34-33)

Concentrating on the universal form of God, realized by

concentration on mantra and then concentration on God without form

is dhyana.

(Dharshanopanishad 9.1.-2-3-5)

Concentration on the whole divine form is dhyana (meditation) while

concentration only on one point at a time is Dharana

(Bhutashuddi Tantra, Chapter 9, p.8)