Sahasranama position 219 of the 1,000 names

Janmadhipaya

जन्माधिपाय

Janmādhipāya

What Janmadhipaya means

Janmadhipaya is name 219 in the Kalabhairava Sahasranama, the 1,000-name devotional text to Kalabhairava. Salutations To The one who is the supreme sovereign and lord of all births.

Also spelled

  • Janmadhipa
  • Source transliteration: JANMAADHIPAAYA

Sanskrit names travel into English in several romanizations. This page keeps the common spelling, the IAST form, and the source transliteration together so the same name is discoverable under each spelling readers use.

Meaning and elaboration

Meaning: Salutations To The one who is the supreme sovereign and lord of all births.

Elaboration

The name Janmādhipāya is a compound of Janma (birth, existence, beginning) and Adhipa (lord, sovereign, ruler).

Sovereign of Birth and Creation Janmādhipāya refers to Lord Bhairava as the ultimate master, sovereign, and controller of the cycle of birth and reincarnation. This goes beyond merely presiding over individual births; he is the fundamental principle that governs all creation, all beginnings, and the very origin of existence itself. He is the one who initiates the cosmic processes that lead to the manifestation of all phenomena.

The Cosmic Governor As Janmādhipa, he holds absolute authority over the conditions, timing, and nature of every birth—be it of a universe, a star, a living being, or a thought. This implies a profound level of cosmic governance, where his will dictates the inception of all forms and phases of existence. He doesn't just manage births; he is the source from which all forms emanate and return.

Philosophical Significance Philosophically, this highlights his role as the source of manifest reality and Maya (the illusory power that brings forth the world of name and form). All existence originates from him, rests in him, and ultimately dissolves back into him. Acknowledging him as Janmādhipa is to recognize him as the primal cause and the ultimate orchestrator of all cycles of manifestation and dissolution. It reinforces the idea that nothing in the phenomenal world comes into being without his divine sanction and energy.

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Text and sources

The name list follows the Kalabhairava Sahasranama as compiled for this project. The English meaning and elaboration are interpretive notes for devotional study, not a translation of a single critical edition.

Read the editorial method and source notes →

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