Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 1–3: Devī Asks About Bhairava’s Essence

Devī opens the dialogue by asking what Bhairava truly is, beyond doctrine, Trika divisions, and symbolic systems.

Dr. Ronald Steiner 25.03.2026

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 1

श्री देव्युवाच |

śrī devy uvāca | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

śrī	śrī particle	venerable, holy
devī nominative singular	devī substantive feminine	the Goddess
uvāca 3rd person singular aktive perfekte	vac verbal root	spoke, said

श्रुतं देव मया सर्वं रुद्रयामलसम्भवम् |

śrutaṃ deva mayā sarvaṃ; rudra-yāmala-sambhavam | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

śrutam accusative singular neuter past participle passive	śru verbal root	heard, what has been heard
deva vokative singular	deva substantive masculine	O God
mayā instrumental case singular	asmad pronoun pers 1p	by me, through me
sarvam accusative singular neuter	sarva adjective	the whole, all
rudra tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	rudra substantive masculine	of Rudra
yāmala tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	yāmala substantive neuter	of the Yāmala
sambhavam accusative singular neuter	sambhava adjective	arisen, originated

त्रिकभेदमशेषेण सारात्सारविभागशः ||1||

trika-bhedam aśeṣeṇa; sārāt sāra-vibhāgaśaḥ ||1|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

trika tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	trika substantive neuter	of Trika
bhedam accusative singular	bheda substantive masculine	the division, distinction
aśeṣeṇa instrumental case singular	aśeṣa adjective	complete, without remainder
sārāt ablative singular	sāra substantive masculine	from the essential, from the core
sāra tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	sāra substantive masculine	of essence, of the core
vibhāgaśaḥ	vibhāgaśas adverb	according to division, articulated, by division

Metre: Anuṣṭubh; speaker formula outside the metre

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

The venerable Goddess says:
O God, I have heard the entire teaching that comes from the Rudra-Yāmala.
I have also heard the whole Trika teaching in full, down to its subtle distinctions and inner core.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 2

अद्यापि न निवृत्तो मे संशयः परमेश्वर |

adyāpi na nivṛtto me; saṃśayaḥ parameśvara | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

adya	adya adverb	today
api	api particle	emphasis
na	na particle	not
nivṛttaḥ nominative singular masculine past participle passive	ni previx vṛt verbal root	removed, dispelled, brought to an end
me genitive singular	asmad pronoun pers 1p	of me, to me
saṃśayaḥ nominative singular	saṃśaya substantive masculine	doubt
parameśvara vokative singular	parameśvara substantive masculine	O highest Lord

किं रूपं तत्त्वतो देव शब्दराशिकलामयम् ||2||

kiṃ rūpaṃ tattvato deva; śabda-rāśi-kalā-mayam ||2|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

kiṃ accusative singular neuter	kim pronoun inter	what
rūpam accusative singular	rūpa substantive neuter	form, essence, shape
tattvatas	tattvatas adverb	according to reality, in the true sense, essentially
deva vokative singular	deva substantive masculine	O God
śabda dvandva-compound	śabda substantive masculine	of sound, of word
rāśi dvandva-compound	rāśi substantive masculine	the mass, the fullness, the sound-group
kalā tatpuruṣa-compound ablative	kalā substantive feminine	the kalā, of the power aspects
mayam accusative singular neuter	maya adjective	consisting of, filled with, formed from

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Still, my doubt has not fully dissolved, O Supreme Lord.
O God, what is its true nature? Is it made of sound, the mass of sound, and Kalā?

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 3

किं वा नवात्मभेदेन भैरवे भैरवाकृतौ |

kiṃ vā navātma-bhedena; bhairave bhairavākṛtau | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

kiṃ accusative singular neuter	kim pronoun inter	what
vā	vā particle	or
nava dvigu-compound	nava numeral	nine
ātma tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	ātman substantive masculine	the self, essential nature
bhedena instrumental case singular	bheda substantive masculine	through division, through distinction
bhairave lokative singular	bhairava substantive masculine	in Bhairava
bhairava tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	bhairava substantive masculine	of Bhairava
ākṛtau lokative singular	ākṛti substantive feminine	in the shape, in the form

त्रिशिरोभेदभिन्नं वा किं वा शक्तित्रयात्मकम् ||3||

tri-śiro-bheda-bhinnaṃ vā; kiṃ vā śakti-trayātmakam ||3|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tri dvigu-compound	tri numeral	three
śiras tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	śiras substantive neuter	of head, the tip
bheda tatpuruṣa-compound instrumental case	bheda substantive masculine	the division, the division
bhinnam accusative singular neuter past participle passive	bhid verbal root	differentiated, articulated, separated
vā	vā particle	or
kiṃ accusative singular neuter	kim pronoun inter	what
vā	vā particle	or
śakti tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	śakti substantive feminine	power, Śakti
traya dvigu-compound	traya numeral	three
ātmakam accusative singular neuter	ātmaka adjective	essentially consisting of, having the nature of

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

What (kiṃ | acc sg n) [is it]? Or (vā) [is it] by a ninefold division of the essential nature (nava-ātma-bhedena | ins sg), in Bhairava (bhairave | loc sg), in Bhairava's terrible form (bhairava-ākṛtau | loc sg)?
Or (vā) is it differentiated by a three-headed division (tri-śiro-bheda-bhinnam | acc sg n), or (vā) by what (kiṃ | acc sg n) [is it determined]? [Or] is it of the nature of the three Śaktis (śakti-trayātmakam | acc sg n)?

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

O God, is Bhairava's essence a ninefold unfolding of his nature?
Or does it appear as a threefold principal structure?
Or does it consist of the three Śaktis?

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Continue with AYI Free

Illustrations: AI-generated.

Editor

Dr. Ronald Steiner

From 89075 Ulm

The "Yoga Doc" - Dr. Ronald Steiner is the founder of the AYI method. This method links traditional Ashtanga Yoga with innovative Yogatherapy and living Philosophy. This forms a practice that is personal for each and... more ›

Messages and ratings

0 messages

Please log in to write a message. Go to login

No messages yet.

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 1–3: Devī Asks About Bhairava’s Essence

Continue with AYI Free

Choose your privacy settings.

Adjust your preferences.

Optional