Today we read from the second chapter of the Svacchandabhairava Tantra, also known as Svacchanda Tantra, a hallowed and primary Shaivite text. This text is central to monistic Shaivism and leads in the long list of Bhairava Agamas.
The central revelation of the Svacchanda Tantra is the inseparable unity of Shiva and Shakti. Here, Bhairava explains that Shiva (pure consciousness) and Shakti (His dynamic power) are two sides of the same coin. This divine couple is not just an abstract concept; their eternal embrace is the very essence of the universe. The text beautifully proclaims that the union of these two is the ultimate truth known as Bhairava. It invites us on a journey from the fragmented perception of self and world to the liberating realization of an all-pervasive, unified consciousness. It teaches that the path to liberation isn't about escaping reality, but about seeing it for what it truly is: the boundless, vibrant play of Bhairava-Shiva.
This text, which per historians locates itself around the 6th century CE and within the Taittiriya Krsna Yajurvedic milieu, does not stand in isolation. It acts sort of as a re-revelation of principles found in earlier Agamic scriptures such as the Raurava, Mṛgendra, and Kāmika, integrating Sāṃkhyic philosophical framework and refining the traditional tattvas into a non-dualistic context. We also see shared resonance with older Vedantic sources such as the Bhagavad Gita and Svetasvatara Upanishad. For example, a keen eye should take note of the 14th verse of this chapter with Bhagavad Gita XIII:28, and the 45th verse with Svetasvatara Upanishad III:16 and Bhagavad Gita XIII:14. These borrowings from Agamic and Vedantic scriptures should be taken as validation of the earlier texts as well as a deep reverence for the key principles within them. Indeed all these scriptures have been revealed and emerged from the flow of the very same, One unified river of consciousness.
---OM---
Then Śri Bhairava spoke:
“O Goddess, essence of all realities, highest goal of the sacred transmissions,
tell Me that supreme truth, O Bhairava-Yoginī, whose being is auspicious.” 1
Śri Bhairavī said:
“O Lord, what is the first cause of all beings, O Supreme God?
And in what manner is this Bhairava’s form declared?” 2
“By whom is nature set forth and by whom does it operate?
In what does the universe rest, and when that support is withdrawn, in what is
it dissolved?” 3
Bhairava said:
“Listen, O Goddess, I shall reveal to you a secret most wonderful—
the highest principle of Bhairava, by knowing which one is liberated.” 4
“Śiva, without beginning and without end—Bhairava, the Supreme Lord—
He alone is the cause of all beings; indeed, He Himself is nature.” 5
He alone is the witness of all beings, the very body of consciousness,
ever one, O Goddess, eternally joined with His own Powers. 6
No Power [Śakti] exists apart from Him, for being of Śiva’s own nature She is not
distinct;
Śiva is the Self as Power, and Power Herself is Śaṅkara. 7
Taking refuge in their unity—as Power and Lord of Power—
even the manifested world shines forth as undivided self-radiant light. 8
As the heat of fire is said to be its power,
so the Power of Śiva never departs from Him. 9
From Śiva indeed arise the appearance, maintenance, and withdrawal of beings;
through His powers their activity and their rest occur. 10
Śiva is said to be composed of Power, and Power too is Śiva-Self;
their unity is the supreme principle, called that of Bhairava. 11
By Him all is produced, by Him all is sustained, by Him all is absorbed—
Śiva, the eternal Lord. 12
He has neither origin nor support nor dissolution;
by His own nature He ever abides as Śiva in the form of Bhairava. 13
He Himself is Bhairava, Śiva taking the form of Bhairava;
whoever perceives Bhairava as Bhairava—that one truly sees. 14
Thus, O Goddess, has the principle of Bhairava been declared;
by knowledge of this, O Great Goddess, one is liberated beyond doubt. 15
Of that Power, O Goddess, there is a triad whose essence is Will, Knowledge,
and Action;
by them the universe arises, abides, and is reabsorbed. 16
Will is declared the supreme Power of the Great Goddess,
through which all beings move forth according to Her own freedom. 17
Knowledge is called supreme, by which manifestation is apprehended,
by which Śiva, all-pervading and sovereign, knows everything. 18
Action is proclaimed as that which delights in manifestation,
by which Śiva, filled with Power, accomplishes all things. 19
These three Powers are said to set in motion all beings;
through them creation, continuance, and dissolution proceed. 20
These are the great energies of Śiva, the foundation of all,
by which the entire operation of the universe unfolds. 21
They are the Powers of the Great Goddess, of the Supreme Lord,
forming the body of that detached yet all-embodied Being. 22
In Will there is creation, in Knowledge maintenance,
and in Action dissolution—threefold is the form of Bhairava. 23
Through these, Śiva whose Self pervades all assumes the form of Bhairava;
from Śiva they are not distinct—of His Bhairava-nature there is no doubt. 24
Therefore of these Powers of the Great Goddess it is said:
creation, preservation, and dissolution—these indeed belong to Bhairava. 25
