Kashmir Śaivism · Trika · c. 993 CE

भैरवस्तवः

Bhairava Stava — Ten verses of Abhinavagupta

Ten verses in which Abhinavagupta stops arguing and simply speaks. The Tantrāloka takes thirty-seven chapters to establish that consciousness is not other than Bhairava; this hymn takes forty lines, and its argument is made of relief rather than proof — I am not afraid of death, because there is no second thing left for death to take. Tradition holds that he recited it walking into the Bhairava cave at Bīrvāh and was not seen again.

I

व्याप्तचराचरभावविशेषं
चिन्मयमेकमनन्तमनादिम्
भैरवनाथमनाथशरण्यं
त्वन्मयचित्ततया हृदि वन्दे ॥ १ ॥

vyāptacarācarabhāvaviśeṣaṃ
cinmayam ekam anantam anādim |
bhairavanātham anāthaśaraṇyaṃ
tvanmayacittatayā hṛdi vande ||

व्याप्तचराचरभावविशेषचिन्मयअनाथशरण्यत्वन्मयचित्तताहृदिवन्दे
हिन्दी अर्थ

चराचर के प्रत्येक भाव-विशेष में व्याप्त, चिन्मय, एक, अनन्त और अनादि — अनाथों के शरण्य उन भैरवनाथ को, तुम्हीं से भरे हुए चित्त के साथ, मैं हृदय में प्रणाम करता हूँ।

English sense

To Bhairavanātha — who pervades every particular thing that moves and does not move; who is consciousness alone, one, endless, beginningless; refuge of those who have no protector — I bow, in my heart, with a mind now made of you.

पदार्थ · word by word
व्याप्त
pervaded, filled through
चराचर
the moving and the unmoving
भावविशेष
each particular existent
चिन्मय
made of cit, consciousness
अनाथशरण्य
refuge of the masterless
त्वन्मयचित्तता
the state of a mind made of you
हृदि
in the heart (loc.)
वन्दे
I bow, I salute
II

त्वन्मयमेतदशेषमिदानीं
भाति मम त्वदनुग्रहशक्त्या
त्वं च महेश सदैव ममात्मा
स्वात्ममयं मम तेन समस्तम् ॥ २ ॥

tvanmayam etad aśeṣam idānīṃ
bhāti mama tvadanugrahaśaktyā |
tvaṃ ca maheśa sadaiva mamātmā
svātmamayaṃ mama tena samastam ||

त्वन्मयअशेषइदानीम्भातिअनुग्रहशक्तिममात्मास्वात्ममयसमस्तम्
हिन्दी अर्थ

अब आपकी अनुग्रह-शक्ति से यह समस्त जगत् मुझे त्वन्मय ही भासित होता है। और हे महेश, आप सदा ही मेरे आत्मा हैं — इसीलिए यह सब कुछ मेरे अपने आत्मा से ही बना हुआ है।

English sense

Now, by the power of your grace, this whole — with nothing left over — shines for me as made of you. And you, Maheśa, are forever my own Self; so the entirety of it is made of my own Self.

पदार्थ · word by word
त्वन्मय
made of you
अशेष
without remainder, entire
इदानीम्
now, at this moment
भाति
shines, appears
अनुग्रहशक्ति
grace-power, the fifth act of Śiva
ममात्मा
my own Self
स्वात्ममय
made of one's own Self
समस्तम्
the whole of it
III

स्वात्मनि विश्वगते त्वयि नाथे
तेन न संसृतिभीतिकथास्ति
सत्स्वपि दुर्धरदुःखविमोह-
त्रासविधायिषु कर्मगणेषु ॥ ३ ॥

svātmani viśvagate tvayi nāthe
tena na saṃsṛtibhītikathāsti |
satsv api durdharaduḥkhavimoha-
trāsavidhāyiṣu karmagaṇeṣu ||

स्वात्मनिविश्वगतसंसृतिभीतिकथादुर्धरविमोहत्रासकर्मगण
हिन्दी अर्थ

हे नाथ! जब विश्वव्यापी आप ही मेरे अपने आत्मा हैं, तब संसार के भय की चर्चा तक शेष नहीं रहती — यद्यपि दुर्धर दुःख, विमोह और त्रास उत्पन्न करने वाले कर्म-समूह विद्यमान तो हैं ही।

English sense

Since you, Lord, who go everywhere, are my own Self — there is by that fact not even talk of a fear of transmigration; and this although heaps of karma are still there, dealing out unbearable pain, bewilderment and terror.

