Pages

Pages

Hinduism - What Is The Meaning Of Bindu?




Bindu is a Hindi word that means "drop." 



The bindu is the term for the dot at the exact center of the shrichakra, which is a Shrividya symbolic diagram (yantra) used in worship in the Shrividya school, a branch of the esoteric ritual tradition known as tantra



  • The shrichakra is made up of nine interlocking triangles, four of which point up and five of which point down, encircled by a double sequence of lotus petals and round and angular outer walls. 
  • The bindu represents the ultimate oneness of Shiva and Shakti, as well as the unity of all reality. 


The Secret of the Three Cities, by Douglas Renfrew Brooks, was published in 1990 and contains more material.




A literal translation of the Sanskrit word "bindu" is "point" or "dot." Bindu may represent a wide range of things depending on the context, but in Indian faiths and philosophies, it is generally seen as the place where all creation originates and finally unites.


Bindu is seen in tantra as an expression of the greatest awareness and is a representation of both Shiva and Shakti, the divine masculine and feminine energies, respectively. 

Bindu may also be used to describe the void that gives rise to every holy music.

The word's feminine equivalent, bindi, refers to a tiny decorative dot that is applied to the forehead as part of a Hindu ceremony of devotion.

The symbol for bindu, the beginning of the cosmos and the source of all awareness, is a bindi dot. 

The bindu is often seen in the middle of yantras and mandalas (ritual patterns that are frequently round or geometric).


Bindu is the name of a drishti, or point of gaze, in yoga that is located in the middle of the eyebrows. 

It is also sometimes known as the moment of entry into pure awareness or the convergence of the yogic disciplines of contemplation, concentration, and meditation.

Experience of bindu and its subsequent transcendence result in samadhi, or joyful union with the greater Self, on a personal level. 

At the most fundamental level, when the physical body dies, all existence returns to bindu, where it all began.


The eighth chakra, known as the bindu chakra, is acknowledged by tantric yoga and is situated five inches below the top of the skull at the back of the head. 

When in equilibrium, the bindu chakra promotes general physical, emotional, and spiritual health and energy and brings a feeling of satisfaction and direction.

According to the Tantric tradition, the bindu chakra is said to contain a particular nectar (amrit) that may assist the practitioner be freed from pain.


Yoga poses such as the headstand stance (sirsasana) and shoulder stand pose (salamba sarvangasana) are said to awaken the bindu chakra.

Bindu may also refer to the area on the back of the head where Brahmins develop their distinctive tuft of hair in Tantra. 

This point, which is symbolized as a crescent moon with a white drop, is located between the third-eye (ajna) chakra and the crown (sahasrara) chakra.

It is said to be the physical incarnation of everything that has ever been, including awareness. 

Bindu may be thought of as a basic representation of semen.

This insight explains how the idea of bindu's individualized cosmic, universal potential works. 

This emphasizes the idea that Bindu is the source of all creation.


Hasta Yoga: Preserving Life's Essence.

The primary goal of traditional hatha yoga is to protect bindu, or the essence of life. 

It was believed that bindu leaked from the cranium and was consumed by the digestive fire in the stomach. 

Our supply of bindu depletes as we age, as we become older. Thus, by protecting bindu, we may live longer. 

The idea of bindu has lost favor in the current day as attention has shifted to physical fitness and western anatomy.


What are the two techniques used to preserve Bindu or this essence? 

Many of the yoga practices we engage in are influenced by these two approaches:

  1. inverting the body (a process known as viparitakarani, or "inversion"), 
  2. and bringing bindu upward by inhaling into the "central channel." 


How can viparitakarani mudra be used to preserve the Bindu?


It is common to interpret viparitakarani as "inverted action," "the reverser," or just "inversion." 

We only really learn to put the head below the abdomen from ancient literature. 

Thus, headstand, shoulder-stand, and the mudra known as viparitakarani are all acceptable. 

Its purpose is to stop gravity's attraction on Bindu, which is downward.



How to bring Bindu into the body's central nadi or channel?


Mudras are hand positions used to bring bindu upward in the body's center channel. 

Traditional hathayoga utilizes 10 or 11 mudras, some of which have been lost or transformed into asanas. 

They are often performed while sitting, with one or both heels pressing on the perineum and using some kind of breath control. 

This is supposed to stop bindu from tumbling and even pull it upward.

The idea of kundalini, a potent force that resides latent at the base of the spine, gradually supplanted the idea of bindu as the ages passed. 

Similar to as they did with bindu, the same methods are employed to "awaken" this energy and bring it upward.



Frequently Asked Questions:


What does Bindu mean?

Bindu is a Sanskrit word that translates to "point," "drop," or "dot."


Is Bindu a Chakra?

This is an advanced technique for the secondary chakra known as the Bindu.


What does the red dot or Bindi on Indians mean?

A bindi is the name of the marking. Furthermore, it is a Hindu custom that originated in the third and fourth centuries. Women often wear bindis for religious reasons or to signify their marital status. However, the bindi is now gaining popularity as a beauty mark among women of various ages.


How can I activate the bindu chakra?

According to the Tantric tradition, the bindu chakra is said to contain a unique nectar (amrit) that aids the yogi in attaining enlightenment. 

Yoga poses that open the bindu chakra include shoulder stand and headstand. 

The khecari mudra and ujayii pranayama are also helpful for opening this chakra.


What is the third eye chakra?

The ajna (or brow) chakra is referred to as the third eye in Indian spiritual traditions. 

The gateway to the inner regions and places of higher awareness is referred to as the third eye. 

The third eye is a common spiritual emblem for enlightenment.


How is Bindu or spiritual essence preserved and kept safe?

Two techniques may be used to preserve this essence: inverting the body (a process known as viparitakarani, or "inversion"), and bringing bindu upward by inhaling into the "central channel." Many of the yoga practices we engage in are influenced by these two approaches.


How does Bindu meditation work?

Bindu is the name of a drishti, or point of gaze, in yoga that is located in the middle of the eyebrows. 

It is also sometimes known as the moment of entry into pure awareness or the convergence of the yogic disciplines of contemplation, concentration, and meditation.


~Kiran Atma


You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.

Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.