Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 22–23: Devī Asks for the Practice

After the aim is defined, Devī asks for the means: how is this state known, and how does Parā Devī become the gate?

Dr. Ronald Steiner 25.03.2026

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 22

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

देवदेव त्रिशूलाङ्क कपालकृतभूषण |

deva-deva tri-śūlāṅka; kapāla-kṛta-bhūṣaṇa | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

deva dvandva-compound	deva substantive masculine	God
deva vokative singular	deva substantive masculine	O God
tri dvigu-compound	tri numeral	three
śūla tatpuruṣa-compound accusative	śūla substantive neuter	the trident
aṅka vokative singular	aṅka substantive masculine	sign, emblem, mark
kapāla tatpuruṣa-compound instrumental case	kapāla substantive neuter	with skulls
kṛta tatpuruṣa-compound instrumental case past participle passive	kṛ verbal root	made, formed
bhūṣaṇa vokative singular	bhūṣaṇa substantive neuter	O adorned one, O adorned one

दिग्देशकालशून्या च व्यपदेशविवर्जिता ||22||

dig-deśa-kāla-śūnyā ca; vyapadeśa-vivarjitā ||22|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

dig dvandva-compound	dik substantive feminine	direction, spatial direction
deśa dvandva-compound	deśa substantive masculine	place, region
kāla dvandva-compound	kāla substantive masculine	time
śūnyā nominative singular feminine	śūnya adjective	empty of, free of
ca	ca particle	and
vyapadeśa tatpuruṣa-compound ablative	vyapadeśa substantive masculine	of designation, naming, determination
vivarjitā nominative singular feminine past participle passive	vi previx varj verbal root	lacking, free from, abandoned by

Metre: Anuṣṭubh; speaker formula outside the metre

The venerable (śrī) Goddess (devī | nom sg) said (uvāca | 3p sg act perf):
O God of gods (deva-deva | voc sg), you marked with the trident (tri-śūlāṅka | voc sg), O one adorned with skulls (kapāla-kṛta-bhūṣaṇa | voc sg)!
[What is the state that is] empty of direction, place, and time (dig-deśa-kāla-śūnyā | nom sg f) and free from designation (vyapadeśa-vivarjitā | nom sg f ppp)?

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

The venerable Goddess says:
O God of gods, bearer of the trident, you who are adorned with skulls.
How is that state to be understood, the one free from space, place, and time, beyond every name?

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 23

यावस्था भरिताकारा भैरवस्योपलभ्यते |

yāvasthā bharitākārā; bhairavasyopalabhyate | 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
bhairavasya genitive singular	bhairava substantive masculine	of Bhairava
upalabhyate 3rd person singular passive present	upa previx labh verbal root	becomes known, is apprehended

कैरुपायैर्मुखं तस्य परा देवी कथम्भवेत् |

kair upāyair mukhaṃ tasya; parā devī katham bhavet | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

kaiḥ instrumental case plural	kim pronoun inter	through which, with which
upāyaiḥ instrumental case plural	upāya substantive masculine	through means, through methods
mukham nominative singular	mukha substantive neuter	mouth, entrance, gate
tasya genitive singular masculine	tad pronoun dem	of that, to it
parā nominative singular feminine	parā adjective	the highest, transcendent
devī nominative singular	devī substantive feminine	Goddess
katham	katham adverb	how
bhavet 3rd person singular aktive optative	bhū verbal root	it would be, it would become

यथा सम्यगहं वेद्मि तथा मे ब्रूहि भैरव ||23||

yathā samyag ahaṃ vedmi; tathā me brūhi bhairava ||23|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

yathā	yathā adverb	as, in what way
samyak	samyak adverb	completely, properly, fully
aham nominative singular	asmad pronoun pers 1p	I
vedmi 1st person singular aktive present	vid verbal root	I know, I recognize
tathā	tathā adverb	thus, in this way
me dative singular	asmad pronoun pers 1p	to me
brūhi 2nd person singular aktive imperative	brū verbal root	say, explain
bhairava vokative singular	bhairava substantive masculine	O Bhairava

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

How is that state of Bhairava, in its fulfilled fullness, truly known? By what means does Parā Devī become the gateway to it? Explain it to me so that I may understand completely, O Bhairava.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

parā devī em. ed. ] parā devi GRETIL2020

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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 22–23: Devī Asks for the Practice

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