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Select Verses on Ajapa Japa and Shambhavi Mudra

शिव उवाच -
देहो देवालयो देवी जीवो देव: सदाशिव: ।
त्यजेद्ज्ञान निर्माल्यं सोहं भावेन पुजयेत ॥

Lord Shiva said - O Devi! Human body is a temple. Jiva living within is Shiva himself. Renounce the debris of ignorance and worship Him with the attitude of 'I am That'.


जीवो शिव: शिवो जीव: सजीव: केवल शिव: ।
पाशबद्धो स्मृतो जीवा पाशमुक्तो सदाशिव: ॥

Jiva is Shiva and Shiva is Jiva. Living being is but Shiva. The one trapped in bondage is Jiva and the one free from it is Shiva.


हकारेण बहिर्याती सकारेण विशेत्पुनः ।
हंसहंसेत्यमुं मंत्रम जीवो जपदि सर्वदा ॥

By the sound of Ha breath goes out and by the sound of Sa it comes in. This HamSa (or SoHam) mantra is always recited by living beings.


षटशतानि दिवारात्रौ सहस्त्राण्येकविंशतिः ।
एतात्संख्यांवितं मंत्रम जीवो जपति सर्वदा ॥

In one day and night living being recites this mantra for twenty one thousand and six hundred times.


अजपानाम गायत्री योगिनां मोक्षदा सदा ।
अस्याः संकल्पमात्रेण सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥

This gayatri known as Ajapa bestows liberation on Yogis. By mere intention of chanting this mantra all sins are destroyed.


अनया सदृशी विद्या अनया सदृशो जपः ।
अनया सदृशं ज्ञानं न भूतं न भविष्यति ॥

No learning higher than Ajapa, no japa higher than Ajapa, no knowledge higher than Ajapa ever existed in the past nor will exist in the future.


अपानः कर्षति प्राणः प्राणोऽपानं च कर्षति ।
ऊर्ध्वाधः संस्थितावे तौ यो जानाति स योगवित् ॥

Apana (in the form of exhalation) attracts Prana (in the form of inhalation) and Prana attracts Apana. They are downward and upward moving currents of energy. One who knows their true nature is the knower of Yoga.


नेत्राञ्जनं समालोक्य आत्मारामं निरीक्षयेत् ।
सा भवेच्छाम्भवी मुद्रा सर्वतन्त्रेषु गोपिता ॥

Fix the gaze between the two eyebrows and behold the Atman. This is Shambhavi Mudra that is kept secret in all Agamas.


वेदशास्त्रपुराणानि सामान्य गणिका इव ।
एकैव शांभवी मुद्रा गुप्ता कुलवधूरिव ॥

Mere reading of scriptures such as Vedas, Puranas, and shastras is like a common woman (Ganika) whereas knowledge of Shambhavi Mudra is extremely secret and is like a well respected bride (Kulavadhu).


स एव आदिनाथश्च स च नारायणः स्वयम् ।
स च ब्रह्मा सृष्टिकारी यो मुद्रां वेत्ति शाम्भवीम् ॥

He, who knows this Shambhavi Mudra, is Adinatha, he himself is Narayana, and he is Brahma the Creator.


तपःस्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि क्रियायोगः ॥

Austerity, self-study, and surrender to Ishwara / Shiva is called Kriya Yoga.


क्रियायुक्तस्य सिद्धिः स्याद् अक्रियस्य कथं भवेत् ।
क्रियैव कारणं सिद्धेः सत्यम् एतन् न संशयः॥

By the practice of yoga kriyas success is attained. A person lacking in his practice doesn't get success. The only means to success in yoga is to remain absorbed in the practice of yoga kriyas. This is the truth, there is no doubt about it.


अहिंसा सत्यम् अस्तेयं ब्रह्मचर्यं क्षमा धृतिः ।
दयार्जवं मिताहारः शौचं चैव यमा दश ॥

Nonviolence, Truthfulness, Not stealing, Chastity, Non-possessiveness, Forgiveness, Fortitude, Compassion, Simplicity, Moderation in diet are ten Yamas for yogis.


तपः सन्तोष आस्तिक्यं दानम् ईश्वर-पूजनम् ।
सिद्धान्त-वाक्य-श्रवणं ह्रीमती च ज​पो हुतम् ।
नियमा दश सम्प्रोक्ता योग-शास्त्र-विशारदैः ॥

Austerity, Contentment, Belief in God, Charity, worship of the Ishwara, Listening to or studying of the yogic principles, Modesty, Clariity in thinking about real and unreal, Chanting of Mantra, (internal or external) Fire sacrifice are the ten Niyamas for yogis as outlined by the experts in Yoga Shastra.


यावन् नैव प्रविशति चरन् मारुतो मध्य-मार्गे ।
यावद् बिंदुर् न भवति दृढः प्राण-वात-प्रबन्धात् ।
यावद् ध्याने सहज-सदृशं जायते नैव ।
तत्त्वं तावज् ज्ञानं वदति तद् इदं दम्भ-मिथ्या-प्रलापः॥

As long as the Prana does not enter in the middle channel (Sushumna) and the Bindu does not become firm by the control of the movements of the Prana, as long as the mind does not rest in Samadhi without any efforts, so long all the talk of Knowledge and Wisdom is merely a nonsensical chatter.


ॐ नमः शिवाय गुरवे नाद-बिन्दु-कलात्मने।
निरञ्जन-पदं याति नित्यं तत्र परायणः॥

Salutations to Shiva, who is the Guru, appearing as Nada, Bindu, and Kala. One who is always devoted to Him, obtains the highest bliss.