Mahasamadhi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mahasamādhi (not to be mistaken with samadhi) - in Hinduism and similar philosophies the state of consciously leaving one's body. A illumed yogi who has attained the state of Nirbhikalpa samadhi, when his/her time to leave this earth comes, will consciously exit from the body. This is known as Mahasamadhi. This is not the same as physical death that happens for an unenlightened person or animal.
Mahasamadhi occurs only once,i.e: when the yogi finally decides to cast off his/her mortal frame when his or her physical Karma is worked out completely.
A yogi can enter into Mahasamadhi only if he/she has attained the state of Nirbhikalpa Samadhi. In Nirbhikalpa samadhi, the subject and the object become one.
A master entering Mahasamadhi will select a particular date and time to cast off the physical body. This date and time will be during the Winter Solastic("Uttrayan") when the Sun crosses from the southern direction and travels into the northern direction. The illumed yogi will then turn 3 times in all directions and finally facing the North direction will enter into Mahasamadhi.
[edit] According to Swami Rama
Swami Rama wrote in his book "Living with the Himalayan masters" about four kinds of attaining mahasamadhi:
- Self-burning within a fraction of a second, by meditating on the solar plexus
- Opening the top of the skull in the "perfect position"
- Stopping one's breath in the deep waters of the Himalayas
- Freezing in the state of Samadhi
 |
This Hinduism-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
