Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 18–21: Śakti as Śiva’s Disclosure

Śakti is never separate from Śiva; as light enables sight, Śiva is known through Śakti. Śakti is gate and access.

Dr. Ronald Steiner 25.03.2026

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 18

शक्तिशक्तिमतोर्यद्वदभेदः सर्वदा स्थितः |

śakti-śaktimator yad vad; abhedaḥ sarvadā sthitaḥ | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

śakti dvandva-compound	śakti substantive feminine	Śakti, power
śaktimatoḥ genitive dual	śaktimat adjective	of Śaktimān, of the possessor of power
yad	yad pronoun rel	like, thus like
vat	vat suffix	like, equal
abhedaḥ nominative singular	abheda substantive masculine	non-difference, non-separation
sarvadā	sarvadā adverb	always, at all times
sthitaḥ nominative singular masculine past participle passive	sthā verbal root	existing, present, established

अतस्तद्धर्मधर्मित्वात्परा शक्तिः परात्मनः ||18||

atas tad-dharma-dharmitvāt; parā śaktiḥ parātmanaḥ ||18|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

atas	atas adverb	therefore, hence
tad tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	tad pronoun dem	of that, from that
dharma tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	dharma substantive masculine	the attribute, of the characteristic
dharmitvāt ablative singular	dharmin adjective tva suffix	because of being the bearer, because of the identity of the attribute-bearer
parā nominative singular feminine	parā adjective	the highest, transcendent
śaktiḥ nominative singular	śakti substantive feminine	Śakti, power
parātmanaḥ genitive singular	parātman substantive masculine	of the highest self, of the highest essence

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Just as (yad-vat) non-difference (abhedaḥ | nom sg) is always (sarvadā) established (sthitaḥ | nom sg m ppp) between Śakti and the possessor of Śakti (śakti-śaktimatoḥ | gen du),
so therefore (atas), because the bearer of the attribute is identical with that attribute (tad-dharma-dharmitvāt | abl sg), the highest Śakti (parā śaktiḥ | nom sg) [is] of the highest self (parātmanaḥ | gen sg).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Between Śakti and the bearer of Śakti there is never any real separation. Therefore the supreme Śakti is nothing other than the supreme Self itself.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 19

न वह्नेर्दाहिका शक्तिर्व्यतिरिक्ता विभाव्यते |

na vahner dāhikā śaktir; vyatiriktā vibhāvyate | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

na	na particle	not
vahneḥ genitive singular	vahni substantive masculine	of fire
dāhikā nominative singular feminine	dāhikā adjective	burning, burning power
śaktiḥ nominative singular	śakti substantive feminine	Śakti, power
vyatiriktā nominative singular feminine past participle passive	vi previx ati previx ric verbal root	separate, distinct
vibhāvyate 3rd person singular passive present causative	vi previx bhū verbal root	is understood, is distinguished

केवलं ज्ञानसत्तायाम्प्रारम्भो ऽयम्प्रवेशने ||19||

kevalaṃ jñāna-sattāyām; prārambho 'yam praveśane ||19|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

kevalam	kevalam adverb	only, alone
jñāna tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	jñāna substantive neuter	of knowledge, of the recognition
sattāyām lokative singular	sattā substantive feminine	in being, in the reality, in the given reality
prārambha nominative singular	prārambha substantive masculine	beginning, beginning, entry
ayam nominative singular masculine	idam pronoun dem	this
praveśane lokative singular	praveśana substantive neuter	on entering, at entry, on leading in

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Just as the power to burn is not separate from fire, Śakti is not truly separate from the bearer of Śakti. This distinction is only an initial teaching device that leads into recognition.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 20

शक्त्यवस्थाप्रविष्टस्य निर्विभागेन भावना |

śakty-avasthā-praviṣṭasya; nirvibhāgena bhāvanā | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

śakti tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	śakti substantive feminine	the Śakti, of the power
avasthā tatpuruṣa-compound lokative	avasthā substantive feminine	in the state, in the condition
praviṣṭasya genitive singular masculine past participle passive	pra previx viś verbal root	of one who has entered
nirvibhāgena instrumental case singular	nis previx vibhāga substantive masculine	without distinction, without separation
bhāvanā nominative singular	bhāvanā substantive feminine	meditation, contemplation

तदासौ शिवरूपी स्यात्शैवी मुखमिहोच्यते ||20||

tadāsau śiva-rūpī syāt; śaivī mukham ihocyate ||20|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tadā	tadā adverb	then
asau nominative singular masculine	adas pronoun dem	this
śiva tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	śiva substantive masculine	of Śiva
rūpī nominative singular masculine	rūpin adjective	of shape, similar in form, of the form
syāt 3rd person singular aktive optative	as verbal root	he would be, he would become
śaivī nominative singular feminine	śaiva adjective	belonging to Śiva, Śaiva
mukham nominative singular	mukha substantive neuter	mouth, entrance, gate
iha	iha adverb	here
ucyate 3rd person singular passive present	vac verbal root	is called, is designated

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Whoever enters the state of Śakti enters nondual meditation. Then one experiences the essence of Śiva. Here, this śaivic power is the gateway into direct experience.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 21

यथालोकेन दीपस्य किरणैर्भास्करस्य च |

yathālokena dīpasya; kiraṇair bhāskarasya ca | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

yathā	yathā adverb	thus like
ālokena instrumental case singular	āloka substantive masculine	through light
dīpasya genitive singular	dīpa substantive masculine	the lamp
kiraṇaiḥ instrumental case plural	kiraṇa substantive masculine	through the rays
bhāskarasya genitive singular	bhāskara substantive masculine	of the sun
ca	ca particle	and

ज्ञायते दिग्विभागादि तद्वच्छक्त्या शिवः प्रिये ||21||

jñāyate dig-vibhāgādi; tadvac chaktyā śivaḥ priye ||21|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

jñāyate 3rd person singular passive present	jñā verbal root	becomes known
dig tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	diś substantive feminine	the direction
vibhāga tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	vibhāga substantive masculine	the distinction, the division
ādi nominative singular neuter	ādi adjective	and so on, and other things
tadvat	tadvat adverb	likewise, in the same way
śaktyā instrumental case singular	śakti substantive feminine	through Śakti, through power
śivaḥ nominative singular	śiva substantive masculine	Śiva
priye vokative singular feminine	priya adjective	O beloved

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Just as directions and spaces are seen by lamplight and the rays of the sun, Śiva is known through Śakti, O beloved.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

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Dr. Ronald Steiner

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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 18–21: Śakti as Śiva’s Disclosure

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