Then from Bhairava arises the supreme principle of Power,
said to be of Śiva’s own nature—for Power is none other than Śiva-Self. 26
Because Her essence is radiance, Śiva becomes manifest as awareness;
that supreme Power, of Śiva-nature, sets all beings in motion. 27
From Śiva Power arises, and through Her Śiva also shines forth;
there is no division between them—together they are the Supreme Lord. 28
From Śiva Power arises, and Power is born of Bhairava;
from their union this entire all-pervading Bhairava-world proceeds. 29
That supreme Power of Śiva initiating all creation
is called Śivā, the Power of Śiva, and also named Sadāśiva. 30
From Sadāśiva [tattva] there springs Bhairava of Bhairava-nature,
whose supreme Power of Will is called Bhairavānī. 31
From Īśvara [tattva] arises a higher Power known as Knowledge-Power,
by which the Supreme Lord perceives and knows the whole universe. 32
Through Her He becomes complete in form, all-pervading, transcending the
transcendent;
from Her arises Bhairava, the Supreme Lord composed of pure knowledge. 33
From Śuddhavidyā [tattva] there arises the Power of Action,
by which creation, continuance, and dissolution are set in motion. 34
This very activity is the operation of the three Powers—
Will, Knowledge, and Action—the cause of all manifestation. 35
Thus, O Great Goddess, the five pure principles have been declared—
Śiva and the others—the supreme realities of Bhairava. 36
The connection of these five groups of principles is through Power;
by their union in the Power-principle, the nature of Bhairava is made known. 37
As by the light of fire the three worlds shine,
so by the light of Śiva the three worlds shine. 38
As a form appearing in light is not other than that light,
so within the Śiva-nature all shines without distinction. 39
Śiva is tranquil, all-pervading, bearing the form of Bhairava;
Śiva is ever the essence of knowledge, Śiva assumes Bhairava’s form. 40
Therefore know all to be Śiva, and all indeed to be Bhairava;
there is nothing apart from Śiva, nothing beyond Bhairava. 41
Wherever anything exists, of whatever form, moving or unmoving,
there dwells the Lord—Śiva in the form of Bhairava. 42
He Himself is Bhairava the serene, He Himself the Supreme Lord;
He Himself the manifold Deity, He Himself the Ruler of the world. 43
Beginningless, middleless, endless; without qualities yet the form of
qualities;
undifferentiated yet the essence of all differentiation—Śiva in the form of
Bhairava. 44
With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads, and faces everywhere,
with ears everywhere in the world, He stands pervading all. 45
Then from Śiva there arises Māyā through His power of activity;
by Her the unhidden knowledge becomes veiled, and differentiation appears. 46
This Māyā is fivefold—Kāla, Niyati, Kalā, Vidyā, and Rāga—
the five coverings that limit consciousness. 47
Assuming the form of division between subject and object,
She effects every operation of the great Bhairava. 48
Because Her nature is concealment, the world shines forth through that
concealment;
knowledge veiled by Māyā becomes the manifest light of Bhairava. 49
Through Her covering, awareness becomes the limited puruṣa;
becoming thus an individual soul, it is bound by its own perceptions. 50
From that arises Prakṛti,
possessed of the three qualities—
sattva, rajas, and tamas—through
which the creation of the world proceeds. 51
Her power is the eternal energy of Bhairava Himself;
through the modes of sattva, rajas, and tamas she performs the activity of the
universe. 52
From the conjunction of prakṛti and puruṣa
arises the cause of all things:
the principle of buddhi (intellect), whose nature is determination and
illumination. 53
From intellect arises the principle called ahaṃkāra
(ego);
from that, the principle of manas (mind), and likewise the senses. 54
Hearing, touch, taste, smell, and sight are the five organs of knowledge;
speech, hands, feet, anus, and genitals are the organs of action. 55
The objects beginning with sound arise together with these groups of organs;
these are the subtle elements (tanmātras), the fivefold appearances. 56
From them emerge the five great elements—ether, air, fire, water, and earth—
each characterized by sound, touch, form, taste, and smell. 57
Thus the whole universe is created, resting upon the series of the tattvas,
all of Śiva-nature, arising from Bhairava, the Supreme Lord. 58
Whatever is born from the tattvas abides again in the tattvas;
since all is of Śiva’s essence, there is no other supreme reality. 59
Thus, O Goddess, has been declared the process of the arising of the
principles;
by knowing this one beholds the supreme knowledge of Bhairava. 60
Thus this universe, arising from the principles, is born of Bhairava;
from Bhairava, the supreme principle, it returns again to Bhairava. 61
This, O Goddess, is the order of creation:
Bhairava, beyond the beyond, is the cause of creation, maintenance, and
dissolution. 62
When, at the time of re-absorption, Bhairava withdraws into Himself,
then all subsides; the principles return each in their sequence. 63
Because everything is of Śiva-nature, only Śiva remains;
there abides the supreme peace, the supreme state of Bhairava. 64