पदार्थ · word by word
स्वात्मनि
in one's own Self (loc.)
विश्वगत
gone to / into all things
संसृति
the round of rebirth
भीतिकथा
the very talk of fear
दुर्धर
hard to bear
विमोह
bewilderment, loss of bearings
त्रास
terror, recoil
कर्मगण
the massed heaps of karma
IV

अन्तक मां प्रति मा दृशमेनां
क्रोधकरालतमां विनिधेहि
शङ्करसेवनचिन्तनधीरो
भीषण भैरव शक्तिमयोऽस्मि ॥ ४ ॥

antaka māṃ prati mā dṛśam enāṃ
krodhakarālatamāṃ vinidhehi |
śaṅkarasevanacintanadhīro
bhīṣaṇa bhairava śaktimayo'smi ||

अन्तकदृशम्करालतमामा विनिधेहिसेवनधीरभीषणशक्तिमय
हिन्दी अर्थ

हे अन्तक! क्रोध से अत्यन्त विकराल इस दृष्टि को मुझ पर मत डालो। शङ्कर की सेवा और चिन्तन से धीर हुआ मैं — हे भीषण भैरव — तुम्हारी शक्ति से ही बना हूँ।

English sense

Ender — do not turn on me that stare, at its most gaping with rage. Steadied by the service and the contemplation of Śaṅkara, I am, O terrifying Bhairava, made of your power.

पदार्थ · word by word
अन्तक
the Ender — Death, Yama (voc.)
दृशम्
the glance, the look
करालतमा
most gaping / gruesome
मा विनिधेहि
do not lay upon, do not cast
सेवन
attending on, worship
धीर
steady, unshaken
भीषण
terrifying (voc.)
शक्तिमय
made of (your) power
V

इत्थमुपोढभवन्मयसंवि-
द्दीधितिदारितभूरितमिस्रः
मृत्युयमान्तककर्मपिशाचै-
र्नाथ नमोऽस्तु न जातु बिभेमि ॥ ५ ॥

ittham upoḍhabhavanmayasaṃvid-
dīdhitidāritabhūritamisraḥ |
mṛtyuyamāntakakarmapiśācair
nātha namo'stu na jātu bibhemi ||

इत्थम्उपोढसंविद्दीधितिदारितभूरितमिस्रपिशाचन जातु बिभेमि
हिन्दी अर्थ

इस प्रकार भवन्मय हुई संविद् की दीधितियों से जिसका घोर अन्धकार विदीर्ण हो चुका है — ऐसा मैं, हे नाथ, नमस्कार हो! — मृत्यु, यम, अन्तक और कर्म, इन पिशाचों से कभी नहीं डरता।

English sense

The thick dark in me now split open by the rays of a consciousness grown full of you — homage, Lord — I am not, not ever, afraid of those ghouls: death, Yama, the Ender, karma.

पदार्थ · word by word
इत्थम्
in this way, thus
उपोढ
brought close, grown full
संविद्
consciousness, awareness
दीधिति
ray, beam of light
दारित
torn open, split
भूरितमिस्र
the abundant darkness
पिशाच
flesh-eating ghoul
न जातु बिभेमि
I fear not, ever
VI

प्रोदितसत्यविबोधमरीचि-
प्रेक्षितविश्वपदार्थसतत्त्वः
भावपरामृतनिर्भरपूर्णे
त्वय्यहमात्मनि निर्वृतिमेमि ॥ ६ ॥

proditasatyavibodhamarīci-
prekṣitaviśvapadārthasatattvaḥ |
bhāvaparāmṛtanirbharapūrṇe
tvayy aham ātmani nirvṛtim emi ||

