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Tripura Bhairavi Stotram (Dhyana) — Word-by-Word Meaning

त्रिपुरभैरवी ध्यान स्तोत्रम्

Every Sanskrit word explained in English

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Word-by-Word Breakdown

उद्यद्भानुसहस्रकान्तिम्
udyad-bhānu-sahasra-kāntim
having the radiance of a thousand rising suns
अरुणक्षौमां
aruṇa-kṣaumāṃ
clad in red silken garments
शिरोमालिकां
śiro-mālikāṃ
wearing a garland of (severed) heads
रक्तालिप्तपयोधरां
raktā-lipta-payodharāṃ
whose bosom is smeared with red (kumkuma / blood)
जपवटीं
japa-vaṭīṃ
(holding) a rosary for japa
विद्यां
vidyām
(holding) the book of knowledge (Vidya)
अभीतिं वरम्
abhītiṃ varam
(showing) the gestures of fearlessness (abhaya) and boon-giving (vara)
हस्ताब्जैर् दधतीं
hastābjair dadhatīṃ
holding (these) in her lotus-like hands
त्रिनेत्रविलसद्रक्तारविन्दश्रियं
tri-netra-vilasad-raktāravinda-śriyaṃ
three-eyed, with the beauty of a glowing red lotus (her face)
बद्धहिमांशुरक्तमुकुटां
baddha-himāṃśu-rakta-mukuṭāṃ
wearing a red crown set with the crescent moon (himamshu)
देवीं ... वन्दे
devīṃ ... vande
I bow to that Goddess
समन्दस्मिताम्
sa-manda-smitām
with a gentle, soft smile
त्रिपुरभैरवी
tripura-bhairavī
Tripura Bhairavi — the fierce-gracious Mahavidya Goddess being invoked
महाविद्या
mahā-vidyā
one of the ten Mahavidyas (great wisdom-goddesses)

Complete Translation

I bow to the Goddess Tripura Bhairavi — radiant with the splendour of a thousand rising suns, clad in red silk, wearing a garland of heads, her bosom anointed with red; who bears in her lotus hands a rosary and the book of knowledge and shows the gestures of fearlessness and boon-giving; three-eyed, her face glowing with the beauty of a red lotus, her red crown set with the crescent moon, and upon her lips a gentle smile.

Origin & History

Source: Traditional Mahavidya / Sri Vidya dhyana verse (used in Bhairavi upasana and Tantric manuals)

Author: Traditional (anonymous, within the Shakta–Tantric tradition)

Period: Classical / Medieval

Tripura Bhairavi is the fifth of the ten Mahavidyas, embodying the burning, transformative power of the Goddess that consumes ignorance, fear and ego. As with every Tantric deity, her worship opens with a dhyana shloka that paints her form for the worshipper's inner eye. This verse, 'udyad-bhānu-sahasra-kāntim', is her classic meditation: it sets her blazing like a thousand rising suns yet smiling gently, holding the rosary and the book of wisdom and granting fearlessness and boons. Preserved in the Tantras and worship-manuals, it is recited at the start of Bhairavi japa and puja, linking her closely to Lalita Tripurasundari in the Sri Vidya lineage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Tripura Bhairavi?▼
Tripura Bhairavi is one of the ten Mahavidyas — the great wisdom-goddesses of the Shakta and Tantric traditions. She is a fierce yet gracious form of the Divine Mother, closely associated with Lalita Tripurasundari in the Sri Vidya tradition. She is visualised radiant as a thousand suns, robed in red, garlanded with heads, three-eyed, holding a rosary and a book and showing the gestures of protection and boon-giving.
What is this verse?▼
This is the dhyana shloka — the verse of meditation and visualisation — of Tripura Bhairavi, beginning 'udyad-bhānu-sahasra-kāntim'. It is recited at the start of Bhairavi worship and japa to fix the form of the Goddess in the heart, and is the most widely used Bhairavi dhyana verse.
What do her emblems mean?▼
The rosary (japa-mala) signifies mantra and remembrance; the book (Vidya) signifies sacred knowledge; the abhaya gesture grants fearlessness and protection; and the vara gesture grants boons. Her red colour and garland of heads express her power to destroy fear, ego and obstacles, while her gentle smile reveals her underlying compassion.
When is it chanted?▼
It is chanted at the beginning of Bhairavi worship or japa. Devotees recite it on Tuesdays and Fridays, during Navaratri, and at dawn or dusk, especially seeking courage, protection and the removal of fear.

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