Vijnana Bhairava Tantra Part 3. Verses 10-17:

Bhairava tells Bhairavi that his descriptive form is only for the ignorant who meditates on forms. They have confused mind that functions in opposite direction. They are associated only with rituals. Bhairava says that those who indulge in meditation are ignorant. We are taught by Upanishads that self effulgent Brahman has no form. If He has form, then He loses his omnipresence and omnipotent nature. An object can exist only at certain place. A single object cannot prevail all over the universe at the same time. It cannot control the functions of the universe by being present in a particular place. The rituals have been prescribed for immature people. They are immature because, they still get engrossed in the effects of duality. They do not consider that the Self and the self are the same. . Bhairava says that in reality He is neither navatma nor the alphabets, nor Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra or their shakthis. He is not concerned with the chakras nor His energy is in the form of Shakthi (na cha Shakthi-svarupakah). Bhairava says that He is well beyond all such descriptive terms that are meant only for the ignorant and for the beginners of spirituality. Rituals are like toys to kids, whose attention are drawn towards the toys. Without toys they do not know what is a toy. Through toys, various shapes and forms are taught to the young. A toy of a lion makes a kid to understand how a lion looks like. The same principle applies to the beginners of spirituality. Rituals are prescribed only for them. A form is given to the Brahman through rituals to make the ignorant understand the concept of divinity. A boy does not remain the same by remaining in the same class. In the same way an ignorant is expected to move forward, leaving behind the rituals that were pursued till now.

Bhairava now proceeds to disclose His true nature. (Quoted statements are not literal translation) ‘I am beyond time, space and shape. There is no specific place or designation for me. My real nature cannot be explained as it is beyond explanation. My form cannot be delineated nor my place defined.’ The statement of Bhairava implies that He is beyond and outside the ordinary range of human experience or understanding. He transcends anything and everything that the universe is aware of. Ordinary range of human experience because, the higher range of human experience is bliss attained through knowledge. Self-realisation happens only beyond the higher range of human experience. It happens only when the mind is quietened. When the mind is quietened, intelligence gets purified and refined. At that time he understands that there is no Shiva, no Kailasha, no Shakthi, nothing simply nothing. The mind devoid of ego, remains unaided by senses is unaware of various influence, multitude of energies and interactions. The mind becomes unaided by senses only if it is devoid of ego, the “I” ness. Bhairava says that the stage of nothingness or void is filled with bliss, where the duality is completely obliterated. This stage of nothingness is filled with Bhairavi who is nothing but Bhairava Himself. This state cannot be explained but can be experienced through bliss. The worshipper merges into the worshipped. The duality obliterates into “That” and there exists only “That”. The practitioner continues to exist but he exists as “That”. In this stage who is to be worshipped as there is no differentiation as subject and object. If there are two persons present, one can pay reverence to the other, but there is no second here. This stage is known as the stage of impeccable fullness. Bhairava says “Bhairavi Bhairavatmanaha”, there is no difference between the two. Shiva and Shakthi are not two different entities. They are one. They are not even Shiva-Shakthi iykam (union). They are known as Shiva. That is why Lalitha Sahasranamam nama 998 addresses Her as “Sri-Shiva”.

This highest state is called “Bhairavi” in tantra sastras. The verse (17) says “para pararupena paradevi”. Para, the highest, para-rupa, the highest form and para-devi, She is That Devi or She is That. She is Bhairava in preternatural form. The reason of citing Bhairavi as the Supreme is due to the fact that real Bhairava incomprehensible. Therefore, Bhairavi is the highest form that one can think of. Since Bhairava is not attainable, Bhairavi is called as Bhairava as well. Tantras advocate worshipping Bhairavi because tantra is a science and they do not take cognisance of inexplicable. Bhairava is inexplicable. Self-realization happens at the level of Bhairavi and nobody knows what happens beyond Bhairavi. The human incapableness unable to transcend Bhairavi calls Bhairavi as Bhairava.

Further Readings:

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra- Part 2

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra - Part 4

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra - Part 5