Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 14–17: Defining the Highest Reality

True reality is beyond space, time, and concepts: inner fullness and pure awareness, described as Parā Devī.

Dr. Ronald Steiner 25.03.2026

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 14

दिक्कालकलनोन्मुक्ता देशोद्देशाविशेषिणी |

dik-kāla-kalanonmuktā; deśoddeśāviśeṣiṇī | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

dik dvandva-compound	dik substantive feminine	direction, spatial direction
kāla tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	kāla substantive masculine	time
kalanā tatpuruṣa-compound ablative	kalanā substantive feminine	of calculation, division, conception
unmuktā nominative singular feminine past participle passive	ud previx muc verbal root	free from, detached from
deśa tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	deśa substantive masculine	of place, of region
uddeśa tatpuruṣa-compound ablative	uddeśa substantive masculine	of determination, fixation, designation
aviśeṣiṇī nominative singular feminine	a previx viśeṣin adjective	undifferentiated, not specially determined

व्यपदेष्टुमशक्यासावकथ्या परमार्थतः ||14||

vyapadeṣṭum aśakyāsāv; akathyā paramārthataḥ ||14|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

vyapadeṣṭum infinitive	vi previx apa previx diś verbal root	to designate, to name
aśakyā nominative singular feminine future participle passive	a previx śak verbal root	not possible, not able
asau nominative singular feminine	adas pronoun dem	these
akathyā nominative singular feminine future participle passive	a previx kath verbal root	unutterable, unsayable
paramārthatas	paramārthatas adverb	in highest truth, in the highest sense

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

[She, cosmic awareness,] is released from the calculation of direction and time (dik-kāla-kalanā-unmuktā | nom sg f ppp), undifferentiated by designation of place and region (deśa-uddeśa-aviśeṣiṇī | nom sg f).
This one (asau | nom sg f) is not possible (aśakyā | nom sg f pfp) to name (vyapadeṣṭum | inf), unspeakable (akathyā | nom sg f pfp) in the highest reality (paramārthataḥ).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

In truth, cosmic awareness is free from space, time, and every division made by thought. It cannot truly be named. It is unsayable.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

deśoddeśāviśeṣiṇī em. ed. ] deśoddeśāviśeṣinī GRETIL2020

Critical Apparatus

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 15

अन्तःस्वानुभवानन्दा विकल्पोन्मुक्तगोचरा |

antaḥ-svānubhavānandā; vikalponmukta-gocarā | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

antaḥ tatpuruṣa-compound lokative	antar adverb	inside, inwardly
sva karmadhāraya-compound	sva adjective	of one’s own, of the self
anubhava tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	anubhava substantive masculine	the experience, of experiencing
ānandā nominative singular feminine	ānanda substantive masculine	bliss, delight
vikalpa tatpuruṣa-compound ablative	vikalpa substantive masculine	of conception, from conceptual thinking
unmukta karmadhāraya-compound past participle passive	ud previx muc verbal root	liberated, detached
gocarā nominative singular feminine	gocara adjective	accessible, lying within reach

यावस्था भरिताकारा भैरवी भैरवात्मनः ||15||

yāvasthā bharitākārā; bhairavī bhairavātmanaḥ ||15|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

yā nominative singular feminine	yad pronoun rel	which, who
avasthā nominative singular	avasthā substantive feminine	state, condition
bharita karmadhāraya-compound past participle passive	bhṛ verbal root	filled, full
ākārā nominative singular feminine	ākāra substantive masculine	of shape, of form
bhairavī nominative singular	bhairavī substantive feminine	Bhairavī
bhairava tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	bhairava substantive masculine	of Bhairava
ātmanaḥ genitive singular	ātman substantive masculine	of the self, of the essence

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

The bliss of inner self-experience (antaḥ-sva-anubhava-ānandā | nom sg f), whose field is freed from conceptual thought (vikalpa-unmukta-gocarā | nom sg f),
which state (yā avasthā | nom sg) has the form of fullness (bharita-ākārā | nom sg f), [that is] Bhairavī (bhairavī | nom sg) of the Bhairava-self (bhairava-ātmanaḥ | gen sg).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

This state is the bliss of inner self-experience. It is free from conceptual thought and completely pervaded by fullness. This is Bhairavī, the living power of the Bhairava-self.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 16

तद्वपुस्तत्त्वतो ज्ञेयं विमलं विश्वपूरणम् |

tad vapus tattvato jñeyaṃ; vimalaṃ viśva-pūraṇam | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tat accusative singular neuter	tad pronoun dem	that
vapus accusative singular	vapus substantive neuter	shape, essence, body
tattvatas	tattvatas adverb	according to reality, in the true sense, essentially
jñeyam accusative singular neuter future participle passive	jñā verbal root	to recognize, to know
vimalam accusative singular neuter	vimala adjective	pure, stainless
viśva tatpuruṣa-compound accusative	viśva adjective	the all, the universe
pūraṇam accusative singular neuter	pūraṇa adjective	filling, pervading, filling up

एवंविधे परे तत्त्वे कः पूज्यः कश्च तृप्यति ||16||

evaṃ-vidhe pare tattve; kaḥ pūjyaḥ kaś ca tṛpyati ||16|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

evaṃ	evam adverb	thus, in this way
vidhe lokative singular	vidha adjective	in the condition, in the mode
pare lokative singular neuter	para adjective	in the highest, in the transcendent
tattve lokative singular	tattva substantive neuter	in reality, in principle
kaḥ nominative singular masculine	kim pronoun inter	who
pūjyaḥ nominative singular masculine future participle passive	pūj verbal root	to be worshiped, worthy of worship
kaḥ nominative singular masculine	kim pronoun inter	who
ca	ca particle	and
tṛpyati 3rd person singular aktive present	tṛp verbal root	becomes content, finds fulfillment

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

His true nature is pure and fills the entire universe.
If this is the highest reality, who would still be worshiped, and who could still find fulfillment through that worship?

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 17

एवंविधा भैरवस्य यावस्था परिगीयते |

evaṃ-vidhā bhairavasya; yāvasthā parigīyate | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

evaṃ	evam adverb	thus, in this way
vidhā nominative singular feminine	vidha adjective	of such kind, thus constituted
bhairavasya genitive singular	bhairava substantive masculine	of Bhairava
yā nominative singular feminine	yad pronoun rel	which, who
avasthā nominative singular	avasthā substantive feminine	state, condition
parigīyate 3rd person singular passive present	pari previx gai verbal root	is sung, is designated, is taught

सा परा पररूपेण परा देवी प्रकीर्तिता ||17||

sā parā para-rūpeṇa; parā devī prakīrtitā ||17|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

sā nominative singular feminine	tad pronoun dem	she/they, these
parā nominative singular feminine	parā adjective	the highest, transcendent
para karmadhāraya-compound	para adjective	as highest, in the highest way
rūpeṇa instrumental case singular	rūpa substantive neuter	in the shape, in the form
parā nominative singular feminine	parā adjective	the highest, transcendent
devī nominative singular	devī substantive feminine	Goddess
prakīrtitā nominative singular feminine past participle passive	pra previx kīrt verbal root	proclaimed, designated, called

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

This state of Bhairava is taught as the highest. It is recognized as Parā, proclaimed as the supreme form and as Parā Devī.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

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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 ›

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Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 14–17: Defining the Highest Reality

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