Mahavidya Tripura Bhairavi

38.1. Tripura Bhairavi Mahavidya is regarded the terrible and wrathful aspect of Sodasi
Mahavidya. Her other two forms being Tripura Bala the young virgin and Tripura Sundari
the most beautiful in all the three worlds. Tripura Bhairavi is generally identified with
Bhairavi a fierce goddess and consort of Bhairava the ferocious aspect of Shiva. But as
Mahavidya, Bhairavi is an independent goddess; and her consort aspect is not stressed.
She is very close to Kali; and resembles her in many ways.
38.2. Though Bhairavi stands for terror, decay and destruction, it is explained, she is a
complete goddess not associated with destruction alone. She is also the goddess of creation
and maintenance. Her name Bhairavi, it is said, is derived from Bharana (to create),
Ramana (to protect) and Vamana (to eject). Her last mentioned aspect Vamana- is related
to the tantric imagery of the rhythmic breathing of the Devi inhaling and exhaling. Her

outward breath signifies creation and emanation, while her inward breath is withdrawal
and destruction. She represents the nature of ultimate reality which throbs in the alternate
modes of creation and destruction.
39.1. Bhairavi is said to have twelve separate forms each having its own mantra and yantra.
Her forms include both benign and terrible aspects. Taken together Bhairavi is a
multifaceted goddess who is not restricted to destruction alone. For instance, her benign
forms include: Sampath-pradha Bhairavi ( giver of all riches); Sakala-siddhi bhairavi
(one who grants all attainments); Bhaya-vidvamsini (destroyer of fear);Chaitanya-bhairavi
( one who awakens consciousness) ;Bhuvaneshvari-bhairavi ( one who sustains the world);
Kameshwari bhairavi( one who kindles desire and grants gratification);Shubmkari ( one
causes good ); and Annapurneshwari-bhairavi ( one who grants food ). She is addressed by
many other names: Sristi-samhara-kaarini; Jagad-dhatri, Parameshwari; and, Jaganmata.
She is also the other-half of Ardhanarishwara.
39.2. She is Kundalini. Bhairavi is also the name given to a Yogini (female yogi) adept in
Kundalini tantra. Bhairavi represents the power of speech. She is also described as Tejas
the radiance that enlivens the elements (tanmatra). She is the power over the senses and
elements. Bhairavi is Tapas the heat of penance that transforms the adept by burning
down the base desires and attachments. She is also Chidagni the flame of consciousness.
[Bhairavi is also a title for a female adept in Kundalini Tantra. A Yogini is a student of Tantra, or
an aspirant. A Bhairavi is one who has succeeded and one who is beyond the fear of death.]
40.1. But, it is her force that tends towards dissolution that is highlighted in the Mahavidya
cult. On account of her power over the events of life and death, Bhairavi denotes Terror.
She is called Ghora Tara, Kalaratri, and Chandi. She dwells in cremation grounds
(smasana vasini) and has corpse as her seat. Bhairavi is the destructive force in nature
.She represents the decay, weakness, aging and finally death that occur everywhere, in
everyone and in everything. None can escape her wrath.
40.2. Bhairavi is Nitya-pralaya the silent but ever active process of aging, decay and death
that takes place at every moment and in every aspect of life. She is also evident in every
self-destructive habits and attitudes; say as in wrong eating, over indulgence, ignorance,
anger, jealousy, hatred and selfishness etc. Bhairavi is Apara-dakini the virtual demoness
who with her soft hands, gradually and voluptuously strangles all to death. Bhairavi is also
described as the wrath of a mother towards her children who indulge in wrong or impure
ways of living and thinking.
40.3. And, she is also Maha-pralaya the great dissolution at the end of the cycle when all
things are consumed by fire and dissolved in the formless waters of pre-creation out of
which a new universe emerges. Thus, destruction has a purpose. It is a part of the overall
scheme of creation and re-generation. Even at the micro level, at every moment each living
cell dies and reinvents itself; life and death walk hand in hand.

40.4. Bhairavi, the awe-inspiring, is also Kala- ratri the destructive power of time. And all
things are subject to decay and death in the course of time, Bhairavi is present everywhere
and at all times. As Kala-ratri the dark night, she is destructive aspect of Kali the goddess
of time. Pray to her for fearlessness in the face of death.
40.5.All forms dissolve into the dark night of Bhairavi as Kala-ratri. Bhairavi is thus
formless and void; and at the same time contains within her the infinite forms. When she
revels she takes myriad forms. She is the matrix on which the universe ages, dissolves and
re-generates itself. The Tantric texts describe Kala-Bhairavi as the goddess who presides
over the transformation of the world- from birth to death and from death to birth.
41.1. The iconographies of Bhairavi are many and varied. They depict her terrible form as
also her benign form.

41.2. Bhairavi as the destructive force is red in color with her breasts smeared with blood.
She is draped in red silk. She is bright as the rising sun. She has three lotus-like eyes. She
wears a garland of severed heads, moon on her head, and many jewels. In her depiction
with ten hands she carries an assortment of weapons and accouterment: bow and
arrows, noose and goad, sword and club, drum and trident, and book and rosary. She is
seated on a corpse (Savsana).
41.3. As Kalaratri she is black as night and naked; only covered with skulls of her devotees
which form a garland across her chest and wild long black hair flowing with the wind. She
has her tongue out, dripping with blood. She haunts everywhere, but she is more easily seen
where death and ashes exist in abundance.

41.4. In her benign form, Bhairavi is glowing like thousand rising suns. She wears a moon
on her head. She has three large eyes. Her beautiful lotus face is lit with a gentle smile. She
is dressed in red silk garments. She wears a jeweled crown with the crest of the
moon. She is adorned with white gems. She wears garlands of wild flowers. She holds a pot
of milk, a book, rosary, gestures mudras dispelling fear and bestowing boons.

Mahapadmavanantasthe Paramanandavigrahe
Shabdabrahmamaye Svacche Vande Tripurabhairaveem

Om Bhairavi Saham