Above (ūrdhve) the out-breath
(prāṇaḥ), below (adhaḥ)
the life-breath (jīvaḥ) — of the nature
of visarga(visargātmā) —
rises in utterance (paroccaret). At
the place of the twofold origin
(utpatti-dvitaya-sthāne), through
being filled (bharaṇāt), is the state
of plenitude (bharitā sthitiḥ).
Vocabulary
ūrdhvaadj. loc.sg -e
“upward, above, high” — here adverbially
prāṇam. nom.sg -aḥ
“out-breath, the upward-moving breath” — pra + √an
adhaḥadverb
“downward, below”
jīvam. nom.sg -aḥ
“life-breath, the downward-moving breath” — √jīv “to live”
visargātmanbahuvrīhi adj. nom.sg -ā
“having visarga as [its] self” — visarga (emission; also the letter ḥ) + ātman
paroccaretverb 3 sg opt. para. of par + ud + √car
“it should rise forth, utter upward” — optative
utpatti-dvitaya-sthānan. loc.sg -e
“at the place of the twofold origin” — tatpuruṣa: utpatti (origin) + dvitaya (twofold) + sthāna (place)
bharaṇan. abl.sg -āt
“filling, being filled” — √bhṛ + nominal suffix
bharitaadj. fem. nom.sg -ā
“filled, plenary” — pp of √bhṛ
sthitif. nom.sg -iḥ
“standing, state, condition” — √sthā
The first technique: attention to the two breath-centres, upper
and lower, where exhalation and inhalation arise.
Bharitā sthitiḥ, “the state of plenitude”, is the goal.
When the two breaths (marutoḥ)
[come to rest], whether within or without
(antar-bahiḥ vā), by the
non-returning (anivartanāt) into the
pair of voids (viyad-yugma) — thus
(ittham), O Bhairavī
(bhairavi), is the form
(vapuḥ) of Bhairava
(bhairavasya) manifested
(vyajyate) by Bhairavī
(bhairavyā).
Vocabulary
marutm. gen.du marutoḥ
“wind, breath” — here specifically the two breaths (in/out)
antar-bahiḥadverb
“within and without, inside-outside”
viyad-yugman. stem
“pair of voids” — viyat (sky, void) + yugma (pair)
anivartanan. abl.sg -āt
“non-returning, non-reversal” — a- + ni + √vṛt
bhairavīf. inst.sg -yā
“Bhairavī, the consort of Bhairava” — feminine of Bhairava
bhairavam. gen.sg -asya
“Bhairava” — the ferocious form of Śiva, central deity of Trika
itthamadverb
“thus, in this way”
vyajyateverb 3 sg pres. pass. of vi + √añj
“is manifested, becomes visible”
vapusn. nom.sg vapuḥ
“form, body, shape, beautiful appearance”
The “two voids” are the momentary pauses at the end of
exhalation and inhalation — the moments where the breath
does not return. Resting attention in these pauses is said
to reveal the form of the deity.
VB 26 · dhāraṇā 3
na vrajen na viśec chaktir marudrūpā vikāsite
nirvikalpatayā madhye tayā bhairavarūpatā
The breath-energy (śaktiḥ marud-rūpā)
neither goes out (na vrajet) nor
enters in (na viśet) when [it rests]
expanded (vikāsite). Through
thought-free absorption (nirvikalpatayā)
in the centre (madhye), by that
(tayā), there is the state of being
Bhairava (bhairava-rūpatā).
Vocabulary
vrajetverb 3 sg opt. para. of √vraj
“should go, would go out”
viśetverb 3 sg opt. para. of √viś
“should enter, would go in”
śaktif. nom.sg -iḥ
“power, energy, capacity” — here the breath-energy
marud-rūpabahuvrīhi adj. fem. -ā
“having the form of wind / breath” — marut + rūpa
vikāsitapp. loc.sg -e (absol.)
“expanded, blossomed, [when] opened out” — pp of vi + √kas
nirvikalpatāf. inst.sg -tayā
“the state of being free from vikalpa (conceptual thought)” — abstract noun
madhyan. loc.sg -e
“the middle, centre” — here the central pause of the breath
tayāpron. fem. inst.sg of tad
“by that, through that” — referring to the nirvikalpa-state
bhairava-rūpatāf. nom.sg -ā
“the state of having the form of Bhairava” — abstract from bhairava-rūpa
Continues the breath series. Nirvikalpa, “thought-free”,
is the technical term for non-conceptual awareness that is the
direct goal of the technique.
Full translation of all 112 dhāraṇās with commentary notes is forthcoming.
Text: Vijñānabhairava with Kṣemarāja's Uddyota and Śivopādhyāya's Vivṛti (KSTS 8, 1918) · Translations adapted from Singh 1979, Dyczkowski 2019, Bäumer 2017