Who is worshipped, and who is satisfied — Vijnana Bhairava 16-17
The verse that asks the question a devotional platform has to sit with: in a reality of that kind, who exactly is being worshipped?
Vijnana Bhairava Tantra verses 16-17edition
Sanskrit · संस्कृत
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Meaning
That is to be known, in truth, as his body — stainless, filling the universe. In a supreme reality of that kind, who is the one worshipped and who is the one satisfied? That state of Bhairava which is sung of in this way is proclaimed the Supreme Goddess, supreme by her supreme nature.
This rendering is by a DharmSetu editor, not a quotation from a published translation. Compare with the public-domain translation.
A Hindi meaning has not been written for this mantra yet. Hindi is authored by a named editor rather than machine-translated, so it arrives more slowly.
How to recite
- Time
- brahma muhurta
Pronunciation key — sounds commonly got wrong
- ट ठ ड ढ ण · ṭ ṭh ḍ ḍh ṇ
- Retroflex — the tongue curls back and touches the roof of the mouth. Distinct from the dental त थ द ध न, where the tongue touches the teeth.
- श ष स · ś ṣ s
- Three different sounds: ś as in “shy”, ṣ retroflex and further back, s plain. Collapsing them changes words.
- ः · ḥ (visarga)
- A soft outward breath echoing the preceding vowel — not a hard “ha”.
- ं · ṃ (anusvara)
- Nasalises the vowel; the closing sound follows the consonant that comes next.
- Long vs short vowels — a / ā, i / ī, u / ū
- Vowel length is meaningful in Sanskrit. Hold the macron vowels roughly twice as long.
- Aspirated consonants — kh, gh, ch, th, dh, ph, bh
- A distinct puff of breath. ph is an aspirated p, never an English “f”.
Word by word
- वपुःvapuḥ
- body, form(nom. sg. n.)MW1899-CDSL p.920
- तत्त्वतःtattvataḥ
- in truth, in reality(abl. adv.)MW1899-CDSL p.432
- ज्ञेयम्jñeyam
- to be known(gerundive nom. sg. n.)MW1899-CDSL p.425
- विमलम्vimalam
- stainless(nom. sg. n.)MW1899-CDSL p.951
- विश्वपूरणम्viśvapūraṇam
- filling the universe(nom. sg. n.)
- पूज्यःpūjyaḥ
- one to be worshipped(nom. sg.)MW1899-CDSL p.641
- तृप्यतिtṛpyati
- is satisfied
Context
Shadanga — the six limbs
The traditional analytic frame for a mantra. Blank limbs are simply not recorded for this text.
- chhanda
- anushtubh
- devata
- Bhairava
Recited at / traditionally recited for
Classified as Tantric — From the Tantras. Typically built on bija (seed) syllables. Basis for this classification.
Related mantras
Gayatri Mantra
The most widely recited Vedic verse, addressed to the light of the sun — Rigveda 3.62.10.
Mahamrityunjaya Mantra
The Tryambaka verse of the Rigveda, addressed to Rudra — a prayer for release, likening it to a ripe fruit loosening from its stem.
Asato Ma Sad Gamaya
Three movements — from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to what does not die. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.28.