Additional information
by John Hughes (Editor), Swami Lakshmanjoo (Author)
In the Vijnana Bhairava, Bhairavi (the Divine Mother) asks Lord Bhairava (God) to clear Her doubts about the essence of the path towards Self-realization. Compelled by Her sincerity and the simple yet penetrating insight of Her question, Bhairava explicitly reveals 112 contemplative techniques for entering into the state of God consciousness. In this multimedia study set, Swami Lakshmanjoo, an accomplished master of the Kashmir Shaiva school, not only translates the Sanskrit text into English but also lays bare the essential tricks involved in each of the contemplative techniques.
Author Biography
Swami Lakshmanjoo was the last in an unbroken line of Kashmir Shaiva masters. As a boy his life was filled with a spiritual thirst to know and realize God. From a very early age he was filled with spiritual experiences. In fact these experiences were so intense that his parents thought he was suffering from hysteria. They were very concerned and approached their family guru, Swamiji's grand master Swami Ram, requesting him to help their son with his hysteria. Swami Ram laughed and said to them, "Don't worry, I should have such a disorder." As Swamiji grew older his desire to completely realize and apprehend the world of spirituality became paramount. To make this a reality he sat at the feet of his guru Swami Mahatabakak and took up the study and practice of Kashmir Shaivism. He became completely engrossed and enthralled in his spirituality, wholeheartedly practicing day and night, ultimately experiencing the fullness of Kashmir Shaiva realization. It is to his beloved Kashmir Shaivism that he devoted the whole of his life, teaching it to those who asked and translating and commenting on what he considered to be the most important texts of this system. He became renowned as a philosopher saint steeped in the tradition of Kashmir Shaivism. With the growing interest in Kashmir Shaivism over the last thirty years, hardly any publication has appeared without a mention of Swami Lakshmanjoo's contribution to this unique philosophy.
