T R I P U R A   B H A I R A V I

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PART 1
TRIPURA BHAIRAVI - THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF THE SUBTLE FIRE

The fifth Great Cosmic Power of the Hindu pantheon is Tripura Bhairavi, associated both to the terrible force of destruction of the evil and impure, and to the energy of the subtle universal fire.

The implications of these aspects are numerous. For instance, the purifying action performed by the Great Cosmic Power Tripura Bhairavi implies the manifestation of Her savior aspect, because She saves Her devotees from all suffering and negative karmic pressures.

From an etymological point of view, the name Bhairavi comes from three groups of letters, with precise semantics: bha symbolizes the act of preservation, in the sense of continuity, ra signifies ramana, the creative divine activity and va coming from vamana, referring to relaxation, or ceasing a certain activity.

Consequently, Tripura Bhairavi represents God’s extraordinary power to create, sustain, and at the same time destroy the manifested world.

Unlike the governing gods of the Hindu pantheon (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva ) who rule only one of these functions, Tripura Bhairavi harmoniously represents two fundamental and apparently contradicting aspects of manifestation.

These aspects refer to bright beauty and terrible action found in creation. This perfect correlation of the divine attributes was also stated in the description of the Great Cosmic Power Kali, however the Great Cosmic Power Tripura Bhairavi specifically represents the terrible aspect of the divinity.

In other words, She signifies God’s amazing, colossal, unmatched and terrible force of action, which destroys all that is bad and impure and at the same time transforms evolves the various types of manifestation.

From this perspective, these transformations are "rebirths" from the ashes and sublimations of the various aspects of the Creation.

Consequently, the Great Cosmic Power Tripura Bhairavi represents the transformational power of the subtle fire (tejas tattva).


TRIPURA BHAIRAVI PROTECTS US FROM ANY BAD OR HARMFUL INFLUENCES
The great majority of people perceive the action of this extraordinary divine force and energy as a terrible and scary aspect, mostly because She burns and destroys all limitations, preconceived ideas, misconceptions and illusions regarding our individual existence.

As we already mentioned, this terrible manifestation of the Great Cosmic Power Tripura Bhairavi is always directed towards the destruction of impurities (on their various levels of manifestation) and the elimination of negative forces and influences that tend to block the devotee’s spiritual progress.

Although the Great Cosmic Power Tripura Bhairavi’s terrible force is difficult to bare for many people, Her specific action is necessary for protecting us from harmful influences and for guiding us on the spiritual path.

An eloquent analogical representation of the Great Cosmic Power Tripura Bhairavi’s terrible action in manifestation is sometimes materialized in a woman’s anger, of even more concretely, in the prompt, firm, and determined actions of a mother defending her children against an exterior threat.

From a different perspective, associated with some very subtle and fine aspects of God’s creation, the Great Cosmic Power Tripura Bhairavi represents the supreme power of speech, whose deep nature is fire, according to the Tantric Hindu tradition.

Thus, She represents the divine word, the creative logos in its non-manifested form, as a pure and transcendent divine energy.

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