--> Skip to main content


Bhavamukha and Bhava Samadhi In Tantrism

Bhavamukha is described as an exalted state of spiritual experience, in which an aspirant keeps his mind on the borderline between the Absolute and the Relative. From this position he can contemplate the ineffable and attributeless Brahman and also participate in the activities of the relative world, seeing in it the manifestation of God alone. The related bhava-samadhi is ecstasy in which the devotee retains the ego and enjoys communion with the Personal God.

It is said that Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was told on at least three occasions by the Divine Mother, to remain in bhavamukha that is, to remain in a state in which his mind was on the border between the Absolute and the relative states of consciousness. We can probably consider this to be the key to his state of consciousness. Sri Ramakrishna did not have a limited ‘I’ – sense, as ordinary people have. Rather, his ‘I’ –   sense was united with the universal or cosmic ‘I’ of the Divine Mother. So his mission was the Divine Mother’s mission.