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{{Short description|Hindu goddess}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Distinguish|Bharavi}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{use Indian English|date=June 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox deity
{{Infobox deity
| name = Tripura Bhairavi
| name = Bhairavi
| type = Hindu
| type = Hindu
| image = Goddess Bhairavi.jpg
| image = Goddess Bhairavi.jpg
| caption = An image of Goddess Bhairavi, Lithograph Print, circa 1880s of Bengal
| caption = A lithograph of Bhairavi
| affiliation = [[Parvati]], [[Mahavidya]] , [[Adishakti]], [[Parvati|Shivasakthi]] and [[Mahakali]]
| affiliation = [[Parvati]], [[Adishakti]], [[Mahavidya]], [[Mother Goddess]], [[Mahakali]]
| abode = [[Kailash]]
| abode = [[Mount Kailash]] and [[Manidvipa]]
| consort = [[Bhairava]]
| mantra = Om Hasaim Hasakarim Hasaim Bhairavyay Namo Namah
| mantra = Om Hasaim Hasakarim Hasaim Bhairavyay Namo Namah
| mount = [[Indian lotus|Lotus]]
| mount = [[Indian lotus|Lotus]]
| god_of = Goddess of [[Kundalini]]<ref>David Frawley, [https://books.google.com/books?id=T6Vp_rTWkAAC&pg=PA163&lpg=PA163&dq=Kundalini+%2B+Bhairavi&source=bl&ots=j3HjlyPsxS&sig=l2lZzhk8J1DOxdwlr7lzlStllXw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiE0-eKy5HdAhVzCDQIHQzhBvwQ6AEwCnoECAMQAQ#v=onepage&q=Kundalini%20%2B%20Bhairavi&f=false Inner Tantric Yoga], Lotus Press, 2008,  page 163-164</ref>
| god_of = Goddess of [[Kundalini]]<ref>David Frawley, [https://books.google.com/books?id=T6Vp_rTWkAAC&dq=Kundalini+%2B+Bhairavi&pg=PA163 Inner Tantric Yoga], Lotus Press, 2008,  page 163-164</ref>
| member_of = The Ten [[Mahavidyas]]
| member_of = The Ten [[Mahavidyas]]
| weapon = Trishula, Khaṭvāṅga, Sword, Kapala, Sickle and Damru
}}
}}


'''Tripur Bhairavi''' is a [[Hindu]] goddess associated with the [[Mahavidya|Mahāvidya]]s. She is the consort of [[Shiva|Tripurantak Mahadev]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last=Johnson|first=W. J|title=A Dictionary of Hinduism|encyclopedia=[[Oxford Reference]]|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford|year=2009|doi=10.1093/acref/9780198610250.001.0001}} {{ODNBsub}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite encyclopedia|last=Visuvalingam|first=Queen Elizabeth|title=Bhairava|encyclopedia=[[Oxford Reference]]|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford|year=2003|doi=10.1093/OBO/9780195399318-0019}} {{ODNBsub}}</ref>
'''Bhairavi''' ({{langx|sa|भैरवी}}) is a [[Hindu]] goddess, described as one of the [[Mahavidya|Mahāvidya]]s, the ten avatars of the [[Mahadevi|mother goddess]]. She is the consort of [[Bhairava]] (a form of [[Shiva]]).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Magee |first=Mike |title=Todala Tantra |url=https://www.academia.edu/12503050}}</ref>


==Symbolism==
== Etymology ==
[[File:Nepalese - Bhairava with Goddess - Walters 543024 (2).jpg|thumb|left|180px|[[Bhairava]] with his consort, Bhairavi.]]
The name ''Bhairavi'' means "terrifying" or "awe-inspiring".<ref>Sukul, Kubernath. Vārānasī Vaibhava. Patna, India: Bihar Rastrabhasa Parisad, 1977</ref>


