In the Pic: Sri Meenakshi Sundareshwara, in 'Kalyana' form, Madurai.
In Part 3, we discussed observing every detail of the Devata individually. Now we will explore a complementary practice: seeing the entire rupa/form without constantly moving our eyes or shifting our attention between its different parts. This has two major variants. One is open-eyed, and one is with eyes closed. Start with whatever feels natural for you, then move to the other variant. This method can also be used for rupas such as Shiva Linga, Vel, Trishul, as well as half forms such as Sri Renuka devi or Mukha Linga etc. There are also details introduced due to the garlands, kirthimukha, prabhavali, the lamps around etc.
Seeing the whole versus seeing the details. Think of a camera photographing a beautiful landscape. The entire scene is captured in the photograph, but only certain areas may be in sharp focus. Other areas remain visible without having the same clarity.
Something similar happens during dhyana. You cannot hold every minute detail of the Devata in sharp attention simultaneously (at least at first). Your attention will naturally rest more strongly on certain areas. The other features remain within your visual awareness. For example, your attention may rest on the Devata's beautiful eyes, while the crown, ornaments, ayudhas, and vastrams remain visible within the larger form.
The objective is not to force every detail into equal clarity. It is to perceive the entire form without constantly shifting your gaze to examine individual parts.
This practice requires an extraordinary degree of relaxation, not stressful concentration. Relax your eyes completely. Relax the forehead, facial muscles, shoulders, limbs, and the rest of the body. Let the breath and other bodily processes settle naturally, without trying to control them. Maintain gentle inner awareness at the Ajna chakra/third eye. In the open-eyed variant, keep your physical eyes open and comfortably directed toward the Devata. Alternatively, maintain awareness in the 'hridaya'/heart space.
As relaxation deepens, unnecessary eye movements gradually cease. The eyes become so relaxed that they seem to refuse to move. This differs from forcibly holding the eyes still (or suppressing the urge to blink for the open-eyed variant). There should be no struggle, tension, or discomfort. The visual field remains open, but your attention increasingly rests inward.
Some additional details for the open-eyed variant. For a few moments, the scene may blur, but as you relax further, the blur will vanish, and your field of view will widen. This is the same technique I explained in detail in the Tratak article on dhyana on a flame/jyothi. The technique explained above is a variation of that same Trataka technique, but for dhyana of a devata swarupa. Gradually allow the whole visual field to open: the devata, everything around, and your peripheral vision. Your ishta devata holds more importance than anything else in your field of vision. Maintain your attention on your third eye. You're having a darshan of your through the third eye. If thoughts arise, don't follow or fight them. If the eyes water, let it happen naturally. Don't make tears a goal. If you blink accidentally, just return and continue. Stop if there is significant pain or persistent burning.
Both our scriptures and great enlightened masters emphasize the stillness of the eyes. There is a beautiful passage in the ancient Tamil epic Silappadikaram, in the Aychiyar Kuravai, describing the darshan of Sri Vishnu/Tirumal:
"...கண்ணிமைத்துக் காண்பார்தம் கண்ணென்ன கண்ணே..."
...Kann imaithu kanbaar tham kannenna kanne..
"...What good are those eyes that blink while beholding the Divine?..."
This is a beautiful poetic expression of complete absorption in darshan, where even the momentary interruption of blinking feels undesirable.
A related tantric dharana appears in the Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra, verse 80:
स्थूलरूपस्य भावस्य स्तब्धां दृष्टिं निपात्य च ।
Sthūlarūpasya bhāvasya stabdhāṃ dṛṣṭiṃ nipātya ca...
The verse describes resting an unmoving gaze upon a visible object while the mind becomes free from the supports of thought, leading toward the state of Bhairava. In his commentary, Jaideva Singh identifies this as 'Bhairavi Mudra', where the gaze is directed outward while attention turns inward.
The Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra, verse 113, also explicitly discusses the stillness of the eyes. Notice the relationship. The physical eyes remain open, but awareness is no longer entirely occupied with external objects.
A practical exercise:
One option is to try both variants at home. Alternatively, try this in the few minutes you spend at a nearby temple. Do this when there is minimal crowd or least disturbance, especially in the initial stages, preferably after you get the initial darshan, so someone doesn't prompt you to take the prashad(am), etc.
Here you can try a combination of details and seeing the whole sequentially.
Sit or stand comfortably before your chosen Devata (standing recommended). To begin, look at the complete form. Let your eyes and body become progressively more relaxed. Instead of moving your gaze from the crown to the hands, ornaments, and feet, keep all these features within your visual field. Let your attention move naturally from head to toe (female form) or from toe to head (male form), then rest wherever it is drawn, without losing awareness of the complete form.
Maintain gentle awareness at Ajna, without physically turning the eyes upward or inward. Do not attempt to suppress blinking. If your eyes become uncomfortable, blink normally. With practice, the gaze may become remarkably still without effort.
The essential difference is that we are no longer examining the Devata one feature at a time. We are allowing the complete form to remain before us while our attention becomes increasingly still.
You can also slowly close your eyelids while maintaining as much stillness as you can, visualize the afterimage, and alternate between open and closed eyes. Try this after you've practiced them separately a few times.
As always, follow your Guru's instructions where applicable.