प्रोदितविबोधमरीचिप्रेक्षितसतत्त्वपरामृतनिर्भरपूर्णनिर्वृति
हिन्दी अर्थ

उदित हुए सत्य-विबोध की मरीचियों से मैंने विश्व के समस्त पदार्थों का सत्-तत्त्व देख लिया है; भाव के परामृत से आपूर्ण उन आप में — जो मेरा आत्मा ही हैं — मैं निर्वृति को प्राप्त होता हूँ।

English sense

Having looked, by the rays of a true awakening now risen, straight at what every thing in the world really is — I come to rest in you, the Self, brimming and full with the supreme nectar of being.

पदार्थ · word by word
प्रोदित
risen up (as a sun)
विबोध
awakening, full knowing
मरीचि
ray, shaft of light
प्रेक्षित
seen, beheld directly
सतत्त्व
the real nature of a thing
परामृत
the supreme nectar
निर्भरपूर्ण
filled to overflowing
निर्वृति
rest, settled bliss
VII

मानसगोचरमेति यदैव
क्लेशदशाऽतनुतापविधात्री
नाथ तदैव मम त्वदभेद-
स्तोत्रपरामृतवृष्टिरुदेति ॥ ७ ॥

mānasagocaram eti yadaiva
kleśadaśā'tanutāpavidhātrī |
nātha tadaiva mama tvadabheda-
stotraparāmṛtavṛṣṭir udeti ||

मानसगोचरयदैव … तदैवक्लेशदशाअतनुतापविधात्रीअभेदवृष्टिउदेति
हिन्दी अर्थ

हे नाथ! जिस क्षण अतनु ताप देने वाली क्लेश-दशा मेरे मन के गोचर में आती है, ठीक उसी क्षण मुझमें आपसे अभेद के स्तोत्र-रूपी परामृत की वृष्टि उदित हो जाती है।

English sense

The instant a stretch of affliction comes within range of my mind — and it deals no small burning — that same instant, Lord, there rises in me a downpour of supreme nectar: the hymn of my non-difference from you.

पदार्थ · word by word
मानसगोचर
the range / pasture of the mind
यदैव … तदैव
the very moment … that very moment
क्लेशदशा
a condition of affliction
अतनुताप
burning that is not slight
विधात्री
she who deals out, ordains
अभेद
non-difference, no-gap
वृष्टि
rainfall, downpour
उदेति
rises up
VIII

शङ्कर सत्यमिदं व्रतदान-
स्नानतपो भवतापविदारि
तावकशास्त्रपरामृतचिन्ता
स्यन्दति चेतसि निर्वृतिधाराम् ॥ ८ ॥

śaṅkara satyam idaṃ vratadāna-
snānatapo bhavatāpavidāri |
tāvakaśāstraparāmṛtacintā
syandati cetasi nirvṛtidhārām ||

व्रतदानस्नानतपस्भवतापविदारिन्तावकस्यन्दति
हिन्दी अर्थ

हे शङ्कर! सचमुच यही मेरा व्रत, दान, स्नान और तप है, और यही भव-ताप को विदीर्ण करने वाला है — क्योंकि आपके शास्त्र के परामृत का चिन्तन चित्त में निर्वृति की धारा बहा देता है।

English sense

Śaṅkara, in truth this is my vow, my giving, my bathing, my austerity, and this is what rends the fever of becoming: dwelling on the supreme nectar of your teaching pours a stream of settled bliss through the mind.