The name ''Bhairavi'' means "Terror" or "awe-inspiring". She is the Fifth of ten [[Mahavidyas|Mah]][[Mahavidya|ā]]<nowiki/>vidyas. She is also called Tripurabhairavi. "Tri" means three, "Pura" means fortress, castle, city, town, etc. Tripura convey three different stages of consciousness i.e. active, dream and deep sleep. She is in the form of all triads and once these triads are transcended, the [[Brahman]] is attained. In other words, once we have her grace, we can realize [[Shiva]] consciousness. Hence She is called Tripurabhairavi.<ref>Erndl, Kathleen M. “Rapist or Bodyguard, Demon or Devotee: Images of Bhairo in the Mythology and Cult of Vaiṣṇo Devī.” In Criminal Gods and Demon Devotees: Essays on the Guardians of Popular Hinduism. Edited by Alf Hiltebeitel, 239–250. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1989</ref><ref>Sukul, Kubernath. Vārānasī Vaibhava. Patna, India: Bihar Rastrabhasa Parisad, 1977</ref>
==Iconography==
Her dhyana [[shloka]] in the [[Devi Mahatmya]] describes her form. She wears red garments and wears a garland of severed heads around her neck. She has three eyes and her head is adorned with a crescent moon.{{citation needed|date=December 2023}} Alternatively, she is a beautiful woman with three eyes, clad in red (the typical color of tantric goddesses). She has a crown or a crescent, and her hair is loose. She may appear holding rosaries, manuscripts, a trident, a sword, a noose, a bow, etc. There are blood stains on her breasts and she may wear a garland of human heads or skulls.<ref>{{Cite book |last=McDaniel |first=June |title=Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls}}</ref>


Her dhyana [[shloka]] in the [[Devi Mahatmya]] describes her form. She is seated on a lotus with four hands, one with a book, one with rosary beads, one with abhaya mudra and another with varada mundra. She wears red garments and wears a garland of severed heads around her neck. She has three eyes and her head is adorned with a crescent moon. In another form she is carrying a sword and a cup containing blood and other two hands showing abhaya and varada mudras. She is also depicted as sitting on Shiva, which is more predominant in tantric worship. She is also depicted as a queen, closely resembling [[Tripura Sundari|Rajarajeswari]].<ref name="Bhairva origin">{{cite book | title= A Dictionary of Hinduism | publisher=Oxford University Press | author= Johnson W. J. | author-link=A Dictionary of Hinduism | year=2009 | location=Oxford | isbn=9780198610250}}</ref>
[[Tripura Sundari]] and Tripura Bhairavi are closely associated but different.<ref name="Bhairavi">{{cite web | url=http://www.manblunderplus.com/2014/11/dasamaha-vidya-tripurabhairavi-part-5.html | title=Tripura Bhairavi | work=Mahavidyas | access-date=June 4, 2016 | author=Ravi V | archive-date=7 August 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807135659/http://www.manblunderplus.com/2014/11/dasamaha-vidya-tripurabhairavi-part-5.html | url-status=dead }}</ref>
[[File:Tripura-bhairavi yantra color.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Bhairavi yantra]]
Tripurabhairavī is set to be residing in [[muladhara chakra]]. Her mantra consists of three letters and they all form an inverted triangle in the centre of muladhara chakra. She is the creator in muladhara chakra in the form of kamarupa, which consists of three dots forming an inverted triangle, from which all triads are born, which ultimately leads to the creation of this universe.{{citation needed|date=June 2016}} The innermost triangle of muladhara chakra is known as kamarupa. The three points of triangle have three bijaksara's (sacred letters) and the three bijaksara's connected to each other by the sides of the triangle and each of these sides represent [[Iccha-shakti|iccha sakthi]], [[jnana|jnana sakthi]] and [[kriya|kriya sakti]] or the Divine will, Divine knowledge and Divine action. [[Tripura Sundari]] and Tripura Bhairavi are closely associated but different. Tripura Bhairavi is posited as the latent energy whereas Tripura Sundarī who causes this latent energy to actualize and moves this energy upwards towards higher [[chakra]]'s till [[Sahasrara|Sahasrara Chakra]].<ref name="Bhairavi">{{cite web | url=http://www.manblunderplus.com/2014/11/dasamaha-vidya-tripurabhairavi-part-5.html | title=Tripura Bhairavi | work=Mahavidyas | access-date=June 4, 2016 | author=Ravi V}}</ref>


