Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 32–35: Bodily Voids and the Central Nāḍī

Practice turns to heart, skull-space, inner void, and central nāḍī; attention dissolves into its own ground.

Dr. Ronald Steiner

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 32

शिखिपक्षैश्चित्ररूपैर्मण्डलैः शून्यपञ्चकम् |

śikhi-pakṣaiś citra-rūpair; maṇḍalaiḥ śūnya-pañcakam | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

śikhi tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	śikhin substantive masculine	of the peacock
pakṣaiḥ instrumental case plural	pakṣa substantive masculine	through the feathers, with the wings
citra karmadhāraya-compound	citra adjective	colorful, multicolored
rūpaiḥ instrumental case plural	rūpa substantive neuter	through the shapes, in the forms
maṇḍalaiḥ instrumental case plural	maṇḍala substantive neuter	through circles, circular forms
śūnya tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	śūnya adjective	emptiness, of the voids
pañcakam accusative singular	pañcaka substantive neuter	fivefoldness, group of five

ध्यायतो ऽनुत्तरे शून्ये प्रवेशो हृदये भवेत् ||32||

dhyāyato 'nuttare śūnye; praveśo hṛdaye bhavet ||32|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

dhyāyataḥ genitive singular masculine present participle active	dhyai verbal root	of the meditator, while meditating
anuttare lokative singular neuter	anuttara adjective	in the highest, in the unsurpassed
śūnye lokative singular	śūnya substantive neuter	in emptiness, in empty space
praveśaḥ nominative singular	praveśa substantive masculine	entry, penetration
hṛdaye lokative singular	hṛdaya substantive neuter	into the heart, in the heart
bhavet 3rd person singular aktive optative	bhū verbal root	it would be, it happens

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

[The practitioner should meditate on] the fivefold emptiness (śūnya-pañcakam | acc sg), through the variegated circular forms (citra-rūpair maṇḍalaiḥ | ins pl) of peacock feathers (śikhi-pakṣaiḥ | ins pl).
For one meditating (dhyāyataḥ | gen sg m pca), entry (praveśaḥ | nom sg) into the heart (hṛdaye | loc sg), into the unsurpassed emptiness (anuttare śūnye | loc sg), would occur (bhavet | 3p sg act opt).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Imagine the five empty spaces like the shimmering eyes of a peacock feather. As you meditate on them, attention sinks into the depth of the heart. There, the highest and boundless expanse opens.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

maṇḍalaiḥ KSTS1918-SU ] ma.ṅdalaiḥ GRETIL2020

Critical Apparatus

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 33

ईदृशेन क्रमेणैव यत्र कुत्रापि चिन्तना |

īdṛśena krameṇaiva; yatra kutrāpi cintanā | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

īdṛśena instrumental case singular masculine	īdṛśa adjective	through such a one, in such a way
krameṇa instrumental case singular	krama substantive masculine	through the sequence, through the method
eva	eva particle	indeed, exactly, just
yatra	yatra adverb	where, where also always
kutra	kutra adverb	somewhere, to somewhere, at some place
api	api particle	also
cintanā nominative singular	cintanā substantive feminine	contemplation, attention, meditation

शून्ये कुड्ये परे पात्रे स्वयं लीना वरप्रदा ||33||

śūnye kuḍye pare pātre; svayaṃ līnā vara-pradā ||33|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

śūnye lokative singular	śūnya substantive neuter	in emptiness, in empty space
kuḍye lokative singular	kuḍya substantive neuter	at the wall, at a wall
pare lokative singular neuter	para adjective	in the highest, in the exalted
pātre lokative singular	pātra substantive neuter	in the vessel, in the worthy vessel
svayam	svayam adverb	of self
līnā nominative singular feminine past participle passive	lī verbal root	dissolved, absorbed, entered
vara tatpuruṣa-compound accusative	vara substantive masculine	the gift, the blessing, the highest
pradā nominative singular feminine	pradā adjective	giving, bestowing, granting

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Whatever you turn attention toward, emptiness, a wall, the Highest, or a worthy support, attention begins to dissolve by itself. And precisely in this quiet dissolving, the blessing power reveals itself.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 34

कपालान्तर्मनो न्यस्य तिष्ठन्मीलितलोचनः |

kapālāntar mano nyasya; tiṣṭhan mīlita-locanaḥ | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

kapāla avyayībhāva-compund	kapāla substantive neuter	of the skull
antar	antar adverb	inside, within
manaḥ accusative singular	manas substantive neuter	the mind
nyasya absolutus	ni previx as verbal root	having placed, having directed
tiṣṭhan nominative singular masculine present participle active	sthā verbal root	abiding, standing, remaining
mīlita karmadhāraya-compound past participle passive	mīl verbal root	closed
locanaḥ nominative singular masculine	locana substantive neuter	eye, gaze

क्रमेण मनसो दार्ढ्यात्लक्षयेत्लष्यमुत्तमम् ||34||

krameṇa manaso dārḍhyāt; lakṣayet laṣyam uttamam ||34|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

krameṇa instrumental case singular	krama substantive masculine	step by step, gradually
manasaḥ genitive singular	manas substantive neuter	of the mind
dārḍhyāt ablative singular	dāṛḍhya substantive neuter	from firmness, through firmness
lakṣayet 3rd person singular aktive optative	lakṣ verbal root	he should perceive, he should recognize
lakṣyam accusative singular neuter future participle passive	lakṣ verbal root	the perceivable, the aim
uttamam accusative singular neuter	uttama adjective	the highest, the best

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Place the mind in the inner space of the head and close the eyes. Remain there, quiet and collected. As clarity and inner steadiness grow, the Highest gradually reveals itself.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 35

मध्यनाडी मध्यसंस्था बिससूत्राभरूपया |

madhya-nāḍī madhya-saṃsthā; bisa-sūtrābha-rūpayā | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

madhya tatpuruṣa-compound lokative	madhya substantive neuter	middle, center
nāḍī nominative singular	nāḍī substantive feminine	nāḍī, channel
madhya tatpuruṣa-compound lokative	madhya substantive neuter	middle, center
saṃsthā nominative singular feminine	saṃstha adjective	situated in the middle, grounded
bisa tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	bisa substantive neuter	lotus fiber, pith of the lotus
sūtra tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	sūtra substantive neuter	thread
ābha karmadhāraya-compound	ābha adjective	similar, appearing like
rūpayā instrumental case singular feminine	rūpa substantive neuter	of shape, formed

ध्यातान्तर्व्योमया देव्या तया देवः प्रकाशते ||35||

dhyātāntar-vyomayā devyā; tayā devaḥ prakāśate ||35|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

dhyātā nominative singular feminine past participle passive	dhyai verbal root	meditated on, contemplated
antar tatpuruṣa-compound lokative	antar adverb	inwardly, inside
vyomayā instrumental case singular feminine	vyoma substantive neuter	space, ether
devyā instrumental case singular	devī substantive feminine	through the Goddess
tayā instrumental case singular feminine	tad pronoun dem	through these
devaḥ nominative singular	deva substantive masculine	God, the divine
prakāśate 3rd person singular medial present	pra previx kāś verbal root	appears, reveals itself

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Meditate on the central Nāḍī at the center: fine as a lotus fiber and at the same time the goddess of the inner space. Through this inner center, the divine reveals itself.

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 32–35: Bodily Voids and the Central Nāḍī

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