पदार्थ · word by word
व्रत
observance, vow
दान
ritual giving
स्नान
purificatory bathing
तपस्
austerity, heat of practice
भवताप
the fever of becoming
विदारिन्
rending, tearing apart
तावक
your own, belonging to you
स्यन्दति
flows, makes flow
IX

नृत्यति गायति हृष्यति गाढं
संविदियं मम भैरवनाथ
त्वां प्रियमाप्य सुदर्शनमेकं
दुर्लभमन्यजनैः समयज्ञम् ॥ ९ ॥

nṛtyati gāyati hṛṣyati gāḍhaṃ
saṃvid iyaṃ mama bhairavanātha |
tvāṃ priyam āpya sudarśanam ekaṃ
durlabham anyajanaiḥ samayajñam ||

नृत्यतिहृष्यतिगाढम्आप्यसुदर्शनदुर्लभअन्यजनैःसमयज्ञ
हिन्दी अर्थ

हे भैरवनाथ! मेरी यह संविद् नाचती है, गाती है, गाढ़ रूप से हर्षित होती है — क्योंकि उसने आपको पा लिया है: प्रिय, सुदर्शन, एक, अन्य जनों के लिए दुर्लभ, और समय के ज्ञाता को।

English sense

This awareness of mine dances, sings, thrills clean through, Bhairavanātha — having reached you: the beloved, fair to look on, the one, hard for other people to come by, who knows the covenant.

पदार्थ · word by word
नृत्यति
dances
हृष्यति
thrills, bristles with joy
गाढम्
densely, right through
आप्य
having reached, obtained
सुदर्शन
lovely to behold
दुर्लभ
hard to obtain
अन्यजनैः
by other people (instr.)
समयज्ञ
knower of the samaya, the initiate's pact
१०X

वसुरसपौषे कृष्णदशम्यां
अभिनवगुप्तः स्तवमिममकरोत्
येन विभुर्भवमरुसन्तापं
शमयति झटिति जनस्य दयालुः ॥ १० ॥

vasurasapauṣe kṛṣṇadaśamyāṃ
abhinavaguptaḥ stavam imam akarot |
yena vibhur bhavamarusantāpaṃ
śamayati jhaṭiti janasya dayāluḥ ||

वसुरसपौषकृष्णदशमीअकरोत्विभुभवमरुझटिति
हिन्दी अर्थ

वसु-रस (६८) संवत् के पौष मास की कृष्ण दशमी को अभिनवगुप्त ने यह स्तव रचा — जिससे दयालु विभु मनुष्य के भव-रूपी मरुभूमि के सन्ताप को तत्क्षण शान्त कर देते हैं।

English sense

In the vasu-rasa year, in Pauṣa, on the tenth of the waning fortnight, Abhinavagupta made this hymn — by which the compassionate all-pervading Lord cools, on the instant, a person's scorching in the desert of becoming.

Reading the date The year is given in bhūtasaṅkhyā, word-numerals read right to left (अङ्कानां वामतो गतिः): वसु = 8 (the eight Vasus), रस = 6 (the six tastes) → 68 of the Laukika era, commonly converted to 993 CE. The conversion is a scholarly reconstruction, not something the verse itself states — printed editions differ.
पदार्थ · word by word
वसु
the eight Vasus → 8
रस
the six tastes → 6
पौष
the month Pauṣa (Dec–Jan)
कृष्णदशमी
tenth of the waning fortnight
अकरोत्
he made (impf.)
विभु
the all-pervading one
भवमरु
the desert that is existence
झटिति
at once, in a flash
पाठ
माला 0 / 108
॥ समाप्तमिदं भैरवस्तवम् ॥

Terms on this page

Mahadeva महादेव An epithet of Shiva, "the great god";
Bhairava भैरव A fierce form of Shiva, worshipped at home in gentler forms like Batuk or Bal Bhairava, protecting the household alongside the family deity.
Shiva शिव One of the principal deities of Hinduism.
Batuk Bhairava बटुक भैरव The gentler, child-like form of Bhairava — worshipped at home via a picture, idol, or small silver Trishul.
Rudrayamala Tantra रुद्रयामल तंत्र A major Tantric scripture cited as the source of several Bhairava and Kali rites, including the Batuk Bhairav Ashtottara Shatanama and the Shree Kalika Kavach.
Diksha दीक्षा Formal initiation from a qualified Guru — required before undertaking many seed mantras (Beej Mantra) or high-intensity practices; reciting them without it is unauthorized.

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