Bhairav Yantra
Living Yantra of Inner Discipline, Awareness, and Karmic Balance
The Bhairav Yantra is a Living Yantra, created through a precise integration of mantra, tantric geometry, chakra science, and iconography. It is not a decorative mandala or a ritual substitute, but a contemplative tool designed to stabilise awareness, organise instinct, and cultivate inner discipline over time.
The entire mandala is bounded by the Beej Mantra “वं”, the primary Beej of Kalabhairav and also the Beej of the Swadhishthana Chakra. In Tantra, “वं” represents the self and the knowledge of self, governing instinct, desire, fear, and subconscious movement. By winding the whole mandala with this Beej, the yantra creates a protected and inward-moving field where scattered attention is gathered and stabilised.
The yantra is built upon the six-petalled lotus of the Swadhishthana Chakra, as fear does not originate in thought but at the instinctual level. Bhairav works here not by removing fear, but by organising it into awareness. The iconography of Bhairav supports this function throughout the mandala. The Trishul represents clarity over fear, ignorance, and ego. The Paash (noose) symbolises the binding of the wandering mind so that all senses can be directed toward truth. The Damru represents nāda — rhythm and order — reminding the seeker that inner chaos is resolved through rhythm, not suppression.
A distinct and central feature of this yantra is the Ashta-Bhairav Mandala, represented through an eight-petalled formation. Each petal carries an animal vāhan, symbolising instinctual forces such as loyalty, courage, discernment, vision, endurance, movement, stability, and commitment. These petals arise from the Swar (vowels) of the Varn-Mālā, which Tantra recognises as Bhairav-tattva itself. Instinct is not rejected here; it is contained within geometry, allowing awareness to remain sovereign in all eight directions.
At the very centre of the mandala is placed the Beej Mantra of Batuk Bhairav — “वं”, representing the nascent seed energy of Bhairav. Above it is the 108-times japa of “ॐ भैरवाय नमः”, followed by the mantras of the Ashta-Bhairavs, and culminating in “ॐ कालभैरवाय नमः”. This vertical mantra progression symbolises the transformation of Batuk Bhairav energy into the complete consciousness of Kaal Bhairav.
The yantra also includes 24 circles, representing the 24 tattvas (elements) through which the human body and experience are formed. The Bhagavad Gita refers to the human body as kṣetra, and Bhairav is known as Kṣetrapāl, the guardian of the field. Through these tattvas, the yantra explains Bhairav’s role in creation, order, and sustenance. The Nataraj form of Shiva, placed amidst these elements, signifies the rhythmic movement through which existence is sustained.
Additional iconography includes the daṇḍa (staff) symbolising discipline and law, and the pātra / khappar (bowl)held by Bhairav, representing emptiness and the correct balance of karma and its results. This vessel reminds the seeker that only an empty, ego-less state can receive truth without distortion.
This Bhairav Yantra is a 12 × 12 inch framed Living Yantra, designed to be placed in a meditation or contemplative space and lived with over time. It does not promise comfort, quick results, or emotional reassurance. It offers clarity, steadiness, and inner authority — the very qualities Bhairav stands for.