Śiva is called Bhairava, Bhairava is remembered as Śiva-Self;
Śiva united with Bhairava, Bhairava grounded in Śiva, is imperishable. 65
His Power of Knowledge sets all beings in motion;
by Her this entire universe is pervaded—Śiva, whose Self is all, the Lord
all-pervading. 66
That Power is the cause of the appearance, persistence, and re-absorption of
beings,
as light through its radiance illumines the whole world. 67
Thus Śiva, by His own radiance, pervades and abides pervading;
He is both pervader and pervaded—the all-Self, the infinite Bhairava. 68
In the form of Śiva all this universe is established;
in every principle abides the Lord, the all-Self, the pervasive Bhairava. 69
From the fivefold Śiva beginning with the Śiva-tattva, resting on the pure
principles,
all the other tattvas abide within the essence of Bhairava. 70
There is nothing, O Blessed One, that is not of Bhairava’s nature;
since all the principles are of Him, all indeed is Bhairava alone. 71
As a crystal jewel shines with many colours,
so the awareness of Bhairava appears as manifold distinction. 72
Because its essence is awareness, everything shines;
Bhairava shines as all beings, all-going, all-pervasive. 73
Nothing exists dependent on another, nothing stands apart;
there is only one supreme principle—Bhairava, the Supreme Lord. 74
Whoever sees all as Śiva and everywhere as Bhairava,
that person is liberated, O Supreme Goddess, abiding equal with Bhairava. 75
Whose nature is one with Bhairava, whose knowing is Bhairava-knowledge—
he is freed from every bondage, established as Śiva-Bhairava. 76
Without Bhairava nothing at all exists;
wherever anything stands, there abides the all-Self, the boundless Bhairava. 77
Thus, O Goddess, has been told the sequence of the dissolution of the
principles
and the union of Śiva and Bhairava, the eternal supreme reality. 78
Whoever hears or recites this doctrine of Bhairava
is freed from sin, united with the knowledge of Bhairava. 79
One endowed with devotion and faith who beholds the Supreme Lord
comes to know the ultimate reality as Bhairava alone. 80
All beings are of Śiva’s nature; the whole universe is filled with Śiva—
there is never doubt that anything exists apart from Him. 81
As by a single sun all things are illumined,
so by Śiva, by Bhairava who is all-Śiva, this world shines. 82
As by the light of a lamp a whole house is illumined,
so by Bhairava, all of Śiva-nature, this universe shines forth. 83
Knowing that one’s own body is of Śiva-nature, one becomes filled with Śiva;
therefore with every effort one should cultivate knowledge of Śiva. 84
Apart from knowledge of Śiva there is nothing purifying or wondrous;
by knowing it one is freed from the root of every bondage. 85
Through knowledge of Śiva, the sins of mortals are dissolved;
through perfect understanding of that knowledge one attains the supreme state. 86
By knowledge of Śiva beings come to be, by it they endure;
by knowledge of Śiva the cycle of existence is overcome. 87
All is composed of knowledge of Śiva; through it all increases;
by realization of that knowledge all becomes of Śiva-essence. 88
By knowledge of Śiva one is liberated, by it purified;
through it one becomes the all-Self—through it one is Bhairava. 89
By knowledge of Śiva, indeed, all this is to be known—no doubt;
through it surely the liberation of all is accomplished. 90
Whoever, endowed with devotion and faith, attains the knowledge of Śiva
reaches the supreme wisdom and the highest state. 91
Through knowledge of Śiva the embodied being, understanding the Śiva-principle,
attains Bhairava, O Bhairavī, and is liberated. 92
Knowledge of Śiva is the supreme knowledge, the highest goal of Bhairava;
by its full realization all becomes the imperishable Bhairava. 93
As righteousness and other virtues in the world grow through Śiva-knowledge,
so all states imbued with that knowledge become tranquil. 94
Knowledge of Śiva is the supreme wisdom destroying all sin;
through it eternally all remains the imperishable Bhairava. 95
Through knowledge of Śiva, O Goddess, the cycle of birth and death ceases;
by its full realization one becomes Bhairava, identical with Śiva. 96
Through knowledge of Śiva the eternal supreme reality is known;
by that knowledge one is liberated and becomes Bhairava. 97
Through perfect knowledge of Śiva alone
the sinner, cleansed of impurity, becomes Bhairava. 98
Through full knowledge of Śiva all takes the form of Bhairava;
through that realization one’s very life becomes Bhairava. 99
Through knowledge of Śiva the eternal supreme principle is known;
by that comprehension one is freed from the bondage of becoming. 100
Through knowledge of Śiva death itself is destroyed;
by that same knowledge one attains the supreme liberation. 101
Endowed with devotion and understanding Śiva completely, the yogin
through that knowledge becomes Śiva-Bhairava, Śiva Himself. 102
Thus, O Goddess, has the doctrine of Bhairava been declared;
knowing Śiva and Bhairava, one never again undergoes rebirth. 103
— End of Chapter 2 of the Svacchanda Tantra (Paratattva-prakāśaḥ).
Śrī Svacchanda Tantra II.1-103
|| oṃ svacchandabhairavaya namaḥ ||
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