==Etymology==
==Legend==
[[File:The Goddess Bhairavi Devi with Shiva MET DP257990.jpg|thumb|Bhairavi and Shiva in a charnel ground, from a 17th-century manuscript]]
Bhairavi is also a title for a female adept in [[Kundalini]], [[Tantra]]. A [[yogini]] is a student of [[Tantra]] or an aspirant.  A ''Bhairavi'' has succeeded in Tantra with the help of 64 yoginis. Yogini or Jogini are 64 in number. Yoginis, female supporting deities of Bhairavi. Bhairavi is the supreme leader of all 64 yoginis. Bhairav also has 52 supporting powers called ''52 [[Bhairava|Bhairav]]''. Bhairavi is the consort of [[Bhairava]] according to the [[Puranas]] and [[Tantras (Hinduism)|Tantras]]. In Tantra Shastra all 64 yogini, 52 Bhairav and 56 Kalve work together.


Bhairavi controls the changes taking place in the universe. The Mahavidyas represent the role of Adiparasakthi in the world, [[Tripura Sundari]] represents creation, [[Bhuvaneshwari]] symbolizes the sustainability of the created universe and [[Kamalatmika|Kamala]] represents prosperity and evolution. The other Mahāvidyas display the various processes that take place during the period of the universe. In this continuous cycle of creation and destruction, Bhairavi represents knowledge and civilization, she symbolizes the modifications of universe by mankind, the progress of humans and detailed studies.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}}
Bhairavi is also called as Shubhankari, which means that she is the doer of auspicious deeds to her devotees who are her children, which means she is a good mother. She also favours violence, punishment and bloodshed to those who are irreligious and cruel, which also means that she is the mother of all violence to them. She is said to be seen as violent and terrible but is a benign mother to her children.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sivasakti.com/tantra/dasa-maha-vidya/tripura-bhairavi/|title=Tripura Bhairavi – SivaSakti}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sanskritimagazine.com/indian-religions/hinduism/spiritual-side-fierce-goddess-bhairavi-goddess-wisdom/|title=Spiritual side of fierce Goddess Bhairavi, the Goddess of wisdom|newspaper=Sanskriti - Hinduism and Indian Culture Website|date=4 May 2016|access-date=9 May 2019|archive-date=9 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609032916/https://www.sanskritimagazine.com/indian-religions/hinduism/spiritual-side-fierce-goddess-bhairavi-goddess-wisdom/|url-status=dead}}</ref>


==Legends==
<gallery widths=250 heights=250>
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.
File:The Goddess Bhairavi Devi with Shiva MET DP257990 (cropped).jpg|Tantric goddess Bhairavi and her consort [[Shiva]] depicted as [[Kapalika|Kāpālika ascetics]], sitting in a [[charnel ground]]. Painting by [[Payag|Payāg]] from a 17th-century manuscript (<abbr>c.</abbr> 1630–1635), [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]], [[New York City]].
 
File:Tripura-bhairavi yantra color.jpg|Bhairavi yantra
Bhairavi is the consort of [[Bhairava]] according to the [[Puranas]] and [[Tantras]].
</gallery>
 
She is also called as Shubhankari, which means that she is the doer of auspicious deeds to her devotees who are her children, which means she is a good mother. She also favors violence, punishment and bloodshed to those who are irreligious and cruel, which also means that she is the Mother of all violence to them. She is said to be seen as violent and terrible but is a benign Mother to her children.<ref>https://www.sivasakti.com/tantra/dasa-maha-vidya/tripura-bhairavi/</ref><ref>https://www.sanskritimagazine.com/indian-religions/hinduism/spiritual-side-fierce-goddess-bhairavi-goddess-wisdom/</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Devi]]
* [[Bhairava]]
*[[Mahakali]]
* [[Bhramari]]
*[[Mahavidya]]
* [[Devi]]
*[[Linga Bhairavi]] by [[Jaggi Vasudev|Sadhguru]]
* [[Mahakali]]
* [[Mahavidya]]


==Notes==
==Notes==
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==References==
==References==
* Kinsley, David (1988). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=hgTOZEyrVtIC Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Traditions].'' University of California Press. {{ISBN|0-520-06339-2}}.
* Kinsley, David (1988). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=hgTOZEyrVtIC Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Traditions]''. University of California Press. {{ISBN|0-520-06339-2}}.
* {{citation |last=Maity |first=P. K|title=Historical Studies in the Cult of the Goddess Manasa |date=1962 |place= Calcutta }}
* {{Cite book |last=Maity |first=P. K. |date=1966 |orig-year=1962 |title=Historical Studies in the Cult of the Goddess Manasa |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.128118 |location=Calcutta |publisher=Punthi Pustak |oclc=237198}}
* R. D. Trivedi: Iconography of Parvati (Delhi, 1981)
* Trivedi, R. D. (1981). ''Iconography of Parvati''. Delhi: .


{{Mahavidya}}
{{Mahavidya}}
{{HinduMythology}}
{{HinduMythology}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Forms of Parvati]]
[[Category:Hindu goddesses]]
[[Category:Hindu goddesses]]
[[Category:Forms of Parvati]]
[[Category:Mahavidyas]]
[[Category:Mahavidyas]]

Latest revision as of 15:29, 12 March 2026


For other uses, see Bhairavi (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Bharavi.

Bhairavi
Goddess of Kundalini[1]
Member of The Ten Mahavidyas
A lithograph of Bhairavi
AffiliationParvati, Adishakti, Mahavidya, Mother Goddess, Mahakali
AbodeMount Kailash and Manidvipa
MantraOm Hasaim Hasakarim Hasaim Bhairavyay Namo Namah
WeaponTrishula, Khaṭvāṅga, Sword, Kapala, Sickle and Damru
MountLotus

Bhairavi (Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.) is a Hindu goddess, described as one of the Mahāvidyas, the ten avatars of the mother goddess. She is the consort of Bhairava (a form of Shiva).[2]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

The name Bhairavi means "terrifying" or "awe-inspiring".[3]

Iconography[edit | edit source]

Her dhyana shloka in the Devi Mahatmya describes her form. She wears red garments and wears a garland of severed heads around her neck. She has three eyes and her head is adorned with a crescent moon.[citation needed] Alternatively, she is a beautiful woman with three eyes, clad in red (the typical color of tantric goddesses). She has a crown or a crescent, and her hair is loose. She may appear holding rosaries, manuscripts, a trident, a sword, a noose, a bow, etc. There are blood stains on her breasts and she may wear a garland of human heads or skulls.[4]

Tripura Sundari and Tripura Bhairavi are closely associated but different.[5]

Legend[edit | edit source]

Bhairavi is also a title for a female adept in Kundalini, Tantra. A yogini is a student of Tantra or an aspirant. A Bhairavi has succeeded in Tantra with the help of 64 yoginis. Yogini or Jogini are 64 in number. Yoginis, female supporting deities of Bhairavi. Bhairavi is the supreme leader of all 64 yoginis. Bhairav also has 52 supporting powers called 52 Bhairav. Bhairavi is the consort of Bhairava according to the Puranas and Tantras. In Tantra Shastra all 64 yogini, 52 Bhairav and 56 Kalve work together.

Bhairavi is also called as Shubhankari, which means that she is the doer of auspicious deeds to her devotees who are her children, which means she is a good mother. She also favours violence, punishment and bloodshed to those who are irreligious and cruel, which also means that she is the mother of all violence to them. She is said to be seen as violent and terrible but is a benign mother to her children.[6][7]

See also[edit | edit source]

Notes[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ David Frawley, Inner Tantric Yoga, Lotus Press, 2008, page 163-164
  2. ↑ Magee, Mike. "Todala Tantra".
  3. ↑ Sukul, Kubernath. Vārānasī Vaibhava. Patna, India: Bihar Rastrabhasa Parisad, 1977
  4. ↑ McDaniel, June. Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls.
  5. ↑ Ravi V. "Tripura Bhairavi". Mahavidyas. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  6. ↑ "Tripura Bhairavi – SivaSakti".
  7. ↑ "Spiritual side of fierce Goddess Bhairavi, the Goddess of wisdom". Sanskriti - Hinduism and Indian Culture Website. 4 May 2016. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2019.

References[edit | edit